yabooktwins

Review - The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

2013-11-30T23:42:00.000-08:00

Smart, funny, touching, and completely unforgettable, Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project, had me rooting for genetics professor Don Tillman, whose life is based on logic and control, as he searches for a life partner with The Wife Project. Along the way, Don meets Rosie, looking for her biological father, and he puts the Wife Project on the side to help her find her dad (The Father Project). While Rosie is pretty much the epitome of what Don is not looking for, the reader knows she's perfect for him, breaking Don out of his logic-ridden shell. Around Rosie, Don finds himself breaking his own rules and discovers moments of pure joy- "Another world, another life, proximate but inaccessible. The elusive… Sat-is-fac-tion." My heart broke for emotionally-crippled Don as he realized the emptiness of his routined life, and it soared for him when he began to slowly alter his over-regimented life. Filled with thoughtful insights and complete with proven statistics, The Rosie Project taught me a lot about human nature and their ability to love. I am in love with this unique and quirky book and the realistically vulnerable characters that it brought to life.

Side note:

In my head, I pictured Don as the logic-inclined Ewan McGregor in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Review by: Mary

Author: Graeme Simsion - follow him on Twitter.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Series: No
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 304 pages

There are two chances to win a copy of The Rosie Project. Click on the links below.

Goodreads

Simon & Schuster Book Site

Review: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2013-09-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it. (Goodreads)
Review by Kristina E., Unofficial YABookTwins Book Club Blogger

I always enjoy Jennifer Armentrout’s books, especially the Lux novel series. I really wanted to give this book a big 5 stars because I love the Lux novel series but I just cannot because of three reasons.

First, I was extremely sad about Dee and Katy’s friendship. I loved their friendship and it pretty much crashed and burned in this book. Dee turned to the dark side bitchiness that is Ash. I understand Dee’s frustration and sadness but there were times I wanted to go into the book and slap her in the face or at least shake her into reason and logic.

Dee: “Of course he would talk to her like nothing happened. They were BFFs” ughhh

GET OVER IT!! Katy was tricked, betrayed and tried to save you and Adam in the end.

Second, the book was a bit too predictable in some parts.

Third, was the very frustrating and predictable ending!!

HOWEVER, there were also very great things about this book and to simply put it DAEMON DAEMON DAEMON!! Opal was different from the first two book in terms of the additional action against the DOD. I liked how Katy was actually apart of the action instead of having daemon always saving her ass.

Overall, I would rate this book 4 stars, maybe 4.5 stars just because I love Daemon that much!!

Leap of Faith Blog Tour

2013-09-23T00:53:00.000-07:00

Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read. Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:

Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.

Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?

Here's an excerpt from Leap of Faith:

I slow the car, searching house numbers for 356 Maple Street. The neighborhood is like something out of a movie, tree-lined streets, sidewalks, and picket fences. Nothing bad ever happens here. It’s a place where wishes and prayers could actually come true. This is what Addy deserves.

My eyes spot the address I’m searching for on a green plastic mailbox. “Here it is,” I whisper to Addy. “Cross your fingers.” The rear tires bump over the curb as I turn the car into the short driveway, which leads to a two-car garage. The house is a tidy, white cape cod with a black door and shutters. Dark green awnings shade the windows, making the house look like it has droopy, tired eyes.

My hand grips the gearshift and I put the car in park. I’m clenching my stomach so tightly, I feel like I might pass out. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, holding it for ten seconds, and then blow it out hard and fast. I do this a few more times and the dizziness subsides. “Okay, Add, let’s go.”

The warm bundle of baby in my arms, pressed against my chest, is reality, security. She grounds me. She gives my feet purpose to stumble up the sidewalk and onto the front stoop without turning around and running back to the car.

I open the screen door and knock.

My heart beats so loudly, I can hear it pounding in my ears.

I wait.

There’s music inside, a faint strumming.

I press the doorbell and listen to it chime.

The strumming stops.

Footsteps approach the door.

I squeeze Addy closer. She whines.

The door is tugged open.

“Hey. Leah, right?” The boy standing in the doorway can’t be more than a few years older than me. He has a guitar in the hand that’s not gripping the doorknob.

Author Jamie Blair
Head on over to Jamie's blog and enter her giveaway!

Add Leap of Faith on Goodreads

Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

2013-09-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Reading Maggie Stiefvater's writing is akin to dreaming. Maybe I just tend to live and breathe in the books I read and this book is indeed about dreams, but that's what this book felt like. A dream. Every element of a dream, too. From the enchanting visuals to the nightmarish monsters. With her hypnotic words and her magical story, Stiefvater kept me engrossed and spellbound throughout the entire sequel. She was able to transport me to a world I had never before seen but could clearly imagine through her expert storytelling. I just love how perfectly she words everything. A touch wasn't just a touch it "was a whisper in a language she didn't speak very well." So beautiful!

I loved that this book centered around Ronan who is so interesting and dynamic. I was riveted with having a closer look into his thoughts and emotions because he has so much substance under the tip of his iceberg. His character growth was stunning to witness. Actually, all of the characters develop wonderfully. Gansey, Adam, Blue, and Noah. I saw sides of them that I was happy to discover they had. Some surprising, and some I was hoping to find. And the new character to come into Henrietta was just as interesting as the story. The Gray Man was difficult to understand, but intriguing to follow and I enjoyed discovering what kind of person he was.

If there's one thing this sequel was about, it's secrets. Everyone has them and many of them come out in this sequel. "Sometimes, some rare times, a secret stays undiscovered because it is something too big for the mind to hold. It is too strange, too vast, too terrifying to contemplate." The secrets uncovered in this book were both amazing and terrifying to discover. Some of them were relieving and some were a complete shock. But I treasured every discovery because I loved getting to know these characters more intimately. I'm certain there are a lot more secrets left to be revealed and I can't wait to read them in the next installments. Loved!

Review by Mary Munar

P.S.

a conversation between my friend, my brother, and myself:

friend: Is there a love story?

brother: Of course, there's a love story. She doesn't read books without romance.

friend: Haha! Is there a love story?

me: Duh! Of course, there's a love story!

friend: Oh! That's sounds pretty interesting!

conclusion: Romance makes books more interesting!

Crown of Midnight & Fangirl End of Summer Giveaway

2013-09-02T00:05:00.001-07:00


Mary, Rainbow and Me (Jenn). Mary made shirts for all of us!

Hi everyone! Hope you all are enjoying your summer as it comes to a close. Our summer has been filled with trips to the beach, potlucks, Vegas, the Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z concert, The Color Run, a Dodger game, Roman Holiday at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, trips to Disneyland, books galore, author events (We finally met Rainbow Rowell at Book Soup in West Hollywood), and of course movies!

Did you all see The Mortal Instruments?! We met the cast on their last mall tour stop at the Americana at Brand, it was crazy! Fans were dressed up in their shadowhunter gear and waited in the sun for hours just to get a glimpse cast, some lucky fans received wristbands and were able to meet the cast. I totally missed work for the event and it was worth it.

So yes, our summer was pretty amazing and we look forward to the rest of the year, not to mention my husband's and my vacation to Boston and New York in just two short weeks!

As we close in on summer and head into fall, we'd like to host a giveaway for you. I asked Mary what was her favorite August read and OF COURSE it was Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, just like mine, if we could use one word to describe it, it would be epic. Read Mary's review here. And just like twinsies, our favorite upcoming release is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Fangirl is so magical, Rainbow is magical, and our full review will post on Tuesday.

Good luck and happy reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

2013-08-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

Heartbreaking romance and heart-stopping action, Sarah J. Maas's stunning sophomore installment in the Throne of Glass series held nothing back as more secrets are uncovered, loyalties are tested, and betrayals abound. This was definitely not a filler book. Maas has written a breathtaking sequel that doesn't just live up to the first book, it rivals it. I LOVED book one, but this… THIS!! I was in lurve!! It satisfied so many of my questions and fulfilled seeds planted in the debut. I was a riveted, wide-eyed, sweaty-palmed, gasp-induced reader glued to every word, clinging to every sentence, repeating the paragraphs of the scenes I wanted to linger in (you'll want to stay in them too. Trust!). I was obviously a very satisfied little girl. And that's what this book reduced me to- a hope-filled, teary-eyed little girl (tears for all sorts of feels- happiness, grief, frustration, intense humor, anger, all of it!). I love books with lots of feels and this one has them in abundance. I tip my hat to you Sarah J. Maas! You've done it again! I am literally shaking my head in awe and appreciation. Please continue to steal my heart, shatter it, and rearrange the pieces to accommodate more feels. Rinse. Repeat.

The reader returns to find Celaena Sardothien (love this girl!!), now the King's Champion, coming back from one of several missions that the King of Adarlan has sent her on to eliminate his enemies. While pretending to be loyal to the King, Celaena hides her true agenda. But now the King has ordered her to kill a rebel leader, someone Celaena knows from the past, and this mission tests her true loyalties and who she can really trust. Let me just tell you that while this book is not lacking in action (super thrilling, suspenseful action), Crown of Midnight did not fail to deliver some heavy romance!! Steamy, blush-inducing romance. Thank you for that, Sarah Maas!! I knew I could count on you. But don't for one second think that that was all this book had to keep me fascinated, even though it definitely would've been enough. Nope! The plot thickens and secrets unravel. Storylines are expanded on and the character growth was a pleasure to read. It's hard to say why I loved this book without giving anything away. Just trust me when I say you will not be disappointed. I definitely wasn't. It more than lived up to my high expectations. I am so happy to take part in this series as a reader and I can't wait to devour more installments. Love, love, loved!

Review by Mary Munar.

Side note from Jenn. I am 70% into Crown of Midnight and my heart! It's so good, I can't even handle it. The story, the CHARACTERS everything is amazing so far. I don't ever want this series to end.

Picture taken by Jose Valencia on
August 18, 2012,
at Vroman's for the Throne of Glass Event.

Author: Sarah J. Maas - follow her on Twitter.
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Series: Yes
Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 432 pages

Read our Review!

Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

2013-08-15T20:06:00.001-07:00

The Bone Season is a fantastic original. Samantha Shannon has written an impressive first book and I look forward to reading more from this debut author. Her writing was captivating and the world she created was complex and fascinating. It was like learning a new language (don't worry, there's a glossary!), but once I understood what was going on, I was completely engrossed with the story, which was fresh and exciting. It pushed all the right buttons and pulled all the right heartstrings.

Paige Mahoney is a clairvoyant in a world where clairvoyance is a crime. Working for the syndicate, the criminal underworld, Paige uses her gift as a dreamwalker to spy for her boss Jaxon Hall. When an accident leads to her arrest, Paige is taken to Sheol I only to find out that instead of a government prison, Sheol I is actually a city ruled by a race called the Rephaim who have been around for centuries and use voyants as soldiers. Paige is assigned to Warden, her Rephaite keeper who will be responsible for housing and training her. But as Paige realizes that Nashira, the Rephaim blood-sovereign (super scary lady), wants something more from her, she plots to escape back home to her syndicate gang and her life of crime that she feels so safe in.

I loved Paige as a heroine. She's proud but caring. She's loyal and clever and incredibly strong. I felt like I got along really well with her personality. Her actions and dialogue never frustrated me and I trusted her instincts and motives. Her vulnerability only endeared me to her more. Paige is someone I could definitely connect with and I enjoyed spending time with and getting to know her. I also really liked Warden's character. He was definitely a difficult puzzle to solve and his calm exterior made it difficult for me to read him, but with each act of kindness and new piece of information that I found out about him, the more invested I became. I began rooting for both characters who seemed to want opposite things. Their dynamic was interesting and the way they progressed was intriguing. Two words - tension and knife.

With all the hype going around about this book, I had high expectations and I am pleased to reveal that I was not disappointed. It wasn't a fast read but I was very happy taking my time with it. The Bone Season is an inventive story that reminded me what I love about fantasy - exploring new worlds and embracing other people's imaginations - the closest I'll ever come to dreamwalking.

Review by @MaryMunar

Add The Bone Season on Goodreads and enter their giveaway, it ends in a couple of days.

Author: Samantha Shannon - follow her on Twitter.
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Series: Yes
Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 480 pages

Review: Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess

2013-07-10T22:33:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for a fun book about best friends and trying to survive life after college in a big city, then you're in for a treat! And it's set in New York! What's not to love? Brooklyn girls is about a young woman, Pia, who moves into a house with four friends and begins her adult life. Along the way, there are boys, job-hunting, parties, pranks, and just about everything that goes along with being in your early twenties in a big city. I immediately loved the five girls who share the house. Their bonds with each other are something I treasure with my own set of girls. They're different in so many ways and each one of them brings something to the table. I know this book is the beginning of a series and I am so excited to keep reading them and follow these women as they grow into their adult lives. Reading this book was like listening to a good friend. I felt like I knew Pia and I connected to her and all of her struggles. It shows how well Gemma Burgess knows what it's like to be young and finding your own way. I caught myself thinking plenty of times that these girls could easily fit into my own social group. The things that they say and do reminded me a lot of how my friends and I are. The funny anecdotes and situations were very relatable and I felt like I could have lived them and have already lived some of them.
The characters are written really well, too. Burgess writes amazing characters. They're so likable and interesting. I fell in love with all of them, independently and as a whole. I can't wait for the series to continue so that I can get to know all of them even more. Loved it!

Review by @marymunar

5/5 Stars

Add Brooklyn Girls on Goodreads.

Author: Gemma Burgess - follow her on Twitter.
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Series: Yes
Genre: New Adult

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Giveaway

2013-05-25T13:09:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! This month we participated in the Clean Sweep Challenge hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer & The Windy Pages. In addition to the mini challenge listed below, I have challenged myself to reading old and new ARCS this month. It has proven to be a little difficult as many anticipated releases came out this month. Fortunately, I had some awesome reads so far. One of the books took a lot more time than usual to finish. I wanted to savor every word and it took my almost two weeks to finish reading it.

I've read only 4.5 books so far. I've read Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder and The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter.

My favorite of the bunch is Fangirl, I can't even describe to you in this short entry how AMAZING it is. No, seriously, it's AMAZING.

Now, onto the challenge:

Answer the following in the comments section, if you could be written into any fanfiction opposite a main character, who would it be? (Name the book and character)
Tell us which of the books below you would like to win.

My answer:

Clockwork Princess, The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, I would be opposite Will and Jem...and probably Tessa ;)

One winner (chosen at random) will get two mystery ARCS (previously pictured) plus a choice of any of the books to be released. The two mystery ARCS will be mailed first and the ARC of your choice (Dirty Little Secret, Fangirl, Touch of Power or The Goddess Inheritance via Amazon) will be mailed pending release date, if it's not out already.

Thanks for entering and stopping by!

Rules: Must be 13 years of age or older. US only. Must be logged in as a blog follower to enter. Blog Follower will be notified and must respond within 24 hours. Contest ends Monday, May 27 at 8 PM, PST.

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge

Saturday May 4th

9am (EST) Barbara @ Basia's BookShelf
4pm (EST) Thuy @ Nite Lite

Saturday May 11th

9am (EST) Kristen @ My ParaHangover
4pm (EST) Crystal @ Elegantly Bound Reviews

Saturday May 18th

9am (EST) Ali @ My Guilty Obsession
4pm (EST) Nicole @ The Reader's Antidote

Saturday May 25th

9am (EST) Lola @ Lola's Reviews
4pm (EST) Jenn & Mary @ YA Book Twins

Mini Review: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

2013-05-06T23:10:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Jenn, here. I just wanted to update you on our Clean Sweep ARC Challenge month. We're in the month of May but I have only one book down and several to go.

Today I finished Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols. As most of you may know, Mary and I adore Echols. We have read all of her published works. I will only post right now that I loved it. It was a short but generous read, about 288 pages. Leave it to Echols to get me interested in Country Music and the technical aspect of the guitar and fiddle. I highlighted countless quotes, song titles and musical references so I could google them later on. This is obviously the mini review as the book does not come out until July 16th, but please, add it to your "TBR" list on goodreads!

Don't forget to come back, we'll have a giveaway challenge up on the blog very soon!

Next on the #arcmonth reading list: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge: May 2013

2013-04-02T00:16:00.000-07:00

Springtime, la la la la springtime. Mary and I are participating in Clean Sweep ARC Challenge hosted by Kimberly of The Windy Pages and Kimba The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. (There should be a procrastinator challenge as I am late on posting this!)

Speaking of procrastination, we have some lovely ARCS on file and I've decided to read an armful of ARCS I've had on hand. By the end of May, I will challenge myself to read the ARCs pictured below as well as some choice ones from Netgalley and Edelweiss.

All in all, I think it'll be fun and it'll encourage me to broaden my scope. So far this year, I've been partial to contemporary novels and it'll be nice to get back into some fantasy, dystopian and paranormal.

We'll host some challenges and four winners will be able to choose some of the ARCS pictured above. There is still time to sign up, just click on Kimberly or Kimba's links.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Pitch Dark Days Event in Huntington Beach

2013-02-12T00:09:00.001-08:00

On Monday, Jenn and I, along with our favorite photographer (Jose aka Jenn's super cool husband) attended an author event for the Pitch Dark Days Tour at Barnes and Noble in Hungtington Beach, CA. Brodi Ashton (Everbound), Cynthia Hand (Boundless), Tahereh Mafi (Unravel Me), and Veronica Rossi (Through the Ever Night) were kind enough to talk about their books, answer questions, and sign our copies.

Alison from Harper moderated the event and did a fabulous job. I love going to these events, because it is so interesting to meet the authors behind our favorite books and find out how sweet and funny they are. Jenn and I have been lucky enough to see all the authors except for one more than once. This was the first signing that we were able to see Brodi Ashton and I am glad we did because she was hilarious. I kept nudging Jenn and whispering how funny her comments were. She was so cute! We loved all the authors who came out that night and are enjoying their works immensely. Jenn and I are definitely sad that Cynthia Hand's Unearthly series is at an end. We devoured the first two books and now we're taking our sweet time in reading the third because we can't let go, but we're excited to find out what new projects and ideas she comes up with.

One thing I have to mention is that when I see Tahereh Mafi, the first thing I look for is what shoes she's wearing, and that night she did not disappoint. She is made of awesome!! The booktwins are definitely in love with her and her writing. I haven't read Unravel Me yet but if it's anything like the first installment, I'm sure it's a winner. Tahereh mentioned that reading Destroy Me (Shatter Me, #1.5) would help in understanding Warner's character a lot better, so I'll probably read that before the sequel.

Veronica Rossi is always so cute and sweet at events. She entertained the audience with a funny story of how she pitched Under the Never Sky to her agent. There were costumes involved. If you haven't read any of the authors from the event, pick up one of their books today. You won't be disappointed!

Book Extras: Everneath Series - Cole was originally supposed to be the love interest when Brodi first started writing the book, but made such a good villain that he was rewritten. Unearthly Series - Explores free will vs destiny Shatter Me Series - Shower scene! Under the Never Sky Series - The villain Sable's looks were modeled after the pro surfer Kelly Slater

PitchDarkDays 2013

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

2013-01-28T23:53:00.000-08:00

Hi there and welcome to our first ever participation in a hop! (I hope we're doing it right!) Anywho....we wanted to showcase some 2013 YA books that we're super excited about. Winner will get to choose one title by one of the YA authors listed below. Thanks for stopping by! :)
On Mon., Feb. 4th, Mary and I will drive our butts down to Huntington Beach, CA to see Cynthia Hand, Tahereh Mafi, Veronica Rossi and Brodi Ashton. One winner will get to choose a title already released by one of the authors annnnnd we will try to get it personalized for you! Awesome, right?? Unfortunately, Unravel Me isn't out until the next day, but feel free to choose any other books by the author.

For more info on the Dark Days Tour, click here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review & Giveaway - Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

2013-01-01T20:33:00.001-08:00

After reading/inhaling Attachments by Rainbow Rowell, which I loved, I had very high expectations for the author's upcoming young adult release Eleanor & Park; and, sure enough, I was far from disappointed. Rowell has a special talent for putting realistic and seemingly ordinary characters in a new light where they can shine and grow without changing who they really are or what they stand for.

Eleanor & Park is a first love story. It takes you back to a time when you feel awkward and insecure and weighed down by the pressure to fit in. There are some underlying issues that play a role in the story, but mostly it's about love and acceptance.

I loved the title characters. They were written perfectly. Every flaw, every thought. All their likes and dislikes. The humiliations and triumphs. I was in high school all over again. Eleanor and Park are both very likable and relatable characters. They're not perfect, but they're so real. It's always refreshing to find characters who aren't the most popular or are conventionally beautiful. They got seated together on the bus on Eleanor's first day of school, and while that first "meeting" was awful, they were eventually drawn towards one another and formed a special bond. I can't give up too many details without spoiling the whole story, but there were so many scenes that I fell in love with. Comic books, mixed tapes, makeovers. I thought the contrast between their parents and home lives was substantial and gave depth to their relationship and to the characters themselves. I also loved how Eleanor/Park would see herself/himself in a certain way, but through the opposite character's eyes, she/he looked completely different/better. It reminds me of that song in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella: "Do I love you because you're beautiful? Or are you beautiful, because I love you?" I love that song, by the way.

After finishing Eleanor & Park, I am now thoroughly convinced that anything Rainbow Rowell writes will be golden. She is definitely an author whose works I will be following. Love love loved!!!

5 out of 5 Stars
Review by Mary Munar

Side note from Jenn: OMFG I LOVED this book. I keep refreshing Rainbow's website for more tidbits. Fortunately, she has another book coming out and wow, if I am not geeking over it. It's called FaNGIRL and it comes out Fall 2013. Add it to your goodreads. This is one author you're going to want to follow. Fan for life, I need more!!

Add Eleanor & Park on Goodreads.

Author: Rainbow Rowell - follow her on Twitter.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: February 26, 2013
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 320

Pre-order Eleanor & Park

When you finish reading E&P, make sure you check out Rainbow Rowell's website for some really cool stuff. For now, here's a YOUTUBE video of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division.

Ok, so we LOVED E&P so much that we want give one of you lucky readers a chance to win a copy of this book! Thanks and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bringing YA to YOU!: Spread the Word!

2013-01-01T09:54:00.001-08:00

Bringing YA to YOU!: Spread the Word!: We want to come to your hometown and give you signed books--but in order to do that, we need YOUR help! Spread the Word in Your Hometown...

I entered and requested Montrose, CA as my first choice at Once Upon a Time Book Store and second, Pasadena, CA. Come on So Cal, let's win this :) Have you entered? You could win signed books!! Which sequel are you looking forward to...I can't wait for Scarlet by Marissa Meyer!

Jenn & Mary's Top Ten Favorite YA Books of 2012

2012-12-26T20:48:00.000-08:00

*Booktwins through and through, we chose the same five out of ten books! We had such a great year. Now we're looking forward to 2013 debuts and finales.

Review - The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

2012-12-22T14:57:00.002-08:00

The word amazing isn't enough to describe The Sea of Tranquility. The story unfolds and you just fall in love with these characters who are broken and in time mend themselves together, or try to at least.

At first when I read the book, I thought it was going to be a good, light, love-hate read, but it was that and so much more. The Sea of Tranquility made me feel things, when Nastya hurt, I was hurt, when she was surprised, I was surprised, when she laughed, I laughed.

The end of third chapter threw me for a loop. I didn't get it at first, the story is written so well that it concealed something very important, which of course is revealed.

Natsya dropped hints of what demons she lives with day in and day out. It's terrible what has happened to her and by the middle of the book, we have enough to piece together some of the horrific details.

The story switches back and forth through Natsya and Josh's POV.

Josh lives a "hard life", he really does, without the Leighton family, he would pretty much be alone. Natsya basically forces herself in this force field that he has created himself, which is difficult because they both have their guard on. They don't want to let the other one in, but they're so drawn to each other, that it's inevitable. Josh really transforms and he opens himself so much to her and doesn't know if he should regret the simple expectations that have implanted themselves into his everyday life.

Drew is a character that gets to you, I thought I had him pegged in the beginning book, I really did. I just didn't know how his role was going to play out or how significant he would be, but I fell in love with him too.

I don't want to give anymore away, but really, I just can't stop replaying scenes in my head. Remembering those special moments they shared make me smile, I'm really big on wishes.

I read the book at 11 PM last night, slept around 4:30 AM, woke up around 9:30 AM and didn't stop reading until I was finished which was around 11:30 AM. I absolutely love this book, I was not frustrated at all with the mystery surrounding both characters. The story was well paced and flowed incredibly well, even when situations were rocky, you read through them and experienced what the characters experienced. The Sea of Tranquility had everything you could hope for in a contemporary romance.

The last two words of dialogue are what get me. I went full circle and I cried happy tears. The Sea of Tranquility will stay long with you after you've read the last page. You'll want to go back, reread highlighted or dog-eared pages and fall in love all over again. Believe me, after I collected myself, I immediately went on Goodreads and starting "liking" all of my favorite quotes. You might also be itching to bake something or eat some ice cream.

I really can't wait to read more by Katja Millay.

Review by Jenn
5/5 Stars

Author: Katja Millay - follow her on Twitter.
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: September 5, 2012
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 362

Buy the book!

The YAbooktwins take Manhattan! And Boston. And Nantucket! Giveaway!!

2012-09-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, those were a lot of exclamation marks. But who cares? It's our blog and we are SO excited. Our trip was inspired by a YA book and then one day a picture of Nantucket showed up on bing.com and I immediately took it as a sign (I look at bing.com every day to see what types of photos are posted. It's actually really sad because my internet access is limited at work. It's kind of a highlight of my morning). Anyway, we thought about all the places we could go to and every time a place came up in a book we just started to imagine what it would be like to see it in real life.

In just ten days Mary and I will be headed to Boston where we will take a bus to Hyannis Port and then head to....Nantucket! Yes, the very island that is the center of one of our favorite YA books, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini.

After we've had a relaxing two days on the island (searching for Lucas, climbing lighthouses and eating at the amazing The Pearl Restaurant - it's the last day of Restaurant Week), we will head back to Boston for some fun in the park, cemetery (Sleepy Hollow) and visit The Freedom Trail. We might even visit Orchard House. By day we will be literary enthusiasts, by night, we will dine and drink like the locals and visit every pub around, it would be so awesome if we ran into a local author, ahem, Karsten Knight (Author of Wildefire and Embers and Echoes) for a quick Q&A for the blog.

Then we will set forth to the big apple. Oh, New York. This will be the first time for both of us and we couldn't be happier. We actually planned this trip last year but due to some unforseen and highly irregular weather, i.e. HURRICANE IRENE, we had to cancel on the eve our trip. We were forlorn and couldn't believe that everything we planned was ruined. Although, it was very, sucky for us, nothing compared to how the victims and businesses were affected. It was such a shame, but the publishing community really came together. I even participated in some bidding auctions to support the cause.

Fortunately, it's a little more than a year later and here we are...getting ready for our trip. It's going to be amazing, plus we'll be joined by some of our close friends and we'll get to experience everything together.

So far we have some places that were featured in Sarra Manning's novels, (Unsticky and Adorkable), we're going to taste everything at Dylan's candy shop, The Met (Unsticky's Vaughn says his favorite artist is Paul Klee, and we'll be visiting The Met since there is an exhibit), The Waverly Inn, Empire State Building, Tiffany's, The Palace, places inspired by Gossip Girl, Girls, Sex and the City, Meant To Be, and every other BOS/NY staple you can imagine.

A couple of months ago, we met Cassie Clare and mentioned our trip. We asked her where a shadowhunter/downworlder might frequent and she recommended, Veselka on 2nd Ave, we're also going to take a pic on one of the beaches in homage to The Summer I Turned Pretty Series by Jenny Han, it's the closest we can get to Cousins Beach.

In honor of our trip, we are posting a review and giveaway. The review was written by one of our favorite unofficial book club members, Kristina, who pretty much loves the same books we do. Recently she introduced us to The Premonition Series by Amy Bartol which we love! So here's her gush-worthy review!

We'll Always Have Summer Review by Kristina E.

Jenny Han touches every part of a growing young love with a lot of history, the honeymoon stage of sweet bliss, the heartbreaking mistake, Confusion and fear, and then the resolution. We’ll always have summer made me angry, laugh, cry, and get excited. Han pulled at every part of my heart with the relationships between a boyfriend and girlfriend (jeremiah and belly, belly and Conrad), Brother and Brother, Mother and Daughter, even the relationship between best friends.

The summer series would not be the same without Belly obsessing about Conrad…or Jere. But this series made me sympathize with Belly. How does she choose between Conrad and Jeremiah, especially after Conrad pretty much chose for her in the last book. But here she is again faced with something so confusing with no one to really turn to, beck is gone and her Laurel does not really get her. This book pokes at a daughter’s greatest fear of not having a mother in one of the most important stages in life.

One of the most touching parts of the book is how Han ties in Beck in their present lives. Beck will never be lost. She was my favorite character, always the ‘go to mom,’ sweet, gentle, and a guardian angle (I think). Her memory ties all the summer characters together. Susannah always knew <3

Then there is Laurel, control freak and overprotective mom. I felt like she was the biggest obstacle that Belly and Jeremiah had to overcome. I felt sorry for Belly with her situation with her own mom and the fact that Becks couldn’t be there for her when she needed some advice.

Then it hits you, the realization that boys will always be boys no matter what the circumstances are going into the relationship.

Jeremiah- always so sweet and gentle broke my heart in this book. I never noticed how immature and irrational he was and how easy it is to be scared about the future or how love can make you do stupid things. It is had not to feel bad for Jere after finding out what he did wrong but in the end we all knew who was meant for whom.

CONRAD!! One of the best part of this book was Conrads POV. We’ll always have summer actually gives a different perspective into Conrad Beck Fisher. He actually tries to be the good guy and respects Beck’s wishes, which in the end does not help his situation with Jeremiah or Belly. Brothers fighting over the same girl…sigh!! Conrad always so protective and loving in his own way makes you melt where you stand. I loved how he talks about Belly and how she was “his girl.” Reading Conrad’s POV was like reading into a tortured soul. I felt his pain, love and loss.

The third book changed my view of taylor. I didn’t like her at first because she pretty much hooked up with all the summer boys but her character finally stepped up. She was there for belly even if belly didn’t know it. Taylor always meant well.

In the end I was happy for everyone in the book. Although I would not have minded the ending to be elaborated more or maybe a 4th book side sequel of some sort.

5 out of 5 Stars

Now, we're giving away more books! A copy of Dreamless autographed by Josie Angelini, a paperback cover of We'll Always Have Summer (the back of the book has love letters from Conrad to Belly) autographed by Jenny Han AND Chain Reaction autographed by Simone Elkeles. Chain Reaction is mainly set in Chicago and since my husband is going on a business trip to Chicago while we're away, we decided to put up an extra book.

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If you have any comments or suggestions as to where we might visit, please comment and let us know!

As always, thanks for stopping by!!

Review & Giveaway - Throne of Glass.

2012-09-08T12:17:00.001-07:00

Mary and I inhale fantasy reads but oh wow, we couldn't get enough of Throne of Glass. I highlighted so many lines from the book just so I could go back and reread them. We were so excited when one of our favorite bookish friend told us Sarah Maas was going to be at Vroman's in Pasadena. Check out our pics from the event, read Mary's gush-worthy review and don't forget to enter our giveaway.

Sarah J Maas is just... wow!! There’s been a lot of buzz going on about Throne of Glass and now I understand what all the fuss is about. If you love fantasy, read this book!!! Fans of Graceling and Girl of Fire and Thorns will definitely eat this up! Strong, ass-kicking heroine, romance, mystery, magic. Also, there was this perfect balance of dialogue, action, and narrative reflection that made for a fast pace and kept me from wanting to take any reading breaks. There is no doubt that this title has become my favorite book of the year.

The story begins with the main character, eighteen year old Celaena Sardothien (there’s a pronunciation guide available on the author’s website, by the way), being released from prison after a year of suffering for crimes as an assassin. She is given a choice by the Prince: compete against other criminals to become the King’s champion and serve as his royal assassin for three years before earning her freedom, or return to prison where she most likely will not survive another year. I absolutely fell in love with Celaena! As tough and fierce as she is, she has this tenderness and vulnerability that makes me want to just protect her from anything that might break her, just like how both Prince Dorian and Captain Chaol Westfall must have felt. The Prince is definitely charming and has a way with women, but he’s also kind-hearted and generous. He seems sincere with Celaena. He’s funny, too! He made me crack up so many times. Then there’s Chaol, the handsome and serious Captain of the Guard, who trains Celaena and doesn’t hesitate to put her in her place. But they seem to understand and even trust one another. His protectiveness of Celaena is endearing and I love how much he believes in her. Celaena is smart and super funny, and she has a good heart. I rooted for her every step of the way and her story both warmed and chilled my heart.

Throne of Glass is filled with an awesome cast of characters and a brilliantly written plot that will surely keep you on your toes. When I finished reading the book, I was so sad (not that there was a cliffhanger or anything). I just wished it could keep going or that I hadn’t read it yet so that I could experience it again for the first time. It was one of those books! I am definitely going to keep up with this series. I fell in love with Celaena’s story and Sarah’s writing and I’m anxious to read more. So, until then, I’m going to read the four novella’s that prequel this book. Read Throne of Glass. You will not regret it! Love love love!!!

-Review by Mary

Jenn's side note: What Mary said! I aboso-freaking-lutely loved this book. I immediately took a liking to one of the main characters but seriously, it was such a wonderful book. It was such an honor meeting Sarah Maas. She's pretty amazing herself, I look forward to reading the rest of her series Fan forever!

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: August 7, 2012 Series: Series
Pages: 416 Genre:
Fantasy

Add Throne of Glass on Goodreads.

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Ramblings and Book Giveaway Annoucement

2012-08-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Five seconds of intro and the video previews my wonky face. Le sigh.

Romance Writers of America (RWA) invade Anaheim, California

2012-08-05T15:33:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, July 25, we attended the RWA Annual Conference at the Anaheim Convention Center. The RWA is an network and organization of over 10,000 dedicated romance writers.

We spent the afternoon and Disneyland then headed over to the Convention Center which is located across the street. At first, we didn't know what to expect, we knew that well over 200 authors were scheduled to appear.

Some of the young adult (YA) authors included: Ann Aguirre (Enclave), Jennifer Echols (Such a Rush), Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry) Robin LaFevers (Grave Mercy), Sophie Jordan (Firelight) Syrie James (Forbidden) and quite a few more. I read the night before that Myra McEntire would be at the signing but she wasn't on the map nor could we find her at any of the tables, believe me, we checked! But it's okay because I fangirled out on two of my favorite authors, Echols & Elkeles.

Meeting Jennifer Echols was such a pleasure, I got to tell her how much I love her and how I've read and reread all of her books. Her latest release is called Such a Rush and if you're a fan, you should definitely read it. We asked her to make a shout out to one of our favorite book-blogging buddies, she was so sweet and patient while we had technical difficulties. Check it out below.

Another honor was meeting Simone Elkeles, she was hilarious and amazing. She had some awesome swag and we left with Perfect Chemistry pens, bookmarks and these really hot posters featuring the Fuentes brothers who starred in the Chain Reaction book trailer. We told her how IN LOVE we are with her and her series and how we couldn't wait for her next series Fullriders to be released in 2013.

While we were at the event we bumped into some of ya buddies, Crystal and Thuy, it was such a fun event and we were happy to run into these two. In the fall, Mary and I plan on attending Crystal's annual event at the Vegas Valley Book Festival.

We left with several signed copies but lucky for you, we purchased Chain Reaction and asked Simone to sign it for us as a giveaway for one of you. I'll post the giveaway soon, sorry but US only for this guy.

The amazing part about the event was that all the proceeds from the books purchased went to "Readers for Life" a literacy program. This year they raised almost $53,000.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Author Event - to fangirl or not to fangirl

2012-07-23T19:34:00.001-07:00

If you love contemporary YA then you're no stranger to the magical Jennifer Echols and the amazing Simone Elkeles. I've read and loved every book they've published. They're not from the west coast, so when we found out that they were scheduled to be in Anaheim this week, we decided to go! I absolutely can't believe it!

Echols latest novel is called Such a Rush and it was released early last month. My favorite novel and character though is Johnafter from Going Too Far and I've reread it so many times. I've said before that Echols has a formula and she doesn't mess around. The characters she brought into our lives will remain in my heart. Next year, she will release an adult contemporary book and I CANNOT wait for it! I can just imagine how into it I'll be.

Elkeles wrote a companion series following the dangerously hot Fuentes' brothers in the Perfect Chemistry Series. She also has written Leaving Paradise Series and How to Ruin Series. Most of her novels two main characters switching POVS from each chapter. It's so great because sometimes you're dying to know what the male character is thinking and then you get to experience it first hand. And when I say experience, I mean to blush like crazy...I dare you to read her Perfect Chemistry Series and NOT fall in love with one of the Fuentes' brothers.

And finally, one of 2011's debut authors, the lovely Myra McEntire who artfully blends fiction with fantasy. Last year she brought us the story of Emerson and Michael brought together by a complicated "cause" in Hourglass. Mary and I thoroughly enjoyed this book and fell in love with Michael. What I loved most was the chemistry all of the characters had with each other and how the story is so intelligently written. It will have you guessing till the very end. And don't forget Timepiece, the sequel to Hourglass is out too. It's just AMAZING. The different take she took in the second novel was genius. I loved it.

So if you're in the SoCal area, this Wednesday, July 25th, they will be signing books from 5 - 8 at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel. Hopefully, we'll see you there! :)

There is no fee, however there will be no outside books allowed in...proceeds from book sales go to ProLiterarcy Worldwide...for more info or to see what other amazing authors are going to be at the event, click here.

Thank you Romance Writers of America!!

Review: Pushing the Limits

2012-07-15T23:37:00.001-07:00

“I WON’T TELL ANYONE, Echo. I promise.”
Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone TOUCHED ME like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins?
His DARK BROWN EYES shifted to my covered arms. “You didn’t do that—did you? It was done to you?”
No one ever asked that question.
They stared.
They whispered.
They laughed.
BUT THEY NEVER ASKED.
SO WRONG FOR EACH OTHER...AND YET SO RIGHT.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smokinghot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Review:
Pushing the Limits alternates narratives between main characters Echo and Noah. They are high school classmates who have more in common than they think. They have this amazing chemistry and are going through very difficult times in their lives. I'm not talking about silly, frivolous problems, I'm talking about really crappy situations.

Echo and Noah come together to overcome extreme obstacles. The story isn't just about romance, it deals with a mystery surrounding a huge event in Echo's life and we begin to understand what really happened to her. As she puts pieces together, you'll be shocked at what really happened.

Reading from Noah's perspective and reading about him in Echo's perspective really made me open my heart. The chemistry between the two characters is real and hot. The things that Noah says and thinks is enough to make you swoon. He's such a strong character who can make your heart melt at the same time.

If you like dramatic, contemporary romances, you'll love Pushing the Limits. And while Echo and Noah do push the limits, you'll root for them until the very end.

5 out of 5 stars
Review by Jenn

About the author:
Debut author KATIE McGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.
Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter: @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

Pitch Dark Days Post - II (Pictures Only)

2012-07-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Here are the pictures, as promised! Enjoy!!

Click on the picture below to see a slideshow from the event.

Pitch Dark Days

Dark Days Tour - Huntington Beach

2012-07-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Mary and I are literally right here at Barnes & Noble in Long Beach. I know I say this a lot, but I seriously didn't think we'd ever get a chance to meet Veronica Roth! She's here, along with the awesome Aprilynne Pike (Wings), Dan Wells (Partials) and S. J. Kincaid (Insignia). Unfortunately, we had to drive like 80,000 miles to get here and sort of missed the beginning part of it, but at least we made it.

Veronica = Chicago...yabooktwins = Los Angeles

Today = magic!

Ok, so we got a little bit of information, a reader asked them where they get the names for their characters. Veronica said that Tobias was named after a character in a children's book series that she read and loved as a kid.

Another person asked a GENIUS question, do they like Harry Potter? I mean, who doesn't? Some don't...I definitely do....but now we know that if Veronica Roth was to be placed in a house, she would be in "Huffleeeepuuuuuff," in case you couldn't tell, I was saying "Huffleeeepuuuuuff" like an announcer at a boxing match. (Yes, we are too excited)

We also learned that Dan Wells has a podcast, that I'm going to definitely add to my listening list. It's about tips and such for aspiring authors. It's called Writing Excuses, perfect, hunh?! I mean, I want to write a YA novel, I'm working on it right now. But there are days that I don't write...the tiniest excuse to not write and then I'm NOT writing. One of my favorite pieces of writing advice from successful, amazing authors is to "finish your book." And that's what I plan on doing.

Well enough about me and my writing tangent. Mary and I are having a blast (even though line is CRAZY, for real).

Here are some pics to tide you over. My hubby took tons of photos at and we'll be posting the rest. Looks like the lines moving along, we better go!

Leave a comment! We LOVE comments...we'll have a giveaway (a hopefully autographed) ARC of Partials by Dan Wells. :) Either way, it could be yours!

Click here to view complete photos of the event.