TuraLura's Picks

Sorry For My Absence

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:15:00 +0000

I have been trying to write reviews of a couple of non-fiction books this past week. I can't write a decent-length review of either, so I will be doing a single post with short reviews of both books. Then I can move on to all of the other reviews I have to write.

My next review will be of The Black Widow Trainer by Craig Odanovich. He sent me a copy of the book for review, so I need to get the review done. Hopefully it will go up later today. I'll be using my new (experimental) format for this review.

THEN I can do reviews of all the other titles I've read:

Lament - Maggie Stiefvater

Beautiful Darkness - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Kiss at Your Own Risk - Stephanie Rowe

A Victorian Rose - Catherine Palmer

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith

Amazonia - James Rollins

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie - Jennifer Ashley

Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder

I really need to update my Recently Finished and Currently Reading sections at right, as Amazonia is listed under Currently Reading. I've read two whole books since finishing that one! And started on a third.

Once I get those sections updated, I'm going to add a poll for preferred review format: either the overview and opinion I've done all along or the new format where I break down what I liked/didn't like/etc.

Fickle Memory

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:55:00 +0000

Make Me Remember
Emma Petersen

Release Date: Summer (?) 2010
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Rating: 9/10
Source: I received a copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Buy the Book: Borders ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Ellora's Cave
Content Warning: Cussing, Explicit Sex

Hannah Bryant has always been different. Since she was a child, she's had vivid dreams of death and loss. Years later, Hannah is a successful doctor who's gotten past the terrors that used to plague her. In a flash, everything she has worked so hard for is in danger when the dreams return with a vengeance.

But the dreams haunting Hannah's sleep now are nothing like the ones from her childhood. No longer does she dream of death and destruction-now her dreams are of a man who elicits a reaction from Hannah's body that's strangely familiar and startlingly brand new at the same time.

Book blurb from Goodreads.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I volunteered to review a book for Miss Petersen. It's been a while since I read an erotic romance.

I needn't have worried; Make Me Remember is a sweet and fulfilling romance. The sex scenes - both in Hannah's dreams and in her life - are real scorchers. I needed a fan and a cold drink after each.

And I read the book in the middle of January, when it was freezing cold outside!

What I Liked:

Hannah. She's complex. She's not perfect. She's real.

Gabe, the leading man. Wow. Just wow.

The mixture of the real world and the dream world. Her dreams are vivid, realistic. One even made me cry.

The 'magic' (or whatever it is!) that allows Hannah to speak a language she's never learned.

What I Didn't Like:

The length! A full-length novel would have allowed us to get to know the characters better.

Hannah and Gabe's relationship developed too fast. However, I believe this is due to the length restriction of a novella. So this point just goes back to the first one: a longer version would be better. ^_^

Knowing What I Know Now, Would I Read This Book?

YES! At roughly 70 pages, it's a quick read. Well worth the hour or so it took me to read the first time.

I'll probably re-read it several times. Yeah, it's that good.

Should You Read This Book?

If you like romances, especially with an element of the paranormal, yes.

Maybe not if you don't like to read sex scenes, as there are several. They're short but hot.

Life, Virtually

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:01:00 +0000

The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans
David A. Ross

Release Date: January 2011
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Rating: 4/10
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher. This did not influence my review in any way.
Buy the Book: Smashwords ~ OpenBooks
Content Warning: Some cussing, Explicit Sex (One fairly short scene.)

Meet Fizzy Oceans—archivist, researcher, environmentalist and adventurer. On her travels she witnesses The Exodus, the Battle of Gettysburg and Hurricane Katrina, as well as many other historical and real time events. She meets notable individuals including Gandhi, Mark Twain, Jacques Cousteau, The Dalai Lama, Saddam Hussein and even a new species called the Quinngen.

Such unique experiences and encounters spanning the world and time as we know them would not be possible for a single individual—especially not for a woman named Amy Birkenstock who works as a medical clerk in Seattle, Washington—but Fizzy Oceans, Amy’s digital alter ego, is not in Physical Life. She lives, works and travels in the virtual world where the dead are very much alive, places like ancient Babylon and Pompeii have been reconstructed, and with the click of a button—WHOOSH!—one is transported throughout the Ages to events and destinations that make up our human history.

Even as Amy’s physical life existence is challenged by encroaching environmental disaster, economic instability, and societal breakdown, Fizzy’s virtual world offers instant realization of vision and inspiration. The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans imagines the bridging of two worlds—the literal and the metaphorical—and questions what it is we have created, what has been lost, and what might be possible for us as individuals and for the Human Race.

Book blurb provided by publisher.

As you can tell from my rating, I didn't love this book. It was alright, but not great.

From reading the blurb, I had high hopes. The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans did not live up to those hopes. Not even close.

What I Liked:

Amy Birkenstock (A.K.A. Fizzy Oceans) made a great character. Well-developed and realistic.

The world of 'Virtual Life' (VL) captured my imagination. There are virtual reality programs out there, several in fact, but none (in my experience) that quite measure up to the fictional one presented in this book.

The supporting characters - all several dozen of them - were well-rounded and entertaining.

Character interactions. So many characters, so many interactions. Nearly all of them felt real.

The so-called Real Life (RL) world in the book. This world shares much with our own - is pretty much an exact copy even - but is not quite ours. Just a few minor differences separate the two. Until very near the end of the book, when RL goes down a steep slope of ecological degradation that sounds possible in our own world. A bit of a scary thought, actually.

What I Didn't Like:

Disjointed writing in places. Some parts of the book were great, other parts had me setting down the e-reader in disgust. I came close to giving up multiple times. (Just ask my husband or pretty much anyone at Hillside Games in Asheville, NC. The Saturday I tried to read while there, I think everyone heard my opinion on the editing - or lack thereof. Heh.)
This is something that could have been fixed in editing. SHOULD have been fixed in editing.

The random paragraph in French. Yes, it was dialogue from a French character. It still should have been at least partially translated. If not for one of the characters, then for the reader. Amy/Fizzy should have had to do some rough translation in her head. The reader should have been privy to that. If not for Google Translator, I would have been lost.

Inconsistent RL identification of one of the minor characters. I'm assuming the first identification of this particular Virtual Lifer was supposed to be a wrong guess by the other characters. But, for this one scene in the middle of the book - the same one with the random paragraph in French as it happens - the VLers identity is given as one RL person. For this scene, the VL avatar speaks and acts as one would expect it's RL counterpart to do so. Hell, the VL avatar is identified as the RL person at least once when speaking. To find out several pages later that this avatar was controlled by someone completely different was jarring, to say the least. (I was rather tempted to call this a plot hole.)

Knowing What I Know Now, Would I Read This Book?

No. I spent the first half-to-three-quarters of it frustrated. I would not do that to myself intentionally.

Should You Read This Book?

If you have read the author's other books and liked them, you'll probably like this one.

I liked the last half or so of it. Not enough to reread it, though. I also seriously doubt I will pick up another of Mr. Ross's books.

Waiting on Wednesday: Witch Song

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000

I shall have another review up tomorrow. I haven't quite finished the one I was planning to post at noon today.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for the week:

Witch Song
by
Amber Argyle

Miss Argyle's debut novel sounds utterly fascinating...

The world is changing.

For thousands of years, witch song has controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons. But not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by the dark Witch, Espen.

As the last echoes of witch song fade, Espen grows stronger as winter and summer come within the space of a day. Now she’s coming for the one she missed—a shy, untrained girl of fifteen named Brusenna.

Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find Espen. Fight her. Defeat her.

Or there won’t be anything left to save.

Book blurb from Goodreads.

The cover is just gorgeous, isn't it? ^_^

Release Date: 1 September 2011

I Want to Live There...

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0000

in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory! ^_^

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl

Release Date: 1964
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Rating: 10/10
Source: Owned
Buy the Book: Borders ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-A-Million ~ IndieBound
Content Warning: None!

For the first time in a decade, Willy Wonka, the reclusive and eccentric chocolate maker, is opening his doors to the public--well, five members of the public to be exact. The lucky five who find a Golden Ticket in their Wonka chocolate bars will receive a private tour of the factory, given by Mr. Wonka himself.

For young Charlie Bucket, this a dream come true. And, when he finds a dollar bill in the street, he can't help but buy two Wonka's Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delights--even though his impoverished family could certainly use the extra dollar for food. But as Charlie unwraps the second chocolate bar, he sees the glimmer of gold just under the wrapper!

The very next day, Charlie, along with his unworthy fellow winners Mike Teavee, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, and Augustus Gloop, steps through the factory gates to discover whether or not the rumors surrounding the Chocolate Factory and its mysterious owner are true. What they find is that the gossip can't compare to the extraordinary truth, and for Charlie, life will never be the same again.

Book blurb from Goodreads.

I am not sure why I waited so long to read this book. I loved it! The book is every bit as magical as the 1971 musical (titled Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), possibly even more so. (I have not seen the 2005 film adaptation, so I can not make comparisons with it.)

The book is a bit darker than the musical, and the Oompa-Loompas less silly.

I love both, but the book has far eclipsed the movie as my favorite of the two. But isn't that how it normally goes? ^_^

A quick and easy read that I can not recommend highly enough.

Win an ARC of Original Sin!

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Over at Lisa Desrochers' blog...

Here's how:

It's a "spread the word" contest, so pretty much every way you can think of to spread the word around the internet will earn you a point. Each point = one entry. Each entry is a chance to win!

You can link to the contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog. Add Original Sin to your to-read list/shelf on Goodreads.

There are tons of ways to earn points. For the full list, see the post linked to above.

Yes, this post is earning me an extra entry. More than one, actual with the pre-order links I'm about to give. ^_-

Original Sin (Personal Demons, #2)
by
Lisa Desrochers

When secrets and old histories come to light, Frannie realizes that nobody is who she thought they were. Hell won't give up and Heaven won't give in. Some are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell's grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

Pre-order: Borders | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

If I had a job, I would have this book pre-ordered already!

Heaven? Or Hell? Both Can Be Tempting...

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 05:01:00 +0000

Personal Demons
Lisa Desrochers

Release Date: 14 September 2010
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Rating: 10/10
Source: I won this book in a giveaway on the author's blog. This did not affect my review in any way.
Buy the Book: Borders ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-A-Million
Content Warning: Some cussing, Possible theological issues (will cover in review)

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the king of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay…for all of them.

Book blurb from the author's blog.

I loved this book! I think I've been in love with the idea since the first time I heard about it, sometime early in 2010.

Then Miss Lisa posted some excerpts on her blog, and I was hooked.

I had to read the entire story. I had to know what happened. Who - and by extension where - would Frannie choose? Luc - and Hell? Or Gabe - and Heaven?

Both boys are hot, both tempting in their own way. Demons are supposed to be hot, right? I mean, they are demons! *giggle* (I like puns, can you tell?) Angels, though, aren't expected to be hot. Except in romance books. Or, ya know, urban fantasy apparently.

Despite going back and forth between the two guys, Frannie does make her choice by the end of the book. Or so we think. Who does she choose? You'll just have to read the book to find out!

Now for the possible theological issues I mentioned above...

While I loved the book, and had no problems with it personally, I do realize that some people will have problems with it. Those problems would be theological in nature. Miss Desrochers' portrayal of demons and angels is rather different from the biblical one.

Why did I not take issue with this? Simple: no where does the author claim this series to be Christian fiction. Was it inspired by biblical persons? Obviously, as the main demon character's full name is Lucifer Cain.

But she does not claim to be using the Bible as a basis for her demons and angels, her heaven and hell. She brings a unique interpretation of demons, angels, heaven, and hell to young adult fiction.

It's not for everybody - no book is - but I, for one, loved it! I'm anxiously awaiting book two in the series, Original Sin, due out 5 July 2011.

In fact, I shall be posting about an opportunity to win an ARC of Original Sin around noon today. Stay tuned!

Weapons and Armor and Research

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0000

I couldn't find a blurb for this book, despite searching for a while. I would just type up the inside dust jacket copy, but I returned the book to the library almost a month ago.

Phaidon Guide to Antique Weapons and Armour
Robert Wilkinson-Latham

Release Date: August 2010
Genre: History
Rating: DNF
Source: Library
Buy the Book: Out of Print
Content Warning: None!

No Blurb found. :(

I checked this book out of my local library to read for research for a historical romance I have in the works. Okay, technically, my husband checked it out. But I always planned to read it.

My first disappointment came in the introduction, when I found the book only covered the period beginning after the fall of the Roman Empire. I wanted it to read about the weapons and armor used during the Roman Empire. Dang.

But I have several other ideas for historical stories, so I continued reading.

The twenty pages I read that first day turned out to be the most I read of it in one sitting.

Drier than the dessert, it nearly put me to sleep. The topic is interesting, the illustrations were outstanding. The presentation, however, left much to be desired...

How do you make such an interesting topic boring? By not listing developments in weapons and armor side-by-side. By saying, but not showing how, one influenced the other.

Also by sounding like the most boring history professor imaginable. Even worse than the ghost teacher from the Harry Potter series. Seriously.

In conclusion: No matter how fascinating subject, a boring presentation makes it not worth finishing.

Waiting on Wednesday: Love Story

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:01:00 +0000

I'm still working on all those reviews I owe you guys. I hope to have another one up tomorrow. Or maybe even later today.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for the week:

Love Story
by
Jennifer Echols

From Goodreads:

Erin Blackwell is headed to college in New York City to study creative writing and earn a living as a romance novelist. Her grandmother has other plans: she approves of the college, but she wants Erin to major in business and then come back home to Kentucky to run the family’s famous racehorse farm. There is no way Erin will agree. Studying in New York and writing her way into a career is her escape from the farm and the family tragedy that happened there. So Erin’s grandmother decides Erin really will live life as a starving artist. She takes Erin’s future job running the farm, her inheritance, even her college tuition, and gives them all to Hunter Allen.

Hunter has lived on the farm for years. He’s Erin’s age, he’s the stable boy, and he’s the romantic dream of every girl in her high school. But he was involved in the family tragedy. Erin has always given him a wide berth. And he’s a slick opportunist. She’s furious that he fooled her grandmother into giving him Erin’s birthright and sending him to Erin’s college.

At least she’s free of him in her creative writing class. So she pens a story that has haunted her lately, in which the horse farm heiress at the very first Kentucky Derby starts a forbidden affair with the lowly stable boy. Unfortunately for her, the day she’s sharing this story with her New York classmates, Hunter walks in. He’s switching to her class. And after reading about himself in Erin’s story, he writes his own sexy assignments that lure Erin into dangerous fantasies about what could have been between them, and what might be.

Okay, so we've got an enemies-to-lovers YA romance about a girl who dreams of being a romance novelist. Cool. Very cool.

Release Date: 19 July 2011

Review: Doubting Thomas by Stephanie Taylor

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:42:00 +0000

I am so far behind... I received this book as an early review copy last August. Heh.

I will not get this far behind again.

Doubting Thomas
Stephanie Taylor

Release Date: August 7, 2010
Genre: Erotic Romance
Rating: DNF
Source: I received a free review copy from the author. This did not affect my review in any way.
Buy the Book: Borders ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-A-Million
Content Warning: Explicit Sex, Cussing

For five years, Thomas has lived without a past. A motorcycle accident left him with permanent amnesia and a lot of anger. But the scars aren’t all on the outside. He knows one day he’ll need to figure out who he used to be, but for now, he’s content in his misery and denial. If his family doesn’t care to find him, the feeling is mutual.

Until the love of a tender-hearted, sassy redhead changes his mind.

Alyssa Morgan vowed to locate her missing husband. She follows every clue, every lead, every hunch, hoping to find him and the reason for his disappearance. But fate has something else in store. Alyssa is determined to get to know the aloof man who has her husband’s voice and the disfigured face of a stranger.

Torn between his past and their future, can they put their doubts aside to let love in?

Book blurb from author website.

Wow, my first DNF review. Fun. (Not really.)

When I first received this book last August, I started reading eagerly. It started off well, easy to read. The writing and editing ~~were~~ are great. I expected to finish it within a day or two.

However, the further I read the more the plot bothered me.

In a historical setting - even one as recent as the 1980s - it could potentially work. But the setting is modern day: every character has a cell phone.

Which also means that fingerprints and DNA (among other things!) can be tracked reliably. So Alyssa's husband disappearing completely five years ago just doesn't work. Now, if he had outside (read: government or mafia) assistance in changing his looks and altering paperwork, etc, maybe.

But Thomas is just a loner with no memory.

Also, the book's blurb mentions him having the voice of her husband. I don't recall that ever having been mentioned in the first third of the book (which is all I managed to read).

Alyssa's husband's best friend was helping her try to find him in the first part of the book. If Thomas had the same voice as Alyssa's lost husband, wouldn't his best friend have noticed?

Yeah. He didn't.

I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to finish it too, since I did get a review copy from the author. But I couldn't. A plot hole that big is just too much.

I said at the top of this post that I was behind, but I'm not really. I just gave this book another chance last night. I had hoped that my time away from it would somehow make it better.

It didn't work. I gave up on it. I seriously doubt I will ever read any of this author's other books.

Her writing is good. Her logic is not.

Just a note for those on Goodreads: This book has 4 five-star ratings - two of which are from the author and publisher - and two one star reviews. One of the one star reviews is mine, the other is the only one (so far) with text. The other two five-star reviews are both from people who are friends with the author.

Makes me wonder how many of those four (other than the author, of course!) actually read it.

Reviews I Owe My Readers

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 06:15:00 +0000

Edited 8 March 2011.
I shall cross these off as I finish them.

Okay, since the characters in my head won't shut up*, I'm not able to write a review for y'all at the moment. But I don't want y'all to think I've forgotten you.

So, for now, I'm making a list of the reviews I owe you guys. I'll get them done as soon as possible.

Personal Demons - Lisa Desrochers - Posted 5 March

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl - Posted 8 March!

The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans - David A. Ross**

Make Me Remember - Emma Petersen

An Unquiet Mind - Kay Redfield Jamison

Taking Charge of Your Fertility - Toni Weschler

Lament - Maggie Stiefvater

Beautiful Darkness - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Phaidon Guide to Antique Weapons and Armor - Robert Wilkinson-Latham - Posted 4 March

Kiss at Your Own Risk - Stephanie Rowe

A Victorian Rose - Catherine Palmer

The Black Widow Trainer: An Erotic Adventure Novel - Craig Odanovich**

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith

I am not making any promises that these reviews will be done in the above order. Nor am I giving a definite timeline. I've been having too much trouble with my own writing for that.

* Yay! I'm writing again!

** You may have noticed this title does not yet have a rating. I'm saving that for the review. Once the review goes up, I'll edit the Recently Read section on the right to reflect it.

Laura Kreitzer Talks About Human Trafficking

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Hello Literary-Folk!

My name is Laura Kreitzer, and I’m the author of the Timeless Series and the Summer Chronicles. This week I would like to alert everyone on a colossal crisis that’s gone unnoticed in the world: human trafficking. That’s why I’ve asked hundreds of blogs to be involved with spreading the word on this issue that’s become close to my heart.

As an author, and someone whose life is put in the spotlight, I keep most people at a distance. Only a handful of my friends know the whole me and the events from my past. But this week I’d like to share with you a part of myself that the outside world doesn’t see (and a part of me I don’t like to share). I was emotionally abused for five years by someone I thought loved me, my mind beaten into submission. Though the turmoil I went through doesn’t penetrate as deep as someone forced into slavery on the worldwide market for human trafficking, I can sadly relate in some ways: imprisoned, my life dictated down to what I wore, ate, where I went, whom I spoke to, where I worked, when I slept, bending to his every whim. He did not sway, even when I cried through some of the more traumatic things he had me do. I was a slave in my own home. In my desperation for freedom, I held out a gun and asked him to just end my suffering. I was desperate.

I can’t even imagine how many women (and men) in the world are in a similar situation. What’s even worse, I had it mild compared to the children that are sold for labor or sex. Surprisingly, the good ol’ U.S.A. is reported to be the host to two million slaves. Did you know this? Because I certainly did not; not until I was preparing to write my newest novel: Phantom Universe. The main character, Summer Waverly, was stolen as a child and sold as a slave to the captain of a modern-day pirate ship. From a loved child who only knew “time-out” as punishment, to being whipped into silence was something I knew nothing about. So I researched deeply into human trafficking and the psychological effects of torture of various types that one would endure in these circumstances. I felt shaken at my findings and knew I had to tell Summer’s story. (Read a sneak peek here.)

A storm began to brew in my mind; transforming, morphing, twisting, and expanding into this massive, black cloud. I had to bring this tragic atrocity to the forefront. My own emotional experiences, mixed with the research I did on human trafficking, made me feel an intense connection with Summer, and to all women who’ve been through this kind of brutality. The cloud ruptured and rained all over my computer one day. It took one month to write Phantom Universe, the first in the Summer Chronicles. I was so consumed by the story that I wrote nearly nonstop, only breaking for necessary tasks like eating, showering, and occasionally—very occasionally—sleeping.

Though the book I’ve written would be classified as Science Fiction, or as I’d like to call it, Dystopian, the emotions and psychological aspects are not Science Fiction—they're real. Reviewers have said many amazing things about Summer, this character who is so real in my mind and who I cried along with as the words poured from my soul onto my screen.

“I admired Summer's strength and ability to adapt,” says CiCi’s Theories. “I felt tied to her emotions,” Jennifer Murgia, author or Angel Star admits. And Tahlia Newland, author of Lethal Inheritance, remarks, “Summer is strong and smart in mind [. . .]”

Through her overwhelmingly horrendous past, Summer goes on more than just a physical journey in Phantom Universe, she goes on a psychological one as well; growing beyond her mute state to persevere and survive in a new world beyond the whip she’s so frightened of.

Now that the release date is here, I’m excited and terrified to share this story with everyone. I’m emotionally tied in every way to the words I’ve written, because they’re more than words. More than just a story on a page. Beyond the fictional aspects, there’s a real issue that needs to be addressed: human trafficking must be stopped. We shouldn’t sit idly by while this continues to plague us. Our world’s children—our nation’s children—are being affected. It’s time we take action!

Earlier this month Phantom Universe hit Barnes and Noble’s top 100 Best Selling list. I’ve decided to donate 10% of my sales from Phantom Universe, until the end of February, to the DNA Foundation.

“DNA hopes to help abolish modern day slavery, deter perpetrators, and free the many innocent and exploited victims. We are committed to forcing sex slavery out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

Freedom is a basic human right and slavery is one of the greatest threats to that freedom. No one has the right to enslave another person.”

—From DNA Foundation’s Website

I ask that you spread the word to everyone you know. Look around on the DNA Foundation website and find a way to get involved in ending human trafficking. Take action today. Everyone has a voice—you have a voice. Will you have the courage to use it?

My First Ever Guest Post!

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:00:00 +0000

I'm not guest-blogging somewhere; I have a guest post for my blog! ^_^

Tomorrow, Thursday the 17th of February, Laura Kreitzer will be talking about an important cause featured in her unpoming book, Phantom Universe.

While I have not yet read any of Miss Kreitzer's books, I do follow her on Twitter. I've read all the writing advice (and everything else) on her website.

I look up to her as a writer.

I value her as a friend, even though we may never meet. :(

And I am super excited to have a guest post from her! ^_^

Waiting on Wednesday: The Liar Society

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:40:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for the week:

The Liar Society
by
Lisa and Laura Roecker

There's something heartwarming about a pair of sisters writing books together...

From Goodreads:

Kate Lowry didn’t think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, who died mysteriously a year before, she’s not so sure. When the emails continue, Kate is forced to confront her school’s resident druggie, a sketchy administrator, and even her own demons.

As Kate moves closer and closer to the truth, she teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not so)shining armor–the dangerously attractive, bad boy, Liam and her love-struck neighbor, Seth. The three uncover an ancient secret lurking in the halls of their elite private school with the power to destroy them all.

But the truth doesn’t always set you free. Sometimes it’s only the beginning.

From the advance reviews (okay, review) I've seen, this book is every bit as good as it sounds. Also, it's a YA mystery novel! I adore mysteries and haven't seen many in the YA section recently.

Love the pink hair on the cover model. ^_^

Release Date: 8 March 2011

You can download the first chapter of the book from the book's website.

Excuses, Excuses...

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:06:00 +0000

I had such high hopes for myself and this blog this year. Then life happened. Now, I'm insanely far behind. I've got 8 or 9 reviews to write (I can't even remember, that's how behind I am.)

Why did I get so far behind? Here's the list:

1) Ginger, the female lab/beagle mix dog, I took to Bark for Life last year died. Of cancer. Ironic, huh? Also sad and sucky.

2) I had a hiccup with my unemployment. It looked like I might not get any more, which would mean we'd have to cut off the internet. That took almost two weeks to straighten out.

I know there were more reasons, but I can't remember them right now. I'm too tired to be doing this, but it had to be done. I've been putting it off for about a week already.

I am such a terrible procrastinator.

I'm going to give this blogging thing another try. Just as soon as I get some sleep.

Waiting on Wednesday: Original Sin

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I admit this week's choice is rather biased. I just finished the first book in a series, so, of course, my choice for this week is book two in the same series! ^_-

Original Sin (Personal Demons, #2)
by
Lisa Desrochers

Miss Desrochers's first published novel, Personal Demons (review to come), had me captivated, enthralled until the very end. Now I am anxiously awaiting the sequel!

When secrets and old histories come to light, Frannie realizes that nobody is who she thought they were. Hell won't give up and Heaven won't give in. Some are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell's grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

(Blurb from Goodreads. There is a longer blurb on the author's blog and website, but it gives away a lot from the first book.)

Not much to go on there, but if it's anything like the first one, I'll love it! ^_^

Release Date: 5 July 2011

2011 Reading Challenges

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Fair warning: This will be a long post. Maybe not to start, but as the year progresses, it will get longer and longer.

In 2010, I only participated in one reading challenge: 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge. My goal was to read 50 library books over the course of the year. I read 57. This year, I am going to concentrate on reading more of the books I already own. BUT, I am still going to attempt this challenge. Just not at the 50 books level.

I'm also doing five (or 7!) other reading challenges. Since each allows overlap with the others, this should be easily obtainable. Each challenge will have a list of books read - or to be read - below the name and challenge details. Books not yet completed will be in black, while those completed will be red.

In no particular order, here are the reading challenges I am attempting in 2011:

Literary Escapism's New Author Challenge 2011

I will be reading (at least) 15 new-to-me authors to fulfill this challenge. (Fiction)

Progress: 8/15
1. Personal Demons - Lisa Desrochers (YA; 2010; US)
2. The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans - David A. Ross (dystopian; 2011; US)
3. Make Me Remember - Emma Petersen (Paranormal Romance; 2010; US)
4. Lament - Maggie Stiefvater (YA; 2008; US)
5. Kiss at Your Own Risk - Stephanie Rowe (Paranormal Romance; 2011; US)
6. A Victorian Rose - Catherine Palmer (Christian Romance; 2002; US)
7. The Black Widow Trainer - Craig Odanovich (Erotic Adventure; 2011; US)
8. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith (Historical Paranormal; 2010; US)
9. Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder (YA; 2010: US)
10. The Sex Club - L.J. Sellers (mystery/thriller; 2007; US)

Into the Old World Reading Challenge

This challenge is for books published before 2009. Though there are no set goals, my personal goal is to read at least 15 such books. (All genres)

Progress: 7/15
1. Taking Charge of Your Fertility - Toni Weschler (non-fiction; 1995; US)
2. Phaidon Guide to Antique Weapons and Armours - Robert Wilkinson-Latham (non-fiction; 1981; UK)
3. The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice, #2) - John Flannagan (YA; 2007; Australia)
4. The Sex Club - L.J. Sellers (mystery/thriller; 2007; US)
5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (MG; 1964; UK)
6. Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing - Mignon Fogarty (non-fiction; 2008; US)
7. An Unquiet Mind - Kay Redfield Jamison (Memoir; 1995; US)
8. Lament - Maggie Stiefvater (YA; 2008;US)
9. Amazonia - James Rollins (thriller; 2007; US)

Larrisa's Bookish Life's International Reading Challenge 2011

The goal of this challenge is to read books published internationally. I will be participating at the "Local" level: 5 - 10 books. I imagine most of the books I read have been or will be published internationally. However, I am only going to count those books initially published outside of the United States. (All genres)

Progress: 1/5
1. Phaidon Guide to Antique Weapons and Armours - Robert Wilkinson-Latham (non-fiction; 1981; UK)
2. The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice, #2) - John Flannagan (YA; 2007; Australia)
3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (MG; 1964; UK)

Home Girl's Book Blog's 2011 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

I am going to attempt to read 25 books from my local library. (All genres)

Progress: 5/25
1. Fire (The Seven Kingdoms, #2) - Kristin Cashore (YA; 2009; US)
2. Taking Charge of Your Fertility - Toni Weschler (non-fiction; 1995; US)
3. Phaidon Guide to Antique Weapons and Armours - Rick (non-fiction; 1981; UK)
4. An Unquiet Mind - Kay Redfield Jamison (memoir; 1995; US)
5. Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2) - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (YA: 2010; US)
6. Lament - Maggie Stiefvater (YA; 2008;US)

Book Chick City's Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2011

The goal is to read 12 mystery and suspense novels this year. These novels can come from any of the multitude of mystery and suspense subgenres. (Mystery/Suspense)

Progress: 0/12
1. The Sex Club - L.J. Sellers (mystery/thriller; 2007; US)
2. Amazonia - James Rollins (thriller; 2007; US)

I'm also considering two more challenges, both hosted by Book Chick City: The 2011 Stephen King Challenge and The Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2011. I would be reading Stephen King's Dark Tower series for both (which would complete the first and put me a good way towards the second). I think I will wait and decide after I try to read the first book in the series (which I will be getting from the library). ^_^

Looking Ahead to 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Instead of making New Year's Resolutions, I'm setting goals for myself. Goals that I can finish. I'll be listing the ones related to this blog here.

2011 Goals:

Books Read: 75

Books Reviewed: 50

Total Posts: 100
(Approximately two per week; hopefully I'll write more than that.)

Review Posts: 50
(A separate post for each review.)

Reading Challenges Attempting: 5 (or 7, still undecided on two)

Looking Back at 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

I know this is a bit late. Sue me. (Not really; I'm broke!)

In 2010, I had great intentions for this blog. Not so great follow through, especially in November and December. (In my defense, one of my dogs was sick.) I'll try to be better about keeping this blog updated this year.

2010 By The Numbers:

Books Read: 79

Books Reviewed: 21

Total Posts: 40

Review Posts: 16 (Five posts included two books each.)

Reading Challenges Started: 1

Reading Challenges Completed: 1 (100% completion!)

Tomorrow, I'll do a 'looking ahead to 2011' post.

Quitting is for Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

I Quit!: Stop Pretending Everything is Fine and Change Your Life
Geri Scazzero (with Peter Scazzero)

Release Date: August 2010
Genre: Christian Living
Rating: 10/10
Source: I received a free review copy from the publisher, Zondervan. This did not affect my review in any way.
Buy the Book: Borders ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-A-Million
Content Warning: None!

Geri Scazzero knew there was something desperately wrong with her life and ministry. She finally told her husband, "I quit," and left the thriving church he pastored, beginning a transforming journey to genuine faith.

I Quit is for every person who thinks, "I can't keep pretending everything is fine!"

Biblical quitting goes hand in hand with choosing. When we quit the things that are damaging, we are freed up to choose other ways of being and relating that are rooted in love and lead to life.

When we quit fear of what others think, we choose freedom.

When we quit lies, we choose truth.

When we quit blaming, we choose to take responsibility.

When we quit faulty thinking, we choose to live in reality.

When we quit for the right reasons, quitting changes us. Something breaks inside of us when we finally say, "No more." But it must be done for the right reasons, at the right time, and in the right way. That's what this book is about.

Blurb courtesy of Goodreads.

Despite receiving this book back in October, I just finished it earlier this week. Not because of the length; this book is fairly short - just over 200 pages.

No, it took me so long because it was difficult reading. Not due to vocabulary or tone, but how close to home it hit.

The book discusses eight things we all - Christian or not - need to quit:

being afraid of what others think
lying
dying to the wrong things (depriving yourself of the things that nurture your soul)
denying anger, sadness, and fear
blaming
overfunctioning
faulty thinking
living someone else's life (letting others make major decisions for you)

I know I have been guilty of each of those more often than I care to admit.

Mrs. Scazzero uses examples from her personal life throughout, making each point crystal clear.

I found her writing easy to follow. The subject, however, is not always easy. But her message is necessary.

In fact, I will be going back and rereading parts of this book. The parts that were hardest to read in the first place. Those I need to apply in my own life.

Everyone, Christian or not, can make use of at least one of the "Quits" in this book.

Release Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:09:00 +0000

JUST PUBLISHED

The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans
by David A. Ross

Meet Fizzy Oceans—archivist, researcher, environmentalist and adventurer. On her travels she witnesses The Exodus, the Battle of Gettysburg and Hurricane Katrina, as well as many other historical and real time events. She meets notable individuals including Gandhi, Mark Twain, Jacques Cousteau, The Dalai Lama, Saddam Hussein and even a new species called the Quinngen.

Such unique experiences and encounters spanning the world and time as we know them would not be possible for a single individual—especially not for a woman named Amy Birkenstock who works as a medical clerk in Seattle, Washington—but Fizzy Oceans, Amy’s digital alter ego, is not in Physical Life. She lives, works and travels in the virtual world where the dead are very much alive, places like ancient Babylon and Pompeii have been reconstructed, and with the click of a button—WHOOSH!—one is transported throughout the Ages to events and destinations that make up our human history.

Even as Amy’s physical life existence is challenged by encroaching environmental disaster, economic instability, and societal breakdown, Fizzy’s virtual world offers instant realization of vision and inspiration. The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans imagines the bridging of two worlds—the literal and the metaphorical—and questions what it is we have created, what has been lost, and what might be possible for us as individuals and for the Human Race.

Available Now from: Amazon | Smashwords | OpenBooks

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

Why am I doing this? Simple: it is one of the requirements for getting a review copy.

The story sounds interesting, so I thought I'd look into it. When I found out I could get a review copy so long as I made a release announcement post and posted my review by 31 March, I decided to go for it.

This is (currently) only available as an e-book. I don't have an e-reader, but my husband does; it was his Christmas present in 2009. I'll mostly be reading the book on my computer, so it may take me a while to finish. Good thing I have almost three months to read and review. ^_^

My Top 10 of 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 04:18:00 +0000

I apologize for my absence. These past two months have been crazy... to say the least!

I've seen similar lists on many other book review blogs, and loved the idea, so here's my list. ^_^

Oh, yeah! These are not necessarily books published in 2010, just ones I read in 2010.

In no particular order, I present...

My Top 10 of 2010:

Speak - Laurie Halse Andersen

Night Myst (Indigo Court, #1) - Yasmine Galenorn

Forgive My Fins (Fins, #1) - Tera Lynn Childs

The Reincarnationist (The Reincarnationist, #1) - M.J. Rose

Twice Tempted by a Rogue (Stud Club, #2) - Tessa Dare

Demonkeepers (Final Prophecy, #4) - Jessica Andersen

Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) - Rachel Hawkins

The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1) - Bree Despain

Altar of Eden - James Rollins

Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms, #1) - Kristin Cashore

Honorable Mentions:

My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers, #1), My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers, #2), and My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers, #3) - all by Rachel Vincent (Book 4, My Soul to Steal, is on my list of book to read in 2011.)

The Iron Hunt (Hunter Kiss, #1) and Darkness Calls (Hunter Kiss, #2) - both by Marjorie M. Liu (Book 3, A Wild Light, is on my list for 2011.)

The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the Middle Ages: The British Isles, 500 to 1500 - Sherrilyn Kenyon (This is an *old* book of hers, from before she started the Dark-Hunters series, I believe. Also, I may have read this at the end of 2009; I don't remember for sure.)

Waiting on Wednesday: Across the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for the week:

Across the Universe
by
Beth Revis

Miss Revis is a local (NC) author. Which I discovered AFTER I missed the opportunity to meet her. Le sigh. On to her book:

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awake on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into a brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone—one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship—tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

(Blurb from author website, where you can see a trailer!)

I haven't read much science fiction in recent years, but this may be just the ticket to get me back into the genre. ^_^

Love the cover!

Release Date: January 11, 2011

In My Mailbox VII

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 01:08:00 +0000

In My Mailbox is a weekly book-sharing meme hosted at The Story Siren. Each week, you talk about books received the previous week, not necessarily in the mail. Posts can include library books, borrowed books, as well as purchased books. (Book titles link to Goodreads.)

It's been quite a while since I've done one of these. I'm not going to attempt to list everything I've checked out from the library in the meantime (though you can find the full list here). I'll just list library books and such for this week (and last week EDIT: and the week before that - see below).

Due to technical difficulties (read: computer acted up and I decided to just shut it down and let it rest instead of dealing with whatever had gone wrong), I am posting this nearly a week after I started work on it. (Dang stupid computers!) Additions/changes for this week are marked by "EDIT". ^_^

Received Books:

I Quit! by Geri and Peter Scazzero - Review copy from Zondervan.

Ghost of a Chance (ARC) by Simon R. Green - Won this in a contest over at Fiction State of Mind.

Library Books:

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut - Wanted to read this for Banned Books Week last week, but the copy at my local library is checked out and the one at the other nearby library is missing. So I had to request it. I got the notice on Monday, and went to the library on Tuesday.

The Dead-Tossed Waves (Forest of Hands and Teeth, #2) by Carrie Ryan - Just finished The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and was returning it to the library when I went to pick up Slaughterhouse Five. Saw this on the shelf and grabbed it. ^_^

The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby - A YA novel about one of the wives of Henry VIII? Awesome. ^_^

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2) by Cassandra Clare - I had City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) checked out already - it's due back this coming Monday - so I grabbed this one to read after I finish the first one. EDIT: Finished City of Bones and returned it to the library. While I was there, I checked out three more books:

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3) by Cassandra Clare - Since I read City of Bones in 2 days, I thought I should probably go ahead and check out the third book in the series. ^_^

Inkspell (Inkheart, #2) by Cornelia Funke - I've been wanting to read this since I finished Inkheart over the summer. Finally checked it out. My husband just read it, and is considering reviewing it, so I may have my first ever guest review coming soon!

Inkdeath (Inkheart, #3) by Cornelia Funke - Technically my husband checked this one out, but I'll be reading it too.

Purchased Books:

Saturday, I went to the mall where I used to work. There was a small discount book store open at center court. It was their last day, so they were running a special: $10 for a paper grocery bag full of books. I only wish I'd had more time to look at all the books. All are trade paperback unless specified otherwise. ^_^

Peanuts Guide to Life by Charles M. Schulz - small gift book, dust jacket missing - My husband picked out this one. Not that I mind; I love Peanuts!

Fractured by Karin Slaughter - hardback, dust jacket missing

College Girl by Patricia Weitz

Lovers and Ladies by Jo Beverley

The Dragon's Village by Yuan-Tsung Chen

T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton - hardback, dust jacket missing

Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin - Did not realize this was #3 in a series...

Thief of Light by Denise Rossetti

The Lurker at the Threshold by H.P. Lovecraft - this is a birthday present for a friend who sometimes reads this blog. Title will be posted *after* I give him the book. EDIT: Added title. I gave him the book Saturday.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper

The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire edited by Trisha Talep - I was super excited to find this one! I nearly shrieked... ^_^

PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern - massmarket paperback

Soft Focus by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Eleventh Victim by Nancy Grace - We couldn't keep this in stock at Waldenbooks when it first came out.

Mean Streets by Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, Kat Richardson, and Thomas E. Sniegoski - Another one that almost made me squeal.

Montana Sky by Nora Roberts - Um, it's Nora Roberts. Of course I grabbed it!

True Betrayals by Nora Roberts - see above

Acupuncture Without Needles by J. V. Cerney - My husband picked out this one too. Interesting concept. Poorly written, though, according to the hubs.

Darkborn by Alison Sinclair - I kept seeing this one at Waldenbooks. I would pick it up, read the back, and replace it on the shelf. I nearly bought it multiple times, but never did. So I HAD to grab it! ^_^

In the Courts of the Sun by Brian D'Amato - This is another one I looked at over and over while I was at Waldenbooks. 2012 and Mayan prophecy? Yes, please!

Rescue Ink by Rescue Ink with Denise Flaim - Most. Awesome. Biker. Gang. EVER. ^_^

Went to Books-A-Million last night (only because it's next door to CiCi's Pizza where we had supper with friends) and they were having a sidewalk sale. So I had to look at the $1 books. When I found 2 on that rack, I decided NOT to look at the $2 or the two $3 racks...

Stealing Athena by Karen Essex

The Spy Who Came for Christmas by David Morrell

Review: SPEAK

noreply@blogger.com (Tura Lura) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:11:00 +0000

Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson

Release Date:
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Rating: 10/10
Source: Own
Buy the Book: Borders ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-A-Million
Content Warning: Foul Language (very little)

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won’t talk to her, and people she doesn’t even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that’s not safe. Because there’s something she’s trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

Blurb from author website.

Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is nothing less than an emotional punch to the gut.

My only complaint is the length: less than two hundred pages. Then again, any longer would be more of an emotional gut punch than I can handle.

Okay, in order to properly discuss this book, I'm going to break my own rule of no spoilers. I WILL NOT spoil the ending, however.

The story begins as Melinda starts her freshman year of high school. Now outcast for calling the cops about a party, she floats silent and almost friendless. Only the new girl will speak to her.

Hints are given as to some terrible occurrence at the party - the reason she called the cops. Not until over half-way through the book do we find out what happened.

She was raped.

Hurt and confused, she stayed silent afterwards. Not until a (former) friend of hers started dating the rapist did she tell anyone. And then the girl didn't believe her, accusing her of jealousy.

I don't want to spoil any more of the book, so I'll just say this: Melinda's story ends in a much better place than where it began.

One of the scenes near the end made me want to get up and do a victory dance. (For the sake of my husband sleeping next to me, and the dog[s] sleeping at the foot of my bed, I stayed put.) It did put a huge smile on my face, where I had been crying mere minutes earlier.

This book should be required reading for everyone, most especially teens.

Its message needs to be heard.

Do not stay silent when something bad happens. Speak.