Reading Teen

Second Hand Saturday 2/25/12

2012-02-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Second Hand Saturday!

In an attempt to clear our bookshelves, and pass on great used books to our ~~stalkers~~ followers, Amy, Kit, Abigaile, Austin and I have decided to hold weekly giveaways of some of the books on our bookshelves! Every Saturday, we will post the books available, and the following Saturday, we will announce the winner and our next challenge. The winner will get to choose a book from the list and we will ship it to that lucky person! Each week we will have a different challenge to complete.

This Week's Question:

We've been doing SHS for almost 2 years now! WOW! How long have you participated in Second Hand Saturday?

Just comment below to be entered!

And this week's winner is...

Linda Smik
Email me at Readingteen1(at)gmail.com with your book choice. Please put "winner" in the subject line. You have one week to claim your prize!

Books Available:

Middle Grade

Eragon paperback
Eldest paperback
Darke, Septimus Heap #6 by Angie Sage*
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone paperback*
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban paperback*
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets hardcover worn pages*
How to Rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston*
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (hardback no jacket)*
Mattimeo by Brian Jacques
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
Summer Ball by Mike Lupica*
Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer
Nothing But The Truth: A Documentary Novel by AVI
Triss by Brian Jacques (Readwall, book 15)
Clovermead by David Randall
The O'Reilly Factor For Kids by Bill O'Reilly
Nerds by Michael Buckley
Zan Gah by Allan Richard Shickman
The Carnival of Lost Souls by Laura Quimby
Star Power book 1 Supernova by Catherine Hapka
High School Musical: The Junior Novel Disney
High School Musical: Stories from East High #6 Disney
Animal Ark Pets books #12 - #16
25 (very small thin) books fromThe Babysitters Club (paperback)
Madison Finn #1 Only the Lonely Boy, #2 Boy, OH Boy! #3 Play it Again ( whole set)
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Top Ten Ways to Ruin the First Day of School by Ken Derby
The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic ARC by Jennifer Trafton

YA books + (ARC=Advanced Reading Copy)

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston ARC*
Mercy by Rebecca Lim ARC *
Shelter by Harlan Coben ARC*
Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick ARC*
The Carrier of the Mark by Lee Fallon ARC* (signed to Andye)
Deception by Lee Nichols ARC*
Guardian of the Gate ARC by Michelle Zink *
Enthralled by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong (and others) ARC (signed to Andye) *
The Luxe (hardcover) by Anna Godbersen*
Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz Logsted*
The Daughters Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin*
The Gray Wolf Throne ARC by Cinda Williams Chima (signed to Kirstyn) *
Forever ARC by Maggie Stiefvater (signed to Kirstyn) *
Shatter Me ARC by Tahereh Mafi *
The Iron King ARC by Julie Kagawa *
Darker Still ARC by Leanna Renee Hieber *
You are My Only ARC by Beth Kephart*
Dark Water ARC by Laura McNeal*
Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson (signed to Kirstyn)*
The Named (The Guardian of Time) by Marianne Curley*
The Key (The Guardian of Time) by Marianne Curley*
I Now Pronounce You Someone Else ARC by Erin McCahan*
The House of Dead Maids ARC by Clare B. Dunkle*
Frost ARC by Wendy Delsol *
Populazzi ARC by Elise Allen*
Shut Out ARC by Kody Keplinger*
The Healer's Apprentice ARC by Melanie Dickerson *
Going Underground ARC by Susan Vaught*
Bitter End ARC by Jennifer Brown*
Between by ARC Jessica Warman*
After Obsession ARC by Carrie Jones and Steven E Wedel*
Circle Nine ARC by Ann Heltzel*
Kiss Me Deadly ARC by various authors*
Clockwork Angel ARC by Cassandra Clare*
A Need So Beautiful ARC by Suzanne Young*
Fat Vampire ARC by Adam Rex*
The Fox Inheritance ARC (signed to Andye) by Mary E. Pearson
Undercurrent ARC (signed to Andye) by Tricia Rayburn
The Julian Game ARC (signed to Andye) by Adele Griffin*
The Lucky Kind ARC byAlyssa B. Sheinmel*
Flash Burnout (hardcover) by L.K. Madigan*
Dark Goddess ARC by Sarwat Chadda*
Immortal Beloved ARC by Cate Tiernan*
The Prisoner of Azkaban Audio CD (Library Copy)*
I Am Legend Audio CD (Library Copy)*
SLEEPLESS ARC by Cyn Balog*
WHEN I WAS JOE by Keren David*
HOLD ME CLOSER NECROMANCER ARC by Lish McBride*
HUSH ARC by Eishes Chayil*
END OF DAYS ARC (A Nightrunner Novel) by Max Turner*
YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE ARC by Sean Beaudoin
THE PAINTED BOY ARC by Charles de Lint*
THE 10 P.M. QUESTION ARC by Kate de Goldi*
BRIGHID'S QUEST by P.C. Cast*
ELPHAME'S CHOICE by P.C. Cast*
THE ETERNAL ONES ARC by Kirsten Miller
I am J ARC by Cris Beam*
Girl, 15, Charming But Insane by Sue Limb
*AUDIOBOOK Will Grayson, Will Grayson by Devid Levithan and John Green*
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (hardcover) by Ann Brashares*
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Traveling Pants 2) (hardcover) by Ann Brashares*
Girls in Pants (Traveling Pants 3) (hardcover w/out jacketflap) by Ann Brashares*
Forever in Blue (Traveling Pants 4) (harcover) by Ann Brashares*
The Gossip Girl Prequel (hardback) by Cecily Von Ziegesar*
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer*
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein*
The Lost Girls by Laurie Fox
The Riddle by Alison Croggon*
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Pride and Predjudice (Paperback) by Jane Austen
Lord of the Flies (paperback) by William Golding
Life, The Universe and Everything: Hitchhickers Trilogy book 3 (hardback) by Douglas Adams
So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish: Hitchhickers Trilogy book 4 (hardback) by Douglas Adams
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The World According to Narnia by Jonathan Rogers
Monster Blood Tattoo Book One: Foundling by D.M.Cornish (hardback)
Shadows of Doom Book Two: Iron Tower Trilogy by Dennis L. McKiernan
Me, The Missing, and the Dead by Jenny Valentine (hardback)
*Signed Copy Rebel King Book One: Hammer of the Scots by Charles Randolph Bruce and Carolyn Hale Bruce
Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Shapeshifter by Holly Bennett
She Thief ARC by Daniel Finn
Logic of Demons by H.A.Goodman (hardback)
SteelTrapp 2 ARC by Ridley Pearson
*Signed with bookmark A Girl Named Mister ARC by Nikki Grimes*
The Tavernier Stones by Stephen Parrish
Death at the Alma Mater by G.M.Malliet
Livvie Owen Lived Here ARC by Sarah Dooley*
Choppy Socky Blues by Ed Briant
Indigo Blues by Danielle Joseph
Smudges Mark ARC by Claudia Osmond
Exley ARC by Brock ClarkADULT *18 and over
Echo Park by Michael Connelly (hardback)
The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman (hardback)
Timeline by Michael Crichton (hardback)
The Last Juror by John Grisham (hardback)
It Only Takes a Moment by Mary Jane Clark (hardback)
Foreign Body by Robin Cook (hardback)
Green Rider by Kristen Britain (fantasy) (hardback)
The DA Vinci Code by Dan Brown (hardback)
The English American by Alison Larkin (hardback)
Her Fearful Symmentry by Audrey Niffenegger (hardback)
Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy (hardback)
The Shack by William P. Young*
Last Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes*
Wicked by Gregory Macguire*
Jane and the Damned ARC by Janet Mullany
The Dutchess by Amanda Foreman
Belinda by Anne Rice writing as Anne Rampling
All Madden by John Madden with Dave Anderson
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlums (hardback)
Robert Ludlums The Bourne Betrayal by Eric Van Lustbader
Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy
Age of Misrule: Worlds End by Mark Chadbourne Book1
Age of Misrule: Darkest Hour by Mark Chadbourne Book2
Age of Misrule: Always Forever by Mark Chadbourne Book3

Review: Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Heather Hepler and Brad Barkley

2012-02-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Speak
Buy the Book: Amazon Author's Websites: http://www.heatherhepler.com/, http://www.bradbarkley.com/ Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Calliope (or Cal as she calls herself ) wants nothing more than to stay put, to stop traveling cross-country with her mother, sleeping in a tent, abandoning all belongings whenever they pull up stakes. Eliot misses the happy times he left behind when his father decided to open a camp for kids looking to lose weight and find Jesus.When Cal and Eliot meet by chance, they feel an immediate connection.Together they must face their isolation, the threat of yet another move, and the deepening of Eliot's father's obsession with money and God.This smart novel, featuring unforgettable characters, colorful backdrops, and even a few recipes, is as funny as it is romantic.

My Review:

Okay, so we've mentioned this book a few times, but I just recently realized that we've never actually done a review on it, which is utter nonsense! So here it is, my real-live review of one of my top three favorite books of all time...

Publishers Weekly said Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, is for “…Readers who wish Romeo and Juliet had a happier ending…” Booklist called it, “A refreshing, poetic, memorable story filled with the precise small details that nudge people toward love…” The Penguin Group published Scrambled Eggs at Midnight in 2006, only one month after Heather Hepler and Brad Barkley finished writing. Heather wrote half of the first chapter before realizing that a novel was a huge undertaking on her own. After calling Brad for some advice, they agreed to write it together. With chapters alternating between Eliot and Cal, Scrambled Eggs at Midnight is a teenage love story about what happens when you just let yourself fall, and I fell hard. I fell in love, not only with the main characters of this book, but with many of the supporting ones too. There were just so many lovable people.

Moving from place to place, Calliope never imagined the small town of Asheville North Carolina would be any different, she assumed it would be just like the nine other moves they’d had in the past four years. She never expected it to feel like home, never expected she’d want to stay, and never expected she’d find what she never really knew she was missing. Eliot had lived in North Carolina all of his life, and still sorely missed the Carolina beaches they moved away from years before. Shortly after relocating Eliot’s dad opened a fat camp whose slogan was “What would Jesus eat?” Being in a small town, it didn't take long for Cal and Eliot to meet at the local bookstore. Ingrained in Eliot’s mind forever, is the vision of Cal’s curly red hair and her bright green eyes. And Cal can’t stop thinking about how Eliot’s eyes were so blue they were nearly-black, and, she had to constantly remind herself, how his lips were green, definitely green.

After spending more time together Cal and Eliot realize they have an immediate connection. Cal has finally found something solid in her life and Eliot is finally coming out of his shell. And I loved every single bit of it. It's so hard to find words to explain how much I loved this book. It's just that good. I've never read another Chick-Lit book that I liked as much as Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, and honestly, I'm not sure if I ever will. So read it, and I promise you'll fall in love too.

Fall From Grace by Charles Benoit

2012-02-23T00:00:00.003-05:00

Reading level: Ages 13 and up

Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061947075
ISBN-13: 978-0061947070

Buy from Amazon

http://www.charlesbenoit.com/

Grace always has a plan. There’s her plan to get famous, her plan to get rich, and—above all—her plan to have fun.

Sawyer has plenty of plans too. Plans made for him by his mother, his father, his girlfriend. Maybe they aren’t his plans, but they are plans.

When Sawyer meets Grace, he wonders if he should come up with a few plans himself. Plans about what he actually wants to be, plans to speak his own mind for a change, plans to maybe help Grace with a little art theft.

Wait a minute—plans to what?

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this book.
As you can tell from reading my review of Charles Benoit's first novel, YOU, I was not impressed.
So I was pleasantly surprised when I got about a quarter though Fall From Grace I decided that I absolutely loved it.
I love love love it whenever I can tell when an author is improving his writing and creativity.
Fall From Grace easily made it to my top comtempary books.
Grace is definitely my favorite character (of course).
The entire time I was reading it all I could think about is, "why can't I be her??"
I basically loved all of the characters except for Zoe.
I honestly wanted to punch her in the face.
Sorry, but it's how I felt about her.
And Sawyer! Oh what can I say about Sawyer?
Well, I love him.
And I love him.
That's really the only way I can describe it.
The storyline was very interesting.
It kept me wanting to read more and more, without it being too intense.
Because well, even though I prefer intense books, it does get a little tiring.
And the end. Holy crap the end.
I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
Definitely a shocker.

Anyway, I loved this book and I'm sure you will too!
Quick, easy and good read!

Thank-you Charles Benoit for writing a novel that didn't make me give up on you completely.
Fall From Grace was so great that I'm thinking about re-reading YOU just to make sure I wasn't going insane or something while reading it. One thing I did love from YOU that Fall From Grace didn't have, was that YOU was written in 2nd person. Very interesting. I've never read anything like it before.

Here's my review for YOU

Why We Love Bad Boys: Guest Post & Giveaway from Jennifer Archer

2012-02-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

Jennifer Archer

YA Book:

Through Her Eyes

Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Buy the book

I read Through Her Eyes probably about a year and a half ago, and it's one that has really stuck with me over time. I think because it was so well done, and so different from other books that I've read. If you haven't read it yet, now's a great time to buy the hardcover! It's marked down to $6.80 on Amazon right now! If you'd like to check out my review, you can find it here!

Now here's Jennifer:

Why We Love Bad Boys

by Jennifer Archer

Let’s talk about bad boys. You love them – you know you do. The fictional ones, anyway. How am I so sure? Because bad boys in books and film have been popular since the beginning of books and film! One famous case in point, James Dean in the movie REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE.

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE was released in 1955, but I ask you – who can resist that brooding scowl even today? I understand completely why Natalie looks so lovesick!

Most of us, if we’re smart, learn pretty early on in real life that bad boys aren’t good for us when it comes to romantic relationships. Sometimes that realization comes as a big disappointment since bad boys are often so hot. But the problem with hot is that when it’s combined with recklessness it burns. And bad boys are reckless – that’s part of their appeal, their wild independence and intense focus on living by their own rules. We girls try to convince ourselves they’re misunderstood, a tender wounded soul encased in the body of an athlete. As females, we yearn to be the one to heal the wound and tame the beast, while maintaining that provocative, charismatic edge. (Good luck with that, girls!)

I have a theory: even though smart girls have learned to keep their distance from bad boys in real life, we flock to them in fiction because unlike real bad boys, the fictional ones are safe. We get all the deliciously dangerous hotness without any of the risk! We know we can close the book and our lives will still function smoothly instead of being turned upside down. Sure, we suffer along with the heroine of the story as she struggles to capture the heart of her rebel and tame his wild ways. But in the best books, the heroine is strong and intelligent. We know she’ll either achieve the unlikely feat of succeeding to convert her guy, (in which case we’ll cheer for her!) or she’ll learn her lesson and begin to notice that nice guys are hot, too. (In which case we’ll be sad that her bad guy didn’t redeem himself, but relieved that our heroine wised up and will find happiness, anyway).

Many drool-worthy bad boys populate the pages of current YA fiction. A few that come to mind are Patch in HUSH HUSH, Jace in THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, Roiben in TITHE, Will in CLOCKWORK ANGEL, Damon in THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, and Cassian in VANISH. We alternately love these guys, hate them, and ache for the girl in the story to capture and change them (just not too much!) In my debut YA novel, THROUGH HER EYES, a crystal and old photographs transport Tansy Piper back into the 1930’s and into the body and mind of another teen girl named Isabel. Isabel is falling in love with Henry, a guy she’s known all of her life. Henry is a bad boy – with a twist. Dead for decades, he truly is a tortured soul. In life, he allowed disappointments and slights to warp his mind in disturbing ways, and while Isabel is troubled by his behavior and fears where it might lead, she is seductively drawn to him. Isabel is certain that the sweet, honest boy she once knew still lives inside the wickedly charming but manipulative young man that Henry has become, and she is desperate to save him from himself. But while Isabel has difficulty seeing the futility of her plight, Tansy sees it clearly; not only is Henry jeopardizing his own life, he’s jeopardizing Isabel’s. In the end, Tansy must help Isabel to see Henry through her eyes or risk losing herself along with them.

Who are your favorite irresistible bad boys in fiction? Why do you love them so much??

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (April 5, 2011)
Author's Website: http://www.jenniferarcher.net/
Buy the Book: Amazon
Stand-alone

Tansy Piper was sick of moving all over the country with her mother, author of horror novels, and her Papa Dan, who hadn't spoken in a long time now. More than anything, Tansy just wanted to plant some roots, make some friends, and live a normal life. But when her family move to small-town Cedar Canyon, Texas, normal was not what Tansy found. Almost immediately, Tansy was drawn to certain things about her new house; a crystal, an old pocket watch, and a journal with beautiful poems that almost seemed to be written for her.

She soon finds out that the poems were written by a boy named Henry, who lived in her house many years before, and who died a very mysterious death. In the turret of her new eccentric home, that she has turned into a darkroom for her photography, Tansy discovers that she can connect to Henry and his past in a completely unbelievable way. But as she is drawn deeper and deeper into Henry's world, her own reality begins to fade.

Check out the book trailer!

Giveaway:

Jennifer has offered to send two autographed copies of Through Her Eyes + bookmarks to two of our US blog followers! Just enter below (after the jump)!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking For Alaska by John Green: Thoughts

2012-02-21T19:13:00.000-05:00

Looking For Alaska
by John Green
Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Speak (December 28, 2006)
Buy the Book: Amazon

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green's arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

Thoughts:

This isn't really a review, since most have you have either already read this book, or decided that you'll probably never get to it, but I thought I'd post my thoughts anyway.

I know this is a favorite for so many people, but it just wasn't for me. We read this book for our Forbidden Book Club last month, and I found myself having to be forced to read it. Why? Was the writing bad? No, really, not at all. Obviously it connects with so many people. I think that I've just come to the conclusion that I don't want to be sad. And this book is sad, in too many ways. I get SO frustrated when I read books like this. Books where the characters are SO infuriating and screwed up. And I don't feel like anyone is any better off in the end of the book than they were in the beginning. I know it's supposed to be realistic, and that's fine, I just don't want to spend my time reading it. It makes me sad and angry and leaves me feeling helpless to change anything.

I just don't like it.

I could get into specifics, like the fact that Miles (nicknamed Pudge....barf) was a pretty sad and pathetic puppy dog, following Alaska around begging to be pet. Or how Alaska was portrayed as every guy's dream girl, because she was crude, unthoughtful, unattainable, and talked about sex like it was nothing (wow, I can tell this book was written by a guy). Or about how when the "after" finally came, I just wanted to cry, and I hate crying. And let me just mention that I'm a girl....so no, I don't want to read about......a guy.....doing.....that. Gross.

So, I guess my question is this. Is this (Alaska) really what guys are looking for? What is it about this book that you liked? And, if this book didn't work for me, should I read The Fault in Our Stars? It's sitting on my shelf, staring at me.

This rating is a reflection of my taste, not of the writing

P.S. I still think John Green is very talented and does amazing things for YA. Just because I don't like the book doesn't mean I don't like and appreciate him. See....here's me and his van.....

Content:

Sexual Content: Very Heavy
Profanity: Very Heavy
Violence: Mild
Other Notables: Heavy underage drinking, death, possible suicide

For more details, check out Looking For Alaska on Parentalbookreviews.com

What Do You Think? Taylor Swift's New Hunger Games Video

2012-02-21T09:50:00.002-05:00

So, I was watching Taylor Swift's new music video for The Hunger Games called 'Safe and Sound' and I couldn't decide what I thought of it.

According to MTV, Taylor said, "'When I got the call, I thought from what I'd heard about the movie, 'It's an action movie, right? We're probably going to be writing a song that's like, "We're going to win!" ' And then I read the book,
and I thought, 'No, we're going to have to write sort of a death lullaby, it's so different from what I thought.' "

I'm not sure though. I feel like it needs to be sad, but also kind of fierce, if that makes sense. Of course there will be other songs in the movie, and maybe they'll all fit together and be perfect. Also, will they add clips of the movie later? Anyway, I thought I'd see what you think of it.

Here's the full official line up for the soundtrack:

Audio CD (March 20, 2012)
Original Release Date: 2012
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Soundtrack
Label: Republic
Buy the Soundtrack

1. Arcade Fire “Abraham’s Daughter”

2. The Secret Sisters “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder”

3. Neko Case “Nothing To Remember”

4. Taylor Swift “Safe & Sound ft. The Civil Wars”

5. Kid Cudi “The Ruler and The Killer”

6. Punch Brothers “Dark Days”

7. The Decemberists “One Engine”

8. The Carolina Chocolate Drops “Daughter’s Lament”

9. The Civil Wars “Kingdom Come”

10. Glen Hansard “Take The Heartland”

11. Maroon 5 ft. Rozzi Crane “Come Away To The Water”

12. Miranda Lambert “Run Daddy Run ft. Pistol Annies”

13. Jayme Dee “Rules”

14. Taylor Swift “Eyes Open”

15. The Low Anthem “Lover Is Childlike”

16. Birdy “Just A Game”

You can read an interview with Taylor and see some video clips on MTV. You can buy the soundtrack CD here.

Let me know what you think in the comments! Whose song(s) are you most excited about? (P.S. I can't believe the movie is SO CLOSE!!)

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2012-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Reading level: Ages 14 and up

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (November 15, 2011)

Language: English

Buy the book: Amazon

Buy the Audio: Audible

Visit the site: Tahereh Mafi

GO read Abigaile's review

GO read Andye's Book & Audio review

"You can't touch me," I whisper.
I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.
He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.
But things happen when people touch me.
Strange things.
Bad things.
No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.
But Juliette has plans of her own.
After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.

My daughter Abigaile has been begging me to read this book for the longest time. Well I finally read it, and I was speechless when I finished. I closed the book and sat there for a solid five minutes. I had no idea what to say. It was that good! Let me just say, in my opinion... this blows ALL dystopians right out of the water.

Tahereh Mafi is one brilliant author! She took a concept that has been told before, and gave it such a twist. I thought I knew where the story was going, but I actually had no idea. At the end of the book, I thought "Ah-ha, so it's kinda like X-Men, but then it isn't at all". Mafi writes this story about Juliette being closed up in a cell for over 200 days without touching or talking to anyone. She seems kinda psycho at first, but then you realize, she is just trying to survive.

Juliette is by far one of my favorite heroes. She had every right to be hurtful, mean, bitter and nasty to everyone around her. However, she wasn't at all, she was so driven to be a good person. Everyone was so mean to her, it was so sad to read at times. What happens to Juliette though in Shatter Me, will blow your mind, bring you to tears, jump and cheer, all within pages of each other. There is one scene that shook me up pretty badly, tears streaming down my face. Yeah, this book is not for the faint of heart. It will bring emotions out of the toughest of readers.

Adam is another great character to mention, along with Warner and Kenji. Adam was a great lead guy role, he was smart, and just plain awesome on a page. *bats eyelashes* Warner was the best bad guy ever, in the history of evil sinister jerks! I hated that I love his character so much. And Kenji was so funny/witty. He just added a little more depth to this amazing storyline.

I don't want you to think this book is depressing in any way. Shatter Me is a book that pulls you down to the bottom of nitty-gritty, then pulls you up until you are beaming with satisfaction. Over and over and over. You know this book is good, when three out of five of our reviewers have read it, and gave it the highest of ratings. So don't forget to check out Andye and Abigaile's reviews as well! Links up top.

6 out of 6

Violence: Moderate

Profanity: Heavy

Sexual: Heavy sexual tension

For full content of Shatter Me GO to Parental Book reviews.

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano

2012-02-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

Fever
by Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Chemical Garden #2
Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (February 21, 2012)
Buy the book: Amazon

The second book in The Chemical Garden Trilogy reveals a world as captivating—and as dangerous—as the one Rhine left behind in Wither.

Rhine and Gabriel may have escaped the beautiful prison of Wither’s mansion, but they are far from escaping danger. First they’re chased for stealing a getaway boat, and then the fleeing pair ends up in the eerie den of Madame, an old woman who collects girls and sells them to the highest bidders. Worst of all, Vaughn, Rhine’s sinister father-in-law, seems to be on her trail every step of the way. Rhine remains determined to get to her brother in Manhattan—but the road they are on is long and perilous.

Now that Rhine has finally regained her freedom, what lengths will she need to go to in order to keep it?

At a Glance:

Although I love Lauren's writing, and the world she's created in this series, Fever didn't hold my attention the way Wither did. I did enjoy the overall story, and can't wait to see where it goes, but found myself trudging through this one at times.

Review:

This is a hard one for me. I absolutely adored Wither. I love Lauren's writing style, and I think this entire concept is so fascinating. I was seriously on pins and needles waiting to get this book, and it was one of only TWO books that I carried home with me from ALA instead of shipping (the other being Bitterblue, of course). So, as you can imagine, I REALLY wanted to love this book, and there were parts of it that I did. Most of the book, however, I found myself just trying to get through.

The beginning of the book starts right where Wither leaves off. Rhine and Gabriel are on the run, and soon find themselves snatched up by a bizarre prostitution ring, operating out of an abandoned carnival fairground. This part of the book was seriously intense. With the introduction of Madame and her sinister, exploitative ways, my heart was racing, just wondering what would happen to Rhine and Gabriel. The creepy carnival atmosphere, the drug-induced fog, the young girls being used for sex, and the menacing presence of Madame and her lackeys, all come together to create a dream-like, hazy, anxious feeling. Although the subject was sickening, I really loved this part of the book. It was intense and compelling. I felt for those girls. It made me think of human trafficking today, and what life must be like for the girls who have their childhoods stolen. My mind was scrambling, trying to think of ways for Rhine to escape. I couldn't put the book down.

Then came the middle.

I feel like nothing happened. There were a whole lot of beautiful words about the nothing happening, but still. About half-way through the book, I actually put it down and listened to the entire audiobook of Article 5 (awesome!) before making myself pick Fever back up. All I could think was SERIES SYNDROME. After reading the entire book, I do understand why it was written this way, and what was going on, and maybe it just had to be this way, but it didn't make it any less boring to read. And can I take a moment to talk about Gabriel? Come on, boy! Where is your personality? Do you have one, or are you just Rhine's shadow? No wonder Rhine is still thinking about Linden. You know it's pretty bad when you're thinking about your captor instead of your boyfriend. Seriously. Gabriel had zero to offer to this book, and that makes me really sad because I loved him in Wither. I felt more of a connection between Rhine and Silas (a new character) than I did between she and Gabriel. There was just no spark.

Of course the ending picked back up.

It had to, right? We've got to be left with an exciting, enormous freaking cliffhanger so that we'll be dying to know what happens next. And I am! I'm dying to know what's going to happen. The ending was seriously sinister and suspenseful. Again, I loved it.

I guess I just feel like this series might ought to have been a two-book series. Not everything has to be a trilogy. So much of the middle just seemed like filler, and it ended up giving me a less positive view of the series. Of course I still love it as a whole, and I know that if you liked Wither, you're reading Fever no matter what (which you should), but maybe you should go into it expecting a slower read.

Book Doppelgangers:

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons, Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, XVI by Julia Karr, Crossed by Ally Condie

Cover Comment:

When I first saw the cover, I have to say I was disappointed. My thoughts were, "She looks like she's on crack or something." Now, having read it, I have to say, I think the cover is just about perfect. It really does make total sense, and I love her dress and the playing cards and all the background stuff which will all make sense when you read it. YAY for making a cover based off the book!

Will I buy it?

UGH, yes. I probably will.....though I may wait and read the third book first.

Content:

Sexual Content: Heavy (mostly vague or innuendo)
Profanity: Mild
Violence: Moderate
Other Notables: Drug use (sometimes forced), forced prostitution, kidnappings, forced birth control

For more details, check out Fever on Parentalbookreviews.com

Book Review and Author Interview: Nikolas and Company by Kevin McGill

2012-02-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Paperback: 392 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (October 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1466430435
ISBN-13: 978-1466430433
Buy the book: Amazon
Visit the site: Nikolas & Company
Follow Kevin McGill on Twitter

“The Rones lie about their true intent. They enter the city of Huron at the peril of us all. Save me steward.” – The Voice of Huron Nick hears a woman’s cry for help. He soon discovers that every city has a voice, and this one calls him steward. Nick and company are transported from sometime in the near future to a mythic past when Earth is tethered to the fantastic world of Mon, or as we have come to call her, the Moon. He arrives at the city of Huron, where he encounters fire-breathing winged lions, volcano-born nymphs, automaton-legged mermaids, and so much magic you can smell it. As steward of Huron, Nick Lyons suddenly finds himself responsible over the cradle of all magical civilization. There’s only one problem. Nick Lyons. When Nick gets involved, things tend to go awry—burning down the neighbor’s greenhouse kind of awry. And so no one believes him when he claims that the Rones brought an evil to Huron, which now lurks under the cobblestone streets. To make matters worse, while aboard the Mottle Craw his best friend, Xanthus is infected by a mysterious creature. Pretty soon, Nick realizes that Xanthus' mysterious creature and the evil lurking through the streets of Huron are one and the same. Never one for responsibility, Nick is tasked with finding a cure for an infected Xanthus while protecting the city of Huron from the mysterious creature most foul.

Just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Nikolas and Company: fun, creative, original, completely insane.

This book, on the outside, seems like a mixture of everything that I love in a book. Fantasy, mythical creatures, futuristic settings, medieval settings, space battles, sword battles, and a huge waffleload of other incredibly awesome things. And, once read, it is realized that it is all these things and so much more. Pure awesome in a cup. With some waffles. Which would make it a waffleload. Of stuff. Heck yeah.

The story kind of starts with a cliché-type fantasy book. Brave and misunderstood kid is taken and an incredible adventure with his friends by an old guy with a beard. We've all heard this before, right? Well yeah. But (There always is a but) past this, the rest of the plot takes you down many twists and turns that will certainly keep you reading.

Like I said above, this book is full interesting stuff. Any fans of fantasy and/or sci-fi books, this is definitely a book for you. It's a really good one.

5 out of 6

Kevin McGill

Austin: What inspired you to mix creatures from so many different tales and myths into one unique world as Mon?

McGill: Great question. Believe it or not, Tolkein did. Most of us read Lord of the Rings and think Tolkein took all of his creatures from an English mythology and dropped it into his book. In fact, most of his creatures came from Germany, Scandinavia, Ireland, so on. The writers that I respect the most such as J. K. Rowling, C. S. Lewis and Tolkein built their world on myths from many, many different countries and histories.

But, there was something else I wanted to do. I love my country, USA. Being half-black, half-white, I am aware of our ethnic diversity. I really wanted Nikolas and Co to be a story with American roots, so I tried to make the world of Mon as diverse in ethnicity and mythology as possible.

Austin: There are many different forms of battle described in Nikolas and Co. What would you say was your favorite to write about?

McGill: Funny thing, I actually enjoyed the shuttle scene the most. Don’t get me wrong. I love a great epic battle. But I love a good battle scene when you think the creature has been defeated, only to pop back up and attack you again.

Austin: Who is your favorite character in Nikolas and Co.?

McGill: Dang, that is a hard one. Nikolas is, to be honest. He puts his neck out there, willing to defend his friends and city without giving it a second thought. In fact, he just never really has a second thought, which can make for some insane experiences. My second favorite character to write was Caroline. There is something simple, but timeless about her. She’s the kind of friend we all need to have around. She reminds us what’s truly important = family.

Austin: If you could have a "jynn'us" as described in the book, what would it be?

McGill: My favorite comic book character is Superman, so flying of course. To fly is to be free.

Austin: What was your favorite mythical creature to write about?

McGill: Marrionids. My favorite was probably the creepiest one (imo). The marrionids were just a twisted, weird thing from the mind of Edgar Allen Poe or Tim Burton

Austin: What first got you started in writing?

McGill: You know, I just started, really. When I was a kid, my teacher, Mrs. McComb gave us a writing assignment. I believe it was supposed to include my home town, Merced. In perfect Kevin fashion, I wrote a story that Mt. St. Helen blew up…in Merced. Don’t ask how I managed to justify that a volcano over a thousand miles away erupted under our town, but I did. From that time on I enjoyed writing, especially fantastic plots.

Austin: What is your opinion on teens reading and writing? How would you further encourage this?

McGill: Some of the best writers today talk about writing when they were in High School. It was their time to try new things, hone their craft, and even come up with concepts they use later in their career. So, I’m a big fan.

Reading is the best thing you can do, period. I’d like to see more teens read, especially boys. Hey, I love a good couple of hour on my buddy’s XBOX 360, but it’s a book that lets me truly inhabit other characters. Through the hero, I have defeated Voldermort, won the Hunger Games, and been crowned King of middle earth.

Austin: What are some of your hobbies besides writing?

McGill: That’s tough cause when I am not writing, I am reading. Lately, I’ve been getting into making toy models. My goal is to make a Spanish galleon from scratch…but I’m a long way off from that.

Thank you Kevin for the awesome interview!!!

A Beautiful Evil Excerpt & Giveaway

2012-02-18T00:01:00.011-05:00

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

Buy Darkness Becomes Her | Buy A Beautiful Evil

Excerpt

Hi everyone! A big thanks to Reading Teen for having me here today to share an excerpt from A BEAUTIFUL EVIL. In this scene Ari has just left the Novem’s library, and she runs into the very unfriendly, very self-serving Josephine Arnaud... This scene is also where I got the title for the book.

I hope you enjoy this small peek into the book!

~ Kelly

     I stepped into the Novem’s study and came face to face with Josephine Arnaud. Head of the Arnaud family. A Bloodborn vampire and Sebastian’s grandmère.

     Josephine oozed wealth and old world sophistication. Never a hair out of place or wrinkle in her expensive clothes. Her dark eyes burned with intellect. She was a few hundred years old, but she looked like a beautiful young woman.

     She was also a complete and total witch, right up there with Athena.

     We eyed each other for a second, and then I stepped around her, walking through a cloud of her elegant perfume. I didn’t have anything to say. She gave my father up to Athena and wanted to use me to increase her own power. She didn’t give a crap about me at all. And the feeling was mutual.

     I was half way to the door before she spoke in her cultured French accent. “Find what you were looking for?”

     I hesitated, knowing I should keep going, but I walked back to stand in front of her. “If I did, I wouldn’t tell you, Josephine. You never could help me could you?” I asked, remembering her offer to remove my curse in exchange for my allegiance.

     “No one can remove your curse. It’s too old, too powerful, too tangled, and spoken by a god.” She laughed. “Your naiveté is astounding. In three and a half years, you will become a full blown gorgon, a hideous nightmare.” She cocked her head. “And my grandson will have learned a great life lesson.”

     Like she cared about Sebastian or his life lessons. All she cared about was power.

     “His interest in you is merely rebellion. You are different. Forbidden. Something he knows is wrong.” Her dark eyes traveled over my features. “He might see beauty now, might be lured by it even though he knows what lies beneath is evil. So intriguing, this flirting with danger.” She flicked a glance at the library. “Pandora was the same way, you know? A deceptive package. The Greek writers called her Kalon Kakon, a beautiful evil. It won’t be long before you destroy those around you, just like she did.”

     My fists clenched hard. “And if that happens, Josephine, if I turn into a monster, I’ll be coming for you first and there isn’t a damn thing you can do to stop me.”

Giveaway

Kelly has graciously offered us a signed set of Darkness Becomes Her and A Beautiful Evil to give away to a lucky follower! How freaking awesome is that? To enter, just fill out the form below! Giveaway is International!
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