Every year brings forth new reading trends, at first there were Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies and Faeries inhabiting bookshelves around the globe. Then with the success of a certain Dystopian novel other books in that genre began to crop up and flourish. So, as I started to check out the new up-and-coming books coming out this year I noted a certain theme in common with certain books: SIRENS. All of thes books I have checked out sound great and I cannot wait to dive into this new trend. What do you think about these new books that are coming out this year? Are you eager for this new trend? or do you think it is just a passing fancy? If you want to check out any of these books just click on the book jacket and see what you think.

Jill over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on. This week I have selected The Fox Inheritence a book that I was pleasantly surprised to find out was being written. The Adoration of Jenna Fox was one of my top ten favorite reads in 2009 and now that I know that this story is coming out it is all I can think about. Is there any other "Fox" fans out there? and if so, how excited are you about this upcoming novel. Is it August yet?

August 30th 2011

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries. Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead. Everyone except Jenna Fox.

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes Reading level: Young Adult Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: NAL Trade (March 1, 2011) Language: English ISBN-10: 0451232682 Source: Purchased Summary: Goodreads Rating: YYYYY

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams. As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear. And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

MY THOUGHTS

I think I have fallen for FALLING UNDER by Gwen Hayes. I wholeheartedly adored this book, from the very first pages until the very last words and was sad to have it end.

If you don't know me well enough, then let me tell you one thing, I am a paranormal romance junkie and I am the first to admit it. It has been a while that a book has made me so happy, but Falling Under did just that. This amazing story is centered on Theia, a girl that is sheltered by an overprotective father, different from her classmates but she is not otherworldly, if you know what I mean. An ordinary girl that one day encounters a burning man floating past her window...yes, I said burning man...and from that night on her world begins to change. The next day a new hottie named Haden enrolls in Theia's high school and she cannot resist his pull. What ensues is a relationship that totally had me hooked onto every word. At night in Theia's dreams Haden would visit her and seduce her with kind words and looks but he could not, would not touch her, this frustrated Theia to no end but she lived for these moments because during the day when at school Haden would practically ignore her. Talk about double frustration. Then when Haden's identity is revealed Theia understands his reluctance to continue thier relationship, but a plan has been set and motion and you won't believe what happens next.

One of the things I enjoyed the most is Haden and Theia's interactions because they were seductive and romantic. And because Haden could not touch Theia you would think that would be frustrating, but Gwen Hayes worked around that and I know I was left fanning myself, yeah baby, it was good stuff. Along with this story having a great main couple, it was filled with many memorable and adorable characters like Donnie and Amelia and you certainly that cannot help but get all smooshy about Varnie the cross dressing surfer clairvoyant...believe me once you see him on the page you will LOVE him. Oh and I cannot forget Gabe *sigh* As you can see there are many characters to love and Hate, yes, one of the most malicious characters around fiction town is nestled in the pages of this story and you will love it hate ....ahem....it.

With all the YA Paranormal stories that are about I found this one in particular to be unique and a bit risque. It had a slow and steady pace and it kept me wondering who and what Haden was, although I had strong suspisions I am glad that I was wrong and just adored the adventure I was taken on. Falling Under is sexy, smart and witty and I fell instantly under it's spell and cannot wait to read more about this world and it's engaging characters. If you have not read this book, and you enjoy paranormal romance then you have to get it NOW!!! You will not be dissappointed.

Book Trailer Video

DEVIL'S KISS by Sarwat Chadda Reading level: Young Adult Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; 1 Reprint edition (August 10, 2010) Language: English ISBN-10: 1423120221 Source: Purchased Extras: Author Website check it out, you will not be disappointed Rating: YYYY Summary: Goodreads

As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy. Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He's ready to reclaim his place in Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart. But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. One of the order's ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years -- a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London's firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined.

MY THOUGHTS I had read DEVIL'S KISS a few years ago and realized recently that I had never reviewed it and I cannot fathom why? I recently had the pleasure of meeting Sarwat Chadda and had the best time that I went to see him (plus the most awesome Rachel Hawkins) twice. Not only was he witty and engaging but I was fascinated by his reasons for the inception of Billi SanGreal. He simply wanted to write a book with a female character that his daughters could look up to and enjoy and his instincts were on the mark.

In the DEVIL'S KISS there is a protagonist that is a regular girl living a dual life, she has no superpowers, nor does she have the blood of a Vampire, Werewolf, Faerie or any otherworldly entity coursing through her veins. Yes she just a regular girl who happens to train relentlessly in order to fight the forces of evil while trying to be a normal teen. Her struggles with maintaining her brutal schedule are always evident, through her many bruises, missed classes, and being an outcast at school but non are more evident then her tenuous relationship with her hard-nosed father who is also the leader of the Templar's. As I witness Billi at war with herself and those closest to her and I can comprehend her reasons and motivations, especially when she encounters a boy that she becomes involved in for all the wrong reasons and then the story takes a menacing turn can only have one outcome. EEEK! Wicked good stuff.

So, you can see how I am kicking myself all kinds of ways for not talking about this book sooner. I think I have to claim temporary insanity because I surely have dropped the ball on this one. I enjoyed this book for many reasons but mainly because the protagonist is kick ass and smart and the supporting characters give this story the weight and balance that give it credibility. Also, the story concept is original and I love the whole Indiana Jones kind of vibe that this story has about it. I highly recommend picking up this book and I know you will not be disappointed by it's story or protagonist. A great read full of adventure and some of the best fight scenes around. Enjoy!!

THE DARK AND HALLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan Reading level: Young Adult Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 22, 2011) Language: English ISBN-10: 0385738595 Extras: Tour Information Source: Publisher Rating: YYYYY Summary: Good Reads

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters. Annah's world stopped that day and she's been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn't feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again. Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah's longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah -- can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

MY THOUGHTS In reading The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan I have found one of the most frightening stories that I have ever read, yet despite it's violent and disturbing nature it proved to be an uplifting story that demonstrated how the human spirit cannot be squelched. The Dark and Hollow Places is the final novel in a trilogy that showcased a separate heroine for each of it's stories, and with this one I have found Annah to be my most admired protagonist. Annah's voice is clear and strong outshining her predecessors. As the story begins you witness her struggle at being left alone and soon an unsettling encounter sets her on a path that has no possible return. Annah is driven to find Elias but soon encounters Catcher who leads her to her long lost sister Abigail/Gabrielle, but not before Annah realizes that the Dark City that has been her home is going to be lost to the masses of the undead that are threatening to overwhelm it. The visualization of the incoming undead was a bit much for me at times and I had to put my book down, but then I would pick it up a second later and keep on reading It was too enthralling to set down. I was captivated by the relationships between the main characters and was content to see love alive and thriving despite such dismal circumstances.

This book is by far the darkest of the trilogy, with scenes so graphic and brutal that I could not sleep without having nightmares, and I can never enter a subway system without the bone chilling fear of being chased by a horde of the undead. *shudders* Yet, despite these fears of mine I would gladly read this story over and over again because it is well written and executed to a fevered pitch of perfection. The Dark and Hollow Places is a must read for 2011 and a book that you will not soon forget.

Video Book Trailer: THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES

RED GLOVE by Holly Black

Reading level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (April 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 144240339X
Source: Publisher
Extras: First Chapter

Rating: YYYY
Summary: Goodreads

Curses and cons.
Magic and the mob.
In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.
That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.
When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?
Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

MY THOUGHTS

Holly Black returns to the uniquely twisted world of Cassel Sharpe and it is a wondrous treat. This book has many twists and unsuspecting turns that left me savoring each word like a delectable morsel and I was sad to have it end.

I will be the first to admit that I did not favor White Cat, the first book in Curse Worker's series. Although the plot was unique I found Cassel's family to be horrid and his story to be somewhat sad. So, I went into RED GLOVE with a bit of trepidation, but I need not have worried. Whatever feelings I had before seemed to have dissipated within the first chapter and the soon the story evolved into a mystery that had me eagerly devouring each page. I appreciated the unique and complex nature of this world and how well laid out the story had become and was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected twists and turns that me saying "No way!".

In this second novel the complexities of Cassel's personal relationships are better explored and I could understand and begin to appreciated his actions. It is these interactions that give this story the added warmth and depth that lures me into becoming a Cassel supporter. Yet, it is not only Cassel that I have began to embrace. I have found that I adore it whenever Sam and Daneca make an appearance and cannot seem to get enough of them. What makes my heart ache is witnessing Cassel struggle with his love for Lila, knowing that she loves him for all the wrong reasons and although you know it is wrong you cannot help but want them together...gah!!

I will conclude with saying that I had the most pleasurable time reading RED GLOVE and would recommend it to anyone in search of an adventure with the most unlikely of heroes. A great read for those that enjoy a story with a unique edge, tinged in darkness and organized crime.

Sneak a Peek Saturday is a feature that lets you "peek" into an upcoming book. Sometimes it is a chapter or two and maybe less, either way it is an amazing opportunity that I enjoy sharing.

Hello, and happy Saturday. Today I have selected Huntress by author Malinda Lo. Huntress is the much awaited prequel to Ash and it will arrive in the book stores soon. Just click on the gorgeous book cover below and you can read the first three chapters (YES!) and enjoy. If you like what you have read then you can pre-order it from you local indie book store HERE

APRIL 5, 2011

Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn’t shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people’s survival hangs in the balance.

To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Taninli, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls’ destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

The exciting adventure prequel to Malinda Lo’s highly acclaimed novel Ash is overflowing with lush Chinese influences and details inspired by the I Ching, and is filled with action and romance.


BOOK VIDEO TRAILER

Jill over at Breaking the Spine started this and I believe that it's awesome" This blog post is to alert those that visit about "the" book that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

SCORED by Laura King Walker is my selection for my WOW this week. With Dystopian novels continuously on the rise in YA literature I am always on the prowl for something unique and this novel seems to intrigue me. Too bad that I have to wait until October to read it, but I can be patient. LOL!

So, now that you know what my WOW is, what is yours? My curious mind always wants to know.

10/25/11
Scored
by Laura King Walker
ISBN-13: 978-0375868207
Random House Books for Young Readers
Set in the future when teenagers are monitored via camera and their recorded actions and confessions plugged into a computer program that determines their ability to succeed. All kids given a "score" that determines their future potential. This score has the ability to get kids into colleges, grant scholarships, or destroy all hope for the above. Scored's reluctant heroine is Imani, a girl whose high score is brought down when her best friend's score plummets. Where do you draw the line between doing what feels morally right and what can mean your future? Friendship, romance, loyalty, family, human connection and human value: all are questioned in this fresh and compelling dystopian novel set in the scarily forseable future.

This is just a friendly reminder to all of those living in the SF, bay area that an awesome author event is heading to us very soon. Anna Godberson, author of the LUXE series and Bright Young Things will be at the Books Inc. store this Thursday, March 23rd at 7 p.m.

I hope to see you there!

In My Mailbox lets you peek into the contents of my mailbox on a weekly basis. I am listing all the lovely books that I have aquired this week. If you would like to participate and have your own “In My Mailbox” post, you can find more information here on the Story Siren's blog, where it all began..(This post was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie

I have not posted an IMM post in quite a while, not that I didn't get some great books in the past few months, but this week I decided to start particitpating in this post again. The books that I am displaying are what I have received/purchased so far for this month. I hope that everyone also had a good week/month, so what is your mailbox?

Books:
RED GLOVE by Holly Black
WHITE CAT by Holly Black
MISFIT by Jon Scovron
TOMORROW GIRLS Eva Gray
ANIMORPHS: The Invasion by K.A. Applegate
ANIMORPHS: The Visitor by K.A. Applegate
BLOODY VALENTINE by Melissa De La Cruz
THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan
HOLD ME CLOSER NECROMANCER by Lish McBride
WICKED LOVELY (SIGNED) by Melissa Marr
DARKEST MERCY (SIGNED) by Melissa Marr
SO SHELLY by Ty Roth
STAY by Deb Coletti
BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER by Elizabeth Scott
SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS by Lauren Barnholdt
TRIAL BY FIRE: A Raised by Wolves Novel by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
MY LIFE, THE THEATER, AND OTHER TRAGEDIES by Allen Zadoff
HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
KINDRED by Tammar Stein
HUNT OF THE UNICORN by C.C. Humphreys
THE IRON THORN by Caitlin Kittredge
TORTALL and Other Lands by Tamora Pierce

NOT SHOWN:
Several Copies of DEMONGLASS by Rachel Hawkins
Several Copies of Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda

SWAG:
Wicked Nail Polish (Wicked Lovely)
The Lost Saint Nail Polish (Thank you, Bree Despain)
Demonglass/Dark Goddess Book Bag (Not shown, but will come up soon. Stay Tuned)

Sneak a Peek Saturday is a feature that lets you "peek" into an upcoming book. Sometimes, it is a chapter or two and maybe even less, either way it is an amazing opportunity that I enjoy sharing.

This week I have selected IN THE ARMS OF STONE ANGELS due to it's amazing summary and cool cover. After I read the prologue on the author's website I was hooked.

Just click on the book jacket for the prologue and enjoy.

March, 22, 2011

In the Arms of Stone Angels

Coming from Harlequin Teen in April 2011

Two years ago, Brenna did the unthinkable. She witnessed the aftermath of a murder and accused her only true friend—the first boy she ever loved—of being a killer.

Now sixteen, Brenna returns to Oklahoma only to discover that Isaac "White Bird" Henry isn't in juvie. The half-breed outcast is in a mental hospital, frozen in time, locked in his mind at the worst moment of his life. And when Brenna touches him, she's pulled into his hellish vision quest, seeing terrifying demons and illusions she doesn't understand.

Feeling isolated and alone, she's up against the whole town, targeted by bullying former classmates, a bigoted small town sheriff, and a tribe who refuses to help one of their own. But when Brenna realizes she's as trapped by the past as White Bird is, this time she won't turn her back on him. She's the only one who can free them both.

Even if she has to expose her secret—a "gift" she's kept hidden her whole life.

'Invincible', the second book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's vampirific young adult series 'Chronicles of Nick' and today I have the pleasure of presenting the video book trailer for this upcoming novel that will hit the bookshelves March 22, 2011

"Nick Gautier?s day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.


His new principal thinks he?s even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can?t even mention and the girl he?s not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.


But more than that, he?s being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn?t learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them..."

The cons keep getting twistier and the stakes get even higher!!!

THE CURSE WORKERS SERIES…RED GLOVE on sale April 5th!

In anticipation, Holly created a NEW story from Lila Zacharov’s point of view -(those of you who have read White Cat, you will be familiar with Lila, those of you who have not, GET READIN’!)Just to make things…twistier (and because Holly Black is brilliant) the story is told in vignettes that can be read in any order!

SO I am pleased to present…LILA ZACHAROV in 13 PIECES!

and this contest is open until next Wednesday...so what are you waiting for?

A few months ago, I read, reviewed and adored WHERE SHE WENT and now after receiving another ARC I want to give someone else an opportunity to read it. Just respond to this post (with an email addy) and I will select someone a week from today 3/24/2011, midnight PST. This give-a-way is open internationally :) GOOD LUCK.

WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman

Reading level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 208 pages

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (April 5, 2011)

Language: English

Author Website: Gayle Forman

Pre-order: HERE

Rating: YYYY1/2

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

REVIEW

IF I STAY by Gayle Forman is one of my top five favorite reads of all time and when I need cathartic tears to flow, it is my go-to book. In fact, it is a cherished book among many readers and I could go on and on with accolades for IF I STAY because it is so amazing, but that is not why I am here today. The much awaited companion novel to IF I STAY, entitled WHERE SHE WENT found it's way into my eager hands and I stopped everything I was doing so that I could read and savor my newest bounty. It was as if I was starved for literary ambrosia and I could not stop until the last word was consumed. I was in heaven.

I am not sure how I can go about this review without revealing too much, but I will try my best. Initially I had no knowledge that a sequel/companion novel was in the making until last spring. I never thought that much about Mia's and Adam's story going any further. Then as the idea set in the seed of possible scenarios planted itself within my brain and I became obsessed. Yet, nothing could have prepared me for what I encountered within the pages of WHERE SHE WENT.

This story takes place three years after Mia's horrific accident in which she lost her entire family, but now the story is being told through Adam's POV. And if you have read the synopsis you know that Mia and Adam are no longer together (I'm not spoiling anything here). His perspective on their lives apart is grittier, darker and more destructive but by no means as painful than it's predecessor. As you begin you cannot fathom why Mia and Adam are apart, it is even a mystery to Adam who is now a successful rock star living the American dream. As he trudges forward, lost and riddled with anxiety his mind goes back to those months after her accident, replaying and dissecting each moment until he is numb and empty. The night before he is to leave on a European tour abroad a moment of fate occurs and Adam and Mia are brought together again. Their encounter leads to an evening traveling throughout the city of New York, revealing their lives apart in moments filled with memories, hurtful truths and confessions. But what will the light of dawn bring for them? only time will tell.

As I read WHERE SHE WENT I felt a weight settle in my chest. Adam's pain and loss was so palpable that certain passages left me without the ability to breath. I was so overcome with emotion that I was left bereft of tears. I understood Adam's anger, sympathized with Mia's decisions and was a willing captive to their journey. I truly enjoyed the music lyrics that introduced certain chapters it is one of my favorite bits that add to the magic of this book. Gayle Forman is an amazing talent and she has returned with a story that is filled with love, anger, heartbreak and hope. In the same beautiful lyrical style as before while returning us to a couple that we can never forget.

I recommend WHERE SHE WENT to all of those that enjoyed IF I STAY for it was a story that needed to be told and was well done. I will be the first to admit that it did not grab me in the quite the same manner as IF I STAY had, but It is a story that I will always remember and cherish.

Jill over at Breaking the Spine started this and I believe that it's awesome" This blog post is to alert those that visit about "the" book that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

This week my WOW choice, Lola and the Boy Next Door is so amazing that I cannot stand the wait much longer. Yes, I am impatient but how can I help myself especially after reading Anna and the French Kiss? Which I must say, is THE best book ever. So, who is with me in this long tortuous wait? and what is your WOW choice for this week?

Lola and the Boy Next Door

In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think.

For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket—a gifted inventor and engineer—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Beware the Dark Days of Winter!

Claudia Gray (Afterlife)

Kimberly Derting (Desires of the Dead)

Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire)
are touring the country this week as part of the Dark Days of Winter book tour. If you are unable to attend, be sure to tune in and watch the bookstore events live via Livestream at http://www.facebook.com/PitchDarkBooks!


The dates of the Livestream events are:

Friday, March 18
7:00 PM (central)

Saturday, March 19
7:00 PM (eastern)

Viewers will be able to submit questions for the authors to answer, as well as purchase books. For more information check out http://www.facebook.com/PitchDarkBooks, or follow @ PitchDarkBooks.


The full tour schedule is below:

Thursday, March 17
7:00 PM
Barnes & Noble
2100 North Snelling Avenue
Roseville, MN, 55113

Authors in attendance: Claudia Gray, Kimberly Derting, Courtney Allison Moulton and Leah Clifford


Friday, March 18
7:00 PM
Anderson’s*
123 West Jefferson Ave
Naperville, IL

Authors in attendance: Claudia Gray, Kimberly Derting, Courtney Allison Moulton and Ellen Schreiber

Saturday, March 19
7:00 PM
Books & Books*
265 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, FL

Authors in attendance: Claudia Gray, Kimberly Derting, and Courtney Allison Moulton


*will be available to watch via Livestream

Description: Goodreads
Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca.
Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being
murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?

SHIMMER is the newest novel by Alyson Noel and here is the book video trailer that has just come out. So what do you think?

A few weeks ago I had the privilege and honor of attending a dinner sponsored by Scholastic and the guest of honor was Judy Blundell. I have read both of her books, What I Saw and How I lied and Strings Attached and highly recommend them both. In fact, I like those books so much that I have a few copies available for the contest I am hosting today.




To enter this contest just fill out the FORM
The contest is available to U.S. entrants only and it will run until April 1st, 2011.
GOOD LUCK to all that enter.

Many THANKS, to Scholastic for providing the books in this contest and to Judy Blundell for being so gracious in signing all those copies, xx.

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545221269

Source: Pulisher
Rating: YYYY

Summary: from GOODREADS

From National Book Award winner Judy Blundell, the tale of a sixteen-year-old girl caught in a mix of love, mystery, Broadway glamour, and Mob retribution in 1950 New York.

When Kit Corrigan arrives in New York City, she doesn't have much. She's fled from her family in Providence, Rhode Island, and she's broken off her tempestuous relationship with a boy named Billy, who's enlisted in the army.

The city doesn't exactly welcome her with open arms. She gets a bit part as a chorus girl in a Broadway show, but she knows that's not going to last very long. She needs help--and then it comes, from an unexpected source.

Nate Benedict is Billy's father. He's also a lawyer involved in the mob. He makes Kit a deal--he'll give her an apartment and introduce her to a new crowd. All she has to do is keep him informed about Billy . . . and maybe do him a favor every now and then.

REVIEW

With a new novel now set in the 1950's proceeding author Judy Blundell's National Book Award winner, What I Saw and How I Lied, Strings Attached proves to be just as suspensful, well detailed and beautifully written. A slow building story that pulls you in and holds your attention until the very end.

After a horrific fight with her family and boyfriend, Kit Corrigan drops out of school and decides to leave home and pursue her dreams of becoming a star on the Broadway stage, but luck has not been her friend. Although she has a job as a chorus girl in a play, it's nothing to remember and she is also sleeping on her cast mate's couch, whom despises her. Yes, luck as overlooked her until, that is, she runs into Nate Benedict, the father of her ex-boyfriend Billy whom propositions her with an offer she cannot seem to refuse. He puts her up in a nice apartment and helps her get THE job at an posh nightclub. Luck begins to turn for Kit but Nate’s help comes with a steep price and she soon finds herself in over her head, drowning in a web of lies and deception.

What I admire most is how seamlessly the story flows from present day 1950 to Kit's past, highlighting moments that would come back to plague and haunt her. I witnessed her life story; her family, her relationships and her drive to be on the stage. These brief vignettes all gave me an insight into Kit and what motivated her choices and how that naivete and need ultimately caused her to make a bad choice. Because she always suspected that the generous offer that Nate gave her had strings attached but she accepted nonetheless and it isn't until a death that reveals a sordid affair, unraveling a tangled web of family secrets that she realizes how much of a pawn she truly is. Tracing this journey of Kit's realization and growth is at the heart of this story while showcasing a moment in history that is peppered with the effects of the Korean War, McCarthyism, organized crime and the dreams of it's youth.

Strings Attached is coming-of-age story that although retro in it's presentation will appeal to all in the modern YA genre. A feat that is adoringly accomplished because of Blundell's attention to detail and dialogue for an era that has long disappeared but is not forgotten. And although this novel may have been set in a different time it's protagonist and her choices can still be applied to any situation today. Strings Attached is a novel you cannot miss, a must read for 2011. Broadway, Mobsters, Forbidden Love and Lies. Now this is book worth talking about.

Favorite Quote:

"I was staring at my life and I saw how every choice had let to the next, that it wasn't some big fall but a series of steps, each one of my choosing."

Sneak a Peek Saturday is a feature that lets you "peek" into an upcoming book. Sometimes, it is a chapter or two and maybe even less, either way it is an amazing opportunity that I enjoy sharing.

This week I have selected ROTTERS by Daniel Kraus. This book has a dark and mysterious cover and it sounds a bit wicked. Just click on the book cover see what you think about it.

Available April 2011

Rotters
Grave robbing. What kind of monster would do such a thing? It’s true that Leonardo da Vinci did it, Shakespeare wrote about it, and the resurrection men of nineteenth-century Scotland practically made it an art. But none of this matters to Joey Crouch, a sixteen-year-old straight-A student living in Chicago with his single mom. For the most part, Joey’s life is about playing the trumpet and avoiding the daily humiliations of high school.
Everything changes when Joey’s mother dies in a tragic accident and he is sent to rural Iowa to live with the father he has never known, a strange, solitary man with unimaginable secrets. At first, Joey’s father wants nothing to do with him, but once father and son come to terms with each other, Joey’s life takes a turn both macabre and exhilarating.
Daniel Kraus’s masterful plotting and unforgettable characters make ROTTERS a moving, terrifying, and unconventional epic about fathers and sons, complex family ties, taboos, and the ever-present specter of mortality.

I think a beautiful book jacket is like a work of art and this is why I like to showcase those book covers that have gotten my attention in a lovely frame. Some that I have selected have debuted within the past week and others I have seen around on the web.

So what do you think? My curious mind wants to know. I personally adore Lola and the Boy Next Door and The Mephisto Covenant.

Do you LOVE THEM, HATE THEM, or is it JUST LUST?

Crossed by Ally Condie

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Feagan

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Die for Me by Amy Plum

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Eve by Anna Carey

If you are interested in any book you just have to click on the book cover and check it out on goodreads.

Jill over at Breaking the Spine started this and I believe that it's awesome" This blog post is to alert those that visit about "the" book that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

This week I have selected a novel that has intrigued me from the moment I read about it. The premise is dark and frightening and it makes me want to read it all the more, then throw in a wicked cool cover and you have lusting magic. I want this book!

What is your WOW for this week?

11/01/11
Dark Inside
by Jeyn Roberts
ISBN-13: 978-1442423510
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
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Four teenagers on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found. THE DARK INSIDE is a stunning, cinematic thriller: 28 DAYS LATER meets THE ROAD.

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…. Now it’s our turn.

Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even worse is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, hooking on to weakness, turning the unwary into hunters, killers, crazies.

Mason: His mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground. Everyone he knows is killed.

Aries: A school bus, an aftershock and a crash. Pulled out of the wreckage by a mysterious stranger, she’s about to discover a world changed forever.

Clementine: An emergency meeting at the town hall that descends into murderous chaos. Outside the rest of their community encircle with weapons. How can those you trust turn into savage strangers?

Michael: A brutal road rage incident. When the police arrive on the scene they gun down the guilty and turn on the by-standing crowd. Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad?

Sneak a Peek Saturday is a feature that lets you "peek" into an upcoming book. Sometimes it is a chapter or two and maybe less, either way it is an amazing opportunity that I enjoy sharing.

This week, I have selected to showcase INSIGHT by Diana Greenwood. The cover is beautifully haunting and after reading the snyopsis I was more than mildy intrigued. I also have included the book trailer video that was made for this book, make sure to check it out.

Just click on the book cover below to read the first chapter of INSIGHT and enjoy.

04/12/11
Insight by Diana Greenwood
ISBN-13: 978-0310723141

Some secrets won't let you go. Elvira Witsil lives about as far away from civilization as you can get, in a remote corner of Wisconsin where nothing much ever happens. In a house crowded with her mother, her cantankerous grandmother, and her little sister, Jessie, Elvira feels forgotten and alone. Their house also contains numerous secrets, and Elvira's family holds their secrets closely. Secrets about the father that Jessie never knew, and that Elvira can't forget. Secrets about that day five years ago. And the one secret that Elvira can't quite understand: that Jessie sees things no one else can see. These secrets will lead Elvira and her family on a journey far away from home---on a journey toward redemption and healing---if she can just bring herself to believe.

WOW! Can you believe the wonderful covers that have come out this week? I am in love with many of them and cannot wait to see them in all their glory on the bookshelves across the globe.

BEAUTIFUL CHAOS by Kami Garia and Margaret Stohl

PEARL by Jo Knowles
AFTER OBSESSION by Carrie Jones and S.E. Wedel

WITCH SONG by Amber Argyle
THE PLEDGE by Kimberly Derting

THE NAME OF THE STAR by Maureen Johnson

AWAKE AT DAWN by C.C. Hunter

ELEMENTAL REALITY by Cesya Cuono

All of these new covers are amazing. So what do you think? Do you LOVE THEM, HATE THEM or is it JUST LUST?

My curious mind would like to know.