tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35038652562301512272024-03-13T09:00:01.191-04:00Cornucopia of ReviewsLizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.comBlogger881125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-53869502210644865362015-03-01T16:39:00.002-05:002015-03-01T16:39:38.244-05:00Geek Girl Winner!<div style="text-align: center;">
The winner of Geek Girl by Holly Smale is...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Anubha</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I've sent an email asking for your details and you have 72 hours to respond!</span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-19879796919524096182015-02-15T13:11:00.001-05:002015-02-15T13:11:35.091-05:00Review and Giveaway: Geek Girl by Holly Smale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSpWllJYcKR0SE1JT4A_GTrVbtLMh08JGyzFZJSw5-8dPrS56d2rxj89nMJ2VglVuaXsOKtWyaLSTGwG0xy2NxYLnCKmkQO-kHYXN6Wv9y_29LHbkeAzELIkuARksRiGu_YtAc-FTtkVq/s1600/22249710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSpWllJYcKR0SE1JT4A_GTrVbtLMh08JGyzFZJSw5-8dPrS56d2rxj89nMJ2VglVuaXsOKtWyaLSTGwG0xy2NxYLnCKmkQO-kHYXN6Wv9y_29LHbkeAzELIkuARksRiGu_YtAc-FTtkVq/s1600/22249710.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188">Geek + runway = a
hilarious runaway hit! This bestselling UK debut is full of humor and
high-fashion hijinks—and now it’s coming to America.<br /><br />Harriet
Manners is tired of being labeled a geek. So when she’s discovered by a
modeling agent, she seizes the chance to reinvent herself. There’s only
one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Does she have what it
takes to transform from geek to chic?<br /><br /><em>Geek Girl</em> is the
first book in a hilarious new trilogy. It was also the #1 bestselling YA
debut of 2013 in the UK, where it was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl
Funny Prize and won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Best Book
for Teens. With all the humor and fabulous shenanigans of Louise
Rennison’s <em>Confessions of Georgia Nicolson</em> and Meg Cabot’s <em>The Princess Diaries</em>, <em>Geek Girl</em> is about to become an international superstar.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188">Best Bits: I love a good British comedy, so when I read comparisons to Louise Rennison's books I was itching to pick this up. In some ways it met my expectations, and in others it fell flat. The thing that I enjoyed most was, surprisingly, the conflict between Harriet and her best friend Nat (who wants to be a model, and is not spotted). I think it was realistic that there would be conflict between the two after Harriet gets chosen to be a model, despite having zero interest in fashion. The friendship drama was more about honesty, rather than jealousy. It was sort of refreshing to read a book where the main character is gaining maturity in a friendship, rather than dealing with a best-friend-turned-mean-girl.</span><br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188"></span><span id="freeText10797655367910225188"> </span><br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188"></span><span id="freeText10797655367910225188">I also really appreciated the family support that Harriet has throughout the book. Sure, both adults are a big misguided, but it's apparent that they care about Harriet and her happiness. This is particularly true of Annabel, Harriet's stepmother. Throughout the book we see her trying to make decisions in Harriet's best interest. This doesn't mean that she's a perfect character, as she sometimes bases her assumptions and decisions on what she believes Harriet would want, rather than asking her. I think that may be one of the overall messages of this book. Every character has their flaws, but that's acceptable. None of the characters are meant to be perfect. That's always a good message to send.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188">Nit Picks: At times I felt like Harriet was a middle-grade character. She is dealing with your typical teen issues (aside from being spotted and turned into a model), yet she reads more like a child. I had an internal debate about whether this was due to being overly sheltered...but it's hard for me to believe that a character can be so naive. At some points in the read it drew me out of the story. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188">Geek Girl </span><br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188">By Holly Smale</span><br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188"></span><span id="freeText10797655367910225188">Published by HarperTeen</span><br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188">384 Pages</span><br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188">Received for Review</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsHJt-HlTbnuNHIAkhUfb186bkXfrxz0kQMYNP_NUAuNmMvMSImAe-rrZqnuSJJ0YPVet_s_WdBRfCQ2_PG52LjVk29_qLryQ-01Qa_mNyKMC8fyE4OeI50meOus_u007jkErB43dFHJw/s1600/Three+Hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsHJt-HlTbnuNHIAkhUfb186bkXfrxz0kQMYNP_NUAuNmMvMSImAe-rrZqnuSJJ0YPVet_s_WdBRfCQ2_PG52LjVk29_qLryQ-01Qa_mNyKMC8fyE4OeI50meOus_u007jkErB43dFHJw/s1600/Three+Hearts.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span id="freeText10797655367910225188"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="053d8d6136" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/053d8d6136/" id="rcwidget_7qvu7i9f" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br /><script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script> </span><br />
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-56149836517324343602014-10-17T00:30:00.000-04:002014-10-17T00:30:00.770-04:00Books on my ShelfAh the dreaded TBR pile. With some many pretty books getting released, I tend to buy them with the best intentions, and they end up replaced by even more awesome books. It's a cycle that we book addicts understand. So, I wanted to feature some of the books I've got on my shelf that I need to actually pick up and read (because I'm sure they're awesome)!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UNDYnOxCDXpjk1inSu7qwX0gSd0MJtEEXpkYCPJwwiPjh_avpbx3R5U2xupHSspw5IdCZ11tl0rF0yXNOkArWaUpputM6G_8RYVQAtqS87CRxYCimJ4yTy29h3qoZQgNjWTPujOk10j2/s1600/7638313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UNDYnOxCDXpjk1inSu7qwX0gSd0MJtEEXpkYCPJwwiPjh_avpbx3R5U2xupHSspw5IdCZ11tl0rF0yXNOkArWaUpputM6G_8RYVQAtqS87CRxYCimJ4yTy29h3qoZQgNjWTPujOk10j2/s1600/7638313.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
Stork by Wendy Delsol<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText6634251166063445024">Family secrets. Lost memories. And the arrival of an ancient magical ability that will reveal everything.<br /><br />Sixteen-year-old
Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it
weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon
finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women
tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be
finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the
arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing
with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when
her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it
some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla
uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate
to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to
Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut
novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself
tail-feathers deep in small-town life.</span><br />
<br />
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-k_WAKnzskTmepWPP7XyztpOhamPyWm668OuvKlvbGx8epOLBQLlT2Ol7CmDgSlOXHqWa-HAq9U49jj6dMoujwgymxEfxRYEUJA22d0sSeqAluQWEb0WM92TEZak8faqpkkWnQE99jZp/s1600/shadow-and-bone_hi-res.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-k_WAKnzskTmepWPP7XyztpOhamPyWm668OuvKlvbGx8epOLBQLlT2Ol7CmDgSlOXHqWa-HAq9U49jj6dMoujwgymxEfxRYEUJA22d0sSeqAluQWEb0WM92TEZak8faqpkkWnQE99jZp/s1600/shadow-and-bone_hi-res.jpeg" height="320" width="211" /></a><br />
<span id="freeText18000974470326607880">Surrounded by enemies,
the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a
swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on
human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely
refugee.<br /><br />Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when
her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally
injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that
could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from
everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be
trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the
mysterious Darkling.<br /><br />Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it
seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her
untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . .
. and the secrets of her heart.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwH903M1hXbXcBeYETqzq5kEsl4u-371_W4YVIlDs9mLaNuyQlIE7rYFd-5aXuG4Y0oRu2w70INAcuefFIUOfEleVg_gtkZ_Ue3b3BdsnbqWi_-L6P8NiNnk0_1kVKGjMGaCcK1IdTFVc/s1600/13056868.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwH903M1hXbXcBeYETqzq5kEsl4u-371_W4YVIlDs9mLaNuyQlIE7rYFd-5aXuG4Y0oRu2w70INAcuefFIUOfEleVg_gtkZ_Ue3b3BdsnbqWi_-L6P8NiNnk0_1kVKGjMGaCcK1IdTFVc/s1600/13056868.jpeg" height="320" width="211" /></a>Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText12685036678602437098">Liyana has trained her
entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. She will dance and summon her
tribe's deity, who will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring
rain to the desert. But when the dance ends, Liyana is still there. Her
tribe is furious--and sure that it is Liyana's fault. Abandoned by her
tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the
dust in search of her.<br /><br />Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a
trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing,
and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. The
desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the
journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is
willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.<br /><br />The closer she grows
to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her
goddess. But she has no choice--she must die for her tribe to live.
Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate--or a human girl can
muster some magic of her own.</span><br />
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-24074997895399943382014-10-14T00:00:00.000-04:002014-10-14T00:00:09.973-04:00Teaser Tuesday (October 14) - As You Wish by Cary Elwes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnYsgKR6rie39LZgPJuITLTozlEStHCmJrSCjWuRTQidTY7-gtXF9h3diYZpAP93FURQlzeEM0_gRtcbyrm0wakuO1hz6ChPogc4ZMiRNEjzGO8vMgtd2_DN6UX0tJTpOZ5YuaZOPQNC_/s1600/21412202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnYsgKR6rie39LZgPJuITLTozlEStHCmJrSCjWuRTQidTY7-gtXF9h3diYZpAP93FURQlzeEM0_gRtcbyrm0wakuO1hz6ChPogc4ZMiRNEjzGO8vMgtd2_DN6UX0tJTpOZ5YuaZOPQNC_/s1600/21412202.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is teaser tuesday?</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a meme hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a> and here are the rules: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Grab your current read<br />• Open to a random page<br />• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page<br />• <b>BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</b> (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)<br />• Share
the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add
the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"<span style="font-family: inherit;">And while a leap of faith would be required to presume that the ot<span style="font-family: inherit;">her characters in the film (most not<span style="font-family: inherit;">ably Buttercu<span style="font-family: inherit;">p) would not immediately spot the <span style="font-family: inherit;">resemblance betwe<span style="font-family: inherit;">e<span style="font-family: inherit;">n Westley and the Man in Black, the audience was free to make the connection (which of course, they did). Still, it had to lo<span style="font-family: inherit;">ok right. Despite going to <span style="font-family: inherit;">great lengths to create dozens of perfect masks, the makeup department still wound up having to use dark makeup around my eyes in some scenes to creat<span style="font-family: inherit;">e a seamless transition between mask and skin, much like wh<span style="font-family: inherit;">at I understand they do with all t<span style="font-family: inherit;">he folks who play Batman." </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-As You Wish, Page<span style="font-family: inherit;">s 3<span style="font-family: inherit;">8-39, by Cary Elwes. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, I'm hosting a contest on Twitter for a book of you<span style="font-family: inherit;">r choice! If you follow me at Twitter.com/Cornucopiaofluv and retwee<span style="font-family: inherit;">t</span> the contest you're entered to win! </span> </span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-91265377878091138562014-10-11T08:17:00.001-04:002014-10-11T08:17:20.250-04:00Review: The Infects by Sean Beaudoin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrprSQujKIQCHCq_mrfZXVCP9LYFyr7JsrbEgTZfwgVsW0gvF9FiZ4yOFiiov0J78jpU1sEC7aZ8Keg5N-6UlSj3724qQIL2Df4t8B4S_QVRImAeAOz3tzFEszCdgYNK-kfq7XltFxe6d/s1600/13530957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrprSQujKIQCHCq_mrfZXVCP9LYFyr7JsrbEgTZfwgVsW0gvF9FiZ4yOFiiov0J78jpU1sEC7aZ8Keg5N-6UlSj3724qQIL2Df4t8B4S_QVRImAeAOz3tzFEszCdgYNK-kfq7XltFxe6d/s1600/13530957.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254"><strong>A feast for the
brain, this gory and genuinely hilarious take on zombie culture
simultaneously skewers, pays tribute to, and elevates the horror genre.</strong><br /><br />Seventeen-year-old
Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile
delinquents on an “Inward Trek.” As if that weren’t bad enough, his
counselors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now
chowing down on his fellow miscreants. As in any classic monster flick
worth its salted popcorn, plentiful carnage sends survivors rabbiting
into the woods while the mindless horde of “infects” shambles, moans,
and drools behind. Of course, these kids have seen zombie movies. They
generate “Zombie Rules” almost as quickly as cheeky remarks, but
attitude alone can’t keep the biters back.<br /><br />Serving up a cast of
irreverent, slightly twisted characters, an unexpected villain, and an
ending you won’t see coming, here is a savvy tale that that’s a delight
to read—whether you’re a rabid zombie fan or freshly bitten—and an
incisive commentary on the evil that lurks within each of us.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254">Best
Bits: I can always appreciate YA books that focus on guys, since those
tend to be rare in the genre. Plus, the way that the zombie apocalypse
begins in this one is totally believable. Nick works at a chicken
processing plant, and in a typical teen fashion is crushing on a girl he
thinks is out of his league. Things head south at said job, and he ends
up fighting off zombies at a wilderness camp. I'm actively choosing not
to share how the zombies come into existence, but it's pretty clear
when you're reading.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254"> This
book definitely didn't skimp on the gore or scare factor. I was
genuinely spooked reading some scenes, with the anticipation that
something bad was about to happen (I was usually right). What makes this
book even better is the possibility that Nero may have been exposed to
the virus and could be changing as well. We get a great look at his
inner monologue and fight against the voice trying to control him.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254">Nit
Picks: This book has it's own language, and a completely new slang
vocabulary. In some books this works well, but at some points during
this one I was drawn out of the story. I also thought that the end
wrapped up extremely quickly. It was a time jump, and I wish I could
have seen the bits in between. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254">The Infects</span><br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254">By Sean Beaudoin</span><br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254">Published by Candlewick</span><br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254">384 Pages </span><br />
<span id="freeText3197757488951221254">Purchased</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsHJt-HlTbnuNHIAkhUfb186bkXfrxz0kQMYNP_NUAuNmMvMSImAe-rrZqnuSJJ0YPVet_s_WdBRfCQ2_PG52LjVk29_qLryQ-01Qa_mNyKMC8fyE4OeI50meOus_u007jkErB43dFHJw/s1600/Three+Hearts.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsHJt-HlTbnuNHIAkhUfb186bkXfrxz0kQMYNP_NUAuNmMvMSImAe-rrZqnuSJJ0YPVet_s_WdBRfCQ2_PG52LjVk29_qLryQ-01Qa_mNyKMC8fyE4OeI50meOus_u007jkErB43dFHJw/s1600/Three+Hearts.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-58163192626175274352014-09-28T09:13:00.000-04:002014-09-28T09:13:03.143-04:00Stacking the Shelves (September 28)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCoNA-jktPIZ063Ex5WXf8mFW5JJFm3OHt4MSkD-m_25oUl-XLtA1FDbLrib0qqH1WipnKws0IGs5Q5UCx_mWmwcZtHbv9gFoBqVIfcjIXI5WeoLckJ6ki0l1zGgkqiRX-meN9BXzdASE/s1600/STSmall_thumb%5B2%5D_thumb.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCoNA-jktPIZ063Ex5WXf8mFW5JJFm3OHt4MSkD-m_25oUl-XLtA1FDbLrib0qqH1WipnKws0IGs5Q5UCx_mWmwcZtHbv9gFoBqVIfcjIXI5WeoLckJ6ki0l1zGgkqiRX-meN9BXzdASE/s320/STSmall_thumb%5B2%5D_thumb.png" height="181" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;">Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga at </span><a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com/" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.09090805053711px; text-decoration: initial;">Tynga's Reviews</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;">! It's a way to highlight the books that everyone got throughout the week. All links g<span style="font-family: inherit;">o to Goodreads</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
For Review -<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19321449-the-swap">The Swap by Megan Shull</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3s_NmtZYINpDOeLfORtF6fWG-oeOJUsJh6vEOnplSijRwjYETyBKCH1GdoFkhS84SBLNGncNxyvXJq8W_jRmjKHCIdMgtSvNi64Gc3TnmrfcaW4rjQOMD9uSRA8411inR7Pn1PTjenv5a/s1600/19321449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3s_NmtZYINpDOeLfORtF6fWG-oeOJUsJh6vEOnplSijRwjYETyBKCH1GdoFkhS84SBLNGncNxyvXJq8W_jRmjKHCIdMgtSvNi64Gc3TnmrfcaW4rjQOMD9uSRA8411inR7Pn1PTjenv5a/s1600/19321449.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText17169382668999992028">YOU BE ME...AND I'LL BE YOU.”<br /><br />ELLIE
spent the summer before seventh grade getting dropped by her best
friend since forever. JACK spent it training in “The Cage” with his
tough-as-nails brothers and hard-to-please dad. By the time middle
school starts, they’re both ready for a change. And just as Jack’s
thinking girls have it so easy, Ellie’s wishing she could be anyone but
herself.<br /><br />Then, BAM! They swap lives—and bodies!<br /><br />Now Jack’s
fending off mean girls at sleepover parties while Ellie’s reigning as
the Prince of Thatcher Middle School. As their crazy weekend races
on—and their feelings for each other grow—Ellie and Jack begin to
realize that maybe the best way to learn how to be yourself is to spend a
little time being someone else.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17169382668999992028">Published by Katherine Tegen </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19367070-illusions-of-fate">Illusions of Fate - Kiersten White</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392408196l/19367070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392408196l/19367070.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText7098641177698336607"><em>“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”</em><br /><br />Jessamin
has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to
the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a
gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of
Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power,
money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous
secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess.
Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can
stop him.<br /><br />Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New
York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of
magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning
combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a
sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare,
The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.</span> <br />
<br />
Published by Katherine Tegen Books<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17282769-the-fires-of-calderon">Balance Keepers: The Fires of Calderon - Lindsay Cummings</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNBIXK7av7p1O_f00IvhU6FxdCSkkeVKSV8F5Wd_BBrygptM1l8bpB57SRn-n8UBzVK-f8rtXzZzIi-Xgk0C6euFzC2MqJdvb6anCcza_XUp3-JM8UccnnqSVbfJnpDq3B0VgGtbaO_pe/s1600/17282769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNBIXK7av7p1O_f00IvhU6FxdCSkkeVKSV8F5Wd_BBrygptM1l8bpB57SRn-n8UBzVK-f8rtXzZzIi-Xgk0C6euFzC2MqJdvb6anCcza_XUp3-JM8UccnnqSVbfJnpDq3B0VgGtbaO_pe/s1600/17282769.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText7751085780601539223"><strong>The first book
in an epic middle grade fantasy adventure series that takes place in an
underground society at the center of the earth. Packed with action,
humor, magic, and mystery.</strong><br /><br />After following a mysterious
map into the woods and then under the woods, eleven-year-old Albert
Flynn learns he’s a Balance Keeper—someone with special magical skills
for fixing problems in three underground Realms at the Core of the
earth. His new job is important; if the realms fall out of balance, the
world above could be in great danger.<br /><br />Albert and his Balance
Keeper teammates Birdie and Leroy arrive in the Core not a moment too
soon. There’s an Imbalance in the Calderon Realm and it’s threatening to
bury Albert’s hometown of New York City in a mountain of ash.<br /><br />The
three must train hard completing mental and physical challenges, but
above all, they must harness the power of their Tiles—unique superpowers
given to each Balance Keeper. So far, Albert’s mastered the art of not
mastering his Tile....<br /><br />With the situation in Calderon growing
worse every day, can Albert, Leroy, and Birdie restore balance before
New York is destroyed forever? Will Albert master his Tile before it’s
too late?</span> <br />
<br />
Published by Katherine Tegen Books<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20419044-messenger-of-fear">Messanger of Fear - Michael Grant</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQxBfkHHu4ryVecPL353tBV2NL2J3TJyed6WFq-F3rThYOr08CUM-PEBZHLH0mal8iW9GfLDNrJskfVzD94LZTdVOeCQ8YxzaSzbTdAz99FyGxoSNS-Bwoo64nA_Cs8W1GfhctoHBdCP-/s1600/20419044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQxBfkHHu4ryVecPL353tBV2NL2J3TJyed6WFq-F3rThYOr08CUM-PEBZHLH0mal8iW9GfLDNrJskfVzD94LZTdVOeCQ8YxzaSzbTdAz99FyGxoSNS-Bwoo64nA_Cs8W1GfhctoHBdCP-/s1600/20419044.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a><span id="freeText2949049315846564416"> I remembered my name –
Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, faced with the solemn young
man in the black coat with silver skulls for buttons, I could recall
nothing else about myself.<br /><br />And then the games began.<br /><br />The
Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts, and the damage it inflicts
upon the world. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win,
and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear.
<br /><br />But what does any of this have to do with Mara? She is about to find out . .</span> <br />
<br />
Published by Katherine Tegen Books<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Purchased -<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8013682-destination-truth">Destination Truth: Memoirs of a Monster Hunter - Josh Gates</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwaie7n4mO8nZLK4q_6U3IdL6FR77GPdNJrEB9jPN62sx9ZvDUHKNzgq_8hn7K7xE-7Q9ii1lJx0fIcF87WD-JE-kZK2kiwjJn_2koJXjJZEjt1XEpKTNkZFH7f8yyPX9xN8nNzNa12cV/s1600/8013682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwaie7n4mO8nZLK4q_6U3IdL6FR77GPdNJrEB9jPN62sx9ZvDUHKNzgq_8hn7K7xE-7Q9ii1lJx0fIcF87WD-JE-kZK2kiwjJn_2koJXjJZEjt1XEpKTNkZFH7f8yyPX9xN8nNzNa12cV/s1600/8013682.jpg" height="320" width="204" /></a><span id="freeText1500218571771475717">Truth is stranger than legend . . . and your journey into both begins here. <br /><br />World
adventurer and international monster hunter Josh Gates has careened
through nearly 100 countries, investigating frightening myths, chilling
cryptozoological legends, and terrifying paranormal phenomena. Now, he
invites fans to get a behind-the-scenes look at these breathtaking
expeditions. <br /><br />Follow Gates from the inception of the
groundbreaking hit show (at the summit of Kilimanjaro) to his
hair-raising encounters with dangerous creatures in the most treacherous
locations on earth. Among his many adventures, he unearths the
flesh-crawling reality of the Mongolian Death Worm, challenges an
ancient curse by spending the night in King Tut’s tomb,
descends into a centuries-old mine to search for an alien entity in
subterranean darkness, pursues ghosts in the radioactive shadow of
Chernobyl, and explores sightings of Bigfoot from the leech-infested
rain forests of Malaysia to the dizzying heights of the Himalayas. <br /><br />Part
journey into the unexplained, part hilarious travelogue, part
fascinating look at the making of a reality-based TV show, and
featuring never-before-published photographs; this <em>Destination Truth </em>companion takes readers on the supernatural expedition of a lifetime.</span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-18311063417298795762014-09-27T19:55:00.000-04:002014-09-27T19:55:40.685-04:00Feral Blog Tour - Interview with Holly Schindler
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Garamond;
mso-font-alt:Geneva;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Garamond;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Garamond;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Garamond;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Garamond;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Garamond;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Garamond;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Garamond;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Garamond;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Garamond;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Garamond;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:822047050;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-464498910 1012571308 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.75in;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq26SFn1fOXgxqdWbrV7w1cM8zNWosunC9XjxVUhMAUxpC0XBwPvyn9tVyoaq4hGM9P7QonVOTH02nE5VFNARpZflVyLffgxpTc1t3yoaloXLpGy0e7p7rLYGXKLPt-y8_HAO78RHOgKkC/s1600/FERAL+TOUR+BANNER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq26SFn1fOXgxqdWbrV7w1cM8zNWosunC9XjxVUhMAUxpC0XBwPvyn9tVyoaq4hGM9P7QonVOTH02nE5VFNARpZflVyLffgxpTc1t3yoaloXLpGy0e7p7rLYGXKLPt-y8_HAO78RHOgKkC/s1600/FERAL+TOUR+BANNER.jpg" height="158" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Your new book, FERAL,
was released on August 26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you
tell readers a bit about it?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Lovely Bones </span></i></b><b><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">meets<i> Black Swan</i> in this haunting psychological
thriller with twists and turns that will make you question everything you think
you know.</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<i>It’s too late for you. You’re dead</i>. Those words continue to haunt Claire
Cain months after she barely survived a brutal beating in Chicago. So when her
father is offered a job in another state, Claire is hopeful that getting out
will offer her a way to start anew.<br />
<br />
But when she arrives in Peculiar, Missouri, Claire feels an overwhelming sense
of danger, and her fears are confirmed when she discovers the body of a popular
high school student in the icy woods behind the school, surrounded by the
town’s feral cats. While everyone is quick to say it was an accident, Claire
knows there’s more to it, and vows to learn the truth about what happened. <br />
<br />
But the closer she gets to uncovering the mystery, the closer she also gets to
realizing a frightening reality about herself and the damage she truly sustained
in that Chicago alley….<br />
<br />
FERAL’s gripping story is filled with heart-stopping twists and turns that will
keep readers guessing until the very last page.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">FERAL takes on a different
subject matter and genre than your past books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What inspired you to write a YA thriller?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">You’re
right—FERAL is quite different from my previous releases (a YA literary problem
novel, a YA romance, an MG contemporary realistic read).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a serious fan of vintage
movies—especially Hitchcock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
really helped shape FERAL, which is a psychological thriller, in the classic
sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Like
psychological thrillers, FERAL features mystery, horror, and paranormal
elements, but the emphasis is on the “psychological” rather than thriller /
action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The novel features a
Hitchcockian pace and focus on character development (here, we’re exploring the
inner workings of the main character, Claire Cain).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Essentially,
every aspect of FERAL is used to explore Claire’s inner workings—that even
includes the wintry Ozarks setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The water metaphor is employed frequently in psychological thrillers to
represent the subconscious, and in this instance is incorporated in the form of
a brutal ice storm (that represents Claire’s “frozen” inner state).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The attempt to untangle what is real
from what is unreal (another frequently-used aspect of the psychological
thriller) also begins to highlight the extent to which Claire was hurt in that
Chicago alley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the
explanation of the odd occurrences in the town of Peculiar offers an
exploration into and portrait of Claire’s psyche.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ultimately,
FERAL is a book about recovering from violence—that’s not just a lengthy or
hard process; it’s a terrifying process, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The conventions of the classic psychological thriller
allowed me to explore that frightening process in detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you talk a bit about
your road to being published?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
do things change once you’re an established author?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My
road to the first publication was really long: it took seven and a half years
of full-time effort to land my first deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My
first two books (both YAs) were with a smaller house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually handled the first two deals myself; shortly
thereafter, I signed with an agent who wanted to represent my MG.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know most people assume an agent is a magical creature who can instantly open
doors in the publishing world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
reality, it took my own agent a year and a half to sell my MG (THE JUNCTION OF
SUNSHINE AND LUCKY, which released with Dial / Penguin earlier this year).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point, I knew I wanted to bring
the agent in on the rest of my work—including the YAs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We agreed that it was time to seek a
larger house to publish the YAs as well…But even with an agent and two YAs (one
of which was critically acclaimed, having earned a starred review and several
awards) on my side, it took a year to sell my third YA, FERAL, to
HarperTeen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I started out, I assumed that selling the first book would change
everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That once I’d inked
the first contract, I’d be “in” the publishing world, and my work would be
handled differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as the world doesn’t magically
change by signing with the agent, the world doesn’t change once you’ve sold a
few books, either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s still a
process of submission and rejection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That’s
an important distinction, though: the PROCESS remains the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I the same person I was when I
jumped into my pursuit of publication?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know myself as an
author far better than I did when I was starting out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what I want my books to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that makes the process far less
scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also don’t have the same
approach to finding a publishing house that I did when I was seeking my first
book deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t just want my
book to be accepted by a house, I want my book to find the RIGHT house, the
right editor who recognizes and connects with what I’m doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What are five books that you
would suggest every teen read?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">CATCHER IN THE RYE –
Salinger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s considered, by
some, to be the first YA novel written.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">SPEAK – Anderson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I consider it a seminal work in
contemporary YA literature.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">ELSEWHERE – Zevin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite YA read.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD – Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll probably get this one assigned
to you in class—I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was
hands-down my favorite high school read.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A book outside of your usual
genre of preference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it’s
important to move outside of your comfort zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reading tastes are somewhat like food preferences—a lot of
it’s based on trial and error and multiple exposures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because you didn’t much care for literary reads a few
years ago doesn’t mean you won’t like them now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give a new genre a shot, keeping an open mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s next for you, any new
books in the work?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Youbetcha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m always working on something new…In
fact, I recently finished both my next YA and MG, and I’m working on branching
out into new genres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be sure to
follow along with me on Twitter: @Holly_Schindler and facebook.com/HollySchindlerAuthor
to keep up to date with the latest news!</span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><hr />
</span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NGUrkMrNc3qTzCYfyFVzhHUuFfDhpMqHvefateBx3a0FUc-4dB1gToOet_ynWiaVNZMK73S12kh3ALx5omEpyQNwRmSwKBZMk51RT1K_dBsBiQqWeoLZdWWg2adqIa046HqlvId9VudH/s1600/Holly+Schindler+(photo%2Bby%2BJohn%2BSchindler%2BII).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NGUrkMrNc3qTzCYfyFVzhHUuFfDhpMqHvefateBx3a0FUc-4dB1gToOet_ynWiaVNZMK73S12kh3ALx5omEpyQNwRmSwKBZMk51RT1K_dBsBiQqWeoLZdWWg2adqIa046HqlvId9VudH/s1600/Holly+Schindler+(photo%2Bby%2BJohn%2BSchindler%2BII).JPG" height="320" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Holly Schindler</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is
the author of the critically acclaimed A BLUE SO DARK<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>(Booklist starred review, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year silver
medal recipient, IPPY Awards gold medal recipient) as well as PLAYING HURT<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>(both YAs).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Her
debut MG, THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>also released in ’14, and became a favorite of teachers and
librarians, who used the book as a read-aloud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kirkus<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Reviews<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>called THE JUNCTION “...a heartwarming
and uplifting story...[that] shines...with vibrant themes of community,
self-empowerment and artistic vision delivered with a satisfying verve.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">FERAL
is Schindler’s third YA and first psychological thriller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Publishers Weekly gave FERAL a starred
review, stating, </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Opening with
back-to-back scenes of exquisitely imagined yet very real horror, Schindler’s
third YA novel hearkens to the uncompromising demands of her debut, A BLUE SO
DARK…This time, the focus is on women’s voices and the consequences they suffer
for speaking…This is a story about reclaiming and healing, a process that is
scary, imperfect, and carries no guarantees.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Schindler
encourages readers to get in touch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Booksellers, teen librarians, and teachers can also contact her directly
regarding Skype visits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can be
reached at hollyschindlerbooks (at) gmail (dot) com, and can also be found at
hollyschindler.com, hollyschindler.blogspot.com, @holly_schindler, Facebook.com/HollySchindlerAuthor,
and hollyschindler.tumblr.com</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">FERAL
Trailer:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="296" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/90169956?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="395"></iframe></span>
</div>
<a href="http://vimeo.com/90169956"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></a><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rafflectopter form for a
giveaway of a signed copy of FERAL (running from Sept. 27- Oct. 13):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/69914cbc27/" id="rc-69914cbc27" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><script a="" name="_GoBack" src=""></a>="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script></span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-12831207392553244052014-09-11T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-11T00:00:01.284-04:00Book Review: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMQe-XNk-XQ_L0YgSVuxG7ka_xZb4UeYN8KZS14y1bYxsBDTGICt6wVrpE0gaWSR5EkVxX7TN3_4O7IhoGHO-F34BxXq2C4GUptdXo5DSfYjagRO1AdU0f0t2b8BB7Tp2ddFsEzLw_aSN/s1600/8475505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMQe-XNk-XQ_L0YgSVuxG7ka_xZb4UeYN8KZS14y1bYxsBDTGICt6wVrpE0gaWSR5EkVxX7TN3_4O7IhoGHO-F34BxXq2C4GUptdXo5DSfYjagRO1AdU0f0t2b8BB7Tp2ddFsEzLw_aSN/s1600/8475505.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">Harper Price, peerless
Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a
strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities,
Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a
Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super
strength and lethal fighting instincts.<br /><br />Just when life can't get
any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to
protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy
and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated
when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate
could very well be to destroy Earth.<br /><br />With snappy banter,
cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young
adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg
for more.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">Best Bits: Can we just talk about how cute the cover is for a second? I love pink, and pearls, and orange, ugh it's awesome. Okay, moving forward. I'm always a bit skeptical when books involve the popular-turned-badass leading lady. Hawkins manages to have Harper maintain her sassiness, while gaining an understanding of herself. I think after five year, people know that I love character growth. I also liked the relationships. There's no insta-love, and probably the best part was watching Harper try to decide if she and her boyfriend, Ryan, really should be together (a common struggle in high school when couples tend to grow apart). </span><br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">I actually think that I am going to like this series more than Hawkins' previous <i>Hex Hall</i> books. This could be because I love southern settings (I'm one of like 15 people who watch Hart of Dixie). This could also be because there are funny moments littered throughout the book. <i>Hex Hall</i> was a bit more serious, and the sly humor in <i>Rebel Belle</i> made the book that much more enjoyable. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">Nit Picks: I was sad to discover that this is going to be a series. My kingdom for a standalone! There is certainly more to be explored in follow-ups, but I would have liked a little more background on Harper's life. We see her adjusting to her new powers, but we don't see her explore grief due to the death of a family member. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">Rebel Belle</span><br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">By Rachel Hawkins</span><br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">Published by Putnam Juvenile</span><br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">245 Pages</span><br />
<span id="freeText67680405604839307">Purchased </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText67680405604839307"> </span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-462134589138491632014-09-09T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-09T00:00:04.107-04:00Teaser Tuesday (September 9)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUT0j7PPrK6baOQYTDQZ7AHqM-Fs6ltmmuvVmF1-KCJPuh_aUm5R-ydas5w_aj0rhhgIiz9laOTFXofvlWx85wjnXixChrAJ5qgPJ7wznlmpY7S5HGVEfxfpSQwJtoXxdpcZZ-8hgfCn6/s1600/13530957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUT0j7PPrK6baOQYTDQZ7AHqM-Fs6ltmmuvVmF1-KCJPuh_aUm5R-ydas5w_aj0rhhgIiz9laOTFXofvlWx85wjnXixChrAJ5qgPJ7wznlmpY7S5HGVEfxfpSQwJtoXxdpcZZ-8hgfCn6/s1600/13530957.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is teaser tuesday?</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a meme hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a> and here are the rules: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Grab your current read<br />• Open to a random page<br />• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page<br />• <b>BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</b> (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)<br />• Share
the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add
the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Zombirule #2: After a fight, avoid turning away from a fallen zombie to hug your girlfriend with relief. Under no circumstances fail to tage that zombie again, or while you have <span style="font-family: inherit;">your PT<span style="font-family: inherit;">SD face buried in her shampoo-smelling hair, said zombie will stand up offscreen, give the audience time to scream, and then take a big ol'<span style="font-family: inherit;"> hunk of rib eye out of your back." </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-The <span style="font-family: inherit;">Infects, Page 124, by<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Sean Beaudoin</span></span> </span></span></span> </span></span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-12995388513797310952014-09-03T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-03T09:13:48.167-04:00Waiting on Wednesday (September 3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZoNYg9wBvjW8KAWpQBplF8P9idL4ZOZ8USNXk_O-TyL_N1rIcuUWY4tOzCMRvYdcc-ElpafFd3VkFm4uwnyhKexPQIUt9eDxiCo2M5AhYhhNKEzWBnV8h__6dZ5qsC76gWvMsY85RcQO/s1600/New%252BWoW.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZoNYg9wBvjW8KAWpQBplF8P9idL4ZOZ8USNXk_O-TyL_N1rIcuUWY4tOzCMRvYdcc-ElpafFd3VkFm4uwnyhKexPQIUt9eDxiCo2M5AhYhhNKEzWBnV8h__6dZ5qsC76gWvMsY85RcQO/s1600/New%252BWoW.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;"></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/" style="color: #006699; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Breaking the Spine</a><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">. This weekly meme shares the upcoming books that I'm most excited about.</span></span></span><br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17878931-red-queen">Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard</a><br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY2kYrb_lkGTX-klmMYW5kzm8uuNj4KypOSUISBOOjrAemBZUU1_lElvONQ8CduGfDzl3IRYd0xNuIXDGyayb4R_elFxKRYFZj1VYpPYeihVhamsNQ7Qdxk71RhPvQsiJ2hZKCILe1vI9/s1600/17878931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY2kYrb_lkGTX-klmMYW5kzm8uuNj4KypOSUISBOOjrAemBZUU1_lElvONQ8CduGfDzl3IRYd0xNuIXDGyayb4R_elFxKRYFZj1VYpPYeihVhamsNQ7Qdxk71RhPvQsiJ2hZKCILe1vI9/s1600/17878931.jpg" height="320" width="212"></a></div>
<span id="freeText2385712067636616214">Mare Barrow's world is
divided by blood—those with red and those with silver. Mare and her
family are lowly Reds, destined to serve the Silver elite whose
supernatural abilities make them nearly gods. Mare steals what she can
to help her family survive, but when her best friend is conscripted into
the army she gambles everything to win his freedom. A twist of fate
leads her to the royal palace itself, where, in front of the king and
all his nobles, she discovers a power of her own—an ability she didn't
know she had. Except . . . her blood is Red.<br><br>To hide this
impossibility, the king forces her into the role of a lost Silver
princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn
further into the Silver world, she risks her new position to aid the
Scarlet Guard—the leaders of a Red rebellion. Her actions put into
motion a deadly and violent dance, pitting prince against prince—and
Mare against her own heart.<br><br>From debut author Victoria Aveyard
comes a lush, vivid fantasy series where loyalty and desire can tear you
apart and the only certainty is betrayal.</span><br>
<br>
<span id="freeText2385712067636616214">Published by Orion</span><br>
<span id="freeText2385712067636616214">Release Date: March 26, 2015 </span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-7258491449511845962014-08-26T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-26T00:00:03.228-04:00Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nYiBJxgXfY7RLw6ayHPVnkPGytscUWrIg5XC1lpbVKnch2FpvQ5bKOheYFW6oMs7EiGsIAoojbshSUhUVfcde8_0fqyp7CvBlHMpmE7IqXcpNBx1ibelngfrQ2v0QFpeBz907NqNnxuz/s1600/9627755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nYiBJxgXfY7RLw6ayHPVnkPGytscUWrIg5XC1lpbVKnch2FpvQ5bKOheYFW6oMs7EiGsIAoojbshSUhUVfcde8_0fqyp7CvBlHMpmE7IqXcpNBx1ibelngfrQ2v0QFpeBz907NqNnxuz/s1600/9627755.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText1094833372321378285">From the glittering
streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love
is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as
they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced
to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t
always forever.<br /><br />Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined
with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket,
whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to
please fans old and new.</span><br />
<span id="freeText1094833372321378285"> </span><br />Best
Bits: Digging into a book by Stephanie Perkins is always a delight.
It's like snuggling a warm blanket with some tea. You know it's going to
be comfortable and enjoyable. Isla did that for me. Perkins brings us
back to France, where we see a couple in a different year at the same
school where the series began. Can I go to school there?<br />
<br />
What
I enjoy most is how accurate these books are to the teen experience. It
captures the angst, the self-consciousness, the fear of
uncertainty...and I totally would have gone on a romantic weekend trip
with my boyfriend if I could have gotten away with it! I wish that I had
read these during those years, because I can imagine myself nodding
along and feeling totally validated (did I mention swooning over amazing
male characters?). This book also had another great theme, friendship.
We see how Isla isn't willing to give up her best friend for her
relationship. Sure, they spend less time together and both grow, but
it's never a question of leaving him behind. Not to mention, hurrah for a
book that depicts male/female friendship without having a love
triangle! <br />
<br />
Nit Picks: I had extremely high
expectations for this one, especially because the couples from Anna and
Lola were so swoon-worthy. I think this couple is a lot more realistic
in that they had a lot more to deal with. They didn't feel as certain at
the end, like the couples in the other book did. I'm not sure if that's
because I'm older and more skeptical, or because the drama was more
intense between the two. So, in a way this isn't really a nitpick...more
of an explanation why this couple wasn't my favorite. <br />
<br />
I'm
sad to see this series go, but I purchased each book because I know
I'll be rereading them during those dreary fall/winter days when I need a
pick-me-up!<br />
<br />
Isla and the Happily Ever After<br />
By Stephanie Perkins<br />
Published by Dutton<br />
339 Pages<br />
Purchased<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" /></a></div>
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-24555878435499410022014-08-19T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-19T00:00:04.031-04:00Teaser Tuesday (August 19)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nYiBJxgXfY7RLw6ayHPVnkPGytscUWrIg5XC1lpbVKnch2FpvQ5bKOheYFW6oMs7EiGsIAoojbshSUhUVfcde8_0fqyp7CvBlHMpmE7IqXcpNBx1ibelngfrQ2v0QFpeBz907NqNnxuz/s1600/9627755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nYiBJxgXfY7RLw6ayHPVnkPGytscUWrIg5XC1lpbVKnch2FpvQ5bKOheYFW6oMs7EiGsIAoojbshSUhUVfcde8_0fqyp7CvBlHMpmE7IqXcpNBx1ibelngfrQ2v0QFpeBz907NqNnxuz/s1600/9627755.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is teaser tuesday?</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a meme hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a> and here are the rules: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Grab your current read<br />• Open to a random page<br />• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page<br />• <b>BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</b> (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)<br />• Share
the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add
the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"An old man with a busted piano is playing "<i>La Vie en Rose</i>"on the street outside my window. He hauls it around this part of the city, from one corner to another, but I've never seen how he moves it." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Isla and the Happily Ever After, Page 47, by Stephanie Perkins </span></span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-22707253042231495982014-08-13T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-13T00:00:02.574-04:00Waiting on Wednesday (August 13)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZoNYg9wBvjW8KAWpQBplF8P9idL4ZOZ8USNXk_O-TyL_N1rIcuUWY4tOzCMRvYdcc-ElpafFd3VkFm4uwnyhKexPQIUt9eDxiCo2M5AhYhhNKEzWBnV8h__6dZ5qsC76gWvMsY85RcQO/s1600/New%252BWoW.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZoNYg9wBvjW8KAWpQBplF8P9idL4ZOZ8USNXk_O-TyL_N1rIcuUWY4tOzCMRvYdcc-ElpafFd3VkFm4uwnyhKexPQIUt9eDxiCo2M5AhYhhNKEzWBnV8h__6dZ5qsC76gWvMsY85RcQO/s1600/New%252BWoW.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/" style="color: #006699; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Breaking the Spine</a><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">. This weekly meme shares the upcoming books that I'm most excited about.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKZYqweSZB7dWkxuf-FyvzYkPCBuPogMoelTSRTOBqqHweNAHulcCxjX2Us8ezMnXys4an6zfJnIEVg2ILEh_f5TpbG_JNTt9m_kxY-OuEa9l6ckOtG3WD98OwXrPqYKYnGZFDkl63w56/s1600/9627755.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKZYqweSZB7dWkxuf-FyvzYkPCBuPogMoelTSRTOBqqHweNAHulcCxjX2Us8ezMnXys4an6zfJnIEVg2ILEh_f5TpbG_JNTt9m_kxY-OuEa9l6ckOtG3WD98OwXrPqYKYnGZFDkl63w56/s320/9627755.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins</span>
</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21.1111px;">From
the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris,
falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective
artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and
Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that
happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21.1111px;" /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21.1111px;">Their
romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved
couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined
to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21.1111px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21.1111px;">Published by Dutton</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21.1111px;">Release Date: August 14, 2014</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21.1111px;">Okay, I know I've posted about this before, but AHHHHHH it comes out tomorrow! </span></span></span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-7884764847189130532014-07-30T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-30T00:00:02.456-04:00Waiting on Wednesday (July 30)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZoNYg9wBvjW8KAWpQBplF8P9idL4ZOZ8USNXk_O-TyL_N1rIcuUWY4tOzCMRvYdcc-ElpafFd3VkFm4uwnyhKexPQIUt9eDxiCo2M5AhYhhNKEzWBnV8h__6dZ5qsC76gWvMsY85RcQO/s1600/New%252BWoW.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZoNYg9wBvjW8KAWpQBplF8P9idL4ZOZ8USNXk_O-TyL_N1rIcuUWY4tOzCMRvYdcc-ElpafFd3VkFm4uwnyhKexPQIUt9eDxiCo2M5AhYhhNKEzWBnV8h__6dZ5qsC76gWvMsY85RcQO/s1600/New%252BWoW.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/" style="color: #006699; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Breaking the Spine</a><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">. This weekly meme shares the upcoming books that I'm most excited about.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZjZFCNf_N5OBsRSOUPmmImWNZ01YsgSMQOUJsnrYC2vCyfSIUiSyCLZwp0m6eNokZK-136LQS1hflJZmwy6qd7ulH7pK3QUI4yu8-0J9Nqfc_dY_Aovd_QEv4_StThmebMc_FB1eEFph/s1600/20708754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZjZFCNf_N5OBsRSOUPmmImWNZ01YsgSMQOUJsnrYC2vCyfSIUiSyCLZwp0m6eNokZK-136LQS1hflJZmwy6qd7ulH7pK3QUI4yu8-0J9Nqfc_dY_Aovd_QEv4_StThmebMc_FB1eEFph/s1600/20708754.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><span id="freeText12998406216300121201">#EvilLibrarian He’s young. He’s hot. He’s also evil. He’s . . . the librarian.<br /><br />When
Cynthia Rothschild’s best friend, Annie, falls head over heels for the
new high-school librarian, Cyn can totally see why. He’s really young
and super cute and thinks Annie would make an excellent library monitor.
But after meeting Mr. Gabriel, Cyn realizes something isn’t quite
right. Maybe it’s the creepy look in the librarian’s eyes, or the weird
feeling Cyn gets whenever she’s around him. Before long Cyn realizes
that Mr. Gabriel is, in fact . . . a demon. Now, in addition to saving
the school musical from technical disaster and trying not to make a fool
of herself with her own hopeless crush, Cyn has to save her best friend
from the clutches of the evil librarian, who also seems to be slowly
sucking the life force out of the entire student body! From best-selling
author Michelle Knudsen, here is the perfect novel for teens who like
their horror served up with a bit of romance, plenty of humor, and some
pretty hot guys (of both the good and evil variety).</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Published by Candlewick Press</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Release Date: September 9, 2014</span></span></span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-53062404358620892242014-07-29T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-29T00:00:03.170-04:00Teaser Tuesday (July 29)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i2zzSiqiCG3_kEldVO2hbif0fNNV2rKBgYzxKgzS6B1tuuQE00ODsXLk4F_X-L7yhwJOoIWt_wWLhoayduUC_K6cHchV9ZcyH65vFpvrCLNeOIwN1uyHqrtzha3gu_9Rph-E56ivNyqh/s1600/18594377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i2zzSiqiCG3_kEldVO2hbif0fNNV2rKBgYzxKgzS6B1tuuQE00ODsXLk4F_X-L7yhwJOoIWt_wWLhoayduUC_K6cHchV9ZcyH65vFpvrCLNeOIwN1uyHqrtzha3gu_9Rph-E56ivNyqh/s1600/18594377.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is teaser tuesday?</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a meme hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a> and here are the rules: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Grab your current read<br />• Open to a random page<br />• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page<br />• <b>BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</b> (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)<br />• Share
the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add
the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"You look way too chipper for a Monday morning," Sam said as we pushed through the front doors.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Calculus," I said. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Chapel Wars, Page 48, by Lindsey Leavitt</span></span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-62096053575272866692014-07-28T07:06:00.000-04:002014-07-28T07:06:00.476-04:00Review: My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGVQd03e97mjFt1N7VcFi3zUR1_ipFkc9qClx79CpO9H17JRMY9Ip-Jc1OuSbp8qURAu7vdWgqfEXXXjJHxhkdvdW6pnsPSu_Dkr69N3zX2SMDbCAV7aUZW_gM7JgM8WgogbOWlhyphenhyphenZ6mG/s1600/17375024-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGVQd03e97mjFt1N7VcFi3zUR1_ipFkc9qClx79CpO9H17JRMY9Ip-Jc1OuSbp8qURAu7vdWgqfEXXXjJHxhkdvdW6pnsPSu_Dkr69N3zX2SMDbCAV7aUZW_gM7JgM8WgogbOWlhyphenhyphenZ6mG/s1600/17375024-1.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText11588351705788902664">Rowena Duncan is a
thoroughly modern girl with big plans for her summer—until she catches
her boyfriend making out with another girl. Heartbroken, she applies to
an out-of-town job posting and finds herself somewhere she never
expected: the Renaissance Faire.<br /><br />As a face-painter doubling as a
serving wench, Ro is thrown headfirst into a vibrant community of
artists and performers. She feels like a fish out of water until Will, a
quick-witted whip cracker, takes her under his wing. Then there’s
Christian, a blue-eyed stunt jouster who makes Ro weak in the knees.
Soon, it’s not just her gown that’s tripping her up.<br /><br />Trading in
the internet and electricity for stars and campfires was supposed to
make life simpler, but Ro is finding that love is the ultimate
complication. Can she let the past make way for her future?</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText11588351705788902664">Best Bits: I went in hoping for a cute summer read, and this book met all my expectations. Ro is trying to escape seeing an ex and his new girlfriend, so she finds a job out in the middle of nowhere. What teen girl hasn't wanted to do the same thing? It's a fun setup and it doesn't take her long once she's there to start focusing on herself (and a new guy, but that's sort of the point). While it may seem like the new romance is the focus of the book, there's also a focus on confidence and following your passions. Ro loves art, and as she begins to work her individuality into face painting at the faire she begins to realize that she might not be headed toward the future that's right for her. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText11588351705788902664">The other characters at the faire make the book even better. You would expect to find some eccentric people working at King Geoffrey's Faire, and you won't be disappointed. Of course there's Christian, the attractive knight, Will, the guy who proves appearances can be deceiving, and my personal favorite, Ramon. Ramon is the grumpy head cook at the tavern, and his interactions with Ro and the gang were great. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText11588351705788902664">Nit Picks: My only complaint is that I wanted more. We only see a couple weeks in the summer, and as much as I loved the parts we got to read, I would have loved to get to experience more of the faire over the time that Ro was there. </span><br />
<br />
My Faire Lady<br />
By Laura Wettersten<br />
Published by Simon & Schuster<br />
352 Pages<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" height="40" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-90632621271402959892014-07-27T10:15:00.001-04:002014-07-27T10:15:32.213-04:00Dear BlogI'm sorry I've neglected you! Life has been a bit chaotic, and a friend and I almost did a combined blog adventure. Alas, the real world got in the way for both of us. I don't want to let Cornucopia of Reviews die, because I've been here for five years (and I love all the blog connections I've made). So, I've decided that I probably won't update as much, and for the most part I won't be accepting anything for review. I'll review what I buy/find at the library, etc.<br />
<br />
Mostly, I'm going to use this as a way to visit other bloggers and keep myself updated on what's coming out, the things I'm excited about, and hopefully a review once a week. I'm not holding myself to that because some weeks I work and when I get home all I can think about is climbing into bed and watching a chick flick.<br />
<br />
So...I'm still alive, and I can't wait to see what you've all been up to for the last month :)Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-55231286420408309082014-06-23T00:00:00.000-04:002014-06-23T00:00:05.763-04:00Review: Tsarina by J Nelle Patrick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMscjFIIMmwgk1724LZZkILfH1TpJ_5Q9Ozj36DkyE-tVKIUuT7DUFYYpiRqP0AeqiyeaxdS3y9xgwvbZMemLceHeQxctOuzEpTGMK6HvFVSCtntadvfUt3F6mTx0Mpeo1i7edxI1QtTS/s1600/17382389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMscjFIIMmwgk1724LZZkILfH1TpJ_5Q9Ozj36DkyE-tVKIUuT7DUFYYpiRqP0AeqiyeaxdS3y9xgwvbZMemLceHeQxctOuzEpTGMK6HvFVSCtntadvfUt3F6mTx0Mpeo1i7edxI1QtTS/s1600/17382389.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Natalya knows a secret.</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">A magical Faberge egg glows within the walls of Russia's Winter Palace.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It holds a power rooted in the land and stolen from the mystics.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">A power that promises a life of love for her and Alexei Romanov.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Power, that, in the right hands, can save her way of life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">But it's not in the right hands.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Best Bits: I love a good historical fiction novel, and if it involves any popular writing/film/tv names (The Tudors, The Romanovs, etc) I'm there. When I found out that J. Nelle Patrick was actually the pseudonym for Jackson Pearce, I was even more excited. I can't say that it was a perfect read, but for the most part I really enjoyed it. The fantasy element was an interesting twist throughout the book, and I was kept on the edge of my seat until things were resolved. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I found it realistic that Natalya didn't really understand the purpose of the revolution. She can't understand why people are targeting those who are rich, and believes that the Romanov's will prevail. I think this is an honest portrayal of someone who is isolated in a lifestyle of wealth. So, while others may be frustrated by her naivety, I think that it provides some uniqueness to her character. It was also contrasted well with her friend, Emilia. She also has the same line of thinking, but is a bit more shallow than Natalya. It was refreshing to see over the course of the book the growth in their understanding of the world and politics.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Nit Picks: Sometimes, I felt like the story was taking place during the communist revolution, but within it's own little bubble. For example, it's clear that Pearce did her research while she was writing this novel. She discusses people that were involved with the Romanov family, and particularly with Rasputin, paints an interesting picture of the time. At the same time, however, there have been some changes with Alexi (who was still a young boy when he was killed). Even small changes like that made me question what was changed as a plot device, and what was accurate. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Tsarina </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">By J Nelle Patrick</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Published by Razorbill</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">331 Pages</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" height="40" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-60890938353343505522014-06-21T14:08:00.000-04:002014-06-21T14:08:52.285-04:00Stacking the Shelves (June 21)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCoNA-jktPIZ063Ex5WXf8mFW5JJFm3OHt4MSkD-m_25oUl-XLtA1FDbLrib0qqH1WipnKws0IGs5Q5UCx_mWmwcZtHbv9gFoBqVIfcjIXI5WeoLckJ6ki0l1zGgkqiRX-meN9BXzdASE/s1600/STSmall_thumb%5B2%5D_thumb.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCoNA-jktPIZ063Ex5WXf8mFW5JJFm3OHt4MSkD-m_25oUl-XLtA1FDbLrib0qqH1WipnKws0IGs5Q5UCx_mWmwcZtHbv9gFoBqVIfcjIXI5WeoLckJ6ki0l1zGgkqiRX-meN9BXzdASE/s320/STSmall_thumb%5B2%5D_thumb.png" height="181" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;">Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga at </span><a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com/" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.09090805053711px; text-decoration: initial;">Tynga's Reviews</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;">! It's a way to highlight the books that everyone got throughout the week.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;">Purchased: </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18004314-a-world-without-princes"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">A World Without Princes (The School of Good and Evil 2) by Soman Chainani</span></span></span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialFbJymiENGPCt_OEqvQ0AHHHUWb6xPa0K8G2BtNYSiKkNe_OXJ0y8RMaWX5O3yqcJ9YOGPayKuUk3D6yy664beXJiYcLnhhPFDaIAomo87i8oBeSS0PWchGOQxfWEvNlxdteDPQxRjvL/s1600/9780062104922_0_Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialFbJymiENGPCt_OEqvQ0AHHHUWb6xPa0K8G2BtNYSiKkNe_OXJ0y8RMaWX5O3yqcJ9YOGPayKuUk3D6yy664beXJiYcLnhhPFDaIAomo87i8oBeSS0PWchGOQxfWEvNlxdteDPQxRjvL/s1600/9780062104922_0_Cover.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: LucidaGrande;">In the epic sequel to the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling novel, <i>The School for Good and Evil</i>, Sophie and Agatha are home, living out their Ever After. But life isn't quite the fairy tale they expected.</span>
</span></span></span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: LucidaGrande;"><br />
When Agatha secretly wishes she'd chosen a different happy ending, she
reopens the gates to the School for Good and Evil. But the world she
and Sophie once knew has changed.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: LucidaGrande;"><br />
Witches and princesses, warlocks and princes are no longer enemies. New
bonds are forming; old bonds are being shattered. But underneath this
uneasy arrangement, a war is brewing and a dangerous enemy rises. As
Agatha and Sophie battle to restore peace, an unexpected threat could
destroy everything, and everyone, they love-and this time, it comes from
within.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;">From my Book Fairies: </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8cfzUVKupitl4KmTACl6rVlpNuVoHrn4El_d9ecfuxZ3yf2wLmvHawu5hMJG7muo0ZXwkrs2T9Od0UmLXh3lphjgByHKSqKOgaEf1VMfQo8sDOH6Aof82fiVQNVvgONtx72-Fv4bCEaj/s1600/18775255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8cfzUVKupitl4KmTACl6rVlpNuVoHrn4El_d9ecfuxZ3yf2wLmvHawu5hMJG7muo0ZXwkrs2T9Od0UmLXh3lphjgByHKSqKOgaEf1VMfQo8sDOH6Aof82fiVQNVvgONtx72-Fv4bCEaj/s1600/18775255.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;">The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Sue and Kate Rorick</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.0909px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span id="freeText2849738444633563930">There is a great deal
that goes into making a video blog. Lizzie Bennet should know, having
become a YouTube sensation over the course of her year-long video diary
project. <em>The Lizzie Bennet Diaries</em> chronicled
Lizzie's life as a twenty-four-year-old grad student,
struggling under a mountain of student loans and living at home with her
two sisters, beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. What may have
started as her grad student thesis grew into so much more, as the videos
came to inform and reflect her life and that of her sisters. When rich,
handsome Bing Lee comes to town, along with his stuck-up friend William
Darcy, things <em>really</em> start to get interesting for the
Bennets, and for Lizzie's viewers. Suddenly
Lizzie, who always considered herself a fairly normal young
woman, was a public figure. But not everything happened
on-screen. Luckily for us, Lizzie kept a secret diary. </span><br />
<br />
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-85557022712462338312014-06-17T00:00:00.000-04:002014-06-17T00:00:14.498-04:00Teaser Tuesday (June 17)<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGrse5_7TUoEbdxBtgp-pnp8jHqRxhzN23OB-uIO4qQu6ckhlHpa8AizwiBlmEkHjxrEE_fBnHZbKJuFpw6JJgOpgUdMJX2c0PcKLwLv6s_gEF7vwR2mxCP03LPc6IsITDbVt99Z90TLo/s1600/16160797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGrse5_7TUoEbdxBtgp-pnp8jHqRxhzN23OB-uIO4qQu6ckhlHpa8AizwiBlmEkHjxrEE_fBnHZbKJuFpw6JJgOpgUdMJX2c0PcKLwLv6s_gEF7vwR2mxCP03LPc6IsITDbVt99Z90TLo/s1600/16160797.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is teaser tuesday?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a meme hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a> and here are the rules: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Grab your current read<br />• Open to a random page<br />• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page<br />• <b>BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</b> (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)<br />• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"A man in his mid-twenties was edging his way into the tiny cafe. He was short, slight, and extravagantly good-looking." </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">-The Cuckoo's Calling, Page 98, by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)</span></span></div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-36698952063787876622014-06-16T18:55:00.000-04:002014-06-16T18:55:47.522-04:00Another Lunar Chronicles Book!Jeeze, I leave for a little while and amazing things go down!<br />
<br />
Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles .1) by Marissa Meyer<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm-zplO3N1zZh-4dMnMKxfL7_8QqbbmoitKSK15ln0MyIfsZYd4RJSCk2P0Q27GbebfZwrXURmJdofQumV7pOhk-3-ErqDhY_Y4u2RDbcAjb3nmLAkbManG3BxPE3j0CLORS4nTnQWz1d/s1600/22489107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm-zplO3N1zZh-4dMnMKxfL7_8QqbbmoitKSK15ln0MyIfsZYd4RJSCk2P0Q27GbebfZwrXURmJdofQumV7pOhk-3-ErqDhY_Y4u2RDbcAjb3nmLAkbManG3BxPE3j0CLORS4nTnQWz1d/s1600/22489107.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Mirror, mirror on the wall,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Who is the fairest of them all?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Published by Feiwel & Friends</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Release Date: January 27, 2015</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Okay, I just need to take a second to stop jumping up and down! It's 256 pages, so it's n0vel-length. I cannot wait to read about her descent into a need for power and control! This will also tide me over until November when <i>Winter </i>is released. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><center>
<a href="http://www.reactiongifs.us/give-it-to-me-stephen-colbert/"><img src="http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/give_it_to_me_stephen_colbert.gif" /></a></center>
</span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-78660718651645243792014-06-12T19:09:00.001-04:002014-06-12T19:09:25.637-04:00I'm Still HereMy computer is down for the count (hold me while I openly sob, Internet)! I'm still here planning and reading! I've got winners to get in to he with, too! I've also got a pretty big announcement that I'm hoping will happen soon :) I'll be back with everyone ASAP<div><br></div><div>In the meantime, happy reading!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-48573496623343238992014-06-06T23:21:00.003-04:002014-06-06T23:21:48.039-04:00Yes, I'm an adult who still reads YASome of you may have recently read an article on Slate.com titled "Against YA" by Ruth Graham. It was certainly an interesting read, but I can't get on board with it.<br />
<br />
The overall message of the article is that if you're an adult who still reads YA, there is something wrong. As an adult, we should eschew anything that isn't written for the intelligent adult (and, if I'm guessing based on tone, there is a subset of fiction that is still less-than). I'm an adult, I have a full-time job, and I read a variety of literature. That includes a love of YA books. Why is it that I have to be judged for enjoying what I read? Why does this author feel the need to force emotions upon me. How does it benefit anyone to shame me into giving up a genre I connect with, and enjoy?<br />
<br />
The author asserts that the reason I, as a twenty-something, read YA falls into three categories. The author believes that it's either nostalgia, escapism (isn't all reading some form of escapism?), or instant gratification. Yes, I have 90's nostalgia, but the books that I read rarely create that yearning in me. The author seems to believe that because these books depict and cater to teens, they are, by nature, unsatisfying and unworthy. That she didn't cry while reading <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> because it just wasn't good enough. Couldn't we chalk that up to individual preference?<br />
<br />
Why should we shame those who read? Why not embrace YA and read more than a handful of books before stereotyping an entire genre? If being an adult means that I pass judgement on others, and embrace an air of superiority in any aspect of my life, then we are no better than the way some teens view us. We pass judgement on them, tell them their emotions are less valid because they are still young, and that their literature is less than. Not I!<br />
<br />
For some fabulous reading by my local indie owner, check out her response from Publisher's Weekly. She's created a fabulous anti-anti-YA list that everyone can enjoy. View it <a href="http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/shelftalker/?p=13248">here</a>. Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-62478061665171741282014-05-27T00:00:00.000-04:002014-05-27T00:00:04.208-04:00Teaser Tuesday (May 27)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV4KsbhNy4Jvc4gA-__E9oYCoXobC74lE3bIbE-TvwbMAuBKH97e5kG7DQO8esYuXTDCwbDkfjoKpUPQO2hWfzAFSv4oJEitNk0HkJJEUuW6puGLLnKp6fa_I_BEwqYtwWtd5Li6CxEPd/s1600/15749186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV4KsbhNy4Jvc4gA-__E9oYCoXobC74lE3bIbE-TvwbMAuBKH97e5kG7DQO8esYuXTDCwbDkfjoKpUPQO2hWfzAFSv4oJEitNk0HkJJEUuW6puGLLnKp6fa_I_BEwqYtwWtd5Li6CxEPd/s1600/15749186.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is teaser tuesday?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a meme hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a> and here are the rules: </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">• Grab your current read<br />
• Open to a random page<br />
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page<br />
• <b>BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</b> (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)<br />
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants
can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Hmph." This seems to appease Kitty a tiny bit. Knowing something first, before Margot, is a big deal." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">-To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Page 134, by Jenny Han</span></span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503865256230151227.post-42638956728320849172014-05-24T00:03:00.002-04:002014-05-24T00:03:56.876-04:00Movie Review: The Vampire Academy <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5We0ZkrEqG9R-t_tw_12EtAMILYhk4iYbKiMVekgMVOFOTzAvD2-OEdRp0QtTAUVhz7REcN1ZCiKee5GxIcnq76_MK3_trXlcJ3JSBEBjY6LfBaZd1AWwVZ8HjY8pUIcDbJJOZwxFwq6A/s1600/81V5j9pSpuL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5We0ZkrEqG9R-t_tw_12EtAMILYhk4iYbKiMVekgMVOFOTzAvD2-OEdRp0QtTAUVhz7REcN1ZCiKee5GxIcnq76_MK3_trXlcJ3JSBEBjY6LfBaZd1AWwVZ8HjY8pUIcDbJJOZwxFwq6A/s1600/81V5j9pSpuL._SL1500_.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></div>
Based on author Richelle Mead’s worldwide bestselling series, VAMPIRE
ACADEMY tells the legend of Rose Hathaway (Zoey Deutch) and Lissa
Dragomir (Lucy Fry), two 17-year-old girls who attend a hidden boarding
school for Moroi (mortal, peaceful Vampires) and Dhampirs
(half-vampire/half-human guardians). Rose, a rebellious
Guardian-in-training and her best friend, Lissa – a royal vampire
Princess - have been on the run when they are captured and returned to
St.Vladamirs Academy, the very place where they believe their lives may
be in most jeopardy. Thrust back into the perils of Moroi Society and
high school, Lissa struggles to reclaim her status while Rose trains
with her mentor and love-interest, Dimitri (Danila Kozlovsky), to
guarantee her place as Lissa’s guardian. Rose will sacrifice everything
to protect Lissa from those who intend to exploit her from within the
Academy walls and the Strigoi (immortal, evil vampires) who hunt her
kind from outside its sanctuary.<br />
<br />
Best Bits: I think any movie that starts with "Bad Girls" by M.I.A automatically gets four stars. I'm new to this series, I've been flying through the books, and loving every minute of them. I think this puts me in a unique position with the movie. I don't have a huge set of expectations due to years of waiting for new books. What was I looking for in the movie? The same feel of the book. I wanted something that doesn't take itself too seriously, but still had intense moments. I think this movie did that well. Yes, there were a number of changes from page to screen, including altering some plot points. Some will be a bit upset with that, but it's all in the name of making a movie that flows (this was ingrained in me after watching commentaries from LOTR).<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most important parts of the movie are the characterization of, and friendship between Lissa and Rose. The books depend on these things, and the friendship guides a majority of Rose's decisions over the course of the series. I was happy that Rose was sassy, and Zoey Deutch was able to pull it off. Lucy Fry, playing Lissa, was great as well. You feel for her as she's trying to adjust back to life at the academy while other students whisper behind her back. As I've continued on with the series, she has sort of replaced my mental image of who Lissa is. <br />
<br />
Nit Picks: I felt like there was an excess of cleavage for Rose. I'm wondering if this was to play up her curvy figure which is described in the book, but I can imagine that getting in the way of fighting strigoi. I also thought that the actor who plays Dimitri looked old...and I can't even explain it. He's only a bit older than I am, and doesn't look that old in behind-the-scenes photos/other movies. I'm going to blame it on the hair.<br />
<br />
If you are looking for a fun, quick movie to watch with the girls, I'd say give this one a shot.<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYJPmjq3eeZCx6A9paalLJevwm6B_0dar3q6kIR6APLAEOSPZvbtv4uip4eJddbfHPOWCYPQKJA9Axp6OJGSqIZUaz4JeBuaOaUOnkXg1cF3MbWlR8wgYXLEsqIG82pzeZG2xQJYINQEk/s1600/Four+Hearts.png" height="40" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01573032476891916726noreply@blogger.com3