Books, books, books (aka All These Pretty Books Got Released While I Was Away)

Since I've been M.I.A., a ton of great books have been released...sadly my TBR pile is gigantic. Honestly, I would take a photo but it would just show how far behind I fell when I changed jobs. SO, I'm going to post the books I can't wait to read (even though they've all be released already), and post a little blurb about why I'm excited.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Okay, so there are a few awesome things about this book. 1. It's inspired by Persuasion by Jane Austen. I think it's safe to say everyone knows my deep love of all things Jane. 2. It's by Diana Peterfreund. Her two series have cemented her in my list of "most awesome favorite super fantastic I'll read everything she ever writes ever" writers.

Published by Balzer + Bray

 
Timepiece by Myra McEntire

I really enjoyed Hourglass, the first in the series. The logical next step would be to grab this one, and after reading the synopsis I had an "OMG" moment. So, clearly I need to find out what is going to happen to Emerson! Bonus: It has a lovely cover.

Published by EgmontUSA

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

It's now out in paperback...so I really have no excuse. This one looks a bit darker than the other books that I've read by her, and I'm excited to see how she does with it (my guess, quite well). Potentially about sirens, Greek mythological creatures. This one is definitely on my list.

Published by Razorbill


Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

I really enjoyed The Lonely Hearts Club, I thought it was funny and cute. That's basically what I'm hoping for from this one. Eulberg tends to deliver with laughs for me, and this one seems like it might be nice for the end of summer when I'm stressing to hand in my final paper (ever!).

Published by Point

So, about that TBR pile...it means that I will be reviewing mostly older books for a while. Who knows, maybe people will happens upon books that they missed when they were first released. If not, perhaps it will spark some conversation/debate here in the comments. Speaking of reviews, I feel like I need to revamp them. So, I'll probably be trying out something new, I'm just not sure if it will be something that you can see (i.e formatting) or it will be on my end in the planning stages.

I think I might actually try vlogging about the books I've got stacked up in my TBR pile. If I can handle  watching a video of myself counseling I can totally watch myself talk about books, right? Right?!

Author Interview: Myra McEntire

A huge thanks to Myra for taking the time to answer a couple of questions about her first YA novel, Hourglass. You can check out her blog here: http://myramcentire.blogspot.com/

1.Can you describe Hourglass in a few quick words? It's about a girl who sees what she thinks could be ghosts. They ARE NOT.

 

2.Hourglass is your first book, can you describe your journey to getting published?

I went the traditional route - finished, revised manuscript, queried agents, revised for my agent, agent submitted to Egmont! 

 

3. The book deals with time travel, and the book doesn't shy away from describing the science behind it. What inspired you to write about this topic, and how long did it take you to research it?

I ended up writing time travel because I wanted the book to be different from other paranormal books out there. And  I did a LOT of research - many hours worth. I still do actually! 

4. I found it extremely easy to relate to Emerson, and enjoyed watching her grow as a character while she came to terms with her ability. Were any of her characteristics inspired by people in your life, or personal experiences? Definitely the edit button. Mine is ALSO broken. 

5. I was excited to find out that you've already sold the sequel to Hourglass! Can you give us any hints as to what Emerson will be facing in book two? I wish I could. But I have been forbidden by my publisher! (And they sign the checks, yo!)

Book Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened? (From Goodreads)

I very rarely give out A ratings, because I reserve that grade for books that surpass my expectations completely. Hourglass was one of those books that had me hooked from start to finish. Because I wanted to learn more, I pushed past my internet shyness, and emailed the author for an interview (see note at the bottom of the review)! The characters and plot were written well, and the book had substance. In short, I loved it.

This book does err on the serious side, beginning with Emerson dealing with her return from the life-altering depression the began after the death of both of her parents. She sees scenes from the past, ripples of people and events, and assumes they're hallucinations. It hasn't been easy on her brother and his wife, who are trying to support Em while thinking about starting a family of their own. When her brother calls in Michael to help, Em gets the answers that she's looking for...plus a romance. The only thing I want to add, and this is about all YA fiction, is that when a male character pushes away/sends mixed messages to the girl he likes for "her safety"...argh! She's already involved, it's too late, so there's no need for this dramatic tension. Of course, I love that dramatic tension...I just really wanted to point that out.

Woo, there were a couple twists in this book that had me shocked. I literally had to reread certain passages because I couldn't believe what had just been revealed. I thought the pacing of the book was excellent, and while the twists surprised me, they were perfectly timed in the overall plot. I'm looking forward to watching how things resolve themselves in the upcoming books.

This is another strong title from Egmont, and I can't wait for the next book in the series to be released. The great news is that McEntire has already sold the sequel (hurrah!), and according to her blog there are numerous other stories taking place in the Hourglass universe.

Hourglass
By Myra McEntire
Published by Egmont USA
408 Pages
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Received for review
Rating: A

I've got an interview with Myra in the works, so keep an eye out for that over the next fews weeks. I'm also going to plug the big pre-order contest she's hosting over at her blog. Here's a link: http://myramcentire.blogspot.com/2011/05/preorderhourglass-epic-giveaway.html

Teaser Tuesday (May 17)

What is teaser tuesday?
It's a meme hosted by Should Be Reading and here are the rules:

Grab your current read...
Open to a random page
Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on the page
Don't include spoilers.

"Michael's eyes and the set of his mouth expressed pain and something else, maybe anger. I could only guess how much emotion was swirling under the surface." 

-Hourglass, page 38, by Myra McEntire

*This teaser is from the ARC edition, and is subject to change. 

In My Mailbox (March 27)

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. All of the synopses you see below were found on Goodreads. Here are the books I got this week...

For Review:

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Published by Egmont USA
Release Date: June 14, 2011

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt...and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell by Crickett Rumley

When seventeen-year-old Jane gets kicked out of boarding school (again) and returns to her small town of Bienville, Alabama, she is certain of three things: Her grandmother will be happy to see her. She will be the subject of the town's gossip mill. And there are some people she will have to avoid. But she doesn't expect that those very things will land her smack in the middle of the Bienville's most illustrious event: the Magnolia Maid achievement pageant.

Published by Egmont USA
Release Date: June 14, 2011