In My Mailbox (February 28)

In my mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week...

I did buy some books this week, but I'm taking a trip to Seattle in a week, and I'll need something to read during my layovers

Purchased:

Lockdown:Escape from the Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.

Firespell by Chloe Neill
As the new girl at the elite St. Sophia’s boarding school, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she’ll have to face…

When Lily’s guardians decided to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she was shocked. So was St. Sophia’s. Lily’s ultra-rich brat pack classmates think Lily should be the punchline to every joke, and on top of that, she’s hearing strange noises and seeing bizarre things in the shadows of the creepy building.

The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout’s a little weird—she keeps disappearing late at night and won’t tell Lily where she’s been. But when a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout running from a real monster.

Scout’s a member of a splinter group of rebel teens with unique magical talents, who’ve sworn to protect the city against demons, vampires, and Reapers, magic users who’ve been corrupted by their power. And when Lily finds herself in the line of a firespell, Scout tells her the truth about her secret life, even though Lily has no powers of her own—at least none that she’s discovered yet…

The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Crusie
Linc Blaise needed the perfect fiancée to win his dream job, but finding a woman who'd be convincing in a charade seemed impossible—until he heard Daisy Flattery charm her way out of a sticky situation! Playing the prim and proper bride-to-be was a lark to the dazzling storyteller, but once she glimpsed the touching vulnerability Linc tried to hide, pretense turned into temptation. Could she find a way to make their fairy tale last? In a deliciously funny and touching tale of opposites attracting, Jennifer Crusie warms hearts and tickles funnybones from start to finish! Daisy hadmade him believe in wondrous possibilities, drawn him into a world of passionate abandon, but was he brave enough to give her his love?

For Review:

Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis

I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears Jessica whisper: I want to kill my Hearing dead, and kill me too if that’s what it takes, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own. (From Goodreads)

Published by Balzer + Bray
Release Date: April 27th 2010

Book Review: Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowen

As if trying to fit in at a new school isn't stressful enough, sixteen-year-old Nikki Donovan just found out that her long-lost father is, in fact, the demon king of the Shadowlands—the world that separates and protects us from the Underworld. When she is brought there by the mysterious—and surprisingly cute—messenger Michael, she learns that her father is dying, and he wants her to assume the throne. To complicate matters, a war is brewing between the Shadowlands and the Underworld, her half-demon qualities are manifesting, and her growing feelings for Michael are completely forbidden. Ruling a kingdom, navigating a secret crush, and still making it home by curfew—what's a teenage demon princess to do?

I'd read some good reviews before picking this book up, so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. It was a fun, light read. The book also contained some action, a bit of romance, and a strong lead character.

Nikki had recently moved from California to Canada, had been able to escape her outcast label, and befriended the most popular girl in school, Melinda. It seemed like everything was going her way, until she turned 16 and found out that she was a half-demon princess from another dimension.

Nikki reacts as most people would, with complete disbelief. Of course, she grows to accept what she is, and grows stronger in the process. Nikki's very insecure about herself, and her friendships. As readers, we are able to see how much she grows after she finds out about her half-demon heritage. She learns to stand up for herself, as well as face dangerous situations head on. I'll admit that at first I had reservations about Nikki's friend Melinda. I thought she would turn out to be the "Mean Girls" type of character. It became obvious, however, that Melinda, like Nikki had her share of insecurities. I'm also interested to see how Nikki's relationship with Michael will progress in the sequel. Since they're from different dimensions, and it's forbidden, I expect the sequel to address this.

I think the aspect of the book that I most enjoyed was that the plot didn't drag. I've found that in the first of a series, the story can drag through introductions, and character background. This book was a great start, and I'll definitely be looking forward to reading the sequel. It was fairly obvious who the villain was, however. I don't think that really detracted from my reading experience, but as soon as the character was introduced I was able to figure out the rest of the plot. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this fun, light read.

Demon Princess
By Michelle Rowen
Published by Walker Books for Young Readers
284 Pages
Rating: B

Waiting on Wednesday (February 24)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I'm eagerly anticipating them.

The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry

Joan’s mother is Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the most beautiful woman in the world. Her father is Henry II, the king of England. She loves them both—so what can she do when she’s forced to choose between them? As her parents’ arguments grow ever more vicious, Joan begins to feel like a political pawn.
When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself with a man ten years her senior. She doesn’t love him, and she can’t quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.
As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents’ worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs. Is it too late to figure out whom to trust? And, more important, whom to love?

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Release Date: June 8, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (February 23)

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

"This was the nineteenth century, after all, and one simply did not attack unannounced and uninvited! Even werewolves, who could not control themselves at full moon, made certain they had enough clavigers around to lock them away."

Soulless, Page 18, by Gail Carriger

The Linger Contest (ends today)

By now I'm sure many of you have heard of the amazing contest that's going on to win an advance copy of Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, which ends today. Just in case, though, I'm posting about it here:


In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog.

Remember, there's only a few more hours to win!

In My Mailbox (February 21)

In my mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week...

This week has been pretty crazy, hence the reason I didn't put up any posts during the latter half of the week. This week I'll definitely be posting, since I don't have any interviews to stress out over.

I'm actually really proud of myself for resisting the temptation of buying books! I haven't purchased any in a few weeks, so my TBR pile is getting smaller (which is good, since it originally covered up my entire desk).

This week I'm reading:
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Waiting on Wednesday (February 17)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I'm eagerly anticipating them.

The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker

In this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie—blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to ma

gic—can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen’s true love to kiss her awake.
But who is her true love? The irritating Digby? The happy-go-lucky Prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn’t possibly spell true love? Joined by one of her father’s guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters bo

th familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family...and perhaps even find a true love of her own.

Published by Bloomsbury USA

Release Date: April 27, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (February 16)

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

"There are two things you can count on in Gaitlin. One, you can be different, even crazy, as long as you come out of the house every now and then, so folks don't think you're an axe murderer. Two, if there's a story to tell, you can be sure there'll be someone to tell it."

-Beautiful Creatures, Page 30, by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

In My Mailbox (February 14)

In my mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week...

This week was pretty quiet, too. I'm still working my way through the books I received for Christmas. Here's what I'm currently reading:

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Interview with Carrie Jones

Carrie Jones is the author Need and the Captivate (the newly released sequel to Need).

I was lucky enough to ask Carrie Jones a few questions about herself, her books, and her future writing plans.

1.Can you tell us about yourself, and your writing?

I always feel so weird talking about myself that it’s easier to do it in the third person, so here goes:

1. Carrie can not drink coffee. It makes her insane. Do not give her caffeine.

2. Carrie is very responsive to loving strokes on the hair, kind of like a puppy. However, do not do this without asking first unless you are a ridiculously handsome man or an editor who is about to offer her a trillion dollars for the first draft of her novel.

3. Carrie is secretly really, really shy even though she’s pathetically outgoing in person. She has a very hard time calling people. So, if you want to talk to her, make the first move. And, if you’re her in-Maine female best friend, Jennifer, do NOT get mad at her because she is so bad at returning emails.

4. Carrie sometimes wears mismatched socks, if you do not think this is cool, do not tell her. You will hurt her feelings.

5. Carrie really, really wants you to like her books. Please like her books. PLEEEAASSSEEEE. She’ll be your best friend forever. That is, if you want a friend who is shy about calling and emailing and who wears mismatched socks and can’t drink caffeine and likes being pet on the head. Hhmmm….

6. Carrie is not above begging.

7. Carrie, like Belle in TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND drinks Postum. It’s for the same reason, too.

8. Carrie loves Great Pyrenees dogs. They are huge and white, and furry and it looks like they have white eyeliner and mascara on, which is way too cute. Do you have one? Send a picture!

9. Carrie lives in Maine. She has a hard time with this in the winter. It is bleak in Maine in the winter. Imagine everything shades of gray and brown and no green anywhere except for in people’s noses. This is Maine in Winter. Maine in summer is the best place in the world, so it’s a trade-off. Feel free to invite Carrie to your house in the winter, but not if it’s in Greenland, Canada, or anywhere north of Florida.
Forget that. She’d still probably come.

Carrie Jones likes Skinny Cow fudgsicles and potatoes. She does not know how to spell fudgsicles. This has not prevented her from writing books. She lives with her cute family in Maine, but she grew up in Bedford, NH where she once had a séance with cool uber-comedian Sarah Silverman.

The Meyers brothers are from Bedford, too, so you’d think it would make Carrie funnier, coming from Bedford N.H. Obviously, something didn’t work.
Carrie has a large, skinny white dog and a fat cat. Both like fudgicles. Only the cat likes potatoes. This may be a reason for the kitty’s weight problem (Shh… don’t tell). She graduated from Vermont College’s MFA program for writing. She has edited newspapers and poetry journals and has recently won awards from the Maine Press Association and also been awarded the Martin Dibner Fellowship as well as a Maine Literary Award.

2.What inspired you to write about pixies and weres, as opposed to other supernatural creatures? Was there any particular lore that you found while researching, or did you create your own pixie facts?

I was at the Common Ground Fair, which is this huge, cool fair in Maine that’s sponsored by Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association (MOFGA). To get to the main part of the fair you have to walk through this sweet trail that curves through these tall spruce trees.

Right in front of me was this guy. He had a weird vibe. He was wearing all corduroy – blazer, pants. And sticking out from his blazer was this long tail-like appendage that was wrapped in different colored earth-toned cloth. I guess he could tell I was checking him out because he turned his head and looked at me. His eye was this startling silver color. How startling? So startling that I actually gasped and got creeped out. Then when we were in line to pay we made eye contact again and his eyes were brown.I know! I know! I probably imagined the silver eye color.
It doesn’t matter. That was one of the main things that got me started. Then, I just had this image of a man standing outside an airport pointing at an airplane this girl was on.
It also creeped me out.
So, I started writing.

I’m fascinated by all the lore. I love the fact that pixies try to get you lost in the woods but if you put your shirt on backwards or inside out, they no longer can do that. However, unlike faeries or vampires or werewolves there isn’t as much lore about pixies, so that was kind of freeing because it allowed me to make my own pixie facts and play around with mythology. It was super fun to do that actually.

3. In Need, each chapter began with a different phobia. In Captivate, each chapter begins with a pixie tip or definition. Did Zara's growth as a character influence this change?

Oh my gosh! You are so super smart. Only one other person has ever asked that. It absolutely has everything to do with Zara’s growth. She’s no longer as fearful and she doesn’t need those phobias to help her interact and survive her sorrow. She’s lost that crutch.

4.Captivate ended with a big cliffhanger. Can we expect a third book in the series?

There will be a third book and a fourth one too! My publisher has a website where there will be contests and sneak peeks. It’s at www.needpixies.com

5. A recurring theme throughout both Need and Captivate is loss. At the start of Need, Zara's stepdad has just passed away, and has had a hard time dealing with the loss. Similarly, in Captivate, Zara experiences another loss (I won't reveal who, for those who haven't read the book yet). Will this theme continue throughout the series?

Losses are definitely still there, but the theme of loss in the third book backs a bit off and the theme is more about what it is to be a hero.
Thank you so much for interviewing me! I hope you have a lovely week.

Check out my review of Captivate (Need #2 here)
Thanks again to Carrie for answering my questions, and to Anna from Bloomsbury for setting it all up!

Book Review: Captivate by Carrie Jones

*This review contains some spoilers for the first book in the series, Need.

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.


As the second book in the series, I wasn't sure what to expect from Captivate. I enjoyed Need, the first in the series, and I was interested to see how Zara's story would progress now that her pixie king father was trapped in a house surrounded by an iron circle.

One of the first things that I noticed was that each chapter was introduced differently than they had been in the previous book. In Need, each chapter started with a phobia, but in Captivate, each began with a pixie hint/tip, or a definition. In my opinion, this was the best indicator of how much Zara had grown over the course of the two books. She has a group of great friends, and she's become a person who deals with her problems head on. One of the reasons that I like Zara's character so much is because she isn't a damsel in distress. Sure, sometimes this characteristic gets her into trouble, but she isn't going to go home and relax on the couch while her family and friends are out fighting pixies.

This book introduces a new character, Astley. He's another pixie king who has come to Maine, and he has a strange connection to Zara. I think that his character added a bit of romantic tension to the book, and also caused Zara to acknowledge her half-pixie side. I'll be looking forward to seeing whether Astley's true intentions are revealed in the next book, because I'm not sure I completely trust his character.

I think I actually enjoyed reading Captivate more than I enjoyed Need. This is rare, because usually sequels don't live up to the high expectations I have. The action picked right back up, however, and it sucked me back in. Not only was it action packed, but it was fairly emotionally charged, too. Without giving too much away, toward the end of the book my heart broke for Zara. The only issue that I had with Captivate, is that the book ends with a big cliffhanger. I've found that cliffhangers are something that readers either love or hate (or a bit of both), so that's just a warning. I do think that the cliffhanger fit well with the story, though. Overall, I'll be eagerly anticipating the next book.

I also love the cover, and I thought I should give some bonus points for that.

Check out the author's website here: http://www.needpixies.com/

Captivate
By Carrie Jones
Published by Bloomsbury USA
273 Pages
Rating: B+

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for an interview with the author!

Waiting on Wednesday (February 10)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I'm eagerly anticipating them.

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

Published by EgmontUSA

Release Date: July 13, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (February 9)

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

"Terrific. I'm like a half-demon garage door remote control."

-Reign or Shine, Page 80, by Michelle Rowen

In My Mailbox (February 7)

In my mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week...

This week I actually didn't get anything! I'm still working on my TBR pile, which has grown immensely since the holidays.

Here's what I'm reading:
Reign of Shine (Demon Princess 1) by Michelle Rowen

As if trying to fit in at a new school isn't stressful enough, sixteen-year-old Nikki Donovan just found out that her long-lost father is, in fact, the demon king of the Shadowlands—the world that separates and protects us from the Underworld. When she is brought there by the mysterious—and surprisingly cute—messenger Michael, she learns that her father is dying, and he wants her to assume the throne. To complicate matters, a war is brewing between the Shadowlands and the Underworld, her half-demon qualities are manifesting, and her growing feelings for Michael are completely forbidden. Ruling a kingdom, navigating a secret crush, and still making it home by curfew—what's a teenage demon princess to do?

Coming this week:
Review of Captivate (Need #2), and an interview with the author, Carrie Jones!

Book Review: The Line by Teri Hall

An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The Line is part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It's said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to The Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right?

(Synopsis from Goodreads)

The Line was an intriguing, and suspenseful book focusing on the dystopian society that was once the U.S. (the Unified States). After winning a nuclear war, borders aren't to be crossed, and the government bears down on citizens by enforcing harsh laws. They also track down individuals who may be, or have been, involved in revolutionary groups.

Rachel has been living on The Property, owned by Ms. Moore, since she was very young. The Property lies along the border to Away, and is the perfect spot to hide away from the government. People tend to avoid this area of the border, because of the belief that horrible creatures now populate Away. While on The Property, Rachel's mother, Vivian, teachers her the truth behind the war, the government's actions, and what really happened to her father.

This book had a cast of really strong, female characters, which was an aspect I loved.I think I may be in the minority, but my favorite character in the book was Ms. Moore. I knew immediately after her character was introduced that she was more than a mean old woman who loved her orchids. She was a strong woman, who had lived a hard life, separated from her family, and supporting herself. Vivian was also a great character. She wasn't afraid to teach her daughter the truth about the government, and Rachel wasn't afraid of what lay beyond the border to Away. All three of these women took significant risks in helping others, which is another admirable quality in a character. There seemed to be a hint of romance as well, which I expect will be developed further in the second book in the series.

The only issue I had with this book was that it took a while to get to the action. It was nice to have the time to develop the characters, but for the first third of the book, I was left wondering when the action/suspense would begin building. Otherwise, I thought this was a great dystopian book. It contained little violence, and a lot of insight into how power can distort good intentions, and completely change individuals and governments. I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel, since this one did end on a cliffhanger!

The Line
By Teri Hall
Published by Dial
220 Pages
Rating: B-

Waiting on Wednesday (February 3)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I can't wait for them.

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell
Damien Locke knows his destiny--attending the university for supervillains and becoming Golden City's next professional evil genius. But when Damien discovers he's the product of his supervillain mother's one-night stand with--of all people--a superhero, his best-laid plans are ruined as he's forced to live with his superhero family.

Going to extreme lengths (and heights), The Rise of Renegade X chronicles one boy's struggles with the villainous and heroic pitfalls of growing up.

Published by EgmontUSA
Release Date: May 11, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (February 2)

Happy February!

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

"I checked the call ID (I'd totally learned not to pick up unless I recognized the name. Otherwise I'd find myself at the receiving end of a long harangue about why I hadn't called in so long and how much someone with a name like Eduardo was just dying to fly to Paris with me again) and was surprised to see that it wasn't Brandon at all, but Lulu."

-Being Nikki, Page 13, by Meg Cabot