In My Mailbox
I would like to start by apologizing for the fact that I have not been very active lately and that certain posts haven't gone up when they've supposed to. For a little over two weeks now, I have not been feeling well at all. I've been tired and stressed and very overwhelmed with so much going on. I've been sleeping a lot more than usual and my migranes have been bothering me as well.
I am very sorry to those publishers I had scheduled post dates with. Particularly Paul with Sourcebooks for not having the Merlin's Harp review up yet and Karen for not having my Darklight review up yet. I hope ya'll can forgive me. Everything had been going great until one thing threw off my schedule and I guess I kind of panicked, causing the stress. The tiredness, well I'm not really sure why I've been so sleepy and tired lately. The feeling of being overwhelmed is from knowing I haven't gotten stuff posted on time, school work, trying to plan a big blogoversary celebration for you readers, and being so - pardon my french - damned confused about what the heck I'm going to do with my life. Not to mention the fact that it is taking FOREVER for these darn men to finish the bathroom in our apartment. Dagnabit I wanna take a hot shower and be able to...you know...go...whenever I want.
I should have been handling all of this better than I have and I plan to start to. Please do not think I'm using all of this as an excuse, because I'm not. I just didn't want ya'll thinking I've bailed out on ya'll or something. And trust me, starting April 17th, you'll be over it because you will be too consumed by all the awesomeness I've got planned for you. :P
Once again, I apologize and will be getting back to posting very soon. Stay tuned because I've got a post coming up that I think we should all take the time to read.
I have already emailed Kassandra and Jessica. You will have 48hrs to respond to email or another winner will be chosen. Erin has already received her prize in the mail. Congrats to you all.
Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Pub. Date: September 9th, 2009
Pages: 352
Age Level: 14+
Synopsis
Since the dawn of time, the Faerie have taken. . . .
For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.
Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.
This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her.
Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery—and her growing feelings for Sonny—in this dazzling page-turner filled with luminous romance.
Wondrous Strange is a richly layered tale of love between faerie and mortal, betrayal between kings and queens, and magic . . . between author and reader.
Noteworthy Passages
Sonny; pg. 25
Then she began to mutter to herself and gesture to the empty air.
Oh. Sonny sighed. Just another Central Park crazy.
Kelley; pg. 91
"Trust you? You're lurking in an alley, for God's sake. You obviously followed me here from somewhere, and you were looking in my dressing-room window when I was getting changed! I don't think 'trust' is the issue here!"
Exchange between Alec and Kelley; pg. 114
Alec regarded her with a grin. "You are an odd, odd girl."
Kelley smiled back. "That's what I was thinking of writing for my bio in the show program. You know, that and only playing this part 'cause the real actress went snap..."
"Hey! Don't kid yourself--I think you're a smokin' Titania. And just between you and me? Before she went snap? I shuddered at the thought of having to do the bower seen with Crazy Babs every night. With you it'll be fun!" Alec leaned beside her against the wall. "Wanna go practice? It'll only take a second to grab my ass...uh...head. My ass head."
Kelly; pg. 189
Her heart in her mouth, Kelley gripped the reins, white-knuckled, and hazarded a look glance left and right. On either side of her, Herne's hunters rode, starry-eyed and ethereal in their beauty, with excitement-flushed cheeks, streaming hair, and expressions uniform in their fierce elation. Kelley had never seen anything so glorious, never done anything so exciting as ride through the skies with that shining host.
Exchange between Kelley & Sonny; pg. 236
"Sonny! What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you."
"You can't."
"You've learned the art of invisibility?"
"What? No!" She blinked, and stayed behind the door. "Wait. Can I do that?"
"Probably."
"Oh..."
Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Pub. Date: September 9th, 2009
Pages: 352
Age Level: 14+
Synopsis
Since the dawn of time, the Faerie have taken. . . .
For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.
Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.
This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her.
Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery—and her growing feelings for Sonny—in this dazzling page-turner filled with luminous romance.
Wondrous Strange is a richly layered tale of love between faerie and mortal, betrayal between kings and queens, and magic . . . between author and reader.
Review
Wondrous Strange is an utterly mesmerizing and darkly luminous tale of a girl discovering that there is far more to her than meets the eye.
Kelley was such a strong, sassy, and well written heroine. I thought she handled her circumstances very realistically; at first with disbelief, then caution, and then acceptance. I liked her right from the start and found her an easy character to connect with. As for Sonny, there was something about him I just really liked. I didn't quite love him; I did, however, love getting to know him and thought he was a great, witty, and valiant character. Odd as this may sound, the two characters that really stood out to me most were Bob and Lucky. They were both so original and really helped make this story as great as it was.
I absolutely fell in love with the Shakespearean aspect to Wondrous Strange; it was something that really helped set this book apart from your other YA fantasy stories out there. Though only my second faerie book, I'm finding myself completely enchanted by their magical and alluring world. Wondrous Strange was very well developed and there wasn't a dull moment to be found; because of this, I felt as though I had no choice but to keep the pages turning. My only real problem with this book was that I found it to be somewhat predictable. Other than that, a great story.
All I really have to say about the writing is that is was beautiful and lyrically done and I loved that she wrote both Sonny and Kelley's side of the story. I can't recall having any issues with it.
As for the ending, I felt Wondrous Strange ended just as it should, leaving me ready to grab up and delve into Darklight.
All in all, Wondrous Strange is an imaginative and impressive start to what I believe is going to be a remarkable trilogy. Two thumbs up to Lesley Livingston, a wonderful and very talented author. This is a book I definitely recommend. Now that I have finished and reviewed this lovely book, I'll be starting Darklight any minute now. As a matter of fact, by the time you actually read this I'll probably already be well into it.
Grade
Characters: B+
Writing: B+
Plot: B
Ending: A-
1st in Trilogy: B+
Enjoyment/Likability: B+
Recommendable: B+
Cover: A-
Overall: B+
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Sleuth RazorBill
Pub. Date: August 25th, 2005
Pages: 320
Age Level: 14+
Synopsis
One year ago, Cal Thompson was a college freshman more interested in meeting girls and partying in New York City than in attending his biology classes. Now, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious woman named Morgan, biology has become, literally, Cal's life.
Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he's infected the girlfriends he's had since Morgan—and all have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. And it's Cal's job to hunt them down before they can create even more of their kind. . . .
Bursting with the sharp intelligence and sly humor that are fast becoming his trademark, Scott Westerfeld's new novel is an utterly original take on an archetype of horror.
Noteworthy Passages
Cal; pg. 25
That's the interesting thing about Dr. Rat: She loves rats but also loves coming up with new and exciting ways to kill them. Like I said, love and hatred aren't that far apart.
Exchange between Lace and Cal; pg. 156
"Okay. Thanks. And, um, see you tonight, I guess."
I smiled. "See you tonight."
She didn't move for a moment, then shuddered. "Wow, all the discomfort of a one-night stand, with none of the sex. Later, dude."
Cal; pg. 294
"So you just infected me?" I closed my eyes, realizing how much this sucked. "God, you mean I lost my virginity to the apocalypse?"
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Sleuth RazorBill
Pub. Date: August 25th, 2005
Pages: 320
Age Level: 14+
Synopsis
One year ago, Cal Thompson was a college freshman more interested in meeting girls and partying in New York City than in attending his biology classes. Now, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious woman named Morgan, biology has become, literally, Cal's life.
Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he's infected the girlfriends he's had since Morgan—and all have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. And it's Cal's job to hunt them down before they can create even more of their kind. . . .
Bursting with the sharp intelligence and sly humor that are fast becoming his trademark, Scott Westerfeld's new novel is an utterly original take on an archetype of horror.
Review
I would like to begin my review by saying, "I love you Scott Westerfeld! Woooot!" *clears throat* Now, I will apologize for my unprofessional outburst and fan-girly-ness and continue on with the actual review. Ready? OK! Peeps is one of the best science fiction books I've read. It was both engrossing and gross, humorous and horrifying, real and surreal; in other words, Scott Westerfeld did not disappoint.
I'm not really used to reading books from a male perspective but I found myself loving Cal and his personality. I feel that he was the perfect character to tell this story; he was funny, in a sarcastic kind of way, witty, and very believable. As for Lace, she was smart and interesting, but I had just one teensy weensy problem with her. She said the word 'dude' a tad bit too often. Other than that, I really liked her and the other characters were just as cool.
Peeps is definitely more of a plot-driven book. I found it to be very fast-paced; it contained action, adventure, and even the slightest touch of romance. This is one of the few books out there that has sucked me in from page one. Everything was revealed in appropriate timing, keeping me guessing right up until the end. Something I found to be a very original aspect to this book was how all the even numbered chapters were short, informative but entertaining sections about various parasites. Now you may think, "Ew, gross." or "How dull." I will admit that, yes, they could be gross, but I found myself strangely intrigued by them. Another thing I loved about Peeps was the unique, and more scientific, take on vampirism that Westerfeld provided.
The writing wasn't really anything fancy or complicated yet I still enjoyed it. Everything was well described, leaving me feeling like I was actually there. The reasoning behind the peeps and the way he depicts them almost had me believing that they could actually be out there. And who knows, maybe they are. *makes spooky noises and wiggles fingers*
The ending left me wanting so, so much more. I can honestly say this was not a book I had easily figured out, so I was not really expecting the ending; honestly though, I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting. In general, I thought the ending was great. It was left open and as I'm sure most of you know, there is a companion novel, The Last Days, that follows this one, but with different characters. I am really going to miss Cal, Lace and Cornelius, Cal's kitteh. Yes that's right, I'm going to miss the cat.
All in all, Peeps was a highly original, unforgettable, and exciting read that I absolutely adored. I think this is a story that could easily be enjoyed by both guys and girls, teen and adults; I highly recommend Peeps to those fans of sci-fi, apocalypse, Westerfeld's other great works, or anyone just looking for a new take on vampires. I'm so proud to own this book and am really looking forward to The Last Days and re-reading Peeps.
Grade
Characters: A-
Writing: B+
Plot: A
Ending: B
Enjoyment/Likability: A
Recommendable: B+
Cover: B+
Overall: A-
The Heart is Not a Size (ARC) by Beth Kephart
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: March 30th, 2010
Pages: 256
Age Level: 12+
Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.
Synopsis
Georgia knows what it means to keep secrets. She knows how to ignore things. She knows that some things are better left unsaid.... Or are they? When Georgia and her best friend, Riley, travel along with nine other suburban Pennsylvania kids to Anapra, a squatters village in the heat-flattened border city of Juarez, Mexico, secrets seem to percolate and threaten both a friendship and a life. Certainties unravel. Reality changes. And Georgia is left to figure out who she is outside the world she's always known.
Beth Kephart paints a world filled with emotion, longing, and the hot Mexican sun.
Noteworthy Passages
Georgia; pg.87
I was going to say that every time I read about our destination, there were fuzzy collisions of optimism and despair, opportunity and danger, welcome and barbed fences. The ghosts of murdered women. The faces of children left behind. The chance to help. The possibility of being helpless.
Georgia; pg. 130
You can't help people who won't help themselves.
You can't chase vanishing acts.
Georgia; pg. 137
Riley didn't so much as rustle her sheets. I couldn't tell if she was sleeping, couldn't know what she was thinking, couldn't confront her, because this is a fact: Silence defeats like nothing else does. There is no fighting it.
Georgia; pg. 231
And that night, as the sun went low on the hills beyond, I remembered Mack, down in the basement in that Main Line space, talking about seeds; and I thought of how responsibility is not just a weight but also those things that you're given the privileged chance to see. To snap into your camera for later, when your home, when time is still the future.
Hi everyone! Since I thought A Match Made in High School was such a great book, I've decided to pass on my ARC along with some awesome swag to one lucky winner. If the fact that you'd be getting it for free isn't enough to convince you then you can find a link to my review below.
Here is the synopsis:
When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.
