Review: Forgotten

Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: June 7th, 2011
Pages: 288
Age Level: 14+
Source: For review from publisher.

Synopsis via Goodreads
Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

Review
Cat Patrick has woven together and created a breath of fresh air amongst the YA division of literature with her lovely debut novel, Forgotten.

London is a heroine that I immediately recognized as being both strong and brave despite her vulnerability, a trait that I feel only added to the depth and dimension of her character. What I admired most about her was that even though all her past memories had been vacuumed into some mysterious black hole of her brain, she still got up every morning, went to school, and lived her life like any teenager should. Naturally, you are going to run into some obstacles and complications when you can't recall your past but can remember things that haven't even happened. It was the way London handled these set backs, with both humor and grace, that really made her such a wonderful character. True, she had her flaws, but they only furthered her personality when it came to being realistic. Next up we have Luke. *swoon* To me, he is the ultimate romantic interest, especially in comparison to some of the ones I've happened across lately. He's sweet, caring, charming, and he has a secret but not in the cliched way a lot of love interests have secrets these days. I'll confess, I did suspect what he was hiding but it was the backstory that really secured my love for him. That being said, when London found out, she was pretty pissed and while I could understand why, I also clearly understood Luke's reasoning and didn't find myself nearly as mad with him. Then there is Jamie, London's mostly loyal best friend who has a seriously big problem. While I liked Jaime at first, the fact that she stayed mad at London for as long as she did after what London said made me feel more annoyed by her than anything and I though the long duration of her grudge was a bit unrealistic. London's mom was another great supporting character that I feel really added to the story.

When you remember forward and forget backwards, as so eloquently put by London herself, things are bound to be interesting. With Forgotten, Patrick has presented me with such an original and imaginative concept that I absolutely ate up. I think my only major issue with the story itself was that I wanted to know more about why London's brain started to work the way it does; I felt that this was something that never really came close to being explained. That being said, Forgotten held some tantalizing twists and a compelling mystery aspect about it that kept me constantly intrigued, leaving me reading almost the whole book in one sitting.

While not the most prominent aspect of this book, Patrick's writing style was still keenly crafted. Both the lighter and more emotional qualities of the writing complimented each other beautifully and the prose flowed smoothly from page to page in a consistent manner. Looking back, I think Patrick deftly avoided over-doing and complicating the writing in a way that let the words speak for themselves and resonate in a simpler form, similarly to verse.

The ending for Forgotten was both hopeful and promising, leaving me believing that things would all work out for London and those close to her. Honestly, I don't know if I could think of a more appropriate way to end this book. As far as I'm aware, this is a stand alone and while I did feel everything was wrapped up adequately, I also see where a sequel could potentially develop.

All in all, Forgotten is a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed delving into. Cat Patrick is certainly an author to watch and if you are looking for something new and different then I definitely suggest reading this one. I can't wait to see what marvel Patrick cranks out next and I wouldn't put it past me to read this one again later on down the road.

Grade
Characters: B+
Writing: B
Plot: B+
Ending: A-
Enjoyment/Likability: B+
Recommendable: B+

Overall: B+

Cover: C+

Buy Forgotten
Amazon / B&N / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

In My Mailbox (96)

In My Mailbox
IMM is a weekly meme hosted and created by Kristie at The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

For Review from Simon & Schuster
~ARC of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

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Sorry for the craptastic picture. So yeah, just the one book this week but I'm really excited about having gotten it. Also, I think next week is going to be a pretty great IMM week since my kindle should get here. Yes, I bought a kindle. Woot! Hope you all got some great books this week!

Noteworthy Passages: Betrayed

Betrayed (ARC) by Ednah Walters
Publisher: Firetrail Publishing
Pub. Date: July 14th, 2011
Pages: 368
Series: The Guardian Legacy, #2
Age Level: 14+
Source: For review from author.

Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.

Synopsis via Goodreads
Lil has come to terms with her life as a Guardian/demon hunter and the wielder of the Nephilim most powerful weapon. She trains everyday to master her growing powers, gets along with her Guardian trainee friends (most of the time) and cherishes her moments with her human friends.

Just when she feels she belongs, her nature-bender father contacts her and warns her about a betrayal by someone close to her. Then Bran, the guy she loves, starts to act strange and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability. While Lil struggles find a connection between these three things, she begins to realize that someone is manipulating her and Bran, and will stop at nothing (including hurting those she loves) to lure them to the dark side.

Noteworthy Passages

Lil & Celeste; pg. 60
Celeste walked to where I stood, put her arms around me and pressed her cheek against my shoulder. We were about the same height and age, but her skinniness and pale skin always made her appear younger and fragile. She also wasn't the touchy-feely type.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Hugging you. Humans do it all the time. It makes them feel better."

Lil & Bran; pg. 194
I let go of the dagger and shrugged. My side, arm and ankle throbbed. The pain wasn't bad. Just a few more minutes and I'd be good and ready. Bran, on the other hand, winced and reached down to rub his side. I tried not to smile. He could never handle pain, especially mine, which he felt more now that I let go of the dagger.
"Yes," I said. "Let's do this."
The others grinned with approval. Bran moved to my side. "You proved your point. Now put your hand back on that dagger," he whispered through clenched teeth, stressing his words.
Kill-joy.

~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you all enjoyed those two passages. I thought they were both great examples of the wit and humor of these books, though the first one is a little sweeter. For more on my thoughts of Betrayed, or the first book, Awakened, check out my reviews linked below.

As always, thanks for stopping by and comments are appreciated.

Buy Awakened (My Review)
Amazon / B&N / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

Buy Betrayed (My Review)
Amazon / B&N / Kindle / Nook










PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Author Guest Post: Tiffany King

Hello everyone! Today I have a lovely guest post for you all from the super nice and awesome Tiffany King, author of the YA book, Meant to Be.

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When Fate Comes Knocking!
By: Tiffany King
I'm a classic romantic at heart, which is why it wasn’t much of a stretch for me to write about soul mates and destiny. For those of you that follow me, you may have seen how my husband recently hijacked my blog to write up the sweetest post for our seventeenth wedding anniversary.

To think that we have made it for seventeen years is awe inspiring to me, when by all accounts so many factors could have kept us from ever meeting in the first place. We met in September of 1993, but before that we had several instances where fate tried to push us together. Though he was older than me by a few years, our paths seemed destined to cross. We lived in a large suburb not far from Denver, had no friends in common, and did not go the same schools, yet we both later discovered just how much our lives seemed to intermingle before we had ever met. For example; we found out years later that we both attended a premiere midnight showing of Jurassic Park in the same theater. Also, after we were married, we came across a picture of a girl dressed as Madonna during Halloween that was taken were I worked at our local mall a few years prior, and it turns out he was there that night because he was dating her at that time. Finally, we figured out that I dated one of his college classmates casually and my husband remembers the classmate talking about me.

All of that being said, that's not where I think destiny stepped in. Prior to us meeting, I actually quit my job and left Colorado with no plans to ever return. When things didn't work out, I decided to return, but I did not go back to my previous job. Instead, I began working at Blockbuster video. That’s when our paths finally crossed. I had been at Blockbuster for several months when my boss asked for volunteers to help pack up a store that was being closed. My husband happened to work at the store that was being closed, and that's where we finally met. We didn’t talk that day, though he later confided in me that he thought I was cute and that was ultimately why he picked my store for his relocation.

From the day of our first date, we have never been apart for more than one night (I miss him too much if the separation is longer, LOL). Do I believe he is my soul mate? Most definitely. Do I believe we were fated to meet? Completely. I love him more today than I did the day we first declared our love for each other, and I still get butterflies in my stomach when I think about him. So, as you can see, it is quite easy for me to write about soul mates, destiny, and romance because my life is living proof it exists. I'm sure many of you have similar stories and are just as happy as my husband and I are. For those of you that are still searching for that perfect someone, keep your eyes and your heart open. Fate may be trying to send love your way, question is, are you ready to receive it?

~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't know about the rest of you but that post totally had me going, "Awwww!" Thanks so much for sharing Tiffany! Such a great guest post.

What about you? Do you have a similar story of how you found love? Do you believe in fate? If so, Tiffany and I would love to hear what you have to say in the comments!

Also, don't forget to check out Tiffany's book, Meant to Be!



Buy It:
Paperback / Kindle / Nook

Review: Betrayed (Spoiler Free)

Betrayed (ARC) by Ednah Walters
Publisher: Firetrail Publishing
Pub. Date: July 14th, 2011
Pages: 368
Series: The Guardian Legacy, #2
Age Level: 14+
Source: For review from author.

Synopsis via Goodreads
Lil has come to terms with her life as a Guardian/demon hunter and the wielder of the Nephilim most powerful weapon. She trains everyday to master her growing powers, gets along with her Guardian trainee friends (most of the time) and cherishes her moments with her human friends.

Just when she feels she belongs, her nature-bender father contacts her and warns her about a betrayal by someone close to her. Then Bran, the guy she loves, starts to act strange and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability. While Lil struggles find a connection between these three things, she begins to realize that someone is manipulating her and Bran, and will stop at nothing (including hurting those she loves) to lure them to the dark side.

Review
In Betrayed, Ednah Walters continues to pull me into the world and life of the Nephilim with her distinct, memorable characters and enticing story line filled with betrayal, romance, self-discovery, and some kick-ass action I wouldn't want to be caught on the receiving end of.

Lil continued to be a lovable protagonist in Betrayed with her fiery spirit and determination. She's a tough girl who enjoys some good ole fashioned butt-kicking but she also has a softer, more vulnerable side and I thought the two traits were blended together seamlessly. Lil is someone I can easily connect with and I liked getting to see her grow and develop even more as a character. Bran was probably one of my least favorite characters this go round as he took on this whole brooding, moody, senselessly 'protective', slightly hypocritical type personality. I'm kind of sick of guys refusing to talk to their girlfriends, using the excuse that it is for their own good or they are protecting them. It's like, have you met Lil? She can handle herself. He was much better and more likable during the first and last parts of the book but in the middle he seriously annoyed me. That being said, the supporting characters from the previous book all continued to be just as great, no better, than before. Honestly, these books have so many characters that it'd be hard to discuss them all individually. However, I do feel I should say that Walters handles having such a large cast exceptionally well and never do I feel overwhelmed by their quantity. I did get introduced to some new characters too, my favorite being Angelia. She is the most adorable demon child you will ever meet, guaranteed! There was also Solange and I really don't want to say much about her for fear of giving anything away but I thought she really added to the story.

With twists and turns around every corner, Betrayed kept me thoroughly intrigued and excited to find out what would happen next. I was presented with further development in every aspect of the story, especially regarding Lil's relationship with her father, Kylie, etc. There was barely anything predictable about this book for me and I loved that as I was always kept guessing. Also, I know I mentioned this at the beginning but there was some seriously awesome action as well. Never, during the entire course of my reading this, did I happen across a single dull moment. Plus I really enjoyed getting to read and learn more about the Nephilim as a whole, just one of the reasons I feel this series in so refreshing and original.

Walters has an enticing, witty writing style that I feel has improved since the first book, and it captured my attention with ease. Both the dialogue and context were entertaining to read and she does a great job at setting the tone. My only real issue with Betrayed, and do note this is a small issue, was the typos. There weren't a ton but there were more than I come to typically expect from an ARC. I must admit, I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I came across Walter's blog URL in the writing on one of the pages and when 'bra in' became 'brain'. Like I said though, this was not a major problem for me but it was something I noticed. It is also something that I assume was corrected in the final copy.

The ending for Betrayed was very similar to the one in Awakened as far as the style. A style that I like. The story for Betrayed felt nicely wrapped up while still leaving enough open for the next installment. Though the way things ended was relatively happy, it was, at the same time, not a happy ending in that there is still more to come and I can be sure it won't all be unicorns and glitter.

All in all, while I much enjoyed Awakened, I think I may have fallen for Betrayed even more. If you are looking for a terrific paranormal series with a unique and imaginative concept that is executed in a way that fulfills its potential, then these are the books for you. I, for one, highly recommend them and can't wait to sink my teeth, figuratively that is, into the next book.

Grade
Characters: B+
Writing: B
Plot: A-
Ending: B+
2nd in Series: B+
Enjoyment/Likability: B+
Recommendable: B+

Overall: B+

Cover: B

Buy Awakened (My Review)
Amazon / B&N / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

Buy Betrayed
Amazon / B&N / Kindle / Nook

Money Savin' Mondays (14) XXL Edition!

Y'all ready for some MG & YA book bargain awesomeness?! It's time for the fourteenth edition of Money Savin' Mondays. To find out more on why I started this you can read the first post. If you decide to use the Money Savin' Mondays title, I'd appreciate a small mention for coming up with the name. Also, you can stay up to date on the latest bargains through out the whole week by following my twitter @PixieBookDeals. Other bargains can also be found in sidebar. Now, onto the deals.

~Kindle $0.99 to $3.99~

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Author Guest Post: C.F. Fruzzetti & M.I. Pearsall

Hey everyone. Today I have a guest post for you all from C.F. Fruzzetti and M.I. Pearsall, authors of the new YA book, Sundial. I hope you all enjoy the post.

~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Briana for having us and highlighting SUNDIAL on The Book Pixie. We wanted to talk about the effect and influence growing up in the 80s had on our outlook on life--resulting in us taking the leap of faith to write SUNDIAL.

Life Lessons from the 80s and Ferris Bueller: Go Big or Go Home!
By: C.F. Fruzzetti (Right) & M.I. Pearsall (Left)
We’re best friends who met in the 80s. We always knew we would work together on some creative endeavor which has turned out to be a young adult novel. The bonus of being a writing duo is that we have twice the ideas and creativity that we think comes through in the plot line of SUNDIAL. We've always dreamed big and think we have the decade which we met to thank for that.

We didn't want to just write a love story or a story about friends in high school. We wanted to write something that made people think "Wow! What DIDN'T that story have?" And so SUNDIAL is the story of Whitney Forbes, a teenage psychic who is part of a clandestine CIA program. The setting includes a sophisticated high school social scene with rival sororities. The characters are true survivors -- including a holocaust survivor and Whitney's boyfriend, whose peanut allergy is evidence of an evolving super race. There’s the occasional kung fu sparring match and the quest for “pure energy”. Lastly, the unresolved mystery of Whitney’s mother's death and did we mention the Tanzanian albino?

So how were we influenced by the 80s? The 1980s were demanding. Alphaville’s Forever Young was embraced as an anthem because we were all wondering if “they were going to drop the bomb or not?” Tears for Fears sang “Most of freedom and of pleasure, nothing ever lasts forever, everybody wants to rule the world...” People made deliberate choices and went full tilt. That’s why the 80s was full of excess--people partied hard, worked hard and lived hard.

No doubt the decade is full of memorable characters who persevered: characters who struggled to fit in because they came from the wrong side of the tracks, didn’t have the right clothes/car/house, overcame a karate gang of bullies or had to fight for their right to dance at their senior prom. These are all interesting and relatable characters.

But no one stands out more in our minds than Ferris Bueller. Why was his day off so great? Why did we sneak into the Multiplex no less than five times the summer it was released to see it again and again and again?

Not because it was a funny movie about a street-wise kid who could scheme his way out of a day from school. Anyone can do that. It’s because he did it big. If he’s going to fill up eight hours, it’s going to be worth doing! We’re talking singing on top of a float in a city parade, taking in a Cubs game (and catching a fly ball while he’s there), visiting cultural museums and landmarks, having lunch at a fine-dining restaurant and cruising around the city in a vintage, collectible Ferrari. And he wasn’t going to be alone; he wanted his best friends along for the ride. Yeah. If he was going to do this, he was going to really do this!

So why did this character resonate with us so much? Because it is how we think. When we do something--we go big or we don’t do it. And, like Ferris, we want our friends along for the ride to take advantage of each and every opportunity that is out there. When we set out to write the SUNDIAL series, we wanted to create meaningful characters and multidimensional story lines. We want to keep our readers entertained and at the end of the book for them to feel like they just experienced the whirlwind eight hour day that Ferris did and then wake up and want more.

“The question isn't what are we going to do? The question is what aren't we going to do?"
-- Ferris Bueller

What are some traits you would think our heroine Whitney would need to survive a decade in the 80s aside from how to spray Aqua Net at the correct angle?

Thanks again to Briana for having us and please check out http://sundialbook.com/ for more, A LOT MORE!

-C.F. Fruzzetti & M.I. Pearsall

~~~~~~~~~~~

Wasn't that fun? Thanks so much you two for the great guest post. As for you readers, we would love to hear your answers to their question in the comments. As always, thanks for stopping by.



Buy Sundial (Coming soon in paperback)
Kindle / Nook

Noteworthy Passages: The Queen Bee of Bridgeton

The Queen Bee of Bridgeton (ARC) by Leslie DuBois
Publisher: Little Prince Publishing
Pub. Date: May 17th, 2011
Pages: 244
Series: Dancing Dream, #1
Age Level: 14+
Source: For review from author.

Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.

Synopsis via Goodreads
When fifteen-year-old Sonya Garrison is accepted into the prestigious Bridgeton Academy, she soon discovers that rich girls are just as dangerous as the thugs in her home of Venton Heights. Maybe more so. After catching the eye of the star, white basketball player and unwittingly becoming the most popular girl in school, she earns the hatred of the three most ruthless and vindictive girls at Bridgeton. Can she defeat the reigning high school royalty? Or will they succeed in ruining her lifelong dream of becoming a world class dancer?

Noteworthy Passages

Sonya & Will; pg. 39-40
"Listen, Closet Boy, I don't know why you and your shrink are talking about me, but--"
"Closet Boy? You don't know my name?"
I shook my head.
"You really have no idea who I am, do you?"
"Should I?"
"God, you're adorable."

~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you all enjoyed that passage. Would have had more probably but I read through it so quickly and early in the morning that I forgot to mark the pages with my sticky tabs. *sigh* For more on my thoughts check out my review. And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Buy The Queen Bee of Bridgeton (My Review)
Amazon / Kindle / Nook








PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

In My Mailbox (95)

In My Mailbox
IMM is a weekly meme hosted and created by Kristie at The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

For Review from Macmillan
~ARC My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
(Enter to win here)

Won from Supernatural Snark
~Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

RAK from April
~XVI by Julia Karr

Bookmooch
~Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang

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So I received the ARC of My Life Undecided in the mail unsolicited and since it wasn't particulary one I really wanted to read, I'm giving it away. As for the other books, really excited about those. Hope you all got some great books this week!

Giveaway: Human Blend & Earth Blend!

Human Blend by Lori Pescatore
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pub. Date: June 10th, 2010
Pages: 234
Series: Blend Trilogy, #1
Age Level: YA

Synopsis via Goodreads
Escaping from them had been difficult enough, now Laney needs to keep hidden. All she wanted was to be on her own. Laney is not like other girls... she has very special abilities that set her apart from others. How or why she came about these abilities is a mystery she has yet to unfold.

Haunted by memories and flashbacks of the suffering she endured at the hands of her captors, she changes her appearance and hides out in a small town. Ignoring her own warnings, she begins a relationship with a local boy.

The relationship turns dangerous when the boy begins developing similar abilities. This development does not fall under the radar of the men who are trying to recapture her.

A young doctor's interest is piqued when he witnesses her mysteriously curing a young child's illness. He befriends her due to his growing fascination with uncovering the true nature of her abilities, but not without harboring secrets of his own. Laney's new life falls apart when she meets a young intern that seems to have all the answers to her questions. The information sends her into a tail spin. Thoughts of going on the run once again are thwarted as those whom she was running from find her.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Contest Details
Thanks to Lori, TWO of you will win copies of both Human Blend and Earth Blend. One winner will receive a personalized/signed paperback set of the two books while the other winner will receive an ebook set.

Rules:
~Comments are appreciated but you must fill out the form to be entered.
~Must be 13 years of age or older.
~Open INTERNATIONALLY!
~Contest ends at 11:59PM EST on July 30th.
~Winners will be contacted/announced soon after.

Extra Entries:
+1 Follow Lori on twitter at @Preteach99
+1 'Like' Lori on Facebook here
+2 Tweet this contest. Please include @thebookpixie & @Preteach99

Fill Out This Form to Enter

Review: The Queen Bee of Bridgeton

The Queen Bee of Bridgeton (ARC) by Leslie DuBois
Publisher: Little Prince Publishing
Pub. Date: May 17th, 2011
Pages: 244
Series: Dancing Dream, #1
Age Level: 14+
Source: For review from author.

Synopsis via Goodreads
When fifteen-year-old Sonya Garrison is accepted into the prestigious Bridgeton Academy, she soon discovers that rich girls are just as dangerous as the thugs in her home of Venton Heights. Maybe more so. After catching the eye of the star, white basketball player and unwittingly becoming the most popular girl in school, she earns the hatred of the three most ruthless and vindictive girls at Bridgeton. Can she defeat the reigning high school royalty? Or will they succeed in ruining her lifelong dream of becoming a world class dancer?

Review
Okay so first thing's first. I read The Queen Bee of Bridgeton in one sitting. In one sitting that happened to be between 3AM and 7AM in the morning. Doesn't sound like a big deal to you? It is. While this book wasn't what I'd call amazing, it is extremely rare that I ever truly read a book in one sitting and many of my most favorite books can not even brag that they've accomplished this feat.

Sonya was a very admirable, strong heroine. She's got a really good heart when it comes down to it, she's a hard worker, determined, and has a great, sassy sense of humor. That all being said, the synopsis is a bit misleading. While Sonya is 15 and in her sophomore year when she gets accepted into Bridgeton, the actual story takes place towards the end of her junior year with her close to turning seventeen. Just felt that needed mentioning. Moving on. I kept getting this vibe from Sonya like she was ashamed she was black and, in the beginning, this wasn't such a big deal. However, by the end of the book, I would have liked to have seen her take on more of an I'm-black-I'm-proud-get-used-to-it kinda attitude. Other than that I really liked her character and felt that she did grow and develop in other ways. Next is Will, our romantic interest. I was torn between finding him endearing, charming, and a tiny bit creepy. He had some distinct quirks, such as OCD, and his unfortunate past, home life, and desire to change made me love him and want things to work between him and Sonya. But still, he did a couple of things that...well...would have freaked me out a little had I been Sonya. Then we have Sasha, Sonya's sister. There was definitely more to this chick than what first met the eye and while I partially had her figured out, there was still something that ended up surprising me about her. Honestly, though if you've read the book you might think I'm crazy, I kinda loved her character. The Bitch Brigade, their actual group name, were little more than your typical mean girls, though maybe a bit nastier than average. Still, they added to the story, made for suitable antagonists, and I was glad to see that their reasoning for going after Sonya wasn't specifically due to her race. Sonya's dance instructor and principal were two characters I would have liked to have seen more from as they both showed potential.

DuBois has a real knack for creating books with a beginning that will suck you in. Like in Priscilla the Great, her MG book written under Sybil Nelson, she starts out with a chapter consisting of a high intensity moment before rewinding, working back up to that point, and then past it. When The Queen Bee of Bridgeton starts, Sonya is sitting before the school's review board. I was automatically held captive and the desire to know what had happened to lead up to this point is what kept me quickly flipping through the pages from there on out. On the surface, this is just another mean girl book. Dig a little deeper and there are suddenly these other layers and added depth that make it stand apart. For example, the relationship between Sonya and her sister was a keenly crafted element that really helped make this story as good as it was. I also loved the whole dance incorporation, though I'd have liked to have seen this come into play even more.

DuBois's writing style isn't fancy, complicated, or filled with eloquent, metaphorical turns of phrase. It is simple, fast-paced, and fun to read, filled with wit and humor. And you know, sometimes that is all you really want. There wasn't really anything about it that stood out to me as being great, but there wasn't anything noticeably wrong either. With the mood I was in, this worked just fine for me.

The ending was probably one of my favorite parts of this book. It boasted a nice twist and was beautifully bittersweet, tying up The Queen Bee of Bridgeton very nicely while still leaving things open enough for the sequel. I also got to get a little sneak peek at said sequel at the back of the book. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing Sonya's journey in dance and life continue.

All in all, The Queen Bee of Bridgeton is a story of mean girls, lies, betrayal, perseverance, romance, and finding your way. Throw in some killer ballet moves and I came away with a quick and compelling read that I really enjoyed. If what I have just described sounds like something you'd enjoy, then I'd definitely say to pick it up and give it a go. (Only $3.99 for ebook/kindle/nook!) I know I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book, The Devil of DiRisio.

Grade
Characters: B-
Writing: C+
Plot: B
Ending: B+
1st in Series: B
Enjoyment/Likability: B
Recommendable: B

Overall: B

Cover: B-

Buy The Queen Bee of Bridgeton
Amazon / Kindle / Nook

Noteworthy Passages: Ruby Red

Ruby Red (ARC) by Kerstin Gier and Anthea Bell (Translator)
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Pub. Date: May 10th, 2011
Pages: 324
Series: 1st in Trilogy
Age Level: 13+
Source: For review from publisher.

Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.

Synopsis via Goodreads
Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon, the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Noteworthy Passages

Gwen; pg. 71
Which was worse? Being crazy or actually traveling back in time?
Probably the second, I thought. Maybe you could take tablets for the first.

Gwen; pg. 287
I thought about it. "So how are we going to get at her blood now?" Oh, my God, surely I hadn't just said that, had I? "You won't use force, will you?" I pictured Gideon doing sinister things with ether, bonds, and a gigantic syringe--and that ruined my perfect image of him.

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Well I hope you all got a kick out of those two passages. Ruby Red was a great read and for more on my thoughts you can check out my review.

Buy Ruby Red (My Review)
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PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Giveaway: My Life Undecided!

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux
Pub. Date: June 7th, 2011
Pages: 320
Age Level: Teen/YA

Synopsis via Goodreads
PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.

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Contest Details
Okay so this week I got an ARC of My Life Undecided randomly sent to me in the mail. Honestly, I got a ton of review books already and this isn't exactly one I've been dying to read. So, I'm giving one of you the chance to win it. That is, if you are a book blogger. Since I did get this for review, I hope whoever wins this will review it on their blog.

Rules
~Must fill out the form to enter though comments are appreciated.
~You must be an active book blogger.
~Open to US only.
~Must be 13 years of age or older.
~Contest ends at 11:59PM EST on July 31st.
~Winner will be contacted/announced soon after.

Extra Entries
~You can earn +2 by tweeting this giveaway. Please include @thebookpixie

Fill Out This Form to Enter

The Literary Flea Market

Hey everyone. So, I just recently got to thinking (like, less than two hours before I posted this kind of recently), "Wouldn't it be great if there was one place that people could use to keep up with all the different blogs that have their books available for sale or trade." Yes, yes it would. That, my friends, is how The Literary Flea Market was born. What you'll find here is a directory, of sorts, listing all the blogs I've come across that have books for sale or trade. You can also see what kind/genre of books they have available and if they have any specials. If you would like to have your Books for Sale/Trade Post added to the directory just leave a comment on this post with a link. Wanna get really creative? If you'd like your post to have a 'shop name' instead of just your blog name listed, let me know, assuming it is appropriate. Also, if you see your blog listed and want it removed (for whatever crazy, insane reason) let me know. O_o


The Literary Flea Market

Addicted 2 Novels
Shop Owner: Lena
For: Trade
Books Available: YA
Allergy Warning: Owns cats.

Bree's Books
Shop Owner: Briana
For: Sale or Trade
Books Available: YA & Adult
Allergy Warning: None listed.

Bookworming in the 21st Century
Shop Owner: Kristen
For: Sale
Books Available: YA, MG & Adult
Allergy Warning: None.

Chick Lit Teens
Shop Owner: Jessica
For: Trade
Books Available: YA
Allergy Warning: None listed.

Happy Book Lovers
Shop Owner: Cassandra
For: Trade
Books Available: YA
Allergy Warning: None listed.

Imagination in Focus
Shop Owner: Amelia
For: Sale or Trade
Books Available: YA
Allergy Warning: None listed.

Leilani Loves Books
Shop Owner: Leilani
For: Sale or Trade
Books Available: YA & Adult
Allergy Warning: None listed.

Pages of Forbidden Love
Shop Owner: Alexa
For: Trade
Books Available: YA & Adult
Allergy Warning: None listed.

Smitten with Books
Shop Owner: Morgan
For: Sale
Books Available: YA & Adult
Allergy Warning: Owns dogs and cats.

The Book Cellar
Shop Owner: Erica
For: Trade or just pay shipping!
Books Available: Mostly YA
Allergy Warning: Owns rabbits.

The Book Pixie
Shop Owner: Bri (Me!)
For: Sale
Books Available: YA
Allergy Warning: Owns cat.

Money Savin' Mondays (13)

Y'all ready for some MG & YA book bargain awesomeness?! It's time for the thirteenth edition of Money Savin' Mondays. To find out more on why I started this you can read the first post. If you decide to use the Money Savin' Mondays title, I'd appreciate a small mention for coming up with the name. Also, you can stay up to date on the latest bargains through out the whole week by following my twitter @PixieBookDeals. Other bargains can also be found in sidebar. Now, onto the deals.

~Kindle $0.99 to $3.99~

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~Paperbacks~

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~Hardcovers~

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Review: Ruby Red

Ruby Red (ARC) by Kerstin Gier and Anthea Bell (Translator)
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Pub. Date: May 10th, 2011
Pages: 324
Series: 1st in Trilogy
Age Level: 13+
Source: For review from publisher.

Synopsis via Goodreads
Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon, the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Review
Ruby Red was positively magnetic in how it pulled me in with it's colorful characters, fun and enticing plot, and lovable writing style. I'm so delighted that this was translated into English or I'd have seriously been missing out.

The first thing that really stood out to me about Gwen was that she sounded younger than some one who is, as she puts it, sixteen-and-a-half years old. While this did bother me some at first, it didn't take long for me to get used to it and I started noticing some of her other qualities. For example, she has a great personality with an appealing sense of humor and wit. Her feelings were relatable and Gwen became a character that I had grown to form a solid connection with. Then we have Lesley, Gwen's ever loyal, understanding, and humorous best friend. She was so supportive of Gwen and never failed to believe her, two traits that made me love her. Then we have Gwen's cousin, Charlotte, and while I did feel sorry for her, I did not like her attitude. Surprisingly enough though, this did work well for her character. Then Glenda, Gwen's aunt and Charlotte's mom, was a real piece of work but she definitely added to the story. As for Grace, Gwen's mom, I too questioned her the same way The Order did. However, I'm leaning more towards trusting her versus the others. The last character I want to discuss specifically is Gideon. Like Gwen, I initially found him to be a bit of an arrogant jerk, though even then he was still funny. As the book progressed, I got to see more of his personality, charm, and slightly sweeter side reveal itself. There were quite a few other supporting and minor characters that all contributed but to try and name them all would take a while.

With a well concocted blend of self-discovery, history, time-traveling, and even a little mystery, Ruby Red has provided me with an entertaining and compelling read painted against one of my favorite settings. England. Seriously, I have a weak spot for stories that take place in England. The whole concept behind Ruby Red is original and keenly crafted by Gier. In this first installment of her trilogy, I was introduced to a wide variety of characters as well as taught the background and history of our little time-traveling society and families. That being said, I was never bored or confused, finding myself intrigued by every ounce of the story. There was a lot of set up in Ruby Red and I am so excited to see how the family dynamics and potential romance will develop, as well as what secrets and truths will be revealed, in the next book. I already have an idea about one thing that might happen and there was some predictability in this particular book but I can tell that this is a trilogy I'm going to absolutely devour.

Gier's writing style is quickly paced, consistent, and descriptive all throughout. The dialogue and context were both particularly well done and while the writing was never what I'd call amazing, there was something about it that just really grabbed hold of my attention and kept me eagerly flipping through the pages.

So I both kind of loved and hated the ending. I loved it because I really thought it ended in a lovely way. I was thoroughly teased and left guessing at what will happen in the next novel. I also loved how it ended kind of the same way it started. (You'd just have to read it to know what I mean.) However, I'm now dying for the next book and I don't even have a clue when it is slated to release. *sigh*

All in all, Ruby Red is a refreshing and highly enjoyable read that will appeal to many. Seriously, if it even sounds the least bit interesting to you, then you should give it a go. And if it really sounds like your kind of book, it is definitely worth buying. I'm so glad this trilogy has been made available to the US and I can't wait for Sapphire Blue to be released; I get the feeling it will be even better. :D

Grade
Characters: B
Writing: B+
Plot: B+
Ending: B
1st in Trilogy: B+
Enjoyment/Likability: B+
Recommendable: B+

Overall: B+

Cover: A-

Buy Ruby Red
Amazon / B&N / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository