Book Review: Plain Kate by Erin Bow

Title: Plain Kate

Author: Erin Bow

Details: ARC, 314 pgs (published in Hardcover)

Published: Sept. 1st, 2010 by Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic)

isbn: 0545166640 (ISBN13: 9780545166645)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Amazon Vine (for review)

The drizzle had broken into patches as they walked. As Drina scooped up the pale sand, Kate found herself standing in the smudge of shadow cast by the deadfall. She had never before noticed the way shadows gave things weight, made them look heavy and real and connected to the ground. Without hers...

She edged into the light.

Her shadow looked strange and thinned. It seemed not cast against the ground, but floating above it, like a fog. What Linay had said was true: No one would notice this, at first. It was just an uneasy little change, like the half-felt movement of a boat that slowly induces a great sickness.

Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden talismans are so fine that some even call her “witch-blade”: a dangerous nickname in a country where witches are hunted and burned in the square.

For Kate and her village have fallen on hard times. Kate’s father has died, leaving her alone in the world. And a mysterious fog now covers the countryside, ruining crops and spreading fear of hunger and sickness. The townspeople are looking for someone to blame, and their eyes have fallen on Kate.

Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he’ll give Kate the means to escape the angry town, and what’s more, he’ll grant her heart’s wish. It’s a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes she can't live shadowless forever -- and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed.

 Wow.  This book was so amazing, so beautiful, so heart-wrenching and creative and unique.  And beautiful.  I keep saying beautiful, I know.  It's just that Erin Bow has a way with words that everything in this story worked out so beautifully.  Not that the story was happy and full of rainbows.  As a matter of fact it was the opposite.  It was more of a dark fantasy in that it was full of darkness and death with just a few lighter moments.  But the way that Erin put it all together and used words to describe things to make it come alive, it was perfection.  It couldn't have been done better.  At times I felt like things were happening so fast that I felt confused.  But this was not a bad confused, this was everything is so freaking crazy I can't stop reading to pause and soak it in- MUST know what happens! confused.   And I never stayed confused.  


This book was full of characters that you didn't know who to love, who to hate, who was bad, who was good.  As a matter of fact several characters were all of those.  Things changed so much through the story, things were revealed, people were afraid and crazy things were happening.  How can you know who is responsible for the bad things, and the bad things that are happening, are they happening for a good reason?  Or a reason that was originally good?  Oh, this story is twisted and crazy.  But it is amazing.  


Cat lovers out there- this may be a book for you.  There is a cat in this book that is a character all in himself.  He is loyal, he is a true friend and he is talented.  Now I'm not going to tell you his talents, cause I want you to discover that yourself, but any cat lover out there will love him.  


This book does not have any romance, thus no sex.  There's no harsh language and the violence isn't terribly descriptive.  I think this is one that those of any age, middle grade and up, would enjoy.  It's a fast read, but I wouldn't call it light.  There are parts that are quite heavy and emotional.  I only cried once, at nearly the very end, but I felt a lot while reading the book.  I felt so horrible for what these characters had to go through, because they went through a LOT. 

I am definitely a firm fan and I will be watching for anything and everything Erin Bow writes.  This story was so well done I'm incredibly anxious for more!

You can find the author at:
Website |  Twitter

You can purchase the book at:

Plain Kate Indiebound

Plain Kate at Amazon

 

Disclosure:  I received this book free of charge from the amazon vine review program in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions stated are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way. 
I received an advanced review copy and the final version may have had slight changes.  

Book Review: Red Glove by Holly Black

Title: Red Glove (Curse Workers #2)

Author: Holly Black

Details: e-arc, 320 pgs (published in hardcover)

Published: April 5th, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry

isbn: 144240339X (ISBN13: 9781442403390)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Publisher, for review purposes

After rescuing his brothers from Zacharov's retribution and finding out that Lila, the girl he has loved his whole life, will never, ever be his now that his mother has worked her, Cassel is trying to reestablish some kind of normalcy in his life. That was never going to be easy for someone from a worker family tied to one of the big crime families and a mother whose cons get more reckless by the day. But Cassel is also coming to terms with what it means to be a transformation worker and figuring out how to have friends.

But normal doesn't last very long--soon Cassel is being courted by both sides of the law and is forced to confront his past. A past he remembers only in scattered fragments and one that could destroy his family and his future. Cassel will have to decide whose side he wants to be on because neutrality is not an option. And then he will have to pull off his biggest con ever to survive.

If you haven't read White Cat, you need to, NOW!  Also stop reading this review.  See, I gave it 5 stars, now move along... you really don't want any spoilers!  

Holly Black is genius.  Genius, I say!  I LOVE that these books are narrated by a guy.  And Cassel isn't just any guy.  He's a curse worker with a talent unlike anyone elses.  Of course you know that, because you read White Cat.  You also know what a complicated, sexy guy he is.  His family is messed up (more messed up in this one!) and his life is complicated- full of decisions, none of which he wants.  Cassel doesn't always make the best choices, but he's a good guy and he wants to be a good guy.  He doesn't want to be a murderer, but he doesn't want to be used by the government or anyone else either.  So... what to do, what to do?  I think he handled it all fantastically.  He used his head and he figured things out.  Holly Black did a great job of keeping it a secret from us once he knew what to do and we watched as it unraveled and just tried to figure out what in the world he was doing!  I definitely never guessed!  

Where Cassel really doesn't make the best decisions is in his love life.  Lila is back to being a human and is enrolled in school.  And Cassel loves her more then ever.  The problem is, his mother worked her so he doesn't believe Lila loves him at all.  No matter that it should be worn off by now... so he was all over the place on what to do with her.  He loved her, but he knew her love wasn't real and he didn't think it was right or fair to use that to his advantage.  What he really wants is her to love him for real.  But how will he ever know it's real?  Yeah, it's complicated.  

This book was full of family drama, love life drama and school drama.  The drama sucks you in and you can't help but love Cassel and feel for him.  All the side characters are terrific and the world Holly has created is amazing.  It's easy to imagine because other then the Curse Workers it's the same as ours.  Definitely an amazing book and I'm already chomping at the bit for the next one!

This book isn't sexually explicit (what there is doesn't describe much), nor does it have a lot of bad language (not enough that it's noted in my head), but there is a fair bit of violence.  I don't think it's too graphic, but there is quite a bit of talk of it.  It's definitely a series for older Young Adults, high school age at least.  

You can find Holly Black at her:

Website | Twitter

Purchase:

  Red Glove at IndieBound

Red Glove at Amazon

Disclosure: I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Interview with Lorraine Zago Rosenthal and giveaway *ENDED* for Other Words for Love

Today is a special day because I have the lovely Lorraine Zago Rosenthal on the blog with an interview and giveaway!  Lorraine Zago Rosenthal is the author of Other Words for Love.  And I loved this book! You can find my review here.  I'm so excited to have her on to answer a few questions.  And to give away a signed hardcover copy as well!  

In case you don't know what the book is about, here's the description from Lorraine's blog:

Ari Mitchell feels invisible at her Brooklyn high school. Her hair is too flat, her style too preppy, and her personality too quiet. And outside school, Ari feels outshined by her beautiful, confident best friend, Summer. Their friendship is as complex and confusing as Ari’s relationship with her troubled older sister, Evelyn, a former teenage mom whose handsome firefighter husband fills Ari’s head with guilty fantasies.

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York—and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn't think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari’s family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future. Meanwhile, Summer warns her that what she feels for Blake is just an infatuation. Not real love. But Ari’s world is awash with new colors, filled with a freshness and an excitement she hasn’t felt in years.

When misfortune befalls Blake’s family, he pulls away, and Ari's world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

Thanks so much for being a guest on Candace’s Book Blog today!  I read Other Words For Love in about a day and on a weekend when I’m suppose to not have much time to read.  But when your reading a book that you can’t tear your eyes away from- well, you find time to read! 

You’re welcome, Candace! I’m very happy to be a guest on your blog. And I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed my book!

Other Words For Love takes place in the 1980’s, what was your reason for the time frame? (I loved that it was in the 80’s, btw.  I was a teen in the 90’s, but close enough.  I could picture it all so well.  It really was a different time.)

I’m really glad that you were able to visualize the setting so well. There are a few reasons why I chose to set the story during the 1980s.  First of all, the 1980s are a neglected era in YA fiction. The only other YA novel I know of that is set during this decade is The Carrie Diaries. There is YA fiction set in the 1800s, 1920s, etc., so why not the 1980s? This decade is as valid historically as any other, and I believe that no time period should be restricted from the YA genre. There are stories to tell from the viewpoint of young people in every era.

I thought that if teens could identify with historical fiction—time periods with cultures and values so different from now—then they could easily relate to a time period that they didn’t live through but wasn’t all that long ago. The ideals of the 1980s weren’t exactly the same as today, but they weren’t completely different, either. I also thought that adults who read YA fiction and lived through the 1980s might connect with the story.

But the main reason I set Other Words for Love in the 1980s is that the story wouldn’t work in the present day. As I mentioned, culture and values weren’t radically different then, but they weren’t exactly the same as today. For example—in the novel, Ari’s sister has a baby when she is seventeen years old, and although teen pregnancy isn’t encouraged now, I think it has less of a social stigma than it had during the 80s. There was no “Teen Mom” on MTV back then! Ari is more embarrassed about her sister having been a teen mother than she might be today, and Evelyn’s choices are extremely disappointing to her parents.

Also, the issue of AIDS is prevalent throughout the novel. Although AIDS unfortunately still exists, it is better understood than it was during the 80s, when it was new and many people didn’t fully comprehend how it could be contracted. There was an undercurrent of hysteria when AIDS first appeared, and this is present in Other Words for Love.

Finally, although Ari is intelligent and mature, she’s also more innocent than most girls her age would be today—for various reasons. For example, the internet didn’t exist during the 1980s, so teens didn’t have as much access to information as they do now. The 1980s were more conservative than the present time—just take a look at how teens were represented in the media back then as opposed to now.

So much of that I hadn't thought of.  Those are some good points...

This book is about a young girl and basically her struggle through being a teenager.  Her friend issues, her family issues, her school issues and her boyfriend issues.  Were any of these things based upon your own life when you were a teenager?

I think that all authors use their experiences in their writing. Some of what we write is based on experience; some is experience mixed with imagination; and some is pure fiction. Like Ari, I grew up in New York and went to a prep school, so that is one aspect of the novel that reflects my experiences. Also, I think that many of the things Ari goes through and feels are universal—we’ve all been there in one way or another.

That's true, and that's what I love about contemporary.  It seems like no matter what we can relate in one way or another.

When you started writing Other Words For Love did you already know the beginning, the middle and the end?  Or was it more of a ‘it came as you wrote’ kind of deal?

I had the majority of the story in mind while I was writing it, and I had a very clear vision of the major scenes. However, while I was writing, some things changed and I came up with new ideas in the process. But overall, the finished product is almost exactly what I had envisioned when I began writing the novel.

What was your biggest obstacle to overcome while writing? 

The most challenging aspect of writing this novel was getting inside the mind of the main character. So much of what takes place in the story has to do with Ari’s feelings and perceptions, and it was therefore necessary to unearth the reasons why she feels and perceives things as she does. We are all the product of our experiences, and I wanted Ari’s actions and reactions to make sense based on her experiences. In order to depict this in a credible way, I had to create her life—her interactions with her family, her friends, and her peers—in a manner that would explain why she is so affected by her relationship with her boyfriend, Blake. Another challenging aspect was portraying Blake as a sympathetic character even though he ends up damaging Ari. He also required a strong back-story to explain his actions.

I love that you brought that up.  I was expecting to hate Blake.  But I didn't.  I mean, I wanted to smack him a few times, but I couldn't hate him. And at times I completely fell for him.  So... great job in portraying all that!
 

What is your favorite writing spot? 

My home office—that’s where I do all of my writing.

If you could have one superpower what would you pick?

It would be nice to be able to fly, so I could avoid all of those pesky airport delays!

LOL, that was actually my choice too.  I would like to be able to visit my family and friends that are all over the country, a lot quicker!

Is there one book you find yourself recommending over and over? (I have to tell you that the Hunger Games is almost always the answer for this question.  That’s no surprise though.)

There are so many books that I recommend, but one that I read a few months ago and really enjoyed was What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell. I really love to see the YA genre branching out into eras that aren’t typically written about in YA fiction. What I Saw and How I Lied is set during the 1940s, which is a fascinating time period. Because I liked the book so much, I’m currently reading Blundell’s latest novel—Strings Attached—which is set in 1950.

It's funny you mention Judy Blundell.  I was just looking up Strings Attached and was seeing that it was set in the 1950's.  I'm definitely going to be checking out her books!

What can we plan to see from you in the future, that you can tell us about?

I’m currently working on another YA novel that is set in NYC. The story and main character are different from Other Words for Love, but the novel also deals with love, family, and other relationships.

Oh, I can't wait!  

Thanks so much for being on!  We’ll be eagerly anticipating more from you!

You’re very welcome!

Stalk Lorraine Zago Rosenthal:

Website: http://lorraine-zago-rosenthal.blogspot.com

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/lorrainezr

The Giveaway: This Giveaway has ended

You can win your own hardcover, signed copy of Other Words for Love.  This giveaway is open to US addresses only, and you must be 13 years of age or older.  

This giveaway ends 4/18/2011

*This giveaway is sponsored by the author.  She will be shipping the book to the winner.* Thank you Lorraine!

To Enter: This Giveaway has ended

Leave a comment telling us your favorite era(s) to read about.  Don't forget to leave contact info as well! 

Book Review: Favorite by Karen McQuestion

Title: Favorite
Author: Karen McQuestion
Details: Paperback, 170 pgs.
Published: April 1st, 2011 by Amazon Encore (first published 2009)

isbn: 1935597256 (ISBN13: 9781935597254)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Publisher

 

 Angie Favorite was just eleven years old when her mother disappeared, leaving Angie and her brother Jason to be raised by their grandmother while their rock-star father hit the road with his band. Since that day, Angie has gone through the motions of everyday life. She thinks she has everyone fooled — until the summer morning when she’s abducted from a mall parking lot. She narrowly escapes and her attacker, Scott Bittner, is arrested, but the weirdness has just begun. When Angie receives a letter from Scott’s mother, entreating her to meet so that she can apologize for her son’s actions, the girl reluctantly agrees. But it is soon obvious that Scott’s attack wasn’t random at all and that there is more to the strange Mrs. Bittner than meets the eye. In fact, she may hold the key to Angie’s mother’s disappearance. Part thriller, part coming-of-age tale, Favorite is an engrossing young-adult novel from a captivating author.

 I accepted this book for review because of the description.  It sounded completely different and very mysterious.  And it was!  I enjoyed it and never felt like I was bored with it.  At times I thought I should be bored, but I wasn't.  

I liked Angie pretty well.  There were things that bugged me and she wasn't terribly like-able in the beginning, but she grew on me.  I thought the other characters were pretty good as well, but some of the side characters were more interesting then the main characters.  

Although I figured out the mystery before it was revealed I never knew for sure.  It was a hunch but I wasn't exactly sure how it would all play out.  So I didn't feel any dissatisfaction from it.  And I thought it took some strange turns but things stayed quite interesting.

This book is pretty short and I felt it was worth my time of reading it.  I even found myself thinking out it hours later, so that shows that it did stick with me.  Although I don't think it's anything amazing,  I did like it and I thought Karen McQuestion's writing style wasn't too bad.  I had read some reviews and I'm thinking that maybe the book has gone through some editing since the first publication because I didn't notice any of the things that people were being negative about.  

If the description sounds good, I say give it a try!

 You can find Karen McQuestion at her:

Website 

Purchase:

Favorite at Amazon

Disclosure:  I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.  

In My Mailbox (52) - Vlog

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and is where we share all the books we got through the week.

For Review:

Shift (Shade, Book 2) by Jeri Smith-Ready (egalley)

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Gift:

My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison (thanks Angela!)

From Paperbackswap:

Are We There Yet? by David Levithan

Borrowed:

The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, Book One) by Jean M. Auel

Bought:

Sphinx's Princess (Princesses of Myth) by Esther Friesner

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls) by Ally Carter

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson

Night World No. 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight by L.J. Smith

Other bloggers mentioned:

Melina from Reading Vacation

Angela from Reading Angel

Also, a big Thank You to Holly Schindler for the book plates and nice note.

Saturday Situation- Link up your Reviews and Giveaways! 3/26

 Saturday Situation is hosted by both Lori at Pure Imagination and myself.  It's a linky for you to link your  Giveaways and Reviews (and whatever neglected posts you may have).  You'll find the same linky's at Pure Imagination, so don't enter them twice!

Keep in mind that you can add your links through the entire week.  

You can find this post again by clicking the button on the top right of my blog.  I'll try to keep it up to date to go to the newest Saturday Situation post.

BOOK REVIEWS AND OTHER NEGLECTED POSTS

BOOK RELATED GIVEAWAYS

Please include end date and who it's open to (US, US/Canada, Internationally)

The Body Finder Prize Pack WINNER!

I selected a winner using random.org and have a winner!  The winner of the paperback The Body Finder, hardback Desires of the Dead, posters for both books, a pin and stickers, all signed, goes to...

Mindy Fanged Mom!!!

She's been emailed and has 48 hours to respond.

Thank you everyone who entered!  There was 247 entrants!  So a great turnout.

There are more giveaways still open and I have more planned to go up next week!  

I'm also working on the My Favorite Things Event that's happening in May and June, and I can tell you this- it's going to be HUGE!  It looks like Kristin (from My Bookish Ways) and I will have features with giveaways every single day for 6 weeks, on BOTH of our blogs.  We're still figuring it out, but it's coming along amazingly and you guys should definitely be excited!  

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday!

I decided to do the Follow Friday again this week!  But this time I'm going to take the time to do the blog hop as well.


Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View.  It's a great way to find some great blogs and interact with other bloggers.

This weeks question is:

Q. Inspired by the inane twitter trend of #100factsaboutme, give us five BOOK RELATED silly facts about you.

 1.  Every book I read I'm imagining the people I can loan it to.  Who's style of book it is.  Like my SIL will read just about any genre, so ALL my books go to her (as long as I liked it).  My mom and sisters are a bit more picky on the genre's they enjoy and some of my friends are as well.  But I love sharing my books with them and get super excited when I find something that is perfect for them to read. 

2. I'm a compulsive book buyer.  I obsess about buying books most days and spend forever looking through my wishlist (amazon app does NOT help!) and dreaming of which ones I'll buy next.  I say I'm compulsive, but I think about it so much that I usually seriously think through each purchase before I make it.  But it's usually something like getting the last book in a series from the publisher and knowing I need the one before it, and then I need to make it $25 for free shipping, so... and yes, I'm a Borders gold member, the $25 excuse has now just become an excuse.  Or I'm addicted to amazon, which is quite likely...  I also can't stay away from books.  In every single store I have to at least walk by the books, even when I know I can't really buy any.  It's so bad that the ladies at Safeway (yes, I buy books at Safeway!) know to hand me the books I buy at checkout so I can hide it in my purse.  And yes, my hubby thinks all my books are free.  I just let him assume that, I haven't lied yet. 

3. I have books EVERYWHERE in my house.  I have three bookcases in my family room, two in the living room, three in my bedroom as well as a huge shelf, books in hallways, the playroom and in each of the kids rooms.  I want a library, but for now I'm happy seeing my books everywhere. 

4. Although I like some romance I tend to think I don't because I hate the whole thing of the two characters going on about 'he/she deserves better so I'll just leave, blah blah blah'.  That's just one example.  But seriously, just get married already!  Or together for real anyway.  There are exceptions though.  I like a few series that are considered romances.

5.  I can't leave the house without a book.  I have two kids and reading at the grocery store or anywhere is pretty impossible.  But I try anyway.

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jenn at Crazy-For-Books and is also for mingling with other bloggers and finding new blogs.
This week her question is:

"If you could physically put yourself into a book or series…which one would it be and why?"

This is a hard one but I'm going with my favorite series, the Kushiel's Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey.  The main characters have a crazy life, but if I was just a normal person there I would LOVE it!  

    These are just the first three.  There's three different trilogies though. 

Where I introduce you to a new book blogger, Rebecca of Confessions of a Page Turner

Today I'm introducing you to Rebecca from Confessions of a Page Turner.  Last week when I saw her blog she had only a few followers and today I saw she had 126!  So I don't really think she needs my introduction, especially since she's the featured blogger on Follow Friday (hosted by Parajunkee's View).  But in case you don't yet know her- here she is!

Hi fellow book lovers! My name is Rebecca and I'm so excited to announce the launching of my new book blog, Confessions of a Page Turner! I hope you stop by www.readingwithrebecca.blogspot.com and join in the fun :). I began exploring the idea of creating a blog when my good friend told me how fun blogging could be! Given my love of books, I thought that a book blog would be a perfect way to connect with other bookworms!

I plan to post on my blog as consistently as possible. Memes and blog hops seem like fun activities to participate in and of course, I will be posting reviews as I work through my TBR pile!

My biggest challenge with blogging has simply been learning what blogging is all about! When I first heard about the blogosphere, I didn't even really know what a blog was! I've come so far since then, I'm proud of myself hehe! :) It takes patience and supportive people to get started with something like this.

At first, I did feel a little bit intimidated while I was researching other book blogs. It seemed like everyone already knew eachother and had everything figured out so well! I quickly realized though, how friendly and willing to help everyone is :).

I plan on participating in weekly memes, posting information about challenges and holding monthly giveaways. I just want to get involved and dig more deeply into the magic of books! I look forward to sharing the journey with all of you :).

Welcome to the book blogging world Rebecca!  I look forward to reading your reviews!

Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went (If I Stay #2)

Author: Gayle Forman

Details: ARC, 258 pgs, Published in Hardcover

Published: April 5th, 2011 by Dutton Juvenile

isbn: 0525422943 (ISBN13: 9780525422945)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Borrowed from Angela 

 

 Do not read if you haven't read the first book, If I Stay

It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

I don't know where to start.  This book was so amazing that I'm sure I'll be thinking about it for days, no weeks, possibly months.  It was perfect.  I felt so much emotion reading it even though it wasn't sad like the first book (which wasn't all sad).

This book was told from Adam's perspective 3 years in the future from If I Stay.  In If I Stay I felt like we still had a lot to learn about Adam and this book answered those questions about what he felt and went through as well as his personality, up close and personal.  And I'm in love.  He's real, he's raw, he's emotional and a bit of a wreck.  And through the story we see where it all comes from.  Like in If I Stay there's flashbacks to the past about every other chapter.  It's put together as a memory and it helps us understand everything that's happening.  And I felt for Adam so much I just wanted to reach into the book and hug him.  Hold him.  Help him.

I felt so much emotion when reading this book because Adam and Mia both went through so much and they both made mistakes in the past and had a hard time getting through things.  I wanted to smack them for some of the things they'd done, but I felt the most fury at Mia.  I got it more towards the end, why she did the things she did, but I still wish they'd figured it out sooner.  The thing is, if they had then their lives wouldn't have played out the way they did and ending up in the places they ended up.  And the emotion is what made this book so much better.

Music plays a major part in the book.  The beginning of each chapter that's in the current time(every other chapter) is music lyrics from songs that Adam wrote.  And those lyrics were perfect and really helped us see Adam's soul when he was grieving, when he was really struggling.  It all just fit so perfectly and really added to the story. 

I really can't say much other then I loved it.  I really really loved it.  I'm ready to read it all over again, it was just so perfect.  I get them, both of them.  Not always their actions, just their personalities.  Mia not liking camping (I'm the same way) the things in Adams head, it all just makes sense to me.  And that they are from Oregon just makes it better.  I'm in Washington, but only like 5 minutes from Oregon and it's pretty much the same way in the small towns around here.  So when they talk about their small town and the quirky things, it just clicks with me.  I love it! 

 

  

Find Gayle Forman:

If I Stay Website |  Twitter | Gayle's Website

Disclosure: I borrowed an ARC of this book for review purposes.  I was not paid or influenced and all opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Title: The False Princess

Author: Eilis O'Neal

Details: Hardcover, 336 pgs.

Published: January 11th, 2011 by Egmont

isbn: 1606840797 (ISBN13: 9781606840795)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Purchased

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court.  But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection.  Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.
Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks.  But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.
Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.
A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

I've been in the mood for a good fantasy for awhile and ever since I saw a review of this one I was dying to read it!  You might say I had some high expectations, but this book still exceeded them!  It really was a fantastic fantasy story.


Sometimes a fantasies get a little heavy because of all the descriptions of the world and how it all works, etc.  This book was not at all heavy.  I was able to understand the world, the magic, and how everything worked and I never once felt laden down with descriptions.  The way the author had everything unfold was completely brilliant and I wouldn't have her change a thing. 

Sinda was an amazing character.  Can you imagine being told one day that you are not the princess and then being immediately sent away with nothing and to live with a poor relative you've never met?  Talk about culture shock!  Sinda deals with it all so well.  We know that she's struggling, but she doesn't really mope about.  It takes a little push to get her to change her life though and once she does things really take off!  
She was so strong through it all and I understood her motivations most of the time and her personality was very clear.  She was never all over the place on what she wanted, she may not have always known, but she never went back on her beliefs and principles and risked her life time and time again to right a wrong even though she could have used that wrong to her advantage.  I really think she was an amazing character.


Keirnan *sigh* what an amazing guy.  He's Sinda's childhood friend and he's her only friend who sticks by her.  Sinda may be a little blind to things and she's painfully shy, but these two have some things to work out that are more then just friends.  And wow, I just loved him from the beginning, but I fell in love with him when there was a teensy tiny bit of a sword fight (very teensy).  


There are other characters that shape the story as well and I thought they all played their roles well.  The author did a great job in creating hardships for Sinda but placing people where they can assist her and made the story come together brilliantly.


This book was full of twists and turns and I never could predict where things were going.  More then once I was just sure I had it figured out and I was wrong.  It was fun watching it all unfold and plenty of times I was on the edge of my seat reading as fast as I could.


This book is appropriate for younger teens as well as older.  There's no cursing, no sex and no violence.  There's a little kissing, and that's it!  Completely clean in my opinion.


If you enjoy fantasy, or maybe if you don't because it's too heavy for you, give this one a try.  I think you'll love it!  I certainly did!

You can find the author at her:

Website |  Twitter

Purchase the book:

The False Princess IndieBound

The False Princess at Amazon

 

Interview with Holly Schindler and giveaway *ended* of your choice of her books! Open Internationally!

Today I have the amazing Holly Schindler on the blog.  Holly is the author of A Blue So Dark (find my review here) and Playing Hurt (find my review here).  Both were amazing, though they were completely different from each other.  The descriptions can be found at the bottom of this post if you haven't yet heard of them.  I highly recommend both. Holly has a way with words and descriptions that completely transports you into the story!  There's also a giveaway at the end for your choice of her books, so make sure you read to the end!

Let's welcome Holly to the blog!

What made you decide to write about schizophrenia?

 

It’s a little odd, isn’t it, since I don’t have any personal experience with schizophrenia?

Actually, more than any sort of mental illness, what I really wanted to write about was creativity.  One line of conversation that constantly creeps up in regard to creativity is the idea of the “mad genius.”  In a lot of respects, the finished product an artist “sees” when inspiration strikes is a little bit like a hallucination.  An artist knows that what they’re seeing is a figment of their imagination, of course, but in both cases—an artist’s idea and a hallucination—they’re visions that only one person has.  Sometimes, it seems as though what we consider “mentally ill” is a mind that is hyper-sensitive, a mind on overdrive, a mind that sees creative connections that the rest of us don’t…

What was you biggest obstacle to overcome when writing?  (For each of your books.) 

Both of my novels were initially drafted years ago…A BLUE SO DARK in ’06, and PLAYING HURT in about ’04 or ’05.  the books had to be rewritten globally several times…BLUE had to come out of Aura’s head, become less internal, and PLAYING HURT needed backstory (the sports element didn’t exist at all in the original draft). 

Basically, with both books, I had to have stamina.  The ability to stick with projects that didn’t sell right off the bat.

When writing such an emotional book as A BLUE SO DARK, did you find yourself getting depressed?  Was it hard to write something so emotional?  (When I write about things like that it tends to be my own real life experiences, but I am a wreck!  I tend to bawl through the whole thing.)

 

I think you hit it on the head: I don’t write from personal experience—my characters and the situations I write about are always fictional—so I don’t ever find myself in a different place mentally for my projects. 

When I was in about junior high, I was over at a friend’s house when ROMANCING THE STONE came on TV.  In the opening scene, Kathleen Turner (an author) is slaving away at her typewriter, bawling her eyes out as she wraps up her current novel.  I was already writing then, and my friend elbowed me and said, “That’s going to be you!”

The writing part turned out to be true enough, and I do find myself getting choked up or my heart racing or my eyes misting as I write (if I don’t get moved, my readers won’t, either), but I don’t have to be in a dark place mentally to write a dark book…

PLAYING HURT is completely different from A BLUE SO DARK.  What was you inspiration for it and what made you decide to write something so completely different?

 

When I got my master’s in ’01, I nixed the idea of writing full-time to devote myself to my writing (this was possible only because of financial support from my family).  It was in no way a short journey—took seven and a half years to get that first acceptance! 

As I was seeking my first book deal, I tried my hand at all sorts of different genres…Adult, children’s, romance, literary…In all honesty, my writing interests are every bit as varied as my reading interests (and I read it ALL)…

Do you have a favorite spot to write?

I do wrack up the hours in my office…But I also have one of those Alphasmart Neos…Thing’s great—no Internet distractions, and it runs on AA-batteries for MONTHS…I can take that thing anywhere—the park, the backseat of the car—and get loads of writing done.  

What is you biggest guilty pleasure?

Sometimes, ANYTHING that doesn’t directly involve writing feels like a guilty pleasure.  My biggest love outside of literary pursuits is music—writing, playing, listening…I was actually teaching private guitar and piano lessons as I drafted my earliest work—my students inspired me to try my hand at YA!

What is one book you find yourself recommending over and over?  Or a favorite author works, too.

Catherine Ryan Hyde, Brian Katcher, Gabrielle Zevin.

If you could have one super power, what would you pick?

 

Without a doubt: the ability to zap negativity. 

A BLUE SO DARK:

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura’s dad left them. Convinced that “creative” equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

PLAYING HURT:

Star basketball player Chelsea “Nitro” Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone’s admiration in her hometown.  But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

As a graduation present, Chelsea ’s dad springs for a three-week summer “boot camp” program at a northern Minnesota lake resort.  There, she’s immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who’s haunted by his own traumatic past.  As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home.  Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?

Go stalk Holly!
On her website.
On her blog.

The Giveaway: *ENDED*

I'm offering up a copy of A Blue So Dark OR Playing Hurt (your choice) to one lucky winner (sponsored by me).  Holly will also send the winner a *signed* bookplate!  This giveaway is open world wide to anywhere The Book Depository ships.
You must be 13 or older to enter.
This giveaway ends April 12th, 2011.  Winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond.

To Enter:

Leave a thoughtful comment about the interview or the books with contact info. That's it!  You don't have to follow me, you don't have to jump through any hoops.  But I welcome any of them your willing to do just from the kindness of your heart.  And tweeting (there's a nice little button at the bottom of this post!) would be nice, but does not give you extra entries. 

Good luck to everyone!

Book Review: Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

Title: Playing Hurt

Author: Holly Schindler

Details: Paperback, 312 pgs.

Published:  March 8th, 2011 by Flux

isbn: 0738722871 (ISBN13: 9780738722870)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Gift

Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration back home. Then she took a horrible fall during senior year. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.
That summer, Chelsea's dad hires Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player and "boot camp" trainer, to work with her at a northern Minnesota lake resort. As they grow close, Chelsea finds that Clint's haunted by his own tragedy. Will their romance end up hurting them all over again—or finally heal their heartbreak?

Playing Hurt was a moving and amazingly told story about a girl and a boy and a summer romance.  It's also about a girl and a boy who are broken and need to find the path back to healing.  Together they may be able to do that, but apart, maybe not so much.   


Holly is one of those writers that has page after page of noteworthy passages.  She has descriptions that are so amazing that you can feel them yourself.  She takes something as simple as Chelsea holding a sweat soaked beer bottle to her cheek to cool down and she describes it in a way that you can feel the coldness upon your own skin.  Your transported to the story, to Minnesota in the summer.  To hot days and hawt nights.  To romance and pain and heartache.  
I read this book at work and I didn't have my little sticky notes I usually use to mark passages, but if I had- this book would be filled with them.  There were some paragraphs that I read over 2 or 3 times because they were so eloquent and beautiful I wanted to feel it over and over again.


I had my own summer romance in Minnesota as a teen and so perhaps this story was even more amazing because of that.  Because of the memories it evoked and the emotions it brought back.  But I really think that most anyone will bring up their own memories of love and romance when reading this.  Of a summer vacation, or of a time when you felt broken and just needed a little push to get back on track.  


I loved both of the main characters in the story.  I thought Chelsea was real.  I got her and  the  emotions she went through.  What I really got was her trouble with her boyfriend.  Now, I don't want to give any spoilers away- but Chelsea has some things to get figured out in real life.  Some things she didn't even know weren't perfect until she goes on vacation.  Her inability to deal with it all was very real.  Maybe for me because I went through that.  I understand that when you feel as though your in a fantasy or when your just on vacation, dealing with real life is just too hard.  Ack, I'm really not explaining things well.  But my point is, I got her.  
Clint was a great guy.  I really loved that Holly switched the perspectives every chapter.  So we got both sides of the story- literally.  Clint has his own past he's coming to terms with and his demons he's fighting.   You put the two of them together and you have an amazing couple.  Even when they go through periods of up and down.  

The side characters played important roles as well.   Brandon, Chelsea's annoying brother who has a crazy strong personality, loves to rock out and is always irritating Chelsea, but loves her to pieces and is always watching out for her.  Her father who she's had a bit of a communication problem with since her accident.  Clints friends who urge him to date and even the girl who wants to date him and is always kind of there.   Clints parents even have small parts that help shape the story and how it all plays out.  They all are real and completely fantastic.


The romance played out in a way I found especially real.  They had instant attraction- but not exactly instant romance.  Because of their issues they push any feelings aside.  But spending 3 weeks together is plenty of time for things to come together- and for things to fall apart.  
This book is about an 18 and 19 year old.  They talk and do things that 18 and 19 year olds are doing.  There is kissing and there is more *waggles eyebrows* then kissing.  Actually this had more description (of more then kissing) then most YA, but I have to say that that really made it more real for me.  Because I think that's exactly what would happen.  If that hadn't gone down then the book wouldn't have felt as real to me.  But keep in mind that it may not be a book you want your middle grader reading.  Just use discretion and remember the ages of the characters and you should be good. 


This is a book that would make a fantastic summer read.  It's fast paced, easy to read and is perfect for recalling your own romantic summers.  Holly Schindlers descriptions jump off the page and if you don't have summer, or you read it in the winter,  she'll bring the summer to you.  I couldn't recommend this book any more, you honestly have got to read it yourself!

You can find the author at her:

Website |  Twitter 

You can purchase the book at:

Playing Hurt IndieBound

Playing Hurt at Amazon