Juiciliciousss Reviews

Last Post Ever

2010-04-30T11:47:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! Like the title of this post, this will most likely be my last blog post ever or, at least, for a very long time since I don't know if or when I'll be returning. I'm sorry I didn't have any post after my "Winner" post because I was busy packing everything to checkout of my dorm and since tomorrow, I'm leaving overseas for three months, I'm going to be busy repacking everything.

For authors and publishers, please check out this blog post regarding my future reviews. If there are any questions, please feel free to email me juiciliciousssreviews(AT)gmail.com and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible providing if there's any internet access at where I'm heading...

For fellow bloggers and readers, here are my other links so you can still follow my reviews as I will be posting them on Goodreads and RandomBuzz at a later date but won't be posting them here:
Goodreads
RandomBuzz (my reviews will most likely show up at the Random Reviews link so this link is for that - my username is xtraliciousssx)

Anyway, this will be all. :)

Bye, everyone!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Winner!

2010-04-27T21:13:00.004-04:00

The winner for my extremely prolonged giveaway for Radiant Shadows, The Unwritten Rule and The Carrie Diaries is...

Jess Day!

Please email me your mailing info ASAP! :] So I can send it out tomorrow~~

PS. If I don't receive your mailing address by 1PM Eastern Time, then you will have to forfeit your prize because I am moving out my dorm and today is my last chance to send everything out! Which also means that there will be no winner for this giveaway. :(

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-04-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Currently Reading:
Deception by Lee Nichols
Coming out May 25, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
When Emma Vaile’s parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she’s left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother’s very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma’s knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can’t explain—it’s as if she’s returning home to a place she’s never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.

So far, it's quite addicting. I'm already halfway through and I just started. :)

What are you guys reading?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Shade Review

2010-04-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Coming out May 4, 2010
Summary from Amazon:
Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.
Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.
Well, sort of.
Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.
It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.
As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

My review:
I heard a lot of great things about this book and was expecting it to be one of the best. And, I wasn't too disappointed. Shade is most definitely an exceptional book but I think I was expecting more.

The plot was very exhilarating. Lots of action and romance. I really liked how the story started out and it was addicting but the addicting-ness died down towards the middle and it slowly picked up again towards the end and then it ended. I remember disliking the ending. It was such a huge cliff-hanger but I suppose that's a good thing because I hear that there's a sequel? Anyway, there was also some stuff that didn't really make sense like the trials. Like, I understood why they're doing it but it seemed so pointless.

Aura was a likable character. Her ability to deal with the situation without being too dramatic was great but it seemed somewhat unrealistic, I think. I feel like girls these days get too depressed after something happens and that's reality but Aura wasn't extremely depressed or suicidal which made it seem somewhat unrealistic.

Logan and Zachary both have their charming points. Logan, Aura's boyfriend, who obviously really cares about her despite what she thinks half the time. And Zachary, the really cute and patient guy that happens to pop up in her life. Both are essential to Aura and this book. Without their characters, this book would have been a flop.

Overall, Shade was an enjoyable book and I can't wait until the Sequel especially after that ending. Gah! Such a cliff-hanger!

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 43/50 = 86%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

My Double Life Review

2010-04-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

My Double Life by Janette Rallison
Coming out May 13, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Her whole life, Alexia Garcia has been told that she looks just like pop star Kari Kingsley, and one day when Alexia’s photo filters through the Internet, she’s offered a job to be Kari’s double. This would seem like the opportunity of a lifetime, but Alexia’s mother has always warned her against celebrities. Rebelliously, Alexia flies off to L.A. and gets immersed in a celebrity life. Not only does she have to get used to getting anything she wants, she romances the hottest lead singer on the charts, and finds out that her own father is a singing legend. Through it all, Alexia must stay true to herself, which is hard to do when you are pretending to be somebody else!

My review:
I've always enjoyed Janette's novels - they're always so girly and cute and just plain fun to read. And My Double Life was no exception.

The plot, though slightly cliche, was still very meaningful with family as the main issue. However, it's not just about family but it also has a lot of other things going on - love, fandom, etc. I think that those who wants to read a more meaningful book and those who just want to read something for fun will love My Double Life.

Alexia is an intriguing character. She's not the typical, cliched version of stars wannabe. Instead, she's smart and she knows what she's doing, to some degree at least. For example, when "scouted" by Kari's agent to become Kari's double, she wasn't extremely swayed by the prospect of becoming famous. Nor was she exactly swayed by money either. Yes, she did think twice about receiving money and fame but she managed to decline the offer. Unlike some other characters in different books, Alexia manages to do what her brain thinks. She doesn't think one way but do the other. Another thing I enjoyed about her personality is her calmness. She somehow manages to stay calm through one fiasco to another but at the same time, you can really sense her vulnerability and just her "young-ness".

Even Kari isn't the typical airheaded rock star. No offense, but I did think that she was somewhat stupid in the beginning of the novel but there were times when she seemed extremely intelligent. So, all in all, the characters in My Double Life really made you think twice about assuming things.

Overall, My Double Life is a great read. The plot was enjoyable and the characters were different from typical ones. I'm definitely looking forward to any future Janette Rallison's novels.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 46/50 = 92%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXXIV

2010-04-24T08:00:00.002-04:00

This week, I got...

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn
The Princess and the Snowbird by Mette Ivie Harrison
Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill
Wayfarer by RJ Anderson
Burning Ambition by Jonathan Bernstein
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr (2nd copy)
The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell (2nd copy)
The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott
Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Sorry for the somewhat blurry picture. My real camera decided to die on me so I had to use my phone. :(

Not depicted - my friend decided that she'll keep them because I have second copies of all of these:
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Forgive my Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson
Spells by Aprilynne Pike

That's all I got! I'm kind of wondering how I'm going to read these all before I leave next week....T_T Oh well, I'm excited for them

FYI, you can win Radiant Shadows, The Unwritten Rule and The Carrie Diaries HERE.

What did you guys get this week?
Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Winners!

2010-04-23T20:00:00.002-04:00

After literally TWO days of calculating the entries because I was stupid and totally forgot to tell everyone to add an extra entry just for entering and some people did but some people didn't. So...I had to go through the entire spreadsheet adding the extra point for those who didn't do so already. Plus, some people had the oddest total number of entries. For example, they entered, they were a follower, they twittered and somehow they came up with 3-4 more entries than they're really supposed to. Like, where did these numbers come from? So, I had to go over them all and recalculate the entries.

But anyway...without further ado, the winners for my giveaway are:

Katie (bigferret)

Shawnee Goodnight (waitman)

Jennifer (echs)

Congratulations!!! I've included a portion of your email addresses next to the names so you'll know if it's you or not. :) I will send out your surprise boxes ASAP!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-04-23T08:00:00.002-04:00

Today's book is...
Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson
Coming out May 18, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Torn between two destinies? Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she's a werewolf. As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she must deal not only with her changing identity, but also with a rogue werewolf who is putting everyone she knows in danger. Claire's new life threatens her blossoming romance with Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt. Now burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, Claire is struggling to feel comfortable in either skin. With her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart, she will make a choice that will change her forever?

Like I said, I'm still a huuuge fan of paranormal books and this one is no exception. Plus, the cover's gorgeous! :) So I'm looking forward to this.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Radiant Shadows, The Carrie Diaries & The Unwritten Rule Giveaway

2010-04-22T08:00:00.005-04:00

So I ended up getting some doubles for these three books and thought, "hey, I should do another giveaway!" :) So. It's quite simple, really. I haven't done this in a while - this format. But...here are the rules.

How to win:
#234 commenter will win all three books

How to enter (very important!):

You can comment as many time as you want.
You cannot comment twice in a row.
You must make a meaningful comment such as: my favorite book is ____ or my name is ____. Any random fact about yourself would do.
Failure to comply to these rules will force me to delete your comments

No deadline, of course. And open to US & Canada residents only. Sorry internationals!

Good luck! Oh, and did I mention that all three books are HARDCOVER? :)

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Tensions of Opposites Review

2010-04-21T20:00:00.002-04:00

The Tensions of Opposites by Kristina McBride
Coming out May 25, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
It’s been two years since Noelle disappeared. Two years since her bike was discovered, sprawled on a sidewalk. Two years of silence, of worry, of fear. For those two long years, her best friend Tessa has waited, living her own life in a state of suspended animation. Because how can she allow herself to enjoy a normal high school life if Noelle can’t? How dare she have other friends, go to dances, date boys, without knowing what happened to the girl she thought she would share everything with? And then one day, someone calls Noelle’s house. She’s alive.

My review:
When I received this novel, I wasn't sure what to expect - realistic YA novels weren't what I were usually interested in. However, there was just something about the premise that intrigued me so I picked it up. And loved it.

Right from the start, the way Tessa was portrayed and the way the plot went immediately sucked me in. I found myself enjoying the book immensely. I thought the portrayal of Tessa's struggle was extremely well-written. It was easy to see how much she struggled and how she went out of her way to balance her happiness with her best friend's. It was easy to see why she did the things she did and her attitude was extremely realistic.

Tessa, Max and Noelle were well-developed characters. I thought they were extremely well-written and thought the characterization was excellent. Tessa is an excellent friend who thinks a lot about her friend's safety and happiness especially after what has happened to her. Sometimes though, it seemed like she cared more about her friend's happiness than for her own. It was really thought provoking.

Noelle was well described but I wished that some her inner struggles were portrayed more. Her attitude at times seemed very bipolar - one minute harsh and cruel and the next, vulnerable to the extent that you just want to cry. It made sense after her experience but it was hard to follow at times.

And Max? Loved him. Though he wasn't as realistic as Noelle and Tessa, he was really likable. His attitude and his patience and his perseverance despite Tessa's avoidance of him was a nice change to the otherwise somewhat realistic novel. This is because him chasing a girl despite the fact that she continuously pushes him away was quite unrealistic. And this unrealistic aspect goes well with otherwise extremely realistic setting.

Overall, The Tensions of Opposites is an awesome book. Extremely well-written and realistic. It's a fantastic read and a nice change to all the paranormal YA books out there.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total: 47/50 = 94%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

500 Followers Winner

2010-04-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

The winner for this giveaway is

KELSEY from MN (there were many Kelseys so not to get confused)

I will send your prize pack ASAP so be on the lookout! :)

Congratulations!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-04-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Currently Reading:
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
Coming out today
Summary from Goodreads:
Hunger for nourishment. Hunger for touch. Hunger to belong. Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers. Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries’ coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani’s death. Ani isn’t one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin’s plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

I feel like I need to reread the series every time I pick up the latest book in this series just because I keep losing track of what's going on with all the character changes and stuff but I simply don't have the time to reread the books. Gah! Oh well, I'll make do. I'm slightly confused as to where the story ends up as of right now but I'm sure I'll catch up somehow.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Spells Review

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Spells by Aprilynne Pike
Coming out May 4, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever. When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

My review:
Personally, I think I liked Wings better than Spells because I feel like Spells kind of got overrated - I'm too tired of reading about faeries now because I feel like they're getting really repetitive and really similar. Spells was still a good book, don't get me wrong, I just felt like it wasn't extraordinary.

One thing I enjoyed about this book was the Faerie land and the Academy. It was really interesting to get more information about the faeries in this world and how they interact with each other - the Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter faeries. I thought the description were really enthralling and captivating. You could sense the beauty of the faerie land.

The characters, Laurel, David and Tamani all grew tremendously as characters. They were definitely more developed - I think this is because it's the second book so it's obvious that the characters need to grow somewhat and they definitely did. The relationship between the three are as compelling as ever. I remember wondering who Laurel would end up with - David who knows her human nature or Tamani who can help her with her faerie ways. It was quite captivating. And both guys have their charms and good points which makes it so hard for Laurel to choose between them. I mean, even I will have difficulty!

Overall, Spells is a decent sequel to Wings and the writing and plot has grown for sure. I still recommend this series to those faerie fans.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 46/50 = 92%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Reckoning Review

2010-04-18T08:00:00.002-04:00

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Released on April 6, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

My review:
The Reckoning was everything I had expected and more. The suspense, the adventure, the chemistry between Derek and Chloe, everything together made this novel completely awesome.

The plot did not disappoint me. The pacing was excellent - it never went too fast nor too slow. It would go up and down and turn all around. Just when I thought they were safe, something new came up and I would hear my heart thumping as I anticipated what was to come. The story never slowed down but it never felt like it was going too fast for me to comprehend everything. It was a perfect blend between fast and slow.

Chloe, Derek, Tori and Simon were extremely well-written and well-developed characters. It was unimaginable to see how much they have all matured in only two or so weeks but, at the same time, it was to be expected with what they were all going through. It was also interesting to see how their relationship as all changed and how much they trust each other now - it was a complete 180 degrees from the first book.

The only thing that disappointed me was the ending. It somehow seemed unfinished but the only thing that's keeping me from being too sad is that there is to be another trilogy with the Edison Group again. So maybe Chloe, Derek, Tori and Simon will show up again.
Overall, The Reckoning is an amazing book that somewhat concluded the highly anticipated trilogy. I can't wait until the new trilogy is out!

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total: 48/50 = 96%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXXIII

2010-04-17T08:00:00.002-04:00

Books I got this week:

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (my xth copy of this book. seriously, got the ARC, the HB and now the PB...and this is not counting the multiple times of ARC/HB that I got last year T_T)
The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr

That's it! What did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Carrie Diaries Review

2010-04-16T20:00:00.002-04:00

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
Coming out April 27, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation? The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.

My review:
I actually received this book as a surprise so I wasn't so sure what to expect especially since I've never watched nor read Sex and the City. However, to my surprise, I really thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I found it extremely witty and engaging. It was surprisingly an addicting book that I couldn't let go of.

I actually thought this was an autobiography of the actress who played the main character so I was like, autobiography, ew, I don't like those. On the contrary though, the plot was fictional, thank goodness, and it was a delight for me to read it. There were definitely tinges of scandals throughout the book that made it seem really fun. Also, The Carrie Diaries is mainly a coming of age story so it was interesting to see how Carrie changed throughout the novel and became the person she is now.

Carrie was a lovable protagonist. I instantly found her enjoyable to read about because she just had a really sweet and realistic voice. She was also extremely easy to relate to because a lot of problems she had were the same that we will all face at least once in our lifetime. The other characters were also well-developed - characters like Walt, Mouse and Maggie revolved around Carrie's life so it was interesting to see how each of the character related themselves to Carrie.

Overall, The Carrie Diaries was a delight to read and I am eagerly awaiting to see if there are any more books in this series, if it is a series.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 43/50 = 86%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-04-16T08:00:00.002-04:00

Today's book is...
You Wish by Mandy Hubbard
Coming out Aug. 5, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteenth sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do. Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. And a boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride… but they MUST STOP. Because when she was 15? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend.

Her debut novel was really fun so I thought I'll like to try this book out as well. :) Plus, the whole best friend "stabbing" the friend by stealing her boyfriend is always entertaining to read.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Wide-Awake Princess Review

2010-04-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

The Wide-Awake Princess by ED Baker
Coming out May 11, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
In this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie?blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic?can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen's true love to kiss her awake.
But who is her true love? The irritating Digby? The happy-go-lucky Prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn't possibly spell true love? Joined by one of her father's guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters both familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family . . . and perhaps even find a true love of her own.

My review:
This book was a lot of fun to read. It incorporated a huge variety of our favorite classic fairy tales into one book which made it seem ridiculously hilarious and ingenious.

I loved how E.D. Baker managed to twist so many classics into one book and somehow made it work really well. I thought the plot was really cute and the though the characters weren't exactly well-developed, their fun and charm overcame it.

The plot was ingenious. The twist with the typical Sleeping Beauty story turned into a fun-filled adventure for Princess Annie that led her into meeting various characters from various fairy tales - the Princess and the Pea, Hansel and Gretel, the Frog Prince, Rapunzel, and many others. It was definitely interesting to see how each story seemed to seamlessly connect with each other without hardly any difficulties at all. Though the ending was the cliche, happily-ever-after, I have no qualms against it because that's what fairy tales are for.

Annie and Liam, though filled with charm and personality, were not exactly well-developed. However, I didn't think this was a negative thing because everything else made up for it. It wasn't something that brought the book down or anything.

Overall, I actually enjoyed The Wide-Awake Princess because it seemed to different yet so similar to the fairy tales we all know and love.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 42/50=84%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Author Wednesdays with...Angie Fraizer

2010-04-14T08:00:00.004-04:00

Today I have Angela Fraizer, author of the upcoming Everlasting.

What made you start writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a little girl, my earlier works being horror and ghost stories, and mysteries. I’m sure the material worried my parents quite a bit ;-) But I’ve always had an overactive imagination and I think my outlet was through writing.

How long have you been writing?

Since age 7 or 8 maybe? I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing, or didn’t want to be an author. It really has been something I’ve wanted since I was a kid.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

Sure! Actually, this description I found online captures it best:
Sailing aboard her father's ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille has ever wanted. But as a lady of society her future is set: marry a man she doesn't love or loose her social standing. On her last voyage before the wedding, Camille learns about a life-changing secret that lies in Australia. When their Sydney-bound ship goes down in a gale, and her father dies, Camille sets out to find her long-lost mother and a map that could lead to an even greater and more dangerous secret—a stone that can bring back the dead. Throughout her journey to uncover the truth, the only person that Camille can depend upon is Oscar—her father’s handsome first mate—whom she is inexplicably drawn to despite their differences in social class.   Along the way, Camille faces many treacherous obstacles, but nothing so dangerous as forbidden love and an uncertain future.

How did you get the idea for writing Everlasting?

One winter I rented a caretaker’s cottage on the grounds of a beautiful estate in New Hampshire. The cottage had squirrels in the attic and mice in the cupboards, but the ceilings were amazing. In every room the ceiling was plastered in vintage travel posters. Many of them were for places in Australia. I was snowbound a lot that winter and had the itch to start a new story. I decided Australia would be a pretty good place to set a novel. I then built the characters and plot around the setting (which turns out to be the case in nearly all of my books!).
I’m a huge fan of star-crossed love stories, of history, of magic, and family dramas…so I put them all together into this one book!

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

Oooh, tough question! I’d have to say my favorite character Ira Beam, the Australian card shark who acts as Camille and Oscar’s guide across southern Victoria. He was so much fun to write! Ira is a total rascal, who manages to be vulgar yet charming. He definitely provides the humor element of the novel.

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

I honestly would love to meet Camille. She was so difficult to write…I knew her in my mind, but getting her out onto paper was tough. I’m in the planning stages for the final book of the trilogy and I think meeting her might give me some major insight.

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

SEVEN YEARS. Not kidding. I wrote the first draft in the winter of 2000, then revised it multiple times over the next few years. I set it aside a lot, knowing something was off with Camille’s story but not being sure what it was. Then, in 2006, I had an epiphany. Everything came to me. I finally knew what Camille’s story was. I finished it, revised once, sent it out to agents, and landed my fabulous agent in 2007.

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I didn’t set out to write YA. I just set out to write. It just so happened that most of my stories turned out to be YA. I didn’t know what YA even was, but when I discovered the term and began reading YA novels, I thought: “Oh! So this is what I’ve been writing!”

What’s the next step in your writing career?

I’m currently waiting for revision notes for the sequel to Everlasting (Summer 2011), and am planning what will hopefully be a third Everlasting book. Also, I’m very excited about my first middle grade novel, Suzanna Snow and the Mystery of the Midnight Tunnel (Spring 2011, Scholastic Press). It’s the first of a planned mystery series.

Any advice for future authors?

When you’re writing, ignore the market, the trends, anything that makes you second guess what you’ve decided to write about. Just write your story. And I can’t impress enough the importance of sharing your work with critique partners. It’s the best way to grow as a writer.

Any other comments?

Thanks Stephanie!

Thanks Angie!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Jekel Loves Hyde Review

2010-04-13T20:00:00.001-04:00

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
Coming out May 3, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship. To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

My review:
The premise for this novel is definitely original - it twists the classic that everyone knows in a modern way. However, I didn't enjoy the execution as much as I should have. The plot wasn't as intense and as suspenseful as I had imagined and the chemistry between Jill and Tristen felt lacking in more ways than one.

The characters, Jill and Tristen, lacked a lot of realism. Jill was portrayed as a typical shy, timid teenage girl who was just so timid and shy that nothing ever really happened. She definitely lacked courage and seemed to hesitate on a lot of stuff which made it somewhat frustrating at times. Tristen had a lot of mysterious air about him but somehow, it didn't seem realistic. He was definitely better written compared to Jill but still lacked the realism that other characters in other novels seem to have.

Jekel Loves Hyde's plot seemed really interesting but in reality, it seemed somewhat dimmer than what I had expected. There were a lot of complicated issues discussed but never fully understood which made the book seem less than what it could have been. One thing I was expecting was a lot of information on the experiment that Jill and Tristen were recreating because that's what the book should have been about but instead, there were very vague descriptions that never led me to fully comprehend exactly what they were doing except the obvious: recreate the experiment to change one's personality and create a whole other self. Other than that, I don't know.

The relationship between Jill and Tristen seemed like it was on the surface level only. There didn't seem to be much chemistry between the two which kind of disappointed me. I never felt like they were bonding or anything.

Overall, Jekel Loves Hyde is an adequate second novel for Beth but I overestimated it.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 39/50 = 78%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-04-13T08:00:00.002-04:00

Currently Reading:
The Tensions of Opposites by Kristina McBride
Coming out May 25, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
It’s been two years since Noelle disappeared. Two years since her bike was discovered, sprawled on a sidewalk. Two years of silence, of worry, of fear. For those two long years, her best friend Tessa has waited, living her own life in a state of suspended animation. Because how can she allow herself to enjoy a normal high school life if Noelle can’t? How dare she have other friends, go to dances, date boys, without knowing what happened to the girl she thought she would share everything with? And then one day, someone calls Noelle’s house. She’s alive. A haunting psychological thriller taken straight from the headlines, The Tension of Opposites is a striking debut that explores the emotional aftermath of a kidnapping on the victim, and on the people she left behind.

So far, it's actually a lot better than what I had expected. :)

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Rules of Attraction Review

2010-04-12T08:00:00.002-04:00

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
Coming out April 27, 2010
Summary from Goodreads
When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

My review:
Rules of Attraction was a great sequel to Perfect Chemistry. It had the same amount of attraction, if not more, than Alex and Brittany and the same amount of bad boy vibe from Carlos.

The one thing different from Rules of Attraction compared to Perfect Chemistry is that this one has a lot more sexual tension which brings this book to a more mature crowd. There were quite a few almost-sex scenes which, in a way, brings the focus of the book to that rather than just the attraction of Carlos and Kiara and the obstacles they go through.

Carlos is a very strong character. He's the ultimate bad boy, not including his brother, Alex, of course and with Kiara, the ultimate Christian do-gooder there, they somehow complement each other. He's very confident in whatever he does and it definitely shows, in fact, it oozes, throughout the novel. Kiara is more shy and with the help of Carlos, she manages to become more confident.

The one negative thing I didn't enjoy as much was Kiara's background. She basically came from the perfect family with very few problems and so it just wasn't as interesting as Brittany's background. In a way, it seemed too unrealistic and too fake. I like something more dramatic. :)

Overall, Rules of Attraction was a great novel. I found myself thoroughly drawn into the story but despite that, I still feel like this book is a pale comparison to Perfect Chemistry.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total: 47/50 = 94%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Just Some Updates...

2010-04-11T08:00:00.004-04:00

So, I should probably let you guys know that I'm thinking of "quitting" my blog soon because for the past year, it's been a hassle balancing my grades for college as well as keeping up with this blog. If you've noticed, my reviews have dwindled since last year and I haven't been as into the blogging world as I should be.

Of course, I'll still be around for a few more weeks until my semester's over just so I'll have some time to wrap things up. Like, the contests/giveaways I'm hosting and some of the reviews for the books that are releasing soon. I'll most likely stop blogging end of April which is about 3 more weeks give or take a few days. I'll definitely let you guys know when my last post will be up.

As for the books that I've recently gotten, I'll still be doing the reviews for the books that will be released before and during May and will hopefully post them up between now and end of April. However, for books that aren't going to be released until far into the summer, I will most likely not post them on my blog but they'll be posted on Goodreads as well as emailed to the publicists. So no worries there, I hope.

Now, as for the contests and giveaways, don't worry, I'll still be doing them. And even better? Because I need to move out of my dorm in a few weeks, I can't possibly lug 30-40 books back home so I've decided to change my Random Big Giveaway from only TWO winners to THREE so I don't have to bring so much books back. I hope this is a good thing? :) And each winner will most likely get about 9-10 books instead of the 8-9 that was mentioned previously.

I think that's really all I need to say. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at juiciliciousssreviews@gmail.com or leave a comment. Either way works fine.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXXII

2010-04-10T08:00:00.003-04:00

Books I got this week:

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy (2nd copy)
Summer of the Geek by Piper Banks
Bullet Point by Peter Abrahams
Mistwood by Leah Cypess
Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson
Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Brilliant by Rachel Vail
Compromised by Heidi Ayarbe
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken (not depicted, my friend borrowed it, 2nd copy)

That's it! It was awesome going to pick up my packages and finding Forgive My Fins JUST after posting my Forward-ing Friday post. :) What did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

My Invisible Boyfriend Review

2010-04-09T20:00:00.002-04:00

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day
Released on April 1, 2010
Summary from Goodreads
Heidi has the perfect solution to her popularity problems - a fake boyfriend. She's even made him an Internet profile that makes him look like a motorcycle-riding, poetry reading bad boy. *swoon* Heidi's friends are so impressed they start emailing Heidi's fake boyfriend with their problems . . . including their problems with Heidi. As if that weren't bad enough, a delicious and possibly single person called "A Real Boy" emails Heidi to say he knows the truth. Can Heidi escape from her world wide web of lies? Or will her chance at romance disappear faster than you can type gtg?

My review:
The premise was great, the execution...not so much. I remember looking at the summary and being extremely excited because the idea of a creating your own fake boyfriend just sounds so clever. However, after reading the first twenty pages or so, I remember getting a massive headache at the writing and the execution of the plot. It was like everything blurred in front of me and I just couldn't continue. I ended up skimming and skipping a lot to just read the emails and communication Heidi had with her "boyfriend". And even doing that was an agony in its own nature.

The one thing I did enjoy though was the ending. It shouldn't have been a surprise to me who the "A Real Boy" is but, I think, due to my skipping around, I was surprised. I should have seen it coming sooner. Don't get me wrong though, I really liked the ending - I thought it was a pleasant surprise and really sweet.

Heidi and her friends weren't that well-developed. I honestly felt no love for any of them. Heidi also had this really strange quirk which the hell out of me. She would always break some of the words down in the syllables but...not normal ones. Like Karin said (I was just looking at her review): "if she wants to say, “Oh My God!” she would say:
OHM.
EYE.
GOD."
Seriously? That was actually an okay one but some were completely ridiculous and I couldn't, for the love of God, figure out what she was saying. It was ridiculous and I think, this was also a reason why I got such a massive headache after reading a few of these.

Overall, My Invisible Boyfriend is not the greatest. If you do want to try this book out, just be prepared to pull your hair out in frustration and, maybe, like me, get a massive headache.

My rating:
Plot: 6/10
Theme: 6/10
Characters: 5/10
Cover: 6/10
Recommendation: 4/10
Total: 27/50 = 54%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-04-09T08:00:00.002-04:00

Today's book is...
Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Coming out May 19, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush. Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life. When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

I enjoyed her other novels so I'm having huge expectations of this one as well. :)

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Morpheus Road Review

2010-04-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

Morpheus Road by DJ MacHale
Coming out May 4, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it’s clear whatever this isit’s huge. Marshall has no idea what’s happening to him, but he’s soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who’s been missing for over a week. Together with Coop’s sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined.

My review:
I was really creeped out by this book. Some of the graphics made my imagination run wild which resulted in me freaking out. I do give credits for the explicit details and I'm sure horror fans would love this book.

The plot itself was all over the place. At first, it was about the character that Marshall made up and then the "kidnapping" of his best friend, Cooper. They were separate but the author managed to pull things together so both subplots were able to coordinate well with each other. However, towards the end of the book, the last 50 pages of so, that was when the plot really went wild. So many things happened and I was so confused. What was the "main" plot of the book or what I thought was the "main" plot of the book turned out completely false and completely opposite of what was really going on. I remember rereading some parts and going "what's going on, what the heck is happening?!" It was confusing, to say the least. This is probably the one thing I really have to say.

The characters weren't that well-developed. They were adequate. I didn't really relate much to any of the characters including Marshall and the other sub-characters.

Overall, Morpheus Road would most likely appeal to teen horror fans.

My rating:
Plot: 7/10
Theme: 7/10
Characters: 6/10
Cover: 6/10
Recommendation: 7/10
Total: 33/50 = 66%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Swoon At Your Own Risk Review

2010-04-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

Swoon At Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter
Released on April 5, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
It’s the summer before senior year and Polly Martin has sworn off boys. Who needs the hurt and confusion? Five recent breakups have left her with an unnatural knowledge of NASCAR, the ultimate hiker’s outfit, a student council position, the sixth highest score on the Donkey Kong machine at the mall, and a summer job at Wild Waves with ex #2 Sawyer Holmes. Success seems a sure thing when Polly’s grandmother, the syndicated advice columnist, Miss Swoon, moves in for the summer. Polly almost doesn’t mind sharing a room with her little sister, Grace. Think of all the great advice she’ll get! Everything is going according to plan except... Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy septuagenarian! And then there’s Xander Cooper. If only he wouldn’t keep showing up at Wild Waves with his adorable cousins every afternoon — and what is he writing in that little notebook? No advice column in the world can prepare Polly for the lessons she learns when she goes on a group camping trip (with three too many ex-boyfriends). Polly is forced to see people for who they are — a blend of good and bad qualities that can’t be reduced to a list or a snappy answer in a Miss Swoon column.

My review:
I liked Swoon at Your Own Risk but I didn't really, really like it - it was good enough for me to enjoy thoroughly. I thought the plot was interesting but kind of cliche in some areas. I feel like there are always books about the main girl protagonist who decides to swear off boys and then hilarity ensues. Like, look at the Lonely Hearts Club. Isn't that the same thing or at least really similar?

Anyway, besides the plot, I enjoyed the characters. I actually didn't like Polly much because I just couldn't relate to her. I felt like what she was thinking was completely different than what she was doing. It didn't really add up. The character I really liked was Xander. I thought he was a wonderful character and not just because he looks so good but because of his deep personality. I loved the...poems? he wrote. Are they even considered poems? Either way, I liked reading them and it definitely showed a different side of Xander - one that I wouldn't have expected and obviously, neither did Polly.

The other characters were kind of one-sided - they were fun to read about but they weren't great.

The ending was kind of disappointing, to be honest. I was actually expecting some more but the reality seemed to be less dramatic than what I was playing out in my mind which tends to happen more and more often these days...

Overall, Swoon at Your Own Risk is a good book and one that'll pass the time quickly but don't expect TOO much.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 39/50 = 78%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Cinderella Society Review

2010-04-06T20:00:00.001-04:00

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
Released on April 13, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
When the Prom Queen becomes your fairy godmother… Sixteen year old outsider, Jess Parker, gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join a secret society of popular girls dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. The Cinderella Society guides all new recruits through its top secret ultimate life makeover. It’s all part of preparing them to face down the Wickeds and win. Determined not to let the Cindys down, Jess dives in with a passion. Finally, a chance to belong and show the world what she’s made of. … be careful what you wish for. Jess’s transformation wins her the heart of her dream crush and a shot at uber-popularity. Until the Wickeds–led by Jess’s arch enemy–begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers the real force behind her exclusive society. It’s a high stakes battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys in power need Jess on special assignment. When the mission threatens to destroy her dream life come true, Jess is forced to choose between living a fairy tale and honoring the Sisterhood… and herself. What’s a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn’t want to wear it anymore?

My review:
If I had to say one short sentence about this book, it would be "a self-help book for girls written in a book format". Really. I felt like I was reading all these self-help advices and tips for girls who have low self-esteem or something.

The plot was kind of interesting but, at the same time, ridiculously lame. I mean, the Wickeds and the Villains? Cinderellas and the Charmings? Really? I thought it was really lame. But other than some of the lame nicknames and stuff, there were also a lot of helpful tips to, like I said before, girls especially those with low self-confidence. And even though I feel like it's targeted to those girls, I'm sure all girls can read this novel and gain some invaluable information for themselves.

The one thing I found interesting in this book is that the "Queens" of the school ended up being completely different than the stereotype. They were helpful, nice and oozed self-confidence that would influence the regular humans in a positive way.

Jess wasn't that well-developed. She never really stood out to me. To be honest, I found her annoying. Her insistence in saving those who are not as well off seemed really fake and insincere. I didn't like her.

Also, the relationship between her and Ryan was very disappointing and extremely cliche. I didn't really understand the reason why Jess liked Ryan so much. There were some information on his past but I didn't think it was enough to justify anything.

Overall, The Cinderella Society is definitely a book for feminists alike and those who feel like they are in the dump should try this book out and hopefully, when they're done reading, will have more confidence in themselves.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 40/50 = 80%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-04-06T08:00:00.002-04:00

Currently Reading:
The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
Coming out April 27, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation? The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.

So far, it's actually kind of interesting - more than I had expected. I never read nor watched Sex and the City so I wasn't sure if I would like this book.

What are you guys reading?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

500 Followers Giveaway!

2010-04-05T08:00:00.007-04:00

I managed to get 500 followers but it was a day late but that's okay. :) I'll still do the giveaway anyway.

Up for grabs for ONE winner:
White Cat by Holly Black (ARC)
Swoon at Your Own Risk (ARC)
The Cinderella Society (ARC)
The Dark Divine Nail Polish
Tethered by Amy MacKinnon*
Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr*
Summer of the Geek by Piper Banks*
*recently updated

To enter, fill out this form. Also, for every 100 people who enter this giveaway, I'll add in one more book into the pile. At the end of the two weeks, the one winner will take 'em all! :]

Open to: US & Canada only. Sorry internationals!

Deadline: April 19th, 2010

Good luck!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Brightly Woven Review

2010-04-04T08:00:00.003-04:00

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
Released on March 23, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him. In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers. Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

My review:
I really enjoyed this book - I wasn't expecting much so maybe I was surprised by how engrossed I was with this novel so it turned out that I really liked it.

The plot was great. I adored reading about everything that was happening and how North and Sydelle managed to outwit their opponents yet again. There were so many things going on - the overall story with Sydelle traveling to the main city to warn the queen about the attacks on the border and the war but it was also riddled with little stories - Sydelle's growing powers, Sydelle and North's relationship, North's history with Dorwan and his "curse" and even the dragon-slaying scene. In a way, there were a lot of random stuff going on but at the end, the author managed to draw everything together which is also why I enjoyed it so much.

Sydelle and North's relationship was well-portrayed. Their ongoing banter at the beginning to a more caring relationship. I loved how they both changed as the plot went on - they grew up and became more mature. I admired Sydelle especially because she actually did what she said she'll do. She wasn't afraid to carry out her words. I thought she was a particularly strong character. Other than Sydelle and North, the secondary characters were not well-developed and were kind of flat in nature.

The one negative thing I can say about this book is some of the confusion. Some stuff weren't really made clear and could have used a better explanation. However, other than that, I really liked Brightly Woven. I recommend this book to those who enjoyed Fire and Graceling by Kristin Cashore

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 45/50 = 90%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXXI

2010-04-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

Books that I received this week:

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison
Invisible Things by Jenny Davidson

I was super excited when I got The Reckoning, have been waiting for it for a while now~ I think it got lost in the mail or something but it is now safely with me, hehe. And Early to Death, Early to Rise! I'm excited. So that's it! What did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Sky is Everywhere Review

2010-04-02T20:00:00.001-04:00

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Released on March 9, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

My review:
I wasn't actually expecting much from this book and was quite hesitant to read it. However, I'm completely glad that I took the time to get a hold of this novel and took the time to read it. An extremely satisfying read.

The plot itself wasn't the most original but the execution of it was excellent. The pacing, the narration and even the sporadic poems allowed this book to be very rich. The pacing was perfect - it seemed to give each scene the time it deserves without making it too lengthy or hurried. The narration, though a little strong at times, was still equally satisfying as everything else in this book. I also enjoyed reading the poems throughout the book that depicted Lennie's feelings and emotions. I thought it was a nice touch.

The characters, Lennie, Joe and Toby were all well-portrayed. I loved the mutual attraction between Lennie and Joe. It was obvious from the start that they are well-matched with their shared love of music. The relationship between Lennie and Toby was kind of iffy. I didn't really understand the attraction, or should I say, lust, that occurred between the two. I understand their shared grief but to lust after one another especially when one was Bailey's sister and other was Bailey's boyfriend? It just seemed wrong on so many levels.

Overall, The Sky is Everywhere depicts a very realistic, exquisite and thought-provoking book. It explores the realities of life with poetry, romance, and seemingly stunning prose. I definitely recommend this book.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total: 47/50 = 94%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-04-02T08:00:00.002-04:00

Today's book is...
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Coming out Oct. 1, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal. Normal is so overrated.

Even though there's so many books with the same genre and similar plotlines, I still love paranormal books~ and the cover looks nice too :)

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Princess for Hire Review

2010-04-01T10:00:00.002-04:00

Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Released on March 16, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
When a well-dressed woman steps out of a bubble and wants to know if you'd like to become a substitute princess, do you A) run B) faint C) say yes? For Desi Bascomb, who's been longing for some glamour in her Idaho life, the choice is a definite C). Desi has a rare ability: with the help of "Royal Rouge," she can temporarily transform into the exact look-alike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right? Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras.... In this winning debut, one girl's dream of glamour transforms into the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.

My review:
Princess for Hire is one of those that have absolutely no meaning to it but at the same time, extremely fun to read. It's one of those books that will be perfect to pass the time - a beach read, basically.

What I liked most from Princess of Hire was its originality - the plot. The plot itself had a great storyline but at times, the execution of it wasn't that great. It was slightly predictable, well, really predictable at some parts of the book and sometimes, the scene would just drag on when you're basically ready for the next part to come to hand. Despite that though, I still think that the idea of subbing for real princess or prince would be awesome. Imagine living a life of glamour and wealth even if it's only for a short period of time. At least, you'll have experienced it somewhat.

Desi was a likable character. She had a very bubbly personality and the way how she went out of her way to help the princesses in need was great. I definitely admired her for that. I also admired her guts for doing it because she was continuously scolded and lectured to not do things out of protocol but Desi knew what was right and she wasn't afraid to step out of line to do it. I enjoyed reading all her missions and at first, they were just plain hilarious then as she got more experience, they started to have more meaning.

Overall, Princess for Hire is a fun read and will be great for a day of relaxing. I recommend this book to younger teens who enjoy reading about the wonders of being a princess.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 41/50 = 82%

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Author Wednesdays with...Kristina McBride

2010-03-31T20:00:00.004-04:00

Today I have Kristina McBride, author of the upcoming The Tensions of Opposites!

What made you start writing?

I started writing at a very young age. I’ve always had an obsession with books, the way they feel and smell, and since I was very young, I have dreamed of having my name on the front cover of my own book. I started journaling and writing poems and short stories in high school, and wrote my first novel after the birth of my daughter in 2005.

How long have you been writing?

I started writing seriously when I quit teaching in 2005 to stay home after the birth of my first child. It took three manuscripts, but I finally landed my dream agent (Alyssa Eisner Henkin of Trident Media Group) in 2008.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

The Tension of Opposites begins when 16-year-old Tessa McMullen learns that her best friend, Noelle, who was kidnapped two years ago, has been found. Alive. When Noelle returns, she is distant and self-destructive, and Tessa wonder if she will ever find a way to connect with her. But she has no plan of giving up. Tessa is also struggling with feelings she has for Max, a new kid in her photography class. Tessa lived the two years of Noelle’s kidnapping in a state of suspended animation, avoiding her life because of a deep sense of survivor’s guilt, and finds it difficult to open herself up to this really great guy who is very interested in her.
Will she ever find a way to connect with Noelle? Will she allow herself to experience her first-ever relationship with a beautiful guy? Hmmm . . . can’t tell! You’ll have to read for yourself!

How did you get the idea for writing The Tensions of Opposites?

One day while my daughter was napping, I watched an episode of Oprah where she was interviewing a young man who had recently been found after being kidnapped four years earlier. I was captivated by his story, and in awe of the strength it must have taken for him to survive the ordeal. Soon after, the voice of Tessa started speaking to me. (I know this whole “speaking to me” comment makes me sound a little crazy, but that’s how my creative process works!)

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

This is like asking which of my two children is my favorite. I really love all of the characters in my novel. I think the scenes with Noelle, the kidnapped-and-returned character, were the most fun to write because she’s struggling to fit in to this life that just doesn’t feel familiar to her anymore. And even if we’ve never been kidnapped, we can all relate to this feeling on some level, can’t we?

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

Again, I would have to say Noelle. I would love to give her a big hug and tell her that she is stronger than she realizes.

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

I wrote the first draft in about three months. After my agent picked it up, I worked on revisions for almost a year. Once she said it was ready for submission to editors, I had three offers in three weeks! (You might still be able to hear the echo of my squee bouncing around the universe.) Alyssa is so very talented and also a bit of a miracle worker. I am so fortunate to have her on my side!

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I was a high school English teacher and yearbook advisor for eight years. Teen characters seem to pop up in my head and start talking to me out of nowhere. Because ignoring them might make me totally insane, I write YA.

What’s the next step in your writing career?

I am currently working on a draft of the second novel in my two-book deal with Egmont USA. All I can say about it right now is that it is totally unrelated to The Tension of Opposites.

Any advice for future authors?

Don’t give up. Ever. Research your genre. Research how to query agents, and query away. Then querying some more. Like most things in life, persistence is key to finding success in writing. Oh, yeah, try your best to work up a thick skin. There’s a lot of pain involved in this business. Try not to take it personally. Be professional in all your dealings with those you contact.

Thanks Kristina! Here are some more information:
Website: www.kristinamcbride.com
Blog: http://kristinamcbride.livejournal.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/McBrideKristina
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6889070-the-tension-of-opposites

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Author Wednesdays with...Deb Caletti

2010-03-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

Today I have Deb Caletti, author of The Six Rules of Maybe and many others!

What made you start writing? How long have you been writing?

I always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was maybe seven years old. (There was that brief period of wanting to be Nancy Drew, though. Another literary-related longing.) I wanted to write because I loved reading so much. I was (and still am) a book addict. I also had a need to explain things to myself through words, and to understand through description. I knew from that young age that writing was the place I felt most like myself. It's more who I am than what I do.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

SIX RULES is about a girl, Scarlet Hughes, who is always involving herself in the problems and messes of other people – her friends, her neighbors, her family members. When her sister (the beautiful and aloof Juliet) comes home married and pregnant to a sweet young guy who she seems to have no real love for, everything changes. Scarlet finds herself falling hard for him, and must look at her own life and her own needs for the first time.

How did you get the idea for writing The Six Rules of Maybe?

SIX RULES came about when I was spending time with my beloved in the neighborhood where he lived before we got married. It was a quaint, busy neighborhood – a retired mailman next door, a girl across the street who chalked a drawing of a prom dress on the sidewalk, an old couple with a parked RV with The Pleasure Way written in script on the side. We were also spending a lot of time with my beloved’s dog (my now crazy step dog Tucker), who became Zeus in the book. But mostly during that time I was thinking about the snarls good people get into when they feel they need to rescue others. I had struggled with that in my past, we both had, and I could see that lots of my readers had, too, by the letters I got. This is what I wanted to explore: When is giving too much? When does it become an excuse for not claiming your life as your own?

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

I rather like Hayden. He seems like a fine person. I also like the motorcyclist who moves in next door. And Zeus. The dogs are almost always my favorite characters. :)

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

I think I HAVE met them all, in one way or another – either in “real life” or as pieces of myself. Scary to admit. Sounds a little psycho.

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

It usually takes me a year and a half to write a book. This one took a bit longer, as life intervened – a house sale, a move, staying temporarily in a houseboat, a family illness. SIX RULES was written around a lot of bumps and distraction.

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I didn’t set out to write YA - it was a lucky accident. The first book that I published, THE QUEEN OF EVERYTHING, was written as an adult book. When it was picked up by Simon & Schuster for the young adult market, I found myself here. This is the route for many Y/A writers, but I think most of us will agree that it’s a great place to find ourselves. Here I am, with these terrific readers that I love for their honesty and true book love. What’s cool, too, is that because I didn’t (and still don’t) know how to write “a young adult book” (whatever that is), I have an audience that varies in age from 11 to 91. I hope my readers can also feel that I don’t treat them as “teens” (a word that too often is used in some weird kind of quotation marks), but just as the people and kindred book lovers that they are to me.

What’s the next step in your writing career?

More books, of course. Writing books is what I do. I imagine I’ll still be writing when I’m an old, old lady.

Any advice for future authors?

At risk of sounding like a Dr. Seuss book: Read, read, read. Write, write, write. Books are your best teachers, and writing is a craft that takes practice (sometimes many years of it). If you love it enough to learn and work hard, it can happen for you.

Any other comments?

I hope you’ll all come and visit my Facebook fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Caletti/99412624894 as well as my new web site, coming in March www.debcaletti.com Happy reading!

Thanks Deb!

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Hex Hall Review

2010-03-30T20:00:00.002-04:00

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Released on March 2, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
When Sophie Mercer turned thirteen, she discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-Gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hecate Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward prodigium, a.k.a. witches, fae, and shapeshifters. By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard. Three powerful enemies who look like supermodels; a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock; a creepy, tag-along ghost; and a new roommate, who happens to be the most-hated person and only vampire on campus. Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her friend Jenna is the number one suspect. Meanwhile, Sophie has a more personal shock to grapple with. Not only is her father the head of the prodigium council, he's the most powerful warlock in the world, and Sophie is his heir. As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all prodigium, especially her.

My review:
Hex Hall had a ton of cliches riddled throughout the plot but despite that I found it extremely enjoyable and fun.

The plot was a typical paranormal book full of paranormal creatures: ghosts, fairies, vampires, werewolves and witches. It was like...a paranormal galore! There were definitely some twists to the plot that made the book seem all the more worthwhile to read. The one thing I can say though is that because I've read so many similar books, I probably could have done without reading Hex Hall as well. I mean, it was enjoyable but not as original as I would have liked. Also, despite all the twists and turns throughout the book, I found some aspects of the ending ridiculously predictable. I saw it coming miles away.

Sophie was a very typical protagonist. The only thing I liked was her charm and wit - without that, I wouldn't have liked her at all. I also thought she was very average in characteristics but that's probably because I've read so many paranormal books that the protagonists all seem to blend with each other.

The writing style was one of the best part. The pacing of the book was great. Not too fast and not too slow. The action is distributed evenly throughout the entire plot without the typical error of cramming everything into the last chapter or so.

Overall, I actually enjoyed Hex Hall and I'm sure those who enjoyed supernatural books will find this book equally as entertaining.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 43/50 = 86%

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Currently Tuesdays

2010-03-30T08:00:00.002-04:00

Currently Reading:
White Cat by Holly Black
Coming out May 4, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago. Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

So far, it's kind of predictable...but whatever.

What are you guys reading?

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The Unwritten Rule Review

2010-03-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Coming out April 6, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like you best friend's boyfriend. Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend. Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful. Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

My review:
Another Elizabeth Scott novel that I absolutely adored. The story plot line was extremely cute and very well written and organized.

I found myself liking the main characters, Sarah and Ryan because they are just so cute together. In fact, the one character I didn't like was Brianna because she was really annoying. She was one of those people who would often bring others down. I don't think she realize she's doing it which is probably even worse since she's not doing it on purpose. But still. She would often insult Sarah and praise herself. She has, like, no modesty, at all. The most ironic thing was, however, that Ryan never found her attractive. Well, maybe a little bit. But not enough compared to the way he felt about Sarah.

The one characteristic I found myself disliking about Sarah was her obliviousness to Brianna's insults. She's blindly following her best friend down the road without realizing that she's being insulted at almost every corner. In a way, that was probably the saddest thing. But that's only thing, really. Other than that, I found Sarah to be very mature. She found herself falling for her best friend's boyfriend and for her best friend's sake, she resisted most, if not all, temptations. In a way, she was a lot more mature than Brianna.

Ryan, though, was such a sweet and caring guy. Though I did feel like he was too caring at times. Too caring that he couldn't let Brianna go sooner. So it was good that he finally stood up and followed the girl he actually likes. It made me happy.

Overall, The Unwritten Rule was a really cute book. It definitely wasn't the best Elizabeth had written but it is definitely up there in the ranking of books.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 42/50 = 84%

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The Mark Review

2010-03-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

The Mark by Jen Nadol
Released on Jan. 19, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today. Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

My review:

So. I was actually expecting a LOT from this book because the summary made it seem soo interesting. Unfortunately, however, this was not the case. Instead, I received a pale imitation of what this book could have been. I was expecting an awesome fantasy novel about Cassandra's ability to foretell when someone is about to die. Rather than getting what I wanted, it seemed like The Mark was basically a coming-of-age story. Definitely not as interesting.

The plot itself was fine. Expected more action and stuff but got philosophical debates between Cassandra and her summer fling, Lucas. I personally thought those were a bore but that's just me and my dislike for anything philosophical. I mean, I'm reading a fictional book, lay off the philosophical aspects please. Well, it would be interesting for those who like that kind of stuff...but yea.

Another thing about the plot was some of the randomness of things. Before reading The Mark, I thought the main point would be about the actual mark but instead, there were a lot of random turns and felt like things dragged on and went around in circles. Pretty confusing. So at the end, I'm not really sure what the whole point of the book is. It seemed like she finally knew how to react to the Mark but it wasn't a clear conclusion by far.

Cassandra wasn't the best protagonist either. I didn't connect with her at all and thought some of the things she said and did were ridiculously lame. Also, her relationship with Lucas? It seemed abnormal. At first, it's really sweet but it definitely felt like it was going too fast at times. Not only that but Lucas turned out to be really...strange. As in, creepy, to say the least. Where was the sweet and nice Lucas that was there at the beginning? So strange.

Overall, The Mark was an okay read. It would definitely be more towards those who enjoy philosophy because, to me, that was mostly what this book was about.

My rating:
Plot: 7/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 7/10
Total: 39/50 = 78%

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In My Mailbox XXXX

2010-03-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

Only got one book this week but I think it's a fairly good book so I'm not too disappointed. :)

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

So what did you guys get?

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Hourglass Review

2010-03-26T20:00:00.000-04:00

Hourglass by Claudia Gray
Released on Jan. 8, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school, Bianca and Lucas seek refuge with Black Cross, the elite group of vampire hunters led by Lucas’s stepfather. When Bianca’s close friend—the vampire Balthazar—is captured by Black Cross, Bianca knows she has to do whatever it takes to save him. But at what cost?

My review:
Hmm, I just read some other reviews and what they've all be agreeing is that 1) Hourglass is the best by far and 2) they were totally surprised with the ending. I'm not so sure about #1 but #2? Definitely. I did NOT see that coming. In fact, I wasn't expecting that at all.

I'm not sure if Hourglass is the best out of the three because I liked Stargazer as well. I think those two were pretty much on the same line.

The plot for Hourglass is very unpredictable. Just when I'm about to understand what's going on, the plot twists yet again and leaves me surprised and shocked. I loved the suspense and the anticipation that Claudia provides. The action, the tension between the vampires and the Black Cross, the relationship between Lucas and Bianca and the surprises are scattered all throughout the plot so there is no reason to think that the story is boring. There is always something going on.

I just love Bianca and Lucas. Though I didn't like them as much as I did in Stargazer, I still found their relationship strong and true. It's obvious to see how much they care about each other and what extent they'll go to protect each other. Their relationship was tested emotionally and physically and yet they passed them all. I probably found their relationship the best part of the book.

The ending, like everyone has said, is extremely unexpected. I'm not sure if it's the best ending out there but it's definitely unexpected. I can't really say anything more than that otherwise I'll give the whole book away. Just read it and expect to be surprised. :)

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total: 47/50 = 94%

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"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-03-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

Today's book is...
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Released on Feb. 1, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart.

I've been meaning to pick up this book from the library sometime soon but haven't gotten the chance yet especially with my ever-increasingly TBR pile. But I will pick it up. Soon. Hopefully. :) I like the cover and I've always had a thing for fairies or anything paranormal actually. Haha.

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Gone Review

2010-03-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

Gone by Lisa McMann
Released on Feb. 9. 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she’d made her peace with it. But she can’t handle dragging Cabel down with her. She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He’s amazing. And she’s a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves: She has to disappear. And it’s going to kill them both. Then a stranger enters her life — and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she’d ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out....

My review:
It's kind of a depressing book, really. Not as exciting or intense as the first two installments. I was actually kind of...disappointed because this book was supposed to be the best and was supposed to do an awesome job in wrapping everything up. Unfortunately though, this was not the case. Yes, it somewhat wrapped things up but everything was just so anti-climatic.

The plot introduced a new character that apparently impacts Janie's life in a major way. This person introduces a completely new solution that Janie can opt to take as well as the consequences of choosing that solution. At first, it seems like an awesome idea - the perfect solution to the otherwise turning blind and having arthritis by age 30. Unfortunately though, this solution brings about a consequence so dire that really allows the readers to sympathize with Janie with her both extremely horrid future. This was probably the main reason why I didn't enjoy this book so much. There was no happy ending. Both choices that Janie can choose are both negative. There's no good solution to the whole thing.

Janie definitely jumped down a few notches on my favorite characters list. I liked her personality, her charisma before. However, in this book, you can plainly see her depression, her helplessness to what's going on around her, and the somewhat deteriorating relationship between her and Cabel. I couldn't feel her liveliness and her character anymore. I didn't like her as much but I definitely empathized with her more.

Overall, Gone wrapped things up but it wasn't as good as I was expecting. The ending is just so depressing.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 39/50 = 78%

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Author Wednesdays with...Chris Brodien-Jones

2010-03-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Today I have Chris Brodien-Jones, author of The Owl Keeper.

What made you start writing?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I always had stories bottled up inside my head, ready to leap out. A passion for books fired my imagination and inventing stories came easily to me. As a kid I haunted my small-town library (conveniently around the corner from my house), devouring fantasies, fairy tales, biographies, adventure, you name it. My heroines ranged from Pippi Longstocking to Amelia Earhart to Jo March. I was also a comic book aficionado who was lucky enough to have a dad who read the funnies out loud to me every Sunday.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been making up stories since I was seven, when I wrote “Leo the Dragon,” a 10-page fantasy. My mom was my first “agent,” typing up the story and sending it out to children’s magazines! In elementary school our teachers encouraged us to let our imaginations run wild, and because I loved scary books and horror films I usually wrote stories about vampires, mummy’s curses, that sort of thing. Later, at college, I studied journalism and creative writing; over the years I published articles, news stories and some adult short stories.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

THE OWL KEEPER is a story of hope and loss and betrayal, and of love and friendship. It’s about overcoming one’s deepest fears, and also deals with the struggle between light and dark, good and evil. At the heart of the book is Max Unger, a sickly timid boy who lives in a bleak post-apocalyptic world ruled by the all-powerful High Echelon. He’s allergic to sunlight and can only leave his house at night.
When the story opens, Max’s only friend is a silver owl with a broken wing, but then one night a strange girl appears and shakes up his quiet existence. At first Max isn’t sure whether he can trust Rose, who’s wild and rebellious, or whether he can believe anything she tells him. Yet as time goes on, Max begins to question everything he believes in. When things fall apart unexpectedly, he and Rose flee into the forest, on a dangerous journey to a frozen no-man’s land, in search of the mysterious Owl Keeper.

How did you get the idea for writing The Owl Keeper?

Influenced by books such as 1984, BRAVE NEW WORLD, THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS, and THE STAND, as well as movies like ‘On the Beach,” and other post-apocalyptic films, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of what the world might be like in the future. When I started writing THE OWL KEEPER in November 2001, shortly after September 11th, the world felt grim and dark, and the future seemed bleak. I wanted to write a story about hope.
Around that time I was struck by an article I read in The New York Times, about children who are unable to tolerate ultraviolet light. Then I saw a film called “The Others,” a spooky Gothic tale about two children who are fatally allergic to sunlight. To give my story a twist, I decided to make its hero averse to sunlight. Yet even though Max loves the dark, spending his nights beneath the owl tree, he carries within him this special light. I guess you could call it hope.
To describe the High Echelon and this oppressed society, I drew from my experience living in Spain under the dictator Francisco Franco. Back then you had to be careful not to criticize the government in public—because someone might be listening.

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

Max is my favorite, though Rose comes in a close second. He’s a sensitive, lonely kid, living in a drab world without friends, yearning for a past that was infinitely happier. Despite his fears and weaknesses, Max is a truly endearing character. He’s trusting and innocent, protective of his little owl, and he has a fierce determination that kicks in when he and Rose set off into unknown territory. He also stays true to the memory of his gran and the silver owls, and the stories Gran passed down to him. I think the book’s illustrator, Maggie Kneen, has captured Max perfectly.

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

Max’s memories of his grandmother, who defied the High Echelon at every turn, evoke the image of a strong, wise older woman, a sort of archetypal goddess-mother, similar to the grandmother in George MacDonald’s THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN. Not having known either of my grandmothers, I would love to have had the chance to meet Granny Unger!

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

On and off, it took about six years of writing, re-writing and wildly different endings, before the book landed in the hands of my agent, Stephen Fraser of The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. He championed the THE OWL KEEPER like crazy and eventually sold it to Random House. More revisions followed under my editor, Krista Marino, who urged me to delve deeper into the characters and to weave the overarching story more tightly together. As a result, THE OWL KEEPER ended up significantly longer and (in my opinion) is now a much better book. I’m incredibly fortunate to have Steve and Krista – they’ve both really made the difference!

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

It’s been said many times, but I believe it’s true, that children and young adults aren’t easily fooled, because they’re able to see straight through to the heart of a story. If it doesn’t ring true, or sounds false or pretentious, they know right away. My first novel THE DREAMKEEPERS evolved from a short story I’d written for a Children’s Literature course in graduate school. At the time I was reading to my two small sons in the nights and rediscovering children’s books. It was then I realized what I really wanted to do was write the kinds of books I’d loved reading as a child.

What’s the next step in your writing career?

I’m currently working on an adventure-fantasy novel set in Morocco, in the Sahara Desert, which Random House/Delacorte Press will also be publishing. The narrator of the book is a feisty young girl named Zagora.

Any advice for future authors?

Read, read, read – books that strike a chord or stir your curiosity, books recommended by friends or reviewers, books that you wish you’d written! And write, every day, keep a notebook of thoughts and ideas; open your mind to new experiences. If possible, connect with other writers – you may find they’re struggling with many of the same issues you are. I can’t say enough about my writers’ group: they’ve mentored and supported me for many years. Finally: keep writing, don’t give up—and be passionate about what you write!

Any other comments?

Thanks so much for the interview, Stephanie - it’s been fun!

Thanks Chris! :)

Her website: http://www.owlkeeper.com/
Her blog: http://cbrodienjones.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/here-at-last-the-owl-keeper-book-trailer/
And the book trailer:

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Possessed Review

2010-03-23T20:00:00.000-04:00

Possessed by Kate Cann
Released on Feb. 1, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Rayne can't wait to start her summer job at a remote country mansion, far from the crowded, noisy London she so desperately wants to escape. But the retreat soon turns into a nightmare -- the mansion is creepy, the legends of ghosts keep Rayne up at night, and she doesn't feel safe anywhere. Can Rayne figure out why she's so freaked -- before she becomes a ghost story herself?

My review:
The one thing that struck out to me is probably the cover. I find it ridiculously creepy and it gave me nightmares. It's like you're trying to get out but you only see the shadow of the person inside. And the person's face, or lack thereof, it somehow looks otherworldly as in...not human. Or maybe I'm just overthinking stuff.

The plot was not as suspenseful as I thought it would. There were some aspects that were very spine-chilling but it wasn't enough I suppose. I felt like I overestimated the scariness of Possessed so I was slightly disappointed when it wasn't as bad as I thought it was. Yes, there was always that threat of ghosts lurking everywhere but nothing actually happened.

Rayne wasn't the best as characters go. There wasn't a particular characteristic of hers that was strong. It felt like she was all over the place and found it difficult for me to relate to her. I didn't feel like she was well-developed and neither were the other characters. I felt like they were just...there and everything that was happening didn't really relate with them at all.

The writing style was related with the character's lack of development. Because the characters weren't that well-developed, the writing style seemed to reflect that and as a result, didn't seem that great either.

Overall, Possessed was a mildly interesting horror book but there were just some parts that lacked the thrilling and chilling aspects required in horror.

My rating:
Plot: 7/10
Theme: 7/10
Characters: 7/10
Cover: 7/10
Recommendation: 7/10
Total: 35/50 = 70%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-03-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

Currently Reading:
Morpheus Road: The Light by DJ MacHale
Coming out April 20, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it’s clear whatever this isit’s huge. Marshall has no idea what’s happening to him, but he’s soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who’s been missing for over a week. Together with Coop’s sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined.

So far, it's ridiculously creepy. Since we've already established that I'm apparently a wimp in terms of dealing with horror movies/books, yea, this book is really scary. Some of the descriptions are...terrifically horrific.

What are you guys reading?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Naughty List Review

2010-03-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
Released on Feb. 4, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility! Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty! When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe? The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

My review:
Definitely very creative and imaginative plot. Imagine a group of cheerleaders being part-time secret spies to catch boys cheating on their girlfriends. So unbelievable, right? It's definitely different but in a good way. Just the idea of cheerleaders catch cheating boyfriends makes me laugh because, if you think about it, it's pretty ironic that cheerleaders are doing the catching. Not that I'm not stereotyping or anything...hahaha

Anyway, the plot is definitely fast-paced and within a few chapters, you'll find yourself completely hooked by the hilarious antics the cheerleaders go through, the adoring relationship between Tessa and her boyfriend, Aiden, and just the sheer cuteness of the whole thing. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but whatever it was, this book definitely exceeded my expectations.

Tessa was a very lovable character. Her aversion to cursing was definitely ironic yet interesting and her random shouts of food was extremely funny. To me, she was just one of those ridiculously cute little girls. In a way, she didn't really act her age.

Some of the other characters have a lasting impression as well. Even though the role they played might have been small, the impact to the plot is great.

I also enjoyed reading about some of the cases that SOS had received. Now, if you think about it, the author of this book is definitely pro-cheerleaders. Everything in this book is basically the opposite of typical aka stereotypical cheerleader behavior: helping others, shying away from cursing, etc. etc. However, the one part where I felt like it was finally typical cheerleader behavior, it was the conclusion of the cases that they receive. The way they tell their clients their conclusion definitely had a superior tone to it - something cheerleaders today tend to have. Admittedly, it was refreshing to read the verdicts they gave out because it finally seemed like all was right with the world again.

Anyway, The Naughty List was a fun read and I would like to read the second book despite the weird cheerleader behaviors that are depicted here.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 43/50 = 86%

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Heist Society Review

2010-03-21T08:00:00.003-04:00

Heist Society by Ally Carter
Released on Feb. 9, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected. Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.
For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

My review:
I'm seriously starting to think that Ally Carter may have been a CIA agent in her past life or an undercover CIA agent now...or she just really likes writing about spy stuff but I like to think it's one of the first two. :)

Heist Society resembled the Gallagher Girl series that Ally is famous for because they're all about being spy-like in nature. Though Heist Society wasn't about spies in particular, it had a lot of scenarios where it could have been a spy novel. Anyway, because this book was so similar to the Gallagher Girls, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it thrilling and full of suspense as the plot moved further along.

Kat and Hale were fascinating characters. I loved the push and pull relationship they had and, at times, when they argued, they sounded like an old couple. Hahaha. It was really cute though. The one detrimental thing was the fact that sometimes the characters got kind of cliche...like in their personality and some of their responses and made it seem predictable somehow.

Either way though, I really enjoyed Heist Society. Another thing I found interesting was the fact that Kat's crew were ALL teenagers and there was this one part in the book where it said that the smartest teens in the world are now gathered together in one room. It was just amazing to see how "smart" those teens were with what they were doing and imagine that being real...how surreal would that be?

Overall, I thought Heist Society was definitely engaging and I found myself reading this book late into the night. I think that those who enjoyed Ally's other books will definitely enjoy this one as well.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 45/50 = 90%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXIX

2010-03-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Books I got this week:

Stargazer by Claudia Gray [possibly my billionth copy...seriously, I've received the ARC version, the HC version and now, the PB version. nicee]
How to Uncage A Girl by Francesca Lia Block
My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day
Morpheus Road: The Light by DJ MacHale
House of Dance by Beth Kephart
The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart
Me, the Missing and the Dead by Jenny Valentine

That's it! What did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-03-19T08:00:00.003-04:00

Today's pick is...
Voices of Dragon by Carrie Vaughn
Released on March 16, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons. Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them. But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon interactions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

Uhm, the cover is gorgeous and the plot seems very intriguing. What's not to like? :)

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Random Big Giveaway

2010-03-18T08:00:00.006-04:00

Well, I thought having another giveaway might be a good idea so...here it is! I have an idea but it's more of a spur of the moment one, so it might be kind of rough. Anyway, so since you guys seemed to enjoy the surprise pack that I had in my previous contest/giveaway, I thought I'll do the same but better. This time, I'll have three* winners and for both of them, I'll basically stuff as many YA books as I can or a limit of 9* books whichever comes first into a USPS ReadyPost Medium Box. This means that for both winners, they'll each receive about 9*(!!!) newly released or not-even-released YA novels. Of course, they won't know what they get until they open the boxes but that's the whole gist of it. Sounds great, right?
*recently updated

Here are the more specific details:

How to enter:
Fill out this form to enter!

Open to:
US, Canada and International readers! :)

Deadline:
April 21st, 2010

Good luck!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Author Wednesdays with...Jessica Brody

2010-03-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Today I have Jessica Brody, author of The Karma Club, Love Undercover and others.

What made you start writing?

I once heard someone say, “Dancers dance because they have to.” I think it’s the same for writers. I definitely have to write. Like I have to breathe. If I don’t, I get very stir crazy. All of that energy has to come out somehow and for me, it comes out in words. Lots and lots of words. Some of them are actually worth publishing. Once I figured this out, it’s been hard to stop.

How long have you been writing?

In second grade I turned in a four page book report (the assignment was to write one paragraph) and the teacher was blown away. I really couldn’t understand why. It all came so naturally to me. I knew then and there that I wanted to be a writer. So I would say I’ve been writing for twenty three years. Professionally, though? Only about five. J

Can you tell us a little about your book?

I can tell you a lot about my book. But I’ll refrain and just stick to the “elevator pitch.” If you want more, you can find it on my website: www.JessicaBrody.com. THE KARMA CLUB is about three teen girls who decide they’re tired of waiting for Karma to “get off its butt” and do its job, so they decide to take Karma into their own hands by getting revenge on the people who have wronged them. But they soon discover, when you mess with Karma, Karma messes back.

How did you get the idea for writing The Karma Club?

This was definitely one of those ideas that just “came” to me. A friend of mine had told me some horrendous story about how a boy dumped her (I don’t even remember the story, I just remember it was infuriating!) and the entire time she was talking, I kept thinking, “Someone needs to do that right back to him. He can’t just get away with that. He needs a taste of Karma!” And then boom, the idea came to me. A secret society of girls who help each other out, dosing out Karma to those who deserve it when the universe is slow to do it on its own. And thus THE KARMA CLUB was born. Of course, as soon as the idea came to me, I also knew that my characters would never be able to get away with it. Karma is a tricky thing. And you definitely don’t want to meddle with the universe!

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

Although I’d love to say that Maddy is my favorite character in the book, I’m going to have to go with Angie on this one (Maddy’s best friend). Not that I don’t LOVE Maddy. After all, she’s my main character. But she’s also the most like me and I tend to gravitate toward characters that are least like me because I find them more interesting. After all, I’ve lived with me for thirty years! And Angie is nothing like me. She’s moody and sarcastic and kind of cynical while I’m an eternal optimist. Every time I wrote her dialogue, it was like living vicariously through someone else for a moment. It was really fun.

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

Ooh, fun question! It would DEFINITELY be Rajiv, the wise Indian teacher who helps Maddy on her journey. He’s so calm and soothing…and funny! I could definitely use someone like that in my life! Although I did get to meet the famous Deepak Chopra (on whom the character of Rajiv is based) when we filmed his cameo for the trailer and that was pretty incredible. He was everything I ever imagined Rajiv to be…and more!

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

This was a really fast book for me. I wrote it in about three months. It was also my first young adult book. The adult books I had written had taken me about 6 months but YA novels are normally faster and shorter so I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it zipped by. Plus the story is pretty speedy overall. I’m told it’s a fast read and that’s probably because it was such a fast write!

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I didn’t plan to at all! I never even had a second thought about it. But when I came up with the idea for THE KARMA CLUB (see question above!) at first I tried to plot it out as an adult novel and it felt all wrong to me. Then I started to think about it as a story about teens and suddenly it all started to fall into place. Of course, I had no idea how to write a teen novel. So I started reading a bunch of YA fiction to get a feel for the genre. The first book I read was KISS AND BLOG by Alyson Noël and I fell in LOVE with it. (She and I are now very good friends.) I then wrote out 50 pages of the story, showed my agent and asked, “Am I even close to the mark here?” She read it, liked it and told me to keep going with it. She said I had a “natural YA voice.” I think that’s code for “you’re still 17 at heart” (which I still feel!). Writing THE KARMA CLUB was so much fun I decided to stay in the genre. I have two more YA novels coming out in the next two years and a new YA series in the works too!

What’s the next step in your writing career?

Ooh! Lots of fun stuff coming up. In Spring of 2011, I’m releasing another YA standalone book called MY LIFE UNDECIDED about a girl who is notorious for making terrible decisions and so she vows to post every decision she comes across on an anonymous blog with a poll for readers to vote on what she should do. Obviously problems and hilarity ensue! After that I have a third YA book coming out in Spring 2012 called 52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER about a teen heiress who is forced by her ever-absent mogul father to take on a different low-wage job every week for a year if she wants any hope of getting her trust fund. I’m currently writing that one right now. And at the same time, I’m also working on a new YA series that I can’t quite talk about yet. But it’s gonna be SOOOO cool!

Any advice for future authors?

I do! Lots of it! My first and foremost advice to all writers that ask me this question is to take criticism. It’s the only way to improve your writing. When you’re first starting out it’s often very hard for a writer to tell the difference between what’s good and what’s…well, not so good. It helps to have people to show your stuff to. People you trust. I rewrote my first novel about four times (that’s a total of 1600 pages!) before I got it published. Because I kept getting rejections from agents and publishers that came with suggestions for improvement so I kept improving it. I have tons more advice on my website. Just go to www.JessicaBrody.com and click on “For Writers”.

Any comments?

Thanks so much for having me on the blog, Stephanie! Great questions and I hope everyone enjoys the book…and the trailer!

Thanks Jessica! Your other upcoming YA novels seems fantastic. I'll definitely check them out!

Oh yes, here's the book trailer for The Karma Club, which I have to say, is amazing. I thought there was an actual movie coming out...hahaha.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-03-16T08:00:00.002-04:00

Currently Reading:
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Released on March 9, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

So far, I'm definitely enjoying it. Joe makes me laugh. :)

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Some Girls Are Review

2010-03-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Released on Jan. 5, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

My review:
A definitely thought-provoking book. Something that used to be clear was twisted and changed about so much that you don't even know what's right and what's wrong anymore. Regina, along with the Fearsome Fivesome, have always terrorized their other classmates. That's right, they were the "popular" girls who were both hated and revered at the same time. In other words, they were mean ass bitches.

So when Regina gets frozen out, you expect to be like "ha, you totally deserve this, karma is getting back to you, etc. etc." But as you get further along the book, you realize that this isn't the case. I started to empathize with her and I found myself shocked with the meanness of her ex-friends. They even used to be friends! And now they treat her like this? Are they even human? There were just so many malicious situations that you couldn't help but be shocked by the cruelty of it.

Regina is a very empathetic character. Yes, she was cruel and a bitch before but as you get to know her as she faces the torment of her "friends" that she's strong and is able to face everything they dish out with a resilient attitude. However, despite her bravery, she's also extremely susceptible and you can't help but feel sorry for her situation.

Michael, someone who Regina herself used to bully, is possibly one of the sweetest character I know. Even after what Regina did to him, he was still able to find himself forgiving her for everything she has done. He believes in her despite everything.

The writing style is unlike other writers. It's simple in nature but at the same time, the way Courtney is able to express everything in such a simplistic manner can't help but provoke all these emotions from the readers.

Overall, Some Girls Are is an excellent book. So many raw emotions being explicitly shown in this book, the empathetic feelings evoked all demonstrate what an excellent book Some Girls Are is. It's definitely better than the debut novel, Cracked Up To Be, and I highly recommend this.

My rating:
Plot: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total: 48/50 = 96%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood Review

2010-03-14T08:00:00.002-04:00

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook
Released on Jan. 5, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Popularity is the best revenge. In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls--and now, at the start of her senior year, she's the cheerleading captain, the quarterback's girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she's ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend. But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she's moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn't dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that's ever been important to Lauren—starting with her boyfriend. Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.

My review:
Totally loved this book. I think Eileen Cook is an awesome writer and I've enjoyed all her books so far. :)

The plot was hilarious - there were so many laugh-out-loud moments and some of the schemes that Helen plotted against Lauren were pure geniuses. Well, there were some parts that seemed ridiculous and over-the-top but they were still amusing in nature.

Helen was an awesome main character. She had lots of spunk and guts to go ahead and exact her revenge against Lauren. Thinking about it is one thing but actually doing it? That takes a lot of courage and audacity. I actually respected her for it.

Lauren was also the perfect antagonist. At first, you have all these negative vibes from her and she's totally bitchy to her friends as well as those who aren't. So you understand why Helen feels that her revenge is justified especially after the way she was treated by her so-called best friend. However, at the end, you can't help by sympathize with her and understand why she did what she did to Helen.

The one thing I liked was how both characters grew up and matured at the end. They both came to understanding with each other and even though the friendship won't ever be the same, at least, it has some sort of closure. I thought that was pretty meaningful.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood and I will most likely read another Eileen Cook's book. :)

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 47/50 = 94%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXVIII

2010-03-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

Books I got this week:

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
Little Vampire Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
Hunted by PC Cast
My Double Life by Janette Rallison

That's it! I'm extremely excited to read Rules of Attraction! :)

So what did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-03-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's pick is...
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Coming out April 6, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

The last sequel to one of my favorite series so I definitely need to read it! :)

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Body Finder Review

2010-03-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Coming out March 16, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers. Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.
My review:I loved, loved, LOVED this book. It was so intense and had everything I wanted. Romance, suspense, mystery, and paranormal abilities. Gosh, it was good.

The plot was so gripping. I was practically at the edge of my seat, anticipating what would happen. There were practically two plots woven together in this seamless way to tell the whole story. First, there's obviously Violet's ability to find the dead and the killer and the interactions and second, there's the budding romance between Violet and her childhood friend, Jay. At first, I wasn't so sure how Kimberly will manage to put two vastly different plots into one but it was done. And in a pretty good way, if I do say so myself. The only thing I noticed was the fact that it seemed that at times Kimberly wasn't too sure which way to follow more on - Jay and Violet or Violet and the killer. But it all worked out in the end.

Violet and Jay's obvious attraction is very enticing. I loved how both sides had feelings for each other but didn't know if the other was feeling the same thing and tried to do various things to get each other to admit their feelings. I thought it was so adorable! However, around the middle, when Violet kept insisting that they were "just friends", it started to get annoying because it was obvious that it wasn't so. Especially with Jay being jealous whenever Grady came over and talked to Violet. It seemed so obvious but apparently Violet didn't think so. And towards the end, Violet finally understood that her being with Jay was inevitable and that EVERYONE in school knew about it. If it was that obvious, then how come Violet didn't realize it? In that way, I thought she was pretty dense.

Violet is a very unique character. Sometimes she's so reckless and rash like following the scent like a dog even despite the consequences. I feel like she really doesn't understand the danger she's putting herself into. And then there's times when I feel like she's really dense and dumb especially around Jay and the obvious feelings they have for each other. And then there's also times when I feel like she's extremely brave for being able to face all the stuff that she accidentally finds. So because of all these different feelings I get from her, I found her incredibly realistic.

The plot with the killer was really intense. I loved how there's those random chapters throughout the book that described the killer's mind and thoughts. It really gave me a sense of him and the reason why he did the things he did.

The ending was expected and unexpected. I won't go into details on what I had expected and what I didn't expect otherwise I'll spoil the book but it was definitely a rewarding ending.

Overall, The Body Finder is an amazing novel and I highly recommend it.
My rating:Plot: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total: 49/50 = 98%
Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Author Wednesdays with...Kay Cassidy

2010-03-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today I have Kay Cassidy, author of The Cinderella Society.

Here's the author blurb:
Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your FiveTM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.

And the book blurb:
What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?
Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.
Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.
Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?

And here's the interview!

What made you start writing?

I used to write when I was in elementary school. Usually mysteries about people with crazy names and animals for villains. I stopped when I hit middle school and didn't really write again until I had just finished graduate school. I was supposed to start my new job and then September 11th happened. My job disappeared in the aftermath so I took some time, as did many people, to reassess what I really wanted to be when I grew up. I started writing soon after. Best career choice I ever made. Where else can you get paid for making stuff up while wearing pajamas? ;-)

Can you tell us a little about your book?

The Cinderella Society is about a secret society of good populars dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. There are also makeovers and cool society stuff (which I can't tell because it's, you know, secret) and cute boys. Oh, and kissing.

How did you get the idea for writing The Cinderella Society?

It came from an article I read several years ago about high school sororities. I'd been in a sorority in college, but had never heard of a high school having one. I started wondering what it was for--What did they do? What was the purpose?--until I hit upon the question that really got the ball rolling: "What would I have wanted it to be when I was in high school?" I realized I would've been all over a secret society waging a battle of good vs. evil. And so the story began...

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

Oh gosh, that's like saying "Which parent is your favorite?" or "What's your favorite episode of Glee?" ;-) I adore Jess, faults and all, and have a soft spot in my heart for Ryan. But really, each of them are special to me.

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I was actually writing fiction for adults when a friend told me she thought I would make a good YA writer. I hadn't read YA fiction in years, so I went to the library to check some out. My local teen librarian asked me a few questions, magically picked out three books that I completely adored, and I knew I'd found my niche. Writing YA isn't about talking down to teens or trying to pretend you're one of them. It's about reliving those critical moments of your teen years... the good ones and the ones you'd pay a hypnotist to help you forget... because they're universal. They don't seem like it at the time. It can seem like you're the only person in the universe who is dealing with the sad cupcake stuff. But as you get older, you realize that all those people you thought had it made were dealing with their own version of sad cupcakes along the way. Being a teen is a crazy, wonderful, stressful, heartbreaking, exhilarating time. How lucky am I that I get to bring all that to the page in my writing? (Answer = very lucky.) :-)

Any other comments?

Thanks so much for having me over to chat about The Cinderella Society, Stephanie!

Thanks Kay!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-03-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Currently Reading:
Possessed by Kate Cann
Released on Feb. 1, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Rayne can't wait to start her summer job at a remote country mansion, far from the crowded, noisy London she so desperately wants to escape. But the retreat soon turns into a nightmare -- the mansion is creepy, the legends of ghosts keep Rayne up at night, and she doesn't feel safe anywhere. Can Rayne figure out why she's so freaked -- before she becomes a ghost story herself?

Uhm, yea, I got scared reading the back of the ARC and looking at the cover...T_T It's quite depressing to find that I'm such a wimp. Sigh. But that cover is the creepiest cover I've ever seen. *shivers*

What are you guys reading?

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Guardian of the Dead Review

2010-03-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healy
Coming out April 1, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
In less than a day I had been harassed, enchanted, shouted at, cried on, and clawed. I’d been cold, scared, dirty, exhausted, hungry, and miserable. And up until now, I’d been mildly impressed with my ability to cope. At her boarding school in New Zealand, Ellie Spencer is like any ordinary teen: she hangs out with her best friend, Kevin; obsesses over her crush on a mysterious boy; and her biggest worry is her paper deadline. Then everything changes: In the foggy woods near the school, something ancient and deadly is waiting.

My review:
There was so much excitement going on with this book that eventually spiked my excitement too. I was expecting something extremely intense and electrifying. Sadly, this was not the case - I ended up being quite disappointed.

The writing style and the language were both well-executed. I enjoyed reading about New Zealand and some of their old legends and myths which gave the book a mythical aspect. Those were quite interesting. It was definitely different from the typical paranormal YA books found today which was something I actually enjoyed. And the whole "something ancient and deadly is waiting" gives a very suspenseful air.

The plot itself was fine. It was the execution of it that sorely disappointed me. I found the scenes to be tiresome and, at times, boring. The characters, too, never seemed to connect with me. It felt like everything was going on in this faraway land, in this case, New Zealand, and I just wasn't able to fully comprehend all the minute details that the author was giving. In some cases, it seemed like there were frivolous and inconsequential information that were given that just basically made the story even more confusing.

Overall, Guardian of the Dead just wasn't what I was expecting. I'm sure others will find this book absolutely fascinating but I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.

My rating:
Plot: 7/10
Theme: 7/10
Characters: 6/10
Cover: 7/10
Recommendation: 7/10
Total: 34/50 = 68%

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Cat the Vamp Review

2010-03-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

Cat the Vamp by Christina Martine
Released on Dec. 1, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
As a child, Catherine Taylor never understood why her parents were so secretive and distant. After the death of her grandmother, Cat's parents take her to a mysterious castle called Blacklune. They explain to her that they, and she, are vampires, part of a hidden community co-existing with humans. Now that she's of age, Cat will be initiated into the community and undergo a period of training in its methods and morals, along with several other vampire students her own age. At Blacklune, Cat meets a young man who had appeared to her in dreams, Morgan. She and Morgan form an instant bond, but success with their vampire lessons doesn't come so easily. Tempted by the lure of blood and the powers they now have, Cat and Morgan push the limits over and over, ignoring the concerns of their classmates and the scolding of their teacher, River. As they become ever more reckless, Cat and Morgan risk going too far. It's only when serious harm comes to someone else that they realize they have to control themselves--and it may be too late.

My review:
A book that, on the surface, seems like a typical YA vampire novel but once you get into it, is very different both in style and in language.

The language used here is extremely profane and, at times, seemed forced. I felt like the author didn't really know how teenagers talk because, truthfully, teenagers do NOT talk like that half the time. All the profanity and whatnot just seemed extremely unrealistic. It threw me off and made me gasp in shock at how "teenagers" really talk - which is completely not true. Honestly, it felt like the author was trying too hard to talk like a teenager.

The writing style was interesting. This kind of interweaves with the language used here - both are profane and insulting at times.

The most important thing that I felt was that this book had a lot of issues. Serious issues that are very real in today's teenagers. Such as all the cutting involved and explicit and graphic text used. Cutting is a serious issue and there's so much unprotected sex involved between Cat and Morgan that it just seemed surreal. And the oddest thing was the Cat didn't care at all except for one short page about her fear of getting pregnant.

The characters aren't very well-developed - not in the traditional sense though. They are introduced as 18 year olds but they all act so much younger. Maybe even in their middle-school years. It was really odd. The funniest example was the fact that one of them named their club the "Animal Kingdom" and nicknamed everyone as an animal like "Tiger" or "Lion"and they all "growled" and "roared" at one another - no offense, but I don't think ANYONE will do that when they're 18. Maybe 12 but not 18.
There's so many other examples that just didn't seem to fit realistically for the characters. Their reactions to being vampires, the school "disciplining" them, etc. Personally, it didn't sit that well with me.

Overall, Cat the Vamp is an okay novel. The plot itself is okay but some of the characterizations and language was just...awkward.

My rating:
Plot: 6/10
Theme: 5/10
Characters: 5/10
Cover: 5/10
Recommendation: 5/10
Total: 26/50 = 52%

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Magic Under Glass Review

2010-03-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
Released on Feb. 1, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

My review:
The summary of this book gives Magic Under Glass a mysterious and alluring premise of what is to come. I was quite excited to read about the fairy gentlemen trapped in an automaton and the whole saving the fairy realm tale. The love, the adventure, the magic all brings about this book, Magic Under Glass.

The characters, Nimira, Hollin and Erris, who is the fairy gentlemen and automaton, are all very well-developed. The relationship between all three is, at the same time, strange but exquisite. There is a love triangle going on but it's very faint - I knew there was some sort of love going on but it felt like as if it was more of a background emotion. The mystery and the political and magical problems far outshines the love aspect of this book.

The writing is very delicate. Everything is written in a hushed tone which made things seem less important than it really is. The plot was slow with dapples of random clues as to what is really going on. It wasn't until the second half when things are finally made known and some of the mysterious air is cleared.

Truthfully, I thought Magic Under Glass could have been better in plot. There were times when it felt disconcerting and things somehow didn't really relate. There was the mini world - Hollin's home with Nimira and Erris - and then there was the real world - the political corruption, the blackmailing, the fairy war. It felt like it kept jumping between both worlds and it made it somewhat confusing. The ending, too, was cut off short making it seem as if there is going to be a sequel. It's not that I don't like sequels but I kind of wished that something could have been accomplished in this book.

Overall, Magic Under Glass is a book full of magical intrigue, political corruption, forbidden love and secrets.

My rating:
Plot: 7/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 7/10
Total: 37/50 = 74%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-03-05T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today's book is, I think, the final book in the series.

Runaway by Meg Cabot
Coming out June 1, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself. With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope. . .what's the point of even going on? But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to. Will Christopher be able to put aside his personal feelings and help her expose her employer to the world? Is it even fair to get Christopher involved--since if he agrees, there's every chance that Stark Enterprises will try to have them both killed--this time, permanently? Maybe it would be better for Em to just keep on running.

Why do I want to read this? Because I read the first two and absolutely loved them! And plus, it's MEG CABOT. What's not to love? :)

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New Winner for CNY's Giveaway!

2010-03-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Because I haven't heard back from the Prize Pack #1's winner, I have chosen a new one:

cdziuba!

Please respond ASAP so I can send out the prize packs to all the winners when I get back to school!

Congrats!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Author Wednesdays with...Sydney Salter

2010-03-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I have Sydney Salter, author of the upcoming Swoon At Your Own Risk (which I got last week so I'll be reading that ASAP) as well as My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters!

What made you start writing?

A cute football player said “hi” to me during high school registration—and I’ve been keeping a daily diary ever since. I’d always secretly wanted to write fiction, but I didn’t think I was interesting enough, glamorous enough, mysterious enough… I avoided fiction writing for many years because I feared failing at my biggest dream. Now I know that it takes a lot of failure in order to achieve dreams.

How long have you been writing?  

I started writing seriously about eight years ago—working daily on drafting or revising novels, reading about the craft of writing, attending conferences and workshops, and reading tons of YA and middle-grade fiction. I sold my fourth manuscript, My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters first. And then my first manuscript, Jungle Crossing, sold as my second book. Swoon At Your Own Risk is my seventh manuscript.

Can you tell us a little about your book?  

After a junior year of dating disasters, Polly Martin has sworn off boys. Now she's just trying to survive her summer job at Wild Waves water park (under the supervision of ex number three, Sawyer Holmes) and focus on herself for once. Things are looking good when her grandma, the syndicated columnist Miss Swoon, moves in for the summer. Think of all the great advice she’ll get! But then Xander Cooper keeps skateboarding down the street… and showing up at Wild Waves.

How did you get the idea for writing Swoon at Your Own Risk?

One morning I heard this sound—almost like something unzipping the asphalt on my street. I peeked out the window and saw a really cute high school guy skateboarding down the street, shirtless, holding a cup of coffee in one hand, and talking on the phone as he gracefully curved down the steep hill. Oh, honey, I thought, you’re just begging to be in a novel. I tossed in a few other experiences like having my mom move in with me for a few months, a really scary boat trip, a girlfriend who didn’t know how to be herself in relationships—and I came up with a story.

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

You’re making me pick just one? I have to go with Miss Swoon. I’m always intrigued by people who are so good at helping others, but can’t follow their own advice. Not that I’m going to name any names… 

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?  

I’d like to have Xander Cooper give me skateboarding lessons, even though I still have a scar on my elbow from the last time a boy tried—unsuccessfully—to teach me. Skateboarding looks fun!

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

I wrote the first draft of Swoon At Your Own Risk during National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) an Internet-based challenge in which you write a 50,000 word novel in November (I wrote into the first week of December to reach 70,000 words). I spent the next two months working on revisions before sending the manuscript to my editor. Of course, she had plenty to say, too, and I spent about a month on those revisions.

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I resisted writing YA for a long time, thinking I wanted to be a “real” writer. (Terrible of me, huh?) I wrote pages and pages of serious, seriously awful, “grownup” short stories. But when I wrote about younger characters, I got nice feedback in classes and workshops. I also realized that I’ve always loved reading YA literature, enjoy spending time with teens, and will probably always feel seventeen years old inside. If only my outside could reflect that as well…

What’s the next step in your writing career?  

I’m working on another YA novel that my agent will be submitting soon. That’s all I’m going to say—I don’t tend to talk too much about my works-in-progress. I guess I’m trying to be a tiny bit mysterious since I know that working in my old sweatpants will never be glamorous.

Any advice for future authors?

Have fun with your writing—play and experiment. I’ve met a lot of people who want to be authors, yet all of the authors I know understand that being a writer is the best part. You will succeed if you truly love to write (because you’ll never give up).

Thanks Sydney! I have also included a book trailer for Swoon At Your Own Risk below:

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-03-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

Currently Reading:
Truly, Madly by Heather Webber
Released on Feb. 2, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Meet Lucy Valentine; sassy, fabulously original…and psychic. Lucy hails from a long line of matchmakers known as Valentine INC. According to family legend, the Valentines have been blessed by Cupid with the ability to help couples find true love. Trouble is Lucy’s powers were zapped away by an electrical surge and now all she can find are lost objects. But what good is that in the matchmaking world? Lucy is about to find out when she tries to solve a murder and winds up falling into a romance of her own.

Not exactly a YA book but I won it from Goodreads so therefore, I'm obligated to read and review it. :) So far so good! What are you guys reading?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Captivate Review

2010-03-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

Captivate by Carrie Jones
Released on Jan. 5, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town. A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

My review:
I was slightly disappointed with this sequel. I was expecting something...more. What I didn't expect was the cliffhanger that occurred at the end of the book. I wanted an ending. I wanted the story to finish.

The characters especially Zara and Nick was really cliche in this book. I wasn't surprised with their reactions and in fact, I was expecting them. The one character that threw me off was the new pixie king, Astley. I couldn't figure him out if he was considered as a good guy or a bad guy. Was he someone Zara could trust? Or was he someone with his own secret agenda? I was pretty satisfied with this new character - it definitely gave Captivate a much-needed sense of mystery and suspense.

The plot was adequate. I mean, there was that whole new surprise with the Valhalla but it felt like it was just put in there to make the story longer. At the end, it worked well but in the middle, it felt awkward. And the whole relationship issue with Nick and Zara and Astley was pretty interesting. Love triangle. :)

I think the one main thing that made me not enjoy Captivate as much was the pacing issue. It wasn't very smooth and there were times when it felt too fast or too slow. It resulted in an awkward ride.

Overall, Captivate was an okay sequel and expect some new development especially with Astley and Valhalla.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 40/50 = 80%

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Hearts at Stake Review

2010-02-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
Released on Dec. 22, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
The Blakes are rather different to your usual neighbours. They are vampires and some of the members of the family date back to the twelfth century. One of the children, Solange, is the only born female vampire known and, as such, she poses a direct threat to the vampire queen. Her best friend Lucy is human, and when Solange is kidnapped Lucy and Solange's brother, Nicholas, set out to save her. Lucy soon discovers that she would like to be more than just friends with Nicholas. But how does one go about dating a vampire? Meanwhile, Solange finds an unlikely ally in Kieran, a vampire slayer on the hunt for his father's killer.

My review:
A highly entertaining and funny book that will be sure to make you smile the entire time through.

What I enjoyed most was how the book was written - in an alternating perspective that went between Lucy and Solange. Lucy is Solange's best friend and she and her family knew that the Blakes were vampires which was pretty interesting. I loved reading the different sides of the story and personally found Lucy's perspective to be far more interesting. In fact, there were times when I felt that Lucy was the main character instead of Solange.

Another thing I found somewhat interesting was the fact that there were so many different types of vampires in this book. There were those who were born and went through a natural change into becoming a vampire - kind of like puberty. And then there were those who changed like the way we're used to - a bite and transfer of blood. And there was also those who weren't changed correct - kind of like mutants...but not really. It's really quite interesting, really.

The characters, Lucy and Solange especially, were so much fun to read about. Their struggles and especially their love interest is so amusing and so heartwarming to see. I found both characters to be well-developed in their personalities and character. I especially enjoyed reading about Nicholas, one of Solange's many brothers, because he's so adorable and it's so obvious about how he feels with a particular someone. So cute! I loved him.

The plot is quite fast paced and so many twists and turns that are completely awesome and wonderful. So many push and pull relationships and kick-ass mothers that will entertain you for sure.

Overall, Hearts at Stake was a great book - very lighthearted and very delightful. I recommend this book and the rest of its upcoming series to both vampire fans and not vampire fans alike.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 45/50 = 90%

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In My Mailbox XXXVII

2010-02-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Books I got this week:
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink
My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (won this!)
Swoon at Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter
The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

That's it! What did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-02-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's pick is...
Ice by Sarah Beth Durst
Released on Oct. 6, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
In Ice, main character Cassie encounters a Polar Bear King and a love that defies reason---maybe fairy tales aren't make-believe after all...

Not much of a summary...but it's like a retelling of a fairy tale and I enjoy those. :) Plus, the cover's kinda cool.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Forget-Her-Nots Review

2010-02-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
Coming out March 2, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
When someone leaves three mystery flowers outside her dorm door, Laurel thinks that maybe the Avondale School isn't so awful after all — until her own body starts to freak out. In the middle of her English presentation on the Victorian Language of Flowers, strange words pop into her head, and her body seems to tingle and hum. Impulsively, Laurel gives the love bouquet she made to demonstrate the language to her spinster English teacher. When that teacher unexpectedly and immediately finds romance, Laurel suspects that something — something magical — is up. With her new friend, Kate, she sets out to discover the origins and breadth of her powers by experimenting on herself and others. But she can’t seem to find any living experts in the field of flower powers to guide her. And her bouquets don't always do her bidding, especially when it comes to her own crush, Justin. Rumors about Laurel and her flowers fly across campus, and she's soon besieged by requests from girls — both friends and enemies — who want their lives magically transformed — just in time for prom.

My review:
Forget-Her-Nots is a very unique novel that introduces the idea of having a flower language where people use flowers to send some sort of message to another person. It can either send a sweet, romantic message or a revengeful and bitter message. It all depends on what flowers you put in their bouquets.

Laurel is a typical normal sort of girl. She yearns to be accepted by others and she is faced with drama all over - boy drama, friend drama, popularity drama, she faces them all. There is one characteristic of hers that I admire and that was her curiosity to figure things out. Like, when she realized that something magical was up, she went to look for it. She consulted her flower book and even befriended someone unlikely to learn more about her background. However, I thought she was too shy. She always hesitated about a lot of things especially when it came to her crush, Justin. There were definitely times when I thought she was too helpless.

Oh, and also, Laurel just couldn't seem to say "no" to people when they started to ask her for her flowers even though she knew that they were using her. Like, grow some backbone and just say "no"! Seriously. It really made me want to smack her for being so stupid and dense.

And Kate, Laurel's new friend, is such a bad friend material. Kate kept going between Laurel and the most popular girl. She couldn't seem to decide where her loyalty lay and that made me really annoyed with her. And ultimately, she had to make a decision on whether to stick with Kate through and through or ditch her and go back to the popular girl.

Overall, I thought that Forget-Her-Nots is an interesting book just because it introduced something new to me and it was definitely different than any other books that I have read.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 43/50 = 86%

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Author Wednesdays with...Judith Graves

2010-02-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I have Judith Graves, author of Under My Skin.

What made you start writing?

Lots of brilliant authors who wrote super-fantastic books and inspired me to give writing a shot. Unfortunately, they made it look really easy. It's not. But I haven't given up trying.

How long have you been writing?

When I was little, Santa used to leave diaries for me under the tree. I'd write in the first three or four pages, real serious/documentary-like entries, but then it was a free for all, poems, pages of doodles, and quirky words I liked, etc. Now I use coil notebooks for plotting notes, writing bits of dialogue, character sketches, etc. I have kind of an obsession and can't leave a book or stationary store without buying a few. And all thanks to Santa.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

Eryn McCain has a drug problem. Her parents have disappeared - they're likely dead. And she's run out of the drugs her father created to stifle her wild side, her wolven half - the dormant ability to change from human to wolf. She's jonesing in a major way. Forget the shakes, Eryn has a yen for raw hamburger, she's developed night vision and super-human strength, and she can smell a werewolf a mile away. To top it off, all this has made her dangerously moody. She's trying to take it one day at a time, but her new home town isn't a quiet, restful setting , beneficial for recovery. The town is a landmind of paranormal activity, and each encounter gives Eryn the high of a lifetime. She's beginning the change - but thanks to her father's chemical manipulations - she doesn't know exactly what she's changing into. Not the best time to strike up a friendship with a crew of teen hunters tracking her kind...no matter how hot their tall, dark, and dead-wrong-for-her leader, Alec Delacroix, may be.

How did you get the idea for writing Under My Skin?

I wanted to explore the idea of mythological creatures from different parts of the world having to duke it out over th elast bit of unclaimed territory. I wanted characters who would be forced to choose sides. I wanted the lines between those sides to be very blurred and the characters to be conflicted. Hopefully UMS does a good job of laying this foundation for the series.

Who is your favorite character and why?

Paige, cousin to Eryn (the main character), she's the pretty, popular, pretentious girl everyone loves to hate. She was so much fun to write. Paige says whatever she thinks/feels/wants/fears and doesn't just push people's buttons - she gouges them out. That kind of freedom can be fun - in fiction.

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

Wade's mother - a powerful witch who pulls Eryn through time to witness the destruction of her son. She sacrifices everything for Wade and believes Eryn is the key to his salvation. Now there's a brain I'd like to pick when I get trapped in my own plot twists.

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

I started UMS in 2004 in between working full time and being in a folk-rock band. I sold it in 2008. Now in 2010 UMS gets to swing a few punches at the world. Cool!

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I work in an elementary school library, and my husband teaches high school. The tween/teen world is something I can't seem to escape.

What’s the next step in your writing career?

Finishing the Skinned series. I’m also working on another paranormal series with fellow Leap Books author, Kitty Keswick – our voices meld so well. What I don’t dream up for our characters – Kitty will – and vice versa. I’m also a member of the Class of 2k10 (http://www.classof2k10.com), a group of 23 wicked cool young adult and middle grade debut authors. I’m thrilled to announce we’ll be doing some group book signing events in NYC during Book Expo America in May. Watch our site for details.

Any advice for future authors?

Join a critique group, start a writing group at school or at your public library. You’ll learn more about writing by reading/evaluating the work of other newbies. Read. Write. And don’t eat too much chocolate.

Any other comments?

Kitty and I co-write a cool little blog: http://wolfychicks.blogspot.com Drop by and say “hey”. Thanks for having me, Stephanie!

No problem, Judith! By the way, here's the link for her website: http://www.judithgraves.com/

Here's also the book trailer:

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-02-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Currently Reading:
The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
Released on Feb. 4, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility! Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty! When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe? The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

What are you guys reading?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Chinese New Year's Contest Winners!

2010-02-22T08:00:00.006-05:00

The winners for the Chinese New Year's Contest are:

Prize Pack #1 - Lydia
Prize Pack #2 - Stephanie
Prize Pack #3 - throuthehaze [you won't know what the books are until they arrive in your mailbox ;]

I have emailed the winners [only those who gave me their emails] so please reply back with your information and whatnot in 24 hrs!

Congrats!

Juiciliciliciousss Reviews <3

Undead Much Review

2010-02-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Undead Much by Stacey Jay
Released on Jan. 21, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Even Zombie Settlers with Super Hot Boyfriends get the Blues... A few months ago I was a normal girl with a normal life. But that was before my power to Settle the Undead returned and someone tried to kill me with zombies. Now I work magic and practice kicking butt while trying to find time for pom squad and my boyfriend, Ethan, and trying NOT to think about how freaky my life has become. It can be tough. Still…things could be worse… Oh yeah, right: 1. Feral new super-strong zombies. Check. 2. Undead psychic hottie predicting a zombie apocolypse. Check. 3. Earth-shattering secrets that could land me in Settler prison for life. Check. 4. Cheerleader vs. pom squad turf war threatening the end of the half time as we know it. Check. I’m going to need therapy (and a cookie) if I live through the week. Unfortunately I’m learning that’s not something Zombie Queens can take for granted.

My review:
A somewhat satisfying sequel to You Are So Undead To Me. The first book was more amusing and light-hearted while this novel seemed to have so much things going on at once and definitely more serious.

The plot had a ton of suspense, I'll admit, but it seemed like it was dragged on forever and ever. So many hints, so many clues, but no real concrete information until the last quarter of the book or so. And that's when I felt like everything happened at once. Kidnapping, the creepy ass ritual, the culprits, relationship issues, etc. etc.

The characters, Megan, Ethan and even Monica was a delight to read about. Megan is still the likable character and you can't help but cheer her on. However, I have to say, I feel like she was really gullible and highly unsuspecting. She couldn't really tell who to trust and who not to trust except for the obvious. So it was slightly annoying to see her being friendly with the slightly disturbing and ultimately, creepy as hell, dude. And Ethan, as always, is worthy of our swooning. He's perfect. Nothing to say. And it's interesting to see Monica's more humane side instead of her always seemingly snarky attitude towards Megan.

The ending is a huge cliffhanger. So disappointing, really. Especially since there has been no news if there's another sequel to this series.

Overall, Undead Much is somewhat satisfying but there's just that whole excessive tension thing going on that bothered me.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total: 44/50 = 88%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXVI

2010-02-20T15:46:00.006-05:00

Books I got this week:

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
A Field Guide for Heartbreakers by Kristen Tracy
The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
Heist Society by Ally Carter
Hourglass by Claudia Gray (2nd copy)
Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto by Eric Luper
Fat Vampire by Adam Rex

What did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-02-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Book choice for this week is:
The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliot
Released on Nov. 15, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
Spoiled, beautiful, fourteen-year-old Eugenie de Boncoeur is accustomed to outrageous privilege. The French Revolution may rage around her, but Eugenie's luxurious lifestyle is only improved by visits from her brother, Armand, who is especially doting since the two were orphaned. What Eugenie doesn't know is that their guardian has promised her in marriage to the wealthy, vengeful Le Fantome, a revolutionary who is nursing a secret grudge against her family. As the Revolution becomes increasingly violent, Eugenie is shipped off to convent school. Finally, there is no place in France that is safe for her. Eugenie dusts off her lightly used brains and rises to the challenge of survival. Soon she is in the thick of turmoil and romance, confronting spies, secret agents, and double-crossing suitors in her quest to get out of France alive. Sympathies shift, and every choice can change--or end--a life.

I think I just like the cover. Hehe. It's pretty! :D The whole war thing isn't really my style but I'll give it a try...because of the cover. :P

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Bookjingle.com Review

2010-02-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today, I have a slightly different review to make. It's a review on a website. :)

A very easy to navigate website where you can sell your used books. Recently, I realized that I had no more space for some of my books and wanted to clear some out so I went on this huge search for finding a website that would buy my used books. However, because, of some personal reasons, I couldn't accept neither check nor Paypal as a form of payment which was basically what most, if not all, of the sites were using as their form of payment. Thankfully though, I emailed Bookjingle.com and asked if arrangements could be made so I would receive a money order instead. They were more than happy to make such accommodations and if that doesn't guarantee customer satisfaction then I don't know what will!

I highly recommend using their site if anyone is interested in selling some of their duplicates or if anyone just wants to clear some space off their shelves. They're friendly, the site is easy to navigate, and they give some pretty good prices for your books. They are also very open-minded which is probably one of the best thing that I can say about them. I suggest you guys to check out their website at Bookjingle.com.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Author Wednesdays with...Carrie Vaughn

2010-02-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I have Carrie Vaughn, author of Voices of Dragon.

What made you start writing?

I read a lot, and I had a big imagination as a kid, so writing was a natural progression. I wanted to tell some of the stories I had running around in my brain. Writing seemed like a good way to do it, since I loved books.

How long have you been writing?

I've basically been writing my whole life. I wrote my first short story when I was about eight--it was pretty much a rip-off of The Black Stallion, which I had just read, but still. I was lucky enough to have teachers who gave a lot of creative writing assignments, and those were always my favorite. I started thinking seriously about getting published when I was in high school, and started sending stories to magazines then. It took me awhile after that to get published, but I was working hard at writing all that time.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

I've been telling people that Voices of Dragons is just your typical "girl-meets-dragon" story. It's a little more complicated than that, of course. It takes place in an alternate reality where the Cold War happened between humankind and dragonkind rather than between the US and Soviet Union. The two main characters, Kay and Artegal, aren't even supposed to know each other, but they have to try to stop a war between their people.

How did you get the idea for writing Voices of Dragon?

It started with an image--a girl riding a dragon, in a modern setting. To write the book I had to figure out their world, why there are dragons around, and what their story is. I decided they'd get in trouble if anyone knew they were hanging out and flying around, and the story grew from there.

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

That would have to be Kay and Artegal, of course. Kay is a young woman who likes adventure, which is my favorite kind of character. Artegal the dragon was just a lot of fun to write, and since he isn't human I had to spend some time figuring out what he's like.

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

Artegal of course, because he's a dragon. I'd love to meet a friendly dragon.

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

About a year. I actually started the book a couple of times and set it aside because I couldn't figure out the story, and I had other books to work on in the meantime. This one took a lot of time just to figure out. Once I found the story, the writing went fairly quickly.

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I tried writing this as a regular fantasy novel, which is what I normally write, but it didn't work. The plot just didn't work out. But when I made Kay a teenager, the pieces fell into place--her problems and outlook tied into the main plot of the book. It became very clear at that point that it needed to be a young adult book. That really gave me a good perspective for the rest of the story.

What’s the next step in your writing career?

I have so much going on in my career right now it's hard to list it all. My urban fantasy series is going strong--the seventh novel, Kitty's House of Horrors, is out in January, and the eighth book (I don't have a good title yet) should be out near the end of 2010. I also have another fantasy novel, Discord's Apple, coming out later in in 2010. That one's about Greek mythology and the end of the world.
I do have more young adult novels planned. I've written a novel called Steel, about pirates and sword fighting. I also have a sequel to Voices of Dragons in the works.
My biggest problem right now seems to be not having enough time to write all the books I want to write.

Any advice for future authors?

Write. Write a lot. Keep writing, and keep getting better. Read a lot--study what you read. Figure out what you like and what you don't like in the books you read, because that's one way you can improve your own writing.

Any other comments?

Nope, I think we've covered everything! Oh--my website is www.carrievaughn.com if you want more info.

Thanks Carrie!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

New Winner!

2010-02-16T17:30:00.000-05:00

Because the winner of the MG/YG Prize Pack didn't respond, I picked a new winner:

ginnn7!

I emailed you and please respond within 24 hrs. with the mailing address and whatnot so I can send out the packages asap! :) Congratulations!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-02-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

Currently Reading:

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
Released on Feb. 1, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
Born with a port-wine stain birthmark covering her entire right cheek, Terra Rose Cooper is ready to leave her stifling, small Washington town where everyone knows her for her face. With her critical, reproachful father and an obese mother who turns to food to deflect her father's verbal attacks, home life for Terra isn't so great either. Fueled by her artistic desires, she plans to escape to an East Coast college, thinking this is her true path. When her father intercepts her acceptance letter, Terra is pushed off-course, and she is forced to confront her deepest insecurities. After an ironically fortuitous car accident, Terra meets Jacob, a handsome but odd goth Chinese boy who was adopted from China as a toddler. Jacob immediately understands Terra's battle with feeling different. When Terra's older brother invites her and her mother to visit him in Shanghai, Jacob and his mother also join them on their journey, where they all not only confront the truth about themselves, but also realize their own true beauty. North of Beautiful is the engaging third YA novel by Justina Chen Headley. This is a gorgeously-written, compelling book featuring universal themes of defining true beauty, family bonds, personal strength, and love.

So far so good! :) What are you guys reading?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

New Year's Contest Winners!

2010-02-15T08:00:00.004-05:00

So how I went and picked the winners went like this:
For each pack, I counted the entries separately based on what you guys preferred.
If anyone posted what their preferences were (what packs they were interested in), that's what I counted them for. For example, if someone was interested in the Paranormal Pack and the Adult Pack, then I only counted his/her entries for those two packs. This basically means that I counted entries over and over again (4 times!) to get four separate winners. :)

Anyway, here are the winners:
Adult Prize Pack - Melissa
MG/YG Prize Pack - busybookwormblogger
Paranormal Prize Pack - iluvhersheys_andbooks
Misc. Prize Pack - Robin K

I emailed you guys for those who left email addresses and please email me at juiciliciousssreviews@gmail.com in 24 hours with mailing address and whatnot. Thanks! And Congratulations!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped Review

2010-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray
Released on Jan. 7, 2010
Summary from Amazon:
Kiki and Mish are best friends, but what Kiki doesn’t know is that Michelle Pena was born a gang princess. “Princess P” grew up destined to inherit leadership of the Snakes: a future filled with crime and fear.
Michelle, on the other hand, is a nationally ranked athlete and academic superstar. This is her new life, and she’s finally put her past—and her childhood love for Silver—to rest. Then Silver helps kidnap both girls, and Michelle has to figure out how to free them both—and reconnect with a future that might now be beyond her reach.

My review:
I took the summary from Amazon because the summary from Goodreads was way too comprehensive and practically gave everything away.

Anyway, the plot itself is filled with excitement, action and suspense. I loved how Mish or "Princess P" was able to revert back to her old self just to save her best friend, Kiki. She basically burdened herself and took it upon herself to save her friend who had absolutely nothing to do with the situation and who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. She was a strong character and very well-written. She had the strength and the courage to stand up against her old pals, the Snakes. Kiki, on the other hand, was the typical damsel-in-distress. At first, she whimpered and freaked out at practically everything. I mean, it was surprising but it was a tad overdone. Though, I have to admit, she overcame her fear and managed to stand strong with Princess P at the end.

Silver, the good guy at childhood turned bad when "betrayed" by Princess P, is a mysterious character. There were times when I wasn't sure what was going on in his head and was surprised with the way he acted. How could a guy who was so in love with P end up kidnapping her and her friend?

The writing style is a bit rough though - filled with a ghetto style that I wasn't really familiar with. It definitely took a while for me to get used to it but once I did, I was pretty glad that I did.

Overall, The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped is a fresh book that will open your eyes for sure.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 39/50 = 78%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

In My Mailbox XXXV

2010-02-13T08:00:00.004-05:00

Books I got this week:

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook
The White Cat by Holly Black
Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey
The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
Deception by Lee Nichols
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

That's it! What did you guys get?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's pick is...
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
Coming out April 20, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:
Hunger for nourishment. Hunger for touch. Hunger to belong. Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers. Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries’ coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani’s death. Ani isn’t one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin’s plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

Is there any reason why I need to read this?? :D I can't wait to see what happens

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Never After Review

2010-02-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

Never After by Dan Elconin
Released on Oct. 20, 2009
Summary from Amazon:
There is no place like a dysfunctional home. Leaving everything behind for the Island was Ricky's dream come true. When his happily ever after is not quite what it seems, he discovers that running away means running toward bigger problems. Trapped on the Island, Ricky must join together with the only people he can trust to help him face his fears and return home. But the only way off the Island is to confront the person who trapped Ricky and his friends in the first place. With countless enemies and true peril staring them down, Ricky's mission to leave this so-called paradise will become a battle for their very lives.

My review:
A very unique book for sure. I didn't realize that Never After was a twist of the classic Peter Pan tale until I got to the middle of this novel. It was definitely interesting to see how Dan Elconin twisted the original plot line to make it seem as if Peter was the villain and Hooke was the good guy.

Though the plot itself was entertaining, I found the writing to be fairly simplistic. I could definitely tell that the book was written if not by a college student then a high schooler for sure due to the language used and the style of the writing. There was so much sexual connotations thatit seemed as if it was everywhere. Though it was humorous at first, I have to admit, I did get a bit tired of it after a while.

The characters, Ricky and Company, are well-developed enough. They definitely could use work on the depth of each character but I suppose it's good enough for a college student. The one thing I can say for them is that it was a fairly good description of today's teenage boys and girls. Oh, and the humor was fantastic. Other than that, the book was adequate.

The ending was a slight cliff-hanger because I felt like there was a lot of different interpretations that you could get from the last chapter. It was slightly disconcerting.

Overall, Never After was a humorous and entertaining novel and gave a interesting twist on Peter Pan but be prepared to be drowned in all the soon-to-be annoying sexual connotations.

My rating:
Plot: 7/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 7/10
Total: 37/50 = 74%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Author Wednesdays with...Kate Cann

2010-02-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I have Kate Cann, author of Possessed.

What made you start writing?

Sex! Sorry, but it really was. I was working as a freelance editor and I was sent various teenage books dealing with sex and relationships to polish. It worried me that the books taking a positive view of sex were unrealistic romances – proper candyfloss. But the realistic books took a very dark, depressing, gloomy view of sexuality. I thought there should be a book that gave teenage sexuality its due. It should have intelligent characters and talk about the enormous power of a first sexual relationship and it should have a realistic and positive view of it! Then - somewhat bigheadedly – I set out to write it. This was Diving In; In the Deep End and Sink or Swim followed, and they’re all still in print.

How long have you been writing?

Published writing - fifteen years. But I’ve been writing-writing for ever. I really got into it in my teenage years - one of the reasons I love writing YA fiction, I think. Teenagers make the best fictional characters. They’re dramatic, passionate, volatile, exciting!

Can you tell us a little about your book Possessed?

Rayne flees from urban hell and a possessive boyfriend to work in an ancient mansion house deep in the country, where she gradually, scarily learns about its bloodstained past and dark secrets. She meets a glamorous new group of friends in the nearby town – they’re very seductive but are they interested in her, or the house – and if it’s the house - why? The woods draw her, but frighten her too. She’s not sure who she can trust – she senses evil’s coming but she’s not sure where from - and she’s going to need all her courage to get through.

How did you get the idea for writing Possessed?

Like all my books, it came from several unconnected things colliding. I was intrigued by the bullying power some groups of friends have …they behave almost like cults. I went to the Autumn fire festivals in Sussex and was blown away by the resonance that these ancient, half-forgotten traditions hold. (Check out the photos on my website!) And then I spent a night at the old haunted mansion that I’ve based Morton’s Keep on …..one of the most frightening nights of my life!

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

I suppose Rayne, because we travel with her. But I’ve got a massive soft spot for Ethan. He’s a bit of a hero.

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

The green lady. If you can call her a character – she’s supernatural, a force of nature. Actually – I think I saw her once, on a very windy day out in the Wiltshire countryside – the experience went straight into the book! And I’d like to have tea and scones with Mrs Driver. She’s cosy but cool.

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

About nine months, like all my books. But they ‘compost’ for a while before that …

What’s the next step in your writing career?

I’m finishing off a book I’ve written for adults. Then I’m hoping to get a contact to write a dystopian book called Witch Crag, about two girls and a boy whose only hope of escaping a repressive regime is to get taken in by the women everyone believes are real and dangerous witches ….

Any advice for future authors?

Keep a diary! That's a great way to start writing, because you put down real thoughts and events and feelings, and one good tip for a writer is - keep it real. I used my old teenage diaries when I wrote the Diving In trilogy.

Write what stirs and interests you, not what you think you should be writing. Then it will be alive for the reader, too. Trust your instincts - if it excites you, it will excite other people. Don't worry about it all being perfect - writing really is a craft, and you learn to 'know' when it's good or when to switch things about. But the main thing is to get this passion and 'life' into it.

I also think getting out and living is important - no one ever wrote anything good stuck up in an ivory tower! Eavesdropping and observation are great - just looking at the people around you. Buses and trains are good for this. Listen to people's speech patterns and rhythms.

On a more practical note - I always start the day's work by editing what I've written the night before. Some scientist has proved that your brain actually continues to work on things you did that day in your sleep. You just seem to know what to change, or what to add ....

Read as much as you can. And ENJOY it!

Any other comments?

Thank you for interviewing me with such great questions and I hope you like Possessed!

Thanks Kate!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Currently Tuesdays

2010-02-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Currently Reading:

Bite Me by Melissa Francis
Released on Aug. 12, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
AJ Ashe isn't your typical seventeen-year-old vampire—as if there is such a thing! She's stuck in the middle of a huge fight between her two BFFs. Her ex-boyfriend—whom she's still totally in love with, by the way—is now her stepbrother. A former classmate—who, um, she may or may not have turned into a vampire—is stalking her. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. What ever happened to the good old days, when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

What are you guys reading?

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

The Dark Divine Review

2010-02-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Released on Dec. 22, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held. The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes. The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

My review: A very promising book at first but ultimately, it felt like it was too much. I felt like I overestimated this novel and at times, I couldn't wait for it to finish because it just felt so long and unending.

The characters were well-written but I couldn't really connect with any of them. Grace didn't really seem as the main protagonist but more like a side character since I felt like she didn't really do much. She was just there. Her family's happiness sounded completely forced and it really made you wonder if there was something wrong within the family. Her parents especially her mom cared too much about how others thought of her family especially since it was the "pastor's family". And her brother, Jude, at first, seemed like an awesome guy but as times went on, you finally see how warped and messed up in the head he really is.

Daniel was probably my favorite character despite the fact that he didn't seem believable at first. He was pretty typical in his behavior but I still loved him anyway. I felt like he had the best character and depth in the entire book.

The plot didn't really start until the middle when you finally figure out the "secrets" that Daniel is keeping and that's when things started to move faster. It started slow but ended it with a bang which was great. It made the whole book seem better by far.

The one thing that really irritated me was the fact that I knew that there was a paranormal element going on but I just didn't know what kind of creature was going to show up. There was no talk about it until the last quarter of the novel and that completely irked me because I really wanted to know. It was a great suspense, I'll admit, but I wished that the plot had moved somewhat faster so I wouldn't be dying to know what was coming.

Overall, The Dark Divine was great but it was definitely long and slow. It'll appeal to paranormal lovers for sure though.

My rating:
Plot: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 43/50 = 86%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Snow Queen Review

2010-02-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

Snow Queen by Emma Harisson

Released on Dec. 1, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
A Florida tomboy through and through, Aubrey’s beyond excited to be joining her best friend, Christie, for winter break at the Vermont inn Christie’s family owns. But Aubrey gets more than she bargained for when Christie signs her up for the local beauty pageant, which luckily comes complete with its own Prince Charming. Too bad charm doesn’t run in his family—his manipulative sister is determined to sabotage all of Aubrey’s plans. The road to Snow Queen-dom isn’t smooth for our heroine but it is hilarious, and teen girls will love following Aubrey on the journey to her happy ending.

My review:
One of those typical teen chicklit books that will sure to warm your hearts.

The plot was really cute and followed the typical girl meets boy, boy meets girl, girl thinks boy is tricking her, boy is oblivious to everything, they fall in love and end up winning what they wanted to win. Yea, that pretty much summed up this book, haha. I mean, other than that, there's not really much to the whole thing. There's no real depth or thinking involved. It's one of those beach reads that once you read it once, you don't ever really need to read it again. Unless of course, you're feeling for some chicklit love.

The characters, Aubrey, Christie and Grayson, are adorable. It's really easy to fall in love with all of them and wish that all will go well with their dreams. I loved all their inner struggles and how they all managed to become more mature as the book went forward.

Overall, Snow Queen is really cute and you will definitely fall in love with all the characters despite their many little flaws.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Cover: 8/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 39/50 = 78%

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

Chinese New Year's Giveaway!

2010-02-06T08:00:00.004-05:00

So, in celebration of the Chinese New Year and because I promised you guys, I'll be giving out two prize packs for two people. One will be directed for those who have younger children or relatives due to the Valentine's children books I received a few weeks ago since my youngest relative is a boy and he's almost 10. And the second prize pack will be for the YA readers out there. The third prize pack will be a complete surprise but they are definitely recent YA books (aka ARCs) and they are awesome. And all three prize packs will have three books. Anyway, here's the prize packs:

Prize Pack #1

Prize Pack #2

Prize Pack #3
[shh, it's a surprise, remember?]

Rules:
Comment below (+3)
Advertise contest with link (+5)
Follow me (+2)

Deadline:
February 20th

Open to:
US, Canada and International Readers

Good luck!

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

"Forward"-ing Fridays

2010-02-05T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today's book is...The Comeback by Marlene Perez
Released on Aug. 1, 2009
Summary from Goodreads:
Sophie Donnelly is one half of the most popular and powerful couple in school, until new girl Angie Vogel shows up and compromises everything. Angie steals Sophie's starring role in the school play, and, worse, her super-popular boyfriend. Sophie has been quickly dispatched to social Siberia, but not for long--she'll do anything it takes to make a triumphant comeback.

I've always had a thing for these stuff...hehe. The cover could have some work but it's cute nevertheless.

Juiciliciousss Reviews <3

A Match Made in High School Review

2010-02-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
Released on Feb. 4, 2010
Summary from Goodreads:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

My review:

An extremely cute and hilarious novel.

The plot was definitely my favorite because just the idea of having a marriage education class and forcing the students to marry each other is just plain entertaining. Actually, I'm kind of jealous nw. I wish that my school had this marriage ed class because it'll be soo much fun to participate. :)

The characters were an interesting element. I personally felt that Fiona, the main character, was really annoying and insensitive - basically everything that Todd had called her. I mean, there were so many parts in the book where Fiona just made me want to slap he or just groan at her snobbiness. However, she definitely gew at the end because I felt like she finally understood other people's feelings. She was more definitely more tolerable.

Todd was hilarious. At first, was shocked at his crude humor but as the novel progressed, he grew on me. He's actually quite a charmig person and, I have to admit, I fell in love with his humerous personality.

The ending was expected and at the same time, unexpected. I honestly thought that Fiona would end up with someone else and once I ound out who she'll end up with, the rest of the story was quite predictable.

Overall, A Match Made in High School was an entertaining novel but it could've been better - the writig style seemed pretty basic and I wasn't that impressed with it.

My rating:
Plot: 8/10
Theme: 8/10
Characters: 7.5/10
Cover: 9/10
Recommendation: 8/10
Total: 39.5/50 = 79%

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Author Wednesdays with...Amy White

2010-02-03T08:00:00.004-05:00

Today I have Amy White, author of Forget-Her-Nots.What made you start writing?

I wrote non-fiction articles for magazines and newspapers, like "The Washington Post," for many years, but I always wanted to write a novel. I just love to lose myself in a book. One day, I just had to pursue that dream.

How long have you been writing?

I started writing Forget-Her-Nots about 8 years ago, but I have another novel for adults in a box at the bottom of my closet. Most authors have what I call an "apprentice novel" that will never be published. Good writing takes practice.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

It falls into the category of magical realism, which is not quite fantasy. That means it happens in the real world, but usually just has one or two magic elements. My magic element is flowers which work their fragrant magic according to the language of flowers.

How did you get the idea for writing Forget-Her Nots?

I found a book called TUSSIE-MUSSIES, which was about making small bouquets that had symbolic meanings in the language of flowers. For special occasions, I made bouquets (tussie-mussies for a few friends.) Then I said, what if it was true .... :-)

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

I love them all, but I had a blast creating Rose, who is smart, sarcastic, and skeptical.

If you could meet any characters in your book, who would it be and why?

I'd love to hang out in Laurel's grandma's garden with Laurel, Rose, and their grandma.

How long did it take for you to finish writing the book?

Eight years -- gulp! I was working on lots of other stuff and writing other books, too.

Why did you choose to write YA novels?

I love the genre. I think YA novels are some of the best written and best edited books around. I love the audience too!

What’s the next step in your writing career?

I'm finishing up a draft of a new novel, tentatively called STRING THEORIES. It has nothing to do with flowers, but I hope to revisit the setting and characters of FORGET-HER-NOTS in a companion novel some day.

Any advice for future authors?

Read, write, revise, revise, revise. The books you hold in your hand have been written and rewritten sooo many times. Publication takes tough skin and determination!

Any other comments?

White bellflowers, forsythias, and morning glories for you, Stephanie!

Thanks Amy! :)

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