2011 Debut Author Challenge-- Completed!

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011 Debut Author Challenge participant information:

The objective of the DAC is to read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit! I encourage readers who can read more than twelve to do so!

Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.

You do not have to have an blog written in English to participate.

You can join at anytime. Deadline to join is November 20, 2011. (not 2010 you still have PLENTY of time to sign up!) The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

Qualifying books:

Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.

DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel.

This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011.

If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut.

More challenge guidelines:

Novels must be read between January 1, 2011- December 31, 2011. That means, those of you that have read arc forms of the titles early will not be able to count those toward your challenge totals.

You can use debuts from other countries, but the novel cannot be previously released in your county. (I explain this a little bit more in the FAQ section, if you want to check that out!)

1.   The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
2.  Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
3.  The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
4.  Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
5.  Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
6.  Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris 
7.  Clarity by Kim Harrington
8.  Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
9.  Forgotten by Cat Patrick
10.  Haven by Kristi Cook
11.  Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
12. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
13. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
14. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
15. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
16. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
17. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
18. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
19. Variant by Robison Wells
20. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
21. Fury by Elizabeth  Miles
22. Possession by Elana Johnson
23. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
24. The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
25. The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
26. Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle
27. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
28. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
29. Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
30. On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker

Book Review- On the Fringe

Early this morning I finished reading On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she's still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn't helping.

Neither is thinking she sees Daniel's face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.

As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.

Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.
 
On the Fringe is a ghost story and a mystery with a romance tied in.  I always wanted an older brother who had hot friends I could crush on.  But I had a younger brother whose friends just annoyed me.  Oh well!  Claire was lucky to have that kind of crush.  But I felt so bad for her when Daniel died..just when something was about to happen!  And the idea of having just a couple of minutes every night with a loved one is so bittersweet!
 
It was interesting to find out why Daniel died and why there was a ghost that was haunting Claire.  I definitely didn't see those coming.  There was definitely lots of action, especially at the end that had me not wanting to put the book down!  Luckily it was a quick read and I found my answers pretty fast! 
 
I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 118
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 96
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 30
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 96
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Dearly Departed

Early this morning I finished reading Dearly Departed by Lia Habel for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?


The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.
 
So I don't think I ever really read the summary of this book.  I just knew that it was YA, paranormalish, and had a beautiful cover.  So I signed up for the tour.  I had no idea it was about zombies.  If I had known, I'm not sure I would have signed up since I hadn't read one before and it doesn't really catch my attention.  But let me tell you, I am so glad that I didn't read the summary first.  I really enjoyed my first zombie novel!
 
The world that the story is set in is very similar to Victorian times, although its set in the future.  But fortunately, the author tells us why this is, instead of leaving us confused like other authors do.  I was very grateful for this.  So I really got into the background of the story and the way there were customs fitting of old times blended with future technology.  Pretty neat!
 
And oh, Bram!  He makes me want my own zombie.  Such a true gentelman!  The zombies were so great!  They had such a great sarcastic sense of humor and often times I forgot that they were flesh eaters!  And I loved that Nora was so open minded and embraced her new friends (after having to warm up to them of course!) 
 
I liked that so much was explained in this book.  Why the zombies were happening.  And how.  I think it's a good thing this was first zombie book because it really got me into it!  And the story definitely leaves you wondering what will be happening next.  And I can't wait to pick up the next book!
 
I gave this book a rating of 4/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 113
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 91
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 29
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 90
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

2011 Debut Author Challenge-- December Update

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011 Debut Author Challenge participant information:

The objective of the DAC is to read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit! I encourage readers who can read more than twelve to do so!

Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.

You do not have to have an blog written in English to participate.

You can join at anytime. Deadline to join is November 20, 2011. (not 2010 you still have PLENTY of time to sign up!) The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

Qualifying books:

Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.

DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel.

This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011.

If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut.

More challenge guidelines:

Novels must be read between January 1, 2011- December 31, 2011. That means, those of you that have read arc forms of the titles early will not be able to count those toward your challenge totals.

You can use debuts from other countries, but the novel cannot be previously released in your county. (I explain this a little bit more in the FAQ section, if you want to check that out!)

1.   The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
2.  Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
3.  The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
4.  Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
5.  Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
6.  Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris 
7.  Clarity by Kim Harrington
8.  Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
9.  Forgotten by Cat Patrick
10.  Haven by Kristi Cook
11.  Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
12. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
13. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
14. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
15. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
16. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
17. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
18. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
19. Variant by Robison Wells
20. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
21. Fury by Elizabeth  Miles
22. Possession by Elana Johnson
23. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
24. The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
25. The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
26. Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle
27. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
28. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Book Review- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

I just finished reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Ok, so first things first.  I have a new crush.  His name is Noah Shaw.  Yum!  He is just the first of the many characters that I loved in this book (although the only one I have a crush on).  I just knew that he was going to turn out to be a jerk (with his past and his yumminess and all).  But I was so wrong and so glad that I was wrong!  And Mara.  I loved her!   She was so full of spunk and has such sarcastic thoughts and things to say!  And her chemistry with Noah was perfect!  I loved how she gave him such a hard time at the beginning and didn't just immediate fall into him.  And their banter just made for such a great read!  Then you add Jamie into the mix...such a great friend.  I just wish his character didn't disappear about halfway through.  I enjoyed him.  And don't forget Mara's brother's: Daniel and Joseph.  I've always wanted an older brother to take care of me like Daniel took care of Mara.  And Joseph was such a funny kid--wise beyond his years.  So all of the characters made the story that much more enjoyable for me.

I was instantly wrapped up in Mara's world.  What was real and what wasn't?  And why were the deaths happening?  And what happened on that awful night in the asylum?  I got so engrossed into the story. 

I do have to say that the last quarter or so of the book left me kind of confused.  I was left questioning a lot of things and I don't know if I missed somethings but I just didn't get some of it.  But that didn't make me enjoy it any less.  The ending has a 2 pretty big twists.  One I saw coming right before it happened.  But the one at the very, very end, I didn't see at all (although I think that maybe I should have).  Anyways, the book ended on a HUGE cliffhanger.  Which makes me crave the next book right away!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 105
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 85
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 27
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 85

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- The Probability of Miracles

I just finished reading The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.


A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

So this review will probably make people roll their eyes or disagree but it's my opinion of the book so whatever.

Right off the bat, the book mentions that the main character works at Disney World.  I got soooooooooo excited!  I have work at Disney World for 12 years, live right behind the Magic Kingdom, and even got married at Disney World this past June. Calling me a Disney-holic is not even close! So yeah, I just knew this book would be right up my alley.  But then...then.  The parts of the book started coming in...wrong!  The facts about Disney were wrong!  Yes, I know its a fiction book.  But if you're going to write about such a famous place, you have to get the details right!  (The cast memeber who is Tigger would not be able to ride the monorail in character after he got off of work, Cinderella doesn't walk around in the World Showcase in Epcot, there are no dance clubs at Downtown Disney and even when Pleasure Island was open several YEARS ago there was no under-18 club, and a 25 minute wait time for Small World is NOT normal!!), and they're not going to let teenagers stay in the suite in the castle without chaperones!  So these bad facts turned me off on the book.  Yes, its a small thing, but to me it was just bad.  Research your facts!  Gah!

Anyways, I never really liked Cam.  I get that she's had a hard life and that her being sick for most of it probably turned her the way she was.  But maybe not, since I liked Lily and Lily had also been sick most of her life.  Cam just seemed so negative and dark.  I wanted her to be a sympathetic character.  I did really like Asher, however.  He seemed like such a sweet guy.  Definitely a small town heartthrob.

The ending did get me however.  I actually liked Cam right at the very end.  And it even made me a little teary-eyed. So yeah, the books rating went up for me a little, just for the ending. 

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

The Probability of Miracles will be released on December 8, 2011.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 102
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 82
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 27
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 82
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 18

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

2011 Debut Author Challenge-- November Update

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011 Debut Author Challenge participant information:

The objective of the DAC is to read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit! I encourage readers who can read more than twelve to do so!

Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.

You do not have to have an blog written in English to participate.

You can join at anytime. Deadline to join is November 20, 2011. (not 2010 you still have PLENTY of time to sign up!) The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

Qualifying books:

Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.

DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel.

This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011.

If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut.

More challenge guidelines:

Novels must be read between January 1, 2011- December 31, 2011. That means, those of you that have read arc forms of the titles early will not be able to count those toward your challenge totals.

You can use debuts from other countries, but the novel cannot be previously released in your county. (I explain this a little bit more in the FAQ section, if you want to check that out!)

1.   The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
2.  Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
3.  The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
4.  Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
5.  Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
6.  Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris 
7.  Clarity by Kim Harrington
8.  Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
9.  Forgotten by Cat Patrick
10.  Haven by Kristi Cook
11.  Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
12. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
13. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
14. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
15. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
16. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
17. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
18. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
19. Variant by Robison Wells
20. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
21. Fury by Elizabeth  Miles
22. Possession by Elana Johnson
23. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
24. The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
25. The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
26. Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle

Book Review- Reasons to Be Happy

i just finished reading Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle for a Sourcebooks blog tour.

From Goodreads:

Hannah's parents are glamorous Hollywood royalty, and sometimes she feels like the ugly duckling in a family of swans. After her mother's tragic death, Hannah's grief is compounded by her desperate need to live up to her mother's image. She tries to control her weight through Bulimia, and her devastated father is too distracted to notice. The secret of her eating disorder weighs heavily on Hannah, but the new eighth grade Beverly Hills clique she's befriended only reinforces her desire to be beautiful. The only one who seems to notice, or care, that something is wrong is Jasper, the quirky mistfit.

Okay, a little random side note.  I read this whole book thinking about how this was a new-to-me author.  And when I was done, I was thinking what an amazing book this was.  Then I was reading the author part of the book and realized that Katrina Kittle also wrote The Kindness of Strangers.  I was thinking that I remembered enjoying the book and so I tried to find my review on the blog, but I read it before I started this blog, so I went to goodreads and realized that I gave that book 5 stars!  That is a high, high compliment from me.  I almost never give 5 stars!  So just realize how amazing Katrina Kittle is!

Okay, on to the review.  First off, this book should mandatory for every single junior high student (or girl at least) to read in some health class.  Bulimia is such an important topic and this book covers it in a way that is so very detailed yet not preachy at all.  I feel like on one hand, it shows the pros (no, not pros, there are no pros, but I can't think of another word) of an eating disorder...it doesn't just gloss over it like teens will never have a problem and bulimia is so gross..yadda yadda.  I think that if a teen already has an eating disorder, he/she would be able to identify with Hannah and this book would help a teen overcome the disorder.  Yet at the same time, I think that it shows how horrific bulimia is and that hopefully teens who don't already have an eating disorder would realize that beauty is deeper than the outside of a person and that there are other ways to overcome stressful/upsetting times.

That being said, I loved Hannah.  She was just such a real teenager.  You could feel her pain and her want to be happy.  And the journey she took was such an important one.  Both in the literal sense, of going to Ghana, and of the metaphorical sense, of trying to overcome her eating disorder.  And Aunt Izzy.  Everyone needs an adult in their life like her.  Someone who's not critical, is there for you and wants to help. 

And I loved reading the lists on things to be happy about.  I found  myself saying "yup" or "that makes me happy too" too most of them!  So here's a brief look at my happy list:

1) Cuddling up on the couch with my hubby and puppy
2) Looking at my wedding photos
3)Going out with the girls
4)Cheering on the Gators at the Swamp
5) Getting a compliment from a stranger

I just can't express how much I enjoyed this book.  It was such a tough topic but the author did such a great job with it!

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 97
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 77
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 26
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 77
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 17

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free from Sourcebooks for an honest review.

Book Review- The Faerie Ring

I just finished reading The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton for a Teen Book Scene review.

From Goodreads:

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.


The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

I love when book surprise me.  And The Faerie Ring did just that.  When I was about to start reading the book, I read the back cover again and thought "Uhoh.  Why did I sign up for a book set back in history?  I never enjoy those."  But I was surprisingly wrong!  I enjoyed this book!

I loved all of the characters.  Tiki was such a great character!  Pickpocketing so she can keep her "family" fed.  And her "family" isn't even by blood, just other kids who took her off the street and who she helped take off the street.  And Rieker.  Her suprised me.  For a little while, I wasn't sure what to think about him--whether I thought he was good or bad and whether I liked him or not.  And the other orphans were so sweet too.  They made me want to adopt them all!

The story has some little twists and turns that kept things interesting.  And that I didn't see coming.  There were some questions that I still had after the book ended about both Tiki and Reiker and I checked Kiki Hamilton's website and it looks like there are four book planned to be in the series.  Which is great because I can't wait to see what is in store for Tiki next!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 55
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 45
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 15
What's in a Name? 4 Challenge: Jewelry or Gem
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 42

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the The Teen Book Scene.

2011 Debut Author Challenge-- October Update

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011 Debut Author Challenge participant information:

The objective of the DAC is to read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit! I encourage readers who can read more than twelve to do so!

Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.

You do not have to have an blog written in English to participate.

You can join at anytime. Deadline to join is November 20, 2011. (not 2010 you still have PLENTY of time to sign up!) The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

Qualifying books:

Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.

DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel.

This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011.

If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut.

More challenge guidelines:

Novels must be read between January 1, 2011- December 31, 2011. That means, those of you that have read arc forms of the titles early will not be able to count those toward your challenge totals.

You can use debuts from other countries, but the novel cannot be previously released in your county. (I explain this a little bit more in the FAQ section, if you want to check that out!)

1.   The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
2.  Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
3.  The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
4.  Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
5.  Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
6.  Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris 
7.  Clarity by Kim Harrington
8.  Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
9.  Forgotten by Cat Patrick
10.  Haven by Kristi Cook
11.  Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
12. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
13. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
14. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
15. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
16. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
17. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
18. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
19. Variant by Robison Wells
20. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
21. Fury by Elizabeth  Miles
22. Possession by Elana Johnson
23. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
24. The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
25. The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Book Review- The Predicteds

I finished reading THe Predicteds by Christine Seifert for a Teen Book Scene tour.

From Goodreads:

"We wanted to know what makes a good kid good and a bad kid bad. Can you blame us for that? We found an astoundingly, marvelously simple answer: The brain isn't so much a complicated machine as it is a crystal ball. If you look into it, you will see everything you want to know."
-Dr. Mark Miliken, senior researcher at Utopia Laboratories


Who will it be?


Will the head cheerleader get pregnant?


Is the student council president a secret drug addict?


The whole school is freaking out about PROFILE, an experimental program that can predict students' future behavior.


The only question Daphne wants answered is whether Jesse will ask her out...but he's a Predicted, and there's something about his future he's not telling her.


Well, first of all, The Predicteds was, well, predictable.  The prologue pretty much tells you that something happens to Daphne.  And right from the first time we meet the character who is going to committ the crime, I knew who it would be.  I couldn't stand this character!

The other characters were okay.  Daphne never really grew on me.  Her relationship with her mom was weird:  calling her by her first name and her mom not really having any responsibility with her.  And then the friends she makes at the new school are horrible.  Yes, Dizzy can be nice sometimes, but she could be so mean to other kids.  And Brooklyn was just a straight up *itch.  I don't know why Daphne would put up with either of them.  I mean, Daphne seemed to have a mind of her own, so to want to be friends with either of these girls just to be popular just didn't sit right with me.  I think if I had to pick any of the girls to like, it would have been January.

As for the boys: Sam and Jesse were okay.  Nice enough but still not that great to me.  And I didn't like Josh at all.  I couldn't see why Dizzy wanted anything to do with him!

The plot was interesting, but bothersome.  Although I think it was supposed to be that way.  The idea of segregating kids based on what this computer program came up with is just so horrible!  But it kept my interest.  I wanted to know just what was going to happen and what was going to come of the predicteds.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 89
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 24
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 70

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Teen Book Scene.

Book Review- Carrier of the Mark

I just finished reading The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

I was absorbed into this book pretty quickly.  And I really liked all of the characters.  I loved Megan.  She seemed like such a real teen.  And the friends she met in Ireland were great.  They were nice and supportive and positive.  The boys were great too!

There were really only 2 things that I didn't like.  1) The history of the mark and the carrier of the mark left me confused.  I got so lost in what the bloodlines meant and who could have the mark, and so on.  And 2)  I think that Megan and Adam's relationship was a little too intense, too quickly.  I mean, I know that it explains why, but it still bothered me.

That being said, the plot was pretty interesting.  It had me hanging on and guessing and wanting to know what was going to happen next. I'm pretty sure that there is going to be a sequel (there's not a huge cliffhanger or anything, but you just get a feeling that the end of this book is not the end of the whole story) and I look forward to reading the next one!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

Carrier of the Mark will be released on October 4, 2011.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 90
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 71
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 25
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 71

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Cold Kiss

I just finished reading Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.
 
For some reason when I first saw the summary of this book, I skipped  past it, not really interested in reading it.  But then when I saw some reviews, I changed my mind.  And I'm glad I did!

Wren is such a real character!  I mean, yes, I know she has powers that aren't real.  But her emotions are real.  I so remember my first love and remember the pain of losing him just in a breakup.  And I remember thinking I would do anything to get him back.  So I could totally identify with Wren wanting to bring Danny back from the dead after he dies.  And all of the emotions that she went through.  The love she had for Danny.  The feelings of guilt for bringing him back solely for her own reasons.  Her curiosity about Gabriel and her new crush feelings for him.  All of this just made her such a real character to me.  A likeable one.
 
And the plot kept me hanging on.  It was by no means an action-driven story.  It was definitely character based.  Maybe that's why I liked it so much.  But there was still enough of a suspsense that kept me going.  I wanted to know just what was going to happen to Danny.  Was he going to turn into a violent zombie that I picture in my head?  Was anyone going to find out about him?  Would Wren keep him alive forever?  Then you have the whole romance with Wren and Gabriel going on.  And the questions about Wren's families' powers and just why her dad left.  The first couple of questions were answered, but the last ones weren't.  And I just check and there is a sequel to Cold Kiss, which I'm so glad about and can't wait to be able to read!
 
I gave this book a rating of 4/5.
 
Cold Kiss will be released on September 20, 2011.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 84
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 67
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 23
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 65
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Possession

I just finished reading Possession by Elana Johnson for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.
 
Hmm...what to say about this book?  Well, the premise was good.  When I think of the main idea of the story, I liked it.  But it was the writing that made me question whether I enjoyed the book.
 
I was confused for a lot of the story.  I would go back and re-read paragraphs, thinking I had skipped over something, but no.  There was a lot that seemed to be jumped over.  Small little parts that you wonder just what happened.  I want to say the book was jumpy, but its not like it jumped from scene to scene or character to character.  It was almost like watching a movie and falling asleep for a minute and missing just that one little detail.  And Goodies versus Baddies.  And who was what and who was a spy for whom.  Huh?  I got confused on that too.
 
But then I was also hooked into the story.  I wanted to know what was going to happen to Vi and Jag.  And the ending definitely leaves you wondering just what's going to happen next.  I'm not sure I'll read the next book, but I think I'll wait to read reviews before I decide.  Maybe the writing will get better.
 
I gave this book a rating of 3/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 83
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 66
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 22
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 64
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Fury

I finished reading Fury by Elizabeth Miles for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Em and Chase have been chosen.

I hadn't seen the best ratings on Fury, so I wasn't going in with high expectations.  Maybe that's why I enjoyed  it so much!

Immediately I was engrossed in the story.  Even though I am soooo against cheating, and I'm a super loyal person, I didn't hate Em.  Normally I hate her type of character but for some reason, I didn't hate her.  I felt so bad for her.  Guys can be such jerks!    Now Chase on the other hand had it coming to him.  I didn't really much like his character at all.  Too much of player.  And to fall for Ty that quickly and intensely.  Yikes.  You just knew it was going to end badly.

And it kept me intrigued.  I knew the three girls, Ty, Ali, and Meg were bad but I couldn't figure out why.  And the ending definitely leaves you hanging.  I want to know what is going to happen next with Em and the Furies!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 81
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 65
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 21
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 63

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

2011 Debut Author Challenge-- September Update

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011 Debut Author Challenge participant information:

The objective of the DAC is to read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit! I encourage readers who can read more than twelve to do so!

Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.

You do not have to have an blog written in English to participate.

You can join at anytime. Deadline to join is November 20, 2011. (not 2010 you still have PLENTY of time to sign up!) The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

Qualifying books:

Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.

DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel.

This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011.

If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut.

More challenge guidelines:

Novels must be read between January 1, 2011- December 31, 2011. That means, those of you that have read arc forms of the titles early will not be able to count those toward your challenge totals.

You can use debuts from other countries, but the novel cannot be previously released in your county. (I explain this a little bit more in the FAQ section, if you want to check that out!)

1.   The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
2.  Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
3.  The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
4.  Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
5.  Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
6.  Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris 
7.  Clarity by Kim Harrington
8.  Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
9.  Forgotten by Cat Patrick
10.  Haven by Kristi Cook
11.  Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
12. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
13. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
14. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
15. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
16. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
17. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
18. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
19. Variant by Robison Wells
20. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Book Review- Catching Jordan

Early this morning I finished reading Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.


So when I first read the summary of the book, I was so excited!  I am a HUGE football fan!  I love college football the best but the NFL isn't far behind.  In fact, I have 5 fantasy football leagues!  I always wanted to play football, but was never brave enough (and I don't really have any skills).  But to read a book about a girl quarterback in high school?  Awesome!

Then I sat down and started to read.  And I learned about how Jordan wanted to go to Alabama so badly and how her brother went to Tennessee.  Well, I am a DIE-HARD Gator.  I went to the University of Florida and it shows!  I even have tons of posters up in my kindergarten classroom!  My kiddos always draw me orange and blue pictures every year and I get them to say "Go Gators!"  So reading about how Tennessee was going to beat the Gators (which hasn't happened since 2004) wasn't exactly making me happy.  But then I realized that at least the author was pro SEC so I guess it was okay :) 

Anyways, on to the book.  I loved all of the football talk.  I love being submersed in the football world.  And I liked that Jordan was just one of the guys but learned that having friends that are girls can be a wonderful thing too.  I didn't like Ty, not even from the beginning.  He was too controlling and I didn't like that.  I loved Henry though!  Such a sweet guy!  The plot was okay.  It was a little predictable.  But that's okay!  I just loved reading about a girl playing quarterback!  Hopefully some day we'll see a girl quarterback in the college division!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

Catching Jordan will be released on December 1, 2011.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:

2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 74
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 58
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 20
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 56
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 12

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Variant

I just finished reading Variant by Robison Wells for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Benson Fisher thought a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.
 
Okay, so I'm not really sure how I feel about this book.  Half of me loved it and the other half of me is annoyed. 
 
The first part of the book flew for me.  I was completely engrossed in the story.  I don't find myself normally liking books with a male as the main character.  But I certainly liked this one.  In fact, it may be one of my favorite books with the main characters as a male.  The book was kinda like a dystopian novel, but it wasn't since it was set in modern day time.  Maybe it was just more horror.  I couldn't put the book down.  I wanted to know if Bensen was going to escape and how.  And I wanted to know just why these kids were trapped in the school.
 
And then the second half of the book.  There was a major twist.  I'm talking major.  I didn't see it coming.  At all.  And I'm not too sure how I felt about it.  At first I kind of rolled my eyes and though "Why did it have to go this way??"  But then I got into it and was once again engrossed.  And I still wanted to know the same questions as before.  Was Benson going to escape, and why were the kids trapped in the school.
 
And then you have the end.  Talk about a major cliff hanger.  But it was a confusing one.  The last 20 pages or so had me going "huh?  I don't get it."  I went back and re-read it several times.  And I'm still not sure I understand what is going on.  I mean, I get the cliffhanger part, I think.  But there are other things I have questions about, that I can't really get into because it would completely spoil the story.  The last page says "End of book one" and I just hope that the next book will answer the questions.
 
That being said, I enjoyed it.  I think.  It sure left me with my mouth hanging open and lots to think about!
 
I gave this book a rating of 4/5.
 
Variant will be released on October 4, 2011.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 73
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 57
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 19
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 55
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Touch of Frost

Early this morning, I finished reading Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep for The Teen Book Scene.

From Goodreads:

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

Touch of Frost was a fun read.  For some reason, I find myself always enjoying books set at boarding schools.  I'm not sure what the attraction is, but its there!  And since Touch of Frost was set at a boarding school, I knew I would enjoy it!

This was a paranormal book, but a different take on that world.  Instead of the normal angels, werewolves, fairies, and vampires, this book dealt with Warriors and Valkyries and Spartans and the descendants of the gods.  I've always loved Greek mythology, so I enjoyed reading this take on it. 

I liked Gwen.  I liked that she seemed to fully embrace her powers and be okay with who she was.  And I liked that she had such a good heart. 

There were several twists and turns in this story.  I kinda thought that there would be something more to Gwen's mom's death (since it was a drunk driving accident and the other driver was never found) but nothing really came of that.  The real story of Jasmine's death was a surprise.  I didn't see that one coming.  And I think it will be interesting to see what Gwen does next in the sequel, Kiss of Frost.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 71
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 18
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 54

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Teen Book Scene.