PLAYING HURT by Holly Schindler

Published 3/8/2011

Playing Hurt | Holly Schindler

Flux

Paperback | 312 pp.

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

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
I became a Holly Schindler fan last summer, when her debut novel, A BLUE SO DARK, came out.  I thought it was emotional and dark, beautiful and twisted.  The MC felt so relatable, even though I’ve never, ever had to deal with a schizophrenic mother. 

Holly Schindler does that.  She makes you feel like the things happening in her novels are happening to you, whether you have anything in common with the characters or not.  She sucks you into her stories with ringing voice.  She did it with A BLUE SO DARK, and she did it again with her PLAYING HURT. 

Chelsea Keyes beasts it on the basketball court.  She’s a firecracker in her home town.  Until she’s injured on the court, and crippled from doing the thing she loves the most.  Scholarships, gone.  Her future, gone.  Happiness, in the trash. 

Chelsea isn’t only injured physically.  She is sad, all the time, and the sadness is so heavy that she can’t ever get away from it—not even when she’s with her boyfriend. Without basketball, she’s not the same sweat-covered, gleaming, radiant Chelsea.  Her parents think that sending her on a trip to a Minnesota lake resort will help bring her peace.  So they’re off.

At the resort, Chelsea meets her physical trainer, Clint, a college-aged workaholic trying to forget his own traumatic past with love and relationships.  The two of them click, both hurt, and both looking to heal.  Chelsea loves him more than she’s ever loved anything in her life… even basketball.   Clint feels the same two.  Even though he’s sworn to never date again.  And even though Chelsea has a boyfriend back home. 

I’ve never in my life played basketball, but when Chelsea was crippled from playing, I felt like something was being ripped from my heart.  Holly Schindler writes in a way that will make you feel Chelsea’s physical and emotional trauma.  I can’t even count on my fingers how many emotions this book had me zipping through.  Chelsea’s voice appealed to me.  She was vulnerable and hurt, because of her injury, but that didn’t keep her from being her firecracker self. 

The alternating points-of-view just made the book better.  Getting inside Clint’s head was like piecing together a puzzle.  I had to work to take the clues that Clint gave away about his past to find out what really happened to make him so distant and resistant to love. 

Then there’s the whole thing with Chelsea cheating on her at-home boyfriend, Gabe, with Clint.  Let me tell you: I absolutely hate cheaters (been there, done that).  But I couldn’t help but sympathize with Chelsea.  She knew she was cheating, but continued to do it.  This sounds bad, right?  But it’s not.  Chelsea’s relationship with Gabe just wasn’t right.  And Holly Schindler makes sure the reader knows that.  At the beginning of PLAYING HURT, we see Chelsea with Gabe.  And at the end, we see Chelsea with Clint.  We get a taste of both, and this makes us see the difference between being in a relationship and being in love.  Chelsea may have cheated on Gabe,  but at least she did it for all the right reasons.  She did it for love of Clint.

God.  How many times can I say it?  Holly Schindler knows how to write a perfect novel. 

Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars

DARK MIRROR by MJ Putney

3/1/2011

Dark Mirror | MJ Putney

St. Martin’s Griffin

Paperback | 306 pp.

Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status. 
Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted . . . by magic.
When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.
But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
I’m always cautious with historical fiction.  It’s really just not my genre.  So I have to be really, really interested to pick one up.  This was true for DARK MIRROR.  When I first saw it, I really was not interested, but once I started noticing that my friends at Electrifying Reviews and The Story Siren were enjoying MJ Putney’s YA debut, I decided to give it a try.
 
Lady Victoria Mansfield has just found out she’s a mage, the marrow in her bones replaced with a magic that’s just now starting to flow out from her in the most unfortunate times.  Like while sleeping, or even at a party.
 
When everyone finds out about Tory’s status as a mage, her parents send her off to Lackland Abbey, a school widely known for reforming mages.  But when Tory arrives, she finds out that she’s not the only one opposed to getting her magic ability “reformed.”  She wants to keep it, and with the help of some of the other students, she just might be able to…

My favorite things about DARK MIRROR were the descriptions.  MJ Putney really takes her readers back to the regency era in her YA debut.  Her historic, paranormal world was very authentic. 

I usually find historical fiction overly descriptive.  DARK MIRROR was, at some points, overly descriptive.  But that didn’t take away from the novel at all.  MJ Putney sucks readers into her world with details on 1800 England society.

DARK MIRROR is a fantastic book for readers itching to read about interesting characters set in a rich historical, paranormal setting.

Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Sappy Stuff You Probably Don’t Want To Read

 
***WARNING:  This is a sappy post on how I feel about my blog & readers, my favorite things about blogging, and all the great people I’ve met through blogging.  It’s emotional, and you’re going to cry your fucking eyes out. 

On March 29th, 2010, when I started Naughty Book Kitties, I was this quiet little blogger who liked to read girl books.  I had a bright pink layout with a girl blowing bubble-gum, and a total of 17 followers.

Fast-forward a year, and I have over 1,000.

Having 1,000 followers is something I never thought would’ve happen to me or my blog.  Having 1,000 followers was for those legit bloggers.  Bloggers who people liked, whose opinion was trusted.  Bloggers who were likable and funny, and had cute layouts.  I wasn’t one of those bloggers—I was just posting random crap about books at Naughty Book Kitties. 

I can’t believe 1,000+ people read this random crap about books.

I love the comments I get.  I love hearing that one of my reviews made someone go out and buy a book.  I love hearing people say I pointed them in the direction of one of their new favorites.  It’s the best thing ever.  My readers are the best thing ever.  I love them more than Vanessa Hudgens loves leaking naked photos of herself. 

I also love all the writers + bloggers + readers I’ve met through blogging.  I love staying up late, not doing my homework, and just tweeting them giggle-enducing things.  I love talking about hot boyz with my favorite writers, gossiping with my favorite bloggers, talking about books with everyone.  I love telling Hannah Moskowitz that she needs to get the fuck off Twitter and go write another book so she can pay me child support.  I love using cheesy pick-up lines on Julie from Bloggers Heart Books.  I love getting pictures of the New York City skyline from Mitali at Alley of Books.  I lovelovelove everything about blogging + the people I’ve met because of it.  

I’ve learned so much about what kind of reader I am, what in a book makes me tic.  I’ve learned that stories are the best thing in the universe, and that I’m going to spend the rest of my life working with them.

So, thanks for reading my blog.  Thanks for being a reader of Naughty Kitties.  Thanks for making blogging fun.  Thanks for encouraging me.  Thanks for inspiring me.  Thanks for being my friend.

An Interview With That Ridiculous Kid

You asked questions, I’m answering them.  Below you will see all of my naughty secrets—spilled!

(The above is an exaggeration.)

You're very positive about every book you review. I was wondering what you do if you don't like a book. Do you find something to like? Not post a review? Do you read quickly or are you one of those lucky people who don't need much sleep?
I simply don’t blog about books I don’t like. I wouldn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.


So, like, what are your hopes and dreams?
Like everyone else, I just want to be happy. I want to be happy, wherever I end up in ten years. Besides that, I want to work in publishing and eat bucket loads of Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Puffs without being scolded by my mother.


What's your process for writing a book review? Do you write stream-of-consciousness style, make notes or a combination of both?
I log on to my Windows Live blogging app, set everything up (book cover, Amazon link, summary, etc.), and then ramble like there’s no tomorrow.


Which character from any book would you bring to life for a day and why? Where would you go/what would you do together in that day?
Luc, from PERSONAL DEMONS by Lisa Desrochers. He’s hot. And I have BIG PLANS for our day together. (Plans I probably shouldn’t mention on a YA book blog.)


Who's your dream date and where would you go on your date?
I don’t really know who my dream date would be. But I do know that we’d go to the mall. I know, go figure.


Favorite book of ALL time?
It’s a tie between WHITE OLEANDER by Janet Fitch, THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger, and DREAMLAND by Sarah Dessen.

Favorite TV character of ALL time?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She has awesome hair.


If you had one wish... what would it be?
To be one of those people who don’t worry about anything, to be carefree. I worry so effing much—about everything.


What is your absolute favorite faery book/series?
The WINGS series by Aprilynne Pike. The writing is good, the characters are likable, the world-building is spectacular. The third book, ILLUSIONS, comes out this May!


Are you flamboyant in real life or is it just your blog persona?
I wouldn’t call myself flamboyant. I’m definitely more girly than usual (I use glitter pencils, have zebra print pillows, obsess over my hair, etc.), but I am still a boy. I don’t cry when I break a nail, or talk like Paris Hilton. I’d say I’m in the middle.


Favourite hair styling product?
Aussie Hair Spray.

Favorite song?
Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield.


What is your favorite color or glitter?
Red.


I love some of your recommendations but wonder why it seems almost all of your reads are from women authors about female leads?
It’s just the simple fact that the majority of YA writers are women, and the majority of books being published these days are about girls. (There are always exceptions. Andrew Smith is the bomb, and I interviewed him here on my blog a couple of months ago.  Google it.)


How has reading impacted your life?
It hasn’t impacted my life in any certain way; reading is just one of those things I have to do every single day.  I think every person has a thing they do every day, a constant, that you do when you're happy, or sad, or need to relieves stress, gives you time to think, etc.  Mine is reading.


I just wanted to ask if you could be the author of any book which book would you have "written"?
Anything by Sarah Dessen. She’s my god.


How did you get into blogging and make so many connections? Is it just unbelievable dedication?
I slept with every single person in the book industry. It was both exhausting and thrilling.


Do you have any brothers or sisters? How old are they?
My brother is eight, and my sister is eleven. They like to steal my books and damage them. I’m half-terrified and half-fond of them.


What is the best thing about high school?
There is absolutely nothing good about high school.


Why are you so awesome? I just don't understand how someone could attain your level of coolness! Mind imparting some words of wisdom?
Be fierce.


Absolute favorite quote ever?
“The world is vast and meant for wandering. There is always someplace else to go.” –Nick Burd


What inspired you to make a blog that critiques books? And do you plan to become a writer?
I don’t critique books; I ramble about them.

And I really don’t know about being a writer. I think I am a writer (in the way that writing is just an ordinary part of every single day). All day long I analyze words and thoughts and sentences and ideas. I constantly observe the way people speak (words they choose, better words they COULD have used, the way they organize their thoughts and speak them aloud).

In November, I wrote my first long piece of fiction. I loved writing, but I hated the story. I stopped after 100 pages. Just because I had no clue where the story was going, and it felt forced.

Right now I’m writing my second novel, and am enjoying it so much more than the first. The storyline is a puzzle, and I’ve found every single piece and have molded them to make a big, sprawling picture. I’m not going to say much about it, but I will say this: It feels like *my* story to tell.

When I finish, and it’s something I’m proud of, I guess the answer to this question is yes.

But right now writing isn't really a big concern.  I'm a teenager, and writing good, quality fiction ain't easy.  I think I might need a couple more years.  ;)


Do you want to move to NYC/Boston/some other big city and intern for a literary agency?
Duh. It’s all I think about these days.

Is your last name really T-Money like your Twitter profile says?
Yeah. It’s Celtic, can’t you tell?


Do you like books that start out right into the action?
Actually, I prefer books that ease into the action. Books that start off with a little backstory, or in calm scenes. I.e. Sarah Dessen.


Are you tired of the Mysterious New Guy thing in books?
Yes, but there are always exceptions. For example, Victoria Schwab’s THE NEAR WITCH is a superb novel that I thought was absolutely perfect, and it has the Mysterious New Guy.


I follow you on Twitter, and can never understand what you’re saying. Do you speak another language?
People not understanding anything I say = story of my life. I do speak another language, actually. I am 100% fluent in slang. I can conjugate “buttah” like no other. (And if you don’t know what “buttah” means, then get the fuck off my blog…)

Blogiversary Giveaway, Part 3: The ARC Edition

After reading this post, you’re going to love me.

You’re going to love me just as much as I love you!

To wrap up my blogiversary giveaway & to show appreciation for my wonderful readers, I’m giving away the hottest late spring + early summer ARCs that I know all of you are absolutely dying to get your hands on.  

One lucky reader will win:

• an arc of RED GLOVE by Holly Black
• an arc of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth
• an arc of HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
• an arc of ILLUSIONS by Aprilynne Pike

A second lucky reader will win:

• an arc of POSSESION by Elana Johnson
• an arc of WILDEFIRE by Karsten Knight
• an arc of THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab

You want these books SO BAD.  I know you do!

How to enter:

• fill out the form below
• US addresses only
• for one extra entry tweet the following:  I want to win some AWESOME BOOKS from @NaughtyBlogging as part of the #naughtykitties blogiversary.  Enter here: http://bit.ly/eifmmL

Good luck!  And thanks for making this a spectacular blogiversary!

SHIMMER by Alyson Noel

Published 3/15/11

Shimmer | Alyson Noel

Square Fish

Paperback | 192 pp.

Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     I just adore Alyson Noel.  She writes these glimmering stories that reflect the real world so much you can’t help but tear through them.  Her writing is sharp & fun, her characters feel like best friends after only the first chapter, and her storylines develop fluidly.  I’m beginning to like her middle-grade series more than her YA!
     In the first Riley Bloom novel, RADIANCE, we travel to the afterlife with Riley, and find out she’s expected to work as a Soul Catcher.  In SHIMMER, we follow her on her next journey as a Soul Catcher.  On vacation, Riley finds an old, mysterious plantation house.  With the house is Rebecca, a sweet-looking little girl. 
     But as Riley has found out since being dead, looks can be very deceiving.  Rebecca is actually a little demon child (not literally), who lets out her anger on the ghosts of those who died on her father’s plantation.  Riley has to find a way to get Rebecca to cross over to the afterlife peacefully without getting her ass beat…
     After a few chapters, you’ll start to think of Riley as your own little sister.  She’s funny, playful, sassy, and strong.  Her narration is funny, engaging, and makes me feel like I’m in middle school again.  Some people will say she’s too headstrong and rude.  I say she’s twelve, and that’s what girls her age are like. 
     Even though the characters are only pre-teens, there is just teensy little bit of romance between Riley and her colleague/teacher/partner-in-crime, Bodhi.  Though they never come out and say it, you can tell that the two really care about each other.  It’s cute.
     As I said, Alyson Noel knows how to create vivid paranormal settings that reflect the real world.  Riley learns to confront her fears and trust her gut.  SHIMMER shows readers that forgiving and loving is always a better way to spend time, and that grudges should be let go.  I recommend these books to anyone looking for engaging middle-grade stories.

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Blogiversary Giveaway, Part 2: The OMG NEW RELEASES Edition

As promised, the second part to my blogiversary giveaway!

Some awesome books have recently hit the shelves, so I thought I’d do a giveaway for new releases.  I have read each of these books, and let me tell you:  They’re hawt.

One lucky reader will win:

• a signed copy of PLAYING HURT by Holly Schindler
• a copy of STAY by Deb Caletti
• a copy of DEMONGLASS by Rachel Hawkins
• a signed copy of WITHER by Lauren DeStefano
• a copy of  BORN AT MIDNIGHT by C.C. Hunter
• a copy of DARKNESS BECOMES HER by Kelly Keaton

I know you want these books.  I know you do.

What you can do to enter:

• fill out the form below by March 29th, 2011
• tweet the following for one extra entry:  I want to win some new #YAlit releases from @NaughtyBlogging as part of his blogiversary giveaway!  Enter here:  http://bit.ly/fx4aKA

On March 29th, I’ll email the winner. I’ll use a random number generator to pick the winner.  US addresses only, please.

Good luck!

Brent

Rebecca Fjelland Davis’s Teen Garage Sale + Giveaway

Today I have author Rebecca Fjelland Davis here to share with us the items she’d sell in a garage sale as a teenager!  I also have a signed copy of her novel CHASING ALLIECAT to giveaway.  I enjoyed CHASING ALLIECAT so much, you can read my review here:  http://bit.ly/gtC3ta.



Rebecca Fjelland Davis is a novelist and YA and children's book author who lives in Minnesota. Becky is a serious cyclist and loves to write about her passions:  bicycling, dogs, farms, family, and friendship. 





Teenage Garage Sale: If you were to have a garage sale of the stuff from your teen years, what would we find there? You can assign values to things too.


     My horse’s saddle, bridle, blanket. I spent many, many hours riding my ponies, often with my best friend Bev and her horse.  I don’t think of the horses themselves as possessions to be sold. They’ve been gone a long time, but in my memory—they are friends to be treasured. 

     My three-speed bicycle that I bought in high school. It was cool.

     My single-speed Hawthorn bike with built-in headlights. (not so cool then, but now very retro).

     My confirmation Bible—that I still have, in tatters—which is both priceless and worthless.

     My sled—my brother and two guy friends and I spent winter hours on the pasture hills, finding the most dangerous and fastest descents. If that wasn’t enough, we would hook a string of sleds behind the tractor and whip them up and down our quarter-mile-long driveway. It’s a wonder nobody died.

     My softball glove—but it’s not for sale because I still have it and use it occasionally.

     A lot of homemade dresses; we didn’t get to wear pants to school until I was in 9th grade—and then, just on Fridays. Finally, in high school, we got to wear jeans my senior year. That was a big deal!  For sale: my first pair of fashion-y jeans (before name brand jeans) that zipped up the back—really cheap! Also, smocks were big. I’d sell a dozen of them for 10 cents each!

     Last: I had a collection of horse statues—my passion was horses. That would go CHEAP, cheap, cheap.

     I wasn’t as much into stuff, actually, as lots of people.  I didn’t get to collect records like my friends did because my mom thought rock music was sinful.

     I had a lot of books—those I still have, and the price is too high for a garage sale. I don’t think I’ve ever thrown a book away. ACK. Maybe I should have a sale. 




Fill out the form below to enter to win a signed copy of CHASING ALLIECAT!



       Items for sale:

Interview with Lauren DeStefano

Hey naughty kitties!

Today I bring you Lauren DeStefano, the insanely awesome, mind-blowingly creative author of WITHER.  I adored WITHER, as you can see in my review here:  http://bit.ly/eQmICu. 


Visit Lauren on Twitter
Check out Lauren’s Website

Lauren DeStefano was born in New Haven, Connecticut and has never traveled far from the east coast. She received a BA in English from Albertus Magnus College recently, and has been writing since childhood. She made her authorial debut by writing on the back of children's menus at restaurants and filling up the notepads in her mom's purse. Her very first manuscript was written on a yellow legal pad with red pen, and it was about a haunted shed that ate small children.
Now that she is all grown up (for the most part), she writes fiction for young adults. Her failed career aspirations include: world's worst receptionist, coffee house barista, sympathetic tax collector, and English tutor. When she isn't writing, she's screaming obscenities at her Nintendo DS, freaking her cats out with the laser pen, or rescuing thrift store finds and reconstructing them into killer new outfits.

Lauren DeStefano

Q: Your novel combines genetic engineering, polygamy, and super-low life-expectancies to create an awesome storyline. How did the idea come to you?

A: I may never know exactly where it came from. This story is the culmination of many strange factors. I was bedridden with the flu, for starters, and I was getting frustrated with an adult writing project I had going. My agent suggested that I try something out of my comfort zone, something that I would normally never write, and she also linked me to a site that was taking short story submissions. I began Wither with the intention of making it a short story, and I had no idea where it would take me. Page one began with a girl in a dark place; she didn’t know where she was going, and she was scared. That girl turned out to be my protagonist, Rhine, and at the time she knew about as much of her story as I did.


Q: Describe your debut novel, Wither, in three words.


A: A broken fairytale.

Q: If you could pair Rhine, Linden and Gabriel with any character from any book, who would your pick for each be?


A: I probably wouldn’t do that. It’s hard to imagine the characters in this world entering another world. But for Rhine, I would say that being paired up is the last thing she’d want. She’s a strong-willed girl who values freedom above all else; love is not something she’s ever thought to look for.

Q: Can you tell us why you chose the title Wither, and how it correlates with your Rhine’s story?


A: It was a title that the publisher and I generated from a long list, after the story had been through copyediting. It can be interpreted any number of ways, but for me it describes what’s happening not only to my characters, but to everything around them. Flowers, trees, crumbling buildings—it’s a world where everything is slowly dying.


Q: How long did it take you to write Wither?


A: The first draft took about a month, which isn’t typical for me. I have some unpublished stories that have taken years to complete.


Q: What can we expect from future books in this series?

A: For some big questions to be answered, and for some bigger questions to arise.

Q: I know that Justin Bieber and Paris Hilton were huge inspirations for Wither, but is there anything else? A song, another book, a place?

A: Just to dispel this up front: No pop singers or celebutantes inspired this story. But while I was going through some old books from my childhood last week, I found a copy of The Girl Who Owned a City by O. T. Nelson, which was about a mysterious virus that killed everyone over the age of 12. I was probably nine or ten when I read it, and I’m sure that planted a very early seed. I’m also fascinated by stories on the news about eradicating cancer genes or genetically modified foods, and loved the movie Gattaca.

Somewhere in my brain is a spinning wheel that processes all of my life’s experiences and makes them into story ideas.


Q: Is there any certain person who instilled the passion for reading and writing in you? A family member or a teacher maybe?


A: I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, and when I was young I didn’t give much thought to why I loved it, nor did I share it with anyone. I saw it as a private thing, like keeping a diary, except all the entries were fictitious. In fifth grade I was assigned to write a short story for school, and I remember my teacher pulling me aside and asking if I had ever considered writing books when I grew up. Before that moment, publication had never occurred to me, but as I got older I began to take the idea more seriously.


Q: Were you inspired by other dystopian stories, such as The Handmaiden's Tale? What other dystopian would you recommend we read?


A: I have seen a lot of comparisons between my story and The Handmaid’s Tale which frankly surprises me. I am a huge admirer of Margaret Atwood and would absolutely recommend her dystopian, but I think her story and mine focus on different topics and paint different worlds. As far as recommending dystopians, it would really depend on what the reader is looking for. The beauty of dystopian fiction is that it breaks the boundaries we’re used to; it makes us uncomfortable, and it makes us see our own world in a new light, and so I would only recommend, whatever dystopian each reader chooses, that it’s met with an open mind.


Q: What are some of your favorite books that have had the biggest influence on your writing?


A: I’m not sure that other books are any more or less influential as anything else that might inspire me, such as a conversation or a crime documentary—I never really know what will trigger something. I once wrote an entire scene because of a shape I saw in a puddle.

Thanks so much to Lauren and Simon & Schuster for providing the interview!  As you guys can see, Lauren is a delightful person, and you absolutely must check out WITHER (in stores today).  See below for more info on the book.


Amazon | Barnes & Noble

On sale 3/22/11

S&S BFYR

When scientists engineered genetically perfect children, everyone thought it would ensure the future of the human race. Though the first generation is nearly immortal, a virus causes all successive generations to die early: age 20 for women, 25 for men. Now, girls are kidnapped for brothels or polygamous marriages to breed children. Rhine is taken from her hardscrabble life and sold with two other girls to Linden Ashby. Though they live in a palatial Florida home surrounded by gardens and treated like royalty, the girls are sequestered from the outside world, and Rhine longs to escape. Her growing affection for her sister wives, her pity for Linden, and her fear of Housemaster Vaughn, Linden's manipulative father, keep her uncomfortably docile, until she falls for servant Gabriel. This character-driven dystopia, more thoughtful than thrilling, sets up an arresting premise that succeeds because of Rhine's poignant, conflicted narrative and DeStefano's evocative prose. Many will appreciate the intense character drama; however, the world building is underdeveloped, with holes in internal logic.Still, this first title in the Chemical Garden Trilogy will surely be popular. Grades 9-12. --Krista Hutley, Booklist

5 Qs for Jennifer Archer

As part of the Teen Scene Blog Tour going on for Jennifer Archer’s YA debut, THROUGH HER EYES, I have an interview with Jennifer to share with your guys!  I read THROUGH HER EYES a while back, and let me tell you:  It is compelling & vivid. 

Jennifer Archer is the author of eleven books for adults.  THROUGH HER EYES is her first novel for teens.  Visit her website at http://jenniferarcher.net/ and follow her on Twitter at @JenniferArcher1.



THROUGH HER EYES has a stunning cover.  What’s your reaction to it?
I think it’s stunning! I saw it for the first time when my editor emailed the jpeg image to me. I wasted an entire morning staring into those haunting green eyes. Everything about the cover conveys the tone and theme of the story; even the blurring of the lettering in the title has meaning. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect cover for my book!

Do you have any quirky writing rituals?
As a matter of fact, before each writing session I light exactly fifty purple candles in my office and then dance barefoot on top of my desk to summon my muse. (Just kidding!) Each book I write tends to inspire different rituals. For instance, when I was writing one of my adult novels, The Me I Used to Be, I journaled for ten or fifteen minutes every morning before I started my work. I gave myself a little pep talk, writing affirmations in longhand. It worked! That book seemed to write itself. I was nominated for a Rita Award for that book. I received more reader mail for it than I have for any other story I’ve written. So, you ask, why don’t I continue to journal with every book? That’s a good question, and I don’t have an answer for it! My current ritual is to make a music soundtrack for the book and listen to it while I’m writing. I choose songs that fit the tone of the story; listening to them immediately throws me into the world of my characters. I made a soundtrack for Through Her Eyes that includes music from the movies Girl Interrupted, The Mothman Prophecies, and Identity. And for the YA novel I’m just finishing now with the working title The Shadow Girl, I’ve been listening to the Benjamin Button soundtrack, as well as to violinist Leila Josefowiez’s music.

You’ve written several novels for adults. What made you wanna cross over into YA?
Actually, it wasn’t a conscious decision. I was working as a substitute teacher years ago at an elementary school when I saw a copy of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time on the teacher’s desk. I remembered loving the book when I was young, so I began reading the opening chapter to refresh my memory about the story. I completely forgot that thirty or more students were working on an assignment at their desks in front of me. Suddenly, I was twelve years old again and completely immersed in the magic of Meg’s world. When I finally came back to reality, I thought: I don’t care how old I am, I still love this book. After that day, I began reading more current young adult fiction. When I mentioned this to my agent, she commented that my writer “voice” is suited to writing for teens. Her remark must have planted a seed in my subconscious because I awoke the next morning with the core elements of Through Her Eyes fully bloomed in my mind, and I quickly jotted them down on paper and sent them to her. She loved the idea, and the rest is history!

The opening line of THROUGH HER EYES is “I died on a bitter, cold night.” Would you say you’ve written a dark novel, or are there some fun, light aspects for readers to look for? 
Through Her Eyes is definitely a dark, emotional story at heart; however it has its humorous moments, too. The character Bethyl Ann Pugh (called “Stinky Pugh” by her classmates) who befriends Tansy after she moves to Cedar Canyon, Texas, adds a lot of comic relief to the otherwise moody, emotional story. She is a highly intelligent thirteen-year-old who has been moved up to 11^th grade, and a self-professed “nerd.” She also has a great, humorous outlook on life and some quirky habits. I had a lot of fun with Bethyl Ann! I also included some fun small town traditions in the storyline, which are actually real events that occur in some of the little Texas towns I visited while writing the story.

What’s the biggest difference between writing for adults and writing for teens?
I recently read an article that addressed this very topic. In it, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz states that when writing for teens “the single most important thing is to really get in touch with your inner teen.” I couldn’t agree more. That challenge – to remember what it was like to be a teenager myself – is the only real difference I’ve noticed between writing for adults and writing for teens.

Thanks for inviting me to your blog, Brent! You’ve asked really interesting questions, and I’ve enjoyed the discussion. I hope your readers will look for Through Her Eyes in  April, and I’d love to hear what they think about it. In the meantime, I invite everyone to visit my website www.jenniferarcher.net and watch the book trailer, and also to stop by my blog www.jenniferarcher.blogspot.com.

Check out the trailer for THROUGH HER EYES here: http://bit.ly/ejePXe

Blogiversary Giveaway, Part 1: The Gay Edition

Hey naughty kitties!

As you know, my blogiversary is right around the corner—March 29th! 

To show my appreciation for the readers of my blog, and to celebrate my one-year with the Naughty Book Kitties, I’m giving away tons—and I mean tons—of books.

I decided to break up the giveaway into three parts.  The first being gay books.

One lucky reader will win:

• a copy of BOYFRIENDS WITH GIRLFRIENDS  by Alex Sanchez
• a copy of I AM J by Cris Beam
• a signed copy of JUMPSTART THE WORLD by Catherine Ryan Hyde
• a copy of HUNTRESS by Malinda Lo

Tons of great books, eh?  
Here’s what you can do to enter:

• leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite LGBT book of all time is
• include your email address in your comment
• if you tweet about this giveaway, paste a link into your comment for +1 extra entry

On March 29th, I’ll email the winner.  See why you absolutely must include your email in the comment?  I’ll use a random number generator to pick the winner.  US addresses only.

One other lucky reader will receive a signed copy of JUMPSTART THE WORLD, which is a Lambda Literary finalist.  (Congrats, Catherine!)

Good luck!

Brent

PS—Remember that this is only the first part of the giveaway!  I have some awesome other books lined up until March 29th.  *grin*

White Cat & Red Glove + NEW ONLINE STORY

If you’re a follower of Naughty Kitties, you know we are absolute Holly Black fan girls over here!  Bloggers all over raved about WHITE CAT, and are fighting over advance copies of the anticipated sequel, RED GLOVE.

I’m SUPER PUMPED to share with you, my readers, Holly Black’s new online WHITE CAT story (told from the character Lila Zacharov’s point of view).

You can view the story here!

Be sure to come back here and comment after reading—let me know what you thought of it!

WITHER by Lauren DeStefano

Published 3/22/11

Wither | Lauren DeStefano

S&S BFYR

Hardcover | 368 pp.

What if you knew exactly when you would die?
Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.
When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.
But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     If WITHER were a person, I’d marry it.  I am so obsessed/crazed/in love with this book, I suspect that Lauren DeStefano and S&S are in the works of getting a restraining order against me. 
     If you’re one of those superficial bitches  people who buy books just for their covers, WITHER is perfect for you.  If you’re one of those people who buy books just because the first opening lines are fantastic, this book is perfect for you.  If you’re one of those people who buy books just because the Naughty Kitties tell you to, this book is especially perfect for you. 
     Basically, everyone should buy it.  Because it is awesome and great and beautiful and the Naughty Kitties are filled with WITHER love.
    WITHER is about what happens to our government and society when scientists fuck everything up and the life-expectancy rate drops tremendously.  Males live until they’re 25.  Women, 20. Everything collapses.  People steal, kill, and fight to survive.  Things explode.  People become homeless.  Children go hungry.
     Girls are captured and sold into polygamous marriages, for the purpose of boosting up the shattered population. 
     That’s what happens to Rhine Ellery, on a night out in dystopic Manhattan.  The Gatherers take her, along with two others young girls, to a sprawling Florida mansion.  Most people would enjoy that, right?  Florida, wealth, weather.  But there are locks on the doors.  Rhine, along with the other two girls, is forced to marry the seemingly genuine Linden. 
     Rhine is expected to spend the rest of her life in complacent silence, bearing Linden’s children and acting accordingly in public.  But Rhine isn’t like most girls, and has a stubbornness that will, in the end, save her.
     WITHER is about what happens when a girl forced into a polygamous marriage and introduced to a life of wealth and luxury falls in love with the servant boy…
     My favorite thing of all about WITHER is Lauren DeStefano’s writing.  It’s more beautiful than the cover (and that’s a pretty damn beautiful cover).  It was the cover that got me interested in the book.  It was the summary that made me read the book.  It was the first page that made me continue reading it.  It was the writing and flawless storyline that made me love it.  WITHER has a spot on my favorites’ shelf.

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars

Teaser Tuesday: PLAYING HURT by Holly Schindler

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Playing Hurt | Holly Schindler

3/8/11 | Flux

“With my arms around her waist, I lower my face toward hers again.  Just before I close my eyes, I notice that the fireflies are settling deep into the grass, turning their lights out for the night.  Love found.” –Page 252

“There’s just something about him.  It’s like he’s hotter than a steering wheel in August—he burns me every single time I get close enough to touch him.   But the thing about a steering wheel in the summer is, even though it stings, you still have to touch it in order to get where you want to go.” –Page 113

MILES FROM ORDINARY by Carol Lynch Williams

Published 3/15/2011

Miles From Ordinary | Carol Lynch Williams

St. Martin’s Griffin

Hardcover | 197 pp.

"Imagine Anna Quindlen or Sue Miller turning her attention to writing a young adult novel, and you have an idea what [Williams] has done for early teen readers…" —Audrey Couloumbis, author of the Newbery Honor Book Getting Close to Baby
Thirteen-year-old Lacey wakes to a beautiful summer morning excited to begin her new job at the library, just as her mother is supposed to start work at the grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother's ghosts have finally been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days, and they really do need the money. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day full of hope spins terrifyingly out of control....
“No one can get inside the head and heart of a 13-year-old girl better than Carol Lynch Williams, and I mean no one," said James S. Jacobs, Professor of Children's Literature at Brigham Young University, of her breakout novel, The Chosen One. Now this award-winning YA author brings us an equally gripping story of a girl who loves her mother, but must face the truth of what life with that mother means for both of them.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     I was introduced to the writing of Carol Lynch Williams last summer, when read her verse novel, GLIMPSE.  I loved it so much, and was amazed by how authentic Carol’s voice was.  I’ve been waiting for MILES FROM ORDINARY since the minute I saw Carol Lynch Williams’ name on the cover.
     Lacey just got a job at her favorite place in the world—the library.  She’s so excited to start volunteering at a comfortable, familiar place.  Lacey crosses her fingers she can manage to keep the job the entire summer, even though that seems unlikely since she has an ailing mother to take care of on her own.  At age thirteen, Lacey has to make adult decisions for both herself and her mother. 
     With her job at the library, and budding friendship with a boy she just met, Lacey feels as though things will be okay, if they just stay the same.  But, of course, nothing ever stays the same. Lacey’s mother’s mental health plummets, and Lacey is the one who has to take the brute of the blow.
     MILES FROM ORDINARY follows one of the most terrible days of 13-year-old Lacey’s life.
     This book. is. wow.  If you saw me when I had this book in my hands, you were wondering why there was a pained expression on my face.  I felt so bad for Lacey, through the entire thing.  She was a character I admired—three years younger than me, but just as mature.  The book builds up until the very last chapters, where the tension is at its peak and your gut is wrenching.  This is a great story.
     I could write more about MILES FROM ORDINARY, but the whole story is:  Carol Lynch Williams is an extraordinary writer.  She goes where other writers don’t.  She writes powerfully, and her storylines flow perfectly.  MILES FROM ORDINARY is a youngerish-YA that anyone can enjoy.

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

In My Mailbox (March 13, 2011)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For review:
THEN I MET MY SISTER by Christine Hurley Deriso

BORN AT MIDNIGHT by C.C. Hunter

PLAYING HURT by Holly Schindler

Bought:
DEMONGLASS by Rachel Hawkins—which, by the way, is #5 on the New York Times bestselling list!  You can read my review here.

As you can see, it’s been an awesome book week.  Don’t forget to ask me questions, which I will answer in a post to celebrate my first blogiversary (which is coming up in a few weeks).

Happy Sunday!

Re: The New NIGHTSHADE Covers

Andrea Cremer’s publisher, Philomel, just announced that they will be redesigning the covers for her New York Times bestselling NIGHTSHADE series.

The original covers:




The newly designed covers:



The new covers suck.  They are absolutely horrendous.

But so. freaking. what.

When I first saw the new covers, I got pissed off.  Then I asked myself why exactly I was pissed off.  Because they gave her new covers!  New covers that look cheap and dirty and omg what the eff is Calla doing on the Wolfsbane cover???!

But then I reminded myself that covers don’t matter.  Covers, to true readers, don’t mean shit. 

I read WOLFSBANE about a month or two ago.  I enjoyed it so much, and was reminded of how awesome a writer Andrea Cremer is.  I carried my copy around everywhere with me.  It was the one with the original cover, my favorite one.

But the cover isn’t what made WOLFSBANE so enjoyable.  It was the words INSIDE that made it amazing.  It was the STORY.  It was CALLA, and REN, and SHAY, and their STORY. 

With each year that goes by, the book covers that publishers create get more and more pretty and alluring.  I think we readers (bloggers, teachers, librarians, etc.) have been disillusioned by them.  Suddenly, a book’s success/quality is all based on whether or not it has a good cover. 

That’s fucked up.

It should be about the story.  It should be about the writing.  It should be about the way you feel for the characters.  It should be about how engrossing the plotline is.  It should be about the way the story flows.
Never the cover.  Never, ever whether or not the artwork on the front of the book is pretty or not.

Sarah Palin could be the cover model for BLOODROSE (the 3rd book in the NIGHTSHADE series), and I would still read it the minute I got my hands on a copy.

Because I’m in love with the way Andrea Cremer tells a story.

Did you catch that?  I’m in love with THE STORY.  NOT THE COVERS OF THE STORY.

We don’t read books for their covers.  We don’t read books just because they match our outfits, or because we’ll look cool carrying it around. We read books because WE LIKE STORIES.

The YA blogging community has responded so negatively to the new NIGHTSHADE covers.  And while I agree with them whole-heartedly on the new covers, I think they’re acting ridiculous.  What matters most is that Andrea Cremer is still writing these awesome books.  We should be spazzing out about how the wait till WOLFSBANE’s release is torture.  Not about the book covers.

I am so disappointed in the YA book blogging community.  If simple thing like a book cover makes you refuse to read a certain awesome book, you’re superficial, and obviously not a true reader.

As I said on Twitter, it was Andrea Cremer’s writing that got her on the New York Times Bestselling List.  Not her cover images.  Remember that. 

And if the new NIGHTSHADE covers turn you off from reading them, all I have to say is this:  You’re missing out on great writing.

P.S. If you got something bitchy  negative to say about the covers, please send your thoughts to Penguin Book Group, not Andrea Cremer herself.

My Blogiversary is in 18 Days, and…

My Blogiversary is in 18 days, and to celebrate, we’re gonna do some fun shit I want you to send me questions to answer.  I might answer them in a vlog, or maybe just in a written post.  I haven’t really decided.

You can ask questions about blogging, books, anything.  I don’t really care—I just want interesting questions.  Please paste your question(s) in the entry form below. 

CHASING ALLIECAT by Rebecca Fjelland Davis

Published 2/1/11

Chasing AllieCat | Rebecca F. Davis

Flux

Paperback | 288 pp.

Sadie Lester has been dumped with relatives for the summer. Boredom seems inevitable in her small Minnesota town until she meets Allie—a spiky-haired off-road biker with incredible grace and speed. Training for the upcoming bike race, Allie leads Sadie and cute fellow cyclist Joe up and down Mount Kato—an exhilarating rush that pushes their limits. The fun ends abruptly when they stray off the trail and find a priest, badly beaten and near death. After calling for help, Allie mysteriously disappears from their lives.
Just like the trash littering the beautiful river bluffs, there's something foul afoot. Creepy rednecks are prowling the woods, the same ones who ran Sadie and Allie off the road one night. It's not until the day of the big race that Sadie finally learns the startling truth about Allie, her connection to the priest, and what drove her into hiding.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
   I absolutely adored Rebecca F-Something Davis’s CHASING ALLIECAT.  It was mysterious, funny, romantic, and intriguing.  CHASING ALLIECAT combines all those things we readers love—unique characters, fast-paced plot, funny narration—perfectly, and makes an enjoyable read.
    In CHASING ALLIECAT, Sadie Lester’s parents are spending the summer in Egypt.  Where does that leave her?  With her aunt, uncle, and eleventybillion cousins in Minnesota.  The only thing keeping Sadie from putting a gun to her head is her bike.  One day, while riding through the wooded trails, Sadie meets This Awesome Chick.  This Awesome Chick’s name is Allie.  But I like ‘This Awesome Chick’ better, so we’ll call her that. 
     As Sadie spends more time riding with Allie, the two become fast friends.  Sadie’s summer has finally become bearable—fun, even.  The two start preparing for a biking marathon/tournament-type thingy, and bond over their love of bikes and sweat and riding until your sides hurt.  One day, while biking, a dead priest slaps them in the face (not literally).  The girls are shocked—Allie, most of all.  After confirming that yes, he is dead and in the middle of the woods, Allie runs off to get the police.  But she doesn’t come back.  Sadie has to dig deep to find out who, exactly, Allie is, and why she ran off so suddenly. 
     I knew I was going to love this book from the first chapter, when giggling little kids start repeating bad words.  “’He said holy shit.’" I’m still laughing about that. 
     Sadie was the perfect narrator for this story.  I liked her from the very beginning, where I saw how cool and easy-going she was.  Though I’m not sporty AT ALL, from reading through Sadie’s point of view I could see how much she loved biking—how special it was to her.  I really understood why she was so bummed at first about spending the summer away from home.  Summers are my life.  I’d be pissed off if my mom dumped me in some foreign land. 
     CHASING ALLIECAT isn’t all romance and bikes and ooh, a dead priest.  There are some sad, tough topics in the novel that completely shocked me and added to the story’s depth.  The whole story is:  I loved CHASING ALLIECAT, and think you will too. 
    
Related:  Rebecca Fjelland Davis is donating $1 to GlobalGiving, a nonprofit organization, for each meaningful comment.  So yeah, dear reader.  Be meaningful.

GEMINI BITES by Patrick Ryan

Published 3/1/11

Gemini Bites | Patrick Ryan

Scholastic

Hardcover | 240 pp.

One of the strangest (and funniest) love triangles ever to hit YA fiction, when a pair of twins (one boy, one girl) both fall for the boy who moves in with them…who may or may not be a vampire.
Judy and Kyle Renneker are sixteen-year-old fraternal twins in a rambling family of nine. They have a prickly history with each other and are, at least from Judy's perspective, constantly in fierce competition. Kyle has recently come out of the closet to his family and feels he might never know what it's like to date a guy. Judy, who has a history of pretending to be something she isn't in order to get what she wants, is pretending to be born-again in order to land a boyfriend who heads his own bible study.
When their parents announce that the family is going to be taking in a fellow student for a month so that he can finish the school year before moving away, both Kyle and Judy can't help but sit up and take notice. Garret Johnson, who is taking temporary residence in the newly finished attic, is a young man who moved into town less than a year ago and who is a mysterious, goth loner . . . and claims to be a vampire. He's not an easy person to get to know by any means, but the twins find him (to varying degrees) both strange and alluring.
GEMINI BITES explores what it means to pretend to be something you aren't, what happens when that backfires, and how in-your-face honesty is almost always the best course of action.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     When you first see the cover/read the synopsis, you think, “Really dude?  A vampire book?  What is this, 2009?”  Then, after you read the synopsis again and pick up on the words twins, gay, bisexual, same guy, you want to read it immediately.  That’s what it was like for me, at least.
     Kyle and Judy Renneker, fraternal twins, have always competed.  For attention in their 9-member family, the best grades in their small high school, everything.  When Garret Johnson, the school goth, moves into their attic (his parents are moving away before his semester at school is over), they both start to have an eye for him.  And it turns into a competition—who can snatch the freaky bad boy.  As they get to know him, they see that he tries hard to pretend to be something he’s not, and for strange reasons…
     I really liked GEMINI BITES.  It was funny.  Real funny.  Extremely funny.  Like, giggle-like-a-three-year-old-watching-cartoons funny.  I enjoyed every minute of Patrick Ryan’s great sarcasm.  I loved the characters Kyle and Judy.  They were both completely opposite but so similar in tone/likability/etc. GEMINI BITES was a lot about love & relationships, but focused mainly on Kyle and Judy, and what honesty means to them.  The story matched the characters perfectly.
    So, no, this is not a vampire book.  (Don’t worry!)  It’s a book about family, fighting for attention, and being true to yourself.  The alternative point-of-views only add to the story’s depth, and make it an enjoyable, quick, read.  I give it three-and-a-half stars. 

Most memorable lines:

OH MY GOD BRENT HARLEY IS GIVING ME A BLOW JOB.

Text books have boring titles.  How about something like Geometry—Wow.

OMINOUS by Kate Brian

Published 2/22/11

Ominous | Kate Brian

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Paperback | 224 pp.

After the shocking revelations made in the Private prequel, The Book of Spells, Noelle and Reed know they are descendants of the original Billings Girls and their legacy includes a mysterious coven of witches. But it's nothing compared to what happens next.
One by one, Billings Girls go missing from campus.
The entire community bands together to find the lost girls, hoping they are still alive. Reed can't believe tragedy has struck Easton again, and she begins to wonder if the Billings Girls are cursed. But when the first body shows up containing a message just for her, she fears her friends are worse than cursed: they're doomed.
The penultimate book in the suspenseful Private series!

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
      The Private series is one of my favorites. And it has been a favorite, ever since the first novel in the fourteen-kajillion-book saga, Private, came out thirteen-thousand years ago (the summer before my eighth grade year). Wow! I've been in love with this series for two years.... I don't know what it is that's captured me. Either the killer plotlines or intriguing characters.  The eleventybillionth book in the Private series, OMINOUS, is a nice touch to the series end.
     Ominous picks up where Vanished left off.  Reed just found out that her and Noelle are sisters, sharing the same father.  Reed also just found out that she could be a witch, one of the Billings girls, cursed.  Random disappearances are popping up all over Easton Academy, but that’s not what Reed should be worrying about.  Her seventeenth birthday party is coming up, and she has nothing to wear! 
      The 70,000th Private novel definitely lived up to its hype. As usual, it's a fast-paced murder mystery novel with paranormal elements mixed in.  Oh, yeah, did you catch that?  Paranormal.  The first ten books in Private were these glittering murder-mysteries, and then in the eleventh, Kate Brian slapped us in the face by turning things around and making Reed & Co. witches.  I’m not real sure you can do that—turn a series paranormal right before it ends—but hey, whatever.  The books are enjoyable as ever. I’m pumped for the final book in the Private series.  The books have been great, but I’m excited to see the characters and their story come to an end.

666 Park Avenue

Published February 1st, 2011

666 Park Avenue | Gabriella Pierce

William Morrow Books

Paperback | 320 pp.

What if your mother-in-law turned out to be an evil, cold-blooded witch . . . literally?
Ever since fabulously wealthy Malcolm Doran walked into her life and swept her off her feet, fledgling architect Jane Boyle has been living a fairy tale. When he proposes with a stunning diamond to seal the deal, Jane can't believe her incredible luck and decides to leave her Paris-based job to make a new start with Malcolm in New York.
But when Malcolm introduces Jane to the esteemed Doran clan, one of Manhattan's most feared and revered families, Jane's fairy tale takes a darker turn. Soon everything she thought she knew about the world—and herself—is upended. Now Jane must struggle with newfound magical abilities and the threat of those who will stop at nothing to get them.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     I like paranormal books.  I also like chick-lit-y books set in New York City.  666 PARK AVENUE seemed like the perfect read for me!   The minute it popped on my doorstep I started reading it—well, more like two minutes.  I took a few seconds to admire the artsy cover and different-feeling texture.
     Jane Boyle lives the life you wish you had.  She has a sweet apartment in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, a promising career, and a fabulous best friend to help her trek through Paris nightclubs.  The only thing is:  Her parents are dead.  She feels empty without them.  And the emptiness is so heavy, she’s never happy.
     Until Malcolm Doran, an uber-hot art dealer who belongs on the cover of a romance novel shirtless, waltzes into her sex life.  He’s so good in bed  He’s sweetly charming, ultra rich, and smotheringly hot.  When Malcolm asks her to marry him, she says yes without any hesitation.  (I mean, who’d say no to a rock that huge?)  After quitting her job and telling her grandmother and friends au revoir, she leaves Paris for her new start in New York City with her new fiancé. 
     Bubbling with excitement, Jane practically skips into Malcolm’s lush Manhattan house that he shares with his family.  She wants to impress them so bad, to get into their group and finally feel like she has a family again.  Too bad they’re not what she hoped.  They’re fear-inducing, revering, and most of all, witchy.  Everything she knew about the world is proved wrong once she finds out that she’s a witch—just like the Doran family.  And soon, instead of planning a wedding, she’s fighting to keep her magical abilities from getting stolen by the family that will stop at nothing to get them.
     666 PARK AVENUE was the bomb.  I read it in computer apps, and it totally saved me from absolute boredom.  Every page was delightful, and I felt more and more for Jane as the book went on.  I’ll be honest:  There were times I wanted to call her out.  “HONEY. What da eff are you doing?”  Some of things she did were unbelievable, like quitting her jobs and moving across the ocean in a matter of weeks . . . but overall she was a very likable character that I easily fell into sync with.
     With a breathless ending that hints at a sequel, 666 PARK AVENUE is a thrilling read.  It’s not like genius or beautifully aesthetic or anything like that, but it is insanely enjoyable.  Think Real Housewives of Atlanta meets The Vampire Diaries.

CLARITY by Kim Harrington

Published March 1st, 2011

Clarity | Kim Harrington

Scholastic Point

Hardcover | 242 pp.

Interest: Debut Author Challenge

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     One day back in Fall 2010, I was playing around on Twitter.  And all of I sudden I saw a Twitter icon of a lady wearing a moose hat.  After a few clicks, I ended up on Kim Harrington’s blog, where she posted about homicidal giraffes.  That was the day I knew I had to read Kim’s debut novel, CLARITY.
     Clare Fern and her family run their own business.  So instead of spending her summers on the beach and in her bed until noon, she has to give psychic readings to the tourists of Cape Cod, making her and her family the outcasts of town.
     When a girl is found dead in one of the beachfront hotels, some of the locals try to convince Clare to use her abilities to help solve the case and find out who murdered the girl.  Clare wants absolutely nothing to do with it, and refuses to get meddled in with the mystery.  But when the eyes of the police shift toward Clare’s brother, Perry, who was last seen partying with the girl, she knows that using her ability to clear her brother’s name is something she has  to do.
     The mystery of CLARITY is who the hell murdered who, and why the hell they did it, and who the hell is next.  Kim Harrington dragged me into her expertly woven storyline with a killer prologue and an ending that totally caught me off guard.  CLARITY is a masterful puzzle, and Kim Harrington made every piece of the plotline fit in perfectly.
     Besides wanting to know who was behind the murder, Clare’s hilarity and likableness kept me reading.  Throughout the novel, she’s struggling with her unresolved feelings for the town hottie, Justin, who she recently broke up with, and the new boy in town she has an eye for, Gabriel.  If she were real, I’d be best friends with her. 
     CLARITY was a delightful book.  I loved every page of it.  The main character made me giggle, the suspense made me squirm, and the action-y parts made me cover my eyes with my hands.  It’s a quick, enjoyable read, and I’ve been recommending it to all of my friends. 

I AM J by Cris Beam

Published March 1st, 2011

I Am J | Cris Beam

Little, Brown

Hardcover | 352 pp.

J always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a "real boy" and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible - from his family, from his friends...from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding - it's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost.
An inspiring story of self-discovery, of choosing to stand up for yourself, and of finding your own path - readers will recognize a part of themselves in J's struggle to love his true self.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     Surprisingly, I AM J is the first novel I’ve ever read with a transgender main character. When I first saw the cover and skimmed the flap copy, I was like, “Oh, wonderful.  Another gay book.”  And then when I went back and read the summary again, I realized it wasn’t about a gay teen.  It was about a transgender teen.  The ‘J’ mentioned in  the title is a boy.  A straight boy. 
     J is not a lesbian, like everyone thinks.  He’s just a boy.  J always it when the teacher called out “Jeni” when taking attendance, or when his parents dressed him in skirts and dresses.  J was born a girl, even though he is fully boy, and it is torture.  Now that he’s almost eighteen, he starts to see the possibilities of fixing this problem.
     I AM J is a wonderful, authentic story about self-discovery and how one transgender teen goes about finding his true self.  Cris Beam’s diverse characters showed the complexities of identity and what happens when you have to actually go around looking for it.  I felt so, so bad for J, the main character.  Cris Beam wrote powerfully in the third-person, and I closed this book with way more knowledge and insight into a transgender teen’s mind than what I started with. Read it if you’re interested in learning more about this topic—or if you’re just in the mood for a good story.