The Mermaid's Mirror

The Mermaid's Mirror
by L.K. Madigan

Lena has lived her whole life near the beach – walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves – the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.

But her father – a former surfer himself – refuses to allow her to take lessons. After a near drowning in his past, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.

Yet something lures Lena to the water … an ancient, powerful magic. One morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman – with a silvery tail.

Nothing will keep Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.

And soon … what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life …
(description from Amazon.com)

This was an extremely well written and enjoyable fantasy book. Lena is a truly believable teen...keeping secrets from her parents, trying to please everyone to the best of her ability, loving her younger brother... I was really happy to also see that each of Lena's parents, her father, her mother, and her stepmother, were loving, supportive well-rounded characters.

When Lena learns of the merfolk, she travels to their world. L.K. Madigan does a lovely job describing their village. It's tangible and believable. The merfolk have interesting day to day lives and customs. Each merperson that Lena meets is just as well thought out and presented as her human friends.

*I do have to say that though, I really, really enjoyed this book and felt the merfolk were really well-done, they felt a little..."darker"...than I prefer. Not that it detracted from the plot of the story, at all! I just like to imagine merfolk as slightly more magical.

I do not want to spoil the ending at all, but I will say that it was realistic and touching and totally fit the tone of the book. I really enjoyed this one.

2011 Debut Author Challenge

This year I've been participating in the 2010 Debut Author Challenge and it's been a blast, so of course I decided to sign up again for this coming year's 2011 Debut Author Challenge!!

Hosted by The Story Siren, the challenge is to read at least 12 books by authors debuting their first middle grade or young adult book in 2011. My list of books I'd like to read for this challenge in 2011 (so far) are:

1. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
2. XVI by Julia Karr
3. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
4. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
5. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
6. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
7. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
8. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
9. Clarity by Kim Harrington
10. Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
11. Hourglass by Myra McIntyre
12. Die for Me by Amy Plum
13. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Anyway, this is my list so far, with way more to add later, I'm sure!

Avalon High - the Movie

Avalon High: the movie
based on the book, Avalon High by Meg Cabot



The newest Disney TV movie is based on the book, Avalon High.

Ellie, new to Avalon High, suddenly catches the eye of Avalon High's football star, Will. While their friendship develops into potentially something more, Ellie discovers that Will may just be the reincarnation of King Arthur. As stated in a prophecy, Ellie, her new best friend Miles, and her parents must protect Will so he can fulfill his destiny.

This movie was really cute and the cast was great. Ellie was phenomenal and I loved the fact that she was strong...a strong runner, a strong academic, and a strong woman. She was awesome. Jen (played by the cute girl from Castle) and Lance were both good, and Will was really well acted, though he was almost too pretty for me. My favorite character, though, was Miles. He was just the right amount of comic relief for the story... :)

I really enjoyed the movie and might even get it for myself when it comes out on DVD eventually. It's been awhile since I read the book, though, and I've read some internet buzz that confirmed for me that the ending was changed. Don't get me wrong, I liked the movie, a lot, but now I have to go back and reread the book!!

What did you all think of the movie? Love the book more?

In My Mailbox - November 21, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

From the Library:



Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani
Pop by Gordon Korman
Ghost Town by Rachel Caine



I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb
Avalon High by Meg Cabot (to reread)

Stylish Blogger Award

by Actin' Up With Books

1.Thank and link back to the person who awarded this to you.
2.Share 7 things about yourself.
3.Pay it forward to 15 recently discovered great blogs.
4.Contact those bloggers and let them know about their award.

Seven things about me:

1. I am a proud "Ravenclaw."
2. I have a fascination with the end of the world...hence a HUGE love of dystopian books.
3. I will not eat blue foods.
4. I am allergic to mangoes.
5. I have the same full name as a famous author! *squee*
6. I am currently writing my second (unpublished) book.
7. I got my black belt in Kempo Karate when I was in high school.

Blogs I recently discovered and love:

Carrie's Procrastinatory Outlet: http://carrie-me.blogspot.com/
The Daily Snark: http://chloeneill.blogspot.com/
The Undercover Book Lover: http://theundercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/
Alice: Journey of a Fake Writer: http://alicejourneyofafakewriter.blogspot.com/
All About {N}: http://bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/
Booknerds Are Pretty Too: http://booknerds-are-pretty-too.blogspot.com/
Carrie Harris: http://carrieharrisbooks.blogspot.com/
Classic Case: http://www.theclassiccase.com/
Gail Carriger: http://gailcarriger.livejournal.com/
Lisa and Laura Write: http://lisa-laura.blogspot.com/
LovLivLife Reviews: http://lll808.blogspot.com/
Reading Vacation: http://readingvacation.blogspot.com/
Squeetus Blog: http://oinks.squeetus.com/
Beth Revis, Writing It Out: http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/
YA Bookie Monster: http://yabookiemonster.blogspot.com/

Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One (Rated PG-13)
from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Voldemort's power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore's work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for the Trio, and the rest of the Wizarding World, so everything they do must go as planned. (plot summary taken from imdb.com)

Trying to be as spoiler-free as possible, I swear!

I loved the newest installment in the Harry Potter movie franchise. I felt like the Director did a really great job with putting in just the right amount of flashback-type scenes, action, and emotional play. It was a great decision to split this book into two movies. It allowed them to hit on a lot more of the details!

Ron and Hermione and Harry were all put through the wringer in this movie, physically and emotionally, and it was portrayed excellently. The camping scenes were great...I could almost see my own breath at moments! There were more steamy scenes in this movie, and while I love the emotion...um, Daniel Radcliffe is kind of an awkward kisser, at least in my own opinion!


*Spoiler Alert*
One scene I was really sad to have left out... when Harry goes to Godric's Hollow and sees the house where he was born...they did not have the sign that popped up showing all of the supportive messages left for Harry. THAT was my favorite part of the whole book!
*End Spoiler*


Oh well, other than that...it was GREAT! I cannot wait to go see the final conclusion in July.

...from a faithful Ravenclaw...

The Hollow

The Hollow
by Jessica Verday

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead…and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity. (description from Amazon.com)

After having met Jessica Verday on the Ghost and Graves tour at the Otis Library in Norwich, CT, I had to read this book. The setting, in Sleepy Hollow (yes, of the famous legend!) made this book! It was just the right amount of spooky and fit beautifully with the grieving tone of Abbey's mourning.

Abbey spends her time making perfumes, preparing her business plan, and hanging out at the graveyard. (The descriptions of the perfume making process totally drew me in and now I really want to go and try it out myself!) Though others think her a "freak," Abbey's withdrawal makes sense and feels right. Plus, what everyone else doesn't know is that she's no longer hanging out at the graveyard or by the Crane River alone.

I really liked Abbey's relationship with her parents, her new friend Ben, and with Nicholas and Katie, the cemetery caretakers. Each felt spot-on for the point Abbey's at in her life. The only relationship I sometimes questioned was the one that develops with Caspian...in part because Verday does some excellent foreshadowing and I kept picking up on the fact that things were not as they seem! I liked the romance, but sometimes Abbey just got a little melodramatic for me...I also felt like there were moments when I wanted her to be bolder, but then again there were moments when she was way more direct than I ever could be!

All in all, I will definitely need to read The Haunted A.S.A.P. since this one ended with a great cliffhanger. If you love the paranormal, check this book out...and then you might even want to reread The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I know I'm going to... :)

Full disclosure: Book signed by author at event, audio book sent to review for AudioFile

Awesome Hunger Games Video

OMG. I had to post this awesome video that Mockingjay.net posted. It's an amateur done scene from "The Hunger Games" and it totally blew me away. I hope this is what the movie is actually like....

In My Mailbox - November 14, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For Review:

The Dark Deeps by Arthur Slade

The Youngest Templar: Orphan of Destiny by Michael P. Spradlin

From the Library:

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle

Misguided Angel by Melissa De La Cruz

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

2010 CLA YA Section Annual Meeting - Taking Your Tech Up a Notch

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I am Co-Chair of the Young Adult section of my state's library association. So, part of my responsibilities is to set up the annual meeting for all Young Adult Librarians in Connecticut. We had our 2010 meeting this past Wednesday.

We did a full day of programming last year, so this year we decided to concentrate on how better to use technology to reach our teen patrons. "Taking Your Tech Up a Notch" was a full day meeting and I'm proud to say was wildly successful!

The day started off with a Skype session with YA author, Paul Volponi. We were able to talk about his books (including Rikers High,Response, and Hurricane Song), his experiences skyping with classes, and his own reading/writing habits. It was a lot of fun and we were able to show how simple it is to set up a skype visit with an author through the Skype An Author Network.

After our skype session, we had lots of "flash" tech presentations. Each 15 min. presentation was by a different Librarian on a different tech topic. We learned about creating a Facebook page for your Teen Department, using Twitter to alert teens, and also using an SMS email service to text teens alerts.

We also discussed switching to an online Summer Reading Program, creating award winning videos with teens, creating awesome book trailers, utilizing Overdrive to download audio books and e-books, great online (and FREE!) softwares like Wordle.

All in all, it was a great day. I got some new ideas for the future and I think everyone else did, too! I cannot wait to see what gets planned for next year...and I think I'll be happy to just be attending. I am still tired! :)

Book Trailer - Night Star

Check out this great new trailer for Alyson Noel's Night Star, book five in the Immortals series.



"Night Star continues the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. In this installment, Ever and Damen face down bitter rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears—all in the hope of being together forever. Night Star is guaranteed to mesmerize fans and leave them breathlessly awaiting the sixth and final book!"

Personally, I can't wait to read Night Star. I really like this series and I'm stoked now knowing that it's close to the end! I can't wait to see what finally happens...

Guest Blog Post over at Librarian By Day

Hey! Just wanted to encourage everyone to check out Librarian by Day's awesome Historical Fiction Month posts. All month long, she has things going on related to historical fiction, guest posts, reviews, book lists, etc.

Today she has a guest blog post from...ME! It's called "How to Interest Teens in Historical Fiction" and you can check it out here. Don't forget to check out the whole rest of the month, too.

Museum of Thieves

Museum of Thieves
by Lian Tanner

Welcome to the tyrannical city of Jewel, where impatience is a sin and boldness is a crime.

Goldie Roth has lived in Jewel all her life. Like every child in the city, she wears a silver guardchain and is forced to obey the dreaded Blessed Guardians. She has never done anything by herself and won’t be allowed out on the streets unchained until Separation Day.

When Separation Day is canceled, Goldie, who has always been both impatient and bold, runs away, risking not only her own life but also the lives of those she has left behind. In the chaos that follows, she is lured to the mysterious Museum of Dunt, where she meets the boy Toadspit and discovers terrible secrets. Only the cunning mind of a thief can understand the museum’s strange, shifting rooms. Fortunately, Goldie has a talent for thieving.

Which is just as well, because the leader of the Blessed Guardians has his own plans for the museum—plans that threaten the lives of everyone Goldie loves. And it will take a daring thief to stop him. . . .

Museum of Thieves is a thrilling tale of destiny and danger, and of a courageous girl who has never been allowed to grow up—until now.

This book was right up my alley! A strong heroine, a mysterious and magical building, a dystopian society...



Goldie Roth is a twelve year old that has never been allowed to come to harm. Sounds great, right? Except that she is chained and monitored 24/7, for her own safety...as are all children in Jewel. Blessed Guardians keep the children safe, if not happy, and adults have forgotten the woes that used to plague them.

These children grow into frightened, naive adults, but Goldie is having none of it! She is headstrong and runs away. She ends up at the Museum of Dent, a wondrous place that is more than it's own character in this series!! Goldie grows in leaps and bounds once she meets the Museum's Keepers and another headstrong runaway, Toadspit. Goldie becomes a very brave and smart heroine. She is one of my new favorite middle grade characters!

Her new friends, Toadspit, Bru the Brizzlehound, Herro Dan, Olga Ciavolga, and Sinew are also wonderful, warm, and humorous. They consistently made me smile and warmed my heart. I love their relationships with Goldie, especially Bru, who saves her life and then gets the favor returned, and Toadspit, who true to teenage boy form starts out giving Goldie a horrible time, who becomes her best friend. I loved how they came together and relied on each other to deal with the threat to the city and the Museum.

If you are looking for adventure, friendship, magic, and mystery, try this great new series! I am definitely looking forward to reading City of Lies (book 2) when it comes out.

Full disclosure: Audio book version received to review for AudioFile.

Change of a Dress

Change of a Dress
by Maya Gold
Cinderella Cleaners, book one

Behind the counter at Cinderella Cleaners, Diana watches the clothes come and go. She loves to imagine the exciting events that the different outfits might be worn to. Then one day, Diana reaches into the pocket of a fancy coat - and finds an invitation to a glittering gala in New York City. Since the coat's owner is out of town, Diana gets a wild idea. With the help of some savvy friends, one glamorous dress, and a lot of improvising, Diana pretends to be someone she's not, and makes it into the party! Will she be discovered, or will her disguise come off without a hitch? (description taken from Amazon.com)

Okay, this is a sweet young tween series that I just ordered for our branch library. It is a combination school/public library that houses grades K-12, so a lot of the YA books are actually tween aged. I saw this series and thought it would be perfect for the tween girls finishing 4th and 5th grade and "graduating" to the YA section.

It is very cute. Diana is a fun character. She's mostly sure of herself, she loves fashion, and she's just made some great new friends in her father's Dry Cleaning business, Cinderella Cleaners. When the opportunity comes for her to sneak out, dress up, and go into New York City to see the opening show of a Broadway musical starring her favorite TV hottie, she jumps at it. Several almost caught moments later and she starts to regret pretending to be someone else. It sweetly works out in the end, though, with closer family moments, wonderful sacrifices for friendship, and a girl determined to be a better person all around.

I really enjoyed this book and will probably read the second one, not just to recommend to the tweens, but also because I actually really liked the first book! :)

Anxiously Awaiting...

Nightspell
by Leah Cypess

A stand-alone companion novel to the much-acclaimed MISTWOOD. When Darri rides into Ghostland, a country where the living walk with the dead, she has only one goal: to rescue her younger sister Callie, who was sent to Ghostland as a hostage four years ago. But Callie has changed in those four years, and now has secrets of her own. In her quest to save her sister from herself, Darri will be forced to outmaneuver a handsome ghost prince, an ancient sorcerer, and a manipulative tribal warrior (who happens to be her brother). When Darri discovers the source of the spell that has kept the dead in Ghostland chained to this earth, she faces a decision that will force her to reexamine beliefs she has never before questioned - and lead her into the heart of a conspiracy that threatens the very balance of power between the living and the dead.

Nightspell will be published on May 31, 2011.

OMG~I loved Mistwood and cannot wait to read this companion book!!

In My Mailbox - November 7, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For Review:

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan


Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner


Hollywood Ending by Lucie Simone
(I will be part of her blog tour in December!)

Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

*I got two beautiful hardcover copies of this, PLUS two awesome custom Mischief ornaments for a December giveaway, so keep your eyes peeled!

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

From the Library:

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Borrowed:

Indulgence in Death by J. D. Robb

*Thanks, Sharon!!

Passing Strange

Passing Strange
by Daniel Waters
Generation Dead, book three

Karen DeSonne always passed as a normal teenager - and now that she's dead, she's still passing - this time, as alive.

But when her dead friends are accused of a high profile murder and forced into hiding, it's up to Karen to prove their innocence. Which means doing the unthinkable and becoming the girlfriend of bionist zealot Peter Martinsburg, who she suspects of framing them. But if Peter finds out who Karen really is, the consequences for her will be worse than death...
(description taken from back jacket copy)

Karen DeSonne is one of my favorite characters not only in this series, but in recent YA fiction period. She is interesting, she is vivacious (which takes talent because she'd...well...dead) and she has great character depth. Her personality greatly affects all of those around her and has really helped to lead the two previous books, so I was stoked when I realized she is the main character for Passing Strange.

As I've stated in my previous reviews of Generation Dead and Kiss of Life, Daniel Waters manages to infuse these "zombie" novels with great depth, creating one of my absolute favorite zombie series. Again in this third book, Waters challenges readers to question discrimination, religious zeal, violence, love, life after death, and sexuality.

The plot is once again exciting and interesting. Karen must play a part to get the information that she needs to clear her friends' names. There is the threat of violence and death. There is the possibility of love..., but though the plot always draws me in, it is the social commentary of these books that keeps me coming back (and thinking about what I've read long after).

With this book, especially, and my fascination with Karen's character and the secrets you learn about her life, her death, and her differently biotic life, I have been unable to settle after finishing the book. I think when the author and publishers chose the title of this book, Passing Strange, they did a fantastic job getting right to the heart of things.

The term "Passing" has been used in the past to refer to a black person attempting to look like a white person so that they will be treated better. Not only does the concept fit here, as Karen hides herself amongst the living to be treated better, but also the term...Karen uses it herself...and to have it in the title just draws ultimate attention to the fact that even today we still discriminate and base our treatment of people on appearances. This is a not so subtle reminder in a fancy form to consider how you react to others in life.

Again, this was a powerful and heartfelt addition to the series and to the paranormal YA genre as a whole. I highly recommend this series, beginning with Generation Dead.


Full disclosure: Book received from publisher for review

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (graphic novel)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan/Art by Attila Futaki

Mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking out of the pages of twelve-year-old Percy Jackson's textbooks and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now, he and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. (description taken from Amazon.com)

This was actually a pretty good adaption of The Lightning Thief. The characters looked like their descriptions, though the kids may be a little older than they should be and the monsters and magic were well done. I still prefer the books, because I always have trouble remembering how to read the panels, but this was better than a lot of graphic adaptations. It should attract some new readers, too, I hope.

Zombiekins

Zombiekins
by Kevin Bolger

The little town of Dementedyville is as boring as they come--but a mysterious stuffed animal is about to liven things up . . .

Stanley Nudelman buys Zombiekins at the yard sale of his neighbor, the Widow Imavitch. It looks cuddly and creepy-cute--but expose the TEDDY OF TERROR to moonlight, and strange things happen. . . .

When Zombiekins gets loose at his school, Stanley finds himself in GRAVE danger. Because if his teacher Mr. Baldengrumpy discovers he turned the whole school into zombies, Stanley will be in detention till he's, like, 80!

Can Stanley and his best friend Miranda save their schoolmates from eternal zombiefication? If not, will Mr. Baldengrumpy even notice? (description taken from Amazon.com)

This is my kind of Halloween horror story. More funny than really scary. (I'm a chicken sometimes, I know!) This tween-aged zombie book is Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets Gremlins.

Zombiekins is scary cute. He's a little creepy, but you want to cuddle him...expose him to direct moonlight, though, and he just might BITE you! Poor Stanley inadvertantly creates a zombie making machine that swiftly turns his whole school into a monster haven.

The illustrations by Aaron Blecha fit the book perfectly and had me snorting aloud. Stanley is a great character that learns to stand up to a bully. His best friend is a strong female character and his little sister made me laugh. The depictions of snotty kindergarteners, scary six graders, and awkward, mean teachers will definitely appeal to readers.

I cannot wait to check out the next book, Zombiekins II: They Came From Under the Bed. I think it will be another hideously funny adventure!

Cover Craving AND Anxiously Awaiting...

Wolfsbane
by Andrea Cremer
Nightshade, book two

Publication date: July 12, 2011

OMG. Love it. Cannot wait for this book!

Cover Craving...

Awakened
by P.C. and Kristin Cast
House of Night series, book eight

Publication date: Jan. 4, 2011

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
by John Boyne

Where is 'Outwith' and who is Bruno?
How is he connected?
Soon he will meet the boy in striped pyjamas and befriend him.
But why must the boy stay behind the wire?
(description taken from Amazon.com)

I tried not to read this book for as long as I could. When I read, most often I'm looking for an escape from my daily life...hence, I trend towards fantasy, science fiction, light romances, etc. (The title of my blog reflects this, too!) As a Teen Librarian, though, I do consider it part of my job to read everything that is considered "important." Nutmeg nominees (our state book award), National Book Award nominees, summer reading list books, etc. I also feel I should be able to talk about at least a few books in every genre for reader's advisory purposes.

There are some books, though, that even with this drive, I will do all I can to avoid them for as long as possible. Books dealing with the holocaust are absolutely in this category. I tend to avoid them like the plague...but, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has been on our summer reading lists for the high school age group for a few years now, tons of teens have read and loved it, and my audiobook ran out and I didn't have another one lined up.

So, I broke down and listened to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. I finished it several days ago, actually. Usually I finish a book and I go straight home and type up my review. Done. This book, though, was one of those that I still haven't really been able to figure out what I want to say about it.

I went into this experience dragging my feet and have come out recommending this book to every adult I work with. The day that I finished listening to it, I pulled into work with tears in my eyes, an awed look on my face, and I just sat there. It was at least fifteen minutes before I was able to pull myself together to go into work, and then the first thing I did was go talk to the woman I knew had seen the movie to compare experiences!

This book is so well done I can't even verbalize the majesty of it. Boyne dances around the Holocaust in a way that makes it easy to remember the horror without having to directly experience it. The nine-year-old main character's perspective is one of bewildered naivete. His friendship with a boy named Shmuel develops naturally and without artiface.

Even now, I'm having trouble trying to describe the book and how it made me feel. I think that actually says more than whatever I could write. It was powerful. It was touching. It is reverberating with me in a way that few books have...

If you have not read it, yet. Go read it. Even if you hate this type of book, like I do, you should read this one. It is amazing.

Anxiously Awaiting...

Bumped
by Megan McCafferty
Publication date: April 26, 2011

“When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.”

Get to Know...Andrea Cremer

photo by Gina Monroe

I am beyond excited to welcome Andrea Cremer, author of the awesome Nightshade, to the blog today! Recently I reviewed Nightshade and told you all how much I loved it...you can check out the review here.

Nightshade, published on October 19, 2010, is the beginning of a trilogy. The main character, Calla, is a Guardian (werewolf) that has always known her purpose in life and her destiny to marry fellow Alpha wolf, Ren. Things change, though when a mysterious new boy comes to town. Shay challenges, not only Calla's relationship with Ren, but also her unflagging loyalty to the Keepers.

I love the “Guardians” in Nightshade. The way that they truly are wolves in “human clothing.” How did you create such primal feeling werewolves?

I grew up in the woods of Northern Wisconsin and spent as many days outdoors as I could. Traditional werewolf tales didn’t appeal to me because they were lacking in comparison to the beautiful, mysterious wolves I admired in the wilderness. In the Guardians I wanted to create a new wolf mythology that reflected the traits I love in wolves and wolf packs.

The wraiths and other enforcers employed by the Keepers were also awesomely terrifying. What type of research did you do to decide what creatures to use and what they should look like?

The wraiths and Keepers didn’t require research – they’re simply products of my crazy imagination. Wraiths appear in many different types of myths and can range from zombie-like to demonesque. I wanted my wraiths to resemble smoke or shadows because I think that the most frightening creatures are those that easily slip in and out of sight.

I have to say that you have one of the best love triangles I’ve read in quite awhile in Nightshade. Did you develop one guy before the other? Did their developing personalities affect each other? (I am firmly Team Ren btw…)

Thank you! Both Shay and Ren surprised me (most of my characters do at some point) when I started writing Nightshade I thought I knew both guys and what their “type” was, but fortunately for me and them their histories and emotions were much more complex than I realized. Neither affected the other’s development – they each just managed to assert their individual quirks, strengths, and flaws on their own. *Wait until you read this book! Each guy is awesome in their own right. Very, very well done.

I know that Wolfsbane is scheduled to come out next year. I can’t wait! Are there more books planned for this world?

Nightshade is a trilogy. Wolfsbane (book 2) will be published on July 12, 2011. Bloodrose (book 3) will be out spring 2012. I’m also writing a fourth book which is a prequel to the series about the origins of the Witches War – it’s set in the 1400s. *I'm over the moon excited to read all of these, and am especially intrigued about the origin of the Keepers, which will be explored in book four.

If you could give one piece of advice to Calla what would it be?

Find your own path.

What was the last book that you read that you would recommend to other readers?

I just read Beth Revis’ Across the Universe, which will be out in January. It’s an amazing book!

Quick Picks: Favorite Vacation Destination? Favorite Childhood Book? Favorite Movie? Favorite Food? Favorite Clothing Item?

Vacation: Italy
Childhood book: Watership Down
Movie: Last of the Mohicans
Food: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Clothing item: Silk blouse, pencil skirt, and tall boots

Andrea, thank you again so much for taking the time to answer my questions! I encourage everyone to read Nightshade immediately! :P Also, check out Andrea Cremer's website and blog for more information.