Monday, May 24, 2010

Author Uncovered: Kieran Scott (Author Interview)

Hey guys! Today, I have Kieran Scott, the author of She's So Dead to Us here on TUBL! I loved She's So Dead to Us! Check out my review here!


Who is your favorite character from She's so Dead to Us?
Jake is definitely my favorite character. I love trying to get into the minds of boys. What I especially love about Jake is that he has a pretty simple and somewhat self-centered view of the world at the beginning of the book, and through his interaction with Ally and his friends, he starts to mature and change. He’s still a work in progress, but he’s definitely learning about the world.

Why did you choose to incorporate a scandal in Ally's life? What do you think of scandals that affect not only yourself, but people around you as well?
I think that scandal may be a slightly strong word for what goes on in Ally’s life. To me, the things that happen to her are the result of bad choices made in emotional moments, whether by her or her father or her friends, and I think those bad choices happen every day. We’ve all done things that seemed right in the moment, but turned out to have negative consequences down the road. There are people who create scandal purposefully, and there’s one character like that in this book. I’ve never understood those types of people. I feel like life is complicated enough without trying to make it more complicated.

Personally, what do you think of that social 'barrier' between the rich and the not-so-rich?
I think it’s far more complicated than a lot of people realize. I grew up in a wealthy town as one of the not-so-wealthy people, and as a teenager, it’s hard to see everyone around you being gifted with cars on their seventeenth birthdays or whisked away to Europe for spring break, while you’re sitting there with your bike and vacationing in your back yard. Unless you’re an extremely enlightened kid, it’s not until you’re older that you realize that those wealthy kids didn’t actually have it all. Everyone’s families have problems. And European vacations, while nice, don’t guarantee happiness. That’s why I wanted to show that some of the wealthy families have serious issues in this book. No one’s life is perfect.

Did you include some of your experiences in She's so Dead to Us?
Definitely. I was a lot like Ally in that my friends had more money than I did and I had to deal with them getting to do things I could never afford to do. Also her relationship with her mom is similar to mine. They’re friends first, which I like.

Why did you choose to write in the YA genre?
I feel like I’m perpetually seventeen years old. I still remember vividly what it was like to have the stresses of being a teenager, and I think it’s important for teens to read about other kids their age going through similar experiences and having the same emotions.

Did you base any of your characters on real people?
Annie’s sense of humor and view on life is based on one of my friends, but I won’t say which one! J Robbie is based on a friend of mine from high school. Everyone else is a product of my imagination.

Did you have to do any research to write She's So Dead to Us?
Research wasn’t an issue. The story takes place in a fictional town in Bergen County, which is where I’ve lived all my life, so I definitely know what life is like around here!

Which character do you resonate most with, in She's so Dead to Us?
Definitely Ally. If there’s one character who’s a lot like me, it’s Ally. She doesn’t think material things should matter and she tries to tell it like it is. There are moments when her fears prevent her from being totally honest, and I’ve definitely been there. She tries to understand where other people are coming from, which I definitely try to do. Plus her relationship with her parents is similar to the ones I had with mine in high school. She’s friends with her mom and has a complex, confusing relationship with her dad.

What was the message that you tried to get across to your readers with She's so Dead to Us?
That a lot of high school is about appearances over reality, and it shouldn’t be. It’s really difficult to follow your heart and see inside a person to who they really are, but in a perfect world, that’s what we would all do. Also you don’t need money to be happy. Being true to yourself is far more important.

What would you have done if you were in Ally's place?
I hope I would have done what she did: try to reconnect with my old friends, but be realistic about it and make some new ones, too.

The cover is very well done yet simple. Did you have any input in it?
No input whatsoever, but I LOVE it!

What's the most interesting thing a reader has ever said to you?
A reader once told me that Geek Magnet basically was her life. She was the stage manager of her musical production at school, she had geeks following her around all the time, but wanted just to be friends with them. She had a volatile family life. She had a crush on an athlete. She even had a best friend named Stephanie, just like KJ’s best friend in the book. It was like I was psychic and wrote about her life. THAT was interesting to hear.

What’s up next for you book-wise?
I’m writing the sequel to She’s SO Dead to Us, tentatively titled She’s SO Over Him. After that, there will be a third book (it’s planned as a trilogy). Plus I’m working on a couple of new ideas which will hopefully become books one day!

Book you've faked reading:
I’m sure I’ve said I read War and Peace, but I haven’t.

Book you've bought for the cover:
Shiver. I didn’t know what it was when I bought it. Pretty cover. Addicting book. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Book you're an evangelist for:
Rebound by Bob Krech is an incredibly written, honest, fearless look at race relations in high school. Looks by Madeleine George is a book I wish I’d written. So Punk Rock by Micol Ostow with illustrations by David Ostow is HI-larious. Those are the three I always tell people they have to read. Oh and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Go Devils! Sorry, I’ve got the New Jersey Devils playoff game on in the background right now.
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Sunday, May 23, 2010

She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott

Title: She's So Dead to Us (Book 1)
Author: Kieran Scott
Pages: 256

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Publication Date: May 25, 2010

When having money is all that matters, what happens when you lose it all?

Perfect, picturesque Orchard Hill. It was the last thing Ally Ryan saw in the rear-view mirror as her mother drove them out of town and away from the shame of the scandal her father caused when his hedge fund went south and practically bankrupted all their friends -- friends that liked having trust funds and new cars, and that didn't like constant reminders that they had been swindled. So it was adios, Orchard Hill. Thanks for nothing.



Now, two years later, Ally's mother has landed a job back at the site of their downfall. So instead of Ally's new low-key, happy life, it'll be back into the snake pit with the likes of Shannen Moore and Hammond Ross.



But then there's Jake Graydon. Handsome, wealthy, bored Jake Graydon. He moved to town after Ally left and knows nothing of her scandal, but does know that he likes her. And she likes him. So off into the sunset they can go, right? Too bad Jake's friends have a problem with his new crush since it would make Ally happy. And if anyone deserves to be unhappy, it's Ally Ryan.



Ally was hoping to have left all the drama in the past, but some things just can't be forgotten. Isn't there more to life than money?

Ally Ryan is back. That's what everyone is talking about. Why? Because she's coming back after two years. She's coming back after her dad bankrupted half of the town. Now everybody hates her. Secrets, lies, and diminished friendships haunt her every move. Insults become a normal thing for the once-popular, once-loved Ally Ryan. Will she get through it all? Will she even snag one of the most swoon-worthy guys? Or will she fall?

She's So Dead to Us is a pleasurable read with an intricately and elaborately woven web of lies, lust, and secrets. Friendship and family relationships are made more complicated with an enhanced high-society background with the über wealthy. The rich families' bad attitudes are evident based on how they treat Ally and her mom. Of course, their feelings can be empathized with, but even so, they still stoop very low and treat Ally's family harshly though her and her mom don't have anything to do with the scandal. Grudges are strong, but new bonds are formed.

Ally's powerful stance and character is very promising as she deals with insults, pranks, and judgments. She is an extremely strong protagonist, who, in the midst of everything, will make the best out of what she has. A big theme in this novel is acceptance; here, Ally accepts her financial status and comes to terms with what her father has done. Jake, on the other hand, eventually starts accepting her as well. Characters in She's So Dead to Us, such as Jake, are shallow at first, but progress into somewhat more understanding and more empathizing characters. His deeper perception of Ally is what brings them together, but his shallowness also comes in the way at times, making him look pig-headed and immature.

The characters surrounding Ally are not neglected and well-developed. Each has a unique personality and outlook on Ally's situation. Most of the characters' attitudes towards Ally is thoroughly established through their immense bullying and insulting; all of which are well-put and realistically portrayed by Scott. The divide between wealthy and the middle class is truly visible in She's So Dead to Us due to the treatment and the behavior of each group. Kieran Scott delivers this through undiluted discrimination between the two classes.

There is a large contrast here between shallowness and depth. Ally's narration is mature and full of depth while she lives in a typical, shallow background filled with the very rich. Stereotypes here are profoundly scrutinized at a more perceptive level, but the stereotypes themselves are shallow. Ally's relationship with her mom is one that is genuine and real amongst the façade of 'adept' relationships put up by her other friends.

She's So Dead to Us is surprisingly an in-depth book in the midst of shallow books similar to its premise. Scott's novel will stand out and will pull readers in with its riveting world of high-society life, secrets, drama, and a blooming romance. Readers will encounter scandals, deceit, and will truly find out how imperfect and complicated rich people's lives can be.

The Bottom Line: Fresh, fun, gritty, and utterly real.

---Field Report---
Originality: 6/10
Ending: 8/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 9/10
Imagery: 9/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

Total Score: 92/100 (A)


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Saturday, May 22, 2010

Winners! Winners! Winners!

Hi guys!

Here's the winners post for the contests happening in TUBL! Please note that I ended the My Invisible Boyfriend contest earlier.

Congrats to these winners! I've already contacted them! And all of them have already responded! Thanks guys!

Siren by Tricia Rayburn Winners: Jennifer (Book Crazy), Dwayne
Graphia Prize Pack Winner: Mary (Graef)
Signed Swoon Winner: Bookaholic (Debasmita)
Taurus Eyes Winner: Lale
Signed My Invisible Boyfriend Winner: Alice

Peace, Love, and Books,
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Friday, May 21, 2010

Author Uncovered: Alyssa Sheinmel (Author Interview)

Hi guys! Today we have Alyssa Sheinmel for an Proust Questionnaire here on TUBL! She's the author of The Beautiful Between which is a completely awesome book! Check out my review here!



Full disclosure: I watch a lot of TV. Some may say too much TV (I say it’s not too much TV as long as I still find the time to do other things like read, and write, and go to work etc). One show that I really love is “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” and invariably my favorite part comes at the end when the host, James Lipton, asks his guests questions from the Proust Questionnaire. I always love imagining that James Lipton is asking me the questions. Sadly, though, I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that I will never visit the Actor’s Studio. I cannot act, and unfortunately, I don’t think that being the author of The Beautiful Between will get me on Mr. Lipton’s guest list. But I don’t see why that should stop me from answering the questions, so here goes.

What is your favorite word?
My favorite word is tintinnabulation. It is one of the first really big words I can remember learning as a child, and it may have even kick-started my (very dorky) love of vocabulary. I love the way that word sounds when you say it, and I love the way it sounds like exactly what it means.

What is your least favorite word?
I hate the word “anyways.” I don’t think it’s a real word – “anyway” is a word (and one I use a lot); “anyhow” is a word. But anyways sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me. I actually cringe when people use it. Someday, if I ever write a book with a bad guy in it, I bet he or she will use “anyways” all the time.

What sound or noise do you love?
I have two: first, I love the sound of Yankee Stadium. I know, that’s a lot of sounds mixed together: the roar of the crowd, the vendors calling out “peanuts” and “Cracker Jacks” and the amazing thwack when a bat makes contact with the ball. (Of course, I prefer that last sound when it’s coming from a Yankee bat.)

Second: I love the sound of the snow in New York. I actually hate snow itself in New York City; it’s pretty for only about five minutes and soon it’s just the miserable slush on the ground that’s getting all over my dog’s paws and keeping me from wearing my favorite shoes. But sometimes, when it’s snowing, Manhattan gets miraculously quiet, and it feels like you’re the only person out on the street, and the only sound you can hear is the snow, sort of crinkle-crackling as it falls.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Ugh, I hate the sound when people cough or clear their throats and you can hear the mucus kind of moving around in there. Gross.

What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt?
I’d love to be a literature teacher – one who got to choose her own curriculum, though, so I could teach any books that I wanted to: Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Tolkien.... Just imagine, getting to read your favorite books over and over again, and then getting to talk about them with a room full of students who have to listen. That sounds so amazing.

What profession other than your own would you not like to attempt?
I would not want to be a doctor. I don’t want to hold anyone’s life in my hands.

What’s your favorite curse word?
That’s a tricky question for me, because I really, really try not to curse a lot. The one that I do end up saying is kind of odd: “mother.” It’s the beginning to say a longer, much more “bad” word, but I find that when I stub my toe, or walk into something, or realize that I’ve forgotten something, I usually only manage to get out the first half of that word.

Finally, if heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you reach the pearly gates?
I have a very elaborate picture of heaven. It’s kind of like an intellectual Utopia, where you get to finally understand all the things that you wanted to learn but that eluded you, and you get to be taught them by the experts. Like a literature lesson from James Joyce and Jane Austen, or a political debate featuring Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Roosevelt. I also think when you get there, you automatically look the best you ever looked while you were living, you never have to miss anyone, and you can eat anything and everything you want. So I would really just like God to say “You were right” and find that heaven is exactly what I imagined.

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Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Beautiful Between by Alyssa Sheinmel

Title: The Beautiful Between
Author: Alyssa Sheinmel
Pages: 192
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 11, 2010

If high school were a fairy-tale kingdom, Connelly Sternin would be Rapunzel, locked not in a tower by a wicked witch but in a high-rise apartment building by the SATs and college applications—and by the secrets she keeps. Connelly's few friends think that her parents are divorced—but they're not. Connelly's father died when she was two, and she doesn't know how.

If Connelly is the Rapunzel of her school, Jeremy Cole is the crown prince, son of a great and rich New York City family. So when he sits down next to her at lunch one day, Connelly couldn't be more surprised. But Jeremy has a tragic secret of his own, and Connelly is the only one he can turn to for help. Together they form a council of two, helping each other with their homework and sharing secrets. As the pair's friendship grows, Connelly learns that it's the truth, not the secrets, that one must guard and protect. And that between friends, the truth, however harsh, is also beautiful.
Connelly's father's death is a mystery for her and as she is continuously kept in the dark, she chooses to search for answers on her own. She meets Jeremy, her prince charming, but all is not what they appear. He has his own life filled with a tragic secret. Together, they must overcome their problems and finally find their own happiness.

Alyssa Sheinmel writes an evocative story filled with hope, love, friendship, and grief that grasps the concept of death, and familial problems through Sheinmel's consistently beautiful, yet simple prose. In an elitist setting, filled with characters that have money and status, Sheinmel peels out the deep, raw problems of the very wealthy by breaking that façade of unemotional ignorance that elite people seem to have.

Seemingly impervious, Jeremy's secrets are told through his growing friendship with Connelly who also has the mystery of her father's death to deal with. Their relationship is slowly but thoroughly developed and their problems bring them closer to each other as they try to cope and overcome their dilemmas. Both characters are solidified with their unique perceptions and palpable emotions along with significant relationships with themselves and their family and friends.

The concept of fairytale versus reality is reiterated through constant fairytale analogies that gives The Beautiful Between a dream-like tone and captures the essence of the concept of fairytale and reality. It adds a more personal touch to the atmosphere and makes it more compelling and refreshing. Here, the idea of a 'beautiful between' is symbolized as the middle of fantasy and reality; Connelly lives quite a fancy, fairytale-like life, but it is contrasted by her problems that is pulling her into reality as well.

The Beautiful Between is a meaningful, and beautiful book that will touch your heart. The depth of the characters and the gravity of their problems and situations are thoroughly and expertly explained in such a short span of words. The Beautiful Between is a concise, thoughtful read filled with immense clarity and perception that will keep readers pondering and really look at their own 'beautiful between'. A =)

The Bottom Line: A quick read full of many meaningful messages.

---Field Report---
Originality: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 8/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 8/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

Total Score: 93/100 (A)


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Thursday, May 13, 2010

My Reading Habits!!!

So I saw this meme over at WORD for Teens as well as other blogs and it looked like soooo much fun so I decided to do it =) Hope you like reading about my wacky reading habits!!!

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack:
Not really, I can't hold both a book and chips or something...not cut out for that kind of coordination =) Haha =D

What is your favourite drink while reading?
Either a grande, hot, upside-down caramel machiatto with three sugars from Starbucks or a grande java-chip frappuccino from Starbucks as well =) You can kind of tell I love Starbucks...hehe

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
I will NEVER write on a book...but I do use those really cute teeny post-its sometimes =)

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
Nope! None of those! All of the bookmarks I get, get stuck up on my swag wall in my room which covers a really big wall...I usually just memorize the page number I stopped on. But it's so weird that I always stop on Page 236! Every single time! Isn't that really REALLY creepy?

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?
Fiction all the way...unless it's some sort of expose on the corruption in politics...now you've got me hooked =)

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?
I can stop anywhere anytime...unless I'm reading a SUPER good book...then I tend to bite =D

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?
Nope, I just start yelling at the book...happens sometimes; especially in public places...people think I'm crazzzzy...hehe, maybe I am =)

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?
I almost always am able to figure out the word based on its context...skillzzzz right? LOL.

What are you currently reading?
I'm reading two books:
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (FREAKING AMAZING)
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT DUDES!)

What is the last book you bought?
Just bought Gimme A Call by Sarah Mlynowski and Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?
Sometimes one, but mostly two...Never three though..

Do you have a favourite time/place to read?
My bed, my beanbag, or the bathroom...weird eh?

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?
Both...really depends on the genre and quality...there are ENOUGH Vampire series...hehe...I LOOOVE Vampire Academy though =)

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?
Siren by Tricia Rayburn, Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus, Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride, She's so Dead to Us by Kieran Scott, Winter Longing by Tricia Mills, The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller, Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, Paranormalcy by Kiersten White...LOTS of recommend-worthy books =)

How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author's last name, etc.)
This is where my OCD comes in! I organize by series (if it is a series), then by type (hardcover or paperback), then by height, then by color. I RAGE when people mess it up! LOL!
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Monday, May 10, 2010

Giveaway: My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day (signed)!!! INTERNATIONAL

Hi guys! Here's a chance to win a SIGNED copy of My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day! It's a light, entertaining read that will make you laugh your heads off!!!

Heidi has the perfect solution to her popularity problems - a fake boyfriend. She's even made him an Internet profile that makes him look like a motorcycle-riding, poetry reading bad boy. *swoon* Heidi's friends are so impressed they start emailing Heidi's fake boyfriend with their problems . . . including their problems with Heidi.

As if that weren't bad enough, a delicious and possibly single person called "A Real Boy" emails Heidi to say he knows the truth. Can Heidi escape from her world wide web of lies? Or will her chance at romance disappear faster than you can type gtg?

To enter, just comment below with your email address.

Extra Entries:
+3 Follow The Undercover Book Lover
+3 Go to Susie's website and tell me something cool about her
+2 Comment on the interview with Susie
+2 Comment on my review of My Invisible Boyfriend
+2 Tweet this contest (link please)
+2 Put this contest on your sidebar (link please)

Rules:
-Open to EVERYBODY!
-This contest will end on May 25th at 4pm (GMT+8) unless this contest doesn't meet at least 35-40 entrants...then, it will be extended.
-I will use The Contest Winner Picker for picking the winners for this contest.
-I am not to be held responsible for any lost or damaged items
-Contest Policy applies

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Author Uncovered: Susie Day (Author Interview)

Hey guys! Today, I have fab author, Susie Day for an interview!!! She's the author of the uber hilarious and LOL-Worthy My Invisible Boyfriend!



Who is your favorite character from My Invisible Boyfriend?
The real answer will give away too much – so I will say Betsy, the owner of the Little Leaf Cafe, and Heidi’s boss. She’s like a big sister, providing encouragement, advice, and savage mockery. (I have 3 big sisters. I know what they’re like with the savage mockery.)

Why did you choose to incorporate that feeling of being the odd one out? I've lived in 6 different countries, so I know how I can empathize with Heidi =)
6 countries, blimey! I stayed in just the one place and still felt lost. Heidi’s situation makes it a million times harder – moving from school to school, having teacher-parents – but I think every teenager feels like the odd one out, at least some of the time. I work at an international boarding school, and our students all struggle with being away from home, and integrating into a different culture. That’s what Heidi doesn’t realize: even if they seem so much more confident and self-assured, all her friends have the same insecurities.

Why did you integrate the concept of having a fake boyfriend?
I had this mental picture of a girl who worked in a cute, quirky cafe, and I wanted to write something romantic and fluffy that went with it. Then I realised that all my favourite boys didn’t exist: I tend to conduct my longest romances with fictional heroes, the kind that have spaceships or solve crime in the 1930s, and that gave me Gingerbread Ed on a plate.

What do you personally think about the concept and idea of popularity?
It’s brutal. Seriously, it’s like Carrie out there in the real world. Social networks where people get to literally add up how many friends they have: a world where ‘footballer’s wife’ is seen as a valid career option, because it brings attention with it – it’s all so depressing, especially for young women. It all takes up so much time, so much mental energy.

Which character do you resonate most with, in My Invisible Boyfriend?
Heidi’s geekiness is very ‘me’, but my teenage self connects most with Fili, Heidi’s suddenly-absent best friend. She’s this secretive girl, who enjoys being theatrically doom-laden, but half-wishes she could just be happy, even if she’d have to buy a whole new wardrobe to match. Her playing Feste/Pierrot in the musical is definitely me playing vicarious dress-up: we studied Twelfth Night at school and I always loved that character.

What was the message that you tried to get across to your readers with My Invisible Boyfriend?
There are a few, I suppose: the obvious is the old ‘what a fearful web we weave’ business, because once Heidi starts to lie, she can’t seem to stop. I wanted to show a few different versions of romance too: like a mini Love Actually, minus Hugh Grant and that unsettling sense of nausea. But it’s really about friendship, trust, and self-esteem. Heidi’s got friends who love her for the person she is, not who they imagine she’s going out with – and she needs to be just as good a friend in return. It’s a romance, but ultimatelyI think the most important relationships in the story are those between the friends.

The premise of My Invisible Boyfriend is quite unique. How did the idea bloom?
I mentioned it to my writing group and suddenly people were confessing to fake teenage boyfriends all over! That’s when I knew it was something other people would ‘get’.

What would you have done if you were in Heidi's place?
I am THE worst liar in the world. No exaggeration: my face is too expressive, people can read my mind right away. Personally I’d have been inventing an invisible girlfriend – but there’s no way I’d be able to keep up the pretence!

How did the title My Invisible Boyfriend come to be?
The UK title is Girl Meets Cake, which I think is so cute, but we’d been through hundreds of alternatives to get there, so when my US editor said she fancied something different, we had plenty to pick from. Titles are impossibly tricky, honestly.

The cover is really cool and creative! Did you have any input in it?
This is so embarrassing, but actually I wasn’t keen at first (I believe ‘why are they in an Indian takeaway in 1972?’ was the phrase). This is why I write the insides and leave Talented Designer People to do that bit. Heidi is so not that pretty - and she would totes never layer lemon and turquoise, dahling! - but it’s an adorable cover.

What's the most interesting thing a reader has ever said to you?
I had an email from a 12-yr-old who’d read my first book (an adventure story, now out of print), asking if there would ever be a sequel. I told her I was mainly writing for teens now, so maybe she’d enjoy the new stuff, and she firmly and brilliantly informed me that she might when she was a teenager, but right now she was 12 and wanted to read things for 12-yr-olds. I loved that. Not everyone’s in a hurry to grow up.

What’s up next for you book-wise?
Time-travel and birthday wishes! On Poppy’s 14th birthday, she realises she’s a teenage failure – so she wishes herself back to her 13th birthday, to relive the whole year. Think Groundhog Day meets Mean Girls. It’ll be out early 2011 in the UK, and, um, no I can’t tell you the title. (Like I said: titles are tricky.)

Book you've faked reading:
Bleak House by Charles Dickens! It was my first week at university and I just couldn’t get through the bloody thing. I’ve since taught undergraduates trying to bluff their way through Virginia Woolf 101 and discovered quite how obvious it is. OH THE SHAME.

Book you've bought for the cover:
Jonathon Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. For a grown-up, literary take on fairies and magic, look no further: that is an amazing book.

Book you're an evangelist for:
I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith, because no one told me about it until I was an adult, and I cannot imagine a teenage girl (the kind who thinks too much and would maybe ever so slightly like to be a writer) who wouldn’t hug it to themselves like a prize.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Great questions, Reggie – and thank you for having me!
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Sunday, May 9, 2010

In My Mailbox (20)

Hey guys! IMM is hosted by The Story Siren =) Okay, I've decided that I'm going to do IMM posts whenever I feel like it (aka when Reggie isn't feeling lazy!) hehe =) Anyway, here's my IMM for this week. Hope ya like it!

This week, I didn't get as much but I did get the three books that I've been desperately waiting for; Nevermore, Paranormalcy, and Forget You!!! Thank you so much to MTV Books, HarperTeen, St. Martin's Griffin, Delacorte, Egmont, and Atheneum!

For Review:

Nevermore - Kelly Creagh (!!!)
Paranormalcy - Kiersten White (!!!)
Glimmerglass - Jenna Black
Crash Test Love - Ted Michael (!!!)
Forget You - Jennifer Echols (signed) (!!!)
Things I Know About Love - Kate Le Vann
Dead Beautiful - Yvonne Woon (not pictured)

The Bought:

Gimme A Call - Sarah Mlynowski
The Other Girl - Sarah Miller

Hope you guys had a good week!

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Saturday, May 8, 2010

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day

Title: My Invisible Boyfriend
Author: Susie Day
Pages: 288
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 1, 2010
Heidi has the perfect solution to her popularity problems - a fake boyfriend. She's even made him an Internet profile that makes him look like a motorcycle-riding, poetry reading bad boy. *swoon* Heidi's friends are so impressed they start emailing Heidi's fake boyfriend with their problems . . . including their problems with Heidi.



As if that weren't bad enough, a delicious and possibly single person called "A Real Boy" emails Heidi to say he knows the truth. Can Heidi escape from her world wide web of lies? Or will her chance at romance disappear faster than you can type gtg?

Heidi's just another normal, single, unpopular girl in the midst of floating, happy couples. The solution to her problems? A fake boyfriend. That should solve everything right? WRONG. Her fake boyfriend Ed, causes more problems than she imagined and someone knows about her plan. Will she damage her own reputation? Or will she find love...in the most unexpected places?

My Invisible Boyfriend is a quirky, hilarious, and entertaining read that is very realistically portrayed through emails, funny recipes, and chats as well as prose. This element especially enhances and emphasizes the convincing and believable background of the story. Readers will be able to imagine themselves in Heidi's position very easily because of the contemporary versatility and authentic characters in the book.

My Invisible Boyfriend starts out quite shallow, but the eccentric quirks and Heidi's overactive imagination lets the novel flow smoothly and eventually gains more depth and characteristic. Heidi's narration is humorous and light, making her antics even funnier to read about. And even though she's quite naive, she cares for her friends and her efforts mirror that through a few situations-gone-wrong. Heidi is not without her quirks and funny behaviors as well. Although one that might agitate the reader a little bit are her
WOE.
UH.
or
PAW.
LOO.
DOE.
moments that are quite overdone. Readers might even have a hard time understanding what they mean. But ultimately, Heidi is an unforgettable protagonist that will not fail to make readers laugh with her LOL-worthy shenanigans and escapades.

Hilarious and charming, My Invisible Boyfriend is a light, fun read that will captivate readers with its charm and wit. The recipes are flat out funny and everything else--even a little predictable--will definitely make you laugh! A =)

The Bottom Line: ROFLMAOing while reading this =)


---Field Report---
Originality: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 8/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10
Theme: 9/10
Imagery: 9/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Total Score: 92/100 (A)



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Friday, May 7, 2010

Giveaway: Swoon by Nina Malkin (signed)!!!

Hey guys! Since I'm hosting Nina today, she's given me the opportunity to hold a giveaway for a signed copy of Swoon! Now you guys have the chance to read this totally passionate and intense love story! It's amazing!

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him -- but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent -- and irresistible -- adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.

What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?

Just comment below with your email to enter.

Extra Entries:
+3 Follow The Undercover Book Lover
+3 Go to Nina's website and tell me something cool about her
+3 Watch the official Swoon trailer (honor system here guys)
+2 Comment on the interview with Nina
+2 Comment on my review of Swoon
+2 Tweet this contest (link please)
+2 Put this contest on your sidebar (link please)

Rules:
-Open to EVERYBODY!
-This contest will end on May 20th at 4pm (GMT+8) unless this contest doesn't meet at least 35-40 entrants...then, it will be extended.
-I will use The Contest Winner Picker for picking the winners for this contest.
-I am not to be held responsible for any lost or damaged items
-Contest Policy applies

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Author Uncovered: Nina Malkin (Author Interview)


Hi guys! Today, in honor of the release of the paperback copy of Swoon, I have Nina Malkin here today for an interview! She's uber cool and fun to talk to! And of course, she wrote the totally kick-ass Swoon...which will literally make you swoon! It even won the coveted Holy Grail Award on TUBL! Check out my review over here!


PREPARE FOR ANOTHER SINFUL SUMMER! SWOON IS OUT IN PAPERBACK NOW!

The premise of SWOON is quite unique. How did the idea bloom?
The concept of a contemporary girl who gets possessed by the spirit of a boy from another time had been bobbing around for a while. Then I got burned, screwed, beat down and smacked around big-time—I had betrayal on the brain and that’s when the story gelled. As Dice, SWOON’s heroine, says when she learns how badly she’s been used: “What’s the worst possible lie? A betrayal.”

What do you personally think about revenge?
I’ve had some seriously satisfying payback fantasies, but never enacted them. I suspect that if I did I’d feel as bad as with the original betrayal. You know how your mother tells you not to stoop to someone’s level? Revenge is a pretty low stoop.

What was the message that you tried to get across to your readers with SWOON?
Oh, the usual: Hypocrisy sucks. Sacrifice hurts. Revenge is crazy. Love rules. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes your stranger…stronger, too.

Why did you choose to incorporate that feeling of being different from many of the people in SWOON? I’ve lived in 6 different countries, so I know how I can empathize with Dice =)
Whoa, six different countries? No wonder you love books so much! They’re portable friends. It’s interesting when a narrator is a “fish out of water” like Dice, since her perspective on what she witnesses and experiences is very sharp and strange and close to the bone. Personally I often feel like an outsider, even in familiar situations among people I know—which can be even weirder than new girl status—so the “being different” thing comes naturally.

Who is your favorite character from SWOON?
Sinclair Youngblood Powers—AKA Sin—is not merely my favorite character from SWOON but one of my favorite people ever. I’ve never met anyone else quite like him. He’s bad—so very, very bad—but he’s not an archetype. He’s complicated, conflicted—an evil villain but also a noble hero. The line “What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?” sums up why he’s so attractive and intriguing to me.

Why did you integrate the concept of Sin being some sort of paranormal being?
Good question, Reggie, but it assumes that I decided Sin should be a certain way. That’s not how it works for me. I don’t invent characters; I meet them in my mind, and they tell me their stories. They are who they are. They continually surprise me, which is so much fun!

Which character do you resonate most with in SWOON?
That would be Dice. I’ve had three novels and one novella published—and I won’t cop to how many I’ve half-written that weren’t published—but Dice is the only girl I’ve felt such a strong kinship with. We share a similar perspective on life, we find the same things funny and are both bemused by human nature.

What would you have done if you were in Dice’s place?
There’s a lot of action in SWOON, and Dice often has to think fast and go with her gut. But she’s smart and levelheaded, and she wants to do right by everyone, as opposed to the selfish thing. Her motivation is noble, so I hope I’d be able to make decisions the way she does.

How did you think of the characters’ names? Like Sin and Dice?
I had a preconceived notion that people in wealthy, preppy places called each other by their last names. The truncated nicknames—Pen, Dice, Marsh, Doll, Brie—are an extension of that. And come on, who could resist a guy named Sin?

How did the title SWOON come to be?
I love the word. It’s onomatopoetic, it sounds like what it is—swoooooon!—the state you’re in when you’re overcome by love, lust, passion, obsession.

The cover is really cool and creative! Did you have any input in it?
For all my other books, I’ve had varying degrees of input on the covers, and I wasn’t in love with any of them. So when my editor emailed me a jpeg of a cover mock-up the designer was playing with for SWOON, I as skeptical. Soon as I opened it, I was like: That is hot!!! I was so excited.

What’s the most interesting thing a reader has ever said to you?
On the SWOON page of my website, www.ninamalkin.com, you’ll find the Love Advice With Sin & Dice section, where readers come for romantic counsel from the characters—and we’ve received some incredibly intense questions. The most twisted love triangles, some real-life Romeo and Juliet scenarios, and let’s not forget the girl who’s madly in love with her cousin. Love Advice With Sin & Dice gets tons of mail, so I guess those guys know what they’re talking about! Readers are especially interested in Sin’s answers, so they can get a guy’s perspective on their conundrums.

Book you've faked reading:
Ha! Great question! I wouldn’t say I’ve faked reading; let’s just say I bought them with the best intentions only haven’t gotten around to Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina or Joyce’s Ulysses yet. But here’s a true confession: Back in the day when I was a music journo and record companies sent me CDs to review (yup, CDs — I did say “back in the day,” right?), I kept a lot of records that I really didn’t “get” but knew were considered “cool.” I’m talking seriously atonal stuff, and slow-as-molasses music we used to call valium rock. I wanted it in my collection in case any of the cool kids came by!

Book you've bought for the cover:
Anything with a cat on it.

Book you’re an evangelist for:
I beat people over the head with my copy of Flannery O’Connor’s The Complete Stories. Something always goes horribly, horribly wrong—you can taste it about halfway through, and you race to the climax even though you know it’s going to be tragic. That said, she’s also pretty hilarious—reference the novel The Violent Bear It Away—but it’s the stories that I reread regularly. She died so young, it’s so unfair to her fans, but luckily her stuff holds up to repeated reading.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks so much for having me! It’s readers and bloggers like you, dear Reggie, who make writers like me. SWOON ON!

Thanks Nina! Now go out to your local bookstore and grab a paperback copy of Swoon! It's a great book for a great price!
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Author Uncovered: Janet Fox (Author Interview)


Hey guys! Today, for a blog tour, I have the totally cool Janet Fox, author of her upcoming debut, Faithful...which is a totally great book!



Who is your favorite character from Faithful?
Other than Maggie, my lead character, I would have to say that my favorite character is Kula. Yes, she’s mean to Maggie; but she’s so hurt by her past and feels so deprived, that I know exactly where her pain comes from. She’s lashing out. I want to see her heal.

Why did you choose to incorporate a sort of divide between Yellowstone and Newport into Faithful? They contrast each other quite a bit.
They really do contrast, and that’s intentional. In 1904, a Newport girl had to live by certain expectations. She had to be of the right social tier. She had to marry the right man, and not necessarily for love. In Yellowstone, a girl could be more open and free – she could get away with things, experience nature, be more relaxed. Unlace that corset, take off that hat and those gloves. For Maggie, being in Yellowstone for the first time would be like peeking through a door and discovering a whole new and marvelous life.

Why did you integrate the concept of losing your mother and not knowing whether she really is dead into Faithful?
Ah. Well, I wrote from personal experience. I wrote this book for my mom. We were very close – she lived far away, but we talked on the phone at least once a week, and usually for hours at a time. She died unexpectedly, suddenly, and I wasn’t there with her when she died. It felt to me like she just vanished. Like she was stolen from me. It’s a pain that’s taken me years to deal with.

Are you personally a nature lover? What's your view Yellowstone as a whole?
I love nature. It’s where I go to heal. And I’ve spent lots of time in Yellowstone, which is a fabulous place. There’s no place else on earth like it. When I’m in Yellowstone, I’m always on the edge of my seat. Any minute you could see something astonishing – a buffalo, an elk, a wolf, a geyser blowing its top – and all in a place so gorgeous it takes your breath away.

Which character do you resonate most with, in Faithful?
I resonate most with Maggie, my main character. In so many ways we are alike. She’s very locked up inside herself, and has to learn to open to new things; and I tend to be a very private person, and being an author has meant I need to open up to new things and new people. We’re on similar journeys!

What was the message that you tried to get across to your readers with Faithful?
If there’s a message in Faithful I hope it is that you have to be true – to be faithful – to yourself. You have to live your life according to an ideal includes loving with a full heart, and rejecting the expectations of everyone else.

The premise of Faithful is quite unique. How did the idea bloom?
My family has a cabin in Montana where we go every summer and holiday – and soon we’ll be living in Montana year round. I was taking a walk near our cabin not long after my mom died when the idea came to me. It just felt right.

What would you have done if you were in Maggie's place?
I like to think I would have stopped my mom from going on the Cliff Walk – but probably not. I like to think I would’ve told my dad to quit running my life, but probably I wouldn’t. Otherwise I like to think I would have done exactly what Maggie did in the end, and I’m really proud of her for doing what she did.

How did the title Faithful come to be?
It was so perfect. “Old Faithful” and the Yellowstone setting, and a book about faith in yourself – that was the easy part!

The cover is really beautiful! Did you have any input in it?
I did! But I have to say that the designer of that cover, Jeanine Henderson, totally rocks. I love that cover. My editor asked me for some thoughts, and I said something about a girl looking at Old Faithful, and Jeanine took that vague idea to an entirely new level.

What's the most interesting thing a reader has ever said to you?
A reader recently told me she was absolutely terrified by one scene, sure that something had happened…but if I said any more, it’d be a spoiler!

What’s up next for you book-wise?
Maybe it wouldn’t surprise you to learn that my next novel is a story from Kula’s point of view. I want to see her learn from her mistakes and take the next step to becoming a whole and wonderful person. She goes to San Francisco in 1906, and…

Book you've faked reading:
Oh – I think I’ll leave that alone.

Book you've bought for the cover:
I just bought Catherine Fisher’s “Incarceron” for a combination of the cover and the title. I confess: though I have no idea if this is part of the novel, I love steampunk. And dystopian novels. I’m working on two right now, in the beginning stages.

Book you're an evangelist for:
I love this question. Can I name more than one? I love Jandy Nelson’s “The Sky is Everywhere.” And Nancy Bo Flood’s “Warriors in the Crossfire” – the cover does not express what is going on inside that magnificent little book.

Anything else you'd like to add?
My website is www.janetsfox.com, and my blog is www.kidswriterjfox.blogspot.com and I’d love to have readers stop by!
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Thursday, May 6, 2010

Giveaway: Taurus Eyes by Bonnie Hearn Hill!!!


Hi guys!

I have the opportunity to host a Taurus Eyes giveaway for you today! One copy will be given to a lucky commenter on this post! Taurus Eyes is by Bonnie Hearn Hill and it's amazing! Here's a little bit more about it:

Having been accepted into the summer writing camp in Monterey, CA, Logan worked so hard for in Aries Rising, she is on her way to becoming a real published author! She needs to impress the camp’s instructor, Henry Jaffa, a renowned journalist, paranormal investigator, and fellow Aquarian, whom she hopes will see the promise in her writing and become her mentor.

But when Logan is stuck writing about an obscure folk singer Sean Baylor, whose spirit is rumored to be haunting the quaint seaside town, she is not sure that she will be able to complete her assignment. Will Logan be able to utilize her knowledge of the planets to impress Henry Jaffa, work through her romantic tug-of-war with the camp brooding bad boy Jeremy, solve the mystery of Sean Baylor’s death, all while competing with the overachieving writers for the coveted spots in the camp’s anthology?


To enter, just comment below with your email.

Extra Entries:
+3 Follower of The Undercover Book Lover
+3 Friend Bonnie on Facebook
+2 If you comment on the interview with Bonnie
+2 Tweet this contest (must have link)
+2 Put this contest on your sidebar (link please)


Rules:
-Open to peeps in the USA!
-This contest will end on May 16th at 4pm (GMT+8) unless this contest doesn't meet at least 35-40 entrants...then, it will be extended.
-If you are under 13 years old, you must have permission from your parents or guardian.
-I will use The Contest Winner Picker for picking the winners for this contest.
-I have the right to extend or close this contest without any notice.
-I am not to be held responsible for any lost or damaged items
-Contest Policy applies

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Author Uncovered: Bonnie Hearn Hill (Author Interview)


Hi Guys! Today, I have awesome author Bonnie Hearn Hill for an interview! She's the author of Aries Rising and Taurus Eyes...both of which are amazing books! Bonnie is uber hilarious!



Why did you decide to write a book that revolved around astrology and a summer writing course?
My best friend, Hazel Dixon-Cooper, was the Cosmopolitan Bedside astrologer for six years. That stuff rubs off on you. I thought it would be fun to write about a teen who finds an astrology book and tries to use it to change her life.

Who is your favorite character from the Star Crossed series?
I love Logan, my protagonist. I love the ghost in TAURUS EYES, and I really, really love Jeremy, the hot Taurus love interest.

Why did you choose to incorporate mystery as well as astrology and the summer writing course? It's a really interesting combination!
I've written six adult thrillers. I guess I just think like that.

Personally, what is your opinion on astrology? Do you believe in it? Or not?
I never thought about it until Hazel Dixon-Cooper joined my writing class. She made me realize that the Sun sign is not the sum of the person. I learned right along with Logan, my character, but I am not an astrologer. Far from it. I am pretty good at guessing someone's sign, and I use astrology as a shortcut to understanding someone I first meet.

What's your star sign?
Sun sign, not star sign. I am a double Gemini (communicator) with a mad-scientist/want-to-save-the-word Aquarius Moon. Perfect for my jobs as writer/mentor. What's your sign?

I'm a Pisces (March 10), do you have any horoscope advice/sayings for me?
Hazel is also a Pisces, and she says it's the most creative sign but can get sidetracked dreaming and procrastinating instead of doing. Do you know your Moon or Rising?

Which character do you resonate most with, in the Star Crossed series?
Probably Logan because I'm in her head. TAURUS EYES is a love story, and I fell in love right along with Logan. I felt 16 again.

What was the message that you tried to get across to your readers with the Star Crossed series?
Each book has a different message. ARIES RISING is about coming into your own power. TAURUS EYES is about falling in love and learning how to let go of what you love. If there's an ultimate message, it's that no one--not your guy, not your parents, not astrology--can do it for you. The power is within you.

The premise of the Star Crossed series is quite unique. How did the idea bloom? Because of my friendship with Hazel. I knew there were astrology mysteries out there, but I didn't know of any for teens.

What would you have done if you were in Logan's place?
In TAURUS EYES, I don't know if I would have had to courage to do what she did because she knew discovering the truth could mean the end of her relationship. Yet she took that risk for love, and I think we all want to believe we'd make the same choice.

The cover is really cool and creative! Did you have any input in it?
Yes, and so did my agent. My publisher is wonderful, and the whole process was a team effort.

What's the most interesting thing a reader has ever said to you?
"Can you tell me where the bathroom is?" (in a bookstore).

Another is, "My life could be a movie. Why don't you write it, and I'll split the money with you."

Finally, at a signing for INTERN, my thriller, a young woman and her family followed me around the store. When I began to speak, she was on the left side of the room. Then I turned, and she was on the right side, all the time getting closer. When I began to sign, she approached me, the book in a large plastic bag. Finally, she said, "Do you know who I am?" Turns out she had the same name and was the same age as the politician's intern/girlfriend in the book. Although she and her family turned out to be friendly, I was pretty nervous at first.

What’s up next for you book-wise?
Another Star Crossed book will be out in October. GEMINI NIGHT.

Book you've faked reading:
Too many to count. I buy many books to support other writers. I can't say I read them all.

Book you've bought for the cover:
NEVER LET ME GO (Ishiguro) had a wonderful cover, and the book was even better.

Book you're an evangelist for:
47, by Walter Mosley. Read it if you haven't. 47 is the name of a slave, and although the book is marketed as young adult/paranormal, its appeal is universal. I love it.

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Monday, May 3, 2010

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Title: Shadow Hills (Book 1)
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Pages: 400
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Publication Date: July 13, 2010

After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA -- a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach -- the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after -- seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.
With dreams and visions and her sister's death haunting her, Phe decides to fulfill what her sister wanted to do. Now, she finds herself in Devenish Prep, in the town of Shadow Hills. Her dreams and visions are following her and Shadow Hills is the only place where she can find the answers she needs. She meets Zach and more questions are raised about the mystery of Shadow Hills. Her destiny seemingly interlocks with the residents of Shadow Hills...and Zach. But dark forces are out to get her...will she stay alive, or will she follow in her sister's footsteps...to her grave?

Shadow Hills is a magnetic and intensifying read with immense depth and clarity. Hopcus weaves a cryptic mystery and inter-combines it with a deeply intricate romance that delves deep into the paranormal world of Shadow Hills. The concept of BVs, and the Greek mythological aspect, is strongly developed and fits into the the suspense-building atmosphere. There is a lot of inevitable explanation and description, but Hopcus integrates these in carefully-placed parts of the book, thus, not bombarding the reader with so much information and consistently solidifying the tense atmosphere.

Phe's narrative voice in Shadow Hills is powerful and balanced; readers will empathize with Phe in every aspect. She has an authentic teenage voice, but with a mature air surrounding her. Her visions and dreams are vividly realistic and reflects the fear that she feels towards the puzzle behind her sister's death and her own presence in Devenish Prep. She is perceived differently by everybody and is scrutinized more because of her 'odd' behavior and her lingering curiosity about the town. Phe's supportive friends--Graham, Toy, Adriana, and Brock--are completely different people, each with their own withstanding personality. Together, they make an unpredictable but entertaining cast of friends.

The chemistry and magnetism between Phe and Zach is immediately present and potent from their first meeting. Their inexplicable connection haunts and confuses them at first, but they soon grasp their feelings for each other and inevitably fall in love. Zach and Phe's relationship is uncommon, and paranormality in Shadow Hills emphasizes that. An underlying aspect that is extensively developed between them, is the understanding and sacrifice that shows how much genuinely care for each other. This is an aspect many YA novels miss to develop.

The anecdotal depictions of the town of Shadow Hills subtly emanates a dark and looming sensation that adds to the mysterious, dark allure of the novel. Devenish Prep is also depicted as a rigorous academic community in which the students' abilities are inconspicuously hinted to be BV powers. These descriptions are all aspects that accentuates the presence of a haunting mystery in Shadow Hills.

Hopcus writes a novel that is filled with a passionate romance, a looming mystery, and a striking storyline. Readers cannot escape the hypnotic world of Shadow Hills...nor would they want to. The interlocking of the well-developed romance with the dark enigmatic mystery is hauntingly beautiful and utterly perfect. Shadow Hills is the ultimate paranormal romance. A+ =)

The Bottom Line: Intense. Powerful. Amazing.

---Field Report---
Originality: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Total Score: 100/100 (A+) !!!This is one of the ELEVEN books that hold the title: The Holy Grail - Beholder of the Perfect 100!!!

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Saturday, May 1, 2010

In My Mailbox (19)

Hey guys! IMM is hosted by The Story Siren =) Okay, I've decided that I'm going to do IMM posts whenever I feel like it (aka when Reggie isn't feeling lazy!) hehe =) Anyway, here's my IMM for this week. Hope ya like it!

Thank you so much for Simon & Schuster, HarperTeen, Random House, Walker Books for Young Readers, Thomas Nelson, Egmont, Scholastic, Amanda and Sourcebooks, and Princess Bookie and Lila Castle!

For Review:


Lifted - Wendy Toliver
Rules of Attraction - Simone Elkeles
A Blue So Dark - Holly Schindler
Kiss in the Dark - Lauren Henderson
Mistwood - Leah Cypress (2nd Copy)
Everlasting - Angie Frazier (!!!)
Freefall - Mindi Scott (!!!)
Infinite Days - Rebecca Maizel (!!!)
Meanicures - Catherine Clark (!!!)
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour - Morgan Matson (2nd Copy)
The Summer of Skinny Dipping - Amanda Howells (!!!)
Caleb + Kate - Cindy Martinusen-Coloma (!!!)

The Won:

The Star Shack - Lila Castle (!!!)

Winners Announcement:
Also, the winners for the Pick Your Publisher Contest are Ronnie Q. and Patxi! Congrats you two! I've already contacted them so check your email! The winner for the Radiant Shadows giveaway is Brenda B. (misskallie)! Also, I moved the Wish Stealers giveaway to end early so the winners are Elizabeth (pirate_pony2), Lale, Jessica (foreveryalit), Alex (alexreadsbooks), and Rheanna! Thanks for joining guys!
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