Reading Is Bliss

Stay Review

2011-04-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

Title: Stay
Author: Deb Caletti
Release Date: March 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 311

Sample Passage:

“First off, I've never told this story to anyone. Not the entire thing anyway, and not entirely truthfully. I'm only telling it now for one reason, and that's because an untold story has a weight that can submerge you, sure as a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean. I learned that. This kind of story, those kind of things kept secret- they have the power to keep you hidden forever, and most of all from yourself. The ghosts from that drowned ship, they keep haunting." (p.1)

“I thought it was a complement. I was sitting there, soaking in the great ego feed of new love, where your wonderfulness merges with his wonderfulness, magic dust that creates some sky-high shiny Christmas tree sparkling with admiration and flattery and tinsel and lights and a billion, hopeful, unopened presents underneath. I just saw it as praise, falling down now like glittering snowflakes. But it was something else. A drop of poison on that gathering snow. That moment in the fairy tale when we know what just happened but the princess doesn’t.” (p.49)

Mini Review:

Pros: Beautiful prose, Deb Caletti, powerful

Cons: none that really stood out

Overall: Favorite book of the last two years.

Grade: A++

Summary from Amazon:
Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is--and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

Written Review:
Absolutely breathtaking. Caletti has always had a way with words that draw you into a story completely but Stay was so powerful, and so honest, and so beautiful, it took her talent to a whole new level of brilliance.

My favorite thing about all of Caletti’s works but Stay in particular was the way one aspect of the story, one emotion or event that not all can really relate to because most haven’t had the same experience, is expanded and explained in a way that every single person can feel for. There were so many parts of this novel that I had to stop and go find somebody to read it to because of the wisdom of a passage or the emotion portrayed was so close to myself.

With such raw emotions portrayed so vividly, the characters developed just as brightly. Clara has become one of the most realistic characters I’ve read and her story is so powerful and depicted so well that it’s sure to hit home with many. This is more than realistic fiction. It’s just plain real.

This novel is not one that comes close to a light read. It’s deep and full of thought and heart and love and forgiveness and moving on. It’s a story that will resonate with many and will not leave your head for a while after you’ve finished.

Breathtaking, heartbreaking, raw, real, beautiful, Stay is contemporary fiction at its very best.

The Secret Year Giveaway

2011-04-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!

It's time for another contest!

The always lovely Jennifer Hubbard has offered to donate one copy of her book The Secret Year to one lucky person!

If you are a resident of the U.S., thirteen or older, and want to win a copy of this book, enter below now

The contest closes on April 20th so hurry and spread the word.

If you would like to know more about The Secret Year, now available in paperback, it is reviewed HERE

Exposed Review

2011-02-16T16:45:00.000-08:00

Title: Exposed
Author: Kimberly Marcus
Release Date: Feb. 2011
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 272

Sample Passage:

"The Best Trick

When we were small

Mike and I thought

Dad's friend from college

was better than Houdini

the way he could make coins

vanish into thin air.

But now Uncle Nate's traded his pouch of change

for a law degree and a Brooks Brothers suit,

and it's my dad who's on his cell phone

heading out the door, hoping Uncle Nate can make this

nightmare disappear."

(ARC, p.109)

Mini Review:

Pros: perspective, emotion, word choice

Cons: ending, too short

Overall: I strongly recommend it

Grade: A

Summary from Amazon:
Sixteen-year-old Liz is Photogirl—sharp, focused and confident in what she sees through her camera lens. Confident that she and Kate will be best friends forever.

But everything changes in one blurry night. Suddenly, Kate is avoiding her, and people are looking the other way when she passes in the halls. As the aftershocks from a startling accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship and herself shifts out of focus. What happens when the picture you see no longer makes sense? What do you do when you may lose everything you love most?

Written Review:
I don't know when it happened, but some time recently I've begun to like verse novels more and more. My latest one to fall in love was EXPOSED by Kimberly Marcus.

EXPOSED gets to the heart of the story quick and the pace only picks up as the story progresses. But this speedy read is in no way a light novel. It's full of an intensity that evokes strong, raw emotions throughout the novel.

Without giving too much away, this book covers so much loss; the loss of trust, the loss of a lifetime friendship, the loss of innocence, the loss of privacy, the loss of any sense of normal. And even towards the end of the novel I wouldn't say it was all gained back.

The prose itself make the novel. Not a word seems out of place and each one carries so much weight that it adds another level of depth and reality to the story.

The ending is real. It is not a happily-ever-after, it does leave questions and suspicions unanswered, and though I can see how some would see this as a definite problem, I feel that this story wouldn't be as true as it could be with anything else.

I greatly recommend this novel. A quick read full of depth, originality, and a different perspective on a touchy subject, EXPOSED is a strong debut that will definitely leave a mark on all who read it.

Delirium Review

2011-02-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

Delirium
By: Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Outlined Review:
Character Development: 10/10
Originality: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Voice: 8/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total Score: 44
Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 3/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 1/10
Sexual Content: 3/10
Violence/Disturbing Images: 8/10

Written Review:

With Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver made us question everything we know about life, and with Delirium she questions everything we know about love.

Though it is starting to be a very new trend in Dystopian YA from the looks of things, the premise of Delirium alone is wonderful. When love is seen as a disease, as something to be feared and protected from, you learn all the things love really affects. Love is the basis of all feelings. Because it controls too much. Or rather, it makes one lose too much control. It makes one lose their emotional balance and actually feel, not feel obliged, but really feel, absolutely everything. Lauren Oliver uses that to her advantage with the building of the relationship between Lena and Alex, making it confusing and raw and beautiful and heart-wrenching.

And with that premise, Delirium leaves you with questions about what love means but also with awe about what we already know it is and the wonder that one could live without a feeling that is so large to encompass and connect to almost every other feeling out there. Oliver leads us into a world that is so exhilarating and unsettling and full of so much despair all at the same time. And though the idea of that is so sad and hard to imagine, Oliver’s strong imagery and convincing prose made it is easy to escape into that tragic world.

The story within was just as intriguing with characters to relate to and a love story to root for amid all the controversy and secrets. Lena was very relatable to everyone with her fears and doubts but also her want for something more. And with her broken past traveling alongside her every decision, you really get a feel for every risk and feeling she’s facing. The purposely detached feeling of some characters only better highlighted the importance of the relationships between Lena and Alex, and Lena and Hanna, again making you feel the importance of love itself.

About the ending: Yes, it was shocking and powerful and full of questions, but all the same, I still found the ending satisfying and leaving me much anticipated for the sequel releasing in 2012.

Overall, with engaging characters, eloquent prose, and a premise unlike most, DELIRIUM is a story that provokes thoughts, questions meanings, and gives the power of love a whole new importance.

You Are Not Here Review

2010-11-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

Title: You Are Not Here
By: Samantha Schutz
Release Date: October 2010

Summary from Goodreads:Annaleah and Brian shared something special - Annaleah is sure of it. When they were together, they didn't need anyone else. It didn't matter that their relationship was secret. All that mattered was what they had with each other.
And then, out of nowhere, Brian dies. And while everyone else has their role in the grieving process, Annaleah finds herself living outside of it, unacknowledged and lonely. How can you recover from a loss that no one will let you have?

Outlined Review:
Character Development: 10/10pts
Originality: 6/10pts
Hookability: 10/10pts
Voice: 9/10pts
Recommendation: 10/10pts
Total Score: 45/50
Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 3/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 1/10
Sexual Content: 5/10
Violence/Disturbing Images: 2/10

Written Review:Verse novels aren’t my favorite. I want them to be. I really, really do. But for some reason I can never been able to get attached to a novel written in verse. Knowing this, when I saw the premise for YOU ARE NOT HERE, I knew immediately I wanted to read it, and I am so glad I did.

It was a novel written in verse, yet I still could not help myself from falling in love with it. I cannot see it successfully written any other way. The raw emotions conveyed through the lines gave me such an insight into the grief AnnaLeah was feeling, the questions that were left unanswered, the need she felt to be wanted, to be loved, and the pain so large she couldn’t hide it as much as she tried.

As with anyone who has ever lost someone, I could easily sympathize with the shock of the death and AnnaLeah’s overwhelming sense of grief as she struggled to move on. Losing anyone is hard. Losing someone so young is ten times harder. YOU ARE NOT HERE captures perfectly the wide range of emotions that come with such a loss and weaves them effortlessly into a story of heartache, a story of struggle, and a story of moving on from the past when that’s all you seem to have left.

Overall:
With beautiful prose, powerful imagery, and such strong, real feelings, YOU ARE NOT HERE is a quick read that will easily capture anyone who has ever experienced something as personal and tragic as death.

A Giveaway for.....Low Red Moon

2010-09-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Low Red Moon
By: Ivy Devlin
Look for it in stores now!

About the Book:
The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash silver. She also learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.

My Short and Sweet Thoughts:
Though this is a very quick and fast paced read, that did not take away from the sense of grief felt with each heavy word, the strong chemistry between Avery and Ben that can rival any other for best instant connection (and Ben by himself is pretty great too), and the mystery of the wolves, the woods, and the vicious murder of Avery’s parents.
Low Red Moon makes for an excellent paranormal debut.
A sequel is scheduled for early 2012

Personal:

5 things readers would be surprised to know about you
1. I don't read much YA paranormal. In fact, I've never even read Twilight (I know, I'm awful!), though I did see the movie.
2. I talk to myself when I'm writing
3. I could eat potato chips all day!
4. I can wink my right eye, but not my left.
5. I love to watch TV, and I don't get it when other writers say it's bad. It's TV! I'm all for reading, but sometimes, you just have to kick back with your favorite show. Or try a new one...

4 things you wish you knew in high school
1. Your jerky boyfriend? Not going to change.
2. The guy you like? Go for it, and don't care what your friends say about how uncool/unpopular/etc. he is. He gets you, and that's what counts.
3. Your mother is wrong, and you do need to take typing so you can learn to type (Yep, I'm THAT old--I remember typewriters!)
4. Try to NOT party before the SATs.

3 things you are embarrassed to own/love/have done
1. I once talked my brother into riding his bike off our front porch (which was very high off the ground!) Luckily, he didn't get hurt, but to this day, he still teases me about it!
2. My habit of singing constantly. And badly.
3. Learn from me and please, *please* don't make out with the hot but total issue-filled guy you meet at a party when you're a freshman in college. When he's following you around six months later and putting cigarettes out in his hand so you'll talk to him, you'll wish you had a restraining order. And had thought things through before the making out.

2 careers you might have chosen if you weren't an author
1. Rich layabout
2. See 1.

1 thing you can't live without
1. My husband

Bookish:

5 words to describe your book
Steamy, intense, surprising, and pretty!

4 reasons you love writing YA

1. Because it's AWESOME!
2-4. See 1. :-)

3 reasons everyone should read your book

1. So I can write more about Ben and Avery!
2. It's really pretty!
3. I really want to write more about Ben and Avery!

2 YA books you adore
Two? Just two? Sorry, can't narrow it down like that!

1 tip for aspiring YA writers
Read everything you can get your hands on.

_______________________________________

Enter Below to win your own copy of Ivy's debut!

An Interview with....Lauren Baratz-Logsted

2010-09-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Twin's Daughter

By: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Look for it in stores now!

About the book:

Lucy Sexton is stunned when a disheveled woman appears at the door one day…a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucy's own beautiful mother. It turns out the two women are identical twins, separated at birth, and raised in dramatically different circumstances. Lucy's mother quickly resolves to give her less fortunate sister the kind of life she has never known. And the transformation in Aunt Helen is indeed remarkable. But when Helen begins to imitate her sister in every way, even Lucy isn't sure at times which twin is which. Can Helen really be trusted, or does her sweet face mask a chilling agenda? Filled with shocking twists and turns, this is an engrossing gothic novel of betrayal, jealousy, and treacherous secrets that will keep you guessing to the very end.

My short and sweet thoughts:

Though slow at first, when this book does pick up it captures you fully. The mystery, the twists and turns, the Gothic-style, and the final, shocking and just a tad unsettling, conclusion, all make for one very suspenseful and very addicting novel that is very much worth checking out!

Personal:

5 things readers would be surprised to know about you:

my lack of height,

my current hair color,

my recent sports obsession,

my indifferent housekeeping skills,

what I have on right this minute.

4 things you wish you knew in high school:

not to hurry time because once you’re a grownup you’re a grownup for good,

that two doughnuts as a mid-morning snack is not a good idea,

that my Sociology teacher was wrong and I would make it in the world,

that it’s not wise to wear a puffy ski jacket on a date in June no matter how good the reasoning for it.

3 things you are embarrassed to own/love/have done:

checking my Amazon rankings every day

and that thing above about the puffy ski jacket.

Sorry, I can only come up with two but as you can see, I don’t embarrass easy. That’s not to say I haven’t done plenty of embarrassing things.

2 careers you might have chosen if you weren't an author:

singer – HA! – or Mayor of Danbury.

1 thing you can't live without:

books.

Bookish:

5 words to describe your book:

Victorian,

suspense,

romance,

mystery,

Kit.

4 reasons you love writing YA:

the enthusiastic audience,

the fact that ideas can still be fresh,

the amazing bloggers,

feeling a part of the writing YA community.

3 reasons everyone should read your book:

because it’s different,

because it’s big (you’ll really get your money’s worth!),

because of Kit.

2 YA books you adore:

Freeze Frame, by Heidi Ayarbe:

King of the Screwups, by K.L. Going.

1 tip for aspiring YA writers:

read everything you can get your hands on.

be sure to check out THE TWIN'S DAUGHTER in stores now.

thanks

Jill

Review: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June

2010-09-08T18:14:00.001-07:00

Title: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June

Author: Robin Benway

Release Date: August 2010

Summary (from www.goodreads.com ):

I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.
Three sisters share a magical, unshakable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?
April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.
Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

Rating:
Character Development: 15/10pts
Plot: 10/10pts
Ending: 10/10pts
Writing: 15/10pts
Recommendation: 20/10pts
Total Score: 100/50

Grade: A++++

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 6/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 2/10
Sexual Content: 5/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 3/10

Written Review:
The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June is just that: Extraordinary. I can’t get these characters out of my head and I can’t seem to properly formulate a review so bear with me as I try my best to not sound fan-girly.

I had such high expectations for this book after falling in love with Benway’s first title, Audrey, Wait!, and this book surpassed every single one of them. Just like with Audrey, Wait!, this book has the characters I want as my best friends, the snappy dialogue that I only wish I could come up with, and to top it off, it was all so relatable and real even without the main storyline seeming relatable or real at all.

Character development through dialogue is my absolute favorite. Character development through great, smart, witty, completely real and thought through without sounding staged dialogue is even better. The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June would fall into the “even better” category.

Not all authors can accomplish multiple POVs that stay fully separate to where the reader can easily visualize who’s talking without having to flip back to the first page of the new chapter. Yet in The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June, the alternating POVs seem to blend three absolutely individual voices together almost effortlessly. I loved all three of their unique personalities and still can’t figure out who I connected to more (April’s inner control freak and constantly stressed self? May’s sarcastic personality filled with all these things she couldn’t imagine expressing out loud? June’s want for so much but naivety about it all too? Maybe a huge mix of it all?), yet they all still came together to form the strong bond of sisterhood that anyone with a sister should be able to relate too.

Overall, whether it’s the guys and their awkward hotness or the story (because really could it get better than sisters with superpowers?? I strongly don’t think so) or the sister’s themselves, I found nothing less than extraordinary in The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June. The witty dialogue, authentic characters, and tons of heart, make for another win for Robin Benway. I can’t stress enough how much I’m looking forward to her future titles and I strongly suggest you pick up this one fast.

The Contemps

2010-08-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

The day you've been waiting for is finally here!!

Because today is the launch day of www.thecontemps.com

Be sure to check out this fabulous group of 21 authors who are focused on keeping it real.

Those 21 authors include....

April Henry
Brent Crawford
Courtney Summers
Daisy Whitney
Denise Jaden
Elizabeth Scott
Emily Wing Smith
Hannah Harrington
Jo Knowles
Kirsten Hubbard
Kody Keplinger
Kristen Tracy
Lindsey Leavitt
Lisa Schroeder
Melissa Walker
Michael Northrop
Micol Ostow
Mindi Scott
Sara Bennett Wealer
Sarah Darer Littman
Sarah Ockler

Doesn't that sound like a super group!!

So now that you know why today is the day you've been waiting for, be sure to check out thier site at http://www.thecontemps.com/ and also follow them on Twitter at http://twitter.com/YAContemps

O and one last thing, while you're at their site make sure to check out their "Get Involved" Page to find out how you can win all of their amazing books in the coming year!!!

I know I'm excited for all of this and can't wait to see what these awesome authors have in store!!

Thanks

Jill

Plus Review

2010-08-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

I wrote this a while ago and just found it again and realized I never posted it. So that's why there's no outlined review. I can't remember well enough to judge it fairly now. Anyways, enjoy the review and your last bits of summer. I do remember that this would make a great last book of summer read :)

**********************************

Title: Plus

Author: Veronica Chamber

Release Date: August 2010

Summary (from www.amazon.com ):

Beatrice Wilson is our lovable Cinderella, who just got dumped by her very first boyfriend and put on twenty-five pounds. But then she’s discovered as a plus model. In the eyes of pop culture, Bee is Jessica Alba and then some! Now she must vanquish skinny rivals, fend off sleazy photogs, and banish jealous frenemies in her rise to superstardom. All the while, she’s torn between her first love and the surprisingly sincere up-and-coming rapper she tutors in calculus. But what’s better than finding your prince charming? Finally learning to love yourself!

Written Review:

Plus is a quick, light read with lots of character.

Bee’s voice was very fun and easy to get in to but at times she seemed a little too whiny and immature for a seventeen year old pre med at Columbia. Her “perfect” boyfriend Brian made me want to punch him from the very first time he was introduced. He was a jerk of a guy and I really didn’t like Bee sometimes for not having the common sense to see that. I also didn’t like how she seemed to ditch her friends and alter her personality to be with him. I really wanted to knock some sense into her and tell Brian to stop being such an awful jerk because every time she talked about him I immediately started to get annoyed with her too. And being annoyed at the main character isn’t a good way to connect with the book.

But even though Brian was such a jerk, their breakup could have been one of the best things to happen to Bee. The funk he knocked her into inadvertently led to her superstardom as a plus size model. He is what led her to gain the 25 pounds that made her plus size and he is what led Bee to finding a best friend in Chela, another one of his exes. And Chela was the one to push her into her modeling career.

Even though I didn’t like Bee at all times, I really did like this book though. It was very light and had a great summer feel to it. It also had a great self-image boosting message that not everyone that’s beautiful is paper thin. It had rivalries and friendships, jerky boys and a sweetheart ending, drama, scandal, self-doubt, self-confidence, and a great Cinderella story message.

The one thing that really took away enjoyment while reading this book was constant repetition. Things we already knew were being introduced repeatedly as if we had no clue of who the character was or what the situation happened to be. But I will in no way hold that against this book because I have a very strong feeling that that will be corrected in time for the final copy which publishes this August.

CSN Stores

2010-07-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

Have y'all checked out CSN Stores yet?? I definitely recommend you do. They have over 200 stores that sell everything from a Bedroom Vanity to Houseware to Home Decor to Office Supplies to Shoes to to Bookshelves!

My entire room is being redone at this moment. As is our gameroom and both of my brothers' rooms. And my sister is currently in the process of moving out. So the timing of finding CSN Stores couldn't have been more perfect for my needs of new furniture for my new room and all the other new rooms in the house.

For me, I've been checking out everything from this desk

to this bookshelf

to tons of other awesome stuff to help make my room perfect!! Everytime I check back I find more and more items that would help complete my room.

I think you should start browsing their sites too....You'll be sure to find tons of things to add to your wish list too.

*Check back for a review of a CSN product soon*

Happy Summer :)

Jill

Forget You Review

2010-07-18T10:07:00.001-07:00

Title: Forget You

Author: Jennifer Echols

Release Date: July 2010

Summary (from www.goodreads.com ):

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER? There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

Rating:
Character Development: 10/10pts
Plot: 9/10pts
Ending: 10/10pts
Writing: 10/10pts
Recommendation: 10/10pts
Total Score: 47/50

Grade: A+

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 7/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 4/10
Sexual Content: 9/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 2/10

Written Review:
I really don’t know what to say to accurately describe my love for this book. My reviews are usually super long because I have so much but to share but for FORGET YOU no words can express what a wonderful read this was. I have tried to write this review so many times but I can’t figure out what to say so please bear with me here.

The emotions that it covered so realistically, the characters I knew so well, and the fabulous chemistry between Zoey and Doug all made me fall in love with another one of Jennifer Echols dramas.

The chemistry was probably the main thing actually. Doug might just be a new guy to add to your Hot Fiction Crushes list. He was this super hot bad boy who everyone admired from afar because no one wanted to get close to a kid from juvie. But Doug was really a sweetheart who had more depth than your typical bad boy. I loved every scene with Zoey and him in it. From the beginning when they couldn’t stand each other to the car wreck to the bus ride to everything else. It all felt so real and just made me smile.

But of course drama was there too. Both Zoey and Doug were facing some very difficult personal issues. Zoey was dealing with her parent’s divorce and her mom’s suicide attempt and her own memory loss. Doug was battling his father’s daily disapproval of him for not being brave enough, strong enough, or following his father’s dreams for him. All of these issues and how the characters reacted to them were portrayed with honesty and realism to where I could easily relate and sympathize with them.

I’m trying to write this review without sounding too fan-girly but I truly don’t have much to criticize. Zoey and Doug’s relationship developed realistically. They had fights. They were there for each other. They had awesome chemistry. They were in love. There was drama with friends and drama at home and relationship drama too. It even took place on the beach making it the perfect summer beach read. What more could you want?

Overall, FORGET YOU has chemistry, drama, a beautiful way of writing, and a story you won’t soon forget. Keep this one close to you whenever you need a good story of love and all the heartbreak that comes with it. I definitely recommend this book.

Thanks

Jill

An Interview with Holly Schindler

2010-06-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

An Interview with the lovely Holly Schindler, author of A BLUE SO DARK, in stores now!

Personal:

5 things readers would be surprised to know about you:

1) I will never, never, never pierce my ears.

2) I’m completely blind—my vision’s 20/700!—and while I really do love my glasses these days (I chucked my contacts a few years ago), I’m rarely photographed wearing them.

3) My favorite non-writing gig was working as a model for a floral show—I wore a hideous blue bridesmaid’s dress, but I got to be with some super-cool florists whose bouquets were WAY artistic.

4) I far prefer vintage to new—costume jewelry, instruments, hats—anything that’s already lived a life or two before I acquired it.

5) I really, honestly think dandelions are beautiful.

4 things you wish you knew in high school:

1) Parallel parking never gets any easier. NEVER.

2) Anything in life is bearable if you just keep your sense of humor.

3) Latin will come in handy. Seriously.

4) Those notebooks I doodled poetry and character sketches in throughout high school would turn out to be INVALUABLE as I wrote that first YA novel. (If I could, I’d go back to high school and kiss me for keeping all those notebooks—really helped me reconnect with my teen voice. Might’ve written even MORE back then, if I’d had a way to see into the future…)

3 things you are embarrassed to own / love / have done.

1) Spiral perm, circa ’88.

2) When I was younger, I HATED wearing my glasses. Mom wanted me to be in high school before I started wearing contacts, so I used to pick out the most HIDEOUS frames on the planet, in order to try to guilt my mom into buying me contacts a few years early. Yeah. That didn’t work so well.

3) My brother and I used to make up stories and act them out on cassette tapes when we were kids…My mom has them all in a drawer. It was great fun, but think I might be kind of embarrassed to listen to myself play-act when I was so young…

2 careers you might have chosen if you weren’t an author:

1) Literature professor

2) Lawyer

1 thing you can’t live without:

Coffee, coffee, coffee…

Bookish:

5 words to describe your book:

Does art free or cripple? Okay—that’s vague. I’ll explain:

In A BLUE SO DARK, Aura Ambrose is terrified that her mother, a schizophrenic and an artist, is a mirror that reflects her own future. As the novel progresses, we find Aura struggling with her overwhelming desires to both chase artistic pursuits and keep madness at bay.

As her mother sinks deeper in the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet keeps drawing Aura toward the depths of her imagination—the shadows of make-believe that she finds frighteningly similar to her mother’s hallucinations.

Convinced that creative equals crazy, Aura shuns her art, and her life unravels in the process….

Essentially, for Aura, art and madness are inextricably linked. And there’s no denying that many of our great artists have been both creative AND mad…so, for her, the central question is, DOES ART FREE OR CRIPPLE?

4 reasons you love writing YA:

1) YA literature still respects plot, in a way a lot of literary adult fiction doesn’t.

2) I still feel seventeen—so close to my own teenage experiences.

3) YA encompasses SO many genres—it can be almost anything.

4) YA has the best fans going!

3 reasons everyone should read your book:

1) It’s lyrically written.

2) It’s brimming with realistic characters you will fall in love with and root for.

3) It’ll make you feel…well, everything. You’ll laugh and you’ll think and you’ll cry. I guarantee.

2 YA books you adore:

1 (contemporary) ELSEWHERE, Gabrielle Zevin

2 (classic) CATCHER IN THE RYE , JD Salinger

1 tip for aspiring YA writers:

Don’t take criticism personally, but don’t ignore it, either. Think of it the same way you would if you were, say, trying to fix your lawnmower. I mean, if you spent all afternoon working on it, and it STILL refused to start after you got it put back together, you wouldn’t think the lawnmower was attacking you personally, or telling you that you were stupid or completely inept, right? You’d just think you’d screwed up somewhere. Time to take it apart and start again—no biggie.

Same with a manuscript. Nobody gets it right the first time. And nobody’s born knowing how to write a novel. You learn by doing…and by listening. If an editor (or agent) has taken time out of his / her day to give you advice, that’s a real compliment. Listen. Internalize it. Revise accordingly. And be grateful that someone sees potential in your work!

Every writer gets there eventually…the only way you DON’T is by giving up

********************************

Thank you so much Holly for stopping by!

Be sure to check out her new novel A BLUE SO DARK in stores now!

And find out more about Holly and all her latest projects at www.hollyschindler.com

Happy Summer!

Jill

Survey Time!

2010-06-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

As I work to improve my blog, I would love to hear feedback from y'all so please follow the link below and take a short survey about how I can better this blog. It is completely anonymous unless you choose otherwise so please feel free to voice any opinions or criticisms you have (be that they are constructive and not just plain mean). I promise that I will try my hardest to implement every constructive comment into my blog the best way I can :)

CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY

Thanks for all the help and happy summer!

Jill

Lifted Review

2010-06-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

Title: Lifted
Author: Wendy Toliver
Release Date: June 8, 2010

Summary (from www.barnesand noble.com) :

Being bad never felt so good.

Poppy Browne never stole anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she's hooked.

Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge—it's never about the merchandise, it's always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, Poppy's clique turns on each other. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie...and how far she'll go to protect herself.

Outlined Review:
Character Development: 10/10
Originality: 9/10
Hookability: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Voice: 8/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total Score: 54
Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 4/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 1/10
Sexual Content: 4/10
Violence/Disturbing Images: 2/10

Written Review:

From the original and intriguing storyline to the insanely awesome chemistry between David and Poppy, from the friendship and family issues to the completely satisfying ending, from the questions it raises to the lesson it brings, there was definitely a lot to love about LIFTED. I read this whole 300 page book in two sittings. I just couldn’t stop.

Friendship was a main theme in this novel. Whitney and Mary Jane very quickly became Poppy’s best friends. I was wary of them from the beginning. Especially with Mary Jane’s ex-best friend Bridgette’s horror stories of Mary Jane’s bitter betrayal. But they did eventually grow on me. They were genuinely nice, popular girls who shared a very disturbing habit. But that habit heavily influenced Poppy and what started out as a little bit of peer pressure from them turned into a full blown addiction within a matter of weeks. The same people who Poppy needed to help pull her out of this mess pulled her in to it in the first place.

Poppy’s shoplifting addiction developed realistically and her thoughts appropriately became stronger as the addiction became harder to break. It was much easier to identify with Poppy seeing the habit develop from the simple start to the obsessive need that it became. She never liked herself for stealing. She knew it was wrong. She knew not to do it. But it’s a gray area between what makes a person ‘good’ and what makes a person ‘bad’. And sometimes making the right choice isn’t as easy as it should be.

Poppy was a great main character. The way her shoplifting habit affected her wasn’t lost on her either and she knew it needed to be stopped after each lift but the high was too much. The pressure she felt from her mother, the relief she felt when she lifted, and the inability to trust anyone with such a heavy burden were all issues she faced and voiced clearly. Her sense of humor and the way she connected with David was great too. He had such a charm about him that was a nice step back from the weightiness of Poppy’s habit.

The ending satisfied me though I can also see how some may view it as too happy for such a complex read. Consequences were doled out but relationships that almost seemed torn beyond repair were mended. And there was a somewhat happily ever after feel to the whole thing. I personally loved it though. I like books to end happy J

Another thing I loved (it was minor and maybe only related to me but still) was the tiny Texas Baptist town of Pleasant Acres. I do not live in a small Texas town but you can trace my roots back to one. One that may even be tinier than the one described in this book if you can imagine. But instead of the Baptist nature of Pleasant Acres, mine is a completely Catholic town with few of any other faith mixed in. How easy it was to gain information, the reputations you try to keep, the gossip that gets spread, the insults you can get away with as long as it is directly followed by or preceded with “bless her heart”, the faith driven community, the friendliness of the town, and overall the fact that almost every house has a porch swing, all reminded me of where my family is from and made that town seem so much more real and relatable to me which was nice. The main difference is I wouldn’t see our town as hick as Poppy made it seem to be in the very beginning. But who knows maybe it is and I just don’t know it?

With a topic that makes you think about the power of addiction, characters who make you question the lines between good people and bad choices, and writing that captures you and brings you deeper into the story with each page, LIFTED should be the next book you pick up. But please don’t steal it. (:

Thanks

Jill

And the Winners are....

2010-06-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for your participation and Congrats to all the winners!
*Winners were found using http://www.randomnumbergenerator.com/*

of the copy of PURGE...

1. Pat Z.M.

2. Jessica L.

of the signed bookmarks...

1. Robby A.

2. Leslie G.

3. Mike J.

4. Melina C.
5. Beth M.

of the ARC of DECEPTION...

1.Erica H.

Thank you so much to all who entered! Your prizes should be on their way soon. Please email me at readingisbliss@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks again!

Jill

My Double Life Review

2010-06-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

Title: My Double Life

Author: Janette Rallison

Release Date: May 2010

Summary (from www.goodreads.com ):

Her whole life, Alexia Garcia has been told that she looks just like pop star Kari Kingsley, and one day when Alexia’s photo filters through the Internet, she’s offered a job to be Kari’s double. This would seem like the opportunity of a lifetime, but Alexia’s mother has always warned her against celebrities.

Rebelliously, Alexia flies off to L.A. and gets immersed in a celebrity life. Not only does she have to get used to getting anything she wants, she romances the hottest lead singer on the charts, and finds out that her own father is a singing legend. Through it all, Alexia must stay true to herself, which is hard to do when you are pretending to be somebody else!

Rating:
Character Development: 10/10pts
Originality: 6/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 8/10pts
Ending: 10/10pts
Voice: 10/10pts
Recommendation: 10/10pts
Total Score: 54/60

Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 1/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 1/10
Sexual Content: 1/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 0/10

Written Review:I LOVED this book! It was a fast read but it kept me hooked from the very first page.

Alexia’s voice was so funny in ways I didn’t expect. I laughed a lot through this entire book and I don’t even know exactly why. It just kept me entertained and turning pages with her so typical-teen-girl voice but with an added something that made me love her entire attitude and personality so so so much and not just see her as some cliched character. She was someone I would want to be friends with!

The story was great too. It was just light-hearted enough to be a perfect summer read but it also had just the right amount of depth with the family issues and the completely adorable romance with Grant to make the otherwise shallow story a very enjoyable read.

Also, Alexia and Grant’s chemistry was undeniable and I loved every bit of it. I want a Grant just for me! He was just so perfect! I wish they had more page space but this wasn’t a romance driven novel so I understand why they didn’t.

I couldn’t have read a better book to not only get be out of my reviewing slump but to kick the summer off with! I recommend everyone grab up this book as soon as you can! Then find a pool to lay out by and read while you tan! With a completely relatable main character, a great plot line for the season, and an adorable romance that makes you say aww, it won’t take more than one day to completely devour this book. Which means you’ll have plenty of time to jump in the pool and cool off after you finish J (Can y’all guys tell I’m loving summer right now?)

*********************************

Thanks so much for bearing with me everyone as I worked through my slump. I’m back now though and I have plenty of time to read this summer so we should be back to an active blog now.

Also don’t forget about my TWO contests going on right now. Links are at the top of the page if you are interested in entering.

Love, Jil

Deception Blog Tour: An Interview with Lee Nichols

2010-06-06T21:14:00.001-07:00

Deception Blog Tour

About the Book:
When Emma Vaile’s parents disappear, her brother’s cute best friend, Bennett Stern, whisks her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls in a posh prep school. But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone get worse. Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett needs Emma’s help tracking an other-worldly murderer. Private by Katie Brian meets Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl in this tale of tradition, mystery, and forbidden romance. The shocking ending will leave readers desperate for book two.

And now an interview with Lee Nichols, author of Deception, hitting the shelves on June 8^th(that’s tomorrow!)

Personal:
5 things readers would be surprised to know about you

I cannot make it through the day without caffeine and sugar.

How much I love David Tennant as Dr. Who, and how worried I am I won't like the new guy.

I'm actually a very good classical singer, but couldn't sing a pop song to save my life.

Despite my sugar addiction, I don't like chocolate nearly as much as people think I do.

I'm highly competitive at board games.

4 things you wish you knew in high school

That high school really is the best time of popular people's lives. Then they have another 6o year to fill.

That Spanish comes in handy, and you should work harder at learning it.

That being an adult kinda sucks more than you think it will.

That your body will never look hotter and you should enjoy it more.

3 things you are embarrassed to own/love/have done

A pink cruiser bike with white Aloha flower decals. I just bought it.

I passed out one day in high school, in a room full of 60 people. That wasn't fun.

The kind of Parmesan cheese that comes in a can. I think it's all sodium, but taste delicious on tomato sauce.

2 careers you might have chosen if you weren't an author

Music teacher

Librarian

1 thing you can't live without

My family.

Bookish:

5 words to describe your book

Fun, funny, romantic, scary, sad.

4 reasons you love writing YA

I love reading it.

Awesome camaraderie among YA authors.

Hope to inspire reluctant readers.

It's fun.

3 reasons everyone should read your book

Emma is a kick-butt, loyal, lovable character.

Ghosts are the new vampires.

It's good.

- 2 YA books you adore

Hunger Games, By Suzanne Collins

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, By E. Lockhart

1 tip for aspiring YA writers

Don't follow trends and write from your heart.

Enter below for a chance to win your own ARC of Deception. The contest ends June 15^th so spread the word!

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Summer Kickoff with Sarah Darer Littman (and a contest!!)

2010-06-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

Let’s Kick off Summer right with a chance to win a great new book and a terrific interview with a terrific author! And a new trailer to watch for that great new book by that terrific author and made by yours truly J Enjoy.

Personal:

5 things readers would be surprised to know about you

1) I’m named after my great grandmothers Sarah and Esther, but I had another great grandmother called Clara and my parents seriously considered calling me Sarah Clara Darer. Is it any wonder I grew up with deep psychological problems - and a sense of humor?

2) After having lived ten years on a farm in South West England, I’m probably one of the few women living in Greenwich, CT who could have a reasonably intelligent conversation about the lactation yield curve of a dairy cow. Unfortunately it’s not a topic that ever comes up at cocktail parties.

3) The all-girls school I attending in England from the ages of 7 to 12 didn’t just have a school uniform. We had to wear regulation UNDERWEAR. Synthetic granny pants, just like

these but in maroon. Really attractive – NOT!

4) My older brother and I used to recite entire Monty Python skits from memory, complete with silly accents.

5) I have a large collection of “Bad Mummy Awards” from my kids, which I have displayed on my bulletin board. The first one, drawn by my son, has a delightfully unflattering picture of me complete with devil horns, a trident and a whippy tail with a little speech bubble saying: “I AM EVIL!” It’s really awesome.

4 things you wish you knew in high school

1) Get help for those eating and food issues because why waste so much time and emotional energy hating your body when it can be spent on more productive and interesting things?

2) The best is yet to come - and all of this will be material for your books someday.

3) Be glad that you didn’t peak in high school. It’s much better to be a late bloomer, even though it might not feel like it when you’re a teen.

4) If you can survive the humiliation of high school gym class, you can survive pretty much anything.

3 things you are embarrassed to own/love/have done

1. I own a Hanson CD. Mmm-Bop, baby!

2. I let my cousin visiting form California apply an overdose of Sun-In. Instead of blonde highlights, I ended up with brazen, brassy hooker hair.

3. In college, I did a summer program at New College, Oxford. When it was my turn to eat at the High Table with the professors, I was told there were very strict rules about passing the port wine served at the end of the meal. It had to be passed to the left, and must not be allowed to stand on the table. Oh, and you had to empty your glass before the decanter came round again. Alas, I obeyed the rules to the letter. Apparently, I was the life of the party that evening, but paid for it dearly the next day when we had a bus excursion to Bath. I haven’t touched a drop since.

2 careers you might have chosen if you weren't an author

· Librarian

· Editor

I would definitely still want books to be a part of my life!

1 thing you can't live without

My iPhone. For many reasons, but the most important is because it’s what my kids refer to as “Mummy’s Electronic Brain.” Without it I have no idea who is supposed to be where, when. I also love that I can set audible alarms, because I have been known to get so caught up in my writing that I’ve forgotten to drive the carpool, thereby earning myself yet another “Bad Mummy Award”.

Bookish:

5 words to describe your book

· Raw

· Funny

· Authentic

· Moving

· Hopeful

4 reasons you love writing YA

1) The teens who read my books are Just. So. Incredible. They inspire me every day.

2) YA is the best of grown-up literature but without the…er… pretentiousness. (I was going to say something else, but I’m trying to watch my language.)

3) I get to live through high school again the way I wish it had happened instead of the way it did.

4) Other YA authors are seriously fun to hang with. Just sayin’.

3 reasons everyone should read your book

1) Jill liked it enough to make an awesome book trailer. That’s got to tell you something.

2) How many of us have looked in the mirror and given ourselves unflattering self-talk about how we look? Even if we don’t have a full-blown eating disorder, it helps to understand the issues around distorted body image and why food, eating and diet have such a grip our lives.

3) Because if you don’t I’ll feel like a loser and it’ll be like high school all over again. And you wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?

2 YA books you adore

· The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

· A Bottle in the Gaza Sea by Valerie Zenatti

1 tip for aspiring YA writers

· Stock up with dark chocolate and coffee, get your rear end in the chair and write. Then revise. Repeat as necessary. There are no shortcuts.

WIN A COPY OF PURGE OR SOME ABSOLUTELY AWESOME SIGNED BOOKMARKS!!!

I have 2 copies or Purge and 5 bookmarks to give away so enter away!

This “Kick off to Summer” Contest starts today and ends June 15^th so hurry and enter and spread the word!

Want bonus entries?

+1 follow Sarah on Twitter @sarahdarerlitt

+1 Become a fan of her page on Facebook http://bit.ly/buMdqn

+1 post about this contest somewhere and include a link (Facebook, Twitter, Your blog, etc.)

Or go HERE to enter

Thank you so much for stopping by Sarah! I’m so glad you were the first author for me to host to kick off the start of summer! It has truly been a blessing getting to talk to you so much! You are fantastic! Sorry for the delay in posting this though……

And to everyone else……….don’t hesitate to buy Purge! It’s now available in a wonderful paperback too so you have no excuse J And also don’t forget to check out Life, After hitting stores in July!

Love, Jill

The Deadly Sister Review

2010-05-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

Title: The Deadly Sister

Author: Eliot Schrefer

Release Date: May 2010

Summary (from www.goodreads.com ):

Abby Goodwin is sure her sister Tabitha isn't a murderer. But her parents don't agree. Her friends don't agree. And the cops definitely don't agree. Tabitha is a drop-out, a stoner, a girl who's obsessed with her tutor, Clyde Andrews...until he ends up dead. Tabitha runs away, and leaves Abby following the trail of clues. Each piece of evidence points to Tabitha, but it also appears that Clyde had secrets of his own. And enemies. Like his brother, who Abby becomes involved with...until he falls under suspicion.

Is Abby getting closer to finding the true murderer? Or is someone leading her down a twisted false path?

Rating:
Character Development: 6/10pts
Originality: 6/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 8/10pts
Ending: 8/10pts
Voice: 8/10pts
Recommendation: 8/10pts
Total Score: 44/60

Grade: B

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 5/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 7/10
Sexual Content: 6/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 6/10

Written Review:
I wasn’t a huge fan of Eliot Schrefer when I started this book after being disappointed with the first novel of his I read (The School for Dangerous Girls) but this novel definitely upped his brownie points with me and got me super excited to read any of his upcoming releases.

This thriller was gripping, surprising, kept me hooked, and left me shocked. Things I loved about it were that the ending was memorable and tied up all loose ends cleanly, that the family dynamics in this story seemed very true to life, and the fact that almost every character had a strong motive to kill Jefferson which kept you guessing and the story moving.

It was fast paced for a murder mystery and I didn’t feel like I completely connected to any of the characters except Maya and Abby but that didn’t stop me from getting totally wrapped up in this novel. Schrefer was great about placing clues that make you think you have it all figured out. But right you’re thinking it’s too predictable, he adds a twist and everything changes again.

This was a novel of twists and turns and secrets. It’s a story of who you are when no one is looking and who you become when they are. It’s a story of how far one will go to protect the ones you love.

Overall, it’s a novel worth checking out if you are looking for an entertaining plot and a quick read that’s shocking, addicting, gripping, and filled with secrets.

I definitely recommend checking this one out for a new kind of summer read.

Thanks

Jill

Ten Truths About Friendship by Jennifer Jacobson

2010-04-12T02:28:00.001-07:00

“Ten Truths About Friendship”
A guest blog by Jennifer Jacobson

author of The Complete History of Why I Hate Her out this April

Writing The Complete History of Why I Hate Her offered lots of opportunity to reflect on the nature of friendship. Here are ten things I believe today:

1. Friendship seldom grows out of obligation. If you think you should be friends with someone, don’t bother. The desire to spend time with someone is the only reason to be friends.

2. A friend not only supports who you are, but brings out the best in you.

3. A genuine friend knows that when one of you succeeds, you both succeed.

4. Friendships change. Not all friendships were meant to last a lifetime. Or perhaps Saint Jerome was correct when he said: "The friendship that can cease has never been real."

5. Competition in tennis or scrabble is a joy. Competition for center court in friendship spells trouble.

6. In the movie, “Away We Go”, Verona (Maya Rudolph) requests that when dealing with their soon-to-be born daughter, Burt (John Krasinski) “be a really good listener and fight her fight.” Isn’t this what we really want from a BFF?

7. It’s impossible to be friends with a narcissist. Truly. Impossible.

8. If your friend gossips about others, she gossips about you too.

9. In true friendship, faults are easily overlooked.

10. There’s no greater comfort that a trusted friend.

Thanks for the opportunity to appear as a guest on your blog!

My very best wishes –

Jennifer

Joy.

2010-04-03T21:18:00.001-07:00

Wishing you all a very happy Easter filled with joy, family, the wonderful presence of Christ, and, of course, those delicious chocolate bunnies

and as a side note my lack of posting is due to school reading that must take priority. sorry about that but I'm almost finished with the book and with this school year so it shouldn't be too much longer.

Tangled Review

2010-03-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

Title: Tangled

Author: Carolyn Macker

Release Date: December 2009

Summary (from www.barnesandnoble.com ):

Paradise wasn't supposed to suck.

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean.

Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all.

It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting.

It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn't have to be a jerk just because people think he's one.

It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences.

And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise. . . .

From confused to confident and back again, one thing's certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.

Rating:
Character Development: 9/10pts
Originality: 9/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 8/10pts
Ending: 7/10pts
Voice: 10/10pts
Recommendation: 10/10pts
Total Score: 53/60

Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 7/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 5/10
Sexual Content: 7/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 4/10

Written Review:
I read this in 3 days. I don’t read books in 3 days. I can usually finish a book in one week if the book is super great but almost never can I finish in 3 days. I’m that slow of a reader. That alone should be the review and should convince you to go pick up this book but I’ll go ahead and continue anyway with my reasons just to assure you that it’s as great as my 3 days makes it seem.

Number 1: The characters were great. Relatable, Real, and each with interconnecting stories to tell. Each had their own voice that was very distinguishable. As the point of view changed the voice clearly did too so no perspectives ever got blurred. And each voice was entertaining to read also. They were all real characters with such distinct personalities that I felt like I knew each one individually and connecting with the characters really made this book shine.

Number 2: The stories were so well thought out. The way the four stories intertwined from beginning to end flowed so perfectly and that made them that much more relatable and all too real. We’re introduced to each character by the first narrative but didn’t fully get to know them and their perspective on events around them until their own narratives. And when we finally did get to hear their say, I loved the moment when things started to connect and make more sense. And you’d flip back to that part of the novel and think “that’s why this happened and why she said that” or “so when she said that she was really thinking this”. Their stories still held a common theme. As each character dealt with their own set of insecurities and worries, their individual stories weaved together a theme of understanding and learning to accept what you cannot change and change what you can.

Number 3: Their stories were absolutely, positively, perfectly tangled up and I could not get enough of them. They were about how we are all tangled up somehow, much more than we know. About how one quick connection can make a difference in someone’s mood, day, and even life. It’s about the lasting affects that just reaching out to others can cause. Tangled tells four separate yet interlocking stories about love, redemption, heartache, and the power of one. I recommend this well written novel, full of heart and humor, to everyone.

Thanks and be sure to pick this one up soon! I think it makes the perfect read for a nice spring day!

-Jill

Keep Sweet Review

2010-03-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

Title: Keep Sweet

Author: Michele Dominguez Greene

Release Date: March 9, 2010

Summary (from www.barnesandnoble.com ):

Alva Jane has never questioned her parents, never questioned her faith, never questioned her future. She is content with the strict rules that define her life in Pineridge, the walled community where she lives with her father, his seven wives, and her twenty-eight siblings. This is the only world Alva has ever known, and she has never thought to challenge it.

But everything changes when Alva is caught giving her long-time crush an innocent first kiss. Beaten, scorned, and now facing a forced marriage to a violent, fifty-year old man, Alva suddenly realizes how much she has to lose—and how impossible it will be to escape.

Rating:
Character Development: 10/10pts
Originality: 10/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 10/10pts
Ending: 8/10pts
Voice: 8/10pts
Recommendation: 10/10pts
Total Score: 56/60

Grade: A+

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 0/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 0/10
Sexual Content: 9/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 10/10

Written Review:

Sitting down to write this review tons of words come to mind. Horrifying. Shocking. Appalling. Inexcusable. Scandalous. Disgusting. Strange. Addicting.

And all of those words accurately display the themes in this novel. This book did shock me multiple times. It made me wonder who could ever live this way? Could ever see this as normal? As okay? But as strange as it is, this novel is very addicting. I was hooked into this mysterious world from the very first page until the last. It exposes some of the hidden truths many wonder about the FLDS’s secretive life in such a clear and well written way that you can really begin to understand the scene, the people, and the lifestyle.

The plot never stopped moving as more and more shocking truths about the ways of the FLDS were uncovered each chapter. The character of Alva Jane developed really well. Though the truths in this book were haunting to the reader, they were normal, day to day routine for her. But as insane commands, punishments, and expulsions were ordered, Alva was brought more and more into the light. Her character developed very gradually and believably. The rest of the characters had just as distinct personalities through Alva’s narrative.

Though some parts of this book were predictable to me, there were enough twists in the plot to keep me interested. It was also very descriptive. From their way of life down to their way of intimacy, this novel overflowed with details. Some of the images seem hauntingly real which makes me want to recommend this to an older audience.

Overall, I really did love Keep Sweet. Yes it was shocking, and haunting, and absolutely horrifying to see how these people lived (and the most horrifying part of it all is that it’s real. People really see this as right, as the pathway to heaven and to being with God.) But it’s also a well written novel that gives insight into a very different and secretive world where the lines between what society sees as acceptable and what they do are very, very blurred. Powerful and heartbreaking, the words on these pages will forever linger long after you’ve finished reading.

An Interview with the Fabulous Dandi Daley Mackall

2010-02-28T20:23:00.000-08:00

An Absolutely Amazing Interview with the Fabulous Dandi Daley Mackall!!!

I would like to apologize to everyone but especially to Ms. Mackall for not posting this on the correct date. It was my fault to not add it to my calendar on the day we agreed upon it. So everyone, to repay Ms. Mackall for my mistake how about we all go buy ourselves 1, 2, or 472 copies of her newest book My Boyfriends’ Dogs!!! Not convinced that it’s a great book? Read my review HERE

I am truly sorry for this mistake and hope that your fabulous self can forgive me. Thanks J

Personal:

5 things readers would be surprised to know about you

1. I love riding horses bareback, and I rode my first horse solo when I was 3 years old.

2. I started out writing for grown-ups, never dreaming I’d write for any other age group. Then I had kids! At one time, I wrote Scooby-Doo books, and Yogi Bear, Jetsons, Flintstones, etc. Now I’ve written for all ages.

3. I get up about 5:-5:30 AM every day, read the Bible for about 30 minutes (to get my head straight!), then write—sometimes for 12-14 hours.

4. I LOVE to dance—every kind of dance!

5. At a wedding or birthday party, I trade my cake for other people’s frosting. I adore frosting…cake, not so much.

4 things you wish you knew in high school

1. There would be other boys and better boyfriends.

2. One great friend beats a clique of fair-weather, popular friends.

3. If you open up and share real things, like real problems, hopes, and dreams, fears, questions—other people will open up to you. I would have peeled more layers from myself and my friends so we could get down to the heart and things that really matter.

4. Family members can actually be some of your best friends—and they’ll still be around long after you’ve lost track of most high school friends.

3 things you are embarrassed to own/love/have done

(I could list 300!)

1. I got to attend the University of Aix-Marseilles in France when I was a junior in college. That summer I bummed around student hostels in France and ran out of money—before I bought my return ticket. So I sang (with guitar) at sidewalk cafes, and people put money in a hat. It was great—actually got enough for the ticket—until the French police did a “sweep” of street performers. I didn’t have a license (I didn’t know I needed a singing license!), so I spent a few hours in the Paris police station. I never did tell my parents, so mum’s the word, eh?

2. Once I sent an email to a fellow writer, confiding how difficult my editor was to work with and what a poor editor she was, etc. Only (you guessed it) I accidentally sent the email to that editor. Gulp!

3. First date with a fantastic guy in high school. Trampoline. My pants split…all the way up. No second date.

2 careers you might have chosen if you weren't an author

1. Horse trainer

2. Librarian

1 thing you can't live without

Seriously, only one? OK—we’ll take God, husband, children, and books for granted. The answer is: cheese.

Bookish:

5 words to describe your book

Funny

Quirky

Real

Romantic

Satisfying

4 reasons you love writing YA

1. I think I’m stuck at this age—my memories are so fresh.

2. YA readers are open—I can switch genres, experiment with things, like three novellas tied together as one novel, or two points of view, a guy’s and a girl’s. In Love Rules, I told the story through my heroine’s eyes and point of view; but I switched to the guy’s point of view every time she was on a date (she dates a lot). Usually the guy thinks he’s doing great…then we go back to our heroine’s point of view and discover he wasn’t impressing her at all.

3. I love doing school visits with YA readers—makes me keep up with music, dialog, dreams, etc.

4. So many decisions to make as a YA. I love thinking about readers riding inside the head of my main character and watching the good and the bad decisions and their consequences.

3 reasons everyone should read your book

1. Jill likes it!

2. You get 3 books for the price of one: 3 guys, 3 dogs, 3 love stories…and 1 girl.

3. I promise you’ll laugh (and remember that the scenes with Goofy really happened…to me).

2 YA books you adore

1. Speak by Laura Halse Anderson

2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (OK—not strictly YA, but wonderful, a classic (yes, it’s old)

1 tip for aspiring YA writers

Use your edge—If you work at McD, put your character there and give us insider details. If you know and love horses, write about horses. Use your life, your edge, your voice.

Dirty Little Secrets Review

2010-02-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

Title: Dirty Little Secrets

Author: C.J. Omololu

Release Date: February 2010

Summary (from www.barnesandnoble.com ):

Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.With details that are as fascinating as they are disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy’s desperate attempt at normalcy. Her fear and isolation are palpable as readers are pulled down a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen’s life will have readers completely hooked.

Rating:
Character Development: 10/10pts
Originality: 10/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 6/10pts
Ending: 6/10pts
Voice: 8/10pts
Recommendation: 8/10pts
Total Score: 48/60

Grade: B

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 6/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 5/10
Sexual Content: 5/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 8/10

Written Review:

This review is different. I didn’t take the time to organize my thoughts out of their bullet points like I normally do. I’ve edited it some but mainly these are my notes I took while reading this novel. I’ll be back to my normal reviewing style once I am back from my “Vacation”. Thanks for understanding and please enjoy the review J

· Dirty Little Secrets was a novel I didn’t fall in love with, but I didn’t come close to hating it either. It was definitely a unique story but I think that it would have been better if it took place over a longer period of time. I did enjoy this novel though. Quite a lot actually.

· My only real complaints were that even though the hatred Lucy felt for the life her mother created for her seemed real; the idea that she would hide her mother’s death just so her friends wouldn’t find out about her mom’s hoarding seemed a little unrealistic. But I could also see how someone who is used to lying over every fact or her life can blur the lines between right and wrong, truth and fiction. Also Lucy was already used to living her life independently and taking responsibility for all problems that happened to fall around her.

· The fact that her absent father and 2 older siblings completely checked out of the situation and left Lucy to fend for herself instead of seeking help was also something that bugged me, but again, I could see the thought process behind it too

· Most of this story took place at Lucy’s home by herself which made Lucy’s personality and voice really stand out

· Lucy was a wonderful character who faced all the typical teen problems (friends/boys/popularity) while also dealing with a massive family secret

· Her strong emotions and compelling story kept me reading. Lucy’s voice and intricate descriptions made it easy to get sucked into the tragic world of a hoarder.

· Very fast paced. The whole book takes place in a little over 24 hours.

· And though the ending concluded things in a very thought provoking way, I wanted to spend more time with the characters and see how her decision affected her and her siblings. (maybe a sequel???)

· Lucy’s memories as she attempts to clean up her house really make you sympathize for how hard her life has been and what the world of a hoarder is really like

· Overall, With a sympathetic protagonist and a very addicting yet haunting theme, Dirty Little Secrets is a unique and intriguing story about a secret illness that is hidden among the boxes, garbage, and extravagant lies which safely conceas this dirty little secret.

· I will definitely be looking for more novels by C.J. Omololu in the future.

I hope...

2010-02-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

....that you had a very lovely Valentine's Day.

I did. And as a lovely present to myself I'm allowing myself to read what I want for the next 2 weeks.

I went to the library. I picked out my books (Tangled by Carolyn Mackler, Reality Chick by Lauren Barnholdt, and The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti) and now all I have to do is read.

Please don't expect reviews of these books for a few reasons.
1. I don't usually review library books
2. I want to read these for pleasure. I don't want to have to remember to take my notes and work on wording my review correctly before I move on to the next book.

I'll be back on track reading normal review books and then reviewing them as normal within the next 2 weeks. I'm just giving myself a much needed break to remind myself why I love reading.

Thanks and Happy Valentine's Day (or as some are calling it-Singles Awareness Day)

Jill

*EDIT*
I was just informed that what I said above may sound rude. I don't mean to imply that I don't like reading or reviewing my ARCs. I LOVELOVELOVE reviewing books and for the most part, I love the ARCs I do read. And I know it's a privilege to get them and I really do appreciate it. Please don't think that I don't know how blessed I am. I just need to take a small vacation from it. Like people take vacations from work, right? No big deal. I'll be back from my "vacation" soon. Thank you so much for understanding.

Before I Fall Review

2010-02-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

Title: Before I Fall

Author: Lauren Oliver

Release Date: March 2010

Summary (from www.barnesandnoble.com ):

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High, from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12 should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Fortunately, she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Rating:
Character Development: 10/10pts
Originality: 10/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 10/10pts
Ending: 8/10pts
Voice: 10/10pts
Recommendation: 10/10pts
Total Score: 58/60

A+

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 7/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 6/10
Sexual Content: 7/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 6/10

Written Review:

BEFORE I FALL is thought provoking, gripping, intense, and wonderfully written.

In the beginning Sam was the kind of girl you hate but also secretly want to be. Her style, her boyfriend, her confidence, her friends, her ability to get away with almost anything just because she can all contribute to her popularity. But her attitude to those “below” her and her self-centeredness makes her someone you really can’t stand. As the novel progressed so did Sam and she quickly grew into someone to relate with and feel for.

Even before Sam matured, bits of everyone could be found in her personality. Who hasn’t judged someone wrongly? Talked about someone behind their back? Cared a little too much about what others think? Picked friends over family? Sam had six chances to amend her wrongs but for us, it makes you realize that life is much too short to go about wishing things would change and not do anything about it.

Though most of the book was based on Sam, the other characters were just as well developed and as close to real as can be. From the awkward but cute Kent to the “perfect” boyfriend, Rob, to the best friends who are as close as can be but still have their own slew of secrets.

Each day was the same yet completely different. It really makes you think how one thing can affect so many and how all decisions-big or small-are important. As Sam matures and realizes how even her smallest action affects those around her, she also begins to discover her purpose and what’s really important in life.

This was the shortest 470 pages I have ever read. I couldn’t help but want to spend more time with Sam as she fumbled her way through what’s right and what’s wrong in life. Woven within the pages was the perfect blend of suspense, heartbreak, and little moments that really make you think about the meaning of life and of course little life lessons are thrown in along the way.

It’s a very overdramatized real. Sex, parties, drinking, smoking, and an insider’s look into the brutal world of high school. Lauren Oliver did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of what is sadly high school today.

The ending was touching and sad, but also very peaceful and full of hope. I loved every bit of this book and recommend it to everyone. It’s a book that makes you think about your life, your mistakes, and your ability to change them. It makes you wonder how one action can affect so many. It makes you feel all sorts of emotions from hate to love and everything in between. It makes you want to pick it up and read it again and again. So do. And then give it to your friends and let them read it so everyone can experience this captivating novel about life in all its glory and heartbreak.

Slump :(

2010-02-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

I'm in a reviewing slump and I have been for a while if you haven't noticed.

I should still have reviews starting soon but please understand when you see that they aren't even close to their normal length or as in depth as I usually like to make them.

Thanks so much for understanding. Hopefully I come out of this slump soon and back to the normal reviews y'all have come to expect from me.

Jill

Interview: Suzanne Young

2010-02-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

An Interview with Suzanne Young
*author of THE NAUGHTY LIST*

Personal:
5 things readers would be surprised to know about you:

I was never a good cheerleader
I was awesome at Speech and Debate
The only class I did my homework for was English
One of my favorite movies is Heathers
I let my husband make the playlists for my iPod

4 things you wish you knew in high school:

That life beyond high school would be WAY COOLER
That boyfriends weren’t going to last forever
That you didn’t HAVE to stay friends with someone
To have as much fun as possible

3 things you are embarrassed to own, love, and have done:

I once made a music video
I check my horoscope every day—and make plans around it
I give great advice, but never take it. And regret it.

2 careers you might have chosen if you weren't an author:

Professor, or possibly a private detective

1 thing you can't live without:

My writer friends

Bookish:
5 words to describe your book:

Cute, Quirky, sleuthy, loving, and perky

4 reasons you love writing YA:

The mindset of the characters
The pacing
The dope covers
THE AUDIENCE

3 reasons everyone should read your book:

Fun. Fun. Fun.

2 YA books you adore:

Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

1 tip for aspiring YA writers:

Keep writing-it was my fifth book that sold

My Soul To Save Contest

2010-02-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

My Soul To Save Contest

3 Winners
U.S. Only
Feb.5 - Feb.19

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://soulscreamers.com/soulscreamers/index.php?q=T1031

BOOK SYNOPSIS
Book 1 -- My Soul to Take -- was released this past summer, and readers found out why Kaylee Cavanaugh screams bloodymurder when someone's about to die.
In Book 2 - My Soul to Save - when teen pop star Eden croaks on stage andKaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry forsomeone who has no soul. The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking herdad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyaltyto the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickeringlifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld-aconsequence they can't possibly understand.Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls meansputting her own at risk.Soul Screamers: The last thing you hear before you die.

ACCESS TO A FREE E-BOOK!:
You can learn more about Kaylee by downloading the free Soul Screamers prequel--My Soul to Losehere<http://soulscreamers.com/soulscreamers/sites/all/themes/harlequin/mysoultolose.pdf> !

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XAEKAXRN8E

http://www.youtube.com/v/9XAEKAXRN8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&">http://www.youtube.com/v/9XAEKAXRN8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&"type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always"allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="243">

Enter the Contest Below:

Winners!

2010-01-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

So sorry for the long wait. I've been super busy with all sorts of stuff so finding the time to pick a winner for even one contest was a little difficult. But hey think of it as a belated Christmas present.

Unless it has a star by your name (Which means I already have your address) I need you to email me with your mailing address. You have until February 2nd to get back to me or I will pick a new winner.

We'll start with the 3 winners for
Lonely Heart's Club
1.Brooke C. *
2.Robert Auld *
3.Berenice *

Laura Wiess's contest
(Please with your address include your list of your choice of books in order from best to least favorite)
1.Alexa
2.Briana
3. Raelena

Linda Gerber's Contest
1. Elie

Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker Contest
1. Jessica

Reba by Madison Scott
1. Morgan
2. Kelsey

Saundra Mitchell Signed Bookmarks
1.Leslie
2.Ashley
3.Briana
4.Megan
5.Alexa
6.Kirthi

Signed Copy of Ballads of Suburbia
1.BrookeReviews

There will be more contests winners announced soon so keep your eyes out.
And if you were one of these lucky winners today please email me soon

Thanks

Jill

A Visit from Claire Voyante

2010-01-25T19:35:00.000-08:00

Greetings and salutations, book lovers! I’m Claire Voyante, the main character of Dream Life, Lauren Mechling’s rip-roaring detective novel (and no, it is not immodest to say that about a book you didn’t write but in which you star—I checked in one of my grandmother Kiki’s etiquette books).

Dream Life is all about what happened after I found out my best friend Becca had just joined a super-exclusive, centuries-old secret society called the Blue Moons. I figured out how to wiggle my way into the club, and, of course, much drama ensued. I warmly invite you to check Dream Life out—it’s available at select bookstores or an Internet site near you.

When Dream Girl, the first book in the series, came out, my creator Lauren fielded questions from bloggers and journalists. Lauren is currently underground working on a secret project so I offered to step in and relief pitch. I’m taking a page from Ann Landers's book and writing an advice column. The questions came from fans of the series. The answers came from the heart.

(Warning: I don't have a degree in psychotherapy--use at your own risk!)

Dear Claire,There’s a guy at school who I like. I think he likes me too—whenever we make eye contact in the hall, he smiles. But the other day when I walked up to him to say a totally innocent “hi,” he looked freaked out and turned away. I thought guys liked girls who were confident and friendly. Am I wrong?

Yours,
Natalie Who Doesn’t Appreciate Getting The Stinkeye

Dear NWDAGTS,

Are you sure he gave you the stinkeye? Is it possible he's just a spazz and did an about-face because he couldn't deal? Maybe he's allergic to close contact with girls. Or maybe he had to turn away before a cute thing like you noticed that he was wearing that embarrassing sweatshirt his aunt bought him at Sea World.

You look unconvinced.

Okay. . . maybe he didn't like the way you smell. I'm not implying that you smell bad--I'm sure you're lovely, a walking hyacinth farm. Still, there's no accounting for taste. What's sweet to your nose might be stinky to his. Perfume can be so predictable. Why don't you buy a variety of air fresheners--try a piney scent, a fresh breeze, and maybe some nasty-smelling apricot one—and alternate day by day. I bet one of them will pull him in like a moth to a flame.

L'amour toujours!

Claire

_______________________________________________

thanks for sharing your lovely wisdom with us Claire! Be sure to check out Lauren Mechling's Book with more of Claire's poignant words on sale now!

Here's an amazingly well done book trailer to persuade you more...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpCp9cX6ffI

My Boyfriends' Dogs Review

2010-01-18T18:08:00.000-08:00

Title: My Boyfriends' Dogs

Author: Dandi Daley Mackall
Release Date: February 4, 2010

Summary (from Amazon):

If only boys were more like dogs.
On a stormy night in St. Louis, Bailey Daley finds refuge in an after-hours diner. Bailey, a girl with three dogs in tow, wearing a soaking-wet prom dress, obviously has a story to tell. See, she wants what every girl wants from her boyfriend: enthusiasm, loyalty, and unconditional love. And Bailey is always falling in love—with boys, and with their dogs. And each of her dogs came from a relationship that didn’t quite work out. But don’t worry: in this fun, clean romance, true love is never far away—it just waits until you stop looking for it.

Rating:
Character Development: 8/10pts
Originality: 10/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 8/10pts
Ending: 9/10pts
Voice: 8/10pts
Recommendation: 9/10pts
Total Score: 52/60

Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 2/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 2/10
Sexual Content: 4/10

Violence/Disturbing Images: 0/10

Written Review:

I went into My Boyfriends' Dogs thinking it would be a whole lot of fluff. I was pleasantly surprised to find characters that I could easily relate to and not just one fabulous story of teenage love but 3 intertwined ever so perfectly.

Because the stories took place throughout all of Bailey’s high school and they were told through her retelling them to strangers it was easy to see her development after each failed love; How she's grown from it and what's she learned, etcetera. We really got to know who Bailey was just as the 3 strangers at the diner were getting to know her too. And Bailey is the kind of character you can't help but love even if you don't love dogs. I hate to admit it but I'm really not a dog person-at all-but I still found myself thoroughly enjoying Bailey's story. And though her love for her pets was the center of the story--It's what gets her caught up in the 3 relationships and what also gets her out--Bailey's want for a perfect boyfriend (And the roadblocks that paved the way) was where the real story was.

The whole book made me smile. Not through all of it of course. There were some very very very sad parts too. Ones where I felt like crying and just wanted to reach through the pages and give Bailey a hug and tell her everything would work out. And there were parts that made me want to scream at the guy for making her feel that bad. But Bailey's personality shines through the pages making her easy to sympathize with and feel for.

The ending was very sweet and adorable and a tad bit predictable but that didn't make this novel any less enjoyable. Actually, I think the ending is one of the very things that made it so enjoyable. Everything I thought didn't make perfect sense throughout the book came together perfectly at the end.

This story immediately got me interested and kept my interest until the very end. It's a very "feel good" kind of book even if it is about 3 “not so happily ever after” kind of stories.

I don’t know what else to say about this novel except that it was fresh, fun, and lighthearted with a lovable main character who you can easily sympathize with as she stumbles her way through love.

With lovable characters and great personality, Mackall delivers a fresh story of finding out what it means to be in love versus being in lust, of realizing that sometimes what you see really is what you get, of finding out what you need versus what you want, and of realizing that dogs are the most loyal companions of all and sometimes you just need to run away in a soaking wet prom dress with them to realize that everything will work out in the end.

Thanks.

Jill

The Lonely Hearts Club awesome Twitter Party!

2010-01-18T09:43:00.001-08:00

Join Lonely Hearts Club author Elizabeth Eulberg and Amy of MyFriendAmy for a Twitter party Wednesday, January 20, between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. EST!

Be sure to follow Elizabeth @ElizEulberg and Amy @MyFriendAmy before the party!

Join the fun! No one expects you or your tweets to be perfect; we’re just happy you made it to the party! Anyone who tweets during this hour using #LonelyHeartsClub is entered to win a limited edition Lonely Hearts Club t-shirt!

Watch for questions from @MyFriendAmy and win awesome prizes including an iPod shuffle, $50 iTunes gift card or $25 VISA gift card!

To join the party, you can use our official party tweetgrid or just search #LonelyHeartsClub on Twitter. Ask Elizabeth questions or chat with other partygoers about how excited you are to read LHC—just use the tag #LonelyHeartsClub in all of your party tweets! (This is added automatically in TweetGrid.) Please don’t post any spoilers and don’t forget to pay attention to the time zones, the party starts at 8:30pm EST.

Happy 1 Year Blogoversary

2010-01-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

Today is my one year blogoversary and I just have to tell all of you.....

Your lovely support and comments brighten my day. I was looking at my first review and am very surprised some of you have stayed with me through it all! I think I have become much more consistent with reviews and posts now and hope to stay that way.

And though my first review was embarrasing, my first disagreeing comment about a review killed me. I totally thought I had messed up this whole blogging thing completly until I realized that even though, yes, I was a little too lenient on that book, opinions are supposed to vary! Yes, I was that naive and that much of a people pleaser.

That incident led to THIS rant about how hard it is sometimes to critize the faults in books without feeling awful. And even though I still feel that's true, it's a lot easier now for me to post about.

Soon I reviewed my first actual review copy of a book, and then came my first award, and then my first interview, and then came my first truly negative review. And my first IMM, first contest, first book trailer, first "Birthday Month", First time to have someone email me for advice on this crazy thing called book blogging, and First time to host a gigantic month of fantabulous giveaways and authors otherwise known as The 25 Guests of Christmas (which I hope to make an annual thing, by the way).

I know there are many more "Firsts" to have and they all happened because of the lovely support from all of y'all so thank you from the bottom of my heart for a wonderful year of blogging and a wonderful year of "firsts".

Jill

No School,

2010-01-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

Only in Texas do you get out of school because it's too cold. No snow. No rain. Just cold.

But I'm not complaining....

So happy Cold Day everyone!

Wishing you a marvelous winter,

Jill

2010-01-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR ENTERING! WINNERS SHOULD BE ANNOUNCED SOON.

Jill

Hey guys!

Are you ready for another contest to start off the new year???

Fill out the form below to win one of 3 copies of THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB by Elizabeth Eulberg

Contest Info:

· This giveaway is open to participants with a United States mailing address only (international readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.)

· Only open to those 13 or older for safety reasons

· Starts January 4^th

· Ends January 18^th

· 3 winners

· +2 follower

· +2 link to the contest

· +1 for entering

***I am now asking for a mailing address to make hosting contests easier. Because of this you must be 13 or older to enter. Please be honest about your age. Thank you.***

Want to know more about this lovely book? Find out more below!

Can’t see the video? Check it out HERE instead

AUTHOR’S WEBSITE

http://www.elizabetheulberg.com

BOOK OVERVIEW

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating, so she vows: No more. She’s had one too many bad dates, and has been hurt by one too many bad boys. It’s a personal choice…and soon everybody wants to know about it. It seems that Penny’s not the only girl who’s tired of the way girls change themselves (most of the time for the worse) in order to get their guys…or the way their guys don’t really care about them. Girls are soon thronging to The Lonely Hearts Club (named after Sgt. Pepper’s band), and Penny finds herself near legendary for her non-dating ways – which is too bad, since the leader of The Lonely Hearts Club has found a certain boy she can’t help but like…

++++

Updates and cool stuff

2010-01-04T15:58:00.000-08:00

I've been asked to share some exciting happenings going on at Penguin

We’re hitting the ground running with all sorts of fun stuff for spring, starting with a live online chat with Richelle Mead, author of the New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series. The chat will be taking place on Thursday, January 7th in our Publisher’s Office Watercooler at 8:00 PM EASTERN time. Here’s the link (you can even sign up for a reminder if you think you’ll forget!):

http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishersoffice/subcontent/watercooler.html

There’s also a really cool Incarceron widget!

You can get it here:

http://www.widgets.clearspring.com/c/widget.bs?wid=4b2be04fb39ace0b

Also if you have entered a contest for the 25 Guests of Christmas the results are coming soon. I promise. So stay tuned for that.

Thanks so much and be sure to check out all the great Penguin books coming out this new year!

Jill

All Unquiet Things Review

2009-12-29T16:08:00.000-08:00

Title: All Unquiet Things
Author: Anna Jarzab
Release Date: January 12, 2010

Summary (from www.barnesandnoble.com ):

Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

Rating:
Character Development: 10/10pts
Originality: 9/10pts
Plot/Story Line: 8/10pts
Ending: 10/10pts
Voice: 10/10pts
Recommendation: 10/10pts
Total Score: 57/60
Grade: A+

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 6/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 10/10
Sexual Content: 6/10
Violence/Disturbing Images: 7/10

Written Review:

In a sea of fantasy and paranormal YA novels, something this genuine and gripping was very refreshing to read which made me absolutely adore All Unquiet Things.

The mystery was great. I wanted to find out Carly’s killer just as much as Audrey and Neily did and the twist at the end shocked me 100%. I never suspected the culprit at all. The ending was unpredictable, unbelievable, and made sure to leave no loose strings. All the clues matched up and finally made perfect sense. And though the pace starts out slow, after only a few chapters it picks up and by the end your heart is racing as everything clicks into place.

Tons of suspense, perfectly placed clues, and multiple suspects got me hooked almost immediately. I stayed up multiple nights in a row trying to unravel the clues along with Audrey and Neily. Plus the many twists and turns kept you second guessing yourself throughout the whole novel

I liked the double narratives. And though sometimes I got Audrey and Neily’s voices confused, the different perspectives as they both delve deeper into solving the murder, while also coming to terms with how it has affected them, greatly helped develop them as characters and lets Carly develop as well.

I am in awe at the hard work, passion, and dedication Anna Jarzab must have had to create this eloquent novel. The wonderful prose and strong, authentic characters only enhanced the intriguing plot that made this novel so wonderful. The characters were Jarzab’s real strong point. Their wide range of emotions made them all the more real.

Overall, All Unquiet Things is a thrilling mystery that flows together flawlessly as it takes the reader on an unpredictable journey to solve an intense case of drugs, scandal, and the brutal murder of Carly Ribelli. It’s not only a story of seeking out the truth but also of learning to accept what you cannot change.
In one heartbreaking, suspenseful story and with more depth than most YA novels, Anna Jarzab weaves a complex story of murder, mystery, and the lengths one will go to cover it all up.
I strongly encourage everyone to read this book when it releases on January 12 of 2010.

Thanks
Jill

The end of 25GoC and the beginning of a fabulous new year!!! By: Laura Wiess

2009-12-25T21:57:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays! From Laura Wiess

This week between Christmas Day and New Year's has always been a delightfully strange, introspective, sometimes chaotic, sometimes serene, Quick! Find-a-New-Year's-outfit, and No, spend the day relaxing in your pajamas time.

I love it.

I love the refrigerator crammed with leftover holiday food, hanging out with friends and family, the rummaging through the gifts now unwrapped and piled under the tree, the snow, the fireplace, the peace, the craziness and the laughter.

Most of all, though, I love the tradition of looking back over the year at where I've been and what I've done, at the light and the dark moments, the times I could have handled things better and the times when I did better than I ever thought I could, the laughter and unexpected joy, the lessons learned, opportunities missed and the ones caught hold of, and celebrated.

This week - the end of the old and the start of the new - fills me with hope and excitement, and makes me grateful for the chance to begin again, fresh.

And so I wonder...what do I want to do, be, give, get and experience next? The sky's the limit, right? And even if I don't make half of it, who knows what great adventures I'll have along the way, as long as I can keep my mind open and don't let anybody (including myself) shut me down before I even try.

This is a time of Endless Possibilities. A week of dreaming dreams for the New Year, and then revving up to try and make them come true.

Let's do it. Let's try. Let's see what comes next.

I mean seriously...why not?

Hope your Christmas is grand, your week beautiful, and 2010 a year of dreams come true!

***********************************************************************

25GoC: Kay Cassidy

2009-12-24T20:55:00.000-08:00

An Eco-Friendly Christmas

By Kay Cassidy

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. The whole leading-up-to-it craziness can be a little overwhelming, but the holiday itself is wonderful. One thing I've always noticed, though, is that with all the gifts and wrapping and everything, it's easy to let things go to waste. I talk all the time on Living Your Five about my commitment to going green and, this year, I've decided to make some changes to my traditional way of doing things. My favorite change this year?

Holiday bags!

Instead of wrapping gifts to put underneath the tree and wasting so much paper in the process, I've always wanted to make festive reusable holiday bags to put each gift in. (Confession time: I've been wanting to do this for FIVE YEARS, but somehow it's never gotten done.)

So this year, I decided I would go for it. Just do it, as Nike would say. I bought some darling holiday fabric in three different prints and spent about five hours putting together fifteen bags. My feet hurt and my back was aching by the time I was done--and I'm certainly no Martha Stewart--but they are everything I hoped they'd be! Here's a picture of how they turned out:

Not only are they eco-friendly, but they look super cute under the tree. And they're so easy to use! You know how you always have at least one really weird-shaped gift that's almost impossible to wrap without it looking like the dog was in charge? You just slip it into the bag and close it up. So-o-o easy.

One of the things I've noticed is that, more and more, people are ordering items online and having them shipped directly to the recipient without wrapping. To me, it always seems silly to wrap them and waste paper after I've already seen what they are... and yet, who can resist a Christmas tree with lots of pretty boxes underneath? Now that I have the bags, I may try something new next year. Maybe I'll open the box with my eyes closed (after I cut it open, of course - no using box cutters with my eyes shut!) and then reach in and tuck the gifts into bags without peeking. We'll see if that works. :-)

Here's wishing you a happy holiday season and an eco-friendly 2010!

Cheers,

Kay

Weather

2009-12-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

So do you remember how yesterday I posted how here in Texas the weather was so unbelievably wonderful and around 80 degrees. It was perfect weather that I couldn't even enjoy because I spent the day inside cleaning.

Cleaning for what you say? O just for our annual Christmas Eve party with a bounce house and apple cider and food and friends and everything that's good about Christmas. It's absolutly completely 100% my favorite thing abour Christmas time.

The party technically started 10 minutes ago and that perfect weather from yesterday is long gone. And instead it's replaced with snow. Tons of snow that is blocking roads that lead to our house which makes the liklihood of all of our friends showing up very slim. Actually none have shown up so far and in the last years everyone has shown up 30 minutes ago. I very much hate Texas weather.

I am very very very upset.

I'm going to go eat a cookie and try to be happy.

I hope you are enjoying your Christmas Eve more than I'm enjoying mine.

And as an early Christmas present from me to you I'm extending the contests. I haven't decided til win yet but you have more time to enter so please take advantage of that.

Thanks so much and Merry Christmas Eve!

Jill

Here are some pictures I took from our front porchl. Sorry they're blurry. I couldn't stand being out there for too long. I'm not used to this cold!

25GoC: Anna Jarzab

2009-12-24T13:54:00.000-08:00

A Very Polish Christmas
By: Anna Jarzab

I'm Polish. This is not news to anyone who knows me, or who's read the FAQ on my website, but people tend to get confused by the last name and always ask, "What ethnicity is that?" So, I'm Polish. And, as is fairly common, I'm Catholic. We Polish Catholics have lots of Christmas traditions, and I'd like to tell you a little about them.

We Poles celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, with an event called wigilia (pronounced vigilia). Wigilia means "vigil", because Christmas Eve is the night on which we're waiting for Jesus to be born. We Jarzabs celebrate with my entire extended family on my mother's side, and it's a fairly big deal for us. I feel like a kid again just thinking about this year's wigilia, because last year I went home to California instead of to Chicago, where my aunts and uncles and cousins and grandmother live, so we only did wigilia with my immediate family. I've been going through family withdrawal, so I can't wait for Christmas Eve.

Here's what you need to make the perfect Polish wigilia.

· The First Star - Per Polish tradition, wigilia dinner cannot technically begin until the first star is sighted. My family nearly never eats before 6:00 on Christmas Eve, sometimes later. Before we start the festivities, my grandmother always sent us to the window to make sure the star is out.

· Oplatki - After everybody has arrived and settled in and the first star can be seen in the sky, we break the oplatki. Oplatki is unconsecrated Communion host. We buy it at church (it has been blessed by a priest) in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Everybody gets a piece and we go around to each relative and offer them our oplatek. First, you wish that relative good luck in the coming year, sometimes something more specific ("I hope you get that new job you're interviewing for, it sounds great", "I hope you do well in school"). Then they break off a tiny piece (you don't want too much, it doesn't taste great, kind of like cardboard) and you break off a tiny piece of theirs, and you both eat it, and then you embrace. You do this with everybody in the attendance, and then you either eat the remaining portion of your oplatek, trick some foolish child who thinks it "tastes good" to eat it, or put it back on the tray surreptitiously so that Grandma doesn't notice.

· Uszki - In Polish, uszki means "little ears", and these small dumplings (we're big on dough) are curled to look just like that. My grandmother's always have onion and mushroom in them, and pour barzcz (a beet soup) over them. This is the first course of our wigilia meal. It's always quite a production to get the children to eat the barzcz and the uszki, but I could eat them for every meal.

· Pierogi - Traditionally, wigilia is a meatless meal, with the main course being fish. But in my family we kind of ignore that rule, because there are so many good Polish meat dishes it'd be a crime to exclude them. My favorite part of the wigilia meal is pierogi, which are potsticker-like dumplings that are stuffed with a filling, boiled, and then fried in butter and onions. We always have my grandmother's special pierogi, which have shredded beef, onion, and mushroom in them, and sometimes there are some cheese or potato pierogi.

· Fish - Like I said, wigilia dinner is supposed to be meatless, but we're incorrigible and must have the meats. Regardless, we always have a fish option--usually something light and not too fishy, like talapia. To this day (and I'm twenty-five years old, you guys) my mom always demands I eat at least a small piece, for tradition's sake. I'd rather not, but I always do.

· Kielbasa and kapusta - There's no real reason to have kielbasa and kapusta (Polish sausage and saurkraut) at wigilia, but it's a crowd pleaser and a staunchly Polish food, so it's there.

· Dessert - After dinner, there is coffee and dessert. My family does cookie platters for Christmas dessert, and each family brings a big plate or two full of different kinds of cookies, that family's speciality. My cousin makes seven layer bars that are TO DIE. My family has, as long as I can remember, been in charge of bringing the kolaczki. We roll the dough into balls and then press them down with the bottom of a shot glass, so that there is a perfectly round depression. We put some kind of filling in the center--my favorites are apricot and raspberry preserves, but my mother also makes prune and poppy seed kolaczki because my dad loves them. Poppy seed cake is actually a traditional wigilia dessert, but this is as close as we get. We also drink coffee and tea.

· Presents - After coffee and dessert (I'm sure you can imagine how antsy we were as kids at this point), we got to open presents. Christmas Day wasn't a big thing to me as a kid, because I usually just had a present from Santa, and ever since we moved to California we have no presents at all on Christmas Day, because we get our presents from our parents and each other on Christmas Eve.

· Pasterka - The perfect wigilia is always topped off by Midnight Mass, which in Polish is called pasterka. Every Catholic church does a Midnight Mass, but it never seems quite the same if we don't go to the service at my grandmother's church, with the off-key old ladies singing in the choir loft. When I was very little, I was allowed to fall asleep at pasterka, and there's nothing like drifting off in your father's arms with a stomach full of pier

So that's it, my Christmas. Since we moved to California and thus don't have a house in Chicago anymore, Christmas Day is usually spent at my Auntie Kika's house. She makes a ham and we laze around watching TV and playing Nancy Drew computer games. Oh, that's another Christmas tradition--for years and years and years now, my sister, cousin and I have played a Nancy Drew computer game every Christmas. We always cheat with walk throughs and make fun of how dumb Nancy is and try to find creative ways for her to die, but we love them dearly. What will it be this year? Warnings at Wavery Academy? DONE.

Happy Christmas everyone!

25GoC: Donna from Bites

2009-12-23T21:22:00.001-08:00

Nothing. Is. Ever. Enough. Ever.
By: Donna from http://litbites.blogspot.com/

It really sucks being a Guido at Christmas because, let's face it, we all suffer from 'IT'S NOT ENOUGH!"-aholicism. Nothing. Is. Ever. Enough. Ever. So what if there are 25 dozen cookies on the plate? IT'S NOT ENOUGH! You've spent $1,000 on Christmas gifts already. IT'S NOT ENOUGH! At this rate my ass is going to spread beyond a viable pants size and I'm not going to have enough money to even consider the thought of exercising. Great. There's another thing rearing it's ugly head: Italian optimism.

I go through this every year. Last year I brought a box, literally A BOX of cookies ( we're talking maybe 20 dozen cookies) into work for people to snarf. This year I told myself I wasn't going to do the box because that was way too much. So I crammed 15 dozen cookies onto a serving dish. Last year I bought people more stuff than they even have room to put it, thus launching my bank account into cardiac arrest. This year I told myself I wasn't going to do that, yet my money's still hooked up to life support and is currently in a vegetative state.

Christmas is the one time of the year where I don't look at how much and I let the Italian-ness go into overdrive. I WANT to do things for other people. I WANT to make them happy. Money and waistlines be damned. It's also a time where I actually don't want to run other drivers off the road for their sheer stupidity. I DON"T WANT to flip them off for cutting me off going 75. I just want to sing Christmas music on my commute home.

Christmas is a time where you're either the type of person that goes into giving overdrive or you drive yourself to the opposite end of evolution and turn into a feral pig that would sooner gnaw its own foot off than let someone else have the last $20 Magnapox DVD player on the shelf at 4 AM the day after Thanksgiving. Christmas is SUPPOSED to be a time for giving, for IT'S NOT ENOUGH. Really, it's ok. And so is the guilt of maybe giving a little too much. You'll earn the money back and maybe next year you'll learn not to charge everything and only spend money you actually have. At Christmas, it isn't ever enough because there are so many people in need that it's nearly impossible for it to actually be enough. You can never give enough.

But you can go psychotic enough in your pilgrimage to give enough by turning into Cujo on the person behind you in line. Remember - Christmas = happy times. Giving times. Pleasant times. Next year do your shopping on line in November to avoid all those unwanted Rabies shots. Take an extra helping or egg nog or Triptaphan-laden turkey to reduce those instances of vein-bursting rage while out in public. It's not about you at Christmas. It's not about everyone else. And if you really think that special person would tell you to kiss their ass if you didn't get them that special ass-crack of dawn sale item, you either don't know that person very well or you need some new friends. Is an extra $20 really worth all the people bites?

So remember, IT'S NOT ENOUGH. It never is. But if you need a hand truck to carry the cookie tray, perhaps you've outdone yourself. If a personal loan comes into play, you've definitely overspent. You can't help everyone, you can't be everything to everybody, and you are not Super(enter gender here). Giving what you can is more than what anyone can ask for and more than what anyone expected. And you'll be loved for it all the same. Gauging yourself is also a nifty way to reduce blood pressure and have money left over for those pesky bills. Just remember that.

Donna
Bites - Chomping on books and spitting out reviews

25GoC: Contest

2009-12-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

25GoC: Sarah Ockler + contest

2009-12-23T10:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas Pajama Breakfast: The Birth of Embarrassing Traditions
By: Sarah Ockler

In my family, you're never too old for matching pajamas on Christmas morning (and you're never safe from Mom's carefully planned pajama theme, no matter how new you are to the Ockler family scene).

It started quite accidentally, way back in the eighties when I was still a kid. Friends from our neighborhood were having a tough year--among other struggles, their teen daughter had gotten into a heap of trouble and wouldn't be spending the holidays with them. Worry, sadness, and loss had stretched the family so thin that to celebrate Christmas--to trim a tree, to exchange gifts, to pass food and laughter and wine at the dinner table--seemed like a cruel joke, a suggestion too ridiculous to even consider.

Mom learned all of this on Christmas morning that year. She'd called the neighbors to wish them a happy holiday soon after my younger brothers and I had tackled the mounds of presents left by Santa. We were buzzing from our third round of hot cocoa with tiny white marshmallows and comparing our stacks of loot when Mom told us to drop the toys and grab our winter gear. No matter that we were still in our pajamas, chocolate mustaches painted over our mouths, sticking-out-everywhere morning hair wild in the dry winter air. Brian and Emily needed cheering up, she'd said. Back then, the details we would get years later didn't matter. We had a surprise, Christmas-inspired mission to spread a little holiday cheer, and that was good enough for us.

Mom. Dad. My two brothers. Me. The five of us layered on our coats and scarves and mittens, stuffing our fleece-footed pajama toes into boots lined with plastic bread bags to keep the slush out. We marched in a line down the snow covered sidewalk, lifting our feet high to make new tracks in the unspoiled white powder, past the next door neighbor and the old house we lived in before we moved a few doors down to the current house. We listened to the snow crunch under our boots and watched our breath turn white in the air until we finally reached Brian and Emily's. Mom knocked on the door of the cornflower blue house, her and Dad on the top step while my brothers and I giggled from behind them at the silly sight of ourselves, outside on Christmas morning in our PJs and Wonder Bread boots.

Emily gasped when she opened the door, and though it was more than 20 years ago, I still remember the tears and the hugs. She and Brian welcomed us in and, after all the crying, cooked us a king's breakfast. We told them about our favorite gifts and laughed about what the other neighbors thought, if any of them had peeked through the frost on their windows as the five of us marched in single file down the bright white street. Brian and Emily were glad to see us and we were glad to be there. We stayed with them all day.

Our visit didn't erase their troubles or put back together the broken family. But for a while, they weren't alone on Christmas, and they knew that we loved them. And so in the following year, come December, they invited us again for breakfast. We had advanced notice this time, but there was a rule. A stipulation. Pre-conditions, you could say.

The breakfast invite would only be honored if we showed up in our PJs.

We complied. That year and the following and the one after that, too. Even when my family moved a few towns over, no longer within walking range, distance didn't stop the Christmas Pajama Breakfast. We'd just drive to their house in our pajamas, hoping only that my father didn't get pulled over. Because the dads had started a competition, it seemed, for the whackiest Christmas PJs ever. There were Santa hats and snowmen ties that lit up and candy cane striped socks and even old-fashioned men's nightshirts and nightcaps, and how would he explain that to the police? Mom started buying the rest of us new PJs just for the occasion--matching for the girls, matching for the guys, leaving the dads to their own delirious inventions. Another family heard about the festivities and added themselves to the guest list, and soon we were alternating years at our three homes. Over all the Christmases, the families grew and shrunk again, with boyfriends and girlfriends coming and going, then new spouses and babies. People moved away. Friends joined. Friends left. But always there was a table covered in food, surrounded by families in pajamas, sharing stories and laughing and being merry on Christmas morning.

Two decades later, Brian and Emily still live in the same cornflower blue house a few doors down from the gray one where I grew up. Their children are grown now too and have children of their own--Brian and Alice's grandkids. Their family has expanded, has mended and broken and mended again many times over, as all families do. They don't always attend Christmas breakfast anymore. Neither do I, as I've been away in the years since college and now have in-laws, another whole family out of town. My husband and I don't always get to spend Christmas with my side of the family, but we do always get the new pajamas. I like to say that it's embarrassing. That dressing up in matching pajamas with your mother and seeing your husband match your brothers and having everyone line up on the couch for pictures is ridiculous. But my eye-rolling is a lie. I love this silly tradition. And every Christmas Eve, no matter where I am, more than any other gift, I look forward to those new pajamas and everything they've come to represent--friendship. Family. Love. And a time of togetherness, even if the time for it has long passed. I still remember that quiet march down the snow-covered sidewalk. I still remember what it meant to Brian and Emily. I still remember what it meant to me, and what it means to me now, so many years and matching pajama sets later.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you, and best wishes for a 2010 filled with joy, love, and hope.

______________________________________________________________

What a fun tradition, Sarah! Thanks for sharing it with us. At my home our only “tradition” is our Christmas Eve party ever year with lots of food and friends and of course a bounce house because what’s a party without one, right?

Sarah has very kindly contributed a little bit of summer on these bleak winter days (actually today in TX we’re experiencing spring weather that’s close to 80 degrees. And then later today it will drop to very cold and rainy and gross. O the joy of TX weather...)

Anyway, for the rest of you who live in normal places with at least somewhat predictable weather...comment to win a signed copy of Sarah’s much loved book, 20 Boy Summer.

+1 comment

+1 follow me
+1 link to 25GoC and/or this contest

I hope all of y’all enjoy your very own family traditions this season,

Thanks.

Jill

25GoC: Elizabeth Scott

2009-12-21T21:34:00.001-08:00

The Time of Year

By: Elizabeth Scott

There are a lot of things to be thankful for each and every year. I know I'm thankful for my family, my friends, and everyone who has done so much to support my writing.

But there's one thing I'm not so thankful for, and that's how stressful holidays can be.

Isn't is strange how the one time of year when relaxation and peace and love and understanding are supposed to reign seems to boil down to who got what for who--and when--and dinners that end too fast, or worse, seems as if they'll never end at all?

I think a lot of us--me included--put so much focus on the holidays being perfect that we forget that we are, ourselves, imperfect. And that, as strange as it may sound, is something I think we should celebrate.

Forget perfect, and embrace all the things that make you the amazing person you are. When you see the relative who makes you feel about two feet tall or realize you forgot to buy a present or--well, who doesn't have a holiday disaster story??--think about this:

This is the time of year to celebrate everything--not just life, but who we are. Celebrate yourself. Be proud of who you are, and carry that pride with you. And if you can't pick who you share your holidays with, then plan to spend time with people you love and who love you back. Take the time to look back on this year with people that make you happy. (And if you have to miss out on eating leftover Brussel sprouts, well--that's just a bonus!)

We're all here for a reason, and we all matter. That, to me, is what the holidays should be about. Celebrating who we are and those we love.

I can't think of anything better than that.

Visit Elizabeth at http://www.elizabethwrites.com/

25GoC: E. Van Lowe

2009-12-20T21:27:00.000-08:00

Tradition
By: E. Van Lowe

I have a favorite Christmas movie. When I tell people it's my favorite they invariably say: "That's not a Christmas movie." Sometimes people laugh when I tell them. "You're a comedy writer. That's funny," they say. And I'm thinking I didn't mean it to be funny. It's true!

After I grew up and moved out of my parents home, I realized I had no Christmas tradition--like decorating the tree, or baking cookies with the family, or caroling, or pulling out the old yule log... By the way, what is a yule log? Anyone? I'm from the Bronx. We don't even have trees. But I digress. I wanted/needed a tradition--something I could look forward to doing every year. Necessity being the mother of invention, I decided to create one. I decided to create a family tradition of gathering around the TV on Christmas Eve night and watching Die Hard. Yes, Die Hard.

It's my favorite Christmas movie. Well, why not? It's got some great Christmas songs--like the classic "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" It has a great romance between Bruce Willis and Bonnie Bedelia, two people who only see each other at the beginning and end of the movie, and yet grow more in love with each passing moment. It's got a villain even more unforgiving than Ebenezer Scrooge--played to perfection by Alan Rickman... and lots and lots of bullets. I'm a boy, and boys like things that blow up. I chose Die Hard because I wanted to pick a movie that my father and son would also enjoy, and wouldn't mind watching year after year. A boy Christmas movie.

I've watched it on video tape and now on DVD, and I guess pretty soon I'll be watching on Blue Ray. I've watched it with my father, my son, my wife, my friends, and in the lean years I have had to watch it alone. But the lean years don't seem so lean when I pull it out of the jewel case and pop it into the DVD player. Watching Die Hard is my one Christmas tradition, and I love Christmas. Merry Christmas... now, let's go blow something up!

_______________________________________________________________________

Visit E's Blog at http://vanlowe.blogspot.com/

Also be sure to check out his new E-Book available December 23^rd, I Want You Back!

Find out more about it at http://evanlowe.com/iwantyouback.html

Thanks

Jill

25GoC: Sarah Quigley + Fun Contest

2009-12-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

Memorable Christmases
By: Sarah B. Quigley

1976: I crawled up to the tree and attempted to snack on the needles.

1979: The Tina the Ballerina Barbie Doll (complete with crown embedded into her skull) appeared under the Christmas tree, as did a Cookie Monster comforter. This is the first Christmas I have any real memory of.

1982: I saw E.T. in theaters seven times that year. I also experienced my first musical obsession in the form of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. Imagine my delight when Santa gave me an album in which the Gloved One sings about E.T. and narrates the film.

1986: My family and I drove thirty miles to a church that had a live, outdoor nativity, complete with sheep and goats. Sounds like a great idea, right? Not when you live in Minnesota and it’s -12 degrees outside. A doll was used for baby Jesus since no parent in his or her right mind would subject an infant to such insane weather. We watched it from our car.

1989: I received a pair of Guess? jeans and was officially cool. Not. See http://sarahquigley.com/blog/?p=828 for more details.

1993: To my great surprise, I began dating the super-hot Norwegian exchange student my senior year. We said “I love you” for the first time on Christmas Day.

1995: Now a college sophomore, I’d long ago kissed Mr. Norway and another boyfriend good-bye. However, the latter dude phoned me on Christmas to say hi, and we got back together when the new semester started. It didn’t end up working out the second time around, either, but I’ll never forget the excitement and promise of that phone call.

1999: Not a fun one. I spent it at my grandma’s. One of my relatives was going through a personal crisis, and we were all a little nervous about Y2K. Oh, and I was engaged and spending the holiday apart from my man. Snow, sadness, and solitude.

2000: Now a married lady, I celebrated with my in-laws, an open-your-presents-Christmas-Eve type of family. Christmas morning was eerily odd, with everyone just eating cereal and reading the paper as if it were any other morning.

2007: My husband and I always traveled to see our families for the holidays, but I was eight months pregnant this year. For the first time, we got our own Christmas tree. We didn’t have any ornaments, so we threw an ornament-making party and invited all our friends. Best. Party. Ever.

2008: It was my daughter’s first Christmas, our first Christmas as a new little family. I cooked all kinds of special food, and we went out for a windy walk in the afternoon.

2009: My first Christmas as a published author!

Who knows what the coming years will bring…
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Thanks for sharing Sarah! I hope this year is just as lovely.

Sarah has very graciously contributed one of her famous, self-designed, hand-crocheted nosewarmers!

+1 comment
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Wishing you many blessings this Christmas,

Jill

25GoC: Marlene Perez + Super Generous Contest!

2009-12-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

This Christmas
by Marlene Perez

I’ll confess now. I am bending the rules a little (as usual.) I was asked to post about a favorite Christmas memory, but I wanted to talk about this Christmas, a holiday that may not be so bright for many people.

I am the youngest of twelve children. When my mother was pregnant with me, she divorced my father and began the overwhelming task of raising her children as a single mother. I’ve read about other people who lived in poverty as children, who’ve they didn’t know they were poor growing up. I did. I knew that there just wasn’t enough to go around, not enough money, not enough clothes, and sometimes, not enough food.

My mother worked miracles, though. She always had a huge garden, so we had fresh vegetables in the spring and summer and her canned goods in the winter. I remember my mother working non-stop in a hot kitchen canning vegetables and fruit, which would help to tide us over during the hard winter months. There was always food in the cupboard and my mother knew how to stretch a dollar with her family depression recipes, but I still remember wondering if there would still be enough for everyone next week or next month.

Today, too many parents are wondering how to find a job, how to keep their house, and how to feed their children. The economic downturn has everyone worried. Articles I’ve been reading say that kids aren’t asking for toys this year as much as they’re asking for things like food and socks. I realize that times are tight for everyone this year and people are cutting back, but if you can, please stop by a food bank and donate a can or two.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/26/national/main5790135.shtml (article lists several food banks)

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/03/16/turse/index.html (lists several food banks)

http://feedingamerica.org/

http://www.friendlycenter.org/

Or donate to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Spark of Love, or the Salvation Army Angel Tree.

http://www.toysfortots.org/

http://www.calfund.org/give/giving_sparkoflove.php

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Here are a couple of my favorite holiday songs, which I hope will get you into the spirit of giving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jEnTSQStGE Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUCbZhIfQbA This is Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2-rhtOKvCc Dig That Crazy Santa Claus by Brian Setzer
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And in the spirit of giving, Marlene has kindly donated 2 copies of THE COMEBACK and 3 copies of UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT!

To enter comment below!

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open to U.S and

Canada

Happy Holidays!

Jill

25GoC: Kristina Springer (w/ super fabulous recipes!)

2009-12-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

Curl up with a good book and a yummy drink
Recipes from Kristina Springer

Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday and coffee drinks are one of my very favorite things ever. I make myself yummy espresso drinks daily on my little red Starbucks Barista espresso machine and I love to make them for others as well. Here are some super delicious coffee recipes you might want to try this season:

Candy Cane Latte
(from: http://www.recipezaar.com/Candy-Cane-Latte-271281)

Ingredients:

3/4 ounce cherry flavored syrup or kirsch

1/4 ounce creme de menthe

2 ounces fresh hot espresso (or strong coffee)

4-6 ounces steamed milk

whipped cream (to garnish)

1 small candy cane (to garnish)

Directions:

Pour the syrups and espresso into a 12 oz latte mug.

Add the steamed milk.

Garnish with whipped cream and hang a small candy cane on the rim of the mug.

Peppermint Patty Mocha
(from: http://recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/christmas_coffee_drinks)

Ingredients:

espresso-ground coffee beans

chocolate syrup

DaVinci peppermint coffee syrup

a peppermint patty chocolate candy

milk or soymilk

Directions:

1 Start by brewing a shot of espresso.

2. Pour the shot into a 12 oz. coffee cup.

3. Add 1/2 ounce peppermint syrup 1/2 - 1 oz. chocolate syrup.

4. Fill the remainder of the mug with steamed milk or soy milk.

5. Stir the drink well and then drop a peppermint patty candy into the cup.

Egg Nog Latte
(from: http://www.egg-nog.info/Egg_Nog_Latte_Recipe.html)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup eggnog

1/4 cup whole milk

Starbucks® Espresso Roast coffee (ground)

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Combine cold eggnog with cold whole milk. Cold non-fat milk or soymilk can be substituted for the whole milk.

2. Using the steaming wand on your espresso machine, steam the eggnog/milk mixture until the temperature reaches 145°F. Set aside.

Eggnog heats and scalds faster than milk, so watch the thermometer closely.

3. Tamp ground espresso into the filter. Pull a shot of espresso and pour it into the serving mug.

4. Fill mug with steamed eggnog and milk. Top the drink with 1/4" foamed eggnog/milk mixture to the rim of the mug.

5. Garnish with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

<3 Kristina Springer

THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, in stores now.

http://www.kristinaspringer.com/