Contest

Hey everybody so I know I'm a little late getting this contest out. Like I'm probably the last one to do it but that could be a good thing. Didn't get a chance to win before and you've entered EVERY time? Enter now. Didn't get a chance to ENTER before? Enter now. Already won but want more? Enter now. Sound good?

O wait you might want to know what you're entering for, right? Well it's the absolutely amazing, fantastically wonderful, marvelously superb, Prophecy of the Sisters Swag Pack !!!!! with bookmarks, folders, pom poms, and much more! (brought to you by Michelle Zink and Word Ninjas) So if you are thinking of entering (which you should be) here are the official rules:

1. open to members of the U.S. only. (sorry)

2. one winner

3.open from today (August 27th) until September 6th

4. enter by commenting below with your name and email. No email. No entry. Sorry.

5. Extra entries are as follows:
-post about it somewhere (sidebar, etc.)(leave link in comments) +1
-blog about it somewhere (main post, etc.) +2
-already a follower +5
-follow me +3

6. Please give every entry a separate comment as its easier to pick a winner that way.

Thanks so much.
And Please Enter.

Jill

After Book Review

By: Amy Efaw
Release Date: August 11, 2009

Summary (from Amazon):
An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant . . .Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made—Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there’s only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.

Review:
Character Development: 9/10
Originality: 10/10
Hookability: 10/10
Ending: 5/10
Voice: 8/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total Score: 52
Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 2/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 0/10
Sexual Content: 6/10
Violence: 2/10

After dealt with the unthinkable crime—murdering your own child, disposing of it like garbage. Even though nowadays stories similar to this one are popping up in the news more frequently, rarely does the reader get a chance to see the mother’s point of view.

Though this book was very raw at points it was refreshing to read a book with such a unique, but controversial, topic. You could tell that this was thoroughly researched. The characters at the juvenile center, the lawyers, the court room, the cell, and the feelings were portrayed with such realness and honesty. After reading about Devon’s past, I wasn’t just an innocent bystander to the book; I was living it.

Little by little Devon’s past is exposed and someone who should be very unlikeable turns into a character we can all sympathize with. She was normal. She had dreams and goals and problems at home. And as sad as it is to believe, Devon’s story convinced me that this could happen to anybody. Her worries, denial, and final decision really made you think, what would I do in this situation? Of course the obvious answer is to scream that you would never commit an act so violent and unfair! And even though after reading this novel I still feel like I would say that, I have much more empathy towards those who couldn’t.

I’m not usually a fan of 3^rd person novels but I couldn’t see this one any other way. I still got a clear idea of Devon’s voice and personality even without it being told in 1rst person, not only through her thoughts, but through her conversations with her lawyer and the witnesses in the courtroom.

The only thing I was not satisfied with was the ending. Where yes I can see how it concluded things in a correct and fitting way, it only tied up about half of the loose ends which was disappointing.

AFTER is an eye opening novel with excellent prose and believable characters that help you to begin to understand and sympathize with the tragic dumpster baby phenomenon. Without being preachy, Amy Efaw takes this heart wrenching subject and delivers an unbelievable, powerful, and painfully real novel.

thanks.
Jill
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again sorry for me being MIA for what seems like forever. I'll be back full force soon enough but like I said before school needs to take top proirity now. I just needed a break and decided to write a review but don't expect this again until the 25th. Hey! Good news though! I just reached page 300 on my boring 600 page book that's required for school. Maybe I'll actually finish before school starts.....

thanks again to all my followers and unknown readers though for being so loyal even when I'm not being as kind and up to date with my posts like I should be. I appreciate it more than words can say. So thank you very much.

Now back to the world of King Arthur....

louderthanwordstv

Ballads of Suburbia

By: Stephanie Kuehnert

Release Date: July 21, 2009

Summary (from Amazon):
Kara hasn't been back to Oak Park since the end of junior year, when a heroin overdose nearly killed her and sirens heralded her exit. Four years later, she returns to face the music. Her life changed forever back in high school: her family disintegrated, she ran around with a whole new crowd of friends, she partied a little too hard, and she fell in love with gorgeous bad-boy Adrian, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park....

Amid the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own.

Review:
Character Development: 9/10
Originality: 10/10
Plot/Storyline: 10/10
Ending: 8/10
Voice: 10/10
Recommendation: 10/10
Total Score: 57
Grade: A+

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 9/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 20/10
Sexual Content: 8/10

Written Review:

This novel was brilliant. It was difficult to read at times. It had raw characters in harsh situations. It depicted a scene I was rather unfamiliar with; drugs, alcohol, self abuse, partying, suicides, overdosing, and even the family dynamics seemed strange to me. Normally these things would make me hate a book but this one was different. It was just real. Obviously not my “real” but the reality of the stories (or ballads) in this novel represented so many nameless people. It opened my eyes up to an unseen world.

The characters were great. I hated them and loved them and wished I could help them in some way. I did not relate to anyone directly but each one of them moved me in such a profound way. Their ballads are what really made each character come alive because they were in that character’s POV about the one moment that impacted them the most. It really made you look through their eyes and really see the stair step of events that lead to their downfall of decisions (but it in no way justified the drug usage!).

It goes without saying that the voice was great. It kept me hooked from the beginning with such a nice flow to it. It was interesting how it was placed like a song. The parts were verses or choruses that took place during a certain time. It was also interesting how Stephanie could find one song lyric to represent the entire part or ballad so perfectly. That's definitely a unique talent!

Emotion poured off the page. I cried and laughed. I was shocked and disappointed. I felt each characters struggles and triumph. I was there, in that town, with those people, feeling awful and happy and worried. Emotion is most definitley not lacking in this novel.

The only thing I had a problem with (and it was very minor) was that at times the pacing could get confusing. Some chapters were only a day and others a month. Besides the timeframe in the beginning of the part, the date was based purely on your own assumption. I think it would have been helpful with a date at the beginning of each chapter but I can also realize how Kara wouldn’t realize the exact date if she was writing this 4 or 5 years in the future. Overall I think that’s my own personality getting in the way since I have to have times and dates and plans to keep from getting too stressed so ignore this if you must.

This novel was addicting. It was harsh, raw, cruel, sad, and painful but the scariest of all is that this is real. In one powerful novel whole worlds are exposed. I recommend this novel to anyone ready to see the truth.

Don’t expect a happily ever after. This isn’t that story. This is the ballad of an awful truth, hidden and ignored in our society, which is finally being sung out loud.
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thanks.

jill

Love You, Hate You, Miss You

By: Elizabeth Scott
Release Date: May 26, 2009

Summary (from Barnes and Noble):
Get this, I'm supposed to be starting a journal about "my journey." Please. I can see it now: Dear Diary, As I'm set adrift on this crazy sea called "life" . . . I don't think so.
It's been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her.
And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone now, and she doesn't want to talk about it. They wouldn't get it, anyway. They wouldn't understand what it feels like to have your best friend ripped away from you.
They wouldn't understand what it feels like to know it's your fault.
Amy's shrink thinks it would help to start a diary. Instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia.
But as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past wasn't as perfect as she thought it was—and the present deserves a chance too.

Review:
Character Development: 10/10
Originality: 8/10
Plot/Storyline: 9/10
Ending: 6/10
Voice: 10/10
Recommendation: 9/10
Total Score: 52
Grade: A

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

Written Review:

I adored this novel but I'm pretty much a sucker for any book by Elizabeth Scott. Elizabeth Scott is good at portraying true emotion and this novel didn't disappoint. I felt Amy's anger at Julia for dying and her grieving for the loss of a good friend. I felt her parent's hurt for ignoring the opportunity to learn about their child and I felt their willingness to make it right. I felt like I knew Julia even though we only heard about her through Amy's memories. Every sentence held an almost palpable emotion that really made the novel great.

Though the plot has some cliched points (grief, death, family issues, relationship issues, etc.) the letters to Julia made it really unique. It was interesting to see how Amy related a situation in her normal point of view compared to the letters she wrote to Julia. It also helped to get to know their relationship better by how Amy speaks to her and related stuff back to when Julia was alive (like "remember when....").

We really found out what happened to Julia and why Amy feels so much guilt through the therapy sessions Amy has. That's where all the questions of how and why come into play. The therapist really helped Amy to see that her friendship with Julia wasn't as perfect as she thought.

Amy's recovery as an alcoholic and her grief over losing a best friend were paced in real time which means, as anyone who has lost someone knows you never fully get over the person, you just learn to cope, and throughout the novel Amy learned to do this with the help of newly supportive parents and newly formed relationships.

It was written with evidence to the pains Amy was feeling after losing both things she depends on most--alcohol and her best friend.

But though some of the elements of this story were darker Amy's voice definitely carries loads of sarcastic humor which helped move the story along and keep it light. I think my favorite parts were when Amy was recounting a memory of her and Julia. It really let the reader see inside the friendship from when it started to the tragic end.

Overall, the voice was great, the story was original, the characters were real, and the emotions were raw. This is another poignant novel from a great author. It's worth checking out for anyone wanting a beautiful novel about how learning from the past can help you move towards a better future.

thanks

jill

Winner

Hey Everybody!

I should be back later today or early tomorrow with a review but for now it's time to announce the winner of the Milestones Contest!

Drumroll please....

And the winner with 36 points is.............

PARADOX
from http://paradoxrevealed.blogspot.com/

(email me your address within the next 72 hours to claim your prize)

Thank you to all who participated.

jill

In My Mailbox

inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie

hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren

Its been way too long (like over a month actually) for me to catch up on all of the books I have recieved in that time. (that sounds really bad. Like I've gotten a whole lot. And thats not true. I just don't want to remember what I got in what week and such) so I'll just be mentioning some of the books I've recieved sometime in the last 5-6 weeks.

Here we go....

-The Amanda Project By:Stella Lennon

-Once A Witch By:Carolyn MacCullough

-After By: Amy Efaw

-The Secret Year By: Jennifer R. Hubbard

-Ballads of Suburbia By: Stephanie Kuehnert

-The Espressologist By: Kristina Springer

-How To Say Goodbye In Robot By: Natalie Standiford

-Entrapment By: Michael Spooner

-Hold Still By: Nina LaCour

-Sleepless By: Thomas Fahy

-Never Slow Dance With A Zombie By: E. Van Lowe

-The Real Real By: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

-The Lost Summer By: Kathryn Williams

thanks.

Jill

______________________

O and I'm sorry for my lack of reviews. I babysit from 8AM - 5PM 5 days a week in the summer so I've been pretty tired. But I have been reading still so I do have reviews to post. This week I only work for 2 days so I'm hoping to catch up on a lot.

The winner of the Milestones contest will be announced tomorrow.

I was interviewed!

Over at Sarah Ockler's site for Flip It Friday.

Go check it out

www.sarahockler.com

Thanks!

Jill

Milestones Blog Tour: Contest

Hey!

As some of y'all may have noticed, lately Samira Hodges has been making her way around the blog world to promote her new book Milestones (which I'm SUPER crazy excited to read by the way). Today is her last stop on her blog tour and we decided to end it BIG!

I'm hosting a contest for her. There are multiple ways to win and it should be tons of fun. Samira has made her way to 6 blogs not including my own and given some type of interview or guest blog. Those interviews reveal a lot about Samira and her new book. Have you been paying attention? If so this should be a snap. If not....well the interviews are still posted so you better get to reading.

I just realized y'all probably don't even know what's going on yet. So here goes....There's going to be a contest. It's going to be kind of like a scavender hunt. There will be 10 questions released today and one bonus question released Wednesday. There may be more questions later this week but ALL questions will be released here. The answers can be found at any of the stops from Samira's blog tour and/or her blog itself. Answers can be emailed to me. And each answer is worth a certain amount of points. The contest ends July 4th. Whoever has the most points in the end wins and I'll keep track of all that. Other ways to gain points? Follow my blog, follow Samira's blog, tag people with the handy dandy picture below, post the book trailer for Milestones, etc. Find out all the real details below in a much more organized fashion.

______________________________________________

1. There will be 1o questions.- some multiple choice and some T/F and some just regular questions- and they'll all be released on the same day in one post (this one). (but I might release a few questions later on this week to add a challenge.)

2. Each question will range from easy to "hard" and will be given a certain value of points ranging from 1 pt to 5 pt depending on that.

3. Extra ways to get points

-tagging someone else with the button below-3 pts (just let me know who you tag by emailing me and letting me know. First person 3 pt. Each person after that is worth 1 pt each.

-Following my blog-4 pts

-Following Samira Armin Hodges blog-4 pts

-posting the book trailer (found on Samira's blog and YouTube) on your blog-3 pts

4. To answer the questions email me at readingisbliss@gmail.com with the question number in the subject line. (like Q1 or Q2. If there are multiple questions in one email put all the question #s in the subject line)(does that make sense)

5. Whoever has the most amount of points in the end of the hunt will when first prize of a signed copy of Milestones

6. Second place winner will receive a Milestone Tote Bag

7.The contest will run from the 30th to July 4th

8.All the answers can be found from the blog tour.

9. There will be one bonus question from Samira that will be released on Wednesday- worth 6pt

10. I'll keep track of everything on a spreadsheet and announce the winner July 4th

_________________________________________________

here are some links that might be useful:

Samira's blog: http://sahodges.blogspot.com/

Milestone's trailer:http://sahodges.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-trailer.html

The "tagged" picture:

My email: readingisbliss@gmail.com

All the links to the blog tour:
Girl From Florida
Shalonda's Blog
That Teen Can Blog
TheStory Siren
Presenting Lenore
Hope's Bookshelf

_____________________________________________


and now finally-the questions:



1.What is the name of the girl who tells Faye that she “whines a lot?” (3 pts)
A-Galiana
B-Melaine
C-Hazel
D-None of the above, it was a boy named Benji

2.What is Samira’s dog's name? (2 pts)
A-Rover
B-Fluffy
C-Cooper
D-Carrie-Bean

3.How many summers has Faye attended Camp Milestone? (3 pts)
A-One, this is her first summer.
B-Two, she was here once before when she was younger.
C-Unsure, she has been going there as long as she can remember, unfortunately.
D-None, she doesn’t actually go to the camp she just sends letter back at forth to a camper that is there named Diane.

4.How old is Faye? (1 pt)
A-12
B-16
C-15
D-14

5.Faye is the most popular girl in school. (1 pt)
True or False



6.What is one of Samira’s favorite sports? (3 pts)
A-Football
B-Basketball, she used to play
C-Softball
D-Tennis



7.What character in Milestones is based off of a real person and who are they based off of? (4 pts)

8.True or False. Samira has attended summer camp before. (1 pt)



9.How many books are in the Milestones series? (2 pts)
A-This is the only one
B-It is a trilogy
C-Four
D-Two

10.Who is Faye’s love interest? (2 pts)
A-Cyrus
B-Chester, since before she even knew what love was.
C-Benji, since before she could read.
D-Cal, she met and fell in love with him at camp.

Follow Me: (4 pts)
Follow Samira (4 pts)
Post the Trailer (3 pts)
Tag someone (3 pts)
Tagging a second + persons (1 pt each)
_______________________________________

Email me your answers and soon! Remember this contest only runs until July 4th which is THIS Saturday! Have fun!

thanks
Jill

Touch

By: Francine Prose
Release Date: June 16, 2009

Summary (from Amazon):
What really happened at the back of the bus?
Did they, or didn't they?
Did she, or didn't she?
Something happened to fourteen-year-old Maisie Willard—something involving her three friends, all boys. But their stories don't match, and the rumors spin out of control. Then other people get involved . . . the school, the parents, the lawyers. The incident at the back of the bus becomes the center of Maisie's life and the talk of the school, and, horribly, it becomes news. With just a few words and a touch, the kids and their community are changed forever.

Review:
Character Development: 7/10
Originality: 8/10
Plot/Storyline: 10/10

Ending: 8/10
Voice: 8/10
Recommendation: 9/10

Total Score: 50

Grade: A

Age Appropriate Rating:
Cussing: 3/10
Drugs, alcohol, etc.: 1/10
Sexual Content: 7/10

First Words I think of when I think of this novel:
Traumatic
Uncomfort
Intense
Honest
Suspenseful
Real
Emotional
Gripping

Written Review:

This novel was really well written but at times felt stale. It has a very good flow and was very enjoyable. It hooked me from the beginning. TOUCH's theme centered around relationships but not necessarily dating relationships. More friendships. About losing them and how they can change over time. It has more family drama in it too than I would have expected. That's kind of how this whole "situation" in the novel came about. But mostly this is a novel about trust and how to manipulate it. Maisie learns to trust others but first she learns to trust herself. It does a lot of back and forth talk, like what's a lie versus what isn't and who's right and who's wrong. But really the hardest thing was figuring out what the reality was. What really happenned in the back of the bus.


The friendships are totally believable too. I wouldn't call the character development great for anyone but Maisie but the friendships were written to be believable and honest and left me feeling empathy for Maisie. This is a pretty emotional novel. It's not enough to make you cry, but true emotions do pass through these pages. It's very real. TOUCH is very intense and suspenseful. I finished it in about a day not just because it's a quick read but because I wanted to know for sure what really happened and how it would be resolved.

I wish I could have known the boys' perspective. As much as I love first person novels I think this one would have been better suited in third person so we can get a sense of how the boys felt about everything that happened. Other than that this was an awesome novel that made you question the truth with every sentence. Written with a great but typical teen voice TOUCH is a very original, intense, and powerful novel about the challenges of growing up.

thanks.

Jill
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O by the way look forward to a new and huge contest starting tomorrow! It should be really fun and I'm not the one sending out the prizes so you should actually get them at a decent time. Ha! It will finish off the blog tour for Samira Hodges you might have been seeing around here (it will help you if you've been keeping up. Hint Hint...) and I'm super excited.