Just Your Typical Book Blog

The blog is MOVING!

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Yep. You read that right.

After many debates in my head for the past few months, I've decided that I'm going to merge JYTBB into my other blog: Adventures In Amberland.

My main reason of doing this is because even though I have LOVED running this blog for almost 3 (!!) years, I just don't have time to keep up with being an actual reviewer. Instead of making up excuses, making posts about how I will come back, and doing everything half-way, a merge just makes things easier.

I want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone who has been a follower here, left comments, sent me an e-mail. I really enjoyed running JYTBB, reading amazing books, talking to authors, and meeting some awesome bloggers that I have become friends with. I do plan on still discussing books on the other site. Just not in a review style, and they'll come whenever they come. I want to keep doing Rock This! Thursday though so if you have ever wanted to participate, feel free to shoot me an e-mail.

I've been debating on changing my twitter name and e-mail address, but right now both names I tried to enter in Twitter have been taken. And I'm kind of lazy to set up a new e-mail account. So for the time being you can reach me in the same places. (And my Twitter name is: @JYTBB in case you didn't know.)

I hope a lot of you will follow the new blog. I promise I will not feel your reader with pointless posts. It'll take me a bit, but I'll be re-following other blogs too, and catching up on many upon many of your posts. And if you don't want to follow the new blog because you are a strictly book blogger reader only - that's cool. I understand. For everyone else, this link below shall lead the way:

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ME AT THE NEW SITE!

Blog Tour: Little Women and Me Character Interview

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

What's so bad about being the middle sister?
Have you ever seen The Brady Bunch? Oldest siblings get special privileges for being the oldest; youngest siblings get special treatment for being the youngest and for still being cute, like little puppies; middle siblings get to be Jan Brady. It's not easy.

Any advice to give other middle sisters?
Yes! Get over it! It's taken me my whole life - which is the 14 years before I got sucked into Little Women plus the time afterward - to learn to accept that I'm a middle and stop using it as an excuse for whatever's wrong with my life. It's not my sisters' faults that things are the way they are and if I want my life to be better, it's up to me to change it.

What do you love most about the novel, Little Women?
People are going to think this is corny but it's all the love the main characters have for one another and even some of the supporting characters. Like, in my real life, if the boy next door's grandfather gave a piano to my little sister, everyone'd be all, "What's up with the creepy old guy?" But when Mr. Laurence gives Beth the piano in Little Women, it even puts a tear in my eye.

Who is your favorite March sister?
Even though she started getting on my nerves once I got to meet her up close and personal, it has to be Jo. She's the most alive plus she's interested in writing like I am. Oh, and how can anyone not love Beth?

What was the hardest thing to cope with when you were transported into the era Little Women was written?The lack of decent indoor plumbing. I suppose I missed my family a bit too.

One piece of advice to give those that get sucked into a story and try to change things?
Accept that you will occasionally experience "story amnesia," even if this later surprises others who read about your adventures. You ever hear the phrase "can't see the forest for the trees"? Well, getting sucked into a book, no matter how well you think you know the book, is like that. It's a lot different, living through a story firsthand as opposed to reading about it from the comfort of your bedroom; and you find yourself so busy dealing with and reacting to whatever in the story is happening to you at the time that it becomes difficult to focus on anything else.

Don't forget to stop by Just Another Book Addict tomorrow to see what Christy thought of Little Women and Me!

♥amber

NaNoWriMo. Are you down for the cause?

2011-10-31T15:07:00.004-05:00

I've never exactly "won" NaNoWriMo. The first time I did it, I think I made it to about 35K then said screw it. The 2nd time I went over the 50K mark with The Unexpected Clash of Strangers, made a ton of progress on it, but then crashed miserably in the end.Each time I've done NaNoWriMo, I've never had a fresh new idea. I know that's the jist of things, but really who the heck is going to kick me out for NOT having a fresh new idea? Exactly.

Last year while having the flu I read some of The Iron Fey series and watched an ABC Family movie about a princess and it struck me that I wanted to write my own world. I've never been a big fantasy reader, but I absolutely loved fairy tales as a kid. My favorite show? Grimm's Classic Fairy Tales. I would come a runnin' full force into the living room when I heard the theme song.The idea, like most of my ideas, kind of deflated after a month or so. Who was I kidding? ME write a fantasy book? I've only read contemporary novels forever. I had no business trying to come up with kingdom names. So I moved on to other stories then to a few months of not really giving a crap if I ever wrote again (that's for another post). Last month, my characters were tugging at my mind. I went back over what I had written (about 80 pages of stuff), and I picked it apart. Took the good out and left the bad in another file and started tackling the sucker.

I have a new plot.

A few new characters.

A whole lot of bloodshed.

And some awesome creatures lurking through my fairy tale realm.

And most of all, I have a kick butt MC who is about to go on a ride of her life.

Oh, and I have boys. Hot boys.

For my NaNoWriMo, I am working on what I've always nicknamed: Fairy Tale. I suck completely at writing a synopsis, but here's the jist:

Gabby stopped believing in fairy tales the night her father was brutally killed before her eyes. What she saw was a creature in a red hood, but that's not what the cameras caught. Nearly 10 years later, Gabby cannot help but notice how things are starting to get strange. She's seeing things she saw as a child. Like a fairy in her locker, trolls tripping the basketball players, and then the biggest nightmare of all: the creature who killed her father. The moment Gabby thinks she's safe, a realm opens up, and suddenly her and her best friend, Jesse, are sucked in to it.

Determined to get back home, Gabby takes on the help of a guy named Mason and his band of not-so-merry men. But Mason seems to have his own agenda, and when they're found by a dark prince, Gabby is starting to realize that her father had failed to ever tell her the truth of who he really was. Who her mother was, and who Gabby is destined to be.

Hey. Don't say I didn't warn you I suck at writing summaries.What about you? Are you doing NaNoWriMo? Find me: sammyjones57 and let's cheer each other on! If you want to keep up with my updates, go check out my other blog (Which will probably soon JYTBB's new home by next year. Running two separate blogs seems a bit silly, and let's face it, I am not the best book blogger anymore.)

Crossroads: Jeri Smith-Ready and Amanda Ashby + Giveaway!!

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

You have two series – one in YA and one in Adult – is it hard juggling the two?
It’s pretty challenging to keep up with competing deadlines, but I love having the variety of two different sets of characters. My adult series is a bit lighter than my YA, so it’s fun to have that as a change in mood once in a while.

If you could jump into either series and be apart of the story, which one would it be?
Wow, good question! Do I want to live in a world where ghosts are everywhere and known by the public, or a world where vampires are living in secret? I guess it would depend on which one of the guys I’d be allowed to date. If I could be Ciara (from the WVMP RADIO series) and have Shane as a boyfriend, that would be ideal.

Do you have any other series you’re planning on starting?
After SHINE, the third book in the SHADE trilogy, I’m writing a stand-alone YA contemporary. We’ll be announcing details about it later in October (probably by the time this interview is out!), but I can tell you this much: 1) it’s a boy book, and 2) I am SO, so excited about it!

Is there any book you wish you would have wrote?
There are books I’m in awe of, like IF I STAY by Gayle Forman or LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green. But if I’d written them, they would’ve been different books. Every author brings his or her own voice and life experience to a book, which is why two novels can treat the same subject and be totally different.

Want to win one of Jeri Smith-Ready's books? Just leave a comment below with your e-mail address (no e-mail, no entry). This is ONLY open to those with a US mailing address. The winner will be chosen at the end of the tour.

You have a great mix of all sorts of paranormal, is there one myth or creature you think you won’t ever write?
I probably wouldn’t ever write vampires, not because they’ve been done to death, but because I love Buffy far too much to ever want to create a new vampire world. In fact the whole reason I wrote Zombie Queen of Newbury High was because I was looking for an alternative to all the vampires that were around at the time!

What is your favorite paranormal creature?
Demons! They are smart and evil but I like to think that they have the potential for good as well.

Do you plan on writing any sequels to any of your books?
No plans at present though I have been receiving a few emails asking for a follow up to Fairy Bad Day, so perhaps in the future that might be on the cards?!

Favorite thing about Halloween?We don’t really celebrate Halloween in Australia though I do buy lots of candy in case we get trick or treaters so I guess I like to eat as much of that as I can before I have to give it away!

Crossroads: Joy Preble and Dawn Dalton

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Do you always remember your dreams?
Yes, absolutely. I still remember dreams I had when I was five years old. I am a vivid dreamer. I really did give that to Anne. Like Anne, I’ve had numerous dreams in my life that were more like movies – I was clearly not dreaming as myself. (although interestingly, since I’ve been writing the series, I’ve had fewer of those!)

Oddest dream you’ve ever had?
Hmmm…. Once I dreamed that I swallowed a bird. It was black bird – like a crow maybe? – and it walked right down my throat. (I was sick with strep when I dreamed this so probably my throat hurt!)

What do you want readers to take away from your series?
That there are second chances in this world. That destiny exists but we can miss it if we’re not watching carefully. That we can change our path. And that it’s never too late for love.

If you could jump into your book at any time, would you?
I’d jump into almost any scene in book 3, especially the time travel ones. And the ending to book 3 – oh my! I hope you guys love it.

What do you love about the paranormal genre?
I was actually late to jump on the paranormal bandwagon – authors were putting out amazing fiction I glossed over because I didn’t understand what I was missing.And then I read Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten. The book kind of changed my life – and turned me on to the paranormal genre.I love the great world building that happens in paranormal fiction, and the flexibility with characters. Somehow the romance seems hotter, the issues edgier. Truthfully, they’re highly addictive.

Why should we pick up your books?
Hopefully because they pique – and then hold – your interest.

Favorite scary story?
My favorite scary stories are the urban legends my uncle used to share around the campfire when I was a kid. He was born with one hand and used a mechanical hook – which made the “Hook” legend one his greatest stories. He should have been a writer. Amazing storytelling ability.

Did you always want to be an author?
Not until Grade 6 when a teacher steered me down that path. My best friend in elementary school was an amazing artist. She could draw anything. From scratch. Another friend could sing like an opera star. I remember thinking then, “what if I don’t have a talent?” Mrs. Kratky was tough, but she was a fabulous mentor, and she believed in her students. She dragged me out of self-pity mode and into a creative writing class.

Crossroads: Kitty Keswick and Linda Joy Singleton

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Give us four reasons why we should pick up your book:

1. It’s a fun paranormal romp.
2. British lingo and hot hero!
3. It is a series. You’ll have a chance to get to know the world longer.
4. Werewolves are a howl.

What is magic to you?
Magic is something I wish were real. I think that’s why I write about it so much, trying to make my own wishes come true.Do you listen to music while you write? No. I usually have TV on in the background for company since I’m alone a lot.

Have you experienced any ‘rock star’ writing moments?
Yeah, and I loved it. The first was when I was invited to BEA in Chicago, my air and room paid by my publisher, and my editor led me to the “Green Room” where Newbery winner (and online friend) Linda Sue Park was just coming out. Books were waiting for me on a signing table. Also signing were writing stars that dazzled me, like Daniel Handler and Meg Cabot. I had 30 minutes of floating on stardust. Amazing!

What’s next for you writing wise?
I just finished a science fiction YA (mystery-romance) and my agent is shopping it to editors. Since it’s the first book in a trilogy, I need to get started on Book 2 soon, so I’ve started writing down ideas for the plot. I have a general idea of what will happen but expect lots of surprises along the way. I hope it sells soon – check my Facebook for news!

Crossroads: Shannon Delany and Carrie Harris

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

What do you say to the people who think stories about vampires or werewolves are overrated? (For the record: I still love vamp and wolfie stories!)
Two things: don’t read what you don’t want to (and for heaven sakes, don’t complain about what you don’t know) AND consider the author’s reason for using a vehicle like a werewolf or vamp to tell their tale. We don’t randomly plunk a paranormal into a world because we think it’s “hawt”—the vast majority of us do it because of the subconscious meaning attributed to that vehicle.

Is Bargains and Betrayals the last book in the 13 to Life series?
NOPE. Originally the series was set to end at three but after 13 to Life hit stores my publisher asked to add two more novels to my contract bringing our total to five. We still have Destiny and Deception and Rivals and Retributions (both releasing in 2012).

Who is your favorite character out of the series?
Max. What?! Eh, I don’t know. I love and get ticked at them all equally most days. I want to shake Jess from time to time and throttle Pietr because they make some stellar decisions, you know? Max is easier to deal with in some ways because there’s not much subtext with Max. He’s just Max. He’s the guy I’d hang out with.

What upcoming project(s) can you tell us about?
I’m actively developing two stories right now (both VERY different). One’s science fiction/cyberpunk and I’d like to see it as a trilogy. It connects to my short story in the Leap Books charity anthology SPIRITED: 13 Haunting Tales and is set in the future (beyond what’s popularly being termed “the Singularity”). The other one goes in the absolutely opposite direction and takes us into the past approximately 170 years to deal with an amazing moment that’s often overlooked in history. Both include rebellion. And kissing.

Would you survive the Zombie Apocolypse?
I’d TOTALLY survive. I mean, I’m an expert on the subject! Not only do I write monster books, but I have a ninja doctor husband. No, seriously. He has a fourth degree black belt in ninjutsu, and I’ve actually seen him knock shuriken out of the air with his hands. It’s surprisingly sexy.Ahem. Anyway. I am not a black belt. I have a green belt, which means that I should be able to fall down without hurting myself, although sometimes I think that’s debatable. So my survival strategy is to stand behind my husband and yell helpful tips like, “GET IT IN THE HEAD! NO, IN THE HEAD!!!!”

What was the first idea that sparked Bad Taste in Boys?
My books are less AN idea and more a BUNCH of ideas all mashed together like an algebra equation gone out of control. So I started off thinking I wanted to do a book about the dead football players from Beetlejuice. And I wanted to do a book about a rational person who became convinced that zombies were attacking her town. And I wanted to write a book in which the geek saves the day. And I think mad scientists are awesome. So you put all those things together, and the result is BAD TASTE IN BOYS.

Best thing about writing?
Frankly, I still can’t believe that I get paid for making up stories about supernatural beasties. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!?! My job can be hard and sometimes frustrating because I am impatient and things happen so bleeping slow. But more than anything, it’s fun. I never know what the day will bring. I might get into a heated debate with a copy editor over whether the word “awesomesauce” is one word or two (and clearly, it is ONE). I might finally figure out who the bad guy is. I might crack myself up with a scene and spit Dr Pepper all over my computer. And that is just plain awesomesauce. Which is one word, damn it.

Any new projects you can tell us about?
I’ve just finished the copy edits for my sequel, which is called BAD HAIR DAY and will hit the shelves in November 2012. It’s about werewolves and nanotechnology and blueberry flavoured astronauts and killer coconuts, and it makes me snarf things out my nose when I think about it. I’m also working on some shorter Grable projects that I hope to release in the meantime through my website, because I AM IMPATIENT AND I’M NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT.Ahem. Sorry.

Crossroads: Rachel Vincent + Giveaway!

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Did you always set out to write series?
The Soul Screamers books were always intended to be a series, yes. I like too dig deeper into the characters and world than a single book will allow.

Hardest part of writing a series?
I actually find sequels (with a continuing POV character) to be easier to write than standalones or the first in a new series, because with sequels, I already know the characters and their world.

Do you have one character your favor from all the others?
No. I have some that are more fun to write, but I like all the characters. Sabine and Tod are particularly fun to write from Kaylee’s perspective, but difficult to write from their own. I love writing Nash, because he’s so angsty.

What is your favorite thing about Halloween?
It’s a great excuse to put a skeleton on my front yard.

To win a copy of one of Rachel Vincent's books, just leave a comment below with your e-mail address. (No e-mail, no entry!) ONLY open to those with a US Mailing Address! (Sorry outside of the states readers!). If you do not want to leave your e-mail in a comment, just shoot me an e-mail. Winner will be chosen at the end of the Crossroads Blog Tour.

Crossroads: Lucienne Diver and Jackie Morse Kessler

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Is Book 3 going to be the last book in Vamped series?
Nope! I’m pleased to say that Flux Books has also picked up the fourth in the series, Fangtabulous, which I’m writing now. It’ll be set in Salem, Massachusetts, the most haunted town in America.

Did you always plan on this being a series?
I didn’t even know that Vamped would be a novel. When it first came to me I didn’t even really have a story in mind. Just the idea of vamping out a teen fashionista whose own personal hell would involve the eternal lack of a reflection, giving her no way to check her hair and make up. I loved the idea of the initial freak out, having to dig her own way out of the grave, totally ruining her manicure and discovering that her parents had buried her in the one dress in her closet she literally wouldn’t be caught dead in. At most, I had in mind a vignette. But when my writers group wanted more, I had to give it a lot more thought and my heroine more dimension. My Gina, she’s tough. When life gives her lemons, she uses them to combat freckles. Unfortunately, she gets a lot more than she bargained for in the first book when she decides her first order of business is to turn her own stylist and start an undead entourage.

Favorite thing you love about the world you’ve created?
I love that the way I’ve set things up. I can take my characters to a new location with each book and explore the personalities of the places as well as the people.

Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
Once I finish the fourth book in the Vamped series (books 1 and 2, Vamped and Revamped are out, and book 3, Fangtastic, will be released in January 2012), I’m onto the sequel to my adult urban fantasy Bad Blood, which came out in digital in June and will be out in print in May 2012. Bad Bood and the sequel, Crazy in the Blood, feature a Los Angeles P.I. Tori Karacis, who has the ability to literally stop men in their tracks due to some gorgon blood way back in the family line. She’s dealing in murder and mayhem from Greek gods in modern day who’ve decided they want to stage a comeback. Ready or not, here they come….

Do you relate to any of your characters?
I relate to ALL of them! That sounds weird, maybe, but there’s a part of me in all the characters I create, from the heroes to the jerks to the villains to everyone in between.

What is your favorite thing about writing?
There’s nothing quite like creating a story word by word. Everything from the visualization to the actual crafting of sentences is just intense. Okay, sometimes that intensity is another word for insanity, but hey, that’s part of the process. :P I especially love dialogue – when the right character says the right thing at the right time, I just want to cheer. Sometimes, I even do. Loudly. The neighbors don’t like it.

Favorite Halloween movie?
If you’re talking the series Halloween, the first one. Utterly terrifying, in a cheesy, over-the-top way. I also love The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Why should readers pick up your book?
Because I would love them forever. Also, Death rocks. And sings.

Crossroads: Angie Frazier and Kiki Hamilton

2011-10-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have a certain writing schedule you stick to?
I would love to have a set schedule, but I’m stuck with grabbing my writing time whenever I can get it. Lately, I’ve been doing most of my writing at night after the kids are in bed. I require caffeine at that point!

Favorite book you’ve written so far?
A YA fantasy that is currently with my agent. I am so proud of this novel. It is such a departure from Everlasting and I really hope it sees the shelves some day. Wish I could say more, but…

What was the first story you ever wrote?
My first completed novel was a time travel romance that I wrote in high school! It was a terrible, historically inaccurate book, but I caught the writing bug and haven’t been able to stop since.

Your favorite thing about writing?
I love escaping into new worlds, different times, and developing characters and watching them play out their stories.

Have you always had a fascination with the faerie world?
I can’t say that I’ve always been fascinated with the faerie world, but what does fascinate me is the idea that there are other worlds or planes that intersect with our own, but remain unseen.

Is there one character in your story you relate to more than others?
I do love all of my characters, and relate to them on one level or another but I’d have to say that I relate to Tiki the most.

If your series was turned into a movie or TV show, who would you cast?
Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. The girl in my trailer is close to how I’d imagine Tiki and I saw a shot of a model once that was a dead ringer for Larkin, but I couldn’t pick any actors to portray the characters right now. Plus, I wouldn’t want to change someone’s own mental image they get from reading the book. If Hollywood comes knocking then I’ll figure it out then!

Favorite book of all-time?
The Harry Potter series, which is (as we all know) actually seven books.Thanks so much for having me over! xo Kiki

Crossroads: Stacey Kade and Judith Graves

2011-10-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

What is your favorite quality in your character Alona?
She often says what people are thinking. And there’s a freedom in that. However, a lot of what she says isn’t very nice which is WHY people aren’t saying it.

What do you love about writing the paranormal world?
What I love about writing the paranormal world is that there’s still room to explore, discover new things/creatures/phenomena. But you can still blend it with the known world. A balance between the exotic and the ordinary. That’s what I like to read and write!

One book or series you think is highly over-looked?
Well, it’s not overlooked so much as it is new and I LOVE IT and want other people to love it: ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake. It rocks, you guys. And it’s super scary.

I loved Anna Dressed In Blood! Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?
I just turned in the first book of a new series, The Rules. It’s the first book in a new series. It’s about a girl who was raised as a genetic experiment hiding from her creators under the guise of being a “normal” sixteen-year-old, and the boy who tempts her to break the rules that confine her existence and keep her safe.

Tell us about a scary encounter.
This isn’t quite the scary story you’re expecting, but it’s terrifying nevertheless. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that, “Approximately 50 percent of the nation's unemployed youth age 16-21 are functional illiterate, with virtually no prospects of obtaining good jobs.” Illiteracy is a scary thing. And it’s global.In the U.S. organizations like 826 National have rallied behind literacy awareness. “Author Dave Eggers and award-winning educator Nínive Calegari co-founded 826 Valencia as a place where students, parents, and families from the under-resourced schools nearby could access after-school tutoring, workshops, field trips, and writing programs, all for free.”How’s that for sending terror into the heart of illiteracy? Leap Books is doing its part in publishing Spirited: 13 Haunting Tales (set for release October 31, 2011), an anthology with proceeds going to 826 National. Particiapaing authors include, me...lol…and a bevy of big name authors: Maria V. Snyder, Candace Havens, Jill Williamson, Shannon Delany, Kitty Keswick, Linda Joy Singleton, Dawn Dalton and more!Check out the trailer: http://youtu.be/-9yZlLasZ7Y

Did you always set out to write a series?
SKINNED was always a series, yes, however, I’ve since expanded the overall story arc and the third book, Skin of My Teeth, may not be the goodbye to the macabre world of Redgrave that I originally intended. That being said, the establishing plot has remained consistent, there are just many more twists and turns before the dramatic ending I’ve planned.

Where do you find your best inspiration?
Anywhere.

But I’m usually struck by amazing plot twists while in the shower – the dogs know to clear the path for the babbling woman bolting from the steaming bathroom for the coil notebook and pen ever present on my nightable. Hmmm….now that just makes me sound a bit crazy. If your series were to turn into a movie, who would you cast?Oh, that would be cool! I’d probably hope the director cast a bunch of brilliantly talented unknowns and together we’d take the world by storm. ;)

Blog Tour: Amplified by Tara Kelly

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you were to have a teenage garage sale, what would be in it? As part of the Amplified Blog Tour, author Tara Kelly is here to tell us what would be in her's!

This is hard since I didn't have a lot growing up. Most of what was precious to me I'd made or wrote in (like a notebook)

A skateboard
Fishnet tights
Fishnet shirts made from fishnet tights
Vinyl pants
Chainmail chokers
Knee-high Docs
Flannels
Vintage Levi's with my art drawn all over them
Several dozen band T-shirts
Manic Panic hair dye in every color the rainbow
About 1000 books, heavy on the horrorA plastic red lunchbox decorated with white-out, band stickers, and marker drawings
Drumsticks
Loads of CDs, mostly of every goth and industrial band ever in existence.
Oh, and some local punk thrown in for good measure.

Tara Kelly adores variety in her life. She's a YA author, one-girl-band, web designer, video editor, digital photographer, and literary agent intern. She lives in Portland with her ten guitars, supercool bf, and a fluffy cat named Maestro. Wanna learn more about Tara and her books? Make sure to swing by her website. And don't forget to pick up your copy of Amplified!

When privileged 17-year-old Jasmine gets kicked out of her house, she takes what is left of her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. Jasmine finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convince the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from over the hill can hack it...

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

2011-09-22T18:02:00.003-05:00

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Released: August 2011
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Young Adult - Horror - Ghost
Pages: 316
Buy: Amazon
Source: Around the World Book Tours

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

---
Here's something you may not know about me: I love a good ghost story. I may not read that many books anymore that revolve around ghosts, but growing up any sort of scary/ghost/legend story was my cup of tea. It's funny how after years and years of reading you forget how much you loved a certain genre. Anna Dressed In Blood was that wonderful reminder that I need more horror in my reading pile.

No doubt what made this book so appealing and freaking fantastic was the writing. You have this narrator, Cas, who is a complete kick-butt main character with a lot of snark, witty comebacks - ya know, my type of guy. But he also has all of these elements and layers a main character should have. He's brave, yet not. He has a great heart yet has trouble letting those in. For good reason considering what he does for a "living". The way everything is told through Cas, I could have seriously lived in his character forever. All the descriptions, action, and the SUSPENSE! Where has this author been hiding?! She writes a book how it should be read. No long dull fillers. No unnecessary crap you need to know. The plot is constantly moving, new clues are being brought to life, and somehow in the mix of the horror - she can throw in a genuine love story. Can we say genius? Cause I know I sure can.

Now that I've gushed on the amazingly awesome (I wish I could freaking write like that) author, let me discuss the horror part of this. I've read some people say they got scared reading this. I am a wuss. I will not deny it. I wouldn't go as far to say that I was scared during the story, but when I was reading this curled up in bed with my little book light, I would kind of peak around sometimes cause it did give me the heebee jeebees once in a while.

Let me take this back to the characters real quick. I already professed my love for Cas, but I need to point out how well Anna was written into this story as well. You would think a psycho murdering ghost was well...a psycho murdering ghost. Not in this story. Anna is terrifying, but she is so interesting. Her life. Why she is in that house. What Cas has to do to figure out her mystery will keep you glued until the end. When you get to the end, you'll want to go back.

♥amber

Hiii. I'm back!

2011-09-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

Yep, you read that right. I'm sure you were all just wondering if I had fallen off the face of the Earth. (Okay, more in likely only a handful of you may have been slightly curious, and I doubt there was even a handful of you, but a girl can make believe she's loved, riight?)

Anyhoo.

I hope you are all doing fantastic! I'm doing mucho better (at least 75% better) than I had been all summer. If you would have asked me two weeks ago if I was coming back to blogging, I probably would have told you no. Even though I said I missed it on Twitter, there was a big chunk of me that really...well...didn't. All of last week, as I was setting up my office (Oh btw, I moved into my very own house. I have an office where all my pretty books are now stored. It's so nice), I realized: Wow. I really freaking miss blogging! I miss talking to bloggers, finding new books, and actually reading (I've only read 1 full book in almost 2 months!!)

So, I'm back. I plan on writing up a bunch of posts tonight and getting them scheduled. I've still gotta kind of navigate my way around this whole new layout on blogger. ~~When the crap did this happen? I also have to figure out why Blogger doesn't allow me to leave comments on anyone's blog. Anyone have that problem? Anyone want to fill me in on what the crap to do?~~ Problem solved.

I've also decided to make some changes to the blog, but more on that later whenever I get things in order better. Hhmmm...I guess that's all I've got to say. See y'all around!

♥amber

Blog Tour: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

2011-09-01T14:37:00.000-05:00

Character Interview with Chloe from Kody Keplinger's second novel, Shut Out.

Describe yourself in three words
Awesome, awesome, and awesome?
Okay, fine, whatever. That's cheating. Um . . .
Honest, loyal, and sexy.

What are some of your hobbies?
Do boys count as a hobby? Because I think they take up most of my free time. But otherwise, I'd say just hanging out with Lissa, watching high school football games, and driving my car around. I'm pretty chill.

There's no doubt you are a blunt girl. Why do you think it's important to never hold back?
It's just a waste of time. Like, seriously, beating around the bush on things just sucks up time for all parties. Why not just get the truth out there and get it over with? Yeah, maybe some people will get upset, but it's bound to happen anyway. Rip off the band-aid already.

What is your favorite feature on a guy?
Oh, the answer to this question isn't entirely appropriate for all audiences, if you know what I mean. So I'm going to give the G-rated version and say hair. A boy with good hair is a boy I like.

What makes you a good friend?
Other than being one of the coolest people they know?
Haha, I'm kidding. Seriously, though, my friends are the most important people to me. Like LIssa? She gets on my nerves sometimes, sure, but I would anything for that girl. Including going on a stupid no-boys strike. I can't believe she talked me into that one. But it was important to her, and she's important to me. So I'd say that what makes me a good friend is devotion. My friends come first, even over boys.

Anything you wish you would have done differently during the strike?
I wish I hadn't given Kelsey such a hard time all the time. Okay, that's sort of a lie, I love picking on Kelsey. But I got to know her a little during the strike, and she's not quite as bad as I thought. So I wish I'd been a tiny, TINY bit nicer to her in the beginning. Not much, though. Let's not go overboard here or anything.

Blog Tour: Anna Dressed In Blood

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Anna Dressed In Blood was one of my favorite ghost-type stories I have stumbled upon in a long time. A review will be posted up later (ya know when I actually get back to using this blog). Today I'm excited to have Cas, the main character who has such depth to him he'll surely be a favorite among readers, here with us!

10 Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About Me

1. I am no fan of spiders.

2. I listen to modern rock, and don’t really like classic. Except for The Rolling Stones. My Dad and Gideon’s influence.

3. When I was a kid, my mom and dad taught me to read using The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. It’s still my favorite book.

4. I am basically addicted to Saskatoon jam.

5. Of my two namesakes, Theseus the Greek hero and Cassio from Othello, I would rather be more like Cassio.

6. I can identify every one of my mother’s candle spells just by scent.

7. One of my favorite movies is Tarantino’s Death Proof. I’d never seen it until Carmel brought it over and made me and Thomas watch it.

8. I like to rock climb.

9. I’ve never been to a concert. (Amber: It's okay Cas, I will take you to one.)

10. My dad is buried at his family plot in Massachusetts. Aside from the funeral, I’ve never been to the grave and neither has my mother.

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

2011-08-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Released: August 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown
Genre: Young Adult - Fairy Tales - Series
Pages: 320
Source: Dark Faerie Tales Blog Tour

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

---

Jackson Pearce has got to be one of my favorite authors. I absolutely am in love with her storytelling. Yes, not just writing, but her ability to really tell a story. Fairy Tales are something all of us know well, and there are tons of re-tellings out there, but I swear this woman is the Queen of them. Not to mention she wrote such a kick ass opening that sucked me in!

Sisters Red was a favorite for me, but I think Sweetly topped it. I loved Gretchen and Ansel, and them stumbling into this town where secrets are being kept. There is something out there taking girls, and everyone wants to point the finger at Sophia, the young woman who hold an annual Chocolate Festival every year. Sophia had me curious from the moment she came into the story. Her house may have not been made of candy and sweets, but was a baker. The way it was written, I felt like I was there smelling all the goodies and tasting them. I seriously was craving sweets through this book! I liked seeing the side of Ansel that Sophia brought out. He was more quiet and timid character, but it was cute seeing the way he acted around her.

Then there was Samuel. Oh, Samuel. I swear my inner character whore was swooning over this boy. I loved the relationship between him and Gretchen. Gretchen was so tired of being scared of the witch that took her twin sister. Instead of relying on Samuel to be her protector like a lot of girls in stories would do, Gretchen wanted to learn how to fight for herself. It was refreshing to see such a strong-willed character that wasn't overly stubborn and could have her sensitive side as well.

The setting was perfect. I still felt as if I were reading a fairy tale, yet it was done in modern times. It's something very tricky to do when you think about. Between the characters, suspense, and the fact I was craving chocolate throughout this book the best part was the outcome. Jackson gave such fantastic twists - I did not see all those answers coming out like that! The balance she had for both plot and characters will make any reader fall in love with this re-telling. I hope Jackson continues to do some more re-tellings in the future. She rocks them!

♥amber

Saying goodbye......for at least a little while.

2011-08-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hi kids!

I don't like flooding the blog with reasons of why I've been so absent, but life has a way of sticking its nasty little nose in my reading/blog business and sadly JYTBB is the last thing on my mind. I don't really want to go into detail, but let's just say things have been very chaotic lately. Some of it's good. Really good. And some of it...well, it's bad. Really bad.

My big master plan was to get SO MUCH reading done, but that didn't happen. Here it is August and I've got plans for the entire month....writing plans that is. Yep, I'm doing something crazy and I'm going to Camp NaNoWriMo. I know there will still be some scheduled posts coming up, but besides that, I guess I will be seeing y'all in September! Enjoy the rest of your summer :)

♥amber

Rock This Thursday with Alyxandra Harvey

2011-07-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
“Trouble is a friend”, Lenka ;)

What was the inspiration behind Haunting Violet?
The idea for Haunting Violet popped into my head when I was reading about fake séances in the 1870’s. I could picture Violet reluctantly working for her mother and how confused she would be if she ever found out ghosts were actually real. Once I had that question in my mind, I just felt compelled to answer it!

Did you make a playlist for Haunting Violet? If so, can you share a few tracks with us?
I do usually make playlists for my books. I wasn’t in the habit of it back when I wrote Haunting Violet, but I did listen to a lot of Classical music, especially Baroque.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
So many! So, so many! A smattering includes Jane Austen, Mary Oliver, Holly Black, Terri Windling, Charles de Lint, Patricia McKillip...

What is a genre you don't ever see yourself writing?
Gory horror. Heavily Science-based Science fiction. Crime novels.

Was the switch between vampires and ghost easy for you?
I actually wrote and sold Haunting Violet to Bloomsbury before I’d even written the first Drake Chronicles, before I even knew there would be such a thing as the Drake Chronicles series.
I really love the paranormal genre and all of the great mythic creatures we can play with. I’m grateful to be able to explore it more fully!

What was the first story you ever wrote about?
I can’t really remember since I was about 9 years old. But by thirteen I was writing these long fantasy quest books and “myths” explaining why leaves turn red in autumn and stuff like that. Also, very bad rhyming poetry. Just saying.

Tell us five random facts about yourself:
1- I don’t like using exclamation points. But for some reason on blogs and interviews I! Keep! Using! Them!

2-I helped a big weird looking turtle cross the road today

3-I hate coriander. With a deep and abiding passion. Hate.

4-I am a vegetarian

5-Best dessert: my mom’s apple pie

A lot of songs tell a story of some sort. What's one song you think would make a good YA novel?
A fab question! I used “Killing Moon” by Echo and the Bunnymen for “Hearts at Stake”/ ‘My Love lies Bleeding” but I tend to choose songs like that midway through a book. Maybe a Morrissey song. I know people say he’s depressing but he makes me laugh.

Have you experienced any 'rock star writing' moments since you've been published?
I think my rock star moments would include seeing reader-made videos for the books, a song someone wrote for The Drake Chronicles and signing someone’s arm. Very cool! Also, once, on book tour, I actually had no idea what city I was in.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Alyxandra! If you would like to know more about her and her books, please check out the following links:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

2011-07-20T08:00:00.003-05:00

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

Released: July 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 300
Source: Around the World Tours

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves.

But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

---

I really enjoyed Mandy Hubbard's first two books. They were cute and perfect for those days that you'd like something fun and light to read. Ripple has definitely topped both of these books. Somehow she managed to make a book that seems like it would fall under the paranormal genre into a contemporary one. I love that because contemporary is my all-time favorite.

I just want to gush about how much I loved this book. I read it when I was in a reading slump and it yanked me right out of it. The beginning had such a somber tone, you could really feel what Lexi was going through. She used to be popular. Used to have a slew of friends to hang out with every weekend. Then she fell in love with Stephen and killed him. Because of the guilt, she let everyone blame her. She pushed them away, and instead of having those friends in her corner, they're against her, taunt her sometimes. All except for Cole.

Cole is straight up smexy. Sure he could make a lot of people walk into the room and swoon, but he cares for people. He's not afraid of pushing Lexi either. He knows there is something going on, and he wants that wall that she has built up to be brought down. Obviously, I just loved seeing these two characters together. I loved the resistance that Lexi had and how badly she wanted to tell her secret and all the reasons why she couldn't.

Then came Erik There are so many things I would like to say about him, but I can't due to giving one of the biggest parts of the book away. Let's just say I could feel the connection and almost spell he seemed to put on Lexi. What makes his character so great is what he brought to the plot. Mandy really surprised the heck out of me in the last few chapters! At one point I actually yelled: WHAT?!

This book had such great elements to it. Great characters, easy visuals, and a plot that keeps moving with great twist. And Mandy has said that she would like to expand on it and turn it into a series which I think would be awesome! These characters and her own spin on Sirens was fantastic, and I'd love for there to be more about them. So go buy this book so it can happen!

♥amber

In My Mailbox

2011-07-17T08:53:00.001-05:00

Since I haven't been posting that regualary, I didn't want to fill the blog full of just IMM posts. So here is the past couple weeks:

For Review

Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (TBS Tour)

Overbite by Meg Cabot (Publisher)

Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe (Tour)

Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (TBS Tour)

(Does anyone else get weird random adult titles sent to them? I have a stack going on. I never post them here because I'm not interested in reading them so I doubt y'all are.)

Bought

Swapping Lives by Jane Green

Bookends by Jane Green

Second Chance by Jane Green

Straight Talking by Jane Green

Bare Necessity by Carole Mathews

Earth to Betsy by Beth Pattillo

Shout Down the Moon by Lisa Tucker

The Realm of Hungry Spirits by Lorraine Lopez

A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer

More Bought/Swapped

Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa (review here)

Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

Gifts From the Lovely YA Bliss

All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky by Joe R. Lansdale

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Not pictured: LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR BY STEPHANIE PERKINS!! IT WAS EXCELLENT!! AND YES I SQUEALED OUT LOUD WHEN I OPENED THE PACKAGE AND SAW IT!

You might be thinking...wait a minute, Amber. Isn't This Lullaby your favorite book of all time? How could you NOT have your own copy already? Oh, but I do. This is actually my second copy that I sent to Sab because.....

SHE MET SARAH DESSEN AND GOT IT SIGNED FOR ME!!

Well that's it for me. What did you guys get this week?

♥amber

He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott

2011-07-14T15:35:00.001-05:00

He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott
(He's So/She's So Trilogy - Book #2)

Released: June 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Pages: 360
Source: Bought
Buy: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

In He's So Not Worth It, Kieran Scott manages to umph up the drama, develop the characters, deliver a kick-butt plot, and makes this sequel even BETTER than She's So Dead To Us.

Oh yes, I just said that.

Usually I find sequels a bit so-so in a triology. They are necessary to transition the plot and the characters to lead you up to the final book - the big sha-bang. But He's So Not Worth It was just fan-freaking-tasticaly amazing! No doubt this is one of the best contemporary series I've ever laid my eyes on.

When we left our lovely Ally, Jake, and the Cresites crap had hit the fan and spun around all over the place. And it doesn't look like it's going to stop. The book opens right where the first one left off - Ally's dear old dad who had been MIA for two years without even a phone call just chilling out on her and her mother's doorstep like they were supposed to welcome him back with open arms. Ally's dad infuriated me with his way of thinking things were going to be the same in this family. My heart broke for Ally because as much as she was ticked to see her dad, she was also excited too. You can't blame her for it.

Ticked that Jake's grades were slipping, his mom grounds him for the summer. No shore vacation for him. Instead he's stuck having to get a job, not being able to see Ally and trying to get through the summer. I am so glad that this series is told from both Jake and Ally's point of view. If it wasn't told by Jake's point of view, I think I would have fallen completely out of love with him. Jake is the type of guy that has sincere thoughts and you know he's a good guy, but when he opens his mouth, he doesn't quite know how to express what he wants to say. It's been a while since I read the first book, but he is so hilarious in this one. Especially when it comes to his job, like this passage:

"I'd been working at Jump, Java, and Wail! for exactly fifty-seven minutes. There was already a patch of sweat on my neckline, I'd cut my finger closing the pastry case on it, and gotten screamed at for trying to serve a doughnut I'd dropped on the floor. Apparently no one around here has heard of the five second rule." (page 94)

While Jake is getting chummy with another Crestie, Ally is trying to get used to what may be her new life. Staying with her mother at her boyfriend's shore house is definitely taking a toll on her. We see Ally rebelling like no other! She meets some locals, one in particular named Cooper. I loved Cooper and his gang of beach bums. Things don't stay all fun in the sun for long though. Ally's got a lot of choices to make and just not with who she wants to be her boyfriend. There's big-time family decisions, and as the summer stretches on, she has to figure out what kind of person she wants to be.

From reading both Jake and Ally's point of view, and spending a good part of the summer away from one another, I was getting scared. I LOVE LOVE these two together. One of my favorite YA couples, but it was nice to see them apart because I felt like I got to know them more as the book transitioned. These two have a lot of hot and cold feelings towards one another, and normally in books that kind of thing drives me nuts. BUT Kieran Scott somehow masters this story where not only did it never once get on my nerves, it felt completely real. All characters, even the side ones make such an impact to the story and are all so well-rounded. And believe me guys there is so much more to this story than what I've briefly went over. The touches of Ally's friend Annie's journal entries as she scopes out the Crestie life were a perfect fix. There is never a dull moment in those entries. You get the delicious gossip plus some straight out hilarious moments.

AND THAT ENDING!!! Oh Kieran Scott, you are the Devil, I swear! If you thought the cliffhanger was massive in She's So Dead to Us, you ain't seen nothing yet! Like I stated on Twitter, if the world ends in 2012 before the third book comes out, I'm gonna be on pissed off chick. If you're a fan of contemporary, or heck if you just want to read something awesome, then you'd be stupid to pass this series up! Go out and read it now!

♥amber

Post Your July Contemps Reviews!

2011-07-13T23:17:00.000-05:00

Eeek I kind of slacked off this month. The winner for June was.........

Sabrina from YA Bliss - HOLLA!!!

What is the Contemps Challenge? Click here to find out more details!

Remember: This challenge is ONLY for the 20 books released by The Contemps. Click here for a full list of all 20 books. You can also post ANY reviews you made in 2010 AND you can post ANY reviews you made on another site such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc - just one review per month of the same one :)

Prize: 3 surprise books and/or ARCs and swag!

Open to US addresses only! There is no official sign up so no need to worry about that - just link those reviews up!

Note: If the linky box below doesn't show up for you, please post your link review in the comment section. Thanks!

Author Interview: Jennifer Echols

2011-07-12T08:00:00.009-05:00

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Next Year by Foo Fighters

Was it weird writing about a writer?
No, it was easy, because I knew how that character felt.

Many songs tells a story. What song do you think would make a good novel?
So many country songs! That’s why I like to listen to the country station sometimes.

Out of all the books you have out now, is there one that's a bit more special to you then the rest?
My favorite is always the one I’m writing at the moment.

Did you make a playlist while writing Love Story? If so, could you share a few songs from it?
Yes, and it is awesome.
Sunday Best by Augustana
Lonely Day by Phantom Planet
Conspiracy by Paramore
There for You by Flyleaf
The Royal We by Silversun Pickups
7/4 (Shoreline) by Broken Social Scene
Little Secrets by Passion Pit
California by Phantom Planet
The Only Exception by Paramore

What's one thing you hope readers will take with them after their finished reading Love Story?
Sometimes we are the least respectful and communicate the worst with the people we love the most.

You're given two golden concert tickets that will take you to any show from any decade. The only catch is that you have to take one of your characters from one of your novels. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
I would take Summer from Love Story, because she is so much fun, and we are going to see my favorite band here in Birmingham, TOTAL A$$ET$, a funk band made up of middle-aged bankers.

What was the first idea that sparked Love Story?
A long time ago I was in a creative writing class with an adorable boy who wrote a very sexy story and made all the girls in the class fall in love with him.

Were there any troubles you had with writing Erin and Hunter's characters?
Not really. Once I planned this story, I could see them very clearly.

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
Any time I finally figure something out after agonizing over it for a long time!

Something Borrowed: Why it was awesome.

2011-07-10T13:47:00.000-05:00

First, lemme just say that I'm probably going to be very MIA this month due to too much going on in life.

A few years back I picked up a copy of Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin at the library. The thing I didn't expect going into the story is actually rooting for Rachel and the fact she was having an affair with her best friend's fiance. That just goes to show you how talented Giffin is an author to be able to make me do that. In real life, I'd be kicking some butt and taking some names. Never rooting ANYONE that what happened between Rachel and Dex was okay, but somehow in this story, I found it okay.

When I heard there was going to be a movie, I was so excited. Even though it's been out in theaters for a while now, I hadn't been able to get to the theater in time. Thankfully there's a "last chance" theater where tickets are dirt cheap ($3 - holla!), and it was still playing there.

I LOVED THIS MOVIE!

I had been meaning to re-read Something Borrowed before I saw the movie. I wanted to know what was changed, be able to point it out. Honestly, I don't remember what all changed in the movie. I'm okay with that. For once, the movie was just as good as the book. It made me fall in love with these characters all over again. You wanna know why it was great? Not because a friend was cheating. Not because hearts were broken. Because it's truly a great story about love, friendship, and how if you want to be happy with your life, you've just gotta take the plunge. Now I'm not saying jump into bed with your best friend's fiance. I'm saying with just life in general.

I thought the casting of the movie was perfect. I was a bit weary of Kate Hudson playing Darcy. Not because I didn't think she couldn't pull it off, but just surprised she was in another "bride" type of story. Ginner Goodwin was PERFECT for Rachel! She's adorable like how I pictured Rachel being. Always out of the spotlight but you love her anyways. When her and Kate busted out their "Push It" dance it just had me cracking up because when it comes down to it, in a warped way, this is one of the best stories of friendship I've read/watched.

Colin Egglesfield had the charm that Dex had. I just kept grinning like a monkey during his scenes. The only thing I object to is that hideous sweater he wore the first week at the beach. No man. At any time. Should EVER wear that. So wrong. So, so very, very wrong.

And dude, Steve Howey chalked up the douchyness of Marcus like crazy! All the little actions he had and that stupid story about the chipmunk. Was that in the book? It seems like it was, but it was killing me!
While I loved each and every character, you know who my favorite was? Ethan. John Krasinski stole the freaking show. I don't remember Ethan being as witty, and even if he wasn't, he'll always be as witty as he was in the movie for me.

So yeah, basically this is my half-attempt at some sort of post to discuss an awesome book/movie. I plan on re-reading Something Borrowed before I watch the movie when it comes out on DVD. (Sometime in August, I do believe.) So if you haven't seen the movie yet, read the book. Even if you have seen the movie, go read the book. Then go grab Something Blue because in Something Borrowed, I didn't care for Darcy. Sure I thought her and Rachel's friendship was very real, she still ticked me off. But in Something Borrowed, Giffin made me love and accept Darcy. I'm tellin' ya people, this author is a straight up genius.

Rock This! Thursday with Julie Halpern

2011-06-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Earlier this month I had the great pleasure of reading Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern. It was the first book of Julie's I have read, and you can read my review of this awesome amazing quirky fun novel HERE. I knew I had to have Julie here on the blog for Rock This! Thursday. Get prepared to laugh guys, because she is freaking hilarious!

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
The first thing that came to mind was “Saturday Night Fever,” which is way too obvious. And then I thought “Everybody’s Talkin’” from “Midnight Cowboy.” Both odd choices because they are dudes from the 70s. And I am not a male prostitute. Next came “Walk” by Pantera, but that’s only when I’m really mad. I may have to go with, “Here Comes Your Man” by the Pixies. Not that I’m a man (again, geez!), but it has a nice walking quality to it.

When did you first start writing stories?
In high school I wrote romantic stories for my friends involving either people we knew in school who didn’t actually know who we were or famous people who also didn’t know who we were. I don’t think. I used a typewriter, even though we had a computer. It seemed sexier that way.

Typewriters are quite sexy. Did you make a playlist for Don't Stop Now? If so, can you share a few tracks with us?
I made a playlist while I was writing it, just in case anyone ever asked for it. Here it is:

Beck – I Get Lonesome
Halo Benders – God Don’t Make No Junk
Tobin Sprout – Gas Daddy Gas
Hayden – Bad as They Seem
Guided by Voices – Don’t Stop Now
Modest Mouse – Baby Blue Sedan
Sonic Youth – Shoot
Cat Stevens – Wild World
The Smiths – Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Dar Williams – When I was a Boy
The Monkees – The Door Into Summer
Yo La Tengo – Big Day Coming

But don’t ask me why I chose any of these songs. I have a terrible memory.

I'm always curious of "the first idea" a writer gets. What was yours with Don't Stop Now?
The whole plotline about a sort-of friend who fakes her own kidnapping and then tells only one person actually happened to me (I was the friend she told). I lied to the police and FBI and everything. Nothing else in the book is true (except maybe some best boy friend crushing), but it always seemed so weird to me I had to put it in a book.

From reading your blog I know you love to travel. If you could go anywhere this very instant, where would it be?
Australia. It’s always Australia. Although financial, time and distance reasons mean I probably won’t go there again for a very, very long time. I lived there ten years ago and would love to go back now that I have a family to share it with.

I love that you included so many real road side attractions in the book (and that your site has actual pictures up.) Are there anymore places you wish you would have included?
I secretly have a dream to be a travel writer or travel TV show host. I hope it comes across in Don’t Stop Now that I plan a mean road trip. I never visit anywhere without finding somewhere funky to stop. I don’t feel bad that I had to leave anything out. I’ll just save those places for another book, another time.

You're given two golden concert tickets to see any band from any era. The only catch is that you have to take one of your characters with you. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
The problem with that question (not that it is a bad question, but the problem I am having answering it) is that I would also have to be a different age than I am now to really appreciate it. I am too jaded to obsess over music nowadays. And I have pretty much seen all of my favorite bands live. So, if it were boring old me now, I think I would have to say the Elvis ’68 Comeback Special. I get to time travel, right? And I think I’d take Tracy. She’s the best friend in Get Well Soon and has a hugely hilarious part in the sequel. She’s quite possibly my favorite character I’ve ever written. Definitely the funniest.

What is genre you don't see yourself ever writing?
I think I’d suck at mystery, so Don’t Stop Now is the closest I’ll get to that. I’ll probably not get to historical fiction because I’m afraid of screwing up the facts and having some authority on the subject attack me, but I have always had an obsession with old circuses. So I won’t say never!

Can you tell us what other projects you're working on?
I’m revising the sequel to Get Well Soon right now. I hadn’t considered writing a sequel, but when it came time to write my fourth novel I thought of the idea, “How do you go back to normal when you just got out of a mental hospital?” It’s certainly something I’ve had to contend with. I’m looking forward to its release (fall 2012) to see what people think!

Since you've been published, have you experienced any 'rock star writing' moments?
Um, not really? Is that pathetic? I’ve had some amazing interactions with teens, especially about Get Well Soon and how it helped them think about things, change things. A few of them have even been life-saving situations, which blows my mind. But nothing too rock star. I wouldn’t mind having one, though, so if anyone wants to faint in my presence, go ahead.

I think having teens tell you that your book helped them qualifies for a very big rock star moment! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog, Julie!

If you would like to learn more about Julie and her awesome books, check out the links below:

Website | Goodreads | Buy Don't Stop Now | Buy Get Well Soon

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

I haven't done a WOW post in forever, but holy schnikes, Batman when I saw this beauty of a cover, I knew I HAD to do one!

Tempest by Julie Cross

Release Date: January 2012

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him. Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

How did I seriously not know about this book?! It sounds amazingly awesome! I've always loved anything to do with time travel (why hai there Back to the Future) so I'm definitely going to put this on my pre-order list. And that cover? BEAUTIFUL!

Want to go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

2011-06-25T17:32:00.001-05:00

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Released: August 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: Contemporary - Young Adult
Pages: 336
Source: Teen Book Scene
Buy: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Want to Go Private? is a smack in the face of exactly how scary the online world can be. Abby is just starting high school, and while her best friend, Faith, is excited about all the new possibilities, Abby isn't. She still wants things to be the same, and then she meets Luke online. Luke is older than her, but he makes her feel special. Tells her that she's right and everyone else in her life is wrong.

Starting in, I had a bit of trouble getting into the character of Abby due to her being a younger teen. She was also naive which made the book that more scary as you could see Luke taking advantage of her. She never questioned why he always had his face a bit shadowed in pictures he sent. As the pages turn you see him already trying to control her. A boy at school is interested in her, but she stops most contact with him because of Luke. She starts avoiding her best friend completely and all her grades start dropping because she is consumed by being online.

Sarah Darer Littman does not shy away or touch lightly when writing Luke. There were a few graphic things put into the novel that made my stomach flip, and I wanted to reach in and take Abby away from this man who kept telling her he loved her, but was convincing her to take pictures of her self and worse. The story is told in three parts, and when part one ended, after she meets up with Luke, I was anxious to see what was going to happen next.

From there the book shows what Abby's family and friends go through during the time of her disappearance as it unravels that she had became a victim of an online predator. Switching point of views like that really pulled you in, made you worry, made you angry, and added such emotions to this story. These people cared. While Abby thought they didn't, you can see they truly did, even her bratty younger sister, Lily. For part there, the aftermath of everything that happened, I think the author handed it all very well.

It's scary to know that while Abby is a fictional character, her story is not fiction. With so much of our lives being poured onto online, this novel made me stop and think about all the things I put out there. The people I've talked to, even back when I was a teenager, because the fact is: You never know who is behind the computer screen. Want to Go Private? is a powerful read, and I applaud Sara Darer Littman for bringing awareness on the subject.

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday with Kristen Tracy

2011-06-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

As part of the Teen Book Scene tour, I have Kristen Tracy here with us today! Kristen has a handful of books already out. She writes for teens and tweens! Her teen novels include: Lost It, Crimes of Sarah, A Field of Guide for Heartbreakers, and her upcoming novel, which we're discussing today, Sharks and Boys! And of course, a few music questions thrown into the mix!

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Under Pressure.

Sharks and Boys makes your sixth published book, does the writing process get any easier?
I wouldn’t say it gets easier. Yesterday, I took my mom to the California Academy of Sciences and there was a hole in the wall next to one of the aquariums and a sign near the hole said, “Reach inside and touch.” And so I flung my hand in this dark hole but I couldn’t feel anything. Then I got scared, because what if something with teeth was inside the hole? So I yanked my hand back out. That sort of reminds me of the writing process. Lots of risky stuff happens when you write a book. Anything could happen. Anything. Also, this stuff often involves your hands. Because you use those to type.

I love hearing about that first idea that sparked a story. What was yours?
I used to float down irrigation canals in a raft when I was a kid in Idaho. I think that’s where the story started for me. The water wasn’t that deep, but sometimes it was murky and you couldn’t see all the way to the bottom. My imagination ran wild! And I always enjoy listening to shark attack stories. Recently, I met a swimsuit model at a party that had been bitten by a shark on her foot. She was wearing a silver sequin dress underwater and she figured that the shark mistook her for a school of fish. I find those types of stories ferociously interesting.

Is there any genre you see yourself not writing?
I probably won’t ever write manuals for IKEA on how to assemble their furniture. Though they could really use my skills.

HA! Was it hard finding 'the voice' for Enid?
I like Enid. She’s fragile. I didn’t have a problem finding her voice. But I wanted to make sure that I created a girl who was still forming her belief system and yet knew enough about herself to persevere through such terrifying circumstances.

A lot of songs tell a story. Name a song that would make a good novel?
“River Deep, Mountain High” by Tina Turner. Nothing screams narrative like a love song that appropriates a childhood rag doll, a mountain, a river, and the man of your dreams. Sort of. “And do I love you, my oh my. Yeh. River deep mountain high.”

I love making playlists for stories I write. Did you make one for Sharks and Boys? If so, could you share a few with us?
I did not have a play list for SHARKS and BOYS. I actually can’t listen to music when I write. I need silence. Tragically, this means that I can’t write in cafes either. I guess I could have lied about this answer and just created a really cool playlist. Maybe I’ll do that in the future.

How much of the novel changed from the first draft to what's about to be published?
It always ended the way it ended. At one point I was stuck and I called a friend for help and she said, “Add more sharks!” And I said, “I’m worried that I’ve got too many sharks already.” And she said, “When you’re writing a teen shark novel, there is no such thing as too many sharks.” I think that’s a great motto for writing. And life.

Do you have a song that can pick you up from any crappy day?
People pick me up more than songs. I call my friend Ulla. Or Cory. Or Benz.

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
It’s still weird when I’m out somewhere and people recognize me. Usually this happens at a literary event. Or at a bus stop near a literary event.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Kristen! If you want to learn more about her and her books, check out the following sites:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Buy Sharks and Boys

Author Interview: Suzanne Young

2011-06-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Guys I am so freaking excited to have Suzanne on the blog today! I adored her debut novel, The Naughty List and love how quirky she is just in general via her blog.

You're walking down the street - what song is playing?
Hm… probably something from The Black Keys (Sinister Kid), or maybe Radiohead’s Karma Police.

What was the first idea that sparked A Need So Beautiful?
A sick family member and a stranger who helped me through it with just a random conversation. It sparked the idea of the Forgotten.

Did you make a playlist for A Need So Beautiful? If so, could you share a few tracks with us?
I did have a playlist, but I wrote it so long ago, I’m not sure if the songs really work. But here’s what I’d have on a new playlist:

She Talks to Angels- The Black Crowes
The Scientist-Coldplay
Iris- The GooGoo Dolls
Just Breathe- Pearl Jam
Closer- Kings of Leon

I know in writing some days you just want to throw in the towel or choke a character or two. Who was the most difficult character to write?
Definitely Monroe Swift. His character was really complex because his motives were never clear, at least until the end. So sometimes I thought of just killing him off. haha

Many songs tell a story. What song do you think would make a good YA novel?
I love Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car. The lyrics are so bittersweet and Tracy puts such heart and soul behind it. It’s amazing.

If Tessa from The Naughty List and Charlotte met up, do you think they would be friends?
I think Tessa could be friends with anyone. But I doubt their friendship would last long. Charlotte is trying to keep a secret, and Tessa thrives on DISCOVERING secrets. So I think Charlotte would stay clear of Tessa and the Smitten Kittens.

You've been given two golden concert tickets to see any band from any era. The only catch is that you have to take one of your characters from any story with you. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
Well, I’m definitely bringing Harlin. I’m scared of motorcycles, but I think I’d be safe with him. Then we’d have donuts and go see The Beatles. And then take the long way home.

I know from your blog and via twitter you are an Eddie Vedder fan. What is your favorite song by him? Mine is Guaranteed :)
Oh, I love Guaranteed! I really love The End on the Backspacer album. I love Black and Corduroy, as well. Oh, heck, I love most anything that Eddie sings.

Tell us five random facts about yourself:

1. I name my dogs after 80’s TV show characters
2. I haven’t read any of my books in book form
3. My favorite food is candycorn
4. I have a superhuman sense of smell
5. My favorite vacation was to the Grand Canyon

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
Not many, to be honest. I remember early on meeting a girl who recognized me from my blog—and she was dying to read The Naughty List so I gave her an ARC. She was over the moon and I felt kinda cool for a second. Haha. I’m pretty accessible to bloggers and readers here in Portland so they’re used to seeing me by now. So I think my rockstar days are over.

♥amber

Dead Rules by Randy Russell

2011-06-21T17:04:00.001-05:00

Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Released: June 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 384
Source: Teen Book Scene
Buy: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

When Jana Webster wakes up after her bowling accident, she finds herself in Dead School. (Ya, could you imagine having to go to more school AFTER you died?) The first thing on her mind isn't being freaked out or even pissed off that she's dead - she's more concerned that she can no longer be with her boyfriend, Michael, who is her soul-mate.

At least that's what she thinks.

Dead Rules is definitely a unique tale that deals with death in a whole other way. You always think when you die, you'll be judged for what you did when you were alive. But in this story, you're judged on how you die which makes you either a Slider or a Riser. (And you don't want to be a Slider...well, I wouldn't mind being one if it means I get to hang out with Mars.) While trying to figure out exactly why there is such a thing as Dead School, and why a very cute and brooding guy named Mars keeps coming into her life, Jana knows one thing for sure: She wants Michael back, and if she has to, she'll kill him to get him there with her.

There was a lot of questioning of what exactly happened to Jana the night she died. She starts getting creepy messages, but her head is more wrapped around the love of her life. Normally when a character is like this, I would get annoyed, but because the book is written in third person, Russell did a great job of mixing things up where you would get to see things from not only Jana's perspective, but also Mars's and even Michael's. About half-way through the book, I kind of predicted on how things were going to end, and even though I was right, it still didn't take the fun away for me.

The world and the story itself was really interesting, had some funny moments, and like I said very unique. Even the minor characters fitted in nicely with their own voice, and while there wasn't a whole lot of focus on them, they were still well rounded characters.

The ending didn't exactly tie up nicely, leaving it open for a second book - which please someone tell me there will be a second book! Still, if you've ever wanted to give the world of ghosts or paranormal a chance, this is your book! And if you already like this genre, don't miss out on Dead Rules!

♥amber

In My Mailbox

2011-06-18T21:37:00.000-05:00

For Review:

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Bought:

Fair Game by Elizabeth White

Jana Cutrere's homecoming to Vancleave, Mississippi, is anything but dull. Before she's even reached town, the beautiful young widow has a run-in with a stray cow, loses her son in the woods, rescues an injured fawn, and comes face-to-face with Grant Gonzales, her high school crush.

Grant recently returned to town himself amid hushed controversy. His only plan: leave the corporate world behind and open a hunting reserve. Seeing Jana again ignites old memories . . . and a painful past.Tensions boil over when he learns exactly why she returned. Jana plans to convince her grandfather to develop a wildlife rescue center-dead center on the prime hunting property he promised to sell to Grant!

Jana is determined to make a new start for herself and her two children-and willing to fight for it. With deadlines drawing near for the sale of the property and no decision from her grandfather, can Jana trust God with her and Grant's future, or will explosive emotions and diametrically opposing views tear them apart?

That's it for me this week! What did you guys get?

♥amber

Bitter End Tour: Multi-Character Interview!

2011-06-17T11:40:00.004-05:00

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Alex: “Landslide,” by The Dixie Chicks
Cole: “If You Leave me Now,” by Chicago (cheesy and Eighties retro, but…yeah)
Bethany: Something…Woodstockish.
Zack: “I’m Too Sexy,” by Right Said Fred

Favorite person in the world?

Cole: Alex. My little Emily Dickinson. She’s pretty much all I’ve got. I wish I would stop screwing it up for us.
Bethany: You can’t make me pick just one. We’re the three-headed monster. Zack and Alex. They’re my faves.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Zack: A superhero, only I wouldn’t look wear those pervy molesto-tights. I’d have like, armor or something. And a helmet with spikes. Ka-pow!

Oh Zack, you are so adorkable *pinches cheeks*. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Bethany: As much as he wanted…and that’s why we simply must stop deforestation. So the woodchucks can chuck wood.

One ability you wish you had?
Alex: To change my relationship with Cole. I’d give anything for that.

Want to know my thoughts on Bitter End? Read my review here. Don't forget to swing by Lost For Words tomorrow for the next tour stop!

♥amber

Win a copy of Thirteen Reasons Why!

2011-06-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The story of a girl named Hannah Baker who takes her own life. But before she does, she records several cassette tapes explaining why and sends them to the people she feels pushed her toward that decision. The story is told from the point of view of Clay Jensen who spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah’s voice as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and learns the truth about himself—a truth he never wanted to face.

---

On May 12, 2011, Penguin launched the 13RW Project as a place for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why to record their thoughts, stories, videos and photos relating to the book, and to view what other readers from all across the country have shared.

To help celebrate the paperback release of this awesome book, Big Honcho Media is giving away 2 copies to my readers!

Details:
- Giveaway will run until July 1st at 11:59 p.m. central time.
- You must be 13 years or older to enter
- Only open those with a US mailing address
- While I do love reading comments, you can only enter the giveaway by clicking the link below :)

CLICK ME TO ENTER!

Rock This! Thursday with Sarah Littman

2011-06-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Praise You by Fatboy Slim

I love the dance troupe in the official video. They dance either a) like I dance or b) the way my daughter sees me dance through her teenage eyes when I think I’m being really cool on the dance floor. Not sure which.

What was the first idea that sparked Want to Go Private?
Supervisory Special Agent Tom Lawler, from the New Haven Office of the FBI, came to my son’s school to give a presentation about Internet Safety. I was speaking to him after his talk, and he told me about a case in CT. I talk about it in this video:

I know some authors have playlists of their novels, did you make one for this one? If so, could you share a few tracks with us?
I really envy those authors with their interesting playlists, because can’t write to music with lyrics. The only time I write to music at all is if I’m in a public space and there are people talking annoyingly loud – then I tend to put on classical music because there are no lyrics to distract me from the words in my head.

What did you find most difficult writing Abby's story?
The most difficult scene to write in WTGP is one of which only small fragments appear in the book. When my editor sent back the first round of revisions, she told me it seemed like Abby and Luke “just went for a car ride.” I realized she was right and the problem was that I didn’t know what happened because I didn’t want to think about it. I was a victim of childhood sexual abuse myself and I have a daughter about Abby’s age, and I really just DIDN’T. WANT. TO. GO. THERE. But as a writer, “going there” is one of the most important parts of my job description.

I started to write the scene of “What Happened in the Motel Room” and immediately began having horrible nightmares. I was afraid I’d have to go back into therapy. So I stopped, and just kept revising the rest of the book. But then I got to the point where I couldn’t continue revising until I opened the door to that room and faced what happened to Abby there. So one day, after my kids left for school, I sat down and turned the handle.

Let’s just say that if I hadn’t had to drive a carpool that afternoon, I would have hit the scotch afterwards. And I don’t even like scotch!*

*And alcohol is not a substitute for dealing with problems. But I was shaking so much, I could have used a glass for “medicinal purposes”.

You're given two golden concert tickets to see any show from any era. The only catch is that you have to take a character from one of your books with you. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
Callie from PURGE and I are going to see The Clash and you can find us in the mosh pit. We’re going to dance out some of our problems with suppressed anger.

Is there any genre you don't think you'll ever write?
One thing I’ve learned at my vast age (!) is to never say “never”. I’ve been told I’m difficult to “brand” because all of my books are so different. But writing for me is about learning and discovery, as well as love of words. I don’t want to write about the same type of thing all the time, because I’d get frustrated. While it might not be the best decision for my career, it’s the best thing for my intellectual development and sanity.

What's the one thing you want people to take with them when they read Want to Go Private?
That Internet predation doesn’t just happen to “bad kids” who have “bad parents.”

Tell us five random facts about you:

1) I’ve been told I drive like a man. I’m not sure if it was meant as a compliment.

2) I lived on a dairy farm in a small English village for 10 years. I am probably one of the few people in Greenwich, CT who can talk about the lactation yield curves of dairy cows. Unfortunately, it doesn’t often come up at cocktail parties.

3) I have a bad habit of leaving my iPhone on the kitchen counter and it doesn’t have a password. So if you read a Facebook status update that involves poop or my deep love for any right-wing political candidate, chances are my delightful progeny are messing with me.

4)Over a million people have seen my blue-haired cartoon alter ego in “Q and A,” the animation based on the StoryCorps interview my son did of me when he was 12. I think I look almost as good as Marge Simpson. What do you think?

5) I was a Deadhead hippie chick who ended up joining a sorority (KKG) my junior year at Duke. Like I said, “never say ‘never’” ;-)

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
At the New York Teen Author Festival this year I was part of the Five Borough Read at the Bronx Library Center. When we walked in, a group of girls asked who was Sarah. My first reaction (thinking as a political
columnist) was “Who wants to know?” But I ‘fessed up to being me, and it was awesome. They’d all read PURGE and were so excited to meet me! Fortunately I’d brought a bunch of bookmarks with me and was able to personalize and sign them. It was the first time I really felt like a “rock star”.

In My Mailbox

2011-06-12T14:57:00.001-05:00

Won

The Seven Year Bitch by Jennifer Belle (from Chick Lit's Not Dead)

Review

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

Want To Go Private? by Sarah Littman

Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs

Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Not Pictured:

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern (Review Here LOVED LOVED this one!)

That's it for me, gals and guys! I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. Mine is keeping busy with tons of non-blogging things, but I'm hoping to squeeze in as many books as possible. Remember June is Contemporary Month so make sure to read tons of them! And if you read one of The Contemps book, make sure to link up your reviews (click on the sidebar) and get the chance to win some fantastic prizes!!

PS - 2 MORE DAYS UNTIL I GET TO SEE AND MEET SEETHER!! AHHHHH!

♥amber

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

2011-06-12T14:41:00.002-05:00

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Released: June 2011
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Genre: Contemporary/Paranormal
Pages: 272
Source: YA Bliss
Buy: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

---

One thing I love is when an author comes out with a book that is completely different from the style they had before. I really enjoyed Suzanne's debut The Naughty List and still need to read the second one. In that book, Suzanne's writing was fun and spunky. In this one, she took it to a whole other level with a beautiful and captivating tale.

The story itself does have paranormal elements to it, but yet, holds really well to a contemporary novel. Seeing as I love both of those genres, it was a nice balance to have. The voice of Charlotte was wonderful. I was drawn in, completely submerged in her life, and finding out what exactly this Need was. From the splashes of life she sees in other, the writing paints a vibrant picture of everything she's going through.

No review could ever be complete with me gushing about a new favorite character crush. Charlotte's boyfriend, Harlin, is yummy. Full-on-hot-dayum-eat-him-with-a-spoon type of yummy. I normally am drawn to the bad boys (in life and fiction), but Harlin isn't that. Sure he has a motorcycle and wears a leather jacket, but he's sincere, caring, and has a sensitive side. The relationship between Charlotte and him was a great love story. You knew that they truly loved one another and wanted to be together.

Harlin wasn't the only character that was great. All of the secondary characters were nicely fleshed out, even ones that were only there for a brief moment in the story. I love it when an author can really capture individual voices for all characters, making sure they don't just blend together.

And that ending! Oh Suzanne, you evil, evil woman you for making me do a slo-mo Noooooooo! This definitely is an all-time favorite for me. I think one main reason why because of how much heart was put into all of it. I cannot wait to see what's in store next for Charlotte and to learn more about the Forgotten.

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday Author Interview with Jennifer Rush

2011-06-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm pumped to have Jennifer Rush, a 2012 debut YA author on the blog today to discuss some music and her novel! Altered isn't coming out until next fall, and while I know that's a ways away, this book needs to be on your radar! But what is Altered about you ask? Well, I'll tell you:

Dollhouse meets Prison Break for teens, about a 17-year-old who finds herself on the run from her father's enigmatic Agency along with the four teen boys the Agency had been experimenting on, in a mystery of erased memories, secret identities, and genetic alteration.

Sounds good, right? Of course it does. So go add it to your Goodreads page :)

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Probably The Drumming Song by Florence and the Machine, simply because I’m usually wishing I was somewhere else, and that song always has the ability to transport me. It’s got such a cool, other-worldly sound to it.

What was the first story you've ever wrote?
I wrote my first novel when I was sixteen. It was a vampire book. I think the bad-boy vamp’s name was Thorne and of course he was dark, gorgeous and broody. I’m sure it was quite lame.

I know in writing there are moments where you just want to reach into the computer and choke the crap out of someone. That ever happen with one of your characters?
Yes! At one time or another, all of them make me feel that way. Sometimes I can’t get inside their head. Or they just aren’t coming alive on the page. Or they do stupid things that annoy me but that make total sense to the book forcing me to go with it.

What was the hardest thing about getting published for you?
Being patient and persevering. I wanted to quit a lot. I had the sickening feeling that I would never sign with an agent. And when you’re writing and revising year after year, you brainwash yourself into believing it will never happen. I often felt like I wasn’t good enough.

What was your favorite part of writing Altered? Your least favorite?
Um, would it be lame to say I enjoyed all parts? (JYTBB: Not lame at all!) I liked just about any scene with Anna and Sam. Especially if Sam was shirtless. And I liked the parts with guns. There’s something undeniably sexy about a guy field-stripping a gun. See a theme here? :) Least favorite…I loathe rereading a manuscript for the eight gazillionth time looking for spelling and punctuation errors. And sometimes, the bigger revisions can seem daunting.

Umm...I haven't met Sam yet, but I think I want to meet him shirtless :) Tell us that one song that can pull you out of any funk.
The Drumming Song! And Danse Russe by Hurt. And Black Betty by Ram Jam.

You've been given two golden concert tickets to go see any band/singer from any era. The only catch is that you have to take a character from your book. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
Oh, this is a hard one…any classic rock concert and I’d take Cas from Altered. He’s a party boy with a big heart and a great sense of humor. I think he’d be the most fun.

Tell us five random facts about you:
1. When I was eight, I got caught in the tire of a four-wheeler and it ran over my face. I milked that injury for days.
2. I hated the babysitters so much that at the age of six, I leapt from the backseat of a moving vehicle trying to escape.
3. I’ve never broken a bone.
4. I cannot stand the feeling of a wet popsicle stick.
5. I love cars, especially classic muscle cars.

Did you make a playlist for Altered? If so, can you share a few tracks with us?
I have a general writing playlist, but when I’m working on one particular project, I tend to reorganize so the songs that are relevant to the story play in order. So here are a few I listened to while writing ALTERED:

The Outsider by A Perfect Circle
Danse Russe, Wars, Losing and Rapture by Hurt
Bloodstream by Stateless
Drumming Song by Florence and the Machine
Looking Glass by Hypnogaja
Everyday is Exactly the Same by NIN
Last Resort by Papa Roach
New Moon (The Meadow) by Alexandre Desplat

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
Since Altered isn’t out yet, I really only have one tiny rock star moment. When the announcement for the book’s sale went out on the net, I got an email from one of the editors from io9.com asking for a short interview. That was huge for me.

Even though Altered doesn't hit shelves until the fall of 2012, are you working on any new projects you can share?
I’m working on a fantasy-ish YA I’m calling The Fog. It’s about a small village that, when the Fog rolls in, the people barricade themselves in safe rooms with no windows and wards written all over the walls. The narrator, Rissa, grows up following the rule without fail, despite not knowing the why behind it, until one day she breaks it. It’s SUPER fun, and it’s keeping me entertained! That’s all that matters, right?

Oooo sounds like my kind of read! If you'd like to know more about Jennifer make sure to check out the links below:

Website
Twitter

♥amber

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

2011-06-08T20:45:00.001-05:00

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

Released: June 2011
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 224
Source: Around the World Tours
Buy: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.

Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?

---

Words cannot describe how much I loved each and every page of this novel! Julie's writing doesn't stop. The best way I can describe it is as if you were snapping your fingers fast. Everything moves on a beat! The book is based on two of my favorite subjects: ROAD TRIP and falling in love with your best friend. (And plus any author who talks about the movie Hiding Out is pretty much awesome.)

I ate up Lil and Josh's relationship with a spoon because once upon a time I was Lil. I got it. All those times Josh acted flirty without even realizing it. The way your heart starts to pound with every little graze. Always knowing that they want to be with you even if it may come off as strictly platonic. It couldn't have been more perfect. And Josh's personality was so freaking adorkable! You could see why Lillian had a thing for him, but mainly, and what Julie did so well was you saw exactly why these two were best friends.

To add on the layers that are already in this story, you have Penny. She's the real reason why Lillian and Josh take off on this quest of finding her. You're given journal entries from Penny so I felt like I got to know her very well even when she was present for the novel. It does touch on some dark issues that Penny has been facing with her boyfriend (who is a straight-up douche). I think it was handled nicely and still kept the book flowing without making it seems like things had shifted so much when Penny was introduced.

Now for the road trip part: *sings* awesome! There is something so freeing and wonderful about driving for me so I loved all the interactions between them as they hit hte raod not to mention the crazy stops they made. I felt like I was in the car, windows rolled down, and listening to Elvis with them. Don't let this novel slip past you. Don't Stop Now has all the great elements any good story is supposed to have: fabulous characters, a wonderful plot line, hilarious offbeat and quirky moments, and an author's writing that makes you crave for more!

♥amber

Questions for a reader....

2011-06-05T14:30:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook, and I thought what perfect place to do mine than here! Plus I kind of wanted to blow some of the dust off my blog since I've been too wrapped up in school and other things to really get to read a lot besides tour books and those are scheduled posts.

Feel free to do the survey on your blog or even in the comments below!

1. Which book has been on your shelves the longest?
Since all of my books are currently in storage besides one box, the first oldest book that pops into mind is my Little House on the Prairie boxset my dad bought me in the 3rd grade.

2. What is your current read, your last read and the book you'll read next?
Currently reading Love Story by Jennifer Echols. Last read was Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern (AWESOME! Review will be up soon on this one). And I'll be reading A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young next.

3. What book did everyone like and you hated?
Ummmmm....I'll go with the people who for some reason seem to think Breaking Dawn was actually good. Some of you might say the entire series itself, but I actually enjoyed the series. It was just the hype that I found annoying. But Breaking Dawn. Seriously. WTF what that?!

4. Which book do you keep telling yourself you'll read, but you probably won't?
Probably Harry Potter. That's right. I've never read it, and even though I've enjoyed the movies, I just doubt I'll ever get around to them.

5. Which book are you saving for "retirement?"
IT by Stephen King. I'm not really that huge of a Stephen King fan, but I told myself my freshman year of high school that I would one day finish that thing.

6. Last page: read it first or wait till the end?
I used to read it first, but a few years ago I somehow broke that habit and now I don't even bother peaking through a book besides reading the first few pages to know if it'll grab me or not.

7. Acknowledgements: waste of ink and paper or interesting aside?
Acknowledgments are the first thing I read when I get a book! Maybe it's the writer in me? I'm always curious who helped the author get to the point that they're at.

8. Which book character would you switch places with?
Remy in This Lullaby or maybe Anna from Anna and the French Kiss. For the obvious reasons.

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time)?
Any R.L. Stine books takes me back to 4th grade when some friends and I had our own Goosebumps club and would have parties at one another's house, eat pizza, watch a movie, (*whispers* sneak outside to play spin the bottle), but never once actually discussed a book. It was still a lot of fun though.

10. Name a book you acquired in some interesting way.
I got a book once called Whores of the Lost Atlantis from a friend. I won't explain her randomness of why, but it was pretty funny.

11. Have you ever given away a book for a special reason to a special person?
Sure have!

12. Which book has been with you to the most places?
Queen of Babble went to a New Kids on the Block concert with me.

13. Any "required reading" you hated in high school that wasn't so bad ten years later?
Sure haven't because there was only one book I hated and that was The Great Gastby. No one will change my mind that this book in fact sucked greatly.

14. What is the strangest item you've ever found in a book?
A feather.

15. Used or brand new?
Both! Usually whatever saves me money is what I'm game on.

16. Stephen King: Literary genius or opiate of the masses?
I'm really not and never have been a huge Stephen King fan. I mean sure there is the quest of finishing IT one day, but he's just not my cup of tea. I always find it so hard to get into his stories because they drag for me, but the dude has one creative mind.

17. Have you ever seen a movie you liked better than the book?
Yeah there was some made for TV movie that was based off a....well crap, I don't even remember. Had a girl in it named Sarah who was a witch. The book was pretty lame. The movie was kind of lame too, but it was way better than the book.

18. Conversely, which book should NEVER have been introduced to celluloid?
I'm just going to be honest here. I have no idea what the world celluloid means, and I just looked it which made this question not make any sense to me so I'm just going to leave my answer like this: I have no idea.

19. Have you ever read a book that's made you hungry, cookbooks being excluded from this question?
None that come to mind.

20. Who is the person whose book advice you'll always take?
These lovelies: Cheryl from a mother; a dreamer; a writer (aka the chick who used to run JYTBB with me), Sab from Ya Bliss, Erica from The Book Cellar, Jenny from Wondorous Reads, and a handful of friends who don't blog.

Contemps Challenge: Post Your JUNE Reviews!

2011-06-02T22:07:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is having one awesome summer! If you didn't know, our lovely YA Contemps have claimed June Contemporary Reading Month! Since this is my all-time favorite genre, I plan on reading as many contemp books as I can, and I encourage you do to the same! Make sure to swing by the Contemps blog to check out all the great posts they'll have this month!

May's winner was......

*drumroll*

Erica from The Book Cellar!!! Congratulations chick!

What is the Contemps Challenge? Click here to find out more details!

Remember: This challenge is ONLY for the 20 books released by The Contemps. Click here for a full list of all 20 books. You can also post ANY reviews you made in 2010 AND you can post ANY reviews you made on another site such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc - just one review per month of the same one :)

Prize: 3 surprise books and/or ARCs and swag!

Open to US addresses only! There is no official sign up so no need to worry about that - just link those reviews up!

Note: If the linky box below doesn't show up for you, please post your link review in the comment section. Thanks!

In My Mailbox

2011-05-29T11:04:00.000-05:00

Hello lovelies! I hope you all are having a great Memorial Day Weekend, and remembering what the holiday is all about :)

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern (Around the World Tours)

Insatiable by Meg Cabot (Publisher)

The Art of Saying Goodbye by Ellyn Bache (Publisher)

Love Story by Jennifer Echols (Teen Book Scene)

The Season by Sarah MacLean (Book Fair - $3 y'all!)

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turestsky (Contest Craze)

And then my lovely friend Sab sent me this beauty:

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

That's it for me! Leave me a comment below so I can go see what goodies you got in this week! By the way, remember that road trip I talked about last month? I'm doing recaps on my other blog if you want to swing by and see what's up so far :)

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday: Author Interview with Lara Chapman

2011-05-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited because today I have Lara Chapman, debut author of Flawless here to discuss her book and music!

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
BEST. QUESTION. EVER! Probably “Stronger” by Britney Spears.

How does it feel being a debut author?
Like an out of body experience. I can’t believe people (who aren’t related to me) are actually reading something I wrote… and liking it!

What made you want to write for the young adult genre?
I began submitting to contests and getting a lot of comments like “your heroine sounds like a teenager,” so I decided to try my hand at YA. It was a perfect fit for my voice – I can’t imagine writing anything else.

If Flawless had a soundtrack, what songs would we find on it?
I’ll Stand by You by The Pretenders
I’ll Be There for You by Bon Jovi
Big Girls Don’t Cry by Fergie
Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae
Happy by Leona Lewis
I’m the Only One by Melissa Etheridge
Beautiful by Christina Aguilera
Halo by Beyonce

How long did it take for you to write Flawless?
Not long! I spent about a week storyboarding and wrote the first draft in about six weeks. That’s just how I write… total focus until it’s done! Lots of all-nighters and emailing my awesome critique partners. I took about another month to revise before submitting.

I know when I'm writing there are days where I just want to choke my characters. Did you have any difficulties when writing Sarah?
All the time! I would get so frustrated with her. I just wanted to scream, “Tell Rock how you feel!” But that’s the beauty of writing fiction – your characters (when fully developed) create their own path. It’s like raising kids – you hope they’ll do the right thing and that they’ll be happy, but ultimately it’s all about being true to yourself.

Did you pull any real life moments into Flawless?
The things in FLAWLESS that are closest to my reality are Sarah’s journalism and English teachers and her relationship with Kristen.

The teachers are a combination of my favorite high school teachers and college professors. The greatest educators are the ones that show us how to live a life of meaning outside the classroom and that’s what these teachers represent to me.

Blessed with two remarkable best friends, I know how valuable those relationships are. We’ve been best friends for over thirty years and I couldn’t imagine a day in my life without them. The same is true for Sarah and Kristen – they rely on one another in ways they don’t even realize.

Who is your favorite band or singer and why are they your favorite?
I’m a total music junkie, so this is really hard! I love Eva Cassidy because her voice brings me to tears. Kelly Clarkson is my go-to for “chick” music and Jason Aldean makes me want to fall in love. When I’m in need of a pick-me-up, Bon Jovi does the trick every time!

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
Well, I live in a really small town and it doesn’t take much to get “famous” in that kind of setting. At open house this year, a student’s mom asked me for my autograph! I’ve also received some amazing comments from bloggers who’d read the ARC and loved it. I won’t lie… it’ll make a girl giddy!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Lara! If you want to know more about Lara and where to buy her book, check out the links below!

Website | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

Joplin Needs YOUR help!

2011-05-23T18:02:00.002-05:00

I'm sure most of you heard the tragic news that happened to Joplin, Missouri yesterday. A deadly tornado came through demolishing 75% of the town. The last count I heard, they have found 116 bodies. I live about an hour and a half away from Joplin, and last night's storms were damn scary. There were trees in my neighborhood literally bending backwards because of how high the wind was. I've lived in Missouri my entire life, and I'll never get used to tornado season, but this....I've never seen anything like it. These people literally had 5 minutes to take shelter. 5 minutes. Could you even imagine? Watching the news coverage last night, hearing stories of finding people who didn't make it still has me in tears. This could easily have been my town yesterday, and judging by how Mother Nature has been acting lately, it could have even been yours.

My town along with several other cities and towns throughout Missouri are loading up trucks with anything and everything for donations. If you live in Missouri, make sure to call your Chamber of Commerace or City Hall to see what is going on and how you can help. If you are out of state, Heart of Missouri United Way (Columbia, MO) has stepped up and established the Joplin Tornado Relief Fund. 100% of donations will go directly to Joplin United Way, with ZERO overhead. Follow the link, call 573-443-4523 or text "Joplin" to 864833 to donate $10.

If you are on Facebook, make sure to check out The Joplin Tornado Recovery page here.

In My Mailbox

2011-05-21T21:13:00.000-05:00

Review

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Galley Grab

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnhodlt

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

I kept hearing all these things about Galley Grab, and even though I don't normally like reading from my computer, I decided to sign up and see if there was anything I liked. And holy motherload! I'm glad I did! Now if I can just get them read in time is the big question. (Remember how I said last semester was crazy? Yeah, it doesn't hold a candle to this semester. I've got medical classes until August - FUN!) Anyhoo, I hope you guys had an awesome book week. Leave a comment below so I can go see what you got!

♥amber

Win a copy of OyMG!

2011-05-19T20:36:00.000-05:00

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

Jewish girl. Christian camp. Holy moly.

Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp, she's sure that if she wins the final tournament, it'll be her ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country. Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. His name is Devon and, whether she likes it or not, being near him makes her sizzle. Luckily she's confident enough to take on the challenge-until she begins to suspect that the private scholarship's benefactor has negative feelings toward Jews. Will hiding her true identity and heritage be worth a shot at her dream?

Giveaway will run until June 2nd and is open to anyone with a US mailing address!
Must be 13 to enter
+3 extra entry points if you comment on my interview with Amy here
Comments on this post are always welcomed, but please click the link below to enter

CLICK ME TO ENTER

Rock This! Thursday with Amy Fellner Dominy

2011-05-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Firework, by Katy Perry. The song is reminding me not to hide in the crowd, but to let my colors show. “You're original, cannot be replaced” I feel good with that song following me.

How does it feel being a debut author?
The first word that pops into my head is SCARY. Because everything is new and unknown. It’s a two-sided coin and excitement is the other face of it. I know that part will take over once my book is launched, but right now I’m nervous because I want everything to go so well.

What drew you into the young adult genre?
If you want to write about conflict, drama and upheaval, is there any better time? J Those years were so important to me, figuring out who I was, who I wanted to be. Those are the issues that still interest me, so it just feels like teen fiction fits. Also, books have been a huge part of my life—at every age. But the books that have made the biggest impact on me are the ones I read when I was a teen. I’d be crazy not to want to write for that age!

I know some writers like to make music playlists for their books. Did you do this for OyMG? If so, could you share a few songs from it?
I’m one of those authors who writes in complete silence or with the background sounds of Muzak from the coffee shop. I talk to myself as I write and I think the sound of music would distract me. I’m kinda sad about it though. A playlist always sounds so cool.

Have you been to a summer camp like the one Ellie goes to?
I loved camp when I was a kid, but I never went to a speech camp like Ellie. My best camp memories are Girl Scout camps and s’mores. Lots of s’mores.

You're given two golden concert tickets to go see any band or singer from any decade. The only catch is that you have to take one of your characters with you. Who do you take and who are you two going to go see?
I’d go back to the 50s and see Buddy Holly. That guy could ROCK! And I’d tell him not to get on the plane (which eventually crashed), because it would have been incredible to hear the music he would have made over the years. I’d take Ellie with me, because I think Buddy’s piano playing would have left even her speechless.

OMG I LOVE BUDDY HOLLY!!! *clears throat* So did Ellie's voice come easily to you while writing OyMG?
If only! Ellie and I disagreed for a long time about who she really was. It’s ironic in a book about listening to your own voice, that I wouldn’t listen to the voice of my main character. I kept trying to make her insecure, like I might have been in her situation. But she resisted and the book ended up shoved into the bottom of a drawer for months. Finally, after time away, I was able to “hear” Ellie. The story came together quickly after that.

If OyMG became a movie, who do you think should be casted as some of your main characters?
Zeydeh, Ellie’s grandpa, would be played by Ian McKellan. Ian played Gandalf in LOTR and was so wise and powerful but also mushy-hearted for his hobbits. Need him, definitely. For Mrs. Yeats, scholarship benefactor and potential Evil Queen, I’d say Meryl Streep because she was so awful-good in The Devil Wears Prada. For Devon, resident hotty, I need someone dark and handsome. Smart. With a sharp sense of humor. And blue, blue eyes. Any names? And for Ellie…no one seems exactly like Ellie. The model on the cover of my book looks the way I imagine her. I wonder if she can act?

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
I went to visit a class of sixth graders a couple of weeks ago. I passed out bookmarks and ended up surrounded by a hoard of kids with pens all asking for autographs. For three minutes, until the bell rang, I felt like a rock star.

Thanks for stopping by, Amy! Wanna know more about Amy and her book? Then check out the links below:
Website | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

2011-05-15T21:54:00.000-05:00

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

Released: May 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Pages: 359
Source: Won
Buy: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole, a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her, she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate-someone who truly understands her and loves her for who she really is.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her best friends, Zack and Bethany, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all of her time with another boy? But as the months pass, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats. As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose - between her "true love" and herself.

---

Jennifer Brown became one of my 'must' authors with her powerful and thought-provoking debut novel, Hate List. When I heard her sophomore novel was coming out and she was tackling another tough subject, I was estastic because for some reason the darker the subject, the more I'm drawn to it. I decided a long time ago to never question why I love tough issue books, but I do.

There's no doubt that Jennifer Brown is an awesome writer. She creates these well fleshed out characters and her writing puts you right there with them. Alex, our main girl, was easy to like. She was genuine and a pretty level-headed. Even though her home life wasn't the best - dead mom, dad there but not there, absent older sister, and an annoying younger sister who was severely pissed off at the world, she had two really awesome best friends, Zack and Bethany. The personalities of all three of them together was a perfect example of actual friendship. Sometimes I felt like I was right there with them, going over Vacay Day. And I have to say, Zack is way up there on some of my favorite characters. In such a serious book, you wouldn't expect comic relief, but Zack brings it to the table.

Then there was Cole. Knowing that this book is about an abusive relationship, it's hard to like the abuser even when his true colors haven't shown yet. I did understand the first initial attraction that Alex had towards Cole, and how he drew her in. Tackling a subject like this is difficult one, and Brown handled it well showing you how someone who is a victim sometimes can't find a way out. But sometimes during the book, it seemed things were a bit unbalanced. The only way I can figure out how to explain it is that when it came to relationship with Alex and Cole, there was a lot of telling instead of showing. Feelings and things were kind of summed up instead of allowing me to really see why Alex felt the need to stay with Cole. That is probably the only thing that struck me a bit odd because when it came to Alex's life with her friends and family, I got them completely.

I'm glad there are authors out there like Jennifer Brown who will take on these topics and show you how easily you can slip into someone else. Reading some of the scenes that Alex went through were hard. Knowing what Cole was, you just want to jump into the book, shake Alex, and take her away from the situation. I definitely would recommend this one to anyone especially those that might find themselves in a situation just like Alex did.

♥amber

In My Mailbox

2011-05-14T20:42:00.000-05:00

Review

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Sounds creeptastic!

Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe

I love the idea of a teen who is getting older with every day.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

I cannot wait to read this one! I've heard excellent things :)

Won / Gifts

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

I pretty much squealed when Jennifer emailed me saying I had won her giveaway. I just finished this Friday night. It's good! My review will be up later this week.

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski

Won from Princess Bookie's Contest Craze. I haven't read this author yet, but it sounds like it'll be really good!

Stay by Deb Caletti

Miles From Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Sab from YA Bliss is the bomb dot com and sent me both Stay and Miles From Ordinary for my birthday! She also sent me a funny card (just don't tell her she's funny, it'll go to her pretty little head), and some swag. Seriously kids, she's awesome!!

Not pictured: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

I already let a friend borrow this book (had to share!) I won it from Erica over at The Book Cellar. She also sent me the swag you see at the top :) Thanks, Erica!!

Oh, and did I mention that Stay and Bitter End are both signed? Because they are!! That's it for me this week. Did you get anything super freaking amazing in your mailbox? Let me know in the comments!

PS - As just about everyone knows, Blogger was having its panties in a wad the other day and a lot of comments got deleted. If you entered to win a copy of The Tempest or What Happened to Goodbye and left a comment for the extra entries on either my review or author interview and no longer see it, don't sweat it. I know what ones were deleted and there is no need to re-enter :)

♥amber

Win a copy of Tempest Rising!

2011-05-11T17:20:00.000-05:00

Wanna read about mermaids? Wanna read about a surfer named Tempest? Then you clicked on the right link! I have one copy of Tempest Rising to giveaway!

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother.

The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Rules:

-Only open to those with a US mailing address
-You must be 13 or have your parents' permission to enter
-Giveaway will end May 26th at 11:59 pm central time
-Winner will be e-mailed
- +3 extra entry points if you comment on my interview with Tracy here
- Comments are always welcomed on this post, but to enter you will have to fill out the form. Just click out that pretty little link below!

CLICK ME TO ENTER!

Rock This! Thursday with Tracy Deebs

2011-05-11T16:56:00.000-05:00

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Ugh. Questions like these make me totally freeze up. Seriously. I’ve had about sixty songs run through my head since I read this questions and I just don’t know what to choose. So, umm, how about Dream On by Aerosmith? I seriously love that song and would be thrilled if it would follow me around …

How does it feel being a debut author?
It feels fantastic! This isn’t my first book, just my first YA (I also write romances under two different names) but it almost feels like it is. I’m as nervous and excited about Tempest Rising as I was about my very first novel, lol. On the plus side, the YA reading community is absolutely amazing and I’m feeling really welcome. Thanks for that!

I love the idea that Tempest is a surfer. Have you done any surfing?
I have, actually. Not like Tempest, obviously, but I managed to stay on my surfboard more often than not (which if you know me, is quite a feat). But I grew up in San Diego, hanging out and surfing on the same beaches that Tempest does. They’re beautiful and I couldn’t resist putting them in the book.

What made you want to write a siren type book?
I love mermaids. Love, love, love mermaids. When I was very young (about three or so) my father brought home a VHS tape of Hans Christian Andersen’s version of The Little Mermaid (long before Disney made a version). Though it was really dark and ended with the little mermaid becoming sea foam instead of living HEA with her prince, I fell in love with the story the first time I saw it. From then on, I was all about mermaids. I watched the movie every day (and I mean every day) for three years. My mom swears to this day that she can recite the dialogue word for word. While I eventually outgrew my obsession with mermaids, when I sat down to write my first YA and was still undecided about what paranormal creature I wanted to tackle, my agent asked, “How do you feel about mermaids?” Instantly, I was right back where I started all those years ago and knew I wasn’t going to be happy writing about anything else.

What are some of your writing necessities?
I’m actually a pretty low-maintenance writer (though I can hear my husband laughing at the idea of me being low-maintenance anything). If possible, I prefer a bottle of Perrier and my iPod, but that’s about it. I can write anywhere, including through WWIII, which is a good thing as I have three boys who hang out in a game room that borders my office.

How long did it take you to write Tempest Rising?
From the second the idea for Tempest Rising came to me, things just kind of slid into place. That doesn’t happen very often with a book, so it’s really thrilling when it does.

In October of 2009, I decided I wanted to write a YA. My friend had done my tarot cards and had basically told me that I wasn’t fulfilled writing the books I was contracted for at the time, and she was right. So I spent a little bit of time thinking about what it was I did want to write (YA and Romance paranormals) and then called my agent and told her what I wanted to do. She was incredibly supportive, and though I hadn’t decided on a YA angle yet (I went dragons with my romance paranormals) she was totally behind me writing one. A few days later, she called me and asked what I thought of mermaids and from the second she said that, everything clicked.

As I mentioned above, I love mermaids, so the idea of writing a dark mermaid paranormal appealed to me immediately. By mid-November I’d put together a proposal (synopsis and first eight chapters) for a book that I was calling Rip Tide and by Christmas my agent had sold the book. I spent January and February finishing the book, which had been renamed Tempest Rising, and turned it in March 1, 2010.

What was the first idea that sparked the character of Tempest?
I’m not sure. Different pieces kind of came together for me. I knew right away that I didn’t want to write your typical mermaid story and that I wanted it to be dark as I don’t think I can write another way, lol. Tempest’s name came to me pretty early in the game and her powers stemmed directly from that. Tempest as a surfer came to me as I was driving one day, listening to some songs from my old surfing days. After that, things just kind of came together.

A lot of songs tell a story. Tell us one song you think would make a good novel.
Wow, there are so many. Hmmmmm…. I’ve been listening to Secrets from One Republic a lot. I think it would make a really good novel.

That's one of my favorites on my current novel playlist! I agree, it could make a really good novel. Tell us six random things about you:

1. I love lipstick, books and fancy earrings (though not necessarily in that order).

2. I love thunderstorms, unexpected downpours, and walking in the rain, but hate the feel of wet clothes against my skin when the storm is over.

3. One summer, I went to every major amusement park in America. Another summer, I ran away with a band.

4. I’ve climbed the Pyramids in Egypt, walked on the banks of the Red Sea, kissed a boy in front of the Eiffel Tower, gotten soaked at Cleopatra’s favorite bathing spot and surfed Diamondhead Bay in Hawaii. I’ve also skydived over New Mexico and stood at the Cave of the Winds in Niagara Falls.

5. To this day, my favorite thing to do is to curl up with a cup of tea and a book as I listen to the rain hit against the window.

6. And last but not least, I’m part of the Chills and Thrills Teen Book Tour, which will be visiting all the major cities in Texas in the next month. Check out our website to see the other authors on the tour.

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
A few, where fans have squealed and jumped up and down when we’re introduced, but nothing too outrageous—which I’m very glad about. Not sure what I’d say or do in a real rock star moment, LOL.

Thanks so much for having me—I really appreciate the chance to talk about Tempest Rising (and myself).

And THANK YOU for stopping by! If you want to learn more about Tracy and Tempest Rising then check out the links below!

Tracy Deebs Website | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Tracy Wolff Website

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-05-11T08:00:00.004-05:00

Between by Jessica Warman

Release Date: September 2011

Amazon | Goodreads

Elizabeth Valchar --- pretty, popular and rich --- wakes up the morning after her 18th birthday on the yacht where she’d been celebrating with her closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, she finds her own drowned body is hitting the side of the boat. Liz is dead. She has no memory of what happened to her, and can only observe in horror the fallout of her death.

She’s also soon joined by Alex Berg, a quiet boy from her high school who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The two keep each other company, floating in and out of memories and trying to piece together the details of what happened to each of them.

In her regular life, Liz was a runner. It wasn’t abnormal for her to run 8-10 miles per day. But as memories from closer to her death begin to surface, Liz finds that she’d been running much more than normal, and that she’d all but stopped eating. Liz’s mother, who died when Liz was nine, had battled with anorexia as well, and those around her worried that Liz was following in her mother’s footsteps. But something more sinister was consuming Liz from the inside out..

My Thoughts: How creeptastic and beautiful is that cover? I am always down for a dead main character who's trying to figure out what happened. This one seems like it will touch on some serious issues too.

♥amber

Win a copy of What Happened to Goodbye!

2011-05-10T17:50:00.001-05:00

Some of you might have remembered that when Along for the Ride was released, I had this big Sarah Dessen Extravaganza. I had hoped to do the same thing this year when What Happened to Goodbye came out, but then I moved then moved again, went on a trip, and well, I'm broke.

BUT!

I do have a pretty little ARC that needs to find a home since I just bought my copy today. One lucky gal or guy will be winning it.

Rules:

- Giveaway is only open to US and Canada. Sorry International readers!
- Giveaway will run until May 24th at 11:59 PM central time
- Comments on this post are always welcomed, but to officially enter, you will need to fill out the form that I will link up below all of this

Extra Entries:
+3 extra entries if you comment on my review here. If you make it creative (other than saying: Great review!) I'll give you an extra point :)
+1 if you tweet about it (leave link in entry form)

FILL OUT FORM HERE

♥amber

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

2011-05-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Released: May 2011

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary

Pages: 416

Source: Traded
Buy the Book: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean's become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean's ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?

---

Out of all the books coming out in 2011, this one right here was my most anticipated. If you're a long-time reader, you know why. If you've just stumbled upon this blog then know this: I am a total and utter fan-girl of Sarah Dessen.

There's always a certain formula that Dessen seems to stick with: a girl with a unique name, family dynamics, realistic issues, and of course a boy. So why do the same formula always seem to work? I have no idea, but I know if I pick up one of her books, I will be glued.

What Happened to Goodbye deals with Mclean. Her family situation is divorced parents and she travels with her father whose line of business is to put restaurants back into shape. The big catch is that when they move, Mclean always finds a way to reinvent herself. She can be anyone she wants to be. That idea is very intriguing because I think everyone can relate to wanting a fresh start sometimes or wanting to be someone completely different.

There was a lot of back story shoved in right at the beginning, and some chapters were a bit harder to truck through because of it. What I found funny about this book compared to her other ones: I was more interested in secondary characters rather than Mclean. I'm not saying Mclean is boring. She has a certain spunk about her, and I envy her way of being able to blend herself into any group without having this shy new-girl syndrome you read in a lot of books.

Take Dave for instance who is "the boy" in the story. He is probably one of my more favorite guy characters Dessen has created. I absolutely loved his character and his relationship with Mclean. Right from the start they had this spark, and not just "romantic" spark but a real connection just as friends. And their second run-in with one another was just flat out hilarious. I knew I was going to love his character right after that meeting.

Then there was the restaurant owner, Deb, that Mclean's dad is trying to help. She was very colorful and I always got a kick out of reading things that were happening with her. Even Mclean's dad was a trip to read because his attitude changed so easily depending on who he was around for the most part. There's also a lot more dialouge in this book compared to past Dessen books, and because of that I felt like I heard more of the secondary characters which is also another reason why I think I was so intrigued by them. It wasn't just Mclean's voice anymore, it was a whole well-rounded fleshed out group.

Obviously you can tell I really enjoyed this book BUT (and it pains me to say a "but" when it comes to Dessen), the 'final conflict' lacked a certain punch to it, and I felt like the overall ending was just wrapped up too nicely. If you are a first-time Dessen reader I recommend giving This Lullaby or Truth About Forever a try before you get into her newer ones. If you have read her other books, don't be surprised when you see a few characters from Truth About Forever, Lock and Key, and Along for the Ride pop up. Sadly, no Dexter, but a girl can still hope for the next one!

♥amber

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

2011-05-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

Released: April 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary - Series
Pages: 288
Source: Borrowed
Buy the Book: Amazon

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

---

Jenny Han has without a doubt won me over with her extraordinary Summer series. There is nothing better to me than contemporary fiction, and if you love it as much as I do then you are absolutely crazy to pass up these books. It's hard to review a series because a lot of people may have not read it and you never want to give too much away. So if this review focuses more of the series as a whole then please forgive me because it's hard to not just discuss it all.

Since The Summer I Turned Pretty, I have been on this adventure with Belly as she grows from a young adult into an adult. It has been exiting, breath-taking, and sometimes really sad just like real life can be. I cannot get over how free-flowing Han's writing is, and how she never holds back from the innocence of Belly. Numerous times Conrad always referred to Belly as just a kid. It's true. A lot of her actions were sometimes childish, but what girl hasn't had them? The third book takes place while Belly is in college (!!). When the book started, I was still pretty hacked off at my boy Conrad, and I had fully taken on that Jeremiah just might be perfect for her.

And the first couple chapters OH MAI GAWD! I cannot even discuss them because it is a massive spoiler but I was so shaking my first! I was not expecting THAT! After THAT SHOCKING FACT, I wasn't for sure what to think, but I couldn't put the book down. There was so much character growth in Belly, this maturity coming out of her and it was so great to see. Then Conrad had to go and redeem his damn self. Which yes, it made me happy, but at the same I just didn't know what to think anymore with all the characters. Who do I root for? Trust me, Han has made me fall in love with not only both brothers, but Belly, her mom, her brother - all of them. It has been a long time since I've been so glued to the ending of a story where the world around me just simply melted away. (And trust me it was hard for the world around me to melt away because I was sitting in the Jungle Room at the Elvis Heartbreak Hotel!)

The wrap up of Belly's life was absolutely perfect. It was realistic and even brought tears to my eyes. I am a total fangirl of Han now. Her writing is amazing, and I cannot wait to see what else this author has in store for us in future novels because they will instantly be bought up. I also have to give a huge shout-out to my Sab from YA Bliss because without her, I would have never picked this series up, and for my contemporary loving self NOT to read this is just blasphemy.

♥amber

Unbreakable Bonds: Help For My Friend Chris

2011-05-06T19:34:00.002-05:00

Chris with his family
Janet, Chris (black shirt up front), Ty, and Brandon

I know this has nothing to do with books, but I am reaching out to the blogging community in hopes for a friend of mine. Chris Mooney, 26, has went through more than most will ever have to face in a life time. When he was 2 1/2 years old his mother, Janet Thompson, provided a kidney for his first transplant. That kidney held strong until he was bit by a tick and it almost caused him to die due to a disease it was carrying called Ehrlichiosis. He lost the transplant kidney his mother gave him and had severe seizures. He suffered temporary blindness and memory loss. Chris still has no memory of certain times in his life prior to the seizures. Chris went on hemo dialysis as soon as he was stable, and was treated for 3 years until he received his second kidney transplant from his father, Mike Mooney, when he was 13.

Now 13 years later, his kidney is going bad due to his spleen rupturing last year and an infection has set in. It has just taken its toll on him these past 7 months. He is extremely ill and in stage 4 renal failure. Brandon Winfrey, his older brother, is going in to be tested to see if he is a match for a kidney donation. If not, Chris will have to go on the donor list, which means he may not make it that long. His doctor said he is not a good candidate for dialysis this time around. So we hope and pray that Brandon will be a match.

Due to the extreme circumstances of Chris's health, his mother and his younger brother, Ty, are moving back to the states from their home in New Zealand to help take care of him. This is where I'm asking for YOUR help. I've known Chris since I was four years old. His mom used to babysit me, and I'm extremely close with a lot of his family. The funds will help in the cost of assisting the family in taking care of him.

Janet says, "I know we will make it work some how, heck we did it when he was a baby, we may not have had much, but we still had Chris with us to share life with." If you can't afford to help financially, prayers are always needed and appreciated! Also, posting the donation page on your facebook, your own blog, or even your twitter would really help out! If you have any questions, you can email my friend Cathryn at tcbeggs@yahoo.com.

DONATE HERE

Rock This! Thursday: Concert Edition

2011-05-05T08:08:00.000-05:00

On April 22nd my BFFF Shell and I headed to the Shrine Mosque for the Avalanche Tour. The bands were: Art of Dying, Halestorm, Skillet, Theory of a Deadman, and Stone Sour. To say I was pumped about this concert would quite possibly an understatement.

After I got off work, I came rushing home, washed the deli smell off of me, picked up my BFFF, and drove the hour drive that it takes to get there. The thing is, I sometimes forget my way around Springfield and for some reason I thought taking this highway would get us downtown when I was actually going the opposite way of downtown. Thankfully Shell busted out her navigation system on her phone and got us there. We missed Art of Dying's set and caught the tale end of Halestorm.

I was okay with missing Art of Dying since I only knew one of their songs (the one they did with Shaun Morgan *swwooonn*) so if I had to miss a set, I'd pick there's. The last bit of Halestorm we saw, they were awesome! I didn't know many of their songs, but the drummer was a total badass. I think I could just watch a show of him and be happy.

Next up was Skillet and HOLY CRAP they were good! There are only a few songs I know by them, and they sounded so good live. They even busted out a violionist which brought so much more to the show. The crowd was going nuts! It was awesome.

During their break Shell and I made a trip back to the concessions stand to get water. It was so humid inside the building and I thought for sure I would pass out if I didn't get some H2O up in me. Then some other stuff happened that I won't bore you with then Theory of a Deadman took the stage and I went NUTS!

Theory was the band I was very excited to see! I started thrashing around, jumping, and screaming a lot more. I know I've probably dropped the word awesome already, but these guys totally took the word awesome and made it their own. They even played a new song that will be on their upcoming album (releasing in July I do believe) called The Bitch Came Back. It's very catchy. By about the third line, the whole crowd was singing it and Shell and I even busted out a little jig.

After they wrapped up their set, Shell and I made a bee line back to the concessions stand to get water. Before we quenched our thirst we felt the cool air coming through the windows and decided sticking half our bodies outside would be a grand idea. And it was my friends, it really was. And even a grander idea because the guys of Theory of a Deadman came out the door and were walking below us.

I'm not for sure if we said something to them first or maybe they just saw us, but one of the guitarist started to wave. He yelled up to Shell: "Are you looking for the women's bathroom?" And Shell, oh my vulgar and very off-the-wall friend responded with: "No, but are you trying to say you want me to piss on your face?!"

Yes.

You read that right. Piss on your face. THAT'S what she says to rock stars. Gotta love her. The look on the guitarist's face was classic. Then he started laughing really hard and yelled back: YEAH!! I had stuck my head back in the window to control my laughter while Shell yelled at the drummer: Did you like that?! He responded with a YEAH while everyone was still laughing. I stuck my head back out and then the drummer started waving really big at me and said hey. A few seconds later the lead singer came out, and that boy has a little swagger in his walk. He waved at us, we whooted at him, he whooted back then swaggered his way to the bus.

It was fantastic.

After we were done cooling off we went back to the floor to see Stone Sour. As much as I loved Theory of a Deadman, I have to say Cory (lead singer) really knew how to work the crowd. Maybe because he was from the Midwest he just gave the fans more love or something. He had everyone going for the rest of the night and was flat out hilarious. Besides him getting the crowd pumped, they rocked the hell out of that place!

And that wraps up my concert story. Sorry that the pictures kind of suck. I just had my phone, and I was really only taking them to send to a couple friends. Have you seen any of these bands live before? If so, comment with your take on the show!

♥amber

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-05-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

Struck by Rhonda Stapleton

Release Date: December 6 2011

Felicity Walker believes in true love. That's why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid's Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she learns that she isn't just a matchmaker...she's a cupid! (There's more than one of them, you know.)

Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email), Felicity works to meet her quota of successful matches. But the path to love is not always a straight shot...

Some of you might say: Whoa, back the truck up - THIS SOUNDS WAY TOO FAMILAR! And you would be right to start shouting that at the computer screen because this isn't exactly a brand-new book from Rhonda Stapleton. It's the entire trilogy of her Stupid Cupid series combined into one book! I still haven't read her series so I'm looking forward to the combined one coming out. And that cover is very, very eye catchy!

♥amber

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

2011-05-03T22:21:00.001-05:00

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Released: April 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary - Series
Pages: 288
Source: Bought

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

---

The way The Summer I Turned Pretty ended, I was dying to know what was happening between Conrad and Belly. Conrad won my heart over as I'm sure he did many people. So when I opened the book, found out what had been going on since these two had finally gotten together, well you could say I was a tad bit ticked off at my boy Conrad.

The one thing I adore about this series is the innocence Han captures with Belly. Belly is the type of girl that is still stuck in that child-like way but you can see a lot of maturity in her as well. A lot of things have changed in her life, and this book has a quiet sadness that you can sense throughout every page through every character. It broke my heart sometimes seeing how not only Belly was feeling, but especially seeing Jeremiah and Conrad trying to figure their lives out now.

The book started to shift. Like any good author, Han turned the tables on us bringing a whole new light to Jeremiah and extreme frustration when it came to Conrad. I know the guy was going through a lot, but I wanted to smack Conrad upside the head so many times.

And then without warning, right when things had me gaping, it just ended. If I didn't happen to have my sister's Nook with me with the third book on it, I may have let out a scream. It's Not Summer Without You is definitely the transition novel. While sometimes those can slow down or be pumped full of too much information, this one still flowed just as nicely as the first book and gives some resolution, but with no doubt will get any reader running for the third.

♥amber

Contemps Challenge: Post Your May Reviews!

2011-05-03T10:26:00.001-05:00

Whoot we're already into another new month! April's winner was...

*drumroll*

The Book Pixie for her review of Family by Micol Ostow!

What is the Contemps Challenge? Click here to find out more details!

Remember: This challenge is ONLY for the 20 books released by The Contemps. Click here for a full list of all 20 books. You can also post ANY reviews you made in 2010 AND you can post ANY reviews you made on another site such as Amazon, B&N, etc - just one review per month of the same one :)

Prize: 3 surprise books and/or ARCs and swag!

Open to US addresses only! There is no official sign up so no need to worry about that - just link those reviews up!

Note: If the linky box below doesn't show up for you, please post your link review in the comment section. Thanks!

In My Mailbox

2011-05-01T08:08:00.003-05:00

Do you hear that? That's the sweet sound of me still on vacation!

I'm doing a little catch-up with IMM's since school decided to swallow my soul all of April. So here are the books I've gotten over the past couple weeks (not including this week since I'm not home at the moment to see what I've got).

Review

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Flawless by Lara Chapman

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy (and postcard)

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman

Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steven Hockensmith

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Steven Hockensmith

Dreadfully Ever After by Steven Hockensmith

And all the posters! The black and white girl one kind of freaks me out

Bought

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

(Signed! And I got the special edition from Barnes & Noble with a letter that Jace wrote Clary. That boy just makes me straight up swoon!)

The Sweet By and By by Sarah Evans

Tabloid Love by Bridget Harrison

Bookmarks from Jeri-Smith Ready's Street Team!

Trade aka The Holy Grail

The awesome and lovely Kim from And Anything Bookish swapped outWhat Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen for Hourglass with me! I was so freaking excited when she offered it up on Twitter. And she also sent me a handful of swag too! YOU ROCK, KIM!!! *hugs the crap out of you*

That's it for me! What did you guys get this week?

♥amber

Hi, it's my birthday.

2011-04-29T15:43:00.000-05:00

Some might think it's a big self-absorbed to go announcing that it's your birthday. But me? I'm all about birthdays! A birthday is a very special thing. It's the day you were born, and you should celebrate the fact that you're alive. No matter how crappy life gets (and trust me, I know how crappy it can get) you're still here and that's still pretty freaking awesome.

In my family we still bust out the ice cream and cake no matter what age you are. I'm actually on a road trip right now with my sister so I told the girls at work just to make whatever kind of cake they want for me. My awesome friend, April, decided to incorporate my road trip on my birthday cake. This is the 4th time I think that April has ever made a cake and she did a fantastic job on it!

The guitar and music notes symbolize Nashville and Memphis. The hand of cards were supposed to be for Tunica, but you basically need an arc to go through there right now so we'll be gambling somewhere else.

I hope you all have an awesome day, and if you're in Nashville at this very moment, look for the drunk girl downtown tonight screaming, "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!"

♥amber

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

2011-04-23T18:09:00.000-05:00

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

Released: April 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 269
Source: FinePrint Lit (Blog Tour)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Noah’s happier than I’ve seen him in months. So I’d be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It’s not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah’s happiness because of a kiss?

Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family’s beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive....

---

I had seen on a lot of my favorite blogs that people were just eating this book up. Chase's story is told over four summers, and I'll be honest - I found it kind of boring at first. I didn't really see what the big deal was, but Moskowitz's writing is so free flowing and has this way of grabbing you where even though you may, like me, kind of be meh about it at first, you don't want to put it down. I'm glad I didn't because this story just completely stole me away.

I thought this was going to be more of some torn romance, and I guess in a way it was. Melinda, the girl both brothers are kind of "with" has a lot to do with the story. I never liked her. Never grew to like her, but what really stuck out to me was the family dynamics. You had the oldest brother who no one ever knew if he was coming or going. The little sister who was stuck between still being a child and wanting to be a woman. A younger brother who was deaf and how everyone in the family coped with it. Then there was NewBaby mixed in with these parents who are there, but never really "there"....and they were....wow. The only word I can think of how to describe this family is: Strange. It's the kind of strange that sticks with you a couple days after you read it. There was a couple of times where the boarder line incest freaked me out. Was it because the parents weren't really around in the sense so they all relied on each other so much? I have a sister who I'm really close with, but not the way these kids were.

It's really hard to write a review for a book like this because even though I read it (almost in one sitting), it's kind of like I'm still not for sure what I read. Chase's story is very, very raw. Moskowitz does not shy away from any feelings or words. Sometimes over bluntness in books (and repeated ones too) kind of pushes me away, but with Chase's story, it had to be that way. There were so many moments where you could see him and his family just being broken and it just punched me. By the third summer came around - I was in shock. I can't remember the last time I literally stared at the end of a chapter for a few minutes wondering what the hell just happened.

I hope this review makes sense. After reading other people's, this one is either a hit or miss. Obviously for me, it was a hit. The kind of realistic read that is so screwed up yet it is so beautiful and powerful I just want to read it again because I know I missed something. So if you've been thinking about not reading this one because you've read a bad review, I really suggest going ahead and getting it yourself just to see. And if you were thinking for one second this was some beach read - think again. Definitely one for older teens due to all the language and sex.

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday with Behind Yellow Eyes

2011-04-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Rock This! Thursday is a weekly feature I have where I discuss books that are about or centered around one thing I love the most: MUSIC! Once in a while I'll even throw in a concert story, a band/artist you should hear, or feature bloggers and authors in an interview.

Today Gina from Behind Yellow Eyes with us to discuss books and music!

Tell us a little bit about your blog.
Behind Yellow Eyes is a fan site for Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series. We blog about the books, movie, and Maggie!

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Oh the song I always think of when I'm walking down the street-seriously-is "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve. The song is really long. And it just sounds like the kind of song you'd hear following you down the street. Like my own personal soundtrack. Also, the video is awesome. It's literally the lead singer walking down a city street, bumping into people. I've secretly always wanted to try doing that :)

Ha! Back when that song first came out, my friends and I attempted to run into people while walking down the street. But I grew up in a small town so there wasn't many people to really run into - not like in the video at least! I know we're only four months into the year, but what have been your favorite reads so far?
Hands down, WITHER. There aren't enough hours in the day for me to sing the praises of this book. It's absolutely amazing, and everyone should read it.

Who is your favorite band or singer? Why are they your favorite?
My favorite band has to be Incubus. I love the fact that their music has so much variety. Some songs are really intense and others are mellow and melodic. Their lyrics are so poetic and there's a lot of meaning behind them. I feel like they're in it for the real art of creating music, and that's huge for me.

Love me some Incubus. Do you have any authors on your instant-buy list?
Well, besides Maggie Stiefvater's books, I'm pretty sure from now on I'll buy anything Lauren DeStefano writes. I also really like Alyson Noel, Lauren Kate, and Stephanie Perkins.

What is one song you've overplayed worse than a Top 40 Station?
"Stuck Like Glue" by Sugarland. That song is so catchy and it just gets stuck in your head-no pun intended! I still play that song a lot-it's great fun to sing along to in the car.

I know in the blogging world we all get caught up with what's coming out next. What are some books you think have been overlooked over the past couple years?
I'm going to cheat here and say Maggie's BALLAD and LAMENT. The Wolves of Mercy Falls series has gotten a lot of attention, which has brought more attention to these two. But they need more! They're really good!

I still need to read those! What's your all-time favorite genre?
Rock. Definitely rock. Nothing better.

Amen! Your least favorite genre?
Not a big fan of rap or techno.

You're given two golden concert tickets to go see any band from any decade. The only catch is that you have to take a character from a book. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
Oh this is a really tough one! I think I'm going to surprise people and pick James from BALLAD and LAMENT. He's such a funny, quirky, kick-butt character and he appreciates music. I'd have an awesome time with him. I think we'd have to go see a back in the day Beatles concert.

Thanks for stopping by, Gina! Everyone make sure to go check out her site.

♥amber

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

2011-04-14T16:11:00.001-05:00

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Released: April 2011
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Pages: 264
Source: Won

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

---

If I Stay was one of those books that punched me in my gut and made me cry. I thought the ending was perfect, but it made me think about it for days of what would happen to Mia and Adam now that she chose to stay. When I heard there was going to be a follow-up, I freaked!

Reading from Adam's point of view was awesome. He was already one of my favorite male characters to begin with, but this book made me fall in love with him. Hearing his voice in my head, knowing all the pain and anxiety he had with how his dream had came about and his life with Mia....*sighs* Forman wrote one of the most realistic guys ever.

Mia pissed me off when I first got into the book. My mind kept racing on how she could possible leave Adam the way she did. As the story unfolds, you could practically feel the pull these two have for one another and how badly the tension is. Plus the book is based on one night of seeing each other which is hard to pull off, but Forman does it beautifully. She manages to weave in enough back story and present time to make you really understand where both characters are coming from.

It's hard for me not to compare the two books together. If I Stay was such an emotional roller coaster. The mere mention of Mia's family in this book had me in tears. But Where She Went held more quiet punches. It's also one of the best examples of showing how much a tragedy can take a hold of your life. I still favor the first book more, but when I skimmed through this one a second time, I couldn't help but falling in love with it all over again. And the music! I loved reading the lyrics, making the tune of how they would go inside my head.

I highly recommend everyone to read the follow-up. If you haven't read the first book then you need to get your hands on it ASAP so you can get to this one!

♥amber

Blog Tour: Win a copy of Invincible Summer!

2011-04-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Invincible Summer by Hanna Moskowitz

Across four sun-kissed drama-drenched summers at his family's beach house, Chase tries to come to grips with his family's slow dissolution while also finding himself in a chaotic love triangle, pitted against his own brother in pursuit of the girl next door. Invincible Summer is a gritty, sexy, page-turning read from a talented teenaged author that readers won't want to miss.

1 person will get 1 copy of Invincible Summer. Giveaway will end April 27th at 11:50 PM central standard time. Open to US ONLY!

Click here to enter!

Queen of Glass Teaser Trailer!

2011-04-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

If there's one book that I wish time would fast forward to 2012 for, it'd be Queen of Glass by Sarah J. Mass. Today she shared a trailer her friend and critique partner, Kat Zhang, made for her!

Seriously people, I NEED THIS BOOK IN MY LIFE NOW!!!

Wanna know more about Sarah and Queen of Glass? Check out the following links:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

♥amber

Character Interview: Matt from Lipstick Laws + Giveaway

2011-04-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

What was the first thing you noticed about April that caught your eye?
She was sort of staring at me in homeroom and I thought she was awkwardly cute. The next day we talked, and I found out we have some stuff in common.

What are some of your hobbies?
I like pretty much any sport, playing and watching. I’m big into snowboarding too.

What is your impression of the Lipstick Laws?
I don’t know much about them, but I think they’re pretty bogus from the little I do know. I wouldn’t trust any “friends” who expect me to follow rules to hang out with them. Plus, I try to stay away from anything that uses the word lipstick.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Ummm… I dunno, ask a woodchuck.

Boxers or briefs?
That’s a pretty personal question, don’t ya think? My boys like room to breathe…so boxers.

If you could have taken April on a date in the book, where would it have been?
She said she likes football, so maybe to a game and then out for a bite after. That would be my choice anyhow.

What's your favorite song?
I Don’t Care by Fall Out Boy. It sucks that they broke up.

Yes, it does suck they broke up. I'm glad I got to see them in concert last year before the split. Thanks for swinging by, Matt!

If you would like the chance to win a copy of The Lipstick Laws then here's your chance! There is a weekly giveaway going so just leave a comment with your e-mail address on this post and your entered! US ONLY

♥amber

In My Mailbox

2011-04-02T22:37:00.000-05:00

Just one book this week again! You'd think this might make my blogging self sad but due to the crazy schedule of life, I'm glad it was just one book. And plus it's a PRETTY FREAKING AWESOME BOOK!!

And Mandy Hubbard signed it!!

Sadly, it isn't mine to keep. I got it through Around the World Tours and will have to pass it along to someone else in a week. But here's a tidbit to know: The character named Nikki in this book, yeah I *points to self* named her. True story.

Okay, that's it for me and my bragging bit. What did you guys get this week?

♥amber

Contemps Challenge: Post your April Reviews!

2011-04-02T16:32:00.002-05:00

We're not entering our fourth month of the Contemps Challenge! March's winner was Kari from A Good Addiction! Congrats, Kari!

What is the Contemps Challenge? Click here to find out more details!

Remember: This challenge is ONLY for the 20 books released by The Contemps. Click here for a full list of all 20 books. You can also post ANY reviews you made in 2010 :)

Prize: 3 surprise books and/or ARCs and swag!

Open to US addresses only! There is no official sign up so no need to worry about that - just link those reviews up!

Note: If the linky box below doesn't show up for you, please post your link review in the comment section. Thanks!

The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philips

2011-04-01T08:00:00.004-05:00

The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philips

Released: April 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Source: Teen Book Scene

Rating:♥♥♥♥

Ruby and her older sister Jinn live together on their own, just about making ends meet. Jinn is beautiful, with glittering blonde hair, and makes it her business to look after Ruby. They are horrified by, but try to ignore, the local newspaper stories of prostitutes who are murdered, their bodies eventually discovered underwater.

Then the no-good Nathan Baird turns up on the scene - again - and Jinn starts to change. First Nathan moves in with Jinn and Ruby, making Ruby feel an outsider, and then Jinn and Nathan move out, leaving Ruby alone. Jinn no longer has time to look after Ruby. And it seems to Ruby that Jinn herself needs looking after. Her beautiful glittering hair starts to lose its shine. And then Jinn disappears. A deeply moving, chilling, and incredibly powerful thriller that celebrates the love two sisters have for each other and mourns the events beyond their control that will conspire to drive them apart.

---

The beginning of the book didn't really grab me in like I thought it would. It was mainly because I had it in my mind that this was going to be more of a mystery book about the dead girls and the missing sister. And I will admit that I picked this book up mainly because my name is in the title. The book focuses a lot on Ruby herself. After her mother's death, it had always been her and her older sister, Jinn. When Jinn decides to stay with a guy who isn't good for her, Ruby has to adjust to this new life put in front of her.

After I got over the fact that this wasn't exactly a suspenseful book, I throughly enjoyed the plot. There was a great balance in Ruby. She was lost yet she wasn't. I haven't read many UK based book so all the slang and seeing the different culture really interested me. Gillian Philips is a wonderful writer. A lot of the passages were written beautifully and I could get lost inside Ruby's world.

With the aspect of the missing girls and who the killer was, I was very surprised. I was sure throughout half the novel that it was a certain someone, actually I would have even took a bet on it, but when the ending came around I had a what?! moment. Even if you thought this book was more of a thriller type novel, don't let that steer you away that it's not. It's still a wonderfully written story about a teenage girl finding her place in this world.

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday with Eilis O'Neal

2011-03-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

How long have you been writing?
I've been telling stories since I was a little girl. When I was three, I told my first original story. It was just three sentences long—about a frog that cried frozen tears because winter had come—but it actually the beginnings of a real story, in that it had a conflict and something of a resolution. After that, I spent a lot of time telling stories to my mother. She would write them down, then type them up on our typewriter, and we'd give them away as gifts to family members. They tended to have silly titles like, “A Cat, a Girl, and a Hippo Go to a Party and Then Sing a Song.”

I tried to write my first novel at 12, but I only got about thirty pages into it. I actually finished a novel at 15—a summer romance about a girl with a boyfriend who rode a motorcycle. Between that book and The False Princess, I wrote two other books, both fantasy novels for adults.

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
This week, it’s “Speechless” by Lady Gaga. Not sure why. That and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” though by way of the Glee cast. I know why I can’t get that one out of my head, though. I wrote a parody version of it with my husband last week for our roleplaying group, and now the parody, with its Atlantean demons and flaming swords and one very large Scotsman, is warring in my head with the original for supremacy.

Love me some Journey! (And loved Glee's version as well.) I know with writing there are always difficulties and days where you just want to throw in the towel. Who was the most difficult character to write in The False Princess?
There's a character named Mika who was actually a bit difficult to write. I introduced her late in the book, and I needed to convey a lot about her in a short time period, had to compress a lot of character information into a short space. Luckily, her personality is pretty forceful. She's prickly and opinionated, though, at the same time, she doesn't like to give a lot of herself away. Even those personality traits made her a harder to write, because I wanted the reader to really like her in that short time period. And Mika doesn't make that as easy as, say, Kiernan, who's instantly likeable.

When writing your debut novel, did you have a playlist? If so, could you share a few songs with us?
Actually, I'm one of those people who has to be in a pretty quiet room to write. I envy writers who can listen to music, because I just can't do it. (I tend to get wrapped up in songs and start singing along.) So, unfortunately, I didn't have a list of songs that helped get my in the mood to write The False Princess in particular.

A lot of songs tell a story. What's one song you think would make an interesting book?
There’s a traditional folk song from the 17th century called “Bedlam Boys” or “Tom O’Bedlam.” It has to do with madness and Bedlam hospital in London. It also mentions fairies, giants, spirits . . . There’s something very haunting in the tune, and when I first heard it at a Celtic concert I wrote the title down on a scrap of paper and took it home with me. I think there’s a fantasy story in there, and I’m just waiting to figure it out enough to write it. As for more modern songs, I’ve always been very taken with Rufus Wainwright’s “Hallelujah.” It conjures up such vivid pictures, and, again, the tune sets a mood inside me very quickly. I think there’s a story there, too.

You've been given two golden concert tickets to see any band/singer from any decade. The only catch is that you have to take a character from The False Princess. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
I’d like the see the Beatles, probably in their early-ish days. And I would so take Kiernan with me for that. His attitude reminds me, in a lot of ways, of a lot of the early Beatles’ songs—fun, a little silly, really catchy, but with an underlying seriousness. And I think he would have so many witty observations to make about the girls crying and tearing at their clothes in their excitement over the band. Of course, he would also probably have those girls falling all over him in a matter of moments . . . .

What are some of your all-time favorite reads?
Do you have all day? Seriously, there are so many books that I love, that are really a part of me and that have been a big influence on me as a writer. A lot of them are YA fantasy books. A short list includes Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness books (strong female lead and my first book-boy crush; seriously, I still sort of want to marry George Cooper), Diane Duane's Young Wizards series (a unique magic system and another strong female lead), so many of Robin McKinley's books (wonderful language and storytelling), Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising series (cemented my love of all things British), and Madeleine L'Engle's books (more strong, smart girls).

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments since you've been published?
There's a great group in Tulsa (Booksmart Tulsa) that hosts a lot of writer events here in town. They offered to host a launch party for the book, and so, of course, I took them up on it. I wasn't sure how many people would show up, though, seeing as how this is my first book. But it turned out that a lot of people showed up—in fact, it was standing room only. When I got up to start my reading/talk, I saw that there were people standing in the back and all along the sides of a not-so-small room. That felt utterly crazy to me—really awesome, but also a little scary. I really hadn't expected it to be SRO-- especially not when the microphone had gone missing and I had to employ my high school speech and debate skills of projection!

Amazon | Goodreads | Website | Twitter

In My Mailbox

2011-03-26T21:21:00.001-05:00

Just one book in my mailbox this week that I got from Harmony's Radiant Reads :)

Entangled by Cat Clarke (Goodreads)

Let me just say I love this cover for the hair alone. All through high school I had bright red hair, and this makes me miss it. What did you guys get this week?

♥amber

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

2011-03-26T19:25:00.001-05:00

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Released: January 2011
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother—and she needs one fast.

That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth—that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.

---

You may have been like me and looked at this book thinking it would be just another light cute romantic type of spin on Cupid. But I was really surprised (and in a good way!) to find that this story had much more depth to it.

Alice is your typical teenager who's living the normal type of life. She lies to everyone saying her best-selling author mother is working on her next novel or out of the country for research. She makes sure no one knows that her mom is actually in a mental institute due to her bi-polar issues. She doesn't attend public school because she has to keep up with all her mother's stuff, and the only friends she really has are the tenants in the fourplex she manages in her mother's absence. Okay, so maybe she's not a normal teenager, and she's definitely got more stress placed on her than anyone should ever have. If things weren't enough for her she has some guy claiming to be Cupid that needs her to write his story before his time is up.

A lot of the book focuses on Alice and her growth from trying to accept her mother's disease and the life she has now. I loved the voice of Alice. She really pulls you in. I absolutely loved Errol's story and learning more about his past. The friendship that Alice and him build is realistic even if ya know, he's not exactly human. If Selfors was to ever write the story of Errol, I would buy a copy of it! There was also a side romantic relationship with Alice's crush, Tony. I think it played in very well with the story, and added to the growth that Alice goes through. Plus Tony was pretty awesome. The neighbors, the ones that know Alice's secret with her mother, were great side characters. Alice definitely had a lot of people looking out for her even if she didn't realize it.

The only fall back is that while this novel started out really good, and the spin on Cupid seemed to start flowing, a good portion of the novel deals with Errol (aka Cupid) trying to convince her that he is the real deal. It got a bit repetitive that she didn't realize this for half of the book. Besides some of the novel slowing down, I overall really enjoyed this real. This is the second book I've read by Selfors, and she's definitely becoming an author to look out for!

Don't forget to check out my interview with Suzanne here!

Amazon | Goodreads | Website

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday with Gillian Philip

2011-03-24T08:00:00.008-05:00

You’re walking down the street – what song is following you?
I used to have a flatmate, back in the days when a Sony Walkman was the hottest thing around (that’s how old I am!), and she had a tape specially for walking down the town’s main street. I loved it and used to borrow it, so I always remember the first track on that – which was Aztec Camera’s ’Oblivious’. I still think it’s the best walking song ever.

I’ve always been a big fan of life soundtracks. What are some songs you think can in some ways describe your main character, her life, etc?
I’m a big fan of soundtracks too – I hate not having one for a book, and when a story is still at the stewing-in-my-head stage, I look for music that will suit, and play it over and over again to get in the mood. The Opposite of Amber had quite a retro soundtrack – it wasn’t deliberate, but Ruby’s sister Jinn turned out to have a sentimental and nostalgic streak, and was keen on really old songs from the fifties and sixties (which were before even my time!). I realised that only when I heard Gene Pitney on the radio singing Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, and it struck me quite clearly that it was Jinn’s favourite song. And because Jinn is such a mother figure to Ruby, her music is very much the soundtrack to Ruby’s life, too. My playlist included Spanish Harlem by Phil Spector, and Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys – and some cover versions like the Killers’ version of Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town, and Mary Coughlan’s cover of Ain’t Nobody’s Business (which is a song I love)... but there were a few newer tracks too. Ruby by the Kaiser Chiefs, that was a no-brainer... and that version of Roxanne, from Moulin Rouge, when they do that fabulous tango...

What was the first idea that sparked The Opposite of Amber?
I remember I was stuck on another manuscript, so I’d decided to spend the evening watching TV. And there was a documentary on that gripped me – it was about five women who were murdered in an English town in 2006, but it wasn’t interested in the perpetrator or his bizarre motives, only the women themselves, their lives, their families. I didn’t want to write about those women – I can’t/don’t do true crime – but I wanted to write a story about a woman like them, a woman whose life had spun out of her control, and the effect of that on her loved ones. I also had a what-if thought... what if one of the women was murdered for different reasons? What if there was more to one of the killings than sordid psychopathy?

We’re always up for new music. What are five songs we should be listening to?
Tough one, because I’m not very up to speed with new music! I recommend the Peatbog Faeries – really wild traditional music from Scotland but brought way up to date and beyond. Let’s see... Biffy Clyro’s When We Collide. Paolo Nutini singing almost anything, but especially New Shoes. KT Tunstall’s Black Horse and the Cherry Tree. Amy Macdonald’s This Is The Life.

Is this the first novel you’ve written?
No – I’ve lost count of the novels I’ve written! Written and published, of course, that’s different... The Opposite of Amber is the second novel I’ve written for Bloomsbury – the first was Crossing The Line – but I’ve also had two books published by Strident (Bad Faith and Firebrand). Firebrand is a fantasy, so a bit of a departure – it’s the first in a series of four. And I’ve written four short novels for Evans, an educational publisher; and I ghostwrite the Darke Academy series for Hothouse Fiction, under the pseudonym Gabriella Poole. I’m just about to start the fourth instalment of those.
There were also some unpublished romantic novels, many years ago, but we’ll draw a veil over those!

Your favorite band?
Oh another tough one... depends on the mood I’m in. Sometimes it’s Eels. Sometimes it’s Snow Patrol. I like Gnarls Barkley, or Cee Lo Green on his own... But my all-purpose favourite for most occasions is the Pet Shop Boys.

If you could have one day to spend with any musician – living or dead – who would it be and why?
Ian Dury. I love clever lyrics and he had such a fantastic way with words. Also, I think he’d be terrific company.

How did you come up with the title?
It was a belated title – the working title was completely different. It happened when I was editing and rewriting, and adding a short prologue. When I read it back, that phrase ‘it’s the opposite of amber’ leaped out at me – it was a little bit quirky and obtuse, much like Ruby, who coins it – and I realised that it was the right title for the whole thing. It has a kind of double meaning in the context of the book, too, and I like those kind of titles.

Do you have a certain process you do before starting a book – outlining, brainstorming, etc?
I wish I did... I’ll get an idea and let it stew for a while in my head, adding bits here and there. But when I sit down to write, I generally have little or no idea how it’s going to pan out. I just go with the characters, and fly by the seat of my pants. I like the uncertainty, and it makes life interesting, but it can be nerve-wracking.

Have you experienced any ‘rock star’ writing moments?
Just the other day! I was shortlisted for the Royal Mail Award, which is the biggest children’s book prize in Scotland. I didn’t win, but the ceremony was fabulous. There were about 500 students there, and it had a circus theme, so there were acrobats, jugglers, clowns, fire-eaters... and then the shortlisted authors were brought on one by one, to roars and applause. That was definitely a rock star moment!
Otherwise – well, I have been tempted to drink a bottle of whisky and smash my laptop, but I’ve never actually done it...

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-03-23T08:00:00.004-05:00

Crossed by Ally Condie

Release Date: November 1, 2011

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky— taken by the Society to his certain death—only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander—who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart—change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

I really enjoyed Matched and with how the first book end - I am DYING to know what is going to happen between Cassia and Ky. I really love this cover too which Cass breaking out from the bubble.

♥amber

Author Interview: Cara Chow

2011-03-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

How does it feel being a debut author?
Being a debut author is somewhat like being a debut mother. During my pregnancy, the OB medical staff called me “Mrs. Chow.” The moment I went into labor, the OB and pediatric staff started calling me “mom.” Suddenly, I lost my name and became identified, not as an individual but by my role. My sense of purpose expanded, but so did my sense of responsibility. I had to stretch rapidly to accommodate this new role while trying not to tear. The process has been joyful, stressful, and unpredictable.

As a debut author, I feel a similar sense of heightened joy, stress, purpose, and responsibility. The first time I got a candid email from a teen reader, I felt a strange cocktail of honor and anxiety. I always wanted my book to touch people in a deep place, but when that actually happened, I felt intimidated by my own success. Because my book features Chinese-Americans, people expect me to be a spokesperson for my ethnic group. This especially became the case after the publication of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. That’s a lot of pressure for someone who doesn’t proclaim to be an expert. Because I wrote literary fiction, as opposed to genre fiction, people also expect me to be articulate and profound 24-7. People have approached me during book signings, asking me to write something “profound” on their book. They seemed to expect that I should exhale vapors of insight and sweat pearls of wisdom every moment of the day. The person they saw seemed so much cleverer and wiser than the person I knew myself to be. Before the publication of Bitter Melon, I wanted to succeed for myself. Now that I have an agent, publisher, and publicist on Team Bitter Melon, I push myself even harder because I want them to be successful too because they deserve it.

What's one thing you want readers to take away when they read Bitter Melon?
Frances’s and Gracie’s behaviors may be difficult to understand at first glance, but as readers read further, the economic, cultural, and psychological factors influencing their attitudes and actions become clearer. People’s behaviors are the result of powerful external factors, as well as free will choice, and it is important to keep that in mind as we perceive others.

Do you ever base any of your characters or situations in your novels on people or experiences you've had?Yes, of course! Our own lives are the richest source of information and inspiration we have. Who else can tell our stories better?

We're always up for new music. Tell us five songs we should be listening to.

I’m not the best person to be consulting for cool music right now. I used to listen to the radio in the car (I live in the LA area, so I spent a lot of time in the car). I had a CD collection at home. I also worked at a physical therapy office that played music all day in the background. Now that I am home with my son, I no longer work at the physical therapy clinic, I spend very little time in the car, and due to our home remodel, most of my CDs are in boxes in the garage. These days the only songs I ever hear are songs for small children.

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
Twinkle twinkle little star . . . (I sing it with a little more RB flavor.)

You've been given two golden concert tickets to see any band/singer from any decade. The only catch is you have to take a character from Bitter Melon with you. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
I think I’d take Nellie with me to go see Madonna or Lady Gaga. I think she’d have a really good time there, jumping up and down and whistling in her hot pink, jaguar print jogging suit. On the way home, I bet she’d sing all the songs loudly and get the words wrong. Then I’d invite her to the opera or symphony.

Is there any genre you don't see yourself ever writing?
Romance.

Ironically, several drafts into the writing of Bitter Melon, I was talked into adding a romance to the plot. In fact, one of the ways I entice readers to buy the book is by telling them that there is a forbidden romance in it. At the rate I’m going, my second book could be the Asian-American Jane Eyre!

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
Alas, Bitter Melon has no wizards or vampires, so the paparazzi are not waiting outside my front door, and I am able to shop at Target unaccosted. I do get touching fan mail and nice reviews though, so I am quite happy with my thimble of fame!

Wanna know more about Cara Chow? Check out her website here!

Amazon | Goodreads

♥amber

In My Mailbox

2011-03-19T17:39:00.004-05:00

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie.

Review

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Carmen by Walter Dean Myers

My Life, the Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Family by Micol Ostow

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

--Thanks to Egmont and HarperTeen for sending --

Bought

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

So Many Boys by Suzanne Young

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker

I think this is one of the best mailboxes I've had in a while! What did you guys get this week? Make sure to leave a comment so I can go check out your post :)

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday with Jenny from Wondrous Reads

2011-03-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm super freaking pumped that Jenny from Wondrous Reads is here to hang out with us! If you don't know, Jenny is a super blogger. She is very sweet, and I wish there wasn't that big freaking ocean between us because I'd love to hang out with her sometime!

Why did you start blogging?
I wish it was a more interesting story, but it isn't. I used to post short reviews on Amazon, and one day I came home from work (also book-related) with the idea to start a blog so I could have them all in one place. And here we are!

You get such amazing books in for review! What have been some of your favorites in the past 2 months?
I do get brilliant books for review, and I appreciate each and every one. I really do. When I first started blogging, I never even knew review copies existed! Anyway, these are my favourite review books from the past couple of months: Raising Demons by Rachel Hawkins, My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent, Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, Grace by Morris Gleitzman, Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry and The Pain Merchants by Janice Hardy. And I have to mention a couple that I bought myself, as they're my favourite reads of the year so far: Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari and Soulless by Gail Carriger. Both amazing!

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
That's a hard question. Probably 'Chocolate' by Snow Patrol.

Has reading a book ever changed your views on life?
Yes, a few times. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver and Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari have all made me rethink my own views on death, loss, family and living in the now, so to speak. Each one has touched me in different ways, and I don't think they'll ever leave me; The Book Thief especially. I think about that book every day.

Who is your favorite singer or band? Why are they your favorite?
Jimmy Eat World are my all-time favourite band, and they have been since the summer of 2001. They were the first band I ever saw live, and I just love them. Their lyrics are so meaningful and well-written, and their music has been known to make me cry. You should all check them out if you haven't already! After Jimmy Eat World, my favourites (in order) are: Coheed & Cambria, Brand New, Snow Patrol and Florence + the Machine.

If someone were to write a book on your life, what would the title be?
Oh wow, I have no idea. None at all. Ermm... [10 minutes later]... 'Living on the Hellmouth: How Vampires Changed My Life'. I would like to have that on my bookshelf. Please arrange this Amber!

Dude, I LOVE that title. I'll see what I can do about this :) Is there one song out there you've overplayed worse than a Top 40 station?
'Bleed American' by Jimmy Eat World. Let's just say it woke me up every day for around 3 years back when I used my CD player as an alarm clock.

What is your favorite book about or centered around music?
There honestly aren't any that are coming to mind. I know I own books about music, but I haven't read them yet. I'm thinking I should probably start with Stephanie Kuehnert's!

Yes, you really should. Stephanie's books are the bomb dot com. You've been given two golden concert tickets to go see any band from any decade. The only catch is you have to take a character from a book. Who are you taking and who are you two going to go see?
Haha this is a great question. I've never seen Linkin Park live, though I absolutely love them. So I'd go back to 2001 for the Hybrid Theory tour, and I'd take Conrad from The Summer I Turned Pretty. I reckon he'd like them. ;)

Awesome choice! I am a music whore who usually choices songs over bands. (Except for when it comes to Seether, of course.) What are 5 songs that we all should go listen to right now!
These are my favourite songs at the moment, and you should all go listen to them. A few can be found in various US TV shows ;)

The National - 'Lemonworld'
White Lies - 'Holy Ghost'
Bruno Mars - 'Marry You'
Morning Parade - 'Under the Stars'
Julian Casablancas - '11th Dimension'

Since you started your blog have you experienced any 'rock star blogging' moments?
When I met John Green last year, he asked me if I was "Jenny the famous blogger". I'm told my face was a picture of shocked excitement. I don't think I'll ever top that!

That is one kick ass blogging moment! Thanks again for stopping by, Jenny! For those of you who haven't been by her blog, don't forget to swing by!

♥amber

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-03-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Release Date: September 29, 201

For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket — a gifted inventor and engineer—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

IS IT SEPTEMBER YET?!?!?

♥amber

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

2011-03-15T17:31:00.000-05:00

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Released: September 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Pages: 377
Source: Bought
Challenge: The Contemps

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

---

This was such a good read! Denise Jaden did a fantastic job of weaving in different elements of a teenage life, death, and a glimpse at a cult-like experience. Because of that last part - this was definitely different from what I've read before in the contemporary genre.

Brie faces one of the biggest aftermaths of someone's death: Regret. We've all experienced it. No matter how close or unclose you were with someone you knew that passed away, you always wish maybe you would have just hung out a little more, got to know them just a little bit more. With Brie, she never really knew her sister. Sure she knew her Christian sister. The one that drove her nuts, but after her death, she notices there was a lot of things she had missed out on. Memories flood her mind, brining the reader so much closer to Brie and the mystery of Faith's death.

Denise Jaden does something very tricky with her writing. She has the super writer's ability to lure you into the story without even realizing how hooked you are. Each chapter seemed to give just enough questions to make me keep turning the pages, wondering what exactly went on while Faith was alive. The characters in this book are so well developed. I loved how Jaden weaved in all these different personalities like Tessa and Alis into Brie's life. The three of them were the biggest odd trio, but yet, she made them fit perfectly together.

The only part I had trouble with was the middle. There was a great build up to the truth, but it started to drag just a bit. I do wish more was talked about with exactly what Faith was into while she was alive because I always find it fascinating how certain groups can suck a person in.

If you are worried that this book might come off as preachy due to it having religious type context, please don't let that discourage you from picking this up. This book was no way preachy or pushy on anything.

♥amber