Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins


Released: December 2010
Published: Dutton
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Pages: 372
Source: Around the World Tours


Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.


As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?


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There's no doubt that you've seen a million posts up already gushing their love about this book. Yes, this will be another review where the blogger feel head over heels with Anna, and will re-read it many upon many times. And I know with all the hype, some people might get it, and not love it as much as they thought they would. Honestly, if it wasn't for a couple bloggers who kept telling me I had to read it, I probably would have overlooked this book at least for a while.

What I love about Anna is that she is one of the best well-rounded and realistic characters I have read in a very long time. She is not perfect. She is not a doormat. She is not too cool for her own good. She is just a regular girl who is experiencing this whole new adventure in a new city. I've never been to Paris, and I doubt I'll ever get the chance to go. But Stephanie Perkins writes that place so vividly, I felt like I've already been there. And hey, if I ever want to go re-visit, I can just jump back into the book ;)

Then there is St. Claire who you're already sighing a bit over when you first meet him. BUT St. Claire is just an average guy. He's not tall, dark, brooding, and acts like he's the biggest badass around. He's short, funny, laid back, and if I were at that school I'd either be in love with him or his best friend. I prefer the in love part, but you can tell he's just one of those guys who would sit next to you and strike up a conversation no matter who you are.

The romantic part of this story is obviously swoon-worthy and the part I really enjoyed. The attraction to St. Claire is there, but it is so well plotted. There are so many "almost" moments just like in real life. The relationship really does grow in this strong friendship that the two form throughout the school year. The host of friends Anna has were never just in the background to me. They were all so clearly individual and entertaining. Even everything above isn't the only reason why I loved this book. I loved seeing Anna grow from the girl she was when she stepped into that new school in strange city to the girl she became at the end of the story.

Stephanie Perkin's writing flows so easily, I was seriously about a hundred pages into the book, and didn't even realize it. She is so well in tune with Anna, you really do feel everything she writes and what Anna goes through. Another thing I wanted to add in is something I've noticed in a lot of books lately where the mention of sex or cursing sometimes goes a bit overboard. What I like about this book is that it was there when it needed to be there. Nothing was over-done.

So basically my name is Amber and I am an Anna Fangirl! If you love a wonderfully well-written contemporary novel then you have to get this one. For being a debut author, Stephanie Perkins has blown me away and made me an instant fan. I will definitely be picking up anything she writes next!

If you want to see my fangirl reaction when I first finished Anna months ago, check out this post.

Stephanie Perkins has always worked with books--first as a bookseller, then as a librarian, and now as a novelist. She and her husband live in the mountains of North Carolina. Every room of their house is painted a different color of the rainbow.


Website | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads









 ♥amber

Matched by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie


Released: November 2010
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Young Adult - Dystopia
Pages: 384
Source: Around the World Tours


Rating: ♥♥♥♥

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.


Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.



---

I'm new to the Dystopia genre. After discussing it on twitter with Sab, I came to realize I have read it before, but what can I say I have a bad habit of sticking in my comfort zone of reading. Since Matched was one of the most anticipated books this year, I decided to pop my head out and see what the fuss was about.

Ally Condie's style of writing is very poetic. The words slip in nicely and flow so easily it amazed me how far into the story I was without even realizing it. The only downside I think some readers will find in the beginning of Matched is a bit slow. Normally I can't do a slow book, but the whole world that Cassia is placed in had me so intrigued. The thought of living in a world, one that was controlled from what you ate, to what you wear, to who (if anyone) you will spend the rest of your life - that's just crazy!

For someone who doesn't think of a futuristic world, it was a bit weird at first trying to view a main character who had never really had her own thoughts. Cassia has never went against what she has told, but soon her mind begins to wonder. One thing I loved was seeing a lot of the 'past' which some of it was only fifty or sixy years ago being intertwined in the stories. (Double bonus for using some of Dylan Thomas's work). When Ky's face appears on the screen, it's like the first time Cassia's life actually turns into a life. She suddenly so confused when she shouldn't be, and her feelings are sprinkled throughout the pages and the character growth was paced out so wonderfully - it just made this read so fantastic.

What really makes Matched stand out to me is how beautiful the relationship between Ky and Cassia is. I am a sucker for a good romance, and each chapter my stomach become fluttery wondering what was going to happen to these two. If anything did, I was on pins and needles wondering what the outcome would be.

I will give out a semi spoiler, but it's one I think everyone should know so they don't have the same reaction I did. There is a sequel (and thank you Jenny for reassuring me of it!) so when you get to the last page don't chuck the book on the table shouting out a WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! Because Cassia's story is far from done, and I am so, so very glad of that.

♥amber

Author Interview: Erin McCahan + GIVEAWAY!

How does it feeling being a debut author?I cannot wrap my head around it still. In truth, I feel distinctly detached from all the buzz and the book signings and the author visits. I’m grateful for it. I’m happy going to events, but it’s strange. I can’t explain it any other way than that it feels, for now, as if it’s happening to someone else – no pun intended, but I’m going to work this into a pun someday – and I’m standing nearby watching.

What was the first idea that sparked I Now Pronounce You Someone Else?
The spark came from the collision of three separate ideas:

1. my own alias, Phoebe Lilywhite
2. my shameless fascination with weddings
3. my step-dad, who died before I got a chance to tell him how much I
loved him.

I was working on a story about a girl and her step-dad, but it stalled after just a couple chapters. Once I blended it with weddings and Phoebe Lilywhite, it became a novel.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing stories since third grade. I began writing with an eye towards publication when I was 22. And only eighteen short years later . . .
But it wasn’t a steady eighteen years of writing and rejection. In total, it was probably more like nine.

Are you anything like the characters in your book? Or did you base them on anyone you know?
No, I was nothing like Bronwen when I was her age. I was so pathologically shy that I rarely spoke in public, and when I did, no one could hear me, and I was pretty much in a constant state of blushing from the ages of 13 to 20.

And I don’t think I could ever write characters faithfully if they were based on actual people. I’d be writing the real person rather than allowing the character I’d created to develop on his or her own. That’s what I mean about faithfully writing a fictitious character.

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
This is such a fun question. Can I swipe it for my Facebook page? I wish it were the James Bond theme. Running up to the grocery store would be so exciting, then. I’m glad it is not the theme to the Pink Panther, which I’m certain would, in time, make me start walking funny. It’s probably either Come Sail Away or Schoolhouse Rock’s The Preamble.

You sure can! What's one genre you doubt you'd ever write for?
Erotica. Vampire erotica. Vampire dystopian erotica. YA vampire dystopian erotica. And westerns.

Have you experienced any 'rock star' writing moments?
No rock star moments yet, but I ran up to my local Borders last week, looking for a copy of my book – I keep giving all mine away – and after the saleswoman said they were out of stock, she said, “I’ve got to order more because we can’t keep these on the shelf.” And that’s probably from me buying copies. Then she looked at me and said, “You know the author lives in Dublin.” (nearby suburb) And I just smiled and said, “No, I didn’t know that.” I actually don’t live in Dublin, but it was nice that she knew that I’m local.

What's next for you?
Dinner! Put the James Bond theme on; I’m headed to Kroger!

Thanks for stopping by, Erin! If you would like to read my thoughts on Erin's book, check out my review. I'm also giving away one copy of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else.Giveaway is for US ONLY and will end October 31st at 11:59 pm central standard time.

Fill out the form to enter and good luck!

♥amber

Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready (Book #1)


Released: May 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal - Series
Pages: 309
Source: Around the World Tours

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Released: May 2001 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 352

Source: Big Honcho Media

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

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Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is definitely a book you do not want to miss out on if you've ever wanted to take a cross country road trip. What a wonderful way to explore America without ever leaving your house! I thought the maps, playlist, pictures, and Amy's entries in her travel journal were a clever touch to really make you feel like you were with Roger and her.

Amy was pretty bland at the beginning of the novel. It made the read a bit drabby at first, but after I passed the first fifty pages - I was pretty much sold. While being on a road trip just for about a week doesn't seem like that long of a time for a person to change, it is. Knowing more and more about Roger and Amy and seeing them both tackle things in their past made the pages fly by. The plot itself isn't very fast paced, but it makes for a great character growth read. I think those that like a more action fast plot might not like this one too much.

One thing I have to point out is how much I enjoyed seeing both characters experience everything around them. Neither of the characters had really been outside of California so when they stumbled upon the Midwest (where I'm from) I was probably cracking up a bit more than I should have. Especially when they arrived at a Sonic, and had no clue what it was. Or when they hit Kentucky and never had sweet tea. (No sweet tea? You people are living without!) It was pretty neat seeing all the differences that many states have. 

After I read this book, I texted my sister asking if she wanted to make a small road trip of our own. So at the end of the month we're hitting up Graceland! So I say pick this book up, enjoy Morgan Matson's wonderful writing, and see where it takes you. Who knows, you might end up on a road trip of your own. 

♥amber

2010 Debut Author Challenge

The 2010 Debut Author Challenge is being hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

The objective is to read a set number of YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year. I'm going to challenge everyone to read at least 12 debut novels! Click here to read all the details.

Here is my list of books (in no special order) that I'm super pumped to read for the challenge:


1. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
2. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
3. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
4. Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
5. Dirty Little Secrets by Cynthia Jaynes Omololu
6. Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton
7. Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White
8. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab
9. Bleeding Violets by Dia Reeves
10. The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride
11. Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
12. Sea by Heidi R. Kling
13. A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner
14. The Mark by Jen Nadol
15. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
16. Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
17. The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell




As the year goes on, I will contuine to put books up that I've read. But don't be shy. If there is a book you're thinking I should be super excited about - leave me a comment! If you're an author, feel free to pimp out your book on this page!
 
♥amber