Let's Get Lost

When I was at BEA in May, they had a really cute Volkswagon Slug-Bug car decorated to match the cover of the book Let's Get Lost. I'm sad to say, their marketing stunt totally worked on me. Even though they ran out of ARCs at the expo, I was able to get an e-book copy through NetGalley, and just had to read it. While it's nothing super Earth-shatteringly good, it's a decent read that all ties together really well in the end. I'm glad I picked it up.



Let's Get Lost Summary:
Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.


Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

Let's Get Lost Review:
One thing I really liked about this book is that it's told from five different points of view, spread throughout five different sections of the book. But the main character's point-of-view isn't introduced until the end. So for the first eighty percent of the book, you know the main character is Leila, because she's the only common character among each of the four sections, but it's all about the other characters' perceptions of Leila's. We're not able to hear anything from Leila herself until the very last portion of the book. And I liked it. It's a novel concept, and I think Adi Alsaid is a genius for doing it.

The first section of the book begins with a boy who is romantically interested in Leila, so at first I was prepared for a romance novel, but I was way off. There are romantic elements dispersed throughout the novel, but that's not really the main focus. Alsaid definitely struck a good balance in that regard. She also did a really good job with character development. It's hard to develop a character and tell their whole story in fifty or so pages, but it was very well done. All of the characters were very real and relatable.

I also loved that throughout the whole book, you're left wondering what Leila's story is. She goes out of her way to help all four of the characters she meets along her journey, and you can tell she's not really concerned about getting where she's going very quickly, but you don't know why she's doing the things she's doing. To be honest, I wasn't sure I was ever going to find out what her story was.

But Alsaid devoted the last section to Leila's point-of-view, and readers finally learn what Leila's story is. And I really loved the surprise of it. Once you figure out her story, so many things that happened earlier in the book made sense. I knew there was something special about her story, but I never would have guessed it, and I totally appreciate the surprise of it all. If you're looking for a quick, fun read with deeper thematic elements laced throughout, make sure to pick this one up.

Screaming Divas SLJ Review

The last book I reviewed for School Library Journal before taking a break for the summer was Screaming Divas by Suzanne Kamata. I hate to say it, but I didn't love it. Some might. I just didn't. Check out my SLJ review and decide for yourself if it sounds like your cup of tea.

Screaming Divas Review SLJ August 2014:
Gr 10 Up--A contemporary coming-of-age novel that focuses on music, sex, and drugs, told from the points of view of four teenage girls who are all searching for something. Trudy, Cassandra, Harumi, and Esther come from different walks of life. Trudy is no stranger to juvenile detention, and finds herself kicked out of both of her parents' homes. Cassandra is a former beauty queen with an ugly scar and a newfound addiction to heroine. Harumi is a violin prodigy with overbearing Japanese parents, and Esther is a confused teen struggling with her sexuality. The four of them come together to form a band called the Screaming Divas that is in desperate need of practice. But as the girls get better and the band becomes more popular, Cassandra falls deeper into her addiction, and after an argument with Trudy, ends up dying from a drug overdose. While this is a relatively short book, the pacing is painfully slow. It isn't until halfway through the book that the group actually forms, and readers are unlikely to find the characters likable or believable. Unless teens are heavily invested in the rock and roll theme, they are unlikely to be hooked by this story that fails to perform.

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Out of all the free books I got from BEA in May, this one is definitely one of my favorites. Amy Ewing is a debut author with a lot of hype. And I have to say, I agree with all of it. If you liked The Selection by Kiera Cass, you'll love this one too. I know for sure that this blogger can't wait until the second one comes out. Check it out!

The Jewel Summary:
The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.


The Jewel Review:
I loved everything about this book. The beginning of the novel is quite mysterious and doesn't give away too much too soon. Ewing has struck a really good balance with giving away background info. The story is beautiful. I don't want to give away too much to those of you who are thinking about reading it, and in fact I wish I could just gush about how much I loved it, but I'll try to steer clear of both of these things.

Violet is a really strong, smart character who's fairly good at playing the game Surrogates have to play in this world. If you've read The Selection, you'll fall in love with Violet just as fast as you fell in love with America. One difference though, is The Jewel has a stronger, slightly more intriguing plot line. The Selection was largely romance driven, which is perfectly fine, don't get me wrong. But I loved all of the scandal and politics of this book.

In fact, some people on Goodreads are complaining about the romance aspect of it, but I'd probably have to say that I disagree with them. I enjoyed the romance. I think it made Violet a stronger character, and gave the book enough suspense to leave readers hanging at the end of the book. Another thing I loved about this book was not knowing who the romantic interest would be until halfway through the book. The Goodreads summary I posted above gives away more than the back of the book, which just alludes to a romance with somebody. In fact, I thought it was going to be someone completely different from who it was. And I liked that it wasn't obvious at first. And without saying what the ending was, I will tell you that I liked it. Granted, I don't love being left hanging, but I loved the surprise and the suspense thrown in at the end, and think you will too. Make sure to pick up a copy of this when it comes out.

Heir of Fire Review

I just finished reading the first three books of Sarah Maas's Throne of Glass series and loved every minute of it. I haven't had a chance to blog about the first two in the series yet, so I'll use this post to review all three at once. I was first introduced to the series at the Book Expo of America a few months ago when Sarah Maas stayed late signing books long after her scheduled time to sign for all of her fans. That's when I got my hands on the third book in the series, so of course I had to go out and get the first two books in the series. And I loved them all.

Since I read them all back-to-back, they're all kind of blurred together at this point, so I'll post summaries for each individual one, starting with book one, and do a lump review at the end to review all three at once. For those of you who are already fans of the series and are searching for a hint as to what happens in the third book, feel free to jump to the bottom. Here we go...

Throne of Glass Summary:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another.

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Crown of Midnight Summary:
From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Heir of Fire Summary:
Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Series Review:
If you've never picked up any of the books in this series, take a break from reading my blog and order the first one (and then come back, of course). Although all three of these books are rather lengthy, particularly the third, they're still amazing reads. If you like strong female protagonists, love fantasy, or are itching to read about a teenage assassin, look no further. Celeana is a very strong, bold character who still feels a lot of the same emotions teens today face. Initially, when she's first pulled out of the salt mines by the prince and his Captain of the Guard, she seems like an unsympathetic character, but Maas does a good job of quickly convincing the reader that Celeana has a heart, and not only that, but she has the courage to make hard decisions.

The first book opened up so many different plotlines and left so many questions unanswered, that you'll be dying to get through to the end. And if you're anything like me after reading the third book, you'll be wishing the fourth one was out already. Maas does such an excellent job with world building, and has developed really strong characters. And unlike some books out these days, she's not afraid to kill off some of her characters, which I like about her.

At first I didn't like that the series was told from the third-person point of view, but now I understand why. By the time you get to Heir of Fire, the story is not only being told by Celaena, but also by Prince Dorian, Chaol, Celaena's cousin Aedion, Prince Rowan (a totally new character), and Manon (an Irontooth witch vying for a lead spot in the king's army of witches). And I like it. The one thing I will say though, is that I didn't love reading about Manon's character in Heir of Fire. I'm sure Maas has a reason that will be obvious in the fourth book, but I'm already so invested in Celaena's story, that reading about someone she's never even met before was a little off-putting.

For those fans who can't wait to get to your hands on the third book next month, I won't give away too much. But I will say that it leaves a lot of unanswered questions at the end of it. Maas introduces Prince Rowan as a new character, that you'll learn to love by the end of the novel, and Celaena isn't done revealing shocking truths about her past yet. And if you're waiting for Celaena and Chaol to get back together, you'll have to keep waiting. Celaena spends the entirety of the book far away from Rifthold, so there's still hope for a reunion in the fourth book, but alas, we will have to keep waiting. Happy reading!

The Only Thing to Fear Review

Here's my latest book review to be published by School Library Journal. Let me know what you think.

The Only Thing to Fear Review:

School Library Journal (07/01/2014):
Gr 9 Up--Sixteen-year-old Zara St. James lives in a dystopian futuristic society in which the Nazis won World War II and now control the world alongside their Axis allies. Ever since Zara's mother and best friend were killed by the Nazis, Zara has been living with her uncle who is one of the leaders of the Alliance, a rebel group attempting to overthrow the government. Outraged by everything the Nazis have done to her friends and family, Zara is eager to join the Alliance, but her overprotective uncle won't allow it. Because of Zara's special ability to control wind, however, she feels she would be an invaluable asset, and spends the majority of the book complaining that her uncle won't allow her to do more to help. But when she meets Bastian, a Nazi soldier eager to join the rebels, she seizes her opportunity to defy her uncle and aid the Alliance in overthrowing the Nazi Empire. The romance that sparks between the two teens feels forced, and neither character is particularly likable or sympathetic. Zara's supernatural abilities seem misplaced considering the premise, and while the premise is intriguing, its distant third-person point of view and less-than-stellar writing make it a poorly executed story. Readers are unlikely to get past the first few chapters.--"Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, Hartford Public Library, CT" Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Cracks in the Kingdom

A few months ago I reviewed A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty, and loved it. I finally managed to get to my NetGalley copy of the sequel Cracks in the Kingdom, and loved it just as much. Before I picked it up, I was impressed that it got four starred reviews. For those of you not familiar with the library world, that pretty much means four of the literary review magazines thought it was exceptional, and marked it as such. It's not all that often that so many different publications will star the same book, because usually each publication only stars a few each month.

Goodreads Summary of Cracks in the Kingdom:
The second in Jaclyn Moriarty's brilliant, acclaimed fantasy trilogy, THE COLORS OF MADELEINE!

Princess Ko's been bluffing about the mysterious absence of her father, desperately trying to keep the government running on her own. But if she can't get him back in a matter of weeks, the consequence may be a devastating war. So under the guise of a publicity stunt she gathers a group of teens -- each with a special ability -- from across the kingdom to crack the unsolvable case of the missing royals of Cello.

Chief among these is farm-boy heartthrob Elliot Baranski, more determined than ever to find his own father. And with the royal family trapped in the World with no memory of their former lives, Elliot's value to the Alliance is clear: He's the only one with a connection to the World, through his forbidden communications with Madeleine.

Through notes, letters, and late nights, Elliot and Madeleine must find a way to travel across worlds and bring missing loved ones home. The stakes are high, and the writing by turns hilarious and suspenseful, as only Jaclyn Moriarty can be.

My Review of Cracks in the Kingdom:
This installment of the series was equally as magical and captivating as the first. I've said this before in my review of the first book, but I love the amazing and creative world-building Moriarty has done. If you're sick of reading the same story over and over, and you're looking for something original, look no further. With dual viewpoints, she's able to offer the best of both worlds: Madeleine who's based in the real world, and Elliot, who's based in a fantastical world.

This series is full of humor, and rich, colorful characters. The setting is also beautifully described and incorporates highly original Color Attacks that affect Elliot's world in strange and interesting ways. This story of missing persons is full of fun twists and turns, and promises readers a fun, exciting, and original read.

I only have two complaints about this book. The first one is that Madeleine is not given equal screen time in this book, which sort of throws off the balance a little. It would have been a little better if, like the first installment, Madeleine and Elliot were given equal screen time. My second, and perhaps slightly bigger complaint is that the story drags on at certain points, and should have been edited down a little. I love long books if they're gripping throughout, but sections of the story were lagging and could have been pared down to speed up the story a little.

Overall, however, this is an amazing fantastical read that teens and adults of all ages will fall in love with. Readers are sure to be left salivating for the third installment.

Happy reading!

Summer State of Mind Review

Summer State of Mind Review

School Library Journal (06/01/2014):

Gr 8 Up--In this coming-of-age story, 15-year-old Harper is the spoiled daughter of a wealthy music producer. Her plans for the summer consist of shopping, hanging out with her mean-girl besties, and attending all of the hot parties. But after charging one too many frivolous purchases to her dad's credit card, he decides to ship her off to summer camp to remind her of who she was before they struck it rich. Harper has a difficult time adjusting to the environment and alienates most of the other campers with her obsessive vanity and her dependence on electronics. As the summer progresses, she slowly begins to win some of them over, manages to save the day, learns a little bit about herself, and begins a romance with a camp "lifer" who goes to her high school. Her romance with Ethan feels a little forced and shallow, and the plot is somewhat anticlimactic, but teen girls who can't get enough summer-romance novels may enjoy it. Purchase only where beach reads fly off the shelves.--"Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, Hartford Public Library, CT" Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

On the Fence Review

Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing a sweet contemporary romance novel called The Distance Between Us by Kasie West, so I was really excited this year to find her next book On the Fence in my mailbox to review this year. It was every bit as good as The Distance Between Us, in fact, I would maybe even go so far as to say I enjoyed it more. Check out my review below.

On the Fence by Kasie West
Gr 8 Up--West crafts a beautiful story that will hook lovers of contemporary teen romance. Ever since her mom died, Charlie, a 16-year-old tomboy who loves all things sports, spends most of her time playing pick-up games with her three brothers and next-door neighbor Braden. But when Charlie's dad makes her get a job to pay off a speeding ticket, she lands a job at a clothing store where she must model make-up and be more feminine than she's ever cared to be. Soon she's in over her head with lies--lying to her dad, her boss, and a cute boy who's never seen the tomboy side of her. The only thing that saves her are her late night fence chats with Braden, who she is slowly beginning to fall in love with but can't risk losing. This tale is eloquently written and goes deeper than most teen romances dare to go. For fans of Susane Colasanti and Stephanie Perkins.--"Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, Hartford Public Library, CT" Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC

Those Pesky Summaries

So you've finished off the latest revision of your manuscript, and have decided it's time to try sending it out. "That's great," you might think. And the excitement might even last for a few hours. But then, when it's time to proof your query letter and make sure that summary is absolutely perfect, the excitement starts to wear off. There's so much pressure put on the summary you write for your book. (Although much of it may be self-inflicted.) I still don't know if the summary is perfect, but I think I'm getting close to something, so I've decided to post it and see what some of you may have to say about it. Feel free to leave any suggestions/comments in the comments box at the bottom. I'd love to hear from you!

Summary of Desiderium:

At any given time there is exactly one Desiderium walking the Earth. And no matter what anyone might think they saw, that person absolutely cannot be seventeen-year-old Rhiley Winters. No way. The Desiderium, after all, has the power to make her strongest desires a reality—literally. The last one wished for a baby with every fiber of her being, and minutes later a screaming infant appeared out of thin air. And that’s nothing like what just happened to Rhiley in history class. Not even close.

But let’s just say Rhiley was the Desiderium (hypothetically speaking, of course). She would be the reason no one on this planet is allowed to feel desire. Plus there’s the tiny detail of finding herself at the top of every government’s most wanted list. After all, there’s no telling what kind of havoc she could wreak on society with her newfound ability. And if they do execute her (which would be highly unnecessary because she’s definitely not the Desiderium), as soon as she dies the ability would be passed on to someone else, and Rhiley would be nothing but a black mark in history books for generations to come.

So, really, the fact that she just wished for more time and time is now literally frozen around her doesn’t mean anything. And the fact that the hot new student witnessed everything doesn’t matter. Because there has to be another explanation. Her life depends on it.

Lost Girl Found Review

Here's my latest review for SLJ. It was a starred review, and a really good book, so check it out if you get the chance.

School Library Journal (04/01/2014):
Gr 8 Up--This poignant and gripping story follows Poni, a young girl growing up in a Sudanese village. The emotional tale depicts the challenges of Poni's everyday life before the war. Against all odds, she must find a way to stay in school, deflect any young boy's attention, and fight for her life to survive malaria. But then the war comes, and everything changes. After her entire village is wiped out following an airstrike and her family is presumed dead, she must flee Sudan with a group of refugees to the safety of a refugee camp far away. Many die along the way, but Poni survives the long journey. Once she gets there, she discovers the horrors going on at the refugee camp and must escape. After she's free, a nun in Nairobi offers her shelter, the continuing education the teen has been longing for, and, ultimately, help getting to America, the land of opportunity. This book does an excellent job of evoking strong emotions from readers through its graphic depictions of life in war-torn Africa. Many are familiar with the Lost Boys of Sudan, but these authors set out to tell the stories of the Lost Girls of Sudan, and have succeeded with flying colors. This short, quickly paced narrative will stay with readers for the rest of their lives.--"Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, Hartford Public Library, CT" Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.