Endlessly Review

In a time crunch to get to my next book review for SLJ, I just finished reading Endlessly by Kiersten White, which is the third in the Paranormalcy trilogy. I finished the second installment, Supernaturally, a few weeks ago, and started right onto the third one, but for some reason I found it really hard to get through. I was so close to the end of the series though, that I had to plow through. All in all I think it just needed to be majorly edited before being published.

Endlessly Summary:
Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.

Endlessly Review:
The author's voice in this book was still really good, but not quite as excellent as it was in the first two books in the series. I was still interested in finding out how Evie's story ended, but getting there was a bit of a challenge. The book was almost 400 pages, but could have easlily been weeded down to 300 pages without missing out on much.

One thing that also irked me a little about the book was that throughout the first half, paranormals were pushing Evie to open this intergalactic gate for them to go through, and she was stubbornly refusing even though she didn't have the facts. It make sense for her to initally refuse, but after awhile, her refusal didn't make much sense anymore.

All in all, I'm glad I read it because I really wanted to know how Evie's story ended, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. For anyone who really enjoyed the first two though, I would definitely recommend it.

Ruby Red Review

I finished reading Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier a few months ago, and fell in love with it. The plot is fairly simple, but the characters and story are both so engaging that I had to go to Amazon as soon as I finished it and purchase the sequel.


Ruby Red Summary:
Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!


Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Ruby Red Review:
This book was originally translated from German, so I was worried the translation would leave the writing feeling a bit choppy, but the translation was very well done. Gwen is a really great character, and Gideon is a character readers will love to hate in the beginning, but be rooting for Gwen to end up with in the end.

What struck me as so great about this book is that the plot is very simple, but the writing and the characters carry the reader to the end of the book. Now that I've finished the sequel, I'm really looking forward to reading Emerald Green when it comes out in October. The one thing I didn't really care for about the first two books is that between the first two books, only 2-3 weeks pass, which feels odd. So much is packed into those couple of weeks. It also makes the romance feel a little less real, but overall I still thought it was excellent.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of YA time travel novels, or anyone who enjoys a good romance.

Paranormalcy Review

I recently read the first two books in the Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White and loved them. I even managed to get one of my co-workers hooked. Not to mention a few teens who frequent the library.

Paranormalcy Summary:
Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.

But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Paranormalcy Review:
Rigth away, even after reading the dust jacket, I knew the author had a really strong voice. If any of you have ever wondered what exactly voice is, it's the author's personality shining through the writing. A voice can be snarky, funny, sarcastic, etc. If any writers have yet to find a great example of strong voice, read this book. It's a great example.

For one thing, the premise of this book is so new and refreshing, especially when you consider that the paranormal genre is mostly vampires, angels, and werewolves these days. But this book introduces many new paranormal creatures, and paints old creatures in a new light.

On top of that, I fell in love with Evie, the main character, and loved the love story that White told. I was hooked until the very end and would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, fresh read.

Beginnings

I've spent the last few months editing the first chapter of Desiderium, and while I still have a bit more work to put into it, I think I may have finally nailed the first paragraph of the book. My husband keeps asking me why I'm spending so much time on the first chapter. The answer: because beginnings are so hard. Not only is it hard to start the story in the right place, but also to gradually give information to the reader at the correct rate, and introduce the right number of characters at the right time. And on top of that, it's the first thing prospective agents will see, so it's important to get it right.

With that being said, sometimes I feel like this lady who seems very frustrated with her laptop. At any rate, I've decided to post the  first paragraph of my book.

Desiderium Opening:

A flickering yellow light draws my gaze to the steel band clinging to my wrist. It’s been weeks since I set off my bracelet, but it was bound to happen again sooner or later. Especially since I can’t seem to stop obsessing over how many things I have to do, and how little time there is to do them. Then before I know it, those thoughts quickly become something more—almost, just almost, wanting more time. The next thing I know, the dopamine in my bloodstream is dangerously close to the legal limit. I really need to be more careful. 

Feel free to give feedback of what you think. I'll be back later this week to give another book review. Back to writing...

School Library Journal Review

I recently received some good news (hopefully). I've been accepted to write reviews for the School Library Journal on a trial basis. I just submitted my first book review, and we'll hopefully be seeing it in the April edition, as long as the writing is up to snuff. If and when the review is published, I'll be sure to post it here, but in the meantime, here's a sneak peak at the book I'm reviewing, which is scheduled to come out in April. Cross your fingers for me that my review makes it into the journal.

 

The Program Summary:
In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

Pitchapalooza

After spending hours working on a pitch for a Pitchapalooza event, I thought I would share my pitch with you. Summing up my book has been one of the hardest things for me to do, and I have to say, I'm finally happy with what I came up with. Let me know what you guys think.

Desiderium Pitch:

At any given time, there is exactly one Desiderium walking the Earth with the power to turn desires into reality. With the world constantly at the mercy of one person's whims, governments around the world are forced to outlaw desire and execute anyone suspected of having the ability. The only problem: as soon as the Desiderium is killed, the ability is passed onto another, and no one, not even the new Desiderium, is aware of their identity until they desire something so strongly it actually happens.

Preoccupied with covering up her own secrets, seventeen-year-old Rhiley Winters has little trouble suppressing her desires. Usually. And like everyone else, she is more than eager to let the government monitor her desires in exchange for protection. That is, until one morning when she wishes for more time and finds it standing still around her.

Monument 14

I just finished reading Monument 14 per a co-worker's recommendation and I loved it. It's definitely not a book for younger teens, but I would recommend it to anyone 15 and up. If I had to stick it into a certain genre though, I'm not sure what I would choose. It's sort of apocalypic, but not fully.

Monument 14 Summary:
Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner. Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus. But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

Monument 14 Review:
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were all vastly different, which gave the story a type of variety that I usually don't see in YA books. Not to mention that the main character's voice was intriguing fun. I've been told that I have a dry sense of humor so my opinion might be biased, but I personally loved the protagonist's sarcasm. Although I will say that it took me at least 15 pages to figure out that the main character was a boy. The description doesn't let on, and we didn't hear his name until quite a few pages in (at least not that I saw).

I couldn't put this book down. In the beginning they were trapped in the store and I thought that the story would be sort of stagnant, but then the author threw in a bunch of other variables that made the story fresh and interesting. Personally, I'm not to fond of Dean's decision at the end of the book, but I'm looking forward to the sequel coming out next June. It should definitely be interesting.

Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff that Made Me Famous

A couple of weeks ago I attended a webinar that provides authors with tips on writing query letters, and came with a critique from an agent that I'm excited to hear back about. I'm beginning to feel like I'm almost ready to send Desiderium out to agents again. As always, it's a lot better, but who knows if it's getting close to where it needs to be. Wish me luck!

In other news, I'm working on outlining an idea for a stand-alone novel that I'm really excited about. It's a story I'm itching to tell, and I'm hoping that moving on to another book will bring me more luck with Desiderium. Only time will tell though. Onto the review...

Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff that made me Famous Summary:
Can a spot on a teen reality show really lead to a scholarship at an elite cooking school AND a summer romance?

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Nicolaides was practically raised in the kitchen of her family’s Italian-Greek restaurant, Taverna Ristorante. When her best friend, Alex, tries to convince her to audition for a new reality show, Teen Test Kitchen, Sophie is reluctant. But the prize includes a full scholarship to one of America's finest culinary schools and a summer in Napa, California, not to mention fame.

Once on-set, Sophie immediately finds herself in the thick of the drama—including a secret burn book, cutthroat celebrity judges, and a very cute French chef. Sophie must figure out a way to survive all the heat and still stay true to herself. A terrific YA offering--fresh, fun, and sprinkled with romance.

Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff that made me Famous Review:
First of all, let me start off by saying that the title is indeed a mouthful, but charming no less. At first I was reluctant to pick this book up because it was only 230 pages, which is rather short, but I was sold on it after reading the first couple of pages. This author's voice was incredibly engaging and fun.

I have a couple of protests about the ending, but I have to say that I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read.

Something Strange and Deadly

Sorry it's taken me so long to get around to writing this post. I've been busy with revisions, and I'm polishing my query letter, and trying to spiff up my logline to enter a contest later this year. A logline is supposed to be a one or two sentence pitch to let readers know what the book is about and hook them in. You may be thinking, it's just one or two sentences...piece of cake! Oh contrare. It's some of the hardest one to two sentences I've ever written. When I'm happier with it, I'll post it here. Anyway...

I recently finished reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard, which is a change from the types of books that I normally read.

Something Strange and Deadly Summary:
The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Something Strange and Deadly Review:
Let me just start off by saying that zombies usually aren't my cup of tea, but I thought I'd give this book a try. After reading 100 pages or so, I was hooked. It wasn't super scary or gory, and I liked the plot. It was engaging, too, which is always a good quality to have. But then it all went downhill from there. It was as if the author stopped trying halfway through the book. The writing and the character got cheesey, and the plot became rather stale.

Not to mention that the ending was such a downer. I get that it's a zombie book, and lots of people are going to die, but not only did everyone die, the guy she was falling in love with throughout the whole book told her he didn't love her at the end and went off to go to Chicago, never to see her again. Sorry for anyone who was going to read this book, but I had to get that off my chest. Overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Sorry Susan Dennard.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Not much new to report on Desiderium. Revisions are still under way, but I have to say that I feel like I might be getting close. I hope I didn't just jinx it by saying that. Depending on how much time I'm able to devote to my revisions, I might be able to send it off in a month or so to test the waters. Cross your fingers for me! Now, onto the review...

I just finished reading Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I actually purchased this book because  with my discount at B&N I was able to get it for $3.70, and I really liked the Unearthly series so I decided to buy it. Here's a summary of it.

Hush, Hush Summary:
A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Hush, Hush Review:
This book felt a lot like Twilight. Except with angels. Girl meets dark, mysterious boy at school who is clearly dangerous. Boy stalks girl. Girl doesn't think anything of it. Girl starts to wonder if boy may not be human after all. Girl does Google search on a hunch and is able to figure out what he is. Girl's life is in danger. Boy saves girl. Boy and girl enter into blissful relationship which will undoubtedly be put to the test in the sequel.

That being said, I thought that Becca Fitzpatrick had a great writing style and did a gread job of keeping the readers hooked. We gave this book away at the library to teens who read 20 hours over the summer, and quite a few of them are hooked. I made the comparison to Twilight to one of the boys who loved Hush, Hush, and he freaked out and refused to see the similarities. Aside from the unoriginal plot, the writing was enough to carry me through to the end and make me consider picking up the sequel. Happy reading!