Guest Post: Class of 2k12 Features Megan Bostic and Never Eighteen

In April of this year, I was contacted by Caroline Rose about participating in the Class of 2k12. At that particular time my blog was less than three month's old, however, I was thrilled with the opportunity nonetheless. So, I set to work compiling a list of questions that would be circulated between 20 different new upcoming debut author's for 2012 and 15 of them picked between two and three of the questions and wrote their own little guest post to be posted here on my book blog, on the day their books release. The goal is to create as much buzz for these upcoming debut author's and their amazing books as bloggers can, by passing along the information and blogging about them.

Megan's Website | Megan's Blog
Megan's Facebook | Megan's Twitter
Megan's Goodreads | Megan's Youtube

Today, I am lucky enough to have the wonderful and amazingly talented Megan Bostic here at my blog featuring her new debut young adult novel, Never Eighteen, with us which is releasing today and if I were you I would definitely pick up a copy and check it out. Okay, so I have to tell you guys, that I am extremely excited for this book to be released, because I've been dying to read it. I know that it's going to be one of those highly emotionally charged and intense novel's that's going to stay with you, much in the way that Jay Asher's Thirteen Reason's Why did. This is why you should be picking up a copy of this wonderfully compelling novel. Please, help me welcome the lovely and incredibly gifted Megan Bostic to my blog.

❝The Watchword Featuring❞

Megan Bostic

What type of writing environment or space do you typically do most of your writing in?

I actually have an office I’ve set up for my writing, but never find myself there. I like a lot of sunlight when I work, which is sometimes hard to find in the state of Washington (I am solar powered). I find though that writing at my kitchen table in front of my sliding glass door gives me enough light to inspire and motivate me into productivity.

Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming book, without giving too much away?

Never Eighteen is a book about love, loss, and life. Seventeen-year-old Austin Parker is dying. His illness has helped him realize that you only get one shot at existence, so you’d better make the most of it. He takes a weekend journey with his best friend and secret crush, Kaylee, to face his fears, to do things he’s never done, and go places he’s never been. The most important part of his mission, however, is to visit the people in his life that he feels aren’t really living, and try to make them see and understand the value of their lives.

Never Eighteen
By Megan Bostic
Publisher: Graphia
Publish Date: January 17, 2012
Format: Hardback, pp 204
Age Demographic: Young Adult
b&n // amazon

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

*Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝Watch The Trailer❞



❝To Purchase a Copy❞

Amazon | Barnes&Noble
BooksAMillion | Book Depository

Thank you, so much Megan Bostic for stopping by the blog and for sharing this wonderful guest post with the rest of us. I wish you a ton of success with Never Eighteen as it looks like it's definitely going to be a beautifully written emotional rollercoaster, and I absolutely cannot wait to read it. To the rest of my fellow bloggers, I urge all of you to definitely pick up a copy of this book and read it and encourage other's to read it as well.

Guest Post: Class of 2k12 Features Robin Bridges and The Gathering Storm

In April of this year, I was contacted by Caroline Rose about participating in the Class of 2k12. At that particular time my blog was less than three month's old, however, I was thrilled with the opportunity nonetheless. So, I set to work compiling a list of questions that would be circulated between 20 different new upcoming debut author's for 2012 and 15 of them picked between two and three of the questions and wrote their own little guest post to be posted here on my book blog, on the day their books release. The goal is to create as much buzz for these upcoming debut author's and their amazing books as bloggers can, by passing along the information and blogging about them.

Robin's Website | Robin's Blog
Robin's Facebook | Robin's Twitter
Robin's Goodreads | Class of 2k12

Today, I am lucky enough to have the wonderful and amazingly talented Robin Bridges here at my blog featuring her new debut young adult novel, The Gathering Storm, with us which is releasing today and if I were you I would definitely pick up a copy and check it out. It looks like it's going to definitely be a compelling start of an epic journey that will leave you breathless and gasping for more, with each book released in the trilogy. So, please help me make her feel welcome here.

❝The Watchword Featuring❞

Robin Bridges

What type of writing environment or space do you typically do most of your writing in?


I spend most of my time in my cozy computer nook off of the living room. But sometimes I take a big notebook and sit in my car at the beach to plot. My car is my office-away-from-home!

Is there a specific way you go about research when writing your book, such as some of the things that inspired you to write this novel? Did you create a
playlist that helped you set the mood for your writing, were you inspired by other medium's or genres?

The playlist for the Katerina Trilogy consists mostly of Russian composers, like Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Borodin. There are also a few Orthodox hymns and Russian folk songs that would have been familiar to my characters in 1888 Russia. Some of the songs on my playlist are more modern though, like “The Hills of Manchuria”, written in 1905, or Shostakovich’s Second Waltz, which was composed in the 1950’s. And then there are the songs like Rasputina’s “Transylvanian Concubine”, added in just for fun.

The Gathering Storm
By Robin Bridges
Publisher: Delacourte Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: January 10, 2012
Format: Hardback, pp 400
Age Demographic: Young Adult
b&n // amazon

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

*Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝Watch The Trailer❞



❝To Purchase a Copy❞

Amazon | Barnes&Noble
BooksAMillion | Book Depository

This novel has such a beautiful cover, it's making me feel cold and winter-sy and the model on the cover is absolutely gorgeous. She kind of reminds me of either Bethany Joie Gaelotti or Lyndsy Fonseca. I could totally see either one of these wonderfully talented girls, playing Katerina if this triogy were ever made into a movie.

Thank you, so much Robin Bridges for stopping by the blog and for sharing this wonderful guest post with the rest of us. I wish you a ton of success with The Gathering Storm as it looks like it's definitely going to be a compelling start to a wonderful trilogy, and I absolutely cannot wait to read it. To the rest of my fellow bloggers, I urge all of you to definitely pick up a copy of this book and read it and encourage other's to read it as well.

Guest Post: Class of 2k12 Features Caroline Starr Rose and May B.

In April of this year, I was contacted by Caroline Rose about participating in the Class of 2k12. At that particular time my blog was less than three month's old, however, I was thrilled with the opportunity nonetheless. So, I set to work compiling a list of questions that would be circulated between 20 different new upcoming debut author's for 2012 and 15 of them picked between two and three of the questions and wrote their own little guest post to be posted here on my book blog, on the day their books release. The goal is to create as much buzz for these upcoming debut author's and their amazing books as bloggers can, by passing along the information and blogging about them.

Caroline's Website | Caroline's Blog
Caroline's Facebook | Caroline's Goodreads

Today, I am lucky enough to have the lovelyCaroline Starr Rose here at my blog featuring her debut middle grade novel (she's also co-president and member of the Class of 2k12), May B, which is releasing today and you should definitely pick up a copy and check it out. It's a beautifully written story that introduces a strong new herione that I think young reader's and even older one's would definitely enjoy. It looks like it's going to be emotionally riveting, the kind of novel that will stay with you long after you've read it. Definitely check it out. Please, help me make her feel welcome here on the blog.

❝The Watchword Featuring❞

Caroline Starr Rose

What type of writing environment or space do you typically do most of your writing in?

I’m not a sit at a desk person and prefer working with a laptop on the couch, a bed, or in my (deskless) office. Before I graduated to my current office (a whole room to myself!), I worked from a 3’X4’ closet. It kind of embarrassed my husband when house guests found out I used the space for writing. I think he felt people would assume he’d refused to share space with me in another part of the house. The truth is I refused to share space! I was much happier in my own private corner than I would have been in a huge space I had to share.

I also love working in coffee shops and have a date with myself at least once a week.

Is there any specific way you go about researching materials you use when writing?

When I start something historical, I’m never sure of my story line but know the era I’d like to write about. Because of this, I give a lot of time to reading broadly. I keep a box of library books related to my subject, order some used books on line, and read articles from sites like JUSTOR. Slowly I start to narrow in on specifics, and my characters start to emerge.

What are some of the things that inspired you to write this novel?

Bits and pieces from everywhere:

My Laura Ingalls love inspired me to create my own strong pioneer girl.

Gary Paulsen’s HATCHET planted the seed of MAY B.’s survival theme.

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO is my favorite book, and I’ve always been especially drawn to the chapters where Edmund Dantes is trapped in his prison cell. Telling a story in a small space intrigued me.

The movie CASTAWAY pushed me to try writing a story with little dialogue and interaction with other characters.

My years as a teacher made me wonder about children with learning disabilities in eras when such obstacles would have been misunderstood. When I decided May struggled with a learning disability, the story began to blossom.

May B
By Caroline Starr Rose
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Publish Date: January 10, 2012
Format: Hardback, pp 240
Age Demographic: Young Adult
b&n // amazon

I've known it since last night:
It's been too long to expect them to return.
Something's happened.

May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned.

Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her.

But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.

*Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝To Purchase a Copy❞

Amazon | Barnes&Noble
BooksAMillion | Book Depository

Thank you, so much Caroline Starr Rose for stopping by the blog and for sharing this fun micro-interview with the rest of us. I wish you a ton of success with May B and I absolutely cannot wait to read it. To the rest of my fellow bloggers, I urge all of you to definitely pick up a copy of this book and read it and encourage other's to read it as well, not just for awareness but because of the wonderfully strong young heroine that Caroline Starr Rose has created.

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation featuring Anna of Books To Brighten Your Mood and Simone Elkeles

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞

SIMONE ELKESE

©ANNA @ BOOKS TO BRIGHTEN YOUR MOOD

Hello and Happy Holidays first of all! Before saying anything else I just have to thank Suz for her amazing idea and for creating this feauture! I'm really flattered that you considered me to participate!

So, my name is Anna and I'm the blogger behind Books to Brighten your Mood and this is my first ever guest post, so forgive any awkwardness I'm sure will be visible by the end of it! I'm 26 years old and I live in Athens, Greece. Reading is essentially a second nature to me, so blogging just came along my being introduced to different genres and finding amazing recommendations through other blogs, so I thought of creating my own place and maybe introduce in turn to other people some of the books I love!

For the YA Author's Appreciation Event I could speak for noone else but one of my favorite ever YA authors: Simone Elkeles!!!

I mean this author is trully so amazing that anything she has written goes automatically in my TBR list! I just love everything about the way she delivers her stories, the characters she creates just stick to my mind and in overall, picking a book of hers means that I won't be able to put it down as soon as I pick it.

I'll never forget the day I received my copy of Perfect Chemistry! A good friend of mine had just read it and insisted that I should immediatelly go grab my own. And for that, I am forever grateful to her!

What made Perfect Chemistry so special to me wasn't the fact that it was my first YA contemporary book that I enjoyed. Granted, it was among the first but what made it so special was the sensitivity with which Simone Elkeles handled delicate issues in this book that along with a riveting story had me glued to the pages of the book.

Elkeles just has the undeniable ability to create well developed and memorable characters and I'm not talking about the main ones only...I remember that I just wanted to learn more about Alex's brothers and I didn't even knew back then that this book would be part of a trilogy. I just picked it solely on my friend's recommendation without knowing anything about the author or having read any reviews. And that way I was completely lost in the magic of this book. And not only that, but by the end of it, it was like Alex and Brittany were my own friends.

Apart from that, what makes Simone Elkeles so special an author to me is the fact that she knows how to stir the feelings she intends on her readers. Not many authors can claim they can achieve that. She just takes her readers along her characters' journey and while reading her books you can actually feel and understand her characters and their motives. Either you like her story or not,noone can say that her characters act in a non consistent way.

For all that, Simone Elkeles is among my favorite YA authors and one whose work I trully admire. She was the reason I started frantically searching for any similar stories out there as soon as I finished Perfect Chemistry and the reason I was stupidly grinning for almost an hour after I finished reading her story. So, even if she didn't introduce me to the YA contemporary genre she managed to make me obsessed over the genre!

Thanks Suz for having me over at your place! I had a really great time!

#031 Third Sentence Thursday featuring A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford

Third Sentence Thursday is a nifty little weekly meme hosted by Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books.

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!

A Touch Morbid
By Leah Clifford
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publish Date: February 28, 2012
Format: Hardback, pp 304
Age Demographic: Young Adult
b&n // amazon

"The typical moment of confusion between sleep and consciousness, when she realized she wasn't in her own bed, never came. She knew exactly where she was. Truth be told, she felt better rested than she had in a month. Perhaps every second was no longer a battle to hold herself together, to pretend she was all right." (pp ;; 206)

Eden won the battle-she saved her true love from the darkest evil.

But the war has only just begun. With secrets swirling around her, powerful allies unraveling, and life-and death-as she knows it eroding, Eden and those she loves tread dangerous ground.

Can she trust anyone?

Will her unearthly powers be her salvation or her downfall?

A sweeping, dark, and sexy paranormal romance that will haunt readers with an inventive mythology and a cinematic New York City filled with shadows and longing.

*Summary taken from Goodreads.

Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVE this series so much. I splurged a little bit before Christmas on A Touch Mortal (see my review here) because I couldn't stand it any longer and had to read it and then I was lucky enough to be receive an ARC of A Touch Mortal which had me fangirling for days on end. I'm nearly finished with this book and I cannot wait to see how it ends. I absolutely love the dark gothic and unique twisted way in which Leah Clifford spins the story of fallen angels and demons, plus her quirky brilliant way of referring to Hell as "the basement" and Heaven as "upstairs" and those who committ suicide "Siders".

{Small Note: This book was received from Greenwillow Books which is an imprint of HarperCollins, in exchange for an honest review which I will provide in a timely manner. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain.

The review will be coming shortly, any quotes or references may be subject to change once the novel is finalized and released.}

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation Featuring Valerie of Stuck In Books and Cassandra Clare

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞

CASSANDRA CLARE

By VALERIE @ STUCK IN BOOKS

 Valerie from StuckInBooks.com

As we head to the new year, I've been thinking about where my blogging adventure started, how I got stuck in books.  Interestingly enough, I haven’t always been an avid reader. Shocking, I know but I had a few books when I was young that captured my interest but nothing more. Now, my life seems to revolve around reading. What changed? As I think back about it, I can really pin point it to two authors. The first one is Stephenie Meyer who wrote the Twilight Series. She got me reading but she’s not the one who sent me down the road to loving YA urban fantasy. After I read the Twilight Series, I tried very hard to find other books that spoke to me so I haphazardly picked up books in YA looking for a repeat performance. Then a friend at work recommended The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I literally sailed through the first two books but had to wait on the third because it wasn’t out yet. In her books, I discovered what it is that I love to read.

 

That discovery has driven my reading choices ever since. Strong central characters just like Clary and Jace are a must. Clary doesn’t know how to be a shadowhunter but she’s determined and doesn’t give up. Jace is strong, talented and has a weakness for Clary. The world is familiar enough to real society that I’m not lost in a constant parade of things I don’t know and can’t keep track of. But it’s also a world of mystery and discovery for me. The plot is action packed with twists and turns that catch me by surprise. The clues that are left in the lines of pages are enough to keep me thinking but not enough to give things away. The love interest is strong and hot but doesn’t take over the entire plot. When you combine these elements you have a perfect book for me.

 

 

Now when I read, I look for urban fantasy or paranormal that have strong characters and fast action. No one writes like Cassie but I’ve found a few I would stand up next to her as just as good in different ways. Jennifer L Armentrout comes to mind. I have LOVED everything she has written and can’t wait to read more. Julie Kawaga is another one that creates those perfect stories for me. And I’m always comparing what I’m reading to these idols that I have. Thank you Cassandra for helping me discover my passion in reading and for getting me stuck in books!

Guest Post: Class of 2k12 Features Sarah Tregay and Love & Leftovers

In April of this year, I was contacted by Caroline Rose about participating in the Class of 2k12. At that particular time my blog was less than three month's old, however, I was thrilled with the opportunity nonetheless. So, I set to work compiling a list of questions that would be circulated between 20 different new upcoming debut author's for 2012 and 15 of them picked between two and three of the questions and wrote their own little guest post to be posted here on my book blog, on the day their books release. The goal is to create as much buzz for these upcoming debut author's and their amazing books as bloggers can, by passing along the information and blogging about them.

Sarah's Website | Sarah's Facebook
Sarah's Goodreads

Today, I am lucky enough to have Sarah Tregay here at my blog. Her debut novel, Love & Leftover's, is releasing today and you should definitely pick up a copy and check it out. It's a compelling young adult contemporary that's a beautifully written story depicting one girl's journey dealing with love, loyalty, family, and friends. I've personally been really excited to read this one, myself. I've been wanting to get into the habit of reading more contemporary novels and this looks like it will fit the bill wonderfully. So help me make her feel welcome here on the blog.

❝The Watchword Featuring❞

Sarah Tregay

Is there any specific way you go about researching materials you use when writing your book, such as some of the things that inspired you to write this novel?

I find it easier to write about things that I have experienced first hand— especially setting. My family has a summerhouse in New Hampshire (also known as a ‘camp’) that inspired me to write Love and Leftovers. My visits there are often limited to a week or two, so I liked the idea of getting stuck on summer vacation. I made two trips to New Hampshire while I was writing the manuscript, often sitting on the dock or in front of the wood-burning stove and scribbling away.

The second half of the book is set in Boise, Idaho where I live. Even though I am familiar with the setting, I went out of my way to experience what my characters might have experienced, like climbing on the playground on a cold day in January and hiding out among the cookbooks at the library.

As you might have guessed, Love and Leftovers has a bit of a food theme going on. My main character, Marcie, loves pizza. So, lucky for me, I got to order a slice or two in both locations.

Who are some of your favorite author's and have they had any impact on your writing?

I enjoy reading—and listening to—verse novels and Sonya Sones is one of my favorite authors. I was reading her book, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, when I began writing Love and Leftovers. It definitely influenced my writing, from the theme of moving to a new town to the light-hearted nature of the poems.

One of the things that I love about Sones’ writing is the sound of her poetry when it is read out loud. Often, I read my own poems out loud while I’m writing and revising in order to capture my main character’s audible voice. Who knows, maybe someday Love and Leftovers will be an audiobook.

Love & Leftovers
By Sarah Tregay
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publish Date: December 27, 2011
Format: Hardback, pp 448
Age Demographic: Young Adult
b&n // amazon

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? can you even know it until you've lost it?

Love and Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

*Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝To Purchase a Copy❞

Amazon | Barnes&Noble
BooksAMillion | Book Depository

Thank you, so much Sarah Tregay for stopping by the blog and sharing this amazing guest post with the rest of us. I wish you a ton of success with Love & Leftovers and I absolutely cannot wait to read it.

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation Featuring Tiffany of For Those About To Read and Anna Godbersen

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞

ANNA GODBERSEN

By TIFFANY @ FOR THOSE ABOUT TO READ

Ever since I read The Luxe, Anna Godbersen has been one of my favorite authors. She has this magical way of writing that entrances you. Whenever I read her novels, I feel like I’m standing in the room with the characters, experiencing their emotions, and seeing exactly what they do.

Godbersen’s plot lines are always fast paced and exciting. Since she writes historical fiction, all of her settings have an enchanting quality to them. When I read The Luxe, I felt like I was in a magnificent ballroom from 1899 wearing a to-die-for gown. When I read Bright Young Things, I felt like I was experiencing the excitement of the 1920s myself. The lyrical prose sucks you in and the whole thing just feels like a movie! It’s truly magnificent.

Aside from Godbersen’s gifted writing style, her plot lines are all crazy-good. She incorporates love, betrayal, and drama in a very realistic fashion. Some authors feel obligated to put a pretty bow at the end of the novels—Godbersen does not. If there were too many bad things that happened in a relationship for the characters to ever realistically work out their relationship, she lets it die. She doesn’t try to force happiness on her characters. Much like real life, sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t. That said, it’s practically impossible to predict her plotlines because she has this way of adding things you would never expect.

I didn’t truly appreciate what a master storyteller Godbersen is until I read Splendor, the last book in The Luxe series. Godbersen masterfully plans out her novels and leads the reader on an epic journey. Her books are so artfully written that you don’t see the intricacy of the stories she’s created until a series is complete. Everything is so carefully interwoven and there is purpose in even the most random-seeming act. There are few authors as talented as Anna Godbersen, and she has certainly changed the way I read both YA and Historical Fiction.

❝WATCH THE TRAILER FOR THE BOOKS❞

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation featuring Anna of Literary Exploration and Scott Westerfield

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞

SCOTT WESTERFIELD

By ANNA @ LITERARY EXPLORATION

Scott Westerfeld

Find Him On: Goodreads / Twitter / Author Website

I had The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld sitting on my shelf for the longest time before I finally picked it up. I read the book in less than a day and immediately ran out and grabbed up the rest of the series. The Uglies series is one of my favorite series of all time and I'll jump at the chance to read anything similar. I read this series right after reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and I'm happy to say it has really increased my love for Dystopians. Since then, I've developed a giant love for the author, Scott Westerfeld, because seriously that guy is amazing.

For those of you who haven't read  Uglies yet, the story is about a girl named Tally who lives in a society where everyone gets an operation to become "pretty" on their sixteenth birthday. Tally meets a girl named Shay, who doesn't want to be pretty. Shay wants to escape their city and live on the outside, and so she runs away. Tally is given the choice to help find Shay and betray her friend, or never become pretty at all. It's a great story about making choices, finding yourself, and falling in love. If you're a lover of dystopians, romance, adventure, (anything really!!) you're going to love  Uglies!

Since reading The Uglies series, I've also picked up Westerfeld's book Leviathan (which I sadly haven't read yet) and Peeps which is a vampire story. There's just something about the way this man writes that gets you hooked in from the very beginning. He has an epic way with words, and is such a master story teller. I'm not going to go into any analysis of his writing or anything, but he does have some pretty profound messages in his books as well. I mean, Uglies, a society of normal-looking people striving to be super model gorgeous?? I think that speaks for itself.

I think that's one of the things I love most about Westerfeld's books, they really make me think. It's not very often that I come across a YA book that makes me sit back and think about the way society works, or the way our world is driven by exterior images. Usually I read YA because it's fun and interesting, and I don't really expect to get much out of it other than entertainment. But Westerfeld manages to weave together the fun and excitement of YA and the thought-provoking images that adult novels provide. He makes you think, but he also makes you laugh, and cry, and sit back and enjoy yourself.

If you haven't read anything by Scott Westerfeld, you really should. Whether you're a steampunk junkie, a dystopian lover, or a vampire fiend he's got something for you! Maybe even check out some of his short stories before diving into something longer. Either way, you won't be disappointed.

Some of Westerfeld's series:

The Uglies:
Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras

Leviathan:

Leviathan, Behemoth, and Goliath

Book Review: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

By Leah Clifford
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publish Date: February 22, 2011
Format: Hardback, pp 432
Age Demographic: Young Adult
b&n // amazon

Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end.

*Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

A Touch Mortal is a wonderfully written, heart pounding, well established novel that will leave reader's yearning for the next book to come in the series. Clifford's writing is beautifully poetic and hauntingly moving, it lends itself well to giving wonderful background knowledge and multi-layered depth to certain character's.

The cast of character's is vast, yet they are given strong multi-flavored personality characteristics that make them both likeable and relatable at best, in an attempt at giving the story strong purpose. Eden, the novel's main protagonist, is a strong-willed, intelligent, fiercely independent individual with quite a bit of spunk. She is easily likeable and reader's can and will find her character to be a bit sympathetic. Az and Gabe, are both interesting as well, and they come with their own set of choices, shouldered responsibility, and interesting plot twists that will leave reader's questioning them a bit, but still sympathetic to their own plight.

One of the best things about this book and this cast of wonderful character's, is that none of them are black and white. While some may appear to be good on the outside, are in truth dark and sinister on the inside, as well as mysteriously intriguing. Clifford does a lovely job at focusing not only on developing the plot and moving it along at a rapid pace, but also in taking great care where her character's are concerned and making sure there is constant focus on them. They simply do not fade into the background, while taking a backseat to the plot. They stay, pretty much in the forefront of the book and where they belong. It's their story, really. She just gets to tell it.

There are deeper meanings and moments, that are sprinkled through-out the book, that reader's will find engaging, captivating, and moving at best. Along with many suspenseful twists and turns in plot and dynamic, that will keep reader's gasping for more. The ending, is something that they will absolutely not see coming, yet they will be left wanting more.

The world-building of this novel, is absolutely thrilling and fantastic. It is richly dark and compelling. Mysteriously filled with a gritty look at the underbelly of being touched mortal. The Sider's are an interesting aspect, interwoven in the plot and the references to both Heaven and Hell as Upstairs and The Basement are unique and fun in a darker sense of meaning. Clifford has this way of setting this dark eerie tone and blending it in so well that the atmosphere of her book is a bit chill-inducing. This isn't your typical novel involving angels swooping in to save the day. It's a much darker, grittier, bit of gory take on the other side. I'd say that I found it to be quite refreshing, that this novel was so uniquely and cleverly written, with brilliant character's and a wonderful suspenseful plot that was able to twist my stomach into knots with every twist and turn.

The only drawback or reservation that I personally have with this book, is what appears to be insta-love that happens quite quickly between Az and Eden. As lovely as they were to read, more and more I feel as if insta-love is being used a little too frequently for my tastes. I would much prefer a strong slow-buring build-up to a romanctic relationship between two cleverly written character's, than for any would-be relationship to appear to be this easy. I guess, I just don't personally understand the mechanics of insta-love or the appeal for it. Love isn't love in just a matter of seconds or a twenty-four hour timespan. It happens over a period of time, as one character gets to know another one, and proceeds to fall in love with them and then they go through a series of moments before they realize just how much the other character means in their life. I just wish it wouldn't have been so easy between Az and Eden in the beginning.

I found myself feeling a bit sorry for Adam, as he was falling love with Eden all the while she could never fully let him in or feel for him, what he felt for her because Az took up a great deal of her heart. That was a love triangle, that I found quite enjoyable, even though I was a touch more inclined to be sympathetic moreso to Adam than in Az's behalf. Though I never saw the plot twist coming as far as Adam or Libby were concerned, which plucky and genius Clifford gets definite bonus points for that.

A Touch Mortal is an action-packed, highly emotionally charged, thrilling, intensely amazing gothic novel that will take reader's breath away. I would recommend this book to fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series or Kelly Creagh's Nevermore. They will love this series.

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation featuring Felicia of Living Life Through Books and Stephanie Perkins

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞

STEPHANIE PERKINS

By FELICIA @ LIVING LIFE THROUGH BOOKS

So I’ve been asked to write a post for YA Author’s Appreciation, about an author who’s changed my point of views in reading YA novels and those that have made their mark on us, and to choose what we are willing to read an what we aren’t willing to read. The author that I decided to gush about is Stephanie Perkins. Many of you know her as the critically acclaimed YA author of Anna And The French Kiss. She has also written the novel, Lola And The Boy Next Door.

Now normally, I love reading romance novels, especially YA. But ever since I got my hands on a copy of Anna And The French Kiss, I felt that Perkins defined the epitome of what a YA romance novel should be.

I have read a lot of books in my day, and let me tell you, there are a LOT of YA authors who seem to be more daring and racy about relationships and romance in this century. Lord knows I’m not an expert on either, but when you read a romance novel, it shouldn’t be just about the sex scenes and the love scenes. It should also be about real life situations, consequences, and the changes that a character goes through

I believe that Perkins does exactly that, especially when I read Anna And The French Kiss. I was completely blown away by the characters and the feelings that they were going through. Perkins made me fall in love with YA romance all over again. It also made me more reluctant to read YA romance novels that are more racy. When a romance novel is well written such as Anna And The French Kiss, there is no need for authors to go overboard.

Perkins writes in a way that leaves you blushing, breathless, and wanting more. She doesn’t write with all that extra added junk, and makes the relationships seem more real. If it’s a Stephanie Perkins novel, it’s guaranteed that I’m going to devour it. At least to me, Stephanie Perkins has made her mark, and is here to stay.

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation Featuring Sonny of Literary Junkies and Cassandra Clare

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞
CASSANDRA CLARE

SONNY @ LITERARY JUNKIES

I grew up with three sisters, with me being the quiet, observant one.  I stayed quietly curled on the couch, with our dog Pepper in her dog bed, or in a willow tree for many of my childhood years. One of my best friends was my cousin. We would do so many things together; run in the cow pasture, walk in the crick, play on the fallen, moss covered trees that we deemed “the rain forest”. And every day of the summer that we were not dancing under willow branches or playing mermaids at the local beach, we rode our bikes to the library. Now, this was not your everyday, two block bike ride to get to our destination. This was a bike ride though the country, hill after gigantic hill, three mile ride, twice a day. But we did keep up with some pretty spectacular tans.

The library for me was a place that I was able to travel to new worlds and other lives that made my heart flutter. I spent so many days skimming my fingers across the spines and smelling the ink on the well-worn pages. The library was a gift, especially for a little girl who owned almost no books of her own.

As a teenager, I fell out of books and worlds of wonder for quite a few years. Having an after school job and a long-term boyfriend, I didn’t have much time to stuff my nose in a book. What I did try to read were adult books; my attempt to be an adult.

Some years later, after I married my now hubby, my aunt started me on the Twilight series. This was my first step into YA novels. But, it wasn’t until 2009 that I really fell into reading again. I had a job as a housekeeper at a nursing home and worked with some truly terrible people. Things in my life were not going as planned, and mine and my hubby’s year was just not turning out to be a good one.

During a trip to Walmart, I happened upon The City of Bone by Cassandra Clare. The cover jumped and yelled at me “Pick me up!”. So I did. And I never looked back.

I read the first three books in a matter of days. I tripped into these books head first, danced in the pages as the words of Cassie trickled into my mind. I dreamt about the world of Shadowhunters for days. I think it is safe to say I fell in love, and never came out.

In a way, Cassandra Clare helped me get back to my “dance with my imagination” mind set. I was always a bit of a dreamer. The characters in The Mortal Instrument books really struck a chord with me. Jace was funny, charming, and incredibly frustrating. I had never read about such a boy before, and knew that was the type of love interest my mind loved to read about. Her other characters are intriguing, well written, and incredibly rounded. Cassie’s writing is also a huge part that reached into my chest and swelled my heart. With heart stopping lines like, “There is no pretending," Jace said with absolute clarity. "I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there's a life after that, I'll love you then." And also fun ones like, “I don’t want to grow up, I want to be an angst ridden teenager who can’t confront his own inner demons and takes it out verbally on other people instead" (Jace) Cassandra Clare never fails to write fabulous words that make my heart fly.

I now always try to find books that have romances that could be similar to the one in TMI with Clary and Jace. Romance in YA has to be my most sought after and beloved books in the YA genre. But almost nothing can hold up to the romance in TMI.

The Steampunk series by Cassie, Infernal Devices, also has equally witty, fantastic, and frustrating characters that have found a place in my heart.

The Mortal Instruments helped really pushed me into the reading habits that I have now. After reading TMI, I began other YA books that grabbed ahold of my interest. Some of the first ones included Hush, Hush; Fallen; The Hunger Games. At first, I was a little nervous because I am an adult reading YA books. But, I realized that YA is not about your age. A good book is a good book, no matter what age it is “intended” to be for. YA books are pretty much my everything, outside of my hubby, work, and my family. Because of my love for YA books and Cassandra Clare’s brilliant writing, I found my way to the YA book blogging world via a post by Anna @ Anna Reads (Love Anna!). Here is her Cassandra Clare post that made my tummy tickle: *click me* I thought, “Hmm. I never knew this place existed. I wonder…”. And I took a chance. I started my own YA book blog; this was a huge leap for me. I do not leap often. But, I found this amazing world full of fantastic people who love the same things that I do. I am eternally grateful for my hobby, my followers and new blogging friends, and all the amazing authors that I have met along the way. I have had the chance to read some truly fabulous books and befriend some wonderful people.

And I have mostly Cassandra Clare to thank for this! Thank you Cassie for letting the world in to your wonderful words and your brilliant mind.

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation featuring Amanda of The Vintage Bookworm and Richelle Mead

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞ RICHELLE MEAD © AMANDA @ THE VINTAGE BOOKWORM

Hello all, and welcome to the YA Author Appreciation Event, hosted by the lovely Susan of A Soul Unsung. Which, of course, you should already know since you are currently on her blog. Anyway, I'd like to thank her for asking me to participate in this. It's a great honor! =) Thanks Susan!

Anyway, let me introduce myself. My name is Amanda. I own the book review blog The Vintage Bookworm, which was created in December of 2010. Though I've been blogging on and off since 2006. I started a book review blog back in 2006 to meet other people who loved books just as much as I do and to get my opinion out on certain books.

 I am a young mother and wife who has loved reading even before really learning how to. Not only do I love reading, but I'm an aspiring YA author. My dream is to see a book with my name on it among other books that I love. I'm going to talk about one of the authors that inspires me the most. She inspires me to keep writing and to set high goals for myself, and she also inspires me to read. I can always rely on her to create an amazing book. If it has her name on it, I'll definitely be adding it to my overgrowing to-be read pile.

Who is this awesome person you may ask? None other than the amazing, and very, very talented Richelle Mead.

Richelle's Website
Richelle's Blog
Richelle's Twitter
Richelle's Facebook
Richelle's Goodreads

Bio, as taken from Goodreads:

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy. 

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous. 

To be honest, I haven't read ALL of her books. Yet. I do plan on it, though. They all sound amazing. I've only read all six of the Vampire Academy series, plus the first book in the spin-off series Bloodlines. Which means I've read 7 out of the 16 that is currently out. I really need to catch up! I haven't read any of her adult books, which is included  in those 16. But they all sound amazing. Her adult series are: Georgina Kincaid and Dark Swan.


When you open a book by Richelle Mead, you can trust that you won't be disappointed. I've never been. I could go out and buy every book she's published, plus the anthologies she's in, and I won't regret it. (Though I do own the Vampire Academy series, plus the first Bloodlines book.) Richelle's writing reaches out and grabs you and doesn't let you off the amazing ride until the last page of the book. And then you're like, "Really? Did this just end? I want to know more!"

Her writing flows very well and she's just an amazing writer overall. I don't even know what else to say other than that. She makes you care for her characters; whether they are good or bad. You care! I can't tell you how many times I've cried over the Vampire Academy series. How many times I've cried and thrown stuff across the room, and wanted to literally jump into the book and smack someone or kiss someone. (Okay, seriously, do I really have to say whom I'd love to kiss? I think Dimitri is in every woman's dream. Well, okay, Adrian too.)

Her characters are so real to me and I can honestly say she is one of the top names on my list of writing idols. If I could even write a quarter as good as she does, I would be a happy woman. She inspires me to keep writing and to keep getting better at the craft.

She has changed reading and writing for me forever. She definitely has the best young adult vampire series out there. =) She's a great writer with unique story lines, plots, and characters. And that makes her one of my all time favorite authors.

I'm going to make it one of my new year's resolutions for 2012 to at least start on her adult series.

Guest Post: YA Author's Appreciation featuring Laura of All Of Everything and J.K. Rowling

❝YA AUTHOR'S APPRECIATION FEATURING❞

J.K. ROWLING

© LAURA @ ALL OF EVERYTHING

Hi everyone! *waves*. I'm Laura from All of Everything here today to share the YA author that I greatly appreciate. Why I started blogging stems from my love of reading, and my love of reading as voraciously as I do stems from this author. I know I'm not the only one writing about her but I think she greatly deserves the praise :]

J.K. Rowling

My parents encouraged my love of reading from a very young age. They would always bring me to the library and help me carry the stacks of books I always came out with. Close to Christmas, I overheard my dad on the phone with my uncle, who wanted to get me some new book that had come out that was getting really popular. That's how I got Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone. I think I may have finished it in a matter of hours, I was so engrossed. That book started my obsession.

Sure I have always loved books, but Harry Potter was the first book that got me excited, frantic and NEEDING to get the sequel as soon as possible. I started preordering the books as opposed to waiting for them at the library (which probably would've taken months!) The day Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out me and my family were due to leave for vacation. Well, I couldn't wait a week to get the last Potter book! So when we left we stopped by the mall pretty much right when it opened and I RAN to the bookstore to pick up my (preordered) copy. The workers were standing amidst piles of the books and handed me my copy with a smile and 'hope you enjoy'. Between sitting at the beach or on the deck, I finished it in two days. And I was blown away, as per usual.

J.K Rowling wrote a series that I fell in love with, that grew up with me, and from how old I am now, was pretty much a big part of half my life. Half my existence spent with Harry, Ron and Hermione at the magical place that was Hogwarts. I'm sure I was one of many who daydreamed of having magical powers and attending such a magnificent school. It was gold for the imagination.

Even though it's over, it's become such a huge part of my life and my love for books. It started so many discussions, and brought about some serious fangirling, of the book and movie kind. I had never been so crazy about a series before. And from Harry Potter have come even more amazing books to sit beside it and for me to preorder months in advance: authors like Cassandra Clare, Suzanne Collins, Christopher Paolini, Stephenie Meyer, James Dashner, Rachel Caine, Patrick Ness, Veronica Roth, Beth Revis, Tahereh Mafi, Marie Lu and so many more are proudly displayed on my shelf with books I've loved or will continue to love.

I loved reading before Harry Potter, but it set off some spark in me, and made me CRAZY love reading and made it a passion. I got more involved, learned about new books, widened my reading horizons and so much more. And down the line, years later, here I am blogging about books, and hoping to get into the publishing industry. Thanks J.K. Rowling. And thanks Suz, for letting me share :)