Book Review: Even In Paradise by Chelsey Philpot

Even In Paradise

Chelsey Philpot

Published: October 14, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary 

Pages: 368

When Julia Buchanan enrolls at St. Anne’s at the beginning of junior year, Charlotte Ryder already knows all about the former senator’s daughter. Most people do... or think they do.

Charlotte certainly never expects she’ll be Julia’s friend. But almost immediately, she is drawn into the larger than-life-new girl’s world—a world of midnight rendezvous, dazzling parties, palatial vacation homes, and fizzy champagne cocktails. And then Charlotte meets, and begins falling for, Julia’s handsome older brother, Sebastian.

But behind her self-assured smiles and toasts to the future, Charlotte soon realizes that Julia is still suffering from a tragedy. A tragedy that the Buchanan family has kept hidden … until now.

To Pre-order a copy of Even In Paradise by 
Chelsey Philbot please visit: Amazon & B&N

(Note: I received an ARC of this book for review through ATW ARC Tours, in exchange for an honest review.)

Beautifully wistful, full of soaring hope, and bittersweet love this book will grip your heart in the palm of its hand and never let it go. It's emotionally compelling in every way and you will find yourself wrapped up in the greatest love story of all, even if it's only for a fleeting moment. Wonderfully human and full of flaws, Even In Paradise, will show you what it's like when you find out that you're only human after all and that sometimes life can be unnaturally cruel. I loved falling in love with this story from the moment that I picked this galley up and began reading it. It's one of those books where you just feel like you're watching what's happening roll by in vibrant technicolor before your eyes, streaked with pain, guilt, glamour, and the feeling of just wanting to belong to something you normally wouldn't be a part of, even if only for a moment. 

Told in a brilliantly stunning past tense point-of-view through Charlotte's (Charlie's) eyes and reminiscent of the Gatsby concept, Even In Paradise, possesses this charm and magical appeal to it that makes the you want to fall in love with the Buchanan's too the way that Charlie has. She's a girl on the outskirts of their world, skating along the fringes and is accepted into the fold once she befriends Julia, who is beautifully broken and tormented in so many ways. Together these two form a close bond that seems as if it cannot be severed, but through lies, hidden half-truths, and secrets step by step they seem to lose their footing. Through growing up, getting lost in who Charlie feels she's supposed to be as the Buchanan's see her, and dealing with the anxiety over having to always take be the one to look out for and take care of Julia, this book is hauntingly tragic just as much as it is timeless and magical. All of this is compounded with Charlie's first love being, none other than Julia's brother, Sebastian Buchanan. These two are dizzy and drunk on each other, sweet and charming, and so much fun to read about. It's a wistful sort of windswept romance, that will pull at your heartstrings and make you want these two to last as long as the time will allow.

The story that Chelsey Philpot weaves throughout the narration of Even In Paradise is both intoxicating as it is thrilling. There is so much more to this emotionally intense story, than just a fleeting moment in one's life where they were caught up in such a dizzying frenzy of wanting to belong and then realizing they had come and then overstayed their welcome. It's almost hard to sum up these feelings without borrowing a line from the book itself, "I don't belong here, Sebastian. I'm just a visitor who stayed too long." It's a story of so much more than just survivor's guilt, wanting to escape the pain that you feel you're trapped in, experiencing love for the first time, traversing the waters of a friendship that you feel will always be there that's been built on half-truths and lies, and being enamored with the things that you can't have - the beautiful people - and being accepted into their circle. It's about hope, love, loyalty, friendship, discovering who you are and where you belong in life. It's a book about a precious moment in your life that you will never forget and always look back on fondly, even if it only lasted for a mere moment of your life. It isn't a story that's riddled with regrets, it's a story of what is just is and it's a beautiful one.

Even In Paradise is the absolute perfect summer read to get swept up in this summer when you're sitting poolside or spending a day at the beach. It's a read that will leave you dizzy with hope and longing.

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Chelsey Philpot is a bibliophile and a library devotee.

She writes about books, culture, travel, and the arts for the Boston Globe and teaches writing at Boston University. Before moving to New England, she was a book reviews editor at School Library Journal in New York City.


HarperCollins will publish her first young adult novel, Even in Paradise, in fall 2014.

Book Review: Sinner (Wolves of Mercy Falls #3.5) by Maggie Stiefvater

Sinner
Wolves of Mercy Falls #3.5

Sinner

Wolves of Mercy Falls #3.5

Maggie Stiefvater

Published: July 1, 2014

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Age Demographic: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Pages: 368

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy. 

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

To PreOrder Sinner (Wolves of Mercy Falls  #3.5) 

by Maggie Stiefvater please visit: Amazon & B&N

(Note: I received an ARC of this book via ATW ARC Tours, in exchange for an honest review.)

The Wolves of Mercy Falls is one of my favorite paranormal romance series. It's beautifully written, gorgeously compelling, and just full of amazing characters that you can't help but love. So, I was extremely excited when I discovered that Maggie Stiefvater was going to write another book featuring characters from that particular series. Sinner is a gorgeous stand alone companion novel to this awesome series, that is beautifully poetic, and full of raw emotional turmoil that will grip readers hearts in the palm of its hand and squeeze them until they burst. Cole St. Claire and Isabel will leave you absolutely breathless and gasping for more.

Right off the bat, Maggie Stiefvater, pulls readers in with the opening line "I'm a werewolf in L.A." and keeps them captivated with the thrilling tale she has spun so beautifully and imaginatively. It's probably the best line in the entire novel, if you want to know the truth. It helps to set the tone right away and showcase Cole St. Claire in a way that defines his character throughout the full length of the story being told. It's a dangerous, terrifying, illustrious love affair that's full of pain, despair, heartache, and amazing emotion that will hook you from the beginning and keep you turning the pages until the last one has been read. It gives you a different perspective on two characters lives in such a way that you can't help but become entangled in their epic affair.

This isn't Mercy Falls anymore, this is L.A. to borrow a lyric from Sheryl Crow, and what you get is something different, mysterious, dark, tantalizing, and alluring. Cole and Isabel are incredibly raw, edgy, broken, and full of strong differing opinions that sometimes it causes havoc in their tumultuous relationship. They are so intensely emotional that it's hard not to fall in love with the idea of the two of them together. As rough as Isabel is, her tough exterior somehow manages to cloak how much pain and hurt she possesses beneath the rough and tumble facade she displays to the world. Cole has made and continues to make so many mistakes in his life, his emotional issues run much deeper than they were ever explored in the Wolves of Mercy Falls and it's heartbreaking to watch his struggles throughout Sinner. Yet, it's one of the most beautiful aspects of the book, how he tries his best to navigate the complicated waters of his relationship with Isabel, reconcile with his past, and rise above everything else. 

As much as Cole is touted the "sinner" in this novel, I was very happy to see that this story didn't exactly fall prey to the "savior complex" troph that I usually see in books of this nature. It was more the route of Isabel and Cole helping one another to save themselves, rather than to save the other one. Or, at least, that's the way that I read it. They both seem to have this uncanny ability to make the other one better, even though their relationship was definitely messy and heartbreakingly complicated at times. Aside from Cole and Isabel, there are some other wonderful characters that Stiefvater introduced that will fill in those few spaces of your heart, characters like Leon, Jeremy, and Sofia. Out of them all, I think that Leon, is the one who really managed to steal my heart. There was just something so magical and right about him, I just couldn't help but love everything that he brought to the story. 

Sinner is so much more than just another paranormal fantasy book about werewolves, it's a story that's incredibly real and raw in more ways than one. It's a story that isn't afraid to highlight the dangers of addiction, the highs and lows of fame, complicated relationships that are full of so much pain and anguish, and heartbreak. It's a story that's teaming with so many realistic real-world issues that you can't help but forget that you're reading a story about werewolves, because it feels as if these things could actually happen. They did happen, they happened to Cole and Isabel and getting to read their story was definitely one of the highlights of my summer, so far. If you're a fan of young adult paranormal fantasy and you enjoy reading books that induce many feels, then this would definitely be the novel for you to pick up. Even though Sinner is a stand alone companion novel to the Wolves of Mercy Falls I would recommend that you read that series first, before you read this book just so that you can understand the back story for Cole and Isabel.

Maggie Stiefvater

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New York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.

All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. 

She's made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, two neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

Book Review: Canary by Rachele Alpine

Canary
By Rachele Alpine

Published: August 1, 2013

Publisher: Medallion Press

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary

Pages: 400

Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone.

Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete.

But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. Although she knows she should speak out, her dad’s vehemently against it and so, like a canary sent into a mine to test toxicity levels and protect miners, Kate alone breathes the poisonous secrets to protect her dad and the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes.

Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse.

To Purchase Canary visit: Amazon & Barnes&Noble

Canary, is one of those contemporary stand alone young adult novels, that was powerful in such a way that it drug my emotions all of the place. Written in a mixture of prose and verse, it is one of those novels where the story beneath the telling, has a way of getting up underneath your skin and irritating. Irritating in a good way, to clarify. In some ways it reminded me of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. In light of recent events gone on in the news lately, I think this is a story that was much needed to be told, and it was written in such a realistic and relatable way that it is easy to connect with the characters in the story.

Powerful and dripping with emotion, this is a story will command your attention from the beginning. There's more than one issue going on, at the heart of this story. Rachele Alpine, tackles them both with a sensitivity and vulnerability that will leave your heart aching for Kate, her home life, the ordeal she goes through, and her brother. This is a beautifully written and truly compelling look at the inside of a girl who has to battle a long journey of self-discovery, in order to become stronger within her own skin to make the right choice for herself. Kate is a beautiful portrait of a realistic heroine that is to be admired for all of her courageous grace and beauty.

It is a hard book to get through, with so many different ways of looking at things such as enlisting in the military, the incident where Kate is assaulted, the fall out of the decision from that, among so many other things. However, I have to applaud Rachele Apline, for writing it in such a way that it was beautifully captivating and emotionally compelling. It will definitely hold your attention and parts of it may very well make you angry. There are just so many conflicting emotions throughout this novel, that make it so wonderfully realistic and definitely worth a read. I would definitely recommend giving it a chance.

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I'm a high school English teacher by day, MFA student by night and YA writer during any time in between.
I like to write with a big cup of coffee, good music and my puppy by my side.

My debut novel CANARY will be published in August 2013 by Medallion Press. Hot diggity dog! This makes me very happy!

Book Review: The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1) by Stacey Kade

The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1)
By Stacey Kade

Published: April 23, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Age Demographic: YA Contemp/Sci-Fi

Pages: 416

1. Never trust anyone.
2. Remember they are always searching.
3. Don’t get involved.
4. Keep your head down.
5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules.

To Purchase The Rules visit: 

Amazon & Barnes&Noble

The Rules, is a fantastic sci-fi contemporary young adult novel that managed to hit all of the right spots with me. It came at a time when I was craving something that was a little more than contemporary and less fantasy, so it sort of became the "it" book for me. There's a wonderful blend of realism, teen angst, and suspenseful action to keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters are enjoyable, the story is heart wrenching and touching in various moments of the book, and the writing will pull you into the story. It's just a really great read!

It's incredibly easy to like all of the characters in this book. Ariane, is just all around awesome and totally kickass! Full of amazing strength, she has a bit of a stubborn streak half a mile wide. I loved the fact that she doesn't let other's pick on those weaker than them. She's just incredibly fierce and spirited! Although smart and witty, she doesn't come without flaws that frustrated me here and there, throughout the story. Some of her choices or decisions felt a bit redundant in some areas, but for the most she was definitely enjoyable.

Zane is charmingly sweet and incredibly super protective of Ariane. Their relationship was beautiful to watch unfold in such a slow progressive, realistic way. I love that it was just straight forward and honest, without involving insta-love. A lot of times, that can ruin a really good book for me, in so many ways. I'm was glad that Kade didn't incorporate that into this novel.

The Rules, is a cleverly written, captivating young adult contemporary with a fantastic blend of sci-fi that will definitely pull you into its world. You won't want to miss out on this book or the story it has to tell. There's a lot of action, tension, and wonderful build up going on in these pages. Definitely never a dull moment, with twists and surprises that you won't be expecting. The ending will definitely leave you clamoring for more.

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As an award-winning corporate copywriter, Stacey Kade has written about everything from backhoe loaders to breast pumps. But she prefers to make things up instead.
She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Greg, and three retired racing greyhounds, Joezooka (Joe), Tall Walker (Walker) and SheWearsThePants (Pansy). When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll likely find her parked in front of the television with her Roswell DVDs, staring rapturously at Jason Behr.
The Ghost and the Goth is her first YA novel.

Book Review: All I Want by Susane Colasanti

All I Need
By Susane Colasanti

Published: May 24, 2013

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary

Pages: 240

The last night of summer is only the beginning.

Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever.

To Purchase Obsidian Mirror visit: 

Amazon & Barnes&Noble

All I Need is a perfect carefree whimsical romance for a great summer read! Susane Colasanti's character are wonderfully real and easy to connect with emotionally. This is a wonderfully written and compelling novel, that will make you laugh one minute and cry the next. It's such a heart-warming book filled with a fantastic cast of characters that you'll really enjoy. The romance is sweet and charming at its best and brilliantly showcases all of the ups and downs of a long-distance romance and the toll it can take on a couple.

Skye and Seth are easy to fall in love with. They each come with problems and complications of their own, but they also bring out the best in one another, too. Susane Colasanti write's this charming little love story, in such a way that is incredibly realistic and refreshing. I enjoyed the emotional way she was able to bring her characters to life. One of the best elements that makes this book so appealing, is the way she writes about love, loss, and the complexities of long-distance romance. It's a fun novel that showcases the sweet vulnerable aspects of young love, that any contemporary fan will enjoy. All I Need is a book that you will read in one sitting and come away from with a smile on your face.

Susane Consalati has penned a sweet, charming romance that is the perfect summer read for any fan of young adult contemporary. All I Need is filled with sweet memorable and heart warming characters, that are wonderfully deep, complex, and intriguing. You won't want to miss out on their story.

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Susane Colasanti is the bestselling author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, Something Like Fate, So Much Closer, and Keep Holding On. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. Before becoming a full-time author in 2007, Susane was a high school science teacher for ten years. As a teenage Jersey girl, she felt like her true home was across the water in New York City. She now lives in downtown Manhattan.

Susane's seventh teen novel, All I Need, will be released on May 21, 2013.

Book Review: The Rising (Darkness Rising #3) by Kelley Armstrong

The Rising (Darkness Rising #3)
By Kelley Armstrong

Published: April 2, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins

Age Demographic: YA Paranormal

Pages: 416

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

Old secrets are revealed and unexpected characters make a surprising return in this stunning conclusion to Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Darkness Rising trilogy.

To Purchase Obsidian Mirror visit: Amazon & Barnes&Noble

The Rising is an incredibly adventurous and exciting conclusion to Kelley Armstrong's Darkness Rising series. It will absolutely stun and wow readers, as they embark on an intriguing, adventure filled journey. Armstrong does a wonderful job of revisiting uncovering old secrets that have been hidden away and the return of unexpected characters that will leave readers feeling like they've just ran into an old friend. It is a whirlwind of emotions that are unexpected and goes from one extreme to the next. Vastly different from the ending of the Darkest Powers trilogy, the way that Armstrong manages to bring both this trilogy and that one together, is incredibly inspiring and uniquely powerful. It works in so many ways, making the conclusion of this story even more amazing.

Kelley Armstrong is simply amazing for bringing back Chloe and Derek and integrating them so flawlessly into the storyline. Their return added so much more depth and layer's to this already compelling and daringly fantastic story. The tension and the drama, was thick and definitely persistent, but it made for such an interesting read. There were unexpected twists and turns, so much plot and character development, and amazing action and danger. Armstrong did such a terrific job of wrapping up things with a completely stunning ending that will definitely have reader's jaws dropping.

The Rising is definitely one of those thrilling conclusions to a trilogy, that will leave reader's breathless and on the edge of their seats. They will want to revisit this world again and again, long after this series is finished. Completely unputodwnable, The Rising, is one off the year's best conclusion to such an epic journey that has wowed and captivated fans of Armstrong's paranormal writing abilities. Fans of the paranormal genre, will definitely not want to miss out on this gem!

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Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

Book Review: White Lines by Jennifer Banash

White Lines
By Jennifer Banash

Published: April 4, 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary

Pages: 304

A gritty, atmospheric coming of age tale set in 1980s New York City.

Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control.

Both poignant and raw, White Lines is a gripping tale and the reader won’t want to look away.

To Purchase Obsidian Mirror visit: 

Amazon & Barnes&Noble

White Lines is a gritty and raw coming of age tale that readers will not want to put down. Compelling and poignant, this is a young adult novel on the cusp of New Adult. Jennifer Banash does a wonderful job in delivering a stellar mature young adult novel, that is full of powerful emotion, atmospheric wonder, and a captivating storyline that is sure to wow and stun readers. Dangerous and out of control, this is a story that will embark readers on a rollercoaster ride of epic emotion, sprialing downwards and filled with strength that has no where else to go but up.

The characters are real, honest, and raw. Banash pours everything she has into telling the story of Cat, who comes alive by nightfall, and is the lonliest girl by day. Her story is painful, beyond the telling as she grapples with personal demons that threaten her happiness. Suffering physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her mother, abandonment by her father, she tries to cope the best way she knows how. It isn't until she meets Julian, that she feels truly alive from the inside out.

White Lines is a dirty and gritty story filled with heartaching pain. It's beautiful, the emotions that Banash is able to evoke with her beautiful poetic words, atmosphere, and the vulernable way she leaves her characters open and exposed. The story and the characters within, start to take on a life of their own and it's gorgeous to come along for the ride. Truly stunning and brilliantly written, White Lines, is probably one of the year's most touching and heartwrenching stories told.

This is not a novel that readers want to miss out on. Simply, unputdownable.

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Jennifer Banash was born and raised in New York City. She now lives in Southern California with her beagle, Sigmund, and her vast collection of designer shoes.

Book Review: Love In The Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

Love In The Time of Global Warming
By Francesca Lia Block

Published: August 7, 2013

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)

Age Demographic: YA Dystopia

Pages: 240

Seventeen-year-old Penelope (Pen) has lost everything—her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother. Like a female Odysseus in search of home, she navigates a dark world full of strange creatures, gathers companions and loses them, finds love and loses it, and faces her mortal enemy.

In her signature style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. At the helm is Pen, a strong heroine who holds hope and love in her hands and refuses to be defeated.

To Purchase Love In The Time of Global Warming visit: Amazon & Barnes&Noble

Love In the Time of Global Warming, is the first book that I've had the pleasure of reading by Francesca Lia Block. It was just as beautifully destructive and intriguingly frightening as I imagined it would be. My high hopes for this novel were not smashed to rubbish in any sort of capacity. I felt like Block managed to create this gorgeous yet destructive world, that had such a powerful enough force to keep me riveted to the pages. My mind was just captivated by this illusive dark, rich, and disparaging lovely allure that this novel gives off. The intense wave of emotion and the promise of overwhelming hope and refusal to give up by the main heroine, is what essentially won me over.

There is such a richness and character depth in Penelope (Pen), that I felt resonated with me on some levels. It was easy to connect with her character, as she is strong, beautiful, full of so much resistance to be defeated by anything. It's been a while, since I've fallen in love with a character quite like her, and I enjoyed becoming entranced by her story. There is so much that she goes through, in such a short amount of time in this novel, that I felt as if Block did a wonderful job navigating through it all. There is an entire cast of colorful and intriguing characters that aren't just Pen, who are fantastic and wonderful to get to know. They give this dark and gloomy story, so much complexity and depth of layers that it makes even more realistic and strong.

The world Block creates is stunningly real and vividly dark and imaginative, that the sheer force of it and beautifully written attention to detail in the description, will definitely pull you into the story. There are so many fantastical and magical elements about this young adult novel, that will have your head spinning and your heart racing. Heartbreaking and intensely emotional, Love in the Time of Global Warming, will resonate with you on a more personal level. The thought of finding love and then losing it, the dark lonely feeling of desperation and loss, and then the overwhelming sense of strength and hope will leave you delirious with love and affection for this book and the main heroine.

For those you who love The Odyssey, Homer's classic poem, Love in the Time of Global Warming will be the book that you will not want to miss out on this year. Francesca Lia Block, does not disappoint with this beautifully written and harrowing dark rich and vibrant post-apocalyptic tale steeped in wonderful mythology. This gorgeous young adult novel, is a re-imagining of The Odyssey like you have never imagined. It literally begs - SCREAMS - to be read. Gorgeous, beguiling, imaginative, and completely entrancing! This is an epic journey that will leave your heart yearning, your mind reeling, and your soul soaring.

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Francesca Lia Block was born in Los Angeles to a poet and a painter, their creativity an obvious influence on her writing. Another influence was her childhood love of Greek mythology and fairy tales. 

She has lived in the city all her life, and still resides there with her daughter, Jasmine Angelina (about whom she wrote her book Guarding the Moon), her son Samuel Alexander, and her two dogs: a springer spaniel named Vincent Van Go Go Boots and a beagle mix named Thumper. 

She left only to attend the University of California, Berkeley. She has often professed her love of Los Angeles, calling it a "Jasmine-scented, jacaranda-purple, neon sparked city," which she has nicknamed in her books "Shangri-LA.".

Book Review: Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally

Things I Can't Forget 
By Miranda Kenneally

Published: March 5, 2013

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary

Pages: 320

Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker.

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt--with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy.

Note: Mature themes, sexual situations, religious discussions.

To Purchase Things I Can't Forget visit: 

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Things I Can't Forget is one of those young adult romance novels, that deals with heavy issues that every girl faces in such a realistic and relatable way. Kenneally does a wonderful job at bringing these issues to light, in such a way that readers are able to connect with the characters and the stories they have to tell. This novel, is a little bit different from her prior two novels. There are deeper issues and new territory to explore, but she does it in such a way that readers won't want to put this novel down until the last page has been turned.

It's easy to understand her characters, because Kenneally writes them in such a way that you can get inside their head and see their situation from their perspective. It makes the characters more likable and enjoyable to read about. Kate has a multitude of tough choices to make throughout this book and has to live with the secret that she keeps, from the choices she made regarding her best friend. She's the type of girl who is strong, steady, and always good. So, when things happen, and life seems like it's getting a bit too chaotic for her - she figures out just exactly what she's made of as she begins to shuffle some things around in her life. One of the best elements of the book, is that through her writing and the eyes of Kate, Kenneally shows readers that life isn't always as black and white as they think it might be.

Intensely gripping and emotional, Things I Can't Forget, will have leave readers churning. It has every element that a mature contemporary young adult novel should have, plus a few surprises along the way. The friendship and romance aspect, was brilliantly written and beautifully fleshed out. This is a novel that will dare readers to step outside of their comfort zone, much in the same way that Kate had to, and discover things about themselves they may not have discovered before. It's definitely a do not miss!

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Growing up in Tennessee, Miranda Kenneally dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes, and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband.

Book Review: Obsidian Mirror by Chatherine Fisher

Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher

Published: April 26, 2013

Publisher: Dial

Age Demographic: YA Fantasy

Pages: 384

Jake's father disappears while working on mysterious experiments with the obsessive, reclusive Oberon Venn. Jake is convinced Venn has murdered him. But the truth he finds at the snow-bound Wintercombe Abbey is far stranger ... The experiments concerned a black mirror, which is a portal to both the past and the future. Venn is not alone in wanting to use its powers. Strangers begin gathering in and around Venn's estate: Sarah - a runaway, who appears out of nowhere and is clearly not what she says, Maskelyne - who claims the mirror was stolen from him in some past century. There are others, a product of the mirror's power to twist time. And a tribe of elemental beings surround this isolated estate, fey, cold, untrustworthy, and filled with hate for humans. But of them all, Jake is hell-bent on using the mirror to get to the truth. Whatever the cost, he must learn what really happened to his father.

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True to her craft, Catherine Fisher, has managed to pen another stunning and mutli-layered complex, original, and unique story. The Obsidian Mirror is sure to wow and stun reader's, with its amazingly compelling and captivating storyline. The mystery and intrigue woven into this story alone, is enough to pique their interest. Her world building skills are absolutely astounding and her imagery brings the story to life in so many ways imaginable, on the pages. Her words and beautiful imaginative turn of phrase, has a way of pulling reader's into the story right alongside the character's.

Rich in detail and wonderfully vivid imagery, The Obsidian Mirror, is a story that involves time travel, magic, and intriguing mystery. Her characters are fantastically complex and easy to connect with. One of the best elements that she employs, when it comes to her character's, is the fact that none of them are black and white. They are originally unique and full of lively characteristics and quirks of their own, that make them shine on the pages. Fisher manages to bring them to life in such an extraoridinary way that makes them believable, sympathetic, easy to love or hate, and hard to figure out sometimes. This is the mark of a true storyteller, in my opinion.

Involving the sci-fi element, such as time travel, with the paranormal aspects of the magical is superbly genius and it works in this novel, very well. The mirror in this novel, holds so much power, but at who's cost? Sarah, Venn, and Jake are three different and wholly interestingly complex characters that each have their own reasons for gaining access to the mirror. As Fisher takes reader's on an adventure, they will see how much power this mirror holds, what each character needs the use of it for, and why it can and will destroy at all costs. The world that each of them are catapulted into is dark, dangerous, and intensely suspenseful.

This is truly a novel that will have reader's on the edges of their seats. The world is so wonderfully imaginative and filled with creative quirks and fascets that, it is unputdownable. The Obsidian Mirror is possibly one of the best written paranormal sci-fi young adult novels that I've personally read in quite a while. If you enjoyed Catherine Fisher's previous books, then you are sure to enjoy this one.

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Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction. Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008..

Book Review: The Rift by Andrea Cremer

The Rift by Andrea Cremer

Expected Publication: August 7, 2012

Publisher: Philomel

Age Demographic: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Pages: 464

ARC: Provided for review by ATW ARC Tours

Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

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The Rift is a tantalizing ball of epic adventure, scintillating romance, and magic sure to wow fans of Andrea Cremer's previous Nightshade series. A beautiful discovery of magic and dark forces at work, The Rift tells the story of love, life, freedom, and the choices one makes. Ember is an exceptionally likable heroine to discover. She's wonderfully intelligent, fiercely loyal to her beliefs and to those she cares a great deal about, and incredibly fearless. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it.

Barrow is an equally written and wonderfully entertaining hero, who is incredibly swoon-worthy handsome, dark, and full of mystery. Andrea Cremer does a great job of writing him in such a way, that he's an intelligent, thoughtful, and understanding gentleman. He isn't over-affectionate, yet he is kind and caring and will do anything to protect Ember. He's just the perfect amount of badass that will have reader's falling in love with him. All of the character's add their own flare, personality, and depth to the main arc. Cremer does a wonderful job of blending them into the storyline flawlessly and giving them their own place to fit in.

If reader's are looking for fast-paced adventure, action, and dark intrigue then they need look any further. This novel packs all of that and so much more, with a powerful punch. There is enough mystery, suspense, drama, and fantastic character growth and development to keep them engaged and on the edge of their seats. Cremer's writing is just as poingnantly beautiful and fluid as it always is. With The Rift, she has managed to surpass the standards she set with her Nightshade trilogy.

The Rift is a truly magnificent story that will definitely have reader's craving more. This book will leave them stunned with amazement and breathless with anticipation. This is a paranornmal novel that is full of so much intrigue and amazement that it hits hard and fast with an emotional punch and a cliffhanger that will have reader's dangling from the edge of their seats. It is a book that is incredibly unputdownable and should definitely not be missed out on. Fans of Kelly Armstrong, Richelle Mead, or Maggie Stiefvater will definitely want to get their hands on this fantastic book!

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Andrea Cremer is a New York Times and international bestselling author. She spent her childhood daydreaming while roaming the forests and lakeshores of Northern Wisconsin. She now lives in Manhattan, but at heart she will always be a small-town girl.

Andrea has always loved writing and has never stopped writing, but it took a horse and a broken foot to prompt her to finally write the novel she'd always dreamed of writing. Prior to becoming a full-time novelist, Andrea resided in the academic world where she taught early modern history.

When she's not writing, Andrea tries to master difficult yoga poses, wanders through Central Park, and hunts for new music to provide the soundtracks to her novels.