Monthly Giveaway!

Interested in winning a signed copy Ally Carter's I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You and an "I'm a Gallagher Girl" button?

For your chance to win all you have to do is leave a comment with your first name and email on this post. The deadline for the contest is Saturday, September 6 at 12 pm PST. Winners will be announced on Sunday, September 7. This contest is open to all US residents.

Extra Entries:

1 Entry for posting a link on your website

1 Entry for every person you refer to the contest

Good Luck!

All entrants will be entered in a drawing. The winner will be chosen at random by the owner of the blog.

Chick Chat: Ally Carter

Is being an author what you expected?
The highs are higher and the lows are lower.

What do you like best about being an author?
I’d have to say being able to work in my pajamas and meeting fans.

What was your road to publishing like?
My road to publishing was pretty typical. I wrote a book, shopped around for an agent, was accepted by one and began rewriting the story. While I was rewriting the book I came up with a new story and that was the one that sold.

How has your family contributed to your writing?
My family has contributed a lot. My mother was an English teacher so she began teaching me literature in the cradle. My dad was a farmer so he taught me to work hard. When you combine the two you get a writer.

What advice would you give to writing teens?
Just write. Don’t worry about getting published. Work on finding yourself, because you need to find yourself before you can become a great writer.

When can readers expect GG3 in stores?
June 9, 2009

What inspired you to write the Gallagher Girls series?
I was watching a rerun of Alias. It was a flashback episode to when Sydney Bristol’s little sister was in school and the first thing I thought was, did she go to a boarding school for spies? I turned up the volume and no that wasn’t it, but I already had the idea in my head. I sent it to my agent and Gallagher Girls was born.

Now I know that you are writing another series. What is it about?
It’s about a girl who was raised in a family of conmen and thieves. When she’s older she decides that she wants to leave all of it behind, but every time she tries to leave they suck her back in. Imagine if Julia Roberts and George Clooney from Oceans Eleven had a fifteen year old daughter.

Thank you Ally for the wonderful interview! It was great meeting you!

Reread Week: To Catch A Pirate

This week I've decided to reread some of my favorite books of all time, something I've wanted to do for awhile. I will be blogging about each book and to make it more interactive for readers I am inviting others to join me. If you want to take part in Reread Week all you have to do is reread some of your favorites, review them on your site (if you have one) and post what you read here, as well as a link to the reviews.
Check back everyday to find out about some great books.

Today I decided to reread To Catch A Pirate by Jade Parker (a.k.a. Rachel Hawthorne). Here is a short summary and review:

When Annalisa Townstead was sixteen her ship was attacked by pirates. One of the pirates, James Sterling, discovered her in the hold, pinning her against the wall and demanding that she stay quiet. Scared for her life Annalisa complied to his orders, but when he moved to take her late mother's necklace she defied him, begging that he show mercy. James let her keep the necklace, instead stealing a kiss.

One year later Annalisa's father sits in jail, paying for the actions of the pirates. Determined to free him, Annalisa sets out to find James and the pirates that ruined her life. However there is more than treasure to loose on the high seas. This time James is stealing something far more valuable than a kiss, her heart.

To Catch A Pirate is absolutely spell binding. The story is filled with so much adventure and suspense that you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat from cover to cover. However, while suspenseful, the books also evokes a great deal of emotion. You immediately fall for both characters and because of this experience their love, yearning, heartbreak, jealousy, pain and joy as if it were your own. Before you know it the pages will be flying faster than the Phantom Mist.

If you've yet to read To Catch A Pirate I suggest you head out and buy a copy today, you'll be glad you did.

5 Stars!

Response: Will Blogs Save Books?

While reading Presenting Lenore's latest post, an interview with a book publicist, I came across mention of an "anti-blog reviewer" article on the Huffington Post website. Obviously this immediately caught my attention. At first I was expecting to be offended by what the journalist was saying. However I found that I fully agree with Lissa Warren. Bloggers need to get down to the serious reviews. Her points were completely valid, we don't need a back story to your review and we don't need to know how you relate to it. Reviewing is persuasive and should be completely subjective, "I" and "I think" have no place in a review.
Warren was not trying to offend bloggers, if anything she was trying to help us. As many know the world of book blogs is growing and as the economy drops more and more, high paid reviewers are loosing their jobs and book blogs are becoming all the more crucial for reviewing and promoting books.
This said I'd like to open it up to discussion: Do you agree with Warren? Does my blog follow the points she stated? Does your blog? What is your reaction to the article?
Head on over to the discussion boards and let me know.

Too Big?

Recently while checking the blog on another computer I found that it was really wide, so wide that I had to scroll over to see the right hand column. I designed the layout on my personal computer, which I now realize has a wide screen, and it fits it perfectly. However I realize now that it may not fit your computer as well. I want Chick Lit Teens to be the best for all its readers. This said I'd like to know, does the blog look okay on your computer? If not why (i.e. Too wide, too narrow, etc.)?

Fabulous Terrible

You’ve spent your entire life bounced around from foster home to foster home. You’re latest, and possibly final, chance at a family is about to slip away, all because of you’re mysterious visions. However you have a chance at happiness, a glimmer of hope if you will. Trumbull Woodhouse, the prestigious all girls boarding school that cranks out some of the most influential women in the world. The school you’ve just been accepted to. But all that glimmers is not gold. Trumbull Woodhouse has a dark secret, one that you find yourself in the middle of.

Talbot’s implication that the protagonist is you causes the story to reach a level of realism that is unique to the series. The character takes on its own persona, whether that person is you or a character of your own fabrication is up to you. The omission of the characters basic attributes makes it easy even for those with limited imaginations to put themselves in the girl’s shoes. Before you know it you’ll find yourself completely immersed in the shinning grandeur and shady secrets that surround the prestigious Trumbull Woodhouse boarding school.

Fabulous Terrible is the perfect choice for any and every reader. The combination of mystery, friendship and secrets makes it hard not to love. No matter when or where you read it you’ll immediately be hooked.

4.5 Stars!

(P.S. For those still not convinced, think A Great and Terrible Beauty meets Private.)

Tagged

Kelsey from Reading Keeps You Sane was nice enough to tag me with this short questionnaire.
What was I doing 10 years ago?
Well considering that ten years ago I was three, I pretty much watched lots of Little Bear and Rugrats.
What are five things on my to-do list today?

1. Post my review of Fabulous Terrible
2. Begin reading The Ashleys: Birthday Vicious
3. Watch a movie (probably 21) with my sister
4. Check author blogs
5. Organize my room

Snacks I enjoy:

1. Tater tot pizza (Not as gross as it sounds)

Places I've lived:

All over California

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

1. Buy my own bookstore
2. Buy a Tudor style mansion with turrets, a huge kitchen, and a giant library
3. Visit Stratford Upon Avon, Shottery, Jane Austen's home, and Italy
4. Open a rescue for abused and abandoned animals
5. Buy a barn and a few horses
6. Buy another dachshund
7. Put away money for college
8. Donate to various charities

Thanks Kelsey!

Now on to tagging:

Reading is a Drug and I'm Addicted

Hope's Bookshelf

Presenting Lenore

Friday Five

1. The winners of Presenting Lenore's Specialists contest were announced today. And I won! I am beyond excited! All four Specialists books signed by author Shannon Greenland!
2. I finally got my hands on Fabulous Terrible. It is absolutely not what I expected, it is better.
3. The new Ashleys book, Birthday Vicious, was released this week.
4. Violet in Private the third, and possibly final, book in the Violet series was released this week. In honor of the release author Melissa Walker is having a VIP Release Week on her blog, every day there will be a new contest. The contests started on Monday, but you still have a chance to enter so head on over!
5. In blog news: I've added a list of contests. Because who doesn't love to win? Also I'm looking for some guest reviewers. (Check out how you can become one here)

Into the Wildewood

After losing her mother, reconnecting with her father, finding out that she’s half elf and defeating an evil red cap all fifteen year old Keelie wants is to relax and spend the rest of her summer like every other normal teenage girl. However her summer is anything but normal. A pricey impulse buy forces her to take a job at the Renaissance Faire. As if that isn’t bad enough, her best friend from her old life is coming to visit, her father is forcing her to help out at the family shop, and a dark magic is brewing in the forest, one that she has to stop. Then there’s the unicorn…

Into the Wildewood is a story with many peaks and valleys in the plot, the valleys being long and tiresome and the peaks being quite short and rushed. Summers uses great detail to describe all aspects of the Ren Faire, as she refers to the Renaissance Fair. This writing style, normally beautiful, is over all wasted. I would have preferred to see the detail lent more to the plot than to the fillers, which are meant only to fill the time between important events, not be the entire story. The writing style is very reminiscent of Nobody’s Princess by Esther Friesner, which I loved. The style is very detailed and methodical, which works great for books such as these. However when writing this way execution is key, if you do not keep the story moving it is very easy to loose the reader, a mistake that Into the Wildewood falls prey to.

The storyline is seemingly nonexistent for the first hundred pages, making it a very trying read. This said, Into the Wildewood is a great choice for a committed reader who is looking for a detailed book, that is also very quirky. However I would definitely not recommend it to someone looking for a light teen adventure or fantasy, as it is not.

2.5 Stars!

Guest Reviewers

As I said before I've been super busy lately with blog work and I'm starting to feel like I've neglected the main purpose of this blog, reviewing books. I am trying to aim for a review a week, but sometimes that can be hard. So here is where you come in, I'm looking for guest reviewers. If you are interested simply email me the title of a book, your review of it, your name, and your website, if you have one. I will be selecting 2-4 reviewers a month for the blog.

Your review should follow the three paragraph outline and rating system that I use for all my reviews:

First Paragraph: A short summary of the book, without giving away the entire story

Second Paragraph: Your thoughts on the book and support on why you feel that way. (Please try to minimize the use of I and I thought)

Third Paragraph: Your recommendation. Read it, avoid it, and why.

Rating: Chick Lit Teens uses the star system to rate books. 5 means you love it, 0 means you hate it, half stars are accepted.

Win a Signed Copy of Violet in Private

Head on over to Hope's Bookshelf and enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Violet in Private (out today).

P.S. In your entry mention that you were referred there by Chick Lit Teens ^^

Friends Close, Enemies Closer Winners

The first place winner of the Friends Close, Enemies Closer giveaway, who will receive a signed copy of the book is:

Mariah Ellis

The second place winner, who will receive a copy of Friends Close ,Enemies Closer is:

Cindi Hoppes

Congratulations to both of you!

Please email me your addresses by Tuesday, August 12.

Discussion Board!

Chick Lit Teens now has its very own discussion board!
Check it out and let me know what you think.

Twilight Contest!

Check out The Story Siren for an awesome Twilight contest!
I've enter, have you?

Friday Five

1. Shannon Greenland's latest instalment in the Specialists series, Native Tongue, was released yesterday!
2. Continuing on the Specialists trend, Presenting Lenore is having ANOTHER Specialists contest. This time you can enter to win a signed copy of Native Tongue. She will also be giving away the ENTIRE Specialists series (to date) signed by Shannon!
3. I had a chance to meet Rachel Hawthorne, Regina Scott AND Ally Carter on Wednesday! I was able to interview Ally, as well as get a signed copy of her first novel in the GG series. You can see the exclusive interview right here later this month (find out about her new series!) so remember to check back!
4. It is August! The bittersweet month. The final weeks of summer (sweet) and the beginning of school (bitter). But on Chick Lit Teens it is all sweet because August means a new Spotlight Series (Gallagher Girls), a new interview (Ally Carter), new contests (I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You), and much much more!
5. The contest to win a signed copy of Friends Close, Enemies Closer is officially over. Check back on August 5th to see the winners. The closing of the contest marks the end of our July Spotlight Series, In or Out. I'd like to take a moment to thank author Claudia Gabel. She was fantastic, taking time out of her busy life for the interview, as well as donating a signed copy of her book. Thanks again Claudia!