Chick Lit Teens turns 1!

That's right, exactly a year ago today I started Chick Lit Teens. (Originally titled Book-For-The-Reading-Teen, what a mouthful!) All I can say is, wow!

It feels like just yesterday I sat down and decided to start a book review blog. I never would've imagined that my hobby would turn into this. If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be getting emails from authors who knew about my blog and wanted to send me books to review or that I'd have international readers I would've said you were crazy. It's unreal how much the blog has grown in only a year.

Of course I'd be nowhere without my faithful readers. So I'd like to thank you all with a HUGE contest.

What I'll be giving away:

• The first 3 books in The Specialists series by Shannon Greenland
• Secrets of my Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita (Signed)
• 2 copies of Secrets of my Hollywood Life: On Location (Signed)
• Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag (ARC)
• The Princetta by Anne-Laure Bondoux

How to enter:

• Leave a comment with your name, *email (or some way to find you), and your preference of books (if any)

For extra entries:

• 2 entries for adding a link to and/or mentioning the contest
• 1 entry for anyone you refer to the contest
• 1 entry for commenting on any post AFTER today
• 1 entry if you become or are already a follower

Who:

• US residents only (Sorry all my international readers)

When:

• The contest will end on Tuesday, April 13 at 12:00 midnight PST

Good luck!

* If you're not comfortable with leaving your email you can also email me your entries and contact information. I fully understand the need for Internet safety and will be happy to comply with anyone who may want to keep their information private.

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover... Or Can You?

I log onto Amazon.com today and, to my surprise, look what I see:

Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner

Release: September 22, 2009

My first thought was, "That looks just like one of the covers for Nobody's Princess or Nobody's Prize." And, after further inspection, I realized that the book, Sphinx's Princess, is in fact written by the same author, Esther Friesner.

I'm not exactly sure what the book is about, but I do know that it more than likely it is not related to Friesner's first two novels (as they were about Helen of Troy). However, it is safe to say that the book is about an Egyptian princess. (Cleopatra perhaps?)

No matter what it's about, I'm extremely excited for this book to be released. I absolutely loved Friesner's first book, Nobody's Princess. She told Helen's history with such detail and imagination that it was hard not to get swept up into her world. Once I started reading I was hooked and the book didn't leave my hands until I finished it. Sphinx's Princess is sure to be equally amazing.

Beautiful Americans

Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag

What happens in Paris...
Secrets--PJ's deep blue eyes and angelic long blond hair conceal a truth that's anything but. Will her dark past stay where it belongs in the backwoods of Vermont, or haunt her in the city of light?
Passion--Always the good girl, Olivia plans to twirl her way to the top of the Parisian ballet scene. But that's not supposed to include dancing on a table all night...or stumbling into the arms of the wrong boy.
Lies--With his emo-trendy bedhead, hilarious comebacks and Southern drawl, Zack could win over anyone. Too bad he's after the only one who's forbidden...
Scandal--All Alex wants from Paris is to nab that berry-red Dior coat and seduce the perfect penny-loafer-wearing boy - and Alex always gets what she wants. But will her scheming pay off? Or is she risking more than she knows...?
Alex, Olivia, Zack and PJ are spending a year at the prestigious Lycée de Monceau in the sparkling city of Paris. This is their chance to sip cafe au lait in Le Marais, throw secret parties in their host families' Versailles-size apartments, and have the time of their lives. But when the secrets they thought they left behind come out, everything could be ruined...

When I first received this book I was skeptical at best. I had no idea what to expect from it and after the first few chapters, I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out. From the notorious party girl Alex to UCLA bound ballerina Olivia, the characters were wildly unique, but dry at the same time. My first impression was "Great, a book about four teens' drunken escapades around France." But, as any skilled author can do, Silag added to dimension and color to her characters, capturing my waning interest.

With any book you have your favorite character and your not so favorite character. From the start I was captured by PJ and her shady past. Of all of the characters she had the most depth and complexity, with the greatest show of human emotion. And then there was Alex, my least favorite character. She seemed like the textbook definition of an unprivileged teen, with her mommy's Black Amex and the delusion that she'll get anything and everything she wants.
To my surprise though, by the end of the book I'd grown to understand her and, in the end, like her. Thanks to the depth that Silag so brilliantly added I was able to see who she truly was, a confused, sheltered girl who was learning that freedom isn't all it's cracked up to be.

The unique thing about this book is how Silag has interwoven the lives of four very different teens. Each one vastly different than the other and yet in only a few months they've forged unshakable bonds. The different voices of the the four makes Beautiful Americans all the more interesting.

Any author that can take a book I could barely stand to read in the beginning and, by the end, transform it into something that has me wanting more is definitely doing something right. I look forward to reading more about PJ, Olivia, Zack and Alex's adventures.

4 Stars!

Finally!

I have been waiting to see the cover of Ally Carter's newest book, Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover, for some time. While I've already read and reviewed the book, I've yet to see the cover. This is because, like the Gallagher Academy, Ally is super secretive about her books. Luckily, Ally has released the cover of the third Gallagher Girls book, and I have to say, I like it! What about you?


For those of you who are anxiously awaiting it's release, check out Ally's blog for mini excerpts from Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover.

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover... Or Can You?

When I created this post I had hoped for it to be weekly, but, as many of you know, I am not the best with punctuality. I will, however, continue to try to post new cover(s) weekly. This week I have the new cover for one of my favorite upcoming books:

** Spoilers if you've yet to read/ finish The Hunger Games**

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Let me just start with saying that I can not wait for Catching Fire's release. The first book was fantastic and this book sounds equally, if not more, great. I can't wait to see how Katniss handles her return to District 12 and the Capitols ever prying eyes watching her every move. How long til September?

Release: September 1, 2009

Synopsis: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Cover: How can a book cover be so seemingly bland and yet completely eye popping at the same time? I'd have to say that it's a combination of a few things. First of all, of course, the red background. It jumps out at you and immediately catches your attention, even though the cover isn't all that flashy. Second, there's the fact that the pin in the center that seems as if it's in fact on fire. And finally, it's the sequel to The Hunger Games!

Over all the book's cover isn't incredibly dynamic, it is actually rather plain, but it still is able to catch your attention and make you want to pick it up. Which is just what a cover is supposed to do.

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
Release: June 9, 2009

“When Cammie “The Chameleon” Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she’s in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she’d there the watch Macey’s father accept a nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world’s best school (for spies), “exciting” and “deadly” are never far apart. Cammie and Macey find themselves trapped in a kidnapper’s dangerous plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can’t shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn’t feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion’s corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can they keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey’s private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth…”

Ally Carter’s latest installment in the Gallagher Girls series, Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover, was phenomenal. It is absolutely the best book of the series so far, and I anticipate many more great books in the future.

What I’ve always enjoyed about the series is the fun upbeat flair that Carter lends to the business of being a spy. The books aren’t centered around one mission, as many spy book are, rather the mission is seamlessly incorporated into the book. While you read you feel as if you are watching Cammie’s life, going through every step with her, and seeing the mission develop. Not following a set of directions laid down by a director. Carter blends the challenges of a teen’s life with those of a spy in training to create an enthralling read.

As much as I’d like to claim I knew what was going on the whole time, the truth is that Carter had me stumped. Every twist was a surprise and she kept me guessing the whole way. The suspense of never knowing what the next page would bring and the shocking discoveries had me reading at every chance I could get.

The best part of this book however, was that it was unlike its two predecessors. The first two books were lighter, focused more around Cammie’s life and how being a spy affected what a “normal” teen’s life should be. And while the theme was carried over into book three, the plot was heightened. The dangers that Cammie faced in the previous two books never seemed completely real. Sure I was on the edge of my seat, but at the same time I knew that it was a test. She was in danger, but the teachers were the people behind it and she therefore couldn’t get into too much danger. But in this book the staged danger and training ends. The danger is real, the enemy is real, and the secrets are darker and more complex than ever. If Cammie is going to survive she’ll need to use everything she’s learned.

Another highlight of the book was the examination of the Gallagher Girl’s sisterhood and what it truly means to be a sister. Whether it’s blood relation, friendship or school loyalty that makes you a sister, it is all the same. And in this book Carter looks into the complex relationships that make up a sisterhood.

Then there is the ending. In true Gallagher Girl fashion, the end of the book has you on the edge of your seat wanting more. Carter leaves the plot wide open and the stage set for another heart pounding book full of secrets and truths, in what I can imagine will be Cammie’s most dangerous mission yet. The next book in the series can’t come fast enough.

5 Stars!

P.S. Don’t worry Ally, you’ve made your fans happy once again. This book is going to be a hit!

Hunted Exclusives

As many of you may already know, the next book in the New York Times bestselling series The House of Night is coming out this week. While I've yet to read this series I have heard nothing but great things about it. The new book, Hunted, sounds fantastic. If you don't know what it's about then you may want to check out this exclusive book trailer:



For those of you whose interest was sparked by that great trailer you can read the first chapter of Hunted online. And if you still can't wait for the book to be released you can also listen to the second chapter.



I hope that you all enjoyed the trailer and first two chapters. Don't forget that Hunted will be released this Tuesday, March 10.

Rolling Again

You read that right, my computer is up and running again! It took a lot of work, three weeks, and a few fantasies about sledgehammering it to bits, but it is finally up.

Don't think I was just sitting around imagining ways to get back at my computer curse though. While the computer was down I got caught up on a lot of my ARCs (sorry to any authors who I've kept waiting) and wrote a lot of reviews.

I also went to San Francisco and met with the wonderful Jen Calonita, author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series. Not only did I get a chance to talk with her and get my copies of the series signed, I also got a signed copy of the first book to give away on the blog and a promise for an interview when she returns to New York.

Jen wasn't the only person I got to speak with though. One of the great people at Little Brown, Jen's publisher, was there and I was able to speak with her, as well as the event coordinator, Not Your Mother's Book Club.

All in all the past few weeks, while computer-less, were extremely productive. Keep reading, I have a lot of great things coming up this month.

Thanks for all of your patience!