Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

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

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

Hush, Hush submerges you into a world where nothing is as it seems and danger lurks behind every turn. Dozens of sub plots are brilliantly interwoven to form a story so captivating you’ll be unable to put it down. Each chapter brings a new twist that you never would’ve seen coming and completely changes your outlook on the events up to that point.

Patch’s character was extremely well written. Like Nora, I felt I couldn't trust him, but still couldn’t seem to suspect him of doing anything horrible. Even when all of the evidence points to his involvement in something sinister I couldn't help but like him.

The beginning of the novel was good, it was full of mystery and suspicion, but I wouldn’t say it was amazing. It wasn’t until the last half that the storyline really picked up and my interest level spiked. Once I hit that point, however, the entire novel improved ten fold and the first part of the novel was transformed from a chain of seemingly odd and unconnected events into brilliant foreshadowing, all leading up to a heart pounding climax.

When I first picked up Hush, Hush I never would’ve guessed that such an intricately woven story laid beneath the gorgeous cover, but that’s exactly what I found.

5 Stars!

If you liked this, you may like… Deadly Little Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Book Trailers (4)

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard



Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink



After by Amy Efaw



If I Stay by Gayle Forman



Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Cathy's Book by Sean Stewart and Jordan Weisman

Things weren't so peachy in Cathy's life before Victor broke up with her. Her father died unexpectedly, she's failing school, and her best friend is mad at her. But now things have suddenly gone from bad to very, very, very, bad. Take Victor, for instance. Sure he looks like he's around Cathy's age, or at least young enough not to make her mother freak out, but what if he's older than he appears? Like maybe 200 years older. And what does the death of Victor's co-worker, the strange mark that appeared on Cathy's arm, and the surreal behavior of several Chinese elders have to do with it?

Let my just start by saying that this book is incredibly dynamic. The entire novel is formatted as Cathy’s journal, complete with doodles cluttering the margins. At first I found the drawings incredibly distracting, but after a while I began to get used to the blue-inked doodles all over the page. The drawings aren’t just meaningless doodles, rather illustrations to go along with the events of the story, as well as snarky remarks and enlightenment from Cathy.

The illustrations aren’t the only unique thing about this novel, though. The phone numbers aren’t fictional, you can actually call them. In addition to these, there are also pages of evidence (located in a pouch on the front cover for hard covers, and printed onto the front cover and central pages for paperbacks). These pieces of evidence are the exact items that Cathy discovers in the novel and uses to piece together the mystery.

Without all the extras, this book was not incredibly good. The storyline was rather slow at times and the writing isn’t exactly top notch. With the entire novel written in sporadic entries and oddly formatted it’s hard at times to get into the story. However, with the extras Cathy’s story comes to life. Where the writing lacks in imagery and detail, the extras make up.

2.5 Stars!

P.S. Remember to check the evidence frequently (especially the letters!) while reading. There were a few times when I forgot to and it definitely made the novel harder to understand without the information they contained.

Also, hold the book under direct sunlight for some secret doodles on the front and back covers.

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

They sat you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but we all do it. Covers are the first thing you notice about a book, and with gorgeous covers like these it's hard not to. You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover...Or Can You? takes a look at the lovely covers of the books on my wish list. This week we have:

Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Release: August 6, 2009

Synopsis:Four Little Words Written in Lipstick...mean Emily must say goodbye to everything she knows. Emily Carson has always been a good girl. So when she throws a party the night her parents leave for vacation, she's sure she'll get busted. What Emily doesn't know is that her parents will never return. That their plane will go down. And the only thing left amidst the wreckage will be a tray table with the words: Emily please forgive me scrawled in lipstick—her mother's last words.

Now it's fall in New York City and Emily's trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Her public tragedy captures the attention of more than just the media—and soon two very different boys at her new school are pursuing her: the cute, popular Owen and the quirky chemistry partner slash pastry-baker-by-night, Anthony. But even with such delicious distractions, Emily can't let go of her mother's mysterious apology. Does she have the courage to face the truth?

With help of a whole new kind of family—one that includes a make-up artist to the stars, a teen model, and a wacky hairdresser—Emily must choose between the boy who makes her forget it all, and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately, heal.

Sometimes goodbye is just the beginning.

Cover: One word: gorgeous! There are so many beautiful layers to this cover. At the top, you have the girl staring back at you, her face lit up in purples and reds; then it fades into the city lights; and, finally, the bright sunny city at the bottom. Just looking at the cover you get a sense of transformation and change, from the colorful top to the sunny city.

Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

Release: September 15, 2009

Synopsis: Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad--and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...

Cover: If it weren't for this book's cover I probably never would've found out about it. The blues, greens, and pinks are such a pretty combination. Even better, the ghost whispering into the girls ear immediately catches your attention. Very pretty, well done cover in my opinion.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Set in the stunning winter landscape of Minnesota this paranormal romance will take your breath away. Told in alternating points of view, Sam and Grace’s struggle to remain together will captivate readers.

Unlike other werewolf novels, these wolves don’t shift when they get angry or the moon is full, rather with the turn of the weather. This twist not only creates a huge problem for Sam and Grace’s relationship, but also makes the story all the more interesting for readers. The danger of the imminent winter is one that they can’t out run forever, and the knowledge of this gives the novel a spark of suspense.

There are very few books that have been able to bring me to tears; Shiver, however, is one of those books. Because the story is told from both Sam and Grace’s points of view you get to know them both extremely well and watch their relationship develop from both sides. The effect makes it nearly impossible to not be swept up into their story, to the point where you feel every joy and pain that they experience.

Shiver is a fantastic start to what I hope to be an even more brilliant trilogy. I’d highly suggest this book to anyone and everyone. Kudos to Maggie!

5 Stars!

Austen Inspired Contest!

Check out this awesome Austen inspired contest:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an avid reader must be in want of these new YA books!






Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard and The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Darcey Vance and Charity Tahmaseb


If you want to enter a contest to win these books, visit this entry and complete the sentence: "It is a truth universally acknowledged...."

Beastly by Alex Flinn

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

The novel began rather slowly. Vain, privileged Kyle Kingston wasn’t the most interesting protagonist, if anything he was rather dull. The slow progression of the story didn’t help to hold my attention. However, further into the book after Kyle had become the beast the novel became far more interesting.

Being able to see the remarkable change in Kyle from his point of view, through his thoughts and actions, is what made this novel. The story of Beauty and the Beast is one that almost everyone knows, but no one really knows the Beast’s story. Seeing the story play out from the Beast’s point of view and how the modern setting affected the plot was by far the best part of the book.

In addition to these twists, the chats with other transformed teens (a.k.a. characters from other fairytales) were also a wonderful addition to this classic tale. The chats provided a nice interlude between the six parts of the novel and a bit of comic relief.

3 Stars!

P.S. Beastly is being adapted into a movie! The movie, due out July 2010, will star Mary-Kate Olsen, Vanessa Hudgens, and Alex Pettyfer.

If you like this, you may like… A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn and/or The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Suite Scarlett Winners 2.0

Unfortunately, three of the four second place winners of a paperback copy of Maureen Johnson's Suite Scarlett never contacted me with their mailing information. And while that's bad for them, it's good for you because you get a second chance to win! That said, the three new second place winners are:

Navkiran

Luvdaylillies

and Paul

Congratulations! Please email me within the next 72 hours or you'll forfeit your prize. Thanks again to everyone who entered!

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

Regular readers may have noticed that I'm no longer writing a quick intro below the covers talking about how great the stories sound and how much I want to read them. I've stopped doing this because I figure that by featuring the covers here you all pretty much know that I'm looking forward to the books' releases.

Now that that's cleared up, here are this week's covers, both due out in 2010:

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

Release: Feburary 4, 2010

Synopsis: Junior class president Tessa Crimson is the captain of the Smitten Kittens—the Wildcats cheerleading squad. But when Washington High experiences a break-out of make-outs, Tessa and her girls create a secret snooping society to catch the cheaters in the act.

Cover: When I see this cover two words come to mind: flirty and fun. The bright pink blinds are super sweet, while the scene inside is more flirtatious. The slant of the blinds reminds me of a PI office in an old black and white movie, which fits the storyline perfectly. Great cover and a great storyline.

Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Release: August 2010

Synopsis: Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother's accidental disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year-old California girl Sienna "Sea" Jones reluctantly travels with her father's volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia. During her stay at an orphanage, she meets the scarred and soulful, Deni, who is more like Sienna then anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can't be together, so why can't she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home?And why is her psychiatrist father so secretive about her mother's plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to the truth.

And Sea's real adventure begins.

Cover: I fell in love with this cover the first time I saw it. Later on when they made the final changes (more light overhead and a more fluid font) I was even more mesmerized by it. The first thing I think of when I see this cover is an aquarium, especially with the light spilling through the water (gorgeous!). To top it all off the silhouette of the couple, as if they're meeting in secret, ties the whole thing together.

The winners are...

The grand prize winner of a paperback copy of Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson and a $50 PB Teen gift card is...

Claire

The four second place winners who'll receive a paperback copy of Suite Scarlett are...

Heidi,

Elizabeth Vallish,

Christine,

and Heather Reid

Congrats to all five of you! Please send me an email with you're address within the next 72 hours so we can get your prizes into the mail. I'll be sending you all an email within the next few hours.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Cruel Summer by Alyson Noël

“This was supposed to be my best summer yet, the one I’ve been working toward since practically forever. Now I’m being banished from everything I know and love, and it just doesn’t make any sense.”

Having recently discarded her dorky image--and the best friend that went with it--Colby Cavendish is looking forward to a long hot season of parties, beach BBQ’s, and hopefully, more hook-ups with Levi Bonham, the hottest guy in school. But her world comes crashing down when her parents send her away to spend the summer in Greece with her crazy aunt Tally.

Stranded on a boring island with no malls, no cell phone reception, and an aunt who talks to her plants, Colby worries that her new friends have forgotten all about her. But when she meets Yannis, a cute Greek local, everything changes. She experiences something deeper and more intense than a summer fling, and it forces her to see herself, and the life she left behind, in a whole new way.

The formatting of Cruel Summer was incredibly unique. Unlike other books, it had NO chapters, none. And while that may seem like it would make the book draw on… and on…and on, it didn’t. If anything, it made the pages fly by even faster! Rather than telling the story the normal way, Noël craftily created Colby’s summer through her journal entries, emails, letters, and blog posts and comments.

These scraps of information provide a window into Colby’s life and make her voice shine through. Her blog gives a peek at her day to day adventures in Greece, while her journal reveals her most inner thoughts and paints a picture of teen angst. Without a great deal of dialogue, you still feel as if you’re getting all of the necessary information, directly as she saw it.

4 Stars!

If you liked this, you may like… Kiss and Blog by Alyson Noël, Sea Change by Aimee Friedman, or Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita

Crash Into Me by Albert Borris OUT TODAY!

Here is another great YA novel that hits stores today. I accidentally skipped over Crash Into Me while putting together today's "Coming to a Bookstore Near You" post, but Borris' story is so touching that I felt it deserved a special addition to the list.

If you don't already know about Borris' story, here is the official press release:

Debut YA novelist Albert Borris has a way with words.

Or rather, had a way with words.

This past December, just months before the release of CRASH INTO ME (Simon Pulse), Albert suffered a stroke so powerful, his doctors told him he was lucky to be alive.

And alive he is, having made a full physical recovery, enough to roughhouse with his two young sons and work out at the gym. However, Albert is still working on recovering something else: his words.

To be sure, they are all up there in his brilliant mind. He just can’t get them out – verbally or on paper – in the correct order, yet. But he’s working on it.Prior to his stroke, Albert was a full time teen counselor, husband and father. He also served as Co-President of The Class of 2k9, a group of 22 debut middle grade and young adult novelists banding together to promote their books. Words were his thing. Communicating with others, in person and on the page, was his specialty.

As his friends and fellow debut novelists, we, the Class of 2k9, are making it our business to get the word out about Albert and his novel, CRASH INTO ME. Here's a bit about it:

Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back.

Coming To A Bookstore Near You (7/7)

Check out these awesome new titles in stores today!

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...

Simply Irresistible by Jennifer Banash
She's climbing the social ladder, to the dismay of her neighbor and rival, Madison Macallister. And Casey could end up as popular as Madison now that the two are set to star in their own reality show, 'De-Luxe.' But reality TV can be so unreal.

Madison loves the attention, but having every bit of her life caught on tape is often less than glamorous. Yet fame comes at a price - and she's willing to pay. Meanwhile, now that Casey and her almost-boyfriend Drew Van Allen are currently more off than on, she's beginning to wonder if everything in her life is just an illusion - and how much longer the illusion can last.

Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer

When Dara Cohen was little, she was a bright, shiny star. She was the cutest seven-year-old who ever sang Ella Fitzgerald, and it was no wonder she was crowned Little Miss Maine.

That was then. Now Dara's seventeen and she's not so little anymore. So not little, that when her classmates find out about her illustrious resume, their jaws drop. That's just one of her many problems. Another is that her control-freak mom won't get off her case about anything. Yet the one that hurts the most is the family secret: Dara has an older sister her parents tried to erase from their lives.

When a disastrously misinterpreted English project lands her in the counselor's office--and her parents pull her out of school to save face--Dara realizes she has a decision to make. She can keep following the rules and being misunderstood, or she can finally reach out to the sister she's never met--a sister who lives on a collective goat farm in Massachusetts. Dara chooses B. What follows is a summer of revelations, some heartbreaking, some joyous; of friendship, romance, a local beauty pageant; and choices. And as autumn approaches, Dara finds she may have to let go of everything she's taken for granted in order to figure out who she really is, and what family really means.

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

All her world’s a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.

She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.

That is, until now.

The Clique: Boys "R" Us by Lisi Harrison

Massie Block: forms BOCD's first-ever cheerleading squad called the Socc-hers.

Kristen Gregory: When Massie and Kristen's SBFF (secret best friend forever) Layne are vying for the same boy, she has to make a choice. Life was easier when the boyfast was still on!

Dylan Marvil: Has got a secret crush on Derrington-and it's no secret that he likes burpilicious redheads.

Claire Lyons: Now that she's back with Cam, Claire finally has her love life in order. But her friends are trading crushes like styling tips...

The Clique . . . the only thing harder than getting in is staying in.

Sovay by Celia Rees

It’s England, 1783. When the rich and beautiful Sovay isn’t sitting for portraits, she’s donning a man’s cloak and robbing travelers—in broad daylight. But in a time when political allegiances between France and England are strained, a rogue bandit is not the only thing travelers fear. Spies abound, and rumors of sedition can quickly lead to disappearances. So when Sovay lifts the wallet of one of England’s most powerful and dangerous men, it’s not just her own identity she must hide, but that of her father. A dazzling historical saga in which the roles of thieves and gentry, good and bad, and men and women are interchanged to riveting effect.

Sovay is a strong, determined heroine that is like none I’ve encountered before. The story line, while it may not sound so, is incredibly imaginative. Celia Rees has blended the beliefs of freedom fighting revolutionists with the life of 16th century maidens. Like her father Sovay is a freedom fighter in her own way. Unable to conform to the simple tasks and restraints that society has forced upon her, Sovay is ready to fight for her family’s name and earn her freedom.

The beginning of the novel was great. I was intrigued by Sovay and her life, as well as the suspense that the plot promised. Yet, after awhile of reading, my interest waned. The novel was incredibly, almost painfully, detailed and the plot was constantly changing. The effect was that the story seemed to stretch on, and on, and on, and on…

Every time I thought “Okay, that’s a good resolution, the end,” I’d find I had a huge chunk of pages still left. The book had a ton of perfectly acceptable possible endings, but when the true ending came I felt nothing was resolved.

After pages and pages of heavy, drawn out details and outlandish twists, I felt cheated. The entire ending felt rushed, as if Rees suddenly realized she only had a few pages left to work with and needed to end the book quickly.

And don’t even get me started on the “romance,” or should I say rushmance.

In retrospect, Sovay was a novel with lots of potential and intrigue. Though the story that the jacket suggested had little to do with the overall plot of the book, I still enjoyed it.

2.5 Stars

If you liked this, you may like... The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap or The Queen's Soprano by Carol Dines.

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

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover... Or Can You? is a weekly meme in which I share the covers of two upcoming YA novels that I want to read and share my thoughts and opinions of them.

This week I've chosen the covers of two highly anticipated books, both due out Fall 2009.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Release: August 1, 2009

Synopsis: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Cover: Ah, simplicity. The ice blue vines intertwined across the stark white background and the silhouette of the wolf (which I'd missed before) is brilliant. The entire thing reminds me of the dead of winter, which is perfect for the book. It's just intricate enough to catch my attention, but not so busy that I'm overwhelmed.

As a bonus this week, I have a book trailer for Shiver that the author, Maggie Stiefvater, put together.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Release: October 13, 2009

Synopsis: For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

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

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

Cover: The cover for Hush, Hush is incredibly dynamic. It doesn't look like a book cover, rather a movie poster. The angel falling from the light into the dark clouds, black feather trailing after him, is phenomenal. It suggest a book full of drama, darkness, and struggle. This is definitely one of those books whose cover drew me in.

Winner: The Clique Summer Collection

Orignially I'd said that I wasn't going to announce the winner of The Clique contest until tomorrow, but I've decided to announce it early.

With the help of Random.org I've selected the winner of a complete set (5 books) of The Clique Summer Collection by Lisi Harrison. And that lucky person is:

Jenna

Congratulations Jenna! I'll be sending you an email within the next few hours. Please email me your mailing address within the next 72 hours or you'll forfeit your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered!

P.S. Don't forget this is the last week to enter for a chance to win a copy of Maureen Johnson's Suite Scarlett and a $50 PB Teen gift card!