Cover Judge

I'm very excited to be reviving Cover Judge (again). In all the craziness of my junior year, the feature has slowly withered away. Frankly, I find this unacceptable, as it is by far my favorite feature to write. I have long been guilty of judging books by their covers, and drooling over gorgeous covers is one of my favorite pastimes. This week's featured cover just happens to be one I have been, well, obsessed with since it was first revealed.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Release: May 24, 2011

Summary:

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Cover: Before I start, go ahead and pick your jaw up off the floor. And if your jaw didn't drop at the sight of the cover, go back and look at it again. I'll wait.

Now then, is it not a gorgeous cover?! The moment I saw it, Hourglass jumped from a if-I-have-a-chance-maybe-I'll-read-it book to a I-will-read-it-ASAP book, which is always a sign of a well-done cover in my opinion. There's so much I could say about the cover, but I think I'll start with something basic: color. The cover does a great job of contrasting cool and warm colors. The cool purple of the walls is balanced perfectly by the warm red-brown of the wood floor, just as the girl's pale skin is contrasted by her black dress and yellow hair. By balancing the colors, the designers were able to give the cover a mesmerizing quality. And while we're on the topic of mesmerizing qualities...the girl is walking on the wall! Or is she falling? I am absolutely in love with the optical illusion that comprises the cover. At first glance it's strikingly eerie, with the girl halted in a graceful, almost zombie-like step. But then after a moment's study, it hits you that she is walking on the wall rather than the floor. Then you pick up on the fact that her hair and dress are falling towards the floor. And then it takes on a whole new sort of eerie. Is she falling? Is she defying gravity? Is there any other cover that can bring up questions like these? I simply cannot look at this cover enough! 

Contest Winners

It's time to announce another batch of contest winners!

First off, the winner of the Good Books Good Cause giveaway, who will receive a copy of The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa and Willow by Julia Hoban is...

Cayla Kluver!

Next, I have chosen the winners of the Sweet Venom Cover Reveal giveaway. Each of the five winners will get a bookmark featuring the gorgeous cover of Sweet Venom, signed by author Tera Lynn Childs. And the winners are...

Ivy (Ivy Reads),

Liz (Consumed by Books),

JB,

Kate,

and Jacinda (The Reading Housewife)!

Congratulations to all the winners! As for those of you who didn't win, I have many more giveaway comes up, so be sure to keep an eye out.

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Release: March 1, 2011

Source: Publisher

According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking—er, focusing on—Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

From the very first page I knew I was going to love Sean Griswold’s Head.

Lindsey Leavitt is a master at writing sassy heroines and bringing them to life with fabulous voice. She first won me over with Desi in Princess for Hire, and has done it again with Payton. From the start her voice captured me. With her subtle wit and love of organization, I felt like I had an instant connection with her. As a result, her character and the difficulties she faced felt all the more real to me.

In my opinion, Leavitt did an amazing job of portraying Payton’s struggle – both internally and externally – with her father’s diagnosis. It comes at a time when Payton is just beginning to come into her own. Anyone can remember the awkwardness of freshman year and that feeling of trying to find where you belong. For Payton, that is compounded by the revelation that her father has a crippling disease. In one second her whole world changes, and there’s no telling what will happen in the future. What I loved most about Sean Griswold’s Head was that Leavitt showed this uncertainty. At one point Payton goes so far as to say she can’t understand why she feels so angry at her parents, she just is and doesn’t know how to get past it. This, for me, was the moment that stands out in my mind and defines this book. It would be easy to say that Payton is being stubborn and bratty, just as it would be easy to say she is completely and totally justified in being angry. But being a teenager isn’t always so black and white, and the fact that Leavitt so skillfully showed that is what really made me love this book.

Now, don’t assume that the book is all heavy. There is plenty of humor on Payton’s journey to come to terms with her dad’s MS. The simple fact that Sean starts out as her focus object provides more than enough hilarity. She and her best friend concoct a number of schemes to learn more about Sean, which always result in a good laugh for the reader. And when a relationship begins to blossom between her and Sean, his quirky personality lends itself perfectly to banter (which I always love).

And, of course, I could devote a whole paragraph Sean. I fell in love with his genuine personality early on. From looking past labels to giving Payton surprisingly deep advice, he is wise far beyond his years. If I was ever in a position like Payton’s, I would hope that there would be someone like Sean around for me.  

Expertly combining humor and great voice with the seriousness of MS and its impact on a family, Sean Griswold’s Head was an enchanting read. I’d highly suggest it to fans of contemporary fiction, or anyone looking for a great read. It’s sure to please.

5 stars!

Chick Chat: Jen Calonita

I'm both excited and sad to be hosting an interview with Jen Calonita today. I'm excited because this will be my third interview with Jen and because she is the author of what has long been one of my favorite series, Secrets of my Hollywood Life. Therein lies the reason for my sadness. The Secrets series, one of the first YA series I ever read, recently came to a close with the sixth and final novel, There's No Place Like Home. It's definitely a bittersweet ending.

Here is a little information on There's No Place Like Home (from Jen's website):

Like your favorite TV show, we all take a summer hiatus (that's TV lingo for a well-needed short break from filming) but don't worry, I'll be back. I've got a lot of hard work ahead of me, and I know I'm up for the challenge...or am I? Is Hollywood where I really belong? Am I finally ready to embrace my inner Meryl Streep and declare acting my lifelong passion or will I watch Liz and Austin fill out their college applications and question my calling again?

One thing is for sure, I've got to make a decision about my celebrity life and stick with it once and for all. This time it looks like fate is going to step in and help me me make that choice by asking me to picture my life if it weren't in Hollywood. Will I like that world better than my own? Or will I give my my best Louis Vuitton bag to get back my old life? There's only one way to find out.

Describe There’s No Place Like Home in five words or less.

Oooh....okay:

Ending. Beginning. Happy. Tearful. Closure.

In There’s No Place Like Home, Kaitlin returns to the world of television after taking a break for her Broadway debut. Of the two, which did you enjoy writing about the most: Broadway or television?

TV is my first love and it's the area I know a lot about. I've seen a lot of Broadway shows, but I've only covered a few! I really enjoyed taking Kaitlin back to where we met her--on TV, doing something she thinks she loves, and watching her work through all the emotions she always has when it comes to balancing work with having a normal life.

In your opinion, how has Kaitlin grown over the course of the series?

I think it's taken a long time for Kaitlin to stand up for herself and her beliefs, but I definitely think she's gotten stronger over the course of the series. When we started, she was barely sixteen, and it was hard for her to fight her mom and her publicist on a lot of things, but as she's gotten more savvy, she's definitely put her foot down . Without giving too much away, I will say fans of the series will be really excited to see what Kaitlin finally has the guts to do in the final book.

What will you miss most about writing the Secrets series?

The characters. I've written about most of them for six books so they've become very dear to me. Sometimes I will be watching a TV show or reading a magazine and I will see a new product or a great dress and I'll actually think: "Kaitlin would love that!" She's not real, but I think she has become so for me after spending so much time with her. I'll really miss writing her dialogue, but I'll miss writing Sky and Laney's more. They always had the best lines!

With Secrets of My Hollywood Life coming to a close, what are you working on next?

My next series, Belles, will be out next spring and I'm excited to dive into a world just as privileged as Hollywood, but one that is far from the eyes of the paparazzi! Belles follows two cousins (Mirabelle and Isabelle) who wind up living under the same roof even though they come from very different economic backgrounds. Mira has a senator for a dad and Izzie has been raised by her grandmother with next to nothing, but she's been happy, which is more than I can say for some of the people Izzie meets once she moves to her new, wealthy home.

Do you plan to continue incorporating your knowledge of entertainment and Hollywood into your next project(s)?

Hollywood doesn't really come into play in Belles--if you don't count the backstabbing, rivalries and boy issues--but I would love to tackle Hollywood again in a different way. It's where I started, and I love it a lot, so I would never say never.


Thank you so much for stopping by, Jen!

Good Books Good Cause Giveaway

Good Books Good Cause is a literacy campaign to remind readers of all ages of the thrill of a  great book. With technology growing ever more important, people can forget just how magical finding such a book can be. Being an avid reader, this is something I am passionate about. Because of this, I am very happy to be working with Good Books Good Cause on a special YA-themed giveaway.

One lucky winner will receive Willow by Julia Hoban and The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa (please not this is the third book in the series), two of the featured titles for this campaign. Here is a bit about the books:

Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy—one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down.

Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her

My name is Meghan Chase.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

To enter this contest, simply fill out this form by midnight EST on Tuesday, March 15. This giveaway is open to US residents only.

For more information on Good Book Good Cause, please visit the campaign's website.