Hush Hush by Becca FitzpatrickFor 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.
Review:
Wow, this book was amazing. I enjoyed reading it so much. The characters were great and the plot was ingenious. Becca Fitzpatrick kept me at the edge of my seat until the last page, and even then I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. Hush Hush definitely left room for a sequel. When I first began reading I wasn't completely sure what was going to happen, you never knew who to trust or what was what- this was a mystery, romance, fantasy, and suspense novel all tied into one. One of the best parts of the book was the fact that Patch and Nora had great chemistry, they went together really well. Patch was the perfect mysterious bad boy, who kept you wondering about his dark past. There were also a lot of sub-plots that added to the novel. Everything was tied up at the end, but I'm still anxious to read the sequel.
For a debut novel, this book was fantastic, even for a seasoned writer this was a great book! I loved the unique names of the characters as well- Patch, Nora, Vee, Elliot, Kjirsten. One of the most amazing things about this book was the fact that it was such a unique topic. Fallen angels is something I've never read about, I'm now intrigued to learn more about them. Also, the cover was great, too. I love it! There's so many dimensions to it, and although the colors are dull they work. It's a perfect cover, definitely one of my favorites of the books I've read lately. All in all I'm so happy I got a copy of this one for review (well two copies to be exact) and am planning on picking up a hardcover copy when it's released in October.
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
--
I also wanted to add, I'm having a contest to win an ARC of Hush Hush that ends 9/12; click here to enter.
Janette’s Books:
Just One Wish (Click to read my review)
My Fair Godmother
Revenge of the Cheerleaders
How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend
It’s a Mall World After All
Fame, Glory, and Other Things on My To-Do List
Playing the Field
Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws
All’s Fair in Love, War, and High School
Interview~
General questions:
What inspired you to write books for young adults?
I have five kids and wanted them to be able to read fun books without all the heavy, dark, and edgy stuff that's in a lot of young adult books these days. People are always talking about the declining reading rate among teens. I think if kids have fun books, they'll read more often.
What is your favorite young adult book?
All of mine. But there are a lot of YA books I love. The Princess Bride is one of my all time favorites.
What's your favorite part of being a writer?
When you're writing and everything just flows perfectly--it's almost magical. The antithesis of this experience is when I get revision letters from my editor and he tells me in great detail all the things he wants me to change.
Which of your books is your favorite?
This is like asking which child is my favorite--I love them all! But I do think My Fair Godmother will always have a special place in my heart because it was so much fun to write. Dragons, knights, princes, and ogres—what could be better?
Are you working on any other books?
I'm always working on something else. It's sort of a compulsion.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yep. Of course I also wanted to be a figure skater and an astronaut. Those goals somehow never materialized.
Just One Wish questions:
What gave you the idea for Just One Wish?
I started with the idea of having a sister pretend to have a genie in order to grant her little brother a wish, and the rest of the story grew from there. The idea came about probably because I had two older sisters and an older brother who were constantly pulling my leg about something. Every day on April Fool's my older brother would excitedly wake me up and tell me we had no school because it had snowed. For years I would believe him--even if the day happened to be a Saturday. What can I say; I've never been that clear-thinking in the morning.
In Just One Wish, Annika tells Jeremy she has a genie in order to help, not torment, her brother. She thinks it will help him with his surgery. Of course the whole thing back-fires on her when he asks that a famous actor come visit him.
Have you ever had a family member with cancer?
Yes, my mother died of cancer when I was six years old--which also had an influence on this story. I've never really been satisfied with those stories where someone dies and then someone tells the main character: They're not really gone because they'll always be a part of you. I was not old enough to feel that my mother was a part of me. (She became ill when I was two, so my only memories of her are when she was sick.) I didn't want my mother to just live on in me; I wanted my mother to live on in heaven. I believe that one day I'll meet her again. We'll have a lot to catch up on.
Annika is an unusual name, what made you decide to use it?
One of my friend's daughters is named Annika and I thought it was a darling name so I stole it for my character.
What about writing Just One Wish did you like best?
My favorite scene in the whole book is the one that takes place in the trailer (and on top of the trailer.) It was lots of fun to write--and by the way that disorganized writer who shows up in the trailer--that's how I am in real life.
Thanks so much Janette! I’m looking forward to reading more of your books.
Click here to visit Janette’s website.
This is my first ‘Find Out Friday’. I’m hoping to make this a weekly post. If you’re an author and are interested in being interviewed for ‘Find Out Friday’ please email me at kelseythebookscout@gmail.com and we’ll set something up.
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existance: dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy, thirteen-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own antisocial, anti-cheerleader attitude. When a family argument results in tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunctional to dangerous. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green; she uses odd, old-fashioned language- and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her weird behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves, water boils on the unlit stove, and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough for the girls to see their breath. Alexis wants to believe it's all in her head, until these seemingly harmless ocurrences become life-threatening- to her, to her family, and to her budding relationship with the student council vice president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey; but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?
Review:
This book was great. There were times I didn't even realize what was happening around me, I was so engrossed in what was unfolding in the book. The plot was original, and the horror angle was great- it was scary, but not blood and guts scary. At first small things were happening, and I wasn't getting worried yet. But not for long! Soon troubling things were happening that kept the book moving and kept me reading. The characters were all well developed and original. Every character fit into the book- Pepper, Megan, Carter, Miss Oliver, Mary... Another great part of this book was the fact that Alexis wasn't just another preppy, perfect main character. I hate when the main character is so perfect, nothing goes wrong in their lives. Alexis, with her pink hair, and skipping class, dealing with friend troubles, seemed like a normal teenager (well not that most teenagers have pink hair...) The sub-plots were great, too, and everything tied together in the end. Not only was this book creepy, it was also a mystery. We were trying to figure out a few mysteries throughout the novel, but all the loose ends were tied up, although, it did leave room for a sequel! This is a must read, I highly recommend it to everyone.
I really liked the fact that things weren't always what they seemed. You might be suspecting one thing to happen, when really you were completely wrong. I love books that keep you on your toes, and Bad Girl's Don't Die did just that. As I turned each page I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. Another thing, a lot of books claim to be horror, but they really aren't. Bad Girls Don't Die was amazing- scary, creepy, mysterious. The cover was also part of what attracted me to this book- the girl hiding behind the curtain, that just fit the book completely. I love how the girls dress goes with her toenails. I think another important part of the book was that Alexis learned a lot dealing with what was happening to her sister. Although, Alexis was in a lot of danger throughout the book, she handled it and worked out the mysteries just like Nancy Drew. I definitely recommend this book to everyone, and since it's already published you can go out and buy a copy today!
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Release Date: March 16 2010 from HarperTeen
“Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.” Summary Courtesy of Goodreads
This looks like it’ll be an amazing read. Plus, the cover is awesome!
Release Date: November 24, 2009 from Hyperion
“Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, the mysterious new boy at school who turned out to have a very mysterious gift--pyschometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry, and experiencing her own strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow rubbed off on her. Can the power of psychometry be transferred?
Even once Ben returns to school, Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Despite the romantic tension between them, Ben remains aloof, avoiding contact. Then when an unexpected kiss leads to a frightening argument, Camelia makes the painful decision to let Ben go and move on. Alex, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. Alex is easy-going, and seems to really care about her.
But when Camelia and Alex start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events upturns secrets from Ben's past--and Alex's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out whom-before it's too late.” Summary Courtesy of Goodreads
I loved the first book in the series, so I'm dying to find out what happens in this one!
Positively by Courtney SheinmelWhen my mother died, I imagined God was thinking, 'One down, and one to go.'" This is how Emerson Price feels when her mother passes away. Her mother was sick for a long time with a disease known as AIDs. Emmy is HIV-Positive, she takes pills everyday and visits the doctor all the time. She becomes a different person when her mother dies- angry, moody, upset. Her father and his expectant wife Meg, decide to send Emmy to Camp Positive hoping to help Emmy become herself again. Camp Positive is for people like Emmy, those who are HIV-Positive. At camp, Emmy begins to realize she's not alone.
