In My Mailbox (27)

Great book week :)

For review:

Invisible Girl by Mary Hanlon Stone

Runaway by Meg Cabot

Winter Longing by Tricia Mills

Plus by Veronica Chambers

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June by Robin Benway

Swag!

Bought at the Strand!

Hourglass by Claudia Gray

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White

Keep Sweet by Michele Dominguez Greene

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Swoon At Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter

IMM Was Started By: The Story Siren

Calling All YA Authors & Their Pets!

I'm planning a new contest that I'm really excited about! It involves two of my favorite things- YA Authors & their pets!

Here's how the contest is going to work:
I'm going to post the names of a variety of authors and then pictures of their pets, and it's up to you to guess which pet belongs to which author. Those of you that get the most matches correct will get to take a dive into the prize bucket!

I'm looking for YA authors who are willing to send me a picture of their pet (whether it be dog, cat, or snake) to post on my blog for the contest. Send me an email (kelseythebookscout at gmail dot com) with the picture and your pets name!

Also, if any author would be willing to donate a book or swag to the prize bucket let me know!

Find Out Friday: Leslie Margolis

What inspired you to write books for young readers?

I’m passionate about reading and have been ever since I can remember. Even though I love reading books geared towards people of all ages, I can’t help but notice that my favorites – the stories and characters that have stuck with me – are, for the most part, ones I read when I was young. That’s why I find writing for children so rewarding. Adults can love books but kids really need books.

Personally, what's your favorite book/s?

That’s so hard to answer! I have tons of favorites. As a kid, I loved S.E. Hinton and Paula Danziger. And one of my favorite novels was Skinnybones, by Barbara Park. This was years before she wrote Junie B. Jones, something I’m currently a big fan of. In high school, like everyone else I loved J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Also important to me were the following: White Noise by Don DeLillo, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and anything by Joan Didion. Now I read lots of middle grade and YA fiction. My current favorites include books by Coe Booth, David Levithan, E. Lockhart, Meg Cabot, Lauren Myracle, Sarah Mlynowski, Jacqueline Woodson, and Rebecca Stead. I could go on and on and on, but the above list is probably big enough. Right?

What part of yourself did you put into Annabelle, if any?

Annabelle has similar problems that I had in junior high but she’s much better equipped at handling them – feistier and more outspoken than I ever was. Simply put, she’s the girl I wish I could’ve been – which is really fun to write.

Were the covers of Boys Are Dogs and Girls Acting Catty what you imagined them looking like?

I was completely blown away and thrilled with the covers. I think they are amazing – eye-catching, distinctive, attractive and fun. I had nothing to do with them and lucked out in a major way.

As both Annabelle and Yumi have pets in the series, do you have any pets of your own?

Yes, I have a fifty-pound mutt named Aunt Blanche. We adopted her from the North Shore Animal League when she was a puppy and she’ll be five in March.

Can you give a hint on what's next for Annabelle and the gang?

Sure, in Book Three, Annabelle and her friends are working on projects for the science fair and getting excited about their first school dance, which takes place on Valentine’s Day. Annabelle develops her first crush, but unfortunately, it’s on a boy one of her friends likes, too. And there is also a scandal involving plagiarism, or at least the possibility of.

I’m also excited about my brand new series launching in October of 2010. Book One is called GIRL’S BEST FRIEND, A MAGGIE BROOKLYN MYSTERY. Maggie is a twelve-year-old dog walker who solves mysteries.

--

Thanks so much Leslie!

Click here to read my review of Boys Are Dog & here to read my review of Girls Acting Catty!

Click here to visit Leslie's website!

Waiting on Wednesday (25)

This week I'm waiting on...

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

"Devi's life isn't turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan—cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn't join any clubs . . . and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.


Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number . . . hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!


Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko—she realizes that she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do . . . because she's already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?


Except . . .what if getting what you think you want changes everything?" Summary Courtesy of Amazon

This sounds super good, love the summary and cover! It's a win-win :)

Release date: April 27, 2010

Anything But Normal Review

Anything But Normal by Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release date: January 1, 2010

Source: Publisher

Other books by this author: Just Another Girl

Sophie is starting a new school year. Shopping for it with her best friend should be fun, but nothing seems to fit, which is a major issue to a high school girl. But her biggest problem is the secret she's keeping. And she's about to find out that she won't be able to keep things under wraps for much longer. This page-turning novel explores the tangled web of choices, secrets, and love that all teen girls navigate. Melody Carlson enjoys a huge audience of teen readers. Now, Revell presents another new stunning story from an author who understands teen girls right where they are.

Review:

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I dived into Anything But Normal, but I finished it in two days. I was pulled into Sophie’s story. Although Anything But Normal was in third person, something that usually irks me, I really felt connected to Sophie throughout the novel. The summary on the back left a lot to be desired, but the main plot was actually quite original. Sophie’s realistic character was interesting to read about. An honors student and big believer in God, she was the least likely candidate to get pregnant. But she did. The reader could understand all the emotions Sophie was feeling and the weight her secret had on her. As I have never been in Sophie’s situation, and hopefully never will be at such a young age, I couldn’t really relate, but there was something about the raw and personal aspect of Sophie’s story that made me feel like I was in her world, even friends with her.

A big aspect of the novel that I couldn’t relate to was the religion/God aspect. Both played rather large roles in Anything But Normal. I am not a religious person so at times I didn’t understand Sophie’s reliance on God, but Anything But Normal really opened my eyes to religion in a positive way. Purity pledges and pro-life were just a few of the things discussed. All of these ideas and views are things I’ve never really been involved in, but this novel definitely made me see a new perspective. Carlson definitely didn’t push religion on the reader, but rather explained it so the reader could understand Sophie’s faith in God even if they were non-believers.

It was especially interesting to read how Sophie changed over the course of the story. She became a stronger, more open minded person. Teen pregnancy is a topic rarely tackled in YA Literature and Carlson presented it in a unique, and interesting way. Sophie’s views on the pregnant girls changed when she stepped into their shoes, and her whole life was affected by her mistake over the summer with the wrong boy. The characters were cool, and it was really easy to hate the bad characters and like the good ones. Wes was awesome, he took Sophie under his wing and even allowed himself to be called the baby’s dad when he really wasn’t. He encouraged Sophie from the start and helped her stay strong. Carrie Anne, Sophie’s best friend, was nice, but I always felt like she was making Sophie feel bad about herself. Sophie was already overweight and struggled with the fact that her best friend was a size 2 and always dieting. Dylan was such an awful person, it was easy to realize he was never who anyone thought he was. The girls at the teen center were mainly likable, too, and it made you realize the impact the ridicule they received had on them. Overall, the pregnancy center added a lot to the book. Sophie was able to meet girls dealing with a similar problem to her own as well as learn about the hardships she was going to face when her secret came out in the open. As her due date drew closer she would have to make some difficult decisions and work hard to get her life back on track.

Melody Carlson showed that teen pregnancy is definitely not the right choice, but she also explained that you can’t just push these girls away like lepers, they’re still people.

In the end, Anything But Normal was a quick read with an important message and branched into subjects I’ve rarely read about (teen pregnancy, weight problems, and religion). Sophie was a unique character and her story will remain in my head for a long time. I’m looking forward to reading more by Melody Carlson in the future, especially her other novel, Just Another Girl.

Also- did I mention there was a character named Kelsey in this book? I’ve never read about a Kelsey! :)

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Anything But Normal is available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Magic Under Glass NEW COVER!

New cover (top) Original Cover (bottom)

Wow isn't the new cover gorgeous?! I'm going to have to buy a copy with this cover, as I loved Magic Under Glass and applaud Bloomsbury for creating a cover that depicts Nimira as she really looks!

For those of you who don't know, here's a quick summary from Amazon (who already has the new cover up!) on Magic Under Glass:

"Nimira is a foreign music-hall girl forced to dance for mere pennies. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing with a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new and better life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets are beginning to stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumors swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. Then Nimira discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman named Erris is trapped inside the clockwork automaton, waiting for someone to break his curse. The two fall into a love that seems hopeless, and breaking the curse becomes a race against time, as not just their love, but the fate of the entire magical world may be in peril."

Books For Sale!

So I've decided to sell some of my books. I've made up a spreadsheet and

order form, linked below. First here's some information.

Info:

I only accept money orders and cash/checks. (possibly gift cards)
You must pay S&H (and any additionals like delivery confirmation)
I will send out the books as soon as I receive the money.
I will email you to confirm order, etc. First come first serve!

If you have any questions email me: kelseythebookscout at gmail dot com

Also, if you'd prefer to email me details than fill out the order form that's fine :)

Books For Sale

Order Form

In My Mailbox (26)

Great books this week :)

Going Bovine by Libba Bray (for review)

Tagged by Mara Purnhagen (for review)

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (Won)

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson (for review)

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (bought)

In My Mailbox was started by: The Story Siren

Find Out Friday: Tish Cohen

Why did you decide to write a novel for young adults?

My most recent adult book has in it a fourteen year old and I loved writing in her angsty, pseudo-punk voice so much I decided to write a whole novel from the point-of-view od a teen girl.

Was there a particular person who inspired you to become a writer?

I think John Irving (A Prayer for Owen Meany, The World According to Garp) writes eccentric and real characters so well, and reading his books definitely inspired me to try to write.

Personally, what's your favorite young adult book?

I would have to say Carolyn Mackler’s The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things.

Are you currently working on any other books?

I am working on a book for adults, as well as a new book for teen girls.

____

What was your favorite part to write in Little Black Lies?

I loved writing the scenes where Sara was dealing with the slightly insane Carling Burnack. I went to school with a girl like Carling and the subway scene was based on a real (but very stupid) incident.

Where did you get the idea for Little Black Lies?

I was a kid who moved around quite a bit, so I did want to write about a girl who was the new kid. And I thought – why not make it even worse by making her dad work at the school, worse still by making him the janitor?

Was the cover what you imagined it looking like?

I actually had no idea what the cover of this book should look like, and I am very happy with the way it turned out – especially the girl and guy leaning on the VW bus!

Are any of the characters inspired after people you know in real life?

As I said, Carling is loosely modeled on a girl I used to know. Sara is a milder version of me as a teen. The others are all made up.

--

Thanks so much Tish!

Click here to read my review of Little Black Lies!

Click here to visit Tish's website!

Whisper Review

Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release date: April 27, 2010

Source: Around the World Tours

I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears a frightening whisper from Jessica's own mind, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own.

Review:

Whisper was an edge of the seat, nail-biter of a read. At first I was a little reluctant to begin, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Phoebe Kitanidis really did well with her debut novel. The plot was original and well put together, with quite a few twists that kept me guessing. The beginning was a little slow and I couldn’t get that attached to the characters, but by about a quarter of the way through I was really drawn into Joy’s word. Whispers are really cool, it was a unique idea and one I’ve been wanting to read about for a while. Being able to read minds is such a cool power, it was intriguing hearing how Joy and her family dealt with being able to hear Whispers. I really enjoyed reading about the different Whispers Joy heard even though some were scary or creepy. I really liked the way Kitanidis tied the Whispers into the plot, as well as some of the other powers revealed later in the novel. I love the kind of book that keeps me on the edge of my seat and Whisper did just that. And the magical/mind reading element of it just added that much more. I especially like the last 50 pages- wow, it was really intense I could barely put the book down. I liked the author’s writing style as well. It was refreshing and fun, with a darker edge. In addition to hopefully a sequel to Whisper in the future, I’m looking forward to reading more by Phoebe Kitanidis.

I felt a variety of ways about the characters. Joy was likable and a very strong character. She was someone I would like to know in real life. Icka was a very controversial character. I hated her at first, with a very STRONG hate, but as the plot moved along I could better understand her anger and bitterness. Joy’s friends were kind of just in the background. They didn’t play that big a role after the beginning. Parker made a comeback in the end, and I’m looking forward to hearing more about her. There wasn’t that much romance in this book, but what was there was short and sweet. I really liked Jamie and I’m hoping to hear more about his background and family in a sequel. Joy’s family members were likable as well, I really liked that her parents were still together and both were actually alive! In so many books now-a-days the parents are either separated, divorced, dead, etc. Aunt Jane was a character that also played a bigger role in the end than the beginning. Again, the ending is where most of the action takes place so be sure to stick it out if you’re not enjoying the beginning as much.

I would definitely recommend checking this out come April. It was an original, exciting debut and I’m eager for a sequel. Joy’s narration will pull you in and by the end you’ll be glued to the page. Whisper has a unique premise and writing style, with a quirky set of characters, but I definitely recommend reading it, you won't regret it. The cover is gorgeous as well. I love the gray with the pink, shimmery letters- that’s a cover that will look awesome in hardcover!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars