Blog Tour: Will (from Angelfire) Character Interview

1. What were your thoughts on Ellie when you first met her?

When I first her, she was closed off and very private. She wouldn’t let me in. The more I got to know her, the more I realized she was a bit of a brat and she’s always had a quick tongue. But every day since the moment I met her five hundred years ago, she’s had a fierce determination to do what’s right and protect the ones she loves.

2. If you could change your name to anything what would it be?

Change my name? I… I like my name.

3. What has been your favorite experience with Ellie thus far?

It would be the day I realized I was in love with her. After all these years, it’s my strongest memory of her. It’s burned into my heart.

4. I've already heard several cries of "Team Will"- what is your reaction to being so popular among your female readers?

I’m just trying to do my job.

5. And because the ladies want to know: Boxers or briefs?

*blushes and stammers* I… I’m not answering that.

6. Random questions: What is your favorite...

Movie? I don’t really watch movies, but I like Almost Famous.

Book? Ender’s Game.

Food? Root beer floats.

Subject? Battle tactics and martial art techniques. My purpose is to fight and that is what I study.

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Thanks so much Will for stopping by! I definitely recommend reading Angelfire when it releases next month. For now you can check out Courtney's website for more info and some awesome extras.

Bloodborn Cover Reveal

I'm so excited to share the cover of Bloodborn, the companion novel to the fantastic Other! It's definitely unique and the guy on top is so creepy! I love the blue, it's so dark and mysterious! The expected release date is September 2011.

What do you think?

It isn’t working. The doctor said it would, but it isn’t, even though I keep taking the pills, and I keep seeing Dad sneak into the bathroom and count how many are left. As if I would stop taking them. As if I would let myself become a beast.

Brock Koeman lost his brother to werewolves. Now he’s in danger of losing himself. Bitten by a werewolf at sixteen, he fights the transformation, taking the excruciating pain as a punishment for his mistakes. With the help of a risky drug called Lycanthrox, he’s managed to stay human for two full moons. But he knows he can’t last much longer.

Hungry for revenge, Brock vows to kill the silver wolf who bit him. But Brock’s ex, the fiery Cynthia Lopez, still cares about him enough not to let him do anything suicidally dangerous—never mind that Cyn gets her thrills from danger herself. Together again, the heat between them rekindles, but Brock feels like a beast beside her beauty. He can’t stay with her; he can’t ignore the werewolves howling outside his window. When he hunts down the pack, Cyn doesn’t sit on the sidelines. She’s right beside him as they get taken hostage and start running with the werewolves, the police hot on their tails. Brock has to get a grip on who he truly is—before the wolf within kills him, or someone else does.

In My Mailbox (66)

I'm planning on reading The Iron Witch or Mad Love soon, they both look excellent. I'm also dying to read Shift, because the first in the series, Shade, was terrific. I ordered a few books from Amazon this week because I wanted finished copies to complete my collection of the series!

Books for Review

All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

The Lucky Kind by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Bought

(I've read all of these in ARC form and wanted a finished copy!)

Rapture of the Deep by LA Meyer

Runaway by Meg Cabot

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Thanks to Laura at Harper Collins, Marissa at Flux, Knopf BFYR, Dawn at Simon and Schuster, Kate at Bloomsbury, and Kelly.

IMM Is Hosted By: The Story Siren

Blog Tour: Where I Belong Scene Excerpt

An excerpt from Mockingbird in Manhattan, a possible companion to Where I Belong. The manuscript follows Kitsy to NYC for summer art classes. This scene takes place as Kitsy and Corrinne are on their way to Kitsy’s first NYC party.

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Corrinne throws her hand in the air, and a yellow cab comes barreling towards us.

“Here’s the thing about the subway, Kits, it’s fine to get from place to place, but it’s no good for making an arrival. Think about celebrities and how sexy they look getting out of cars.”

“Corrinne, you can usually see those celebrities crotches, which isn’t sexy, and they are in limos anyways,” I refute.

“Kitsy,” Corrinne says as she gets in the cab, “There’s still a recession going on. We can’t be going places in limos. It would be insensitive.” Corrinne pushes her head towards the Plexiglas divide: “2 E. 61^st street please. The Pierre hotel.”

I slid into the cab next to Corrinne and buckle my seatbelt even though Corrinne told me nobody wears seat belts in cabs. It’s a cab, Kitsy, not a pick-up truck. I am not sure I follow her logic, and there’s no way that I am letting anything, especially a taxi collision, mess up my adventure.

And the cabbie zooms off into traffic. I stay quiet in fear of saying something else stupid and watch out my window. I am shocked by all the types of people I see. Fancy strollers. Even fancier double strollers. Little kids by themselves on scooters. Bike messengers weaving through traffic. Every single person seems interesting enough that I want the cabbie to stop, so I can ask themWho are you? How did you get to live here? Why not me?

And then we approach a green forest, which I immediately recognize as Central Park.

“Ohmigosh,” I squeal and forget that I was 1% annoyed with Corrinne, “It’s the park. It’s from Sex and the City when Carrie and Big fall in the water. It’s from like every movie in New York. It’s beautiful. Where’s Tavern on the Green? Can I see it?”

Corrinne looks up from her iPhone, which she had been obsessively typing on throughout the entire ride.

“There’s my Kitsy,” she says, “I was beginning to worry that the city caught your tongue.”

And then, we pull up in front of The Pierre, a white hotel with arched windows and two beautiful awnings. Men, dressed in green suits with hats, guard the hotel as if it were a palace and they its protectors. As Corrinne hands wads of money to the cab, a doorman swings open my door and grabs my hand. I am having a total princess moment.

“Your friend lives in a hotel like Eloise!” I exclaim as Corrinne, and I teeter on her highest heels into the lobby.

“No,” Corrinne says, “Vladlena’s just renting a suite for her birthday. It’s a win-win. No one has to use a fake ID, and we can still party in style without getting caught by someone’s parents.”

I don’t ask about how Vladlena, a high school exchange student from Russia, can afford a place like this as her own birthday gift. I think that, like most things here, falls under the category of T.N.O.M.W., things not of my world.

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I hope everyone enjoyed the excerpt and if you haven't already definitely pick up Where I Belong when it releases next month! Check out my review or visit Gwendolyn's website for more info!

Review: King of Ithaka by Tracy Barrett

King of Ithaka by Tracy Barrett

Telemachos has a comfortable life on his small island of Ithaka, where his mother Penelopeia keeps the peace even though the land has been without its king, his father Odysseus, since the Trojan War began many years ago.

But now the people are demanding a new king, unless Telemachos can find Odysseus and bring him home. With only a mysterious prophecy to guide him, Telemachos sets off over sea and desert in search of the father he has never known.

Review:

King of Ithaka was a little slow to start off, but the more I read the more I got into Telemachos's story. Odysseus's adventures are ones I've heard and read about many times so it was interesting to see things from the perspective of his son. King of Ithaka was narrated by Telemachos, years after his father had first left. Life was good in Ithaka for Telemachos and his family and friends until his neighbors decide Odysseus is not coming back and it's time for Telemachos's mother to remarry and for Ithaka to have a true ruler. From there things really start to get interesting for Telemachos and the reader.

Young Telemachos sets off on a journey to find his father with his good friend Brax and a stowaway, Poly. The three face a lot of dangers and challenges and meet a lot of unique, and at times dangerous, creatures.

There were quite a few unique characters in this novel. Telemachos was especially intriguing to read about and I liked watching him grow and mature over the course of the story and to know what it truly meant to be a King. Brax was a centaur and a very brave character. Away from Ithaka he faced a lot of prejudices against his species. There were a variety of creatures introduced in King of Ithaka, many of which I had never heard of before. Poly, the other member of Telemachos's expedition, was a fiery and spirited girl and I enjoyed watching her relationship with Telemachos grow.

King of Ithaka was a well researched and original novel combining mythology, romance, and what it means to be a hero. While a little slow at first, I enjoyed reading about Telemachos and his adventures and seeing the "great" Odysseus in a new light. I definitely recommend picking this up!

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

September 14, 2010/Henry, Holt, and Co./261 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Author (Hardcover)

Trapped Review

Trapped by Michael Northrop

Publisher: Scholastic

Release date: January 1, 2011

Source: Publisher and Author

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive....

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision....

Review:

Just reading the summary for Trapped I was creeped out... especially because of our own impending snow storm. Michael Northrop had me gripping the pages, unable to stop reading, because I just had to find out what was going to happen to those students trapped in the school.

Trapped was a very intriguing and original sophomore novel that will have readers glued to the pages simply because they want to see what else can go wrong for the characters and to make sure they survive. At first, getting stuck in the school overnight didn't seen so bad, but then things started to become more dangerous and it was no longer a fight to escape, but a fight for their lives.

Scotty is the main character and our narrator throughout the ordeal. He was a realistic and believable teenage boy dealing with typical sophomore age problems (girls, pimples, etc). We didn't really get to know the other characters (Elijah, Les, Jason, Pete, Krista, and Julie) and the novel mainly focused on plot and small details with what was going on in the school rather than character development. Some of the characters did get a taste of romance and the kids tried to make the most of their situation. It was impressive how strong they stayed at first and worked together to make the best of things. As the novel progressed more tension between certain characters was revealed and all of the victims were changing and starting to break down. My heart went out to them and I even started to feel a little claustrophobic while reading.

This definitely isn't a light hearted read. There is pain, suffering, and even death. It's a short novel though and once I got past the first few chapters I wasn't able to put it down. Creepy and intense things just kept going from bad to worse...

The plot of Trapped was definitely original, and timely, due to all the snow we're getting lately. It made me consider what it would be like stuck in my school under ten feet of snow *shivers*. The ending was a little abrupt and I wish there was some more closure, especially for Scotty. Although I didn't love everything about this book it will make you think and be extra thankful for the warm fire you're curled up next too. Overall, I do recommend checking this out. It's a solid sophomore novel and will also appeal to both male and female readers.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

When Violet Ambrose's morbid ability to sense the echoes of those who've been murdered leads her to the body of a young boy, she draws the attention of the FBI. She is reluctantly pulled into an investigation that will endanger more than just her secret...but her relationship and possibly her life as well.

Review:

Desires of the Dead was a fabulous follow up to The Body Finder. There was even more suspense and intrigue and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I would not recommend this to anyone who hasn’t read The Body Finder because so much is based off what occurred in the first book and it may be hard to fully comprehend Violet’s ability.

Violet is a strong and brave main character and she was still as determined and likable as in the prequel. Violet is a very complex character and I got really attached to her in the first novel so it was almost like returning to an old friend in Desires of the Dead. The same with her boyfriend Jay. He was so kind, generous, and protective of Violet and he would never let anything happen to her. Although things weren’t always perfect for them in this book. They had their ups and downs just like any couple and it made them that much more believable and realistic. There were a few new characters introduced in this novel and a few from The Body Finder were developed even more.

There was a completely new mystery introduced in Desires of the Dead and Violet’s ability once more draws her to uncover a dead body. Unfortunately, Violet also draws the attention of Sara, a woman working for the FBI. Over much of the story Sara and her assistant, Rafe, are trying to get Violet to open up about how she found the body and what she knows about the new kids at her school.

Things became very intense and twisted when someone starts to leave Violet creepy messages and soon the plot was moving at a rapid pace making it nearly impossible to put down. I was on the edge of my seat throughout and never knew what was coming until the final chapters. A few chapters from the point of view of the “bad guy” were included and I liked being able to try and guess their identity.

Overall, Desires of the Dead was another great novel by Kimberly Derting and I definitely recommend it to anyone who has read the first book! It was keep you engaged and anxious and gripping the pages until the end. I hope there is another book about Jay and Violet to come!

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

February 15, 2011/HarperTeen/368 Pages/Young Adult/Book Two

Source: ARC Tour

Other books in the series: The Body Finder

Blog Tour: Jillian Larkin Guest Post

Jillian Larkin’s Jazz Playlist from the 1920s

Hi guys! I’m Jillian Larkin, author of Vixen, the first book in the Flappers series. I was extremely excited when Kelsey asked me if I would put together a Jazz Age Playlist for her blog. Not because I already had one ready—though that was a perk. But I am looking forward to sharing the absolutely amazing music of another age with you!

“Down-Hearted Blues” by Bessie Smith

Gloria isn’t a terribly autobiographical character—she’s much feistier than I am. But she did inherit my love of this song. Bessie had an amazing voice and could embody true sadness better than any other singer I’ve ever heard.

“Black and Tan Fantasy” by Duke Ellington

There’s something a little dangerous about this song, which suits Vixen perfectly.

“After You’ve Gone” by Marion Harris

This is another mournful song about love lost. Marion Harris was such a marvelous singer and she pours all her emotion into this tune.

Bandana Babies by Lew Leslie's Blackbirds Orchestra

Here’s a playful one—there’s such pure joy in Jazz Age music!

“The Racket” by the Levee Syncopators

This song technically came out in 1930 but I’m putting it on the list anyway because it’s amazing. If you’re not dancing by the end of the song, I will be very surprised.

“Black Bottom Stomp” by Jelly Roll Morton

Easily one of the best pianists in history, Jelly Roll really shows off his skill in this upbeat song, which is meant to accompany the Black Bottom Stomp dance.

“The Charleston” by James P. Johnson

There are so many versions of the Charleston out there, but something really appeals to me about hearing it on just a piano rather than with a whole band. It doesn’t hurt that James P. Johnson was an absolutely fantastic stride pianist—it almost sounds like two people are playing.

I hope you enjoy listening to some Jazz Age tunes and that they inspire you as much as they inspire me!

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Thanks so much Jillian! For more info on Jillian and her Flappers series check out the links below:

www.TheFlappersBooks.com

Jan. 24--http://bloggers-heart-books.blogspot.com/

Jan. 25--http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Jan. 26-- http://moonlightbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Jan. 27 – http://www.teenreads.com/

In My Mailbox (65)

I didn't have time to do IMM last week so this is two weeks worth of books. I'm looking forward to reading all of them! I also bought two books at the Strand when I visited New York City last week.

For Review:

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Pink by Lili Wilkinson

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Vesper by Jeff Sampson

Bitter Melon by Cara Chow

Thanks to Sara at Little Brown, Lauren at Scholastic, Rose at Harper Collins, Ruta Sepetys, Chelsy from Big Honcho Media, Maurissa Guibord, and Jenny from Goodman Media

For Review:

The Darlings Are Forever by Melissa Kantor

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Vampire Crush by AM Robinson

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood

Bought:

Falling in Love With English Boys by Melissa Jensen

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Thanks to Deborah at Disney Hyperion, Jenny at Goodman Media, AM Robinson, Jenny at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Laura at Harper Collins

IMM Is Hosted By: The Story Siren

Blog Tour: Julia Karr Interview

Julia Karr is stopping by today to discuss her debut novel XVI as part of her blog tour hosted by The Teen {Book} Scene! I recently read and loved XVI so I definitely recommend picking it up!

1. Did you put parts of yourself or people you know into Nina and the other characters?

Answer: I think all characters have bits and pieces of their creators in them. Perhaps some more so than others. In XVI, some of the characters are related to people I’ve known, but only in my head. I might give a feel of the actual person in the way I write a phrase or envision an action - but, for the most part - my characters are pure imagination!

2. What’s your biggest memory from the year you were 16?

Wow. So many huge things happened to me when I was sixteen. Probably the biggest was (actually I was 15-1/2) I moved from a small town in Indiana to the city of Chicago to live with my mother. I’d been living with my older sister and my grandmother - so, it was a major life-change. As anyone who has moved from a small town to a big city can attest - the learning curve is steep! I have to say, I took to big city living like the proverbial duck-to-water and, although I don’t live in Chicago at the present - I still have a deep and abiding love for it!

3. What is your favorite YA dystopian novel? (Other than XVI of course!)

This is hard, because I’m not currently reading any dystopian novels - since I do not want my brain covertly influenced by other dystopian writers. I did, however, read The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson and loved it.

4. If you could go back in time to witness any historical event what would you want to see?

Ancient history - Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount

More recent history - The inauguration of Abraham Lincoln

5. What’s next for you writing wise?

Currently I am working on the sequel to XVI. After that, I have several partial books that are clamoring to be completed. I’m not sure which one will win!

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For more info on Julia visit her website and be sure to check out my review of XVI!

Review: XVI by Julia Karr

XVI by Julia Karr

Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world—even the most predatory of men—that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past—one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

Review:

I've been anticipating this debut for quite a long time and I can say I was not disappointed. XVI was an intriguing and complex start to what I'm sure is going to be a fantastic series.

The plot and idea behind XVI was the best part. The world building and development of everything was great and Julia never ceased to shock and scare me with how bad things were in this disturbing future where sixteen year old girls were considered nothing but sex objects and could be taken advantage of by any man with no consequences to him at all. "Sex-teen" was an age many girls were so excited to reach- to finally have the "XVI" etched into their skin letting the world know that they were ready for sex.

Nina, the main character, was one of the few fifteen year olds not counting down the days until she turned sixteen and anticipating all the guys she would attract. My heart went out to Nina because she was stuck in a world where she wasn't safe and danger lurked around every corner. The one person in Nina's life that knows things aren't the way they should be is Nina's mother. But when she is stabbed one awful night, Nina is left with no one to trust but her younger sister.

Luckily, she moves in with her grandparents and meets some fellow teenagers not caught up in everything "sex-teen" and following the governments every command. Sal and Wei were two amazing and strong characters and Nina was extremely lucky to meet them. Before dying, Nina's mother revealed some startling things about her past and left her daughter with more questions than answers. Nina is connected to Sal and Wei and their families in more ways than she ever would have thought. I enjoyed watching Nina's relationship with both teens grow- romantically (Sal) and just a close friend and confident (Wei).

There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot and Nina is constantly uncovering new truths about her family and her past. A lot is going on in that sense and Nina is also having to worry about her approaching sixteenth birthday and avoiding her mother's killer. Things were so difficult for her but she stayed strong throughout and proved how one person can make a difference.

XVI was an impressive and extremely thought provoking novel that I had a hard time putting down. It will leave you thinking and anxious to read more about Nina and the rest of the characters. This was a great dystopian novel that was an excellent start to what I'm sure will be an amazing year of books.

Overall: 4.25 out of 5 stars

January 6, 2011/Speak/325 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Author (ARC)

Other books in the series: Truth (2012)