Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

*Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine


Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen

Release Date: February 1, 2010

Elizah Rayne is nothing like other fourteen-year-old girls. More interested in bird bones than people, she wraps herself in silence. Trying to escape the shadow of her gambler father, Elizah and her mother move into an old house that borders a cemetery. All her mother wants is for them to have "normal" lives. But that becomes impossible for Elizah when she finds a human jawbone by the river and meets Nathaniel, a strangely hypnotic and mysterious boy who draws Elizah into his world.

Only by forgetting everything she knows can Elizah understand the truth about Nathaniel—and discover an unimaginable secret.




By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

Release Date: Janurary 5, 2010

Daelyn Rice is broken beyond repair, and after a string of botched suicide attempts, she's determined to get her death right. She starts visiting a website for "completers"- http://www.through-the-light/ .com.

While she's on the site, Daelyn blogs about her life, uncovering a history of bullying that goes back to kindergarten. When she's not on the Web, Daelyn's at her private school, where she's known as the freak who doesn't talk.

Then, a boy named Santana begins to sit with her after school while she's waiting to for her parents to pick her up. Even though she's made it clear that she wants to be left alone, Santana won't give up. And it's too late for Daelyn to be letting people into her life. Isn't it?

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YA Buzz

Tuesday, September 29, 2009


"YA Buzz" is a collection of news relating to the YA genre. This can include, but not limited to: author and book news, new covers, and contects around the blogosphere.

Have something you would like shared? Email me at apassionforbooks@hotmail.com.

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Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr is going to be made into a movie! Film rights were sold to Universal Studios. You can read more about it here.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer is also going to be a movie. Learn more here.

Lisa Schroeder is doing "A Chase Around the USA Contest". Because of the lack of ARC's, Lisa is sending one copy of Chasing Brooklyn out on a multi-state tour. It looks like lots of fun! Be sure to read the rules here.

Hush, Hush has a fansite. Check it out here.

New Covers:



Wish by Alexandra Bullen
Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala


Betrayals by Lili St. Crow
Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader


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Author Interview: Pam Bachorz

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Pam Bachorz

Books:
  • Candor

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.


The main idea of Candor is different than other books I've read. What inspired you to write this particular story?

I was inspired by a mosquito truck! I was living in a planned community in central Florida, where a pick-up truck drove around town twice daily, spraying bug spray off the back of the truck. One night I was walking the dog and I got caught in the spray. The town always swore it was harmless... but what if, I wondered, it had something "good" in it? What if there was Prozac in there, and that was why everybody was so nice? From there, I jumped to brainwashing !

Is there a character from Candor that was your favorite to write? Least favorite? Why?

Oscar was probably my favorite, because his voice came roaring into my brain to restart a salled project, completely rework it, and make it into the book CANDOR is today. Least favorite---hmm, no honestly I really loved all my characters. Nia sometimes was a little hard to get to cooperate... just like she is in the book!

What has your road to publication been like so far?

Well, it was five years of writing, revising, writing, revising and then everything has moved so fast since I got an agent. Life is a fantatic whirlwind at the moment. Everyday I learn new things about how to improve my craft, as well as how to better promote my work and how to connect with other writers.

How long did it take you to write Candor?

It took my five years, but in that space of time I wrote 2 other novels, numerous short stories and picture books, had a kid and moved to a new state!

The ending of Candor came as quite a shock. Can you tell us if there is going to be a sequel?

I haven't decided yet... my next one won't be a sequel but after that, who knows?

If you could send out a subliminal message, what would it be?

Hmmmm. How about "Question Authority"? That would make for some interesting times. Not enough people question what they're told--by their leaders, their managers, their teachers, or the press! I'm not saying that the world is one big conspiracy, but we should be sure that our opinions and actions are truly our own.

Aside from writing, what are some of your favorite things to do?

Well, I watch far too much television... I am the kind of person who sits down in front of her TV with the "TV PREVIEW" edition of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY and programs, say, 20 different things to record on her DVR. I just love storytelling of any kind.

I love to do writing things of course--meet my writer friends for "writing dates", go to book clubs, or go to writing conferences. And I read tons. Besides that, I spend my time hanging with my family, trying to find time to hit the museums and a few plays/musicals every year, and traveling.

What are some of your favorite books to read?

I read very broadly, at least within the YA Genre! I nerd out just as any other reader about the big releases, like CATCHING FIRE, but I also love finding debut authors who have something new to say, like Malinda Lo's ASH.

Do you have any projects that you are currently working on?

I am revising another YA novel for Egmont USA.

Anything else you would like to say?

We've been having a lot of fun with online promotional stuff for CANDOR. Come check out the website for the "real" Candor, FL at http://www.candorfl.com/! Check out the facebook fan page, too, we'll be doing even more cool stuff there soon too.

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Thanks so much Pam for a great interview! You can check out my review for Candor here.


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Friday Finds

Friday, September 25, 2009

Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials

Winter's End by Jean-Claude Mourlevat


Tell Me A Secret


Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma
Tell Me a Secret by Holly Culapa




Gateway by Sharon Shinn
Oblivion Road by Alex McAulay


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Friday Facts

I was tagged by Kate from The Neverending Shelf.


Available or single? Isn't this the same thing?? I am very much single.

Best Friend? Don't really have one.

Cake or Pie? I'm not that keen on sweet stuff, but I would rather have pie, especially cherry pie.

Drink of choice? Mountain Dew :)

Essential item for every day use? Computer

Favorite color? Cerulean blue

Google? where I go for everything

Hometown? Indiana

Indulgences? books, movies, art supplies

January or February? neither, but February is closer to the warmer weather.

Kids and their names? 3 year-old daughter: Kaylee

Life is incomplete without…? My daughter.

Marriage date? N/A - you got to have a boyfriend first

Number of siblings? 2 - a sister who's 19 and a brother who just turned 18

Oranges or apples? Apple

Phobias and fears? Sure, I have a few.

Quote for the day? don't really have one.

Reason to smile? Kaylee

Season? summer just because my birthday is in June :)

Unknown fact about me? I can't really think of anything.

Vegetable you hate? peas

Worst habit? biting the inside of my lip when I'm bored or nervous


X-rays you’ve had? had one done on my head when I fell and knocked myself out


Your fave food? homemade chicken and noodles

Zodiac sign? Cancer



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Book Review: Leaving Paradise

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Released: April 1, 2007
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 303
Rating: 4 stars
Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad-her chance to escape everyone and their pity stares-has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb's free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers. Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It's a bleak and tortured journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Leaving Paradise is a tragic, yet beautiful, love story. Day to day, Maggie and Caleb constantly struggle with poor self image and the dirty remarks made by their peers, while deep down try to find a way to accept the horrible past and move on.

Being locked up for a year changed Caleb, and when he goes home, he realizes that it also changed his family. His mother his like a robot (she’s there physically, but not mentally), his father can’t stand up for himself, and his twin sister, formally Maggie’s best friend, has turned Goth – always dressing in black and never leaving her room. But not only has his immediate family changed, his best friend started dating the girlfriend he left behind, and everyone at school and in town, thinks he’s a dangerous criminal.

Things are not any easier for Maggie. Because of the damage done to her leg by the accident, she has been out of school for a year. She can’t play tennis, she has lost all of her friends, and is still trying to deal with the divorce of her parents. But when Caleb comes back to school, Maggie gains an anger problem because she feels Caleb is sliding back into his normal routine and giving no attention to what he did to her.

I love the way Elkeles created this story – a story that could very well happen in real life. But there is so much more to it than just a love story and Elkeles did a great job weaving it all together. One of the great things about this book, is the alternating 1st person POV. Each chapter switches between Maggie and Caleb and I love being able to see how each of them is thinking and feeling.

Although the ending is a little upsetting, I understand that some of the best stories have to be tragedies. That is just the way the world works; accidents happen, and love (no matter how strong and pure) can be lost, but in the end, life does go on. Thankfully, there will be a sequel coming the summer of 2010, so I’m not too worried about the ending of Leaving Paradise…yet. I can’t wait to see what will become of Maggie and Caleb.




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Awards

Top Commenters



From Kate at The Neverending Shelf


This award honors my blogs top commenters, thank you for being a loyal follower and showing me love on a daily basis. You all make my blog exciting and fun, I look forward to reading all of your thoughts and opinions. Without you my blog would just be ordinary, you all help me spice it up and I am thrilled to be part of book blogging.


My Nominees:


Sab H. from Crystal Reviews (19)
Juju from Tales of Whimsy (17)
Jessica from A Book Lover's Diary (15)
Lauren from I was a teenage book geek (14)
Book Chic City (12)
Krista from Life or something like it... (10)
Reggie from The Undercover Book Lover (10)
The girls from B.A.M. Book Reviews (9)
Wendy from The Book Lush (9)
Tynga from Tynga's Urban Fantasy Reviews (9)



Kreative Blogger



From Book Chick City


My Nominees:

Pirate Penguin's Reads
Briana from The Book Pixie
Anna from Book Nerds



Blogosphere Award



From Tynga at Tynga's Urban Fantasy Reviews


Rules for this one are also very simple, just have to pass it along to other fellow blogger because we love them *winks*


My Nominees:


Kate from The Neverending Shelf
Kristen from Bookworming in the 21st Century
Lauren from Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf


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2010 Challenges

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

My Challenges for 2010



See my list of books here.

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See my list of books here.


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See my list of books here.


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See my list of books here.



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Waiting on Wednesday (11)

*Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

For Keeps by Natasha Friend




For sixteen years, Josie Gardner and her mom, Kate, have been a team. It’s been the Gardner Girls against the world, and that’s how Josie likes it. Until one day, in the pet food aisle of Shop-Co, they run into the parents of Paul Tucci, Kate’s high school boyfriend—the father Josie has never met. If Mr. and Mrs. Tucci are back in town, it’s only a matter of time until Paul shows up. Suddenly Josie’s mature, capable mother regresses to the heartbroken teenager she was when Paul moved away.


Meanwhile, Josie’s on the verge of having her first real boyfriend, while her free-loving best friend, Liv, begins yet another no-strings-attached fling. When Josie learns some surprising truths about Paul Tucci, she finds herself questioning what she’s always believed about her parents—and about herself.


In FOR KEEPS, Natasha Friend tells a fresh, funny, smart story about what happens when a girl gets the guy she always wanted and the dad she never knew she needed.


Release Date: April 2010


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Book Review: Give Up the Ghost

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

Releases: September 15, 2009
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Pages: 256
Rating: 4 stars
Cass McKenna much prefers 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….

This is yet another great debut novel. I was really excited to read this and I’m glad I can say I wasn’t disappointed.

The characters were all realistic and that was refreshing to read about, especially Cass. Sometimes I get tired of reading about good girls, so it’s always nice to shake things up. Cass was quite rude to people and for basically the entire book, she tried to alienate herself from those around her (that were living, of course). There were times where I wanted to shake, or slap her because I thought she was being annoying and somewhat of a hypocrite. But once her story unfolded, I understood a little better as to why she acted the way she did.

I still don’t exactly understand how Cass got her powers. For me, I need more of an explanation than she just woke up with them one day. I did enjoy the funny conversations she had with her ghost friends, who were the ones to give Cass all the dirt on people at her school.

Give Up the Ghost was a fun and exciting read. One that I’m sure, many of you would enjoy. I do look forward to reading more of Megan Crewe’s work.



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Win Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

Monday, September 21, 2009

In honor of reaching 100 followers, I am giving away a copy of Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater.

In this mesmerizing sequel to Lament, music prodigy James Morgan and his best friend, Deirdre, join a private conservatory for musicians. James' musical talent attracts Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. Composing beautiful music together unexpectedly leads to mutual admiration and love. Haunted by fiery visions of death, James realizes that Deirdre and Nuala are being hunted by the Fey and plunges into a soul-scorching battle with the Queen of the Fey to save their lives.



Rules: Contest open to followers only (new followers are always welcomed)


To Enter: Ask me some questions for my Friday Facts meme. The questions can be about anything, as long as they are answerable.


Extra Entries:

+5 old followers (don’t worry I know who you are)
+2 new followers
+1 link to contest (please leave the link)
+1 tweet about contest (please @casey625)


Open to US and Canada only.

Contest Closed - winner announced here.

Good Luck to all!


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Winner of Dreaming Anastasia

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Thanks for everyone who entered. There were 50 different people who entered and a total of 214 entries. The winner is:


#102

Sab H.


Congrats!! Also, be sure to stay tuned for my 100 follower contest.


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In My Mailbox (11)

*In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren

The Hollow by Jessica Verday

When Abbey’s best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead…and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey has never felt so desperately alone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen’s funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey’s life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he’s the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special. Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen’s betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.


Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets. Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.


Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight; she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace--or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away. . .a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.


The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.


The Sky Always Hear Me: And the Hills Don’t Mind by Kirstin Cronn-Mills

Sixteen-year-old Morgan lives in a hick town. Her mom was killed in a car accident when she was two, her dad drinks, and her stepmom is a non-entity. Her boyfriend Derek is boring and she can't stop staring at her coworker Rob's cute butt. Then there's the kiss she shared with her neighbor Tessa . . . But when Morgan discovers a devastating secret about the one person she completely trusted, her entire world crashes and she must redefine her life and herself.


Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns... The sparkly, innocent creatures of lore are a myth. Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. And they can only be killed by virgin descendants of Alexander the Great. Fortunately, unicorns have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years. Or not. Astrid Llewelyn has always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend in the woods — thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to prom — Astrid learns that unicorns are real and dangerous, and she has a family legacy to uphold. Her mother packs her off to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries. However, at the cloisters, all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to — perhaps most dangerously of all — her growing attraction to a handsome art student... and a relationship that could jeopardize everything.


Give up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

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...


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YA Buzz

Saturday, September 19, 2009

"YA Buzz" is a collection of news relating to the YA genre. This can include, but not limited to: author and book news, new covers, contects around the blogosphere, and so much more.

Have something you would like shared? Email me at apassionforbooks@hotmail.com

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Jennifer Hubbard's book The Secret Year has got a new cover.


Old Cover





New Cover


I like how you can see the faces better on the new cover, but other than that I like both covers. What about you?



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