In My Mailbox #31

In My Mailbox brought to you by The Story Siren

For Review:
All from The Penguin Group

Plus - Veronica Chambers

The perfect romantic makeover story about an every-girl whose dream comes true . . .

Beatrice Wilson is our lovable Cinderella, who just got dumped by her very first boyfriend and put on twenty-five pounds. But then she’s discovered as a plus model. In the eyes of pop culture, Bee is Jessica Alba and then some! Now she must vanquish skinny rivals, fend off sleazy photos, and banish jealous frenemies in her rise to super-stardom. All the while, she’s torn between her first love and the surprisingly sincere up-and-coming rapper she tutors in calculus. But what’s better than finding your prince charming? Finally learning to love yourself!

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June - Robin Benway
I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

Winter Longing - Tricia Mills
Winter Craig finally gets up the nerve and tells her long-time friend Spencer that she likes him as more than a friend. The best part? Spencer likes her as more than a friend too. With the perfect boy to love and be loved by, she begins her senior year at her small Alaska school and indulges in the dream of becoming a costume designer for the movie industry. Life is perfect — until tragedy strikes. Winter’s perfect life turns upside down as she deals with an unbearable loss, doubts about her future, a best friend whose home life is getting worse by the day, and unexpected feelings for an unexpected boy.

Invisible Girl - Mary Hanlon Stone
When poor Boston girl Stephanie is abandoned by her abusive mother and taken in by Annie’s Beverly Hills family, she feels anything but home. Her dark complexion and accent stick out like a sore thumb in the golden-hued world of blondes and extravagance. These are girls who seem to live life in fast-forward, while Stephanie is stuck on pause. Yet when a new rival moves to town, threatening Annie’s queen-bee status, Stephanie finds herself taking sides in a battle she never even knew existed, and that feeling invisible is a wound that can only be healed by standing up for who she is.

Brilliant newcomer Mary Hanlon Stone delivers a compulsively readable insider’s view of growing up in a world where money and privilege don’t always glitter.

and I also got some Vampire Academy tattoos. What did you all get this week?

Review: The Sky is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson

Where I got it: ARC from Penguin Group
Rating: 5 stars
Cover Rating: 4 stars (I really like it, but it's hard to tell that it is YA)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 9, 2010
Publisher: Dial
Page Count: 283 p.

When Lennie's sister dies she doesn't know what to do. Their mother had left early on because of "the restless gene"; she is wandering somewhere in the world. Lennie and Bailey were stuck living with their grandmother and uncle, not that they minded. But now, with Bailey dead, the whole house is a heavy atmosphere of mourning and Lennie feels like no one can understand. Until Toby, Bailey's boyfriend, comes to their house one day. Toby and Lennie, feel that they alone can share the grief of having been so close to and having loved Bailey so much. Then when Joe, a new kid in town, comes into the picture, he might be just the thing to help Lennie out of her slump; only she can put the pieces of her life back together.

This was such an amazing and powerful novel. Hoorah for a debut. Jandy Nelson crafts the perfect balance of love and loss. A few things did bother me, one was in the second sentence Lennie says that all she can think about now is sex, yet that doesn't really seem to be the case. I realize that maybe she thinks about it more than she used to but I thought it was going to be all about sex. I am very glad this was not the case, I don't think I would have liked Lennie as much if she had been a sex-crazed twit. The other thing was, at one point, Lennie and her friend Sarah met at this secluded swimming hole and hung out in the nude. I personally have never hung out in the nude with my friends. Do people actually do this? I don't think it is necessarily wrong, but I had just never heard of any one having done that. I really loved the relationships in this novel. You could feel the desire and passion dripping on every page interspersed with all the sorrow-filled longing for Bailey to return. I enjoyed all the characters and their quirks so much. It made each person that much more real to have them with odd little habits and whatnot. I loved Joe, he was such an amazing character. I loved his charisma and his charm. Joe did not seem to let the little things get to him. This was such an honest account of emotions and that is what made this novel so stirring. I had to keep reading because it felt so good to read every page feeling my heart swell and ache with Lennie's many trials. I also absolutely loved Lennie's poems. She would write them on whatever surface she could find and then just abandoned them for someone else to come across. So I recommend this to all of you my readers that crave realistic fiction. This is not a book to be missed. I will keep my eye out for Jandy's sophomore work.

First Line:
"Gram is worried about me."

Favorite Line:
"My sister dies over and over again, all day long."

Teaser Tuesday #22

This week's Teaser Tuesday is from The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie - Jaclyn Moriarty

Teaser (page: 129)

"I joined her there, but I shall not tell how Emily, gazing straight ahead at the girl behind the counter, spoke in one smooth sentence to say:'Can I have a hot chocolate, please, and I'm going to need my gratitude back.' It took a moment to realize she was talking to me."


Teaser Tuesday is brought to us by Should be Reading.
Rules:
1) Grab your current read
2) Open to a random page
3) Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4) BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

In My Mailbox #30

In My Mailbox brought to you by The Story Siren

Won:
The Secret Life of Prince Charming - Deb Caletti
won from Sarah
Maybe it was wrong, or maybe impossible, but I wanted the truth to be one thing. One solid thing. Quinn is surrounded by women who have had their hearts broken. Between her mother, her aunt, and her grandmother, Quinn hears nothing but cautionary tales. She tries to be an optimist–after all, she's the dependable one, the girl who never makes foolish choices. But when she is abruptly and unceremoniously dumped, Quinn starts to think maybe there are no good men after all. It doesn't help that she's gingerly handling a renewed relationship with her formerly absent father. He's a little bit of a lot of things: charming, selfish, eccentric, lazy...but he's her dad, and Quinn's just happy to have him around again. Until she realizes how horribly he's treated the many women in his life, how he's stolen more than just their hearts. Determined to, for once, take action in her life, Quinn joins forces with the stepsister she's never met and the little sister she'll do anything to protect. Together, they set out to right her father's wrongs...and in doing so, begin to uncover what they're really looking for: the truth. Once again, Deb Caletti has created a motley crew of lovably flawed characters who bond over the shared experiences of fear, love, pain, and joy–in other words, real life.

Bought:
ARC of Numbers - Rachel Ward
‘Since her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Jem has kept a secret. When her eyes meet someone else’s, a number pops into her head - the date on which they will die. Knowing that nothing lasts forever, Jem avoids relationships, but when she meets a boy called Spider, and they plan a day out together, her life takes a new twist and turn. Waiting for the London Eye, she sees everyone in the queue has the same number - something terrible is going to happen.’

Sweet Little Lies - Lauren Conrad
How Sweet it is? Jane Roberts was the average girl next door until she and her best friend, Scarlett Harp, landed their own reality show, L.A. Candy. Now the girls have an all-access pass to Hollywood's hottest everything. But there's more to life on camera than just parties and shopping. . . . When racy photos of Jane are leaked to the press, she finds herself at the center of a tabloid scandal. She turns to her co-star Madison Parker for help, unaware that Madison is scheming behind the scenes. She might be Jane's shoulder to cry on, but does Madison really have Jane's back? Scarlett's working on a scandal of her own. She's fallen for someone who's strictly off-limits—which means Scarlett has a big secret to keep . . . from the L.A. Candy cameras, the paparazzi staking out her apartment, even from her best friend. Of course, nothing stays secret for long for the stars of the newest hit TV series, and all this drama couldn't be better for ratings. But can Jane survive another season in the spotlight?

Thirst Vol. 1 & 2 - Christopher Pike
Alisa has been in control of her urges for the five thousand years she has been a vampire. She feeds but does not kill, and she lives her life on the fringe to maintain her secret. But when her creator returns to hunt her, she must break her own rules in order to survive. Her quest leads her to Ray. He is the only person who can help her; he also has every reason to fear her. Alisa must get closer to him to ensure her immortality. But as she begins to fall in love with Ray, suddenly there is more at stake than her own life....

Killing Mr. Griffin - Lois Duncan
The plan was only to scare their English teacher... They never actually intended to kill Mr. Griffin. But sometimes plans go wrong.

Locked in Time - Lois Duncan
Nore arrives at her stepmother's Louisiana plantation to find her new family odd and an aura of evil and mystery about the place.

The two Lois Duncan books I found at a new little book store that opened up in our mall called The Oops Outlet. I'm pretty excited they had some cool older books.
So what did you all get this week?

Review: Beryl: A Pig's Tale - Jane Simmons

Where I got it: ARC from Little, Brown and Co.
Rating: 3 stars
Cover Rating: 4 stars (I really enjoyed all the illustrations in this book.)
Genre: Middle Grade
Publication Date: March 10, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 216 p.

Beryl just wants to find a home where she is loved. After her mom died when she was born, Beryl was left with her aunt and two cousins. She was treated like Cinderella and was waiting for her prince to rescue her. When the aunt tricks the farmer into taking Beryl off to the slaughter house, Beryl knows she must escape, even if it means going into the wild. When she finds wild pigs she has to decide whether they can be trusted, or if they will be dangerous and try to attack her like she grew up knowing.

This was a fast little read. I enjoyed it as much as I can, it was a bit younger than I typically enjoy. This story did deal greatly with prejudice though. I find a lot of middle grade novels really address global issues that help serve as an introductions for young readers into the greater scheme of things. If you had a younger sibling or cousin, this would sere as a great present if they don't mind talking animals. I usually don't enjoy it when animals can talk but this had almost and Animal Farm feel about the way the animals were anthropomorphized. I sort of wished Dew was a boy, I just kept thinking of him as male the whole time I was reading; it seemed fitting. I loved the illustrations in this book especially the little piggy prints that would randomly crop up on a page. This book had some sad moments and some happy moments and all in all it was a good journey and a good read.

First Line:
"Beryl sat in her sty."

Favorite Line:
"'But we're not allowed in, and I'm so pink!' said Beryl."

Review: Very LeFreak - Rachel Cohn

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 3.5 stars
Cover Rating: 5 stars (I love it, she is so perfect, she is definitely Very.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: January 12, 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 303 p.

Very LeFreak loves her gadgets. She loves a good party and she loves her mysterious online boyfriend El Virus. She loves all this until El Virus disappears from cyberspace. When Very takes this opportunity to get too close to a friend she ruins everything between them. With everything going on and her lack of virtual boyfriend, Very starts to come unhinged and the only thing to be done with something that's broken is to fix it. So after a swift electronics intervention, Very is shipped of to ESCAPE (Emergency Services for Computer-Addicted Persons Everywhere) for twenty-eight days. Very doesn't know whether this time will fix her or make her pull her hair out. What is a girl to do if she can't plug in? Twenty-eight days should give Very just enough time to discover who she is without the screen.

So yeah, 3.5 stars. This book was tricky, because while I enjoyed it a lot, there was something off about it. It was a pretty slow read and I'm just not sure why. Very was an interesting character, I have never read a book where the main character is so addicted to electronics. This book made me feel like unplugging for awhile, because I could relate to how addicting technology is. Sometimes I go to update my blog and hours have passed while I've looked at other profiles and so on and so forth. I am still not sure how I feel about authors putting current cultural fads into their stories, like iPod and Red Bull etc. it seems like the stories won't hold up over time as those trends start to fade away or become obsolete. I did however love the music selections in this novel. Very and I would get along well based on music alone. Very seemed like a real person. She ran quite the gamut of emotions, including a complete mental breakdown. Her relationships with people seemed genuine enough even when they were strained. I did not like the ending at all, to me it just seemed so unfinished. I feel like there definitely needed to be much more to tidy up the end. I guess all things don't end tidily, but I've come to want that from some of my books. Also the last line was a killer "She was halfway there, wherever there was." ick. I have read and loved Rachel Cohn's other books so I'm still not sure why the pacing of this book seemed so weird. Maybe it was just the topic? It was still an excellent read and if you had wanted to read it I would suggest you pick it up. It was very unique in subject matter, though filled with your typical teen angst. Enjoy!

First Line:
"It wasn't the fact that Starbucks did not--would not-- serve Guinness with a raw egg followed by an espresso chaser that was ruining Very's hangover."

Favorite Line:
"She decided she'd make J.-W. a list of the places where the Dreams dropouts had left stashes of green eyeliner."

Waiting on Wednesday #19

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

This week I'm waiting on...

ZOMBIES Vs. UNICORNS

In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths
– for good and evil – of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

If you hadn't heard about this project, now is the time to get excited. This baby is due out in September and it is on my Must Have List!

I mean come on pro-zombie team includes Holly Black, Meg Cabot, Kathleen Duey, Margo Lanagan, Garth Nix, Naomi Novik, Diana Peterfreund! And on Team Unicorn you have Justine Larbalestier, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Maureen Johnson, Carrie Ryan, Scott Westerfeld.

Teaser Tuesday #21

This week's Teaser Tuesday is from Very LeFreak - Rachel Cohn

Teaser (page: 149)

"Very LeFreak was indeed the freakiest of the freaks. Not the cool brand of fun freak."


Teaser Tuesday is brought to us by Should be Reading.
Rules:
1) Grab your current read
2) Open to a random page
3) Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4) BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

In My Mailbox #29

In My Mailbox brought to you by The Story Siren

For Review:
For Keeps -Natasha Friend
Josie’s never met her dad, and that’s fine with her. To Josie, Paul Tucci is just a guy who got her mom pregnant and then moved away. It all happened sixteen years ago, when Josie’s mom was still a teenager herself. But now Paul Tucci is back in town, and Josie has to deal with not one but two men in her life—her father and her first boyfriend, who Josie fears will hurt her just like Paul hurt her mother.

The Sky is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

So as you may have noticed I did not post anything this past week, I was going to, but I didn't. I cut my finger pretty bad and had to get stitches, so that was exciting. I had a lot going on this week, some projects to finish etc. So this week I should be back on to our regularly scheduled programming. Plus there will be a contest coming up very soon, so be on the look out. So, it's nice to see you all again, what did you all get this week?

In My Mailbox #28

In My Mailbox brought to you by The Story Siren

Bought:
The Mysterious Benedict Society
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma
all by Trenton Lee Stewart
Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-two boys and two girls-succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead - Julie Anne Peters
Daelyn’s been the victim of bullying throughout her life and now she’s simply counting down the days until she can commit her final act on Earth. It’s destiny that she finds a Web site to help her in her quest. She has the motive, the means, and the determination. Then she meets this boy, Santana, who makes her examine her choice of death over life. But is he too late to save her? And is she too damaged to save him?

Chasing Brooklyn - Lisa Schroeder
Restless souls and empty hearts.
Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams.
Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.
As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

What did everyone else get?

Winners

The Winners off my New Year's contest were

Sara from YA Vampire Books

and

Natalie from Mindful Musings

Congrats to both of you. Everyone else, stay tuned new contest coming soon!

Review: The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove - Lauren Kate

Where I got it: ARC from Princess Bookie's Around the World Tours
Rating: 3.5 stars
Cover Rating: 4 stars (I really like it, the characters look pretty perfect.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: November 12, 2009
Publisher: Razorbill
Page Count: 245 p.


Natalie Hargrove wasn't always Queen bee at Palmetto high. At one point in time she was on the wrong side of the tracks in this small Southern town. When her father went away and her mom moved them over the tracks and into a new life, Natalie took control. She had everything, the perfect boyfriend, the power, and a past she tries so hard to forget. Now Natalie and her boyfriend running for Palmetto Prince and Princess and there is only one person standing in their way to the top. At a Mardi Gras party Natalie convinces her boyfriend to help her play a prank on J.B., but when that prank goes horribly wrong Natalie has to try to pick up all the pieces.

This book was so much better than I thought it was going to be. I had read only a couple reviews about it and none of them praised it too highly. Honestly though, this book was quite a read. It remind me a bit of the Blue Bloods series from Melissa de la Cruz, minus the vampires (but still bloodthirsty). Mind you I didn't technically finish Blue Bloods, but from what I did read these seem like a similar class of people. Natalie is so driven by her need to win Palmetto Princess that she gets so wrapped up in things when they don't go according to plan. I loved hearing about Natalie and all she overcame to get to where she was and I appreciate that she didn't turn out a necessarily "good person". The fact that she wasn't inherently good added greatly to the story and turned it away from being a sob story about how a person can never be more than they were. The writing was a bit more flowery than it needed to be especially at the beginning of the story. Lauren used a lot of descriptive words that didn't really add to the situation or to the story. Also, Tracy seemed a little bit above and beyond. I guess she was part of that good 'ole Southern mystery; the wise oracle. She didn't really seem to fit in on a high school level, though I did enjoy her, she just seemed a little out of place. I didn't really like the ending. It seemed too sudden and too unresolved, but I guess it's the only way that it could have ended. For those of you who did not notice all the chapter titles (Something Wicked this Way Comes, Thriftless Ambition, More Potent Than the First) are all lines from Macbeth. So, in keeping with Macbeth I'd say it worked out quite nicely with the twist and turns, Tracy (the oracle) and the way the story ended. All in all I was impressed with this story. It had the right levels of betrayal, desire, and secrets.

First Line:
"Once upon a time, you knew nothing."

Favorite Line:
"A cheer rang out across the party for the green-faced victor."

Review: The Line - Teri Hall

Where I got it: ARC
Rating: 4 stars
Cover Rating: 5 stars (It's perfect. I love the light and dark contrast and I love the fact that it goes with the story.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 4, 2010
Publisher: Dial
Page Count: 220 p.

Rachel and her mother live on The Property and have for a long time. The Property is right next to The Line (a border to keep the U.S. separate from Away) but none of the government frequents out to this section of the border. Rachel didn't grow up with other kids but her mom has not kept her in the dark about the way things really are in the world. Rachel reads many articles about the mutants and other horrors that live in Away and though Away fascinates her it also scares her. She never gives it too much thought until she hears a recording that could only be from someone on the other side of The Line. The recording says that they need help.

This was a great book and I just wanted to keep reading until the end. Unfortunately this book doesn't really end, which means there will be a sequel which is exciting but also really frustrating because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! It is one of those books, the ones that leave you wanting more. I don't know what to say but I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the idea of this book; an almost dystopian novel which is a cross between M. Night Shyamalan's The Village and Orwell's 1984. They were pretty much only permitted to stay in their section of the world and the government was this big scary creature that was covering up it's mistakes and sending out propaganda. It was a little weird how well adapted Rachel was when she didn't grow up with much social interaction besides her mother and there were no other children. I like all the talk in the greenhouse. This book helps you glimpse into the excitement of breeding plants a little. The writing style flows nicely and keeps you zipping right through the story. The characters are very nicely developed and all pretty like-able. I say read it, but hopefully she comes out with the sequel soon because really, I can't stand the wait.

First Line:
"It seemed to Rachel that she had always lived on The Property, though this wasn't true."
Favorite Line:
"Vivian's voice was low, but as hard as the grip she had on her daughter's wrist."

Review: Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver

Where I got it: ARC from Princess Bookie's Around the World Tours
Rating: 4 stars
Cover Rating: 4 stars (I really like it, I think it fits well.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 3, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Page Count: 470 p.

What would you do if you had to relive the last day of your life 7 times? After her accident, Samantha doesn't know what happened. She thought she was dead, she had that falling sensation, but then she wakes up in her bed right after. That's when she notices something odd; it's still February 12th. This book explores Samantha's last day and how she deals with not knowing whether or not she will wake up and it will finally be tomorrow.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a definite page turner, a race until the end. A truly great concept brought to life in Samantha. Her friends were so real and the whole high school atmosphere seemed alive. I really got to like Samantha as the story went on watching her realize things good and bad, seeing the mistakes she made and how she tries to fix them. I especially liked the weird but fun budding romance, even though it's always her last day she seems to make the most of it. I appreciated the parts of this book that were repeated to really give you a sense that this was happening again. All in all I thoughtfully enjoyed this book. It was just the right mix of suspense and romance and teenage life. The only thing that was a little weird was the last line, because it almost seems to condone suicide. I realize it doesn't (I'm sure Lauren doesn't want her readers to off themselves) but just everything that happens in the book just seems to point towards it. I recommend that you read this if it sounds like something that piques your interest. It was worth the read and it will be worth the wait to get your hands on it.

First Line:
"They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me."

Favorite Line:
"I would live here forever, sleeping on a bed of moss, wearing flowers in my hair and living in harmony with the bears and foxes and unicorns."


Here's the U.K. Trailer


and here's the U.S. trailer
http://laurenoliverbooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/trailer-usa-version.html

Teaser Tuesday #20

This week's Teaser Tuesday is from The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove - Lauren Kate

Teaser (page: 80)

"Odds were he would not be cool with the whole bondage thing. It was funny; if J.B. were awake, he might have been exactly the kind of guy who could get into being tied up."


Teaser Tuesday is brought to us by Should be Reading.
Rules:
1) Grab your current read
2) Open to a random page
3) Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4) BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Review: Some Girls Are - Courtney Summers

Where I got it: My collection
Rating: 4 stars
Cover Rating: 5 stars (Excellent, bold and story related.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: January 5, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Page Count: 246 p.

Regina Afton was a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, until some evil rumors started by a very evil girl started going around. The rumor being that Regina and Anna's boyfriend slept together. Anna is the Alpha so when she wants someone destroyed, it happens. Regina doesn't know what to do, no one will listen to her that it isn't true, no one except Michael. Why would Michael be nice to her when she destroyed his life? Through his kindness Regina starts to think that there might be more to their relationship, that is if the Fearsome Foursome doesn't kill her first.

This book is intense. Ten times more vicious than Mean Girls, this book gets you in the faces of small town bitches. Honestly these girls have so much power because everyone has known everyone else for too long. I really loved how realistic and gritty this book was. Courtney Summers made my skin crawl as I read about the awfulness that Regina was going through. I loved the dynamic of the relationships, how high school and true they felt. All the emotions were penned precisely so you could feel how dire some of the situations were and how elated Regina felt when she fought back. I definitely recommend that you read this book, if not today, tomorrow for sure. There are not any real faults with this book although she did have the tendency to have really long sentences. It was fast paced, kept you on the edge of your seat, you really got to know and feel for the characters, and it was INTENSE! So, pick it up at your local bookstore, library or your own bookshelf if you have bough it but not yet read it. (Unless you only like fantasy books, then you won't like this at all.)

First Line:
"Hallowell High: You're either someone or you're not."

Favorite Line:
"I wake up wired, and I go to school wired, popping antacids like they're candy."