Beastly by Alex Flinn

Summary: A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form.

I recently put up a book display in my library’s teen section based on teen fiction books that are based on fairy tales. One of the most popular books based on this “topic” is Beastly by Alex Flinn. I purchased this book for my Nook about a year ago and although I started it, I just wasn’t in the mood for it. While recently browsing through my Nook, I came across it again and thought I would give it a second try. After reading Anna and the French Kiss, I have been in the mood for another light-hearted romance read and Beastly couldn’t have been a better choice. Based on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, this updated version really intrigued me.

The main character, later to become the beast, Kyle Kingsbury is your typical stuck up, rich kid going to a highly acclaimed private school. Kyle cares about one thing and one thing only--beauty and looks. He makes fun of classmates that aren’t up to his standards and just doesn’t care about anyone but himself. I’ll be honest, at the beginning of the story I couldn’t stand Kyle and the way he acted. He was everything that embodied a “mean guy” rather than a “mean girl”. When he plans a prank on his fellow classmate, who he thinks is extremely ugly, to meet her at the school dance as his date, Kyle thinks he will get the last laugh. Going along with Beauty and the Beast, Kyle is turned into a beast for his mean prank and has only 2 years to meet a girl, make her fall in love with him, fall in love with her, and kiss her for the spell to be broken. Is Kyle able to get beyond the fact that he has been turned into a beast? Will he be so focused on looks that he will not be able to live as a beast? Will he ever be able to find a girl to fall in love with him? Not only will readers see the growth and maturity in Kyle’s character, but their hearts will smile with the romance that is contained in the book.

Beastly is a perfect example of a fairy tale most of us are familiar with and made current and relevant for today’s teen readers. Even those that know how the fairy tale goes will be surprised with some of the plot twists and turns. Those looking for a light-hearted romance read, with a sort of paranormal romance feel, will enjoy Beastly.

I “liked” this book and would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

FYI: This book will be in theaters in March 2011! :-)

In My Mailbox (#5)

“In My Mailbox” is a post that I will be incorporating into this blog to discuss various books I have either received in the mail to review, advanced reader books, or books I have picked up from the library. "In My Mailbox" is brought to you by The Story Siren.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

*ARC book to review for VOYA*

Summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents must pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. (Summary retrieved from http://www.meganmccafferty.com/)

Why I chose it: Although I didn’t necessarily choose this book, since I received it as an ARC to review for VOYA, it sounded like something I would have picked up, if it was already published, based on the summary.

Jane by April Lindner

*Picked up from the library*

Summary: In this contemporary retelling of "Jane Eyre," an orphaned nanny becomes entranced with her magnetic and brooding employer, a rock star with a torturous secret from his past.

Why I chose it: I read Jane Eyre in my honors English class in high school and although I don’t remember much about it, I do remember enjoying it. I figured an “updated/modern” version would be fun to read. Plus, it’s gotten pretty good reviews.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

*Picked up from the library*

Summary: A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form.

Why I chose it: I recently put up a book display based on teen fiction books written from traditional fairy tales. Although I didn’t like the Disney telling of Beauty and the Beast, I thought I would give this one a try.

Not Your Average Love Story

It’s almost that time of year again when all you see are the colors red and pink, along with hearts and “LOVE” everywhere. Ok, so some stores are already “pushing” the Valentine’s Day goodies, but the month of February is notorious for representing love, relationships, and oh yeah, candy! J A few days ago, a woman on a listserv I subscribe to asked about books that focus on love gone awry. I thought it would be a fun idea to, rather than focus on regular sappy love stories, to focus on those that I like to call “Not Your Average Love Story”. If you’re in the mood for something a little different than your average romance, try one of these:

Dark Song by Gail Giles

Summary: Ames is not the person she was a few months ago. Her father lost his job, and her family is crumbling apart. Now, all she has is Marc. Marc, who loves her more than anything. Marc, who owns a gun collection. And he'll stop at nothing--even using his guns--to get what he wants. Ames feels her parents have betrayed her with their lies and self-absorption, but is she prepared to make the ultimate betrayal against them?

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Summary: Reading the journal of the high-society girl he was secretly involved with for a year helps high school senior Colt cope with her death and come closer to understanding why she needed him while continuing to be the girlfriend of a wealthy classmate.

You Are Not Here by Samantha Schutz

Summary: Annaleah's grief over the tragic death of seventeen-year-old Brian is compounded by the fact that her friends did not like him, while his friends and both of their families knew nothing of their intimate relationship.

***Check out MY review for this book HERE***

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Summary: After losing her soul mate, Cameron, when they were nine, Jennifer, now seventeen, transformed herself from the unpopular fat girl into the beautiful and popular Jenna, but Cameron's unexpected return dredges up memories that cause both social and emotional turmoil.

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Summary: When Josh, an eager virgin from a troubled home, leads Ellie to the back seat of his van after a party, Ellie gets pregnant and Josh reacts with shame and heartbreak, while their confidantes, Caleb and Corinne grapple with their own complex emotions, in an insightful novel that explores the realities of leaving innocence behind.

***Check out MY review for this book HERE***

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Summary: After being caught with a boy in a delicate situation by her father, Pattyn is sent away to live with her aunt in Nevada to find redemption for her bad behavior, but her aunt is different from anyone she has ever met and so comes to learn important things about herself that finally make her see that she is worthy of love and acceptance too.

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Summary: Petite and young-looking, seventeen-year-old Sarah has been best friends with the glamorous and seductive Brianna forever, but when she starts liking Brianna's boyfriend, their friendship becomes precarious.

***Check out MY review for this book HERE***

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

Summary: With his mother working long hours and in pain from a romantic break-up, eighteen-year-old Logan feels alone and unloved until a zany new student arrives at his small-town Missouri high school, keeping a big secret.

Matched by Ally Condie

Summary: All her life, Cassia has never had a choice. The Society dictates everything: when and how to play, where to work, where to live, what to eat and wear, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, who to marry. When she is Matched with her best friend Xander, things couldn't be more perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky's face show up on her match disk as well?

***Check out MY review for this book HERE***

~Obviously these are just a few of my selections, but are there any “Not Your Average Love Story” books that I should add to my must read list? Or books dealing with "love gone awry" that you've really enjoyed?

…Ramblings from a Librarian…(#3)

Teen Series Books

One thing that has been on my mind lately is the overwhelming number of series of books being published for teens. Everywhere I look it seems that a teen book is no longer just a teen book, but is instead a part of a trilogy or series. I must admit, I have been addicted to some series in the past, such as the infamous Twilight and Pretty Little Liars (before all of the hype and the TV show). Yet, I feel like sometimes as much as I want to read the first book in a series, I don’t want to necessarily feel like I have to read 2 or more books after the first book to find out what happens to the characters.

Sometimes I’ll pick up a “new” book, such as Matched by Ally Condie (which you can read my review HERE), and really enjoy it and want to continue with the series. Yet, I find out the next book isn’t being published for months. By the time it comes out, I end up having to re-read the first book to remember what happened in it, so I know the starting point for the next book. This whole ordeal seems like an ongoing battle for me.

Plus, as a teen services librarian, I’m trying to read as many books as I can in a wide range of genres. For me to dedicate myself to a series, knowing I will have to read all of the books back-to-back to ensure I don’t forget all of the finer points of the book, just seems too time consuming. I’ve been thinking that maybe it would be easier to listen to series through audiobooks, so I can still keep up with my regular reading through print books.

Honestly, sometimes I miss just being able to read a book cover to cover knowing it will have a clear ending, rather than a continuation.

Does this “problem” happen to anyone else? What do you all think of the series taking over in teen fiction? Do any of you miss stand alone books the way that I do?

Author Interview: Kate O'Hegarty

I am proud to present to all of you in the blogging world…my very first author interview! This author interview will feature Kate O’Hegarty, author of Mieradome, a teen novel published in July 2010. Without further adieu, here is Kate O’Hegarty:

Can you give readers a brief summary of what your book Mieradome is about? What was your inspiration for writing Mieradome?

Mieradome is ‘like a twisted Alice in Wonderland’, about a young faerie girl Amavia who is on a search of self-discovery. The book is essentially about good and evil and how that can sometimes over take us. It is also about the duality of our internal natures, the yin & yang. For Mieradome, I had a dream about a girl in a bedroom looking out her window where a bright light zips past her ear and out into the dark of night. That little light ended up disappearing into a large oak tree. The dream made me wonder why that light would go in the tree, what the tree was hiding, and what the little light actually was. So in essence, I just expanded on the small idea I had and built a world around that.

When did you become interested in becoming an author and what has been your biggest challenge as an author?

I became interested in being a writer when I was really little. I would tell stories to my gal friends at recess and that was a big success. We even did little plays about the stories I made up. I would tell the story and my friends would each be a character and then dramatically fall on the grass on the track or spin around the money bars.

What are you currently working on?

I am working on the sequel to Mieradome, which is called The Saskatoon Balloon. You’ll get to meet more interesting creatures and people in this book, and connect with many some the same ones from the first book.

What is your favorite book of all time and why?

Favorite book of all time would be C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia; that was the first series I ever read when I was a kid and it really helped me as a writer to see that characters can change, grow and develop over time in books. It helped me create a diverse environment for my characters to play in.

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

I’d just like to stress that following your dreams really is a good thing, whether you do that in a big way or small way. Always follow and do what you love. Life will be so much more rewarding for you if you do! Be creative, always!

*I’d like to thank Kate for giving me the opportunity to interview her! She sure has shed some light on not only her book, but the power of following your dreams and believing in yourself.*

*Trailer Tuesday: Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie*

*Trailer Tuesday* is a new type of blog in which one of my favorite book trailers will be featured, along with an explanation on why I chose it.



Why did I choose this book trailer? I thought it was so creative to do a book trailer based off performing Google searches. Although I understand Google may night provide the most reliable information, I find myself Googling information throughout the day, at least as a starting point. Not only is this Google trailer unique and interesting, but the searches are able to give viewers a brief, intriguing summary of the book. I really liked this trailer and the book itself...you can see my review HERE.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Summary: When Anna's romance-novelist father sends her to an elite American boarding school in Paris for her senior year of high school, she reluctantly goes, and meets an amazing boy who becomes her best friend, in spite of the fact that they both want something more.
Ok, I must start off by saying that I am traditionally not a big fan of romance fiction, especially with the current takeover of paranormal-romance. Although I do try to read some of the more popular teen romance authors, such as Sarah Dessen, to stay “current”, romance is by far not my first choice in genres to read. Based on the summary of Anna and the French Kiss, I probably would have not picked it up to read. However, based on ALL of the great reviews from bloggers in the blogging world, I knew I had to give this one a try.

First and foremost, I am SO thankful to read a romance that isn’t 1 of the following 2 things: 1. Paranormal-romance and 2. Filled with sex, sex, sex. Don’t get me wrong, I have read books in both of these categories, but they are not always my cup of tea. With that being said, I really enjoyed Anna and the French Kiss. The book was fun, light-hearted, humorous, and just easy going. Anna’s character was both believable and engaging, which instantly drew me in to liking her. She is witty, brave, and sometimes awkward, just like every other teenager tends to be. From the beginning of the story until the end, Anna shows growth, compassion, and maturity. Anna’s group of new friends at her boarding school were quirky and different from one another, which also gave a nice range of characters and interests.

Besides the characters, I also liked the plot of Anna and the French Kiss. Although the book was based on romance and relationships, it wasn’t over the top and unrealistic. Plus, there were twists, turns, and surprises in the plot that make you not want to put the book down. This element was great because the plot wasn’t predictable…making you roll your eyes thinking, “I already knew this was going to happen!” Once I got to the last 100 pages or so of the book, the surprise twists and turns had me unable to put the book down until the very end. Also, I was so connected with Anna’s character throughout the story and was rooting for her the whole way through. In the end, this book just leaves you feeling happy, satisfied, and will make your heart smile. If you’re looking for a lighthearted, enjoyable romantic read, without paranormal-romance or too much sex, Anna and the French Kiss is the perfect book to choose!

I “really liked” this book and would give it 5 out of 5 stars.

~Cover Crazy!~

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms where a beautiful cover is featured each week for all of us to admire. My choice for this week is...

The Radleys by Matt Haig

Summary: Struggling with overwork and parenting angst, English village doctor Peter Radley endeavors to hide his family's vampire nature until their daughter's oddly satisfying act of violence reveals the truth, an event that is complicated by the arrival of a practicing vampire family member.

- I really like the simplicity in this book cover. It is not filled with too many pictures or crazy colors, but very, very simple.

- A white picket fence normally means a perfect little neighborhood right? Ahh, not so much.

- The little drip of blood really intrigued me. I mean, is the blood from a childhood accident or was someone killed? Plus, the small amount of blood shown gave me the creeps.

- In tiny letters there is a carving on one of the boards of the picket fence that says “Rowan”. This is actually the name of one of the characters in the book. But why is his name so small? Does his name signify that he is responsible for the blood on the fence?

- Ultimately, this book cover instantly grabbed my attention in the book and had me kind of creeped out. What better reason to read it?!

By the way...I *loved* this book! Check out my review HERE!

Guest Post~My Pets

Ok, ok...so I'm sure all of you were thinking I might be having some "cool" guest post today, but today's guest post will feature me pets, which I of course think are pretty cool! Why am I featuring them? Well, every time I'm in the midst of blogging, either one or more of them is curled up next to me or by my feet. If that's not the case, then they are whining for me to put down the computer and hold them and/or play with them. (This type of situation also seems to be true when I'm in the midst of reading a really good book.) So, since they tend to be sort of my blogging side-kicks, I thought I'd make them "famous". :-)

*CAESER*

Caeser, named after Julius Caeser, is a 2.5 year old Westie (West Highland White Terrior...yes, the dog on the Cesar dog food and Target commercials) that my husband and I got as a 3lb, 8-week old puppy. He was our first dog as a married couple and also my first dog that I truly had to raise. Caeser may look like a lap dog, but he is FAR from it. He loves playing in snow...and I mean LOTS of snow...and he loves being chased or playing catch. Did I mention he's a mamma's boy? :-)

 *LAYLA*

Layla, named after the infamous Eric Clapton song, is a 3.5-4 year old Border Terrier mix that my husband and I rescued. Had we not rescued her, she would have been put down within 2 weeks! Ugh, poor little girl. Layla, who can be summed up in one word--LOVER, is pretty much the opposite in Caeser in that she is not really big into playing, but would rather cuddle with you. She is not a fan of the snow and would much rather be laying in the sun in 100 degree weather. Everyone that meets her ends up wanting to keep her because she's such a sweetie. Her under bite is by far one of her cutest traits.

*DEWEY*

Dewey, whose name should come as no surprise since I'm a librarian, is a 1 year old black cat that my husband found in the middle of a major highway. The day he found Dewey, it was pouring rain and dark outside, yet somehow he saw him on the highway. When he took him to the vet, Dewey was so cold that the vet couldn't get a temperature read on a thermometer! We found out that he was only 3-4 weeks old and weighed less than 1 pound. When he was brought home, Caeser was not the fondest of him, but Layla instantly fell in love with him and treated him like he was her puppy. She would clean him, cuddle with him, and even put her paw around. To say the least, Dewey fit right into our family. He now acts more like a dog, such as playing fetch and running around with Caeser and Layla, rather than like a cat. He is by far the coolest cat I've ever had and/or known.

So there you have it...the debut of my pets. :-)

~Comparing Covers~ (#1)

*Comparing Covers* is a new blog entry I will be including that, in one way or another, compares the covers of, mostly teen, books. I am fascinated with some of the artwork that is on book covers and thought this would be a fun, new way to include book covers into my blog.

This week's featured covers are from the following book: Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti. After browsing my library’s public catalog and coming across Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, I was surprised to see that there were 3 different book covers shown.

#1. This is the 1^st cover shown/published from the 2004 edition of the book. The top half of the cover is sort of plain, with the low tone colors and the simple stripes. Also, the title itself does not really stand out. Just from the looks of it, this book seems like an ordinary teen romance. Overall, my attention just wasn’t really captured by this cover and if I was browsing the library shelves, I would have walked right past it.

#2. This is the 2^nd cover shown/published from the 2005 large print edition of the book. Although the top half of the cover is still the same, minus the part that says “From the Author of…”, the bottom half is dramatically different. This cover does not make me think romance, but screams ADVENTURE! The deserted road to pretty much nowhere definitely captured my attention much more than the first cover and I would be more apt to pick up this copy over the first copy. However, I am still disappointed with the rather plain top half of the cover.

#3. This is the 3^rd cover shown/published from the 2008 edition of the book. Ah ha…now THIS is what I’m talking about! When I saw this cover I was pleased that it was completely transformed. There is no longer that rather plain top portion of the cover. Instead, this cover says that there some sort of adventure featuring a girl. Also, the title itself stands out more….yet, the author’s name is bigger than the title which always kind of makes me laugh a bit. Although not as mysterious as the second cover, this one is well done and my “favorite” out of the group!

So, what do you all think of these 3 covers? Do you have a favorite? Is there one you just don't really like?

The Radleys by Matt Haig

Summary: Struggling with overwork and parenting angst, English village doctor Peter endeavors to hide his family's vampire nature until their daughter's oddly satisfying act of violence reveals the truth, an event that is complicated by the arrival of a practicing vampire family member.

“It is a quiet place, especially at night. Too quiet, you’d be entitled to think, for any kind of monster to live among its pretty, tree-shaded lanes. Indeed, at three o’clock in the morning in the village of Bishopthorpe, it is easy to believe the lie indulged by its residents--that it is a place for good and quiet people to live good and quiet lives” (Haig 5). This is the opening paragraph I read in The Radleys. This mysterious beginning gave me a sort of eerie feeling making me wonder…what could possibly be lurking in this small town?

Readers learn that Peter and his wife are vampires that have been abstaining from drinking blood as a way to integrate into the community without feeling like outsiders. Also, their two children, who feel like outcasts at school, have no idea that they too are vampires. Throughout the story there are short paragraphs from The Abstainer’s Handbook, which the Radley family lives by, that are light-hearted and give a sort of humorous look into the abstaining vampire world. Just when the Radleys seem like they are fitting into their small town, a crime takes place and this is really when the story gets going. The crime can end up ruining the Radleys cover and get them killed. The plot moves quickly and the suspense continues to build. The last 100 pages or so of the book will make readers unable to put it down until the very last page when the book comes to a well tied up conclusion.

I chose to read this book because it was one of YALSA’s Alex Award, a book written for adults that will appeal to and interest teens. When I first read a summary about The Radleys and some comments online about it, I was tempted to not want to pick up because of the fact that it is about vampires, which I am just plain over. However, this book is NOT your typical vampire book. Instead, the main characters being vampires is almost given a second thought to everything else going on in the story.

The entire Radley family, including the brother who disappeared for quite awhile and returns to the family, is very well developed. Each character gives readers a sense of individuality, rather than lumping the whole family together. Readers learn the family members’ secrets, downfalls, and feelings. Haig’s development of the characters was remarkably done. The book is filled with love, lust, anger, deceit, and so much more!

The other part of The Radleys that I really enjoyed is the suspenseful plot. The whole story takes place over the course of just a couple of days. Suspense is built within the short, tightly written chapters. As the climax begins to grow, readers will be shocked how the story comes together. There are twists and turns in the plot that readers will not see coming.

Those that love vampires and those that do not will instantly be drawn into this book once they start reading it. I was so wrapped up in the Radley’s world that I didn’t want the book to end. This is by far one of the best books I have read in a long time.

P.S. This is the first book I've read by someone from England and I was very impressed!

I “really liked” this book and would give it 5 out of 5 stars.

...Ramblings from a Librarian...(#2)

One afternoon while I was working at the reference desk, a female patron in her 60s approached the desk. I smiled and asked if there was anything I could help her find. Little did I know, she began telling me, very vaguely, about this book she wanted me to find that she has read in the past ten years. The only details I was given about this book was that it included some sort of haunted car, it had a little romance, and it included things such as vampires and werewolves, but it was definitely NOT a horror book. After searching around and finding a couple of books that I thought it could be, they were not the ones. I posted a discussion question on one of the listservs I participate in and although a few people responded, none of the books they suggested were the one she wanted.

With the book hunt being unsuccessful, the woman started telling me about another book she has enjoyed. At one point she started talking about Harry Potter and how the books are similar. I must have had a blank look on my face because then she asked if I was familiar with Harry Potter. Ok, deep breath…I told her I was not and that I have not read any of the Harry Potter books or watched any of the Harry Potter movies. She was absolutely shocked and responded by bluntly saying the following: “What kind of teen librarian are you?!” Ah yes, my status as to whether or not I could be an effective teen services librarian was based solely on whether or not I have read Harry Potter. Ok, here is where my librarian ramblings begin…

As a teen services librarian, I try to read books that are both popular/“hot” and also books that have been out for years. I also try to read a vast number of genres so I have some “go to” books when teens are looking for recommendations on specific topics. I have read the whole Twilight Series…Hunger Games…but have not read Harry Potter. Why you might ask? When the books first came out I was not working in the library field, therefore I strictly read what interested me. Harry Potter did not interest me. I’m not saying they are not good books, they just aren’t for me. I am a librarian who believes everyone has not only a right to read whatever book he or she chooses, but also has a right to NOT have to finish a book they do not like. Just because you’ve gotten half way through a book does not mean you have to finish it if you don’t enjoy it. There are way too many books in the world to waste time reading something that doesn’t suit you.

What really bothered me about this woman’s comment is that she made it seem as though I could not effectively do my job since I have not read the Harry Potter series. As a side note, I must say that people in the library can come up to the reference desk and say all kinds of rude things and I brush them off. This comment wasn’t the case. Just because I haven’t read Harry Potter doesn’t mean I can’t recommend readalikes to teens that are fans of Harry Potter. Just because I haven’t read Harry Potter doesn’t mean I can’t relate to the teens I work with. Just because I haven’t read Harry Potter doesn’t mean I can’t effectively do my job.

Sigh…I love, love, love working with teens in the library. A comment like this bothers me. Eventually I blew it off and went on with my day. To fans of Harry Potter…rock on! I promote reading, whether it’s the same books I read or different ones. Yet, don’t dislike me because I don’t read them.

*Trailer Tuesday: The Maze Runner*

Trailer Tuesday is a new type of blog in which one of my favorite book trailers will be featured, along with an explanation on why I chose it.



The Maze Runner has been a book on my “to read” list for quite a while not. After viewing this trailer, it has moved its way up to my top of my “to read” list! The beginning of the trailer is so intense and makes you wonder, “Where am I?” Throughout the trailer there are moments where the screen flashes to a different sort of evil image that kind of scared me, but still intrigued me. This trailer clearly promotes that the book is filled with suspense, action, and terror. I can’t wait to read it!

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Summary: Suspected in the death of her boyfriend, seventeen-year-old Luce is sent to a Savannah, Georgia, reform school where she meets two intriguing boys and learns the truth about the strange shadows that have always haunted her.

This book is constantly flying off the shelves at the library. It’s been on the back of my mind that I need to read it just to see what all the hype is about…plus, the cover had me interested in it. Readers learn from the beginning of the story that Luce was involved in some sort of mysterious crime that sent her away to a reform school. Right when I read about a crime being involved, I thought, "This is the book for me!" When she arrives at the school she starts making friends with some other, sort of "strange" characters who has have issues. In addition, Luce meets two boys…one the typically good guy and one the typical bad boy. Of course, it would have been easy for Luce to chose the good guy, but like most girls, Luce is drawn to the bad guy. Readers also experience the strange shadows Luce is haunted by.

I hate to say it…but from page one I was bored and unsatisfied with this book. When Luce meets the two boys that intrigue her, she came off as sort of whiney and needy. “Oh, which one will I ever choose? Why doesn’t Daniel like me?” I felt like she was one of those popular girls in high school that wants you to feel so bad for her because she can’t decide what guy to choose out of all the ones that like her. Ugh. I mean, every girl tends to want the bad boy, but I couldn’t handle how much she kept trying to get him to be interested in her and debating whether or not she should just let it go. I was really wanting to Luce to be a strong female character and was let down by how much she resembled the weak, needy girl that needs a guy to rescue her.

Although I did find some of the secondary characters and funny and quirky, they ended up being flat and underdeveloped. At some points in the story there was growing suspense and I figured it would draw me back into the book. However, the plot was predictable. For those that are looking for a fallen angel read, I would shy away from Fallen and choose Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I think the plot in this story is a little more intense and enjoyable and the overall interest of the book is better.

I "did not" like this book and would give it 1 out of 5 stars.

In My Mailbox (#4)

“In My Mailbox” is a post that I will be incorporating into this blog to discuss various books I have either received in the mail to review, advanced reader books, or books I have picked up from the library. "In My Mailbox" is brought to you by The Story Siren.

The Radleys by Matt Haig

Summary: Struggling with overwork and parenting angst, English village doctor Peter Radley endeavors to hide his family's vampire nature until their daughter's oddly satisfying act of violence reveals the truth, an event that is complicated by the arrival of a practicing vampire family member.

Why I chose it: YALSA publishes a yearly list of books written for adults that have teen appeal, the Alex Awards, and I’m trying to incorporate them into my reading. Although I haven’t been interested in reading vampire books lately, this one seems to be a change from the norm, so I thought I’d give it a try.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Summary: When Anna's romance-novelist father sends her to an elite American boarding school in Paris for her senior year of high school, she reluctantly goes, and meets an amazing boy who becomes her best friend, in spite of the fact that they both want something more.

Why I chose it: This book has been getting a lot of hype in the blogging world. I haven’t read a good, straightforward (non-paranormal romance) book in a while so I thought I’d give this one a try.

Sugar Changed the World: a Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos

Summary: When an award-winning husband-and-wife team discovered that they each had sugar in their family histories, they were inspired to trace the panoramic story of the sweet substance and its important role in shaping world history. Includes songs, oral histories, maps, a timeline, source notes and over 80 archival illustrations.

Why I chose it: This book has been getting phenomenal reviews in book review journals and on websites such as Amazon. With my New Year’s resolution of reading more teen non-fiction books, I had to pick this one up.

~Stylish Blogger Award~

Saba from Saba's Awesome Reviews has awarded me the stylish book blog award! Thank you Saba! In order for me to accept this award I must do the following:

So a few things need to be done in order to accept this award:
1.  Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2.  Share 7 things about yourself
3.  Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4.  Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

7 things about myself…

1. I am not ashamed to crank the music up really loudly in my car while I'm driving and sing along to it.
2. I need at last 2 cups of black coffee in the morning to get through the day.
3. I really, really like the new show on TV called Oddities.
4. I love to eat sushi.
5. I was a bowler from 3rd grade on... In 3rd grade I bowled a 205 and in my freshman year of high school I boweled a 254 and won the school record.
6. I grew up in Chicago and sometimes really miss the big city.
7. Although I'm from Chicago...in the past couple of years I've become a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan.

15 of my most recently (and not so recently) discovered bloggers…
1. Once Upon a Bookcase
2. Small Review
3. Best Friends Book Affair
4. La Femme Readers
5. Stalking the Bookshelves
6. All of Everything for You
7. Feel of Something New
8. Fiction Groupie
9. Green Bean Teen Queen
10. Aten-Ra
11. A Journey in Reading
12. Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm
13. Moonlight Gleam
14. It's Like a Whirlwind Inside My Head
15. A Myriad of Books

~Cover Crazy!~

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by Tawni at The Book Wormswhere a beautiful cover is featured each week for all of us to admire. I am going to use my Cover Crazy posts as an opportunity to post pictures of covers that have caught my eye and made me interested in picking them up, but that I have yet to actually read.

***What I’m most interested in though, is to hear from YOU, other bloggers, on whether or not you’ve liked or disliked the books so I know if they’re worth adding to my “to read” list.***

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Coming Soon….February 2011

Summary: Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.

- I really like how this cover goes beyond just including a title, author name, and picture. Instead, the girl is “hidden” in the letter cutouts. I thought this was really eye appealing.

- The light blue background is simple, rather than featuring over the top colors, which makes your eyes pay more attention on the words and the picture of the girl rather than the book cover itself.

- The curly cues around the title and author make the words stand out more and the book jacket a little more elegant.

- The girl….well, she has me instantly wondering, “What’s wrong?!”

What do you all think about this cover? For those that have already previewed this book, how was it?

*Comment Problems*

Hi everyone,

I received an e-mail that there was an issue with making comments on my blog. I think this happened with a new layout I put up. The problem has been resolved so...comment away! :-)

Jessica

...Ramblings from a Librarian...(#1)

Challenged Books

In the library world, whether in school media centers or public libraries, it comes as no surprise when a patron/parent/guardian enters the library and wants to make a challenged book request. For those of you that are not in the library world, a book challenge often occurs when a patron/parent/guardian thinks a book is inappropriate and wants it taken out of the collection. Many may better know this process as banned books. Book challenges have occurred throughout history, but more recently I heard about Chris Crutcher’s Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. Information about this challenge and Crutcher’s response to the challenge can be found HERE.

Unfortunately, I have not read this book so I can’t comment on this book challenge, but I would like to comment on book challenges as a whole. Growing up, I was lucky enough to have parents that let me read whatever I wanted to read. Childrens books or adult books, I gobbled them all up. What makes me laugh, especially when I hear about book challenges, is that I read a wide variety of books as a kid...and I am not some weirdo, but instead a successful, professional living in the real world. Nonetheless, I completely believe a parent has the right to choose what their child reads based on their opinions, views, ect. …I get that… However, I do NOT feel that parents have the right to force their beliefs on anyone outside their family, therefore trying to get a book banned from the library. How can one person have the right to ban a book from anyone in the entire community from reading it? Really, one person has this much power? Books themselves, those considered "bad" by some, can cause that much harm to the reader? Really? Although a book not be based on your views, how can you say the book will not “speak” to someone else?

What bothers me even more is when someone challenges a book that they have not fully read. For example, someone may think one passage of a book is inappropriate, so they want the book banned. But taken out of context, how will the person fully understand why the passage is in the book? One example of this is in the past year when Laurie Halse Anderson’s book Speak was challenged in Missouri. Information about this challenge can be found HERE along with Halse’s commentary. The person that challenged Speak took one scene, which was hardly close to being pornographic, completely out of context. Unlike Crutcher’s book, I have read Speak. I thought it was brilliantly written and had a powerful message that many teens who have been in the same situation can relate to. Plus, this book, published years back, is still getting checked out by many teens and they even made it into a Lifetime movie. If this book isn't still relevant to teens today, would it still be getting checked out from the library and read? No. Once again, everyone has the right to have an opinion about any book they read, but how can one person’s opinion have the power to have a book banned from an entire school or community?

Librarian or not…I do not believe in books being banned. Everyone has a right to read and to think that this right is constantly being challenged and trying to be taken away from us disgusts me. This is a topic I could go on and on about…but I won’t. What do you all think about book banning or Crutcher’s book being challenged?

Denied, Detained, Deported by Ann Bausum

Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration

By: Ann Bausum 

Summary: An award-winning author examines the history of American immigration--a critical topic in 21st century America--particularly those lesser-known stories of immigrants who were denied entrance into the States or detained for security reasons.

One of the latest shows on television deals with the U.S. Border Patrol. This show talks about illegal immigrants from Mexico attempting to enter the country, the U.S. Border Patrol catching them, and the immigrants being sent back to Mexico. Although I’m not going to use this blog entry as a way to state my opinions and thoughts on illegal immigration, I think it’s quite a controversial topic currently being discussed. When I saw Denied, Detained, Deported and read the summary, I thought the concept of connecting the current issue of illegal immigration to instances when this sort of thing happened in the past was a great way to learn more about history.

Denied, Detained, Deported opens up with two poems about the way people view the Statue of Liberty. “The New Colossus” explains the good aspects of the Statue of Liberty, how most of us have come to envision her and what she symbolizes. However, “Statue of Liberty Dreams of Emma Lazarus, Awakens with Tears on Her Cheeks” views the Statue of Liberty in a completely different way. It explains how those being denied, detained, and deported view the Statue of Liberty. It is dark and deeply emotional. This poem really impacted me in a way that not only made me interested in reading this book, but one that set the book up for success.

Denied, Detained, Deported tells the stories of different generations of people who have gone through horrific events dealing with immigration. All of these stories hit home that immigration was not always just a simple boat ride to America and immigrants experiencing the American dream. Maybe I am naïve or do not have enough of a historical background, but these stories really shocked and disgusted me. To learn that the bombing of Pearl Harbor led to Japanese-Americans being taken away from their regular lives, many losing their homes and pets, and then put into camps separated from the rest of society to live broke my heart. This experience, and the rest described in the book, will give readers a whole new view of immigration that is not always taught.

The only downfall of this book is that I think the stories presented were shortened and I would have liked to learn more. However, the information provided was exceptionally well written and will be a quick read enjoyed by girls and guys alike.

I "liked" this book and would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

*Trailer Tuesday: Wintergirls*

Trailer Tuesday is a new type of blog in which one of my favorite book trailers will be featured, along with an explanation on why I chose it.



I love, love, love Laurie Halse Anderson's writing style and her books. Wintergirls is such a powerful book about teen girls and eating disorders. This book trailer, which is less than one-minutes long, is filled with intensity and intrigue that it was hard for m NOT to love it. Enjoy!