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Monday, April 30, 2012

Jessi Kirby's Top Ten Road Trip Playlist Songs

I'd like to welcome Jessi Kirby, author of In Honor, to the blog today to share the top ten songs she'd put on her own road trip playlist.


Top Ten Songs I'd Put On My Road Trip Playlist:
  1. Find The River - R.E.M.
  2. Free - Donavon Frankenreiter
  3. Every Mile a Memory - Dierks Bentley
  4. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall - Coldplay
  5. Shake It Out - Florence + the Machine
  6. Fans - Kings of Leon
  7. Good Life - OneRepublic
  8. Sydney (I'll Come Running) - Brett Dennen
  9. Wildflowers - Tom Petty
  10. The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga
Thanks, Jessi, for stopping by and sharing your playlist with us! What are some of the songs that you would include on your own play lists? Let me know in the comments!

You can find Jessi on: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
In Honor Links: My ReviewAmazon | Goodreads


Friday, April 27, 2012

Follow Friday (9)

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read. Check it out to sign up and participate, or to discover some awesome blogs and make new friends.

This week's question:
Have you had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then "broke up" with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? Tell us about him or her.

Hmmm. I'm not sure this has ever really happened to me. My love for a character usually carries through until the end. Generally, once I like a character I am pretty loyal to him or her even if they do some annoying things later on.

I've had it happen the other way several times - a character that I originally found annoying or frustrating, or that I just plain hated, ended up winning me over at some point in the story and I find myself wondering exactly what point it was when I started caring what happened to that character. An example of that might be Jaime Lannister from the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Some of you who watch the show are giving me the crazy eyes right now; I know it. But at some point in the books he becomes a more sympathetic character, though I couldn't say exactly when that is. And if I could, I wouldn't. Spoilers, and all that.

Welcome to all of the new faces, and welcome back to the old ones!
Here is what has been happening on my blog recently:

Reviews:

Extras:

There are several ways to follow me over in the sidebar, so just choose your favorite(s).
The Facebook page is new-ish, so I'd greatly appreciate anyone who shows it some love!

Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Review: Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

Title: Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe
Author: Shelley Coriell
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: NetGalley
Chloe Camden has a big heart and an even bigger collection of vintage shoes. Life is good…until her best friend turns the entire school against her and her counselor axes her junior independent study project. Forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass her Junior year, Chloe joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t always appreciate her unique style. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe tackles love, loneliness, and painful life lessons as she gives her big heart to the radio station and the misfits who call it home.
Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe is a gem of a book that deals with adversity in sweet and optimistic ways. And Chloe is like that spoonful of sugar that Mary Poppins sang about. The characters in this book deal with some pretty serious life issues, and Chloe handles it all with heart, personality, an optimistic attitude, and plenty of stylish vintage shoes. She's a fun, happy, confident girl who likes being the center of attention. And when her world is turned upside down, that confidence and happiness falter. So she fakes it. Her inner strength and desire to continue on as she always has makes her appealing as a character. Duncan is sweet and hard-working, and he has plenty of his own adversity to overcome. But Duncan's approach to survival is much different than Chloe's positive attitude and determination to have fun. This obviously gives her an opportunity to bring something good into his life.

The plot centers around Chloe - her work at the radio station as part of her junior project, dealing with the problems regarding her grandmother, dealing with being ostracized and slandered by her peers, and her attempts to carry on and be happy despite these things. The pacing is well-balanced, and Chloe is so much fun that I couldn't help but to finish the book in one day.

Despite the book's lighthearted tone, it covers some serious issues without making light of them. Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe takes these issues that can seriously impact people's lives, and handles them with grace, showing readers a couple of teenagers who take the problems and adversity that are thrust upon them and deal with it in constructive and positive ways, making the best of it. If you're looking for a book to help cheer you up when you're in a bad mood or are just looking for a fun and sassy main character with amazing shoes, then this is a good one to choose.



Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Review: Forgiven by Jana Oliver

Title: Forgiven
Author: Jana Oliver
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: March 27, 2012
Series: Demon Trappers #3
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: Macmillan (finished copy)
The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list.

But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control: something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…
I think that I love this series more with each book. It just gets better and better.

Riley and Beck both do a lot of growing in Forgiven, and it's a pleasure to witness. I have sung my praises to both of these characters in my reviews of the first two books, and they're even better in this third installment. They've been through more, both together and individually, and they come to realize some things that help them learn and grow as people.

Riley has been through some sucky stuff by the end of book two, so in book three she is more experienced. She's suffered some pains on a personal and emotional level, and she has learned from them. She goes through some strong emotions over the course of the novel but she does so without being melodramatic, and I can totally appreciate that. Beck continues to struggle to better himself, both personally and professionally. Some of his past issues are bubbling to the surface, and he's having a difficult time dealing with them. The dynamic between Riley and Beck continues to evolve in a way that I find to be oh so satisfying.

The plot escalates in Forgiven. Events that are set in motion in the first and second books come to fruition in the third. Conflict and mayhem run rampant all over the place. It's fast-paced and frustrating (in a good way!) and fun. Even with its quick pace, there is plenty of room for character development. This is particularly true of Riley and Beck, but the secondary characters had some time to grow on me as well, which is nice because that is the sort of thing that helps to suck readers into Riley's world.

If you're looking for a fun YA urban fantasy series with awesome characters and a fun plot line, then you should give the Demon Trappers series a read.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

In My Mailbox (43)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Hey there, my bookish people! It's that time of the week for the sharing of the spoils! I haven't done one of these in quite a while! But I haven't gotten many books lately either, due to a recent move and not wanting to buy a bunch of stuff just to pack it into boxes. Here are the books that I've gotten since last time:

For Review:
Forgiven by Jana Oliver
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

NetGalley:
Grave Mercy by Robin Lefevers
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Diva by Jillian Larkin
Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris
Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Bought on Kindle:
Storm Born by Richelle Mead
The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness


That's it for me! What book(s) did you get this week?

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Books for National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month and if you'd like to get into the spirit by reading some poetry, then here are a few books that you might want to look into. If you're interested in even more suggestions, then check out  my Suggested Reading: Novels in Verse.


Audition
by Stasia Ward Kehoe
When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she's deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. At first, she loves being Rem's muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she's chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more? This debut novel in verse is as intense and romantic as it is eloquent.

Amazon | Goodreads

Karma
by Cathy Ostlere
On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi is gunned down by two Sikh bodyguards. The murder sparks riots in Delhi and for three days Sikh families are targeted and killed in retribution for the Prime Minister’s death. It is into this chaos that fifteen-year-old Maya and her Sikh father, Amar, arrive from their home in Canada. India’s political instability is the backdrop and catalyst for Maya’s awakening to the world. KARMA is the story of how a young woman, straddling two cultures and enduring personal loss, learns forgiveness, acceptance and love.

Amazon | Goodreads

Love & Leftovers
by Sarah Tregay
My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you've lost it?


My Review | Amazon | Goodreads

What are some other novels in verse or books of poetry that you would recommend? Do you have any favorites that are not mentioned in this or my previous novels in verse post? If so, share them in the comments so we can check them out!