tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28439607504723455282024-03-13T10:47:31.613-07:00From The Bookshelf of T.B.T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-79536984175017826452012-09-19T22:16:00.000-07:002012-09-19T22:17:15.712-07:00My Last Book Back on the Shelf...<br />
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Dear Readers,<o:p></o:p></div>
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You may have noticed that my
posts have become increasingly spare and I’ve barely been posting reviews as of
late. With school, extracurricular
activities, and sports, I’ve realized that I really don’t have time for
blogging and reviewing books. School has
to come first, and I feel it’s better if I don’t keep maintaining my blog if I
can’t really devote the time it deserves.
Sadly, this is the end, and I wanted to let you all know that I have
decided to stop posting reviews and keeping up From The Bookshelf of T.B. I’d like to say, “I’ll be back,” in an Arnold
Schwarzenegger voice, but I’m definitely going to have to put blogging away for
some time. Even though I won’t get the
chance to blog and review books any longer, I wanted to thank all of you
awesome followers, readers, fellow bloggers, and authors who have all
encouraged me and given me feedback along the way. I’ve met some amazing people, and I can’t
thank you enough for all that you’ve taught me!
Blogging has helped me become more comfortable with my own writing, and
that is something that I will never forget.
Hopefully I’ll be back one day, but it was great while it lasted! Thanks for giving me so much support from the
start, and I hope you all continue to read and have a love for books!<o:p></o:p></div>
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-This is T.B. with My Last Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Until Next Time, Keep
Reading!<o:p></o:p></div>
T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-46769969287629547042012-08-29T20:37:00.000-07:002012-08-29T20:40:20.487-07:00Since You Left Me by Allen Zadoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UqWMZOA3Ojs/UD7TDBy1yRI/AAAAAAAABO8/PmrigTY77AY/s1600/Since+You+Left+Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UqWMZOA3Ojs/UD7TDBy1yRI/AAAAAAAABO8/PmrigTY77AY/s320/Since+You+Left+Me.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Since You Left Me</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Allen Zadoff</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Egmont USA</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-drKnFnUInE4/UD7TRN4QxuI/AAAAAAAABPE/fXuOuEv5LZg/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+3.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-drKnFnUInE4/UD7TRN4QxuI/AAAAAAAABPE/fXuOuEv5LZg/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+3.5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3½ out of 5 stars</span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She’s about to leave. Soon she’ll be gone, off to start the next chapter of her life, filled with new memories and adventures. You don’t fit into the picture. The light knock on your bedroom door brings you out of your thoughts, and reminds you that this is it. This is really happening. She’s here to say goodbye, but what if you’re not ready to let her go yet? Maybe you’re just being selfish. Then again, how are you supposed to be okay with her packing up and moving to India? She is your mother after all.</span></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Sanskrit Aaron Zuckerman goes to a school where it’s not surprising to see someone walking around dressed in traditional Jewish garb. Kids study the Torah, observe the Sabbath, and live an all-around Jewish life. But none of that carries over to his home life, where he eats vegan food, does yoga positions with his mom, and doesn’t believe in any kind of God. Sanskrit isn’t happy with either of his alternate realities, so when the chance to improve one of them comes along, he goes for it. Even if it means wrecking the other.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Sanskrit learns that the hard way. After his parents divorced, he lost his first true love, and was forced to attend a private Jewish school, Sanskrit was hoping that for once things could go his way. When Sanskrit lies about his mother getting into a “terrible accident” so he won’t get into trouble at school, things seem to start getting better for him. Lying can’t be so bad, if it’s doing so much good for him. But soon Sanskrit’s two worlds collide and it’s too much for him to separate the lies from the truth. One thing’s for sure, this is definitely not what he wanted. Now Sanskrit’s irresponsible mother is about to hop on a plane to India and abandon her children, while everyone at school continues to think that she’s been gravely injured in a car accident. Can Sanskrit come clean before it’s too late? Will things ever go his way? Allen Zadoff reveals all in his funny, yet achingly emotional story of one boy’s journey to find his own happiness, on his own terms in, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since You Left Me</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Since You Left Me</i> is a wild mix of crazy and insane, but in a good way. Sanskrit’s unique situation made for an interesting story with new issues arising from his web of lies at every turn. Sanskrit’s life was too much for even him to handle at times, and nothing seemed to be making his job any easier. With humorous moments to break up the heavy ones, <i>Since You Left Me</i> touched on deep subjects, while also remaining a light, enjoyable read. I suggest this book for older readers, as it does contain some mature topics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sanskrit never asked for the life that was given to him. He doesn’t even want it really. All he can do is try and roll with the punches as best he can, and make the best out of everything. It all became too much for him though, and when the going got tough Sanskrit turned to lying to make things better. Lying turned out to hurt him more than it helped him. Being forced to grow up so young, Sanskrit was mature in that sense, yet at times he simply accepted what was given to him and never tried to go after the things he really wanted. It was until chance gave him an opportunity to change that Sanskrit finally did.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Similar to how Sanskrit isn’t satisfied with his life, neither is his mother. After his parent’s divorce, Sanskrit’s mother became a yoga-teaching vegan who barely devoted any time to her kids. Countless times Sanskrit wanted to rebel against his mother or say how he really felt about her behavior, but instead he always backed down. Even when his mother was about to hop on a plane and go to India to find herself and leave her children behind, Sanskrit’s protests weren’t as forceful as I had hoped. I was rooting for him to stand up for something, but I was constantly disappointed. Luckily, by the end of the book Sanskrit finally figured out who he is, and what he stands for. He finds something to believe in, and his own path to finding happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Allen Zadoff’s first novel, <i><a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/food-girls-and-other-things-i-cant-have.html" target="_blank">Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have</a></i>, is absolutely hilarious, and really took a humorous take on one boy’s struggles. <i>Since You Left Me</i> was funny as well, but I didn’t find myself laughing out loud as much throughout the book. Sanskrit’s situation created some very interesting predicaments, but many times his gloomy look on life dampened the prospect of cracking some jokes. However, this book has some funny moments and amusing antics that help lighten up the more serious parts of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Since You Left Me</i> takes a boy who is unhappy with his life and throws everything at him until he finally says, “Enough,” and changes his situation. Sanskrit figures out what he needs to do for himself, but also what those around him need for their own happiness as well. Join Sanskrit as he tries to keep everyone from leaving, even when it’s time to let go in, <i>Since You Left Me</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;">*I received this book from <a href="http://www.netgalley.com/" style="text-decoration: none;">NetGalley</a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;">, a website on which you can request free advanced reader copies of books. I received <i>Since You Left Me </i>by Allen Zadoff in exchange for my honest review. Thank you <a href="http://www.netgalley.com/" style="text-decoration: none;">NetGalley</a> and Egmont USA</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;">!</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Check out Allen Zadoff's website at <a href="http://www.allenzadoff.com/" target="_blank">www.allenzadoff.com</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Check out my review of Allen Zadoff's first novel <i>Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have</i> <a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/food-girls-and-other-things-i-cant-have.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-79764153076547712432012-08-12T12:03:00.004-07:002012-08-12T12:07:19.458-07:00Saving June by Hannah Harrington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8T9Ga47PYY/UCf9mtfGDMI/AAAAAAAABOY/waukFAzx9z8/s1600/Saving+June.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8T9Ga47PYY/UCf9mtfGDMI/AAAAAAAABOY/waukFAzx9z8/s320/Saving+June.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Saving June</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hannah Harrington</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Harlequin Teen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The highway
stretches out before you, off into the distance. An endless straight line that’ll take you to
your ultimate destination: California.
It’s your own personal yellow brick road. All you need to complete the picture is the
dog and the munchkins. The van you’re
riding in cruises down the road. The
wind whips your face, tugging your hair loose.
You wiggle your toes out of the window, enjoying the warm air. With the windows down and music blasting, you
think to yourself, this is exactly how I want my summer to be. If only this entire trip wasn’t because your
sister killed herself, and you don’t have any ruby slippers to bring her back
either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Out of the two
sisters, Harper is the average one. She
doesn’t have amazing grades, she’s not particularly good at anything, and she’s
not the best kid either. She’s not
living up to her “true potential,” or so everyone says. But no one ever says that about June, Harper’s
perfect older sister, who has the best grades, the boyfriend, the perfect life,
really. Out of the two you would think
if one of them were to take their life it’d be Harper, the one who’s just
surviving day by day. But it turns out
that Harper is better than June at something- living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Harper finds
June dead in the backseat of her car, a week before June’s high school
graduation. Harper and June weren’t the
closest of sisters, but Harper is devastated, and can’t believe she didn’t see
this coming. Maybe she could have done
something, stopped her somehow. Even
though June is gone, the one thing Harper can do is take June’s ashes to
California, the one place that June always dreamed of going to. So Harper, her best friend Laney, June’s
ashes, and the mysterious Jake who has some sort of connection with June, set
off on a cross-country trip to California.
Is this what June would have wanted?
And what’s does Jake know about June that Harper doesn’t? Hannah Harrington reveals all in her debut
novel about a trip that needs to be taken in order for the living to keep on
going in, <i>Saving June</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Saving June</i> pleasantly surprised me, and there was
much more to it than I had expected.
This wasn’t just a book about a sister’s death, but also one about
friendship, love, and really good music.
The trip to California wasn’t only in memory of June, but it was
something Harper had to do to be able to cope with her sister’s death. It was necessary for her to be able to move
on, no matter how hard the journey would be.
I recommend this book for older teens, as it does contain mature topics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After reading <i>Saving June</i>, I have a ton of music that
I’ve got to check out. Throughout the
trip, Harper and Jake really connect through their love of music. Music is what brought them together in the
first place, after Harper finds a CD mix that Jake had made for June. Music was one of the outlets they used to
cope. It was a way of escape, something
for Harper and Jake to get lost in and forget about all the pain for
awhile. Being a huge fan of music
myself, I was so excited to be introduced to so many new artists, especially
the older ones that are classics. The
music in the book really made it a much more immersive experience, and helped
the reader connect more to the book as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The characters
in <i>Saving June</i> really made the book
what it is. They’re connections with one
another and the pain that they each held brought them even closer
together. There’s more to Harper than
the rebellious daughter, and the same goes for Jake, Laney, and even June. I really got a chance to read about each of
their stories and how they all intertwined.
By the end of the book I even felt like I knew June, despite her not
being around anymore. Even though she
was gone, Harper, Jake, and Laney all had so many memories of her, and I got to
see how June was not only as a sister, but as a friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the flick
of a switch author Hannah Harrington could make the emotions in the book go
from depressing to funny. Her writing
truly brought the characters to life, and gave me the chance to share in their
pain, but also in their laughter and joy at times too. Harper’s voice has a cynical outlook on
things, and her sarcastic, dry humor put a light spin on things. <i>Saving
June</i> didn’t just make me feel for June, but how her death affected everyone
who loved her as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Saving June</i> took me on a trip of my own as I
traveled with Harper, Jake, and Laney to find the peace they were all searching
for. It might have taken some detours, diners,
sightseeing, and a lot of bathroom stops along the way, but the three of them
finally get where it is they want to go.
Join Harper, as she searches for all the signs she missed before in, <i>Saving June</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book
Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">*I received <i>Saving June</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"> from the <a href="https://www.harlequinteenpanel.com/PORTAL/default.aspx" target="_blank">Harlequin Teen Panel</a> in exchange for my honest review</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;">. Thank you so much Harlequin Teen Panel!</span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Check out Hannah Harrington's website at <a href="http://www.hannahharrington.com/" target="_blank">www.hannahharrington.com</a>.</span></span></div>
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T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-14724781268366582342012-07-24T10:39:00.003-07:002012-07-24T10:43:10.499-07:00Blood Red Road by Moira Young<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pMaT7-ijOnY/UA7cpYoUIDI/AAAAAAAABOA/QA3zdYYSnEw/s1600/Blood+Red+Road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pMaT7-ijOnY/UA7cpYoUIDI/AAAAAAAABOA/QA3zdYYSnEw/s320/Blood+Red+Road.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Blood Red Road</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Moira Young</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">McElderry Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sun beats down on you, a relentless torrent of heat that feel like it’s melting your skin away. You reach for your canteen for a drink, only to realize that there’s nothing left. Your heavy tongue begs for water, but the only thing you have to swallow is your own spit. You just have to go through the motions, slowly putting one foot in front of the other, trying not to think of how much longer you have to go. Around you is open desert, with rolling sand dunes that never seem to end. In the distance you think you see a lake of water, but it’s probably just your eyes playing tricks on you. You keep going, hoping that there really is something there. All you’ve got left is the hope that you’ll find him. He goes first, and then you follow. That’s how it always is. At least, you hope so this time.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everything is set out in the stars. Your entire life is mapped out for you in the heavens, and your fate is already sealed. There’s no way to change it, only go with it. That’s what Saba believed until the men came and took her brother and killed her father. Now she doesn’t know what she believes in anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Growing up in Silverlake, Saba is used to not having very many visitors, and the only scenery being cracked, dried up lake bed for miles. Outside of her home she doesn’t know what’s out there, except what she’s heard in stories. Saba is content with her life in Silverlake, but her twin brother Lugh isn’t. He’s fed up with their simple life, and their father’s tales of the stars. He dreams to get away and see the rest of the world. But it turns out there are nightmares out there too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One day cloaked riders arrive with a fierce dust storm that turns the sky red. They kidnap Lugh and kill Saba’s father. Saba is now alone, and the only people she has left is her baby sister and her pet crow, Nero. But Saba made a promise that she would find Lugh and get him back. Where does she start? What’s beyond her little home of Silverlake? Will Saba be able to find her brother and not lose herself along the way? All is revealed in Moira Young’s debut novel about one girl’s journey to find her other half in, <i>Blood Red Road</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Blood Red Road </i>starts off with a bang, and manages to escalate to a full-on explosion by the end of the book. Throughout Saba’s entire journey, she is always fighting back, sometimes even fighting her own feelings. Being as stubborn as she is, Saba made the road to Lugh both difficult and interesting, but she always put Lugh before herself, even when he wasn’t around. Set in a future grittier than our own, <i>Blood Red Road</i> places Saba in a world full of deception, lies, and violence. The only way to make it is to hold your own, and always have your own back. I suggest this book for readers fourteen and up, as it can contain some darker material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With a unique voice all her own, Saba’s story felt all the more real. In a world where books are rare, the people in <i>Blood Red Road</i> spoke with a dialect that’s slightly southern and would definitely leave English teachers appalled. At first it was a little difficult for me to get used to the way in which Saba spoke and narrated the story, but I soon became used to it. The way in which Saba said things, and the minimalistic writing style felt more natural by the end of the book, and it fit the story well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saba is a fighter, and she never lets anyone tell her what to do. At times she won’t even listen to herself, as she constantly questions her own feelings. Saba’s stubbornness made <i>Blood Red Road</i> all the more fun to read. She never took the easy way out, and often times made things harder for herself by not just going with the flow. It was interesting to get to see how Saba reacted to Jack, another strong-headed character and possible love interest. The two of them knew just how to get underneath each other’s skin, but despite annoying each other to no end, they were perfect for each other. Saba became a different person, so unsure of her convictions when she was around Jack, that it was nice to get to see another side of her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saba’s journey became so much more than just saving Lugh as the book went on. As she got a chance to see the world that she was missing, she started to realize that she had the opportunity to change it. But Lugh was always at the heart of Saba’s actions. Everything she did was for Lugh, and to get him back. Saba even does everything she can to try and keep her little sister, Emmi, safe, despite Emmi’s ability to always tag along when there’s danger. The family ties between the siblings crossed mountains, and their love for one another was all they had left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Blood Red Road</i> is an action story with a ton of heart. Full of surprises, Saba and her crew do the best they can to cope with the world that they never really knew. Join Saba, as she fights to change her own fate in, <i>Blood Red Road</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out the <i>Blood Red Road</i> website at <a href="http://pages.simonandschuster.com/bloodredroad" target="_blank">www.simonandschuster.com/bloodredroad</a>.</span></div>
</div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-40301324300016359142012-07-12T10:58:00.001-07:002012-07-12T10:59:43.931-07:00Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1oGUIVqKQd0/T_8LP3SaxrI/AAAAAAAABNg/hpcsWJjMArg/s1600/Bad+Girls+Don%2527t+Die.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1oGUIVqKQd0/T_8LP3SaxrI/AAAAAAAABNg/hpcsWJjMArg/s320/Bad+Girls+Don%2527t+Die.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white;">Bad Girls Don't Die</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-size: large;">Katie Alender</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Hyperion</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qmcWxleZFI/T_8L8mE2ATI/AAAAAAAABNo/FkErWqF3zTI/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qmcWxleZFI/T_8L8mE2ATI/AAAAAAAABNo/FkErWqF3zTI/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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4 out of 5 stars</div>
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You
open the door to the basement, and you can feel the cold seeping out of
it. The glow of the kitchen behind you
ends after the first couple of steps down, and everything beyond it is shrouded
in darkness. You slowly feel your way,
down step by step, illuminating what’s in front of you with your
flashlight. The gleam from your
flashlight starts to fade, and soon you can barely see the breath in front of
your face. You finally reach the bottom
of the stairs after what feels like an eternity. That’s when it all goes wrong. The door above you slams shut, your
flashlight sputters out, and the temperature drops suddenly. The panic rises inside of you, and just as
you’re about to scream you feel a breath on the back of your neck. You are not alone.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Alexis’s
house is creepy, no doubt about it. There’s
an old, gnarly oak tree out front, the stairs creek, and the wooden shingles
look like they’re about to fall right off.
But hey, it makes for some great pictures. That’s about all Alexis’s house is good for,
but after some strange things start happening around the house, Alexis wonders
if they’re could be more to her eerie house than she first thought.</span></div>
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Alexis
isn’t really considered “normal.” With
bright pink hair, she’s hard to miss, and if the looks don’t put you off, her
hostile attitude will. She hangs out
with the “Doom Squad” at school, and even there she doesn’t really fit in. But despite being weird, Alexis knows that
she’s not out of her mind. Her little
sister, Kasey, is possessed. Full-on,
body being used by a demented ghost kind of possessed. But how can she prove it?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Kasey’s
always had an obsession with antique dolls, but other than that she’s a nice
kid. She’s never been as weird as
Alexis, but that all starts to change.
Lately Kasey’s been acting shifty, she forgets large periods of time,
and even her eyes have been changing from blue to green. Alexis doesn’t know how to explain it, and no
one seems to notice the new person Kasey has become- mean, angry, and out to
get revenge. Alexis has to stop her
little sister before it’s too late, but how?
Is Kasey really even herself anymore?
Katie Alender reveals all in her paranormal visit with the undead in, <i>Bad Girls Don’t Die</i>!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Bad Girls Don’t Die</i> had hair-rising moments that had me ready to duck
under the covers, where I would be safe from all the nightmares that seemed to
come alive in this book. With Alexis as
a witty and sarcastic narrator, despite the frightening, ghostly visits there
was always something to laugh about.
There’s never any way of knowing what will come next when it comes to
the possessed Kasey, and while reading, I had to be prepared for anything. I suggest this book for teens fourteen and
up, as it can be a bit scary for younger readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Alexis’s
voice was perfect for <i>Bad Girls Don’t Die</i>. Even though the book dealt with ghosts and
eerie houses, it was never too much with Alexis’s humor thrown in throughout
the book. She always managed to add in a
clever comment, and her occasional sarcasm mocked the supernatural aspect of
the story perfectly. When it came down
to getting serious, Alexis was able to do that as well and really set aside the
cynical comments to get to the bottom of things. I got to see the real side of Alexis as well
throughout the book, and that underneath all of the sarcasm, she really could
care about others, and meant well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve
never been fond of clowns, and now I think I’ll have to add antique dolls to
that list as well. Kasey’s obsession
with dolls escalated even more as she started to change, causing her to be so
protective of them, she couldn’t even have other people be around her precious
collection. Katie Alender did a great
job of having me thoroughly spooked throughout <i>Bad Girls Don’t Die</i>. She
threw in the works, complete with creepy dolls, doors randomly opening and
closing, the thermostat dropping, an eerie house with a perilous past, and a
young girl possessed by a ghost seeking revenge. <o:p></o:p></div>
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At
times the book felt a bit predictable, and some of the spooky plot points could
be easily figured out, but Katie Alender always managed to throw a curveball
that changed things around. Things were
tied up pretty well at the end of <i>Bad
Girls Don’t Die</i>, so I’m interested to see where things go in the sequel, <i>From Bad To Cursed</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Bad Girls Don’t Die</i> is a spooky read that manages to stay light with a
witty narrator. Alexis may be up against
more than she can handle when it comes to the dark side. Join Alexis, as she tries all she can to rid
Kasey of her ghost, all the while trying to save herself in, <i>Bad Girls Don’t Die</i>!<o:p></o:p></div>
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-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Until Next Time, Keep Reading!<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TbXD251OKdc/T_8QN_43AiI/AAAAAAAABN0/VKDAGAHys_g/s1600/591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TbXD251OKdc/T_8QN_43AiI/AAAAAAAABN0/VKDAGAHys_g/s200/591.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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My signed copy of <i>Bad Girls Don't Die </i>from <a href="http://www.bridgetobooks.org/" target="_blank">Bridge To Books'</a> YA In Bloom Event! Thanks so much Bridge To Books, and Katie Alender!</div>
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Check out my post on the Orange County Children's Book Festival where I also got to see Katie Alender. You can check out the post <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/oc-childrens-book-festival-recap.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Check out Katie Alender's website at <a href="http://katiealender.com/" target="_blank">www.katiealender.com</a></div>
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</span>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-1060253575806355872012-07-03T21:04:00.002-07:002012-07-03T21:05:25.896-07:00The Last Universe by William Sleator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w1g4i5b5nSg/T_PACjYxPeI/AAAAAAAABM8/7_JANgYTFkM/s1600/The+Last+Universe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w1g4i5b5nSg/T_PACjYxPeI/AAAAAAAABM8/7_JANgYTFkM/s320/The+Last+Universe.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Last Universe</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">William Sleator</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Amulet Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3<span style="background-color: white;">½ out of 5 stars</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You’ve seen the science experiments. The ones that kids always do for science fairs, where they train the mouse to navigate a complicated maze to make it to a reward, like a piece of cheese. They scurry through the cardboard corridors turning left, then right, then left again. At times they pause to sniff the air, wrinkling their whiskers, and then they drop back down to all fours and pad through the maze, triumphantly claiming their prize once they reach the cheese. But here’s a new twist. In this perilous maze, you’re the mouse, and there’s no cheese at the end, just a mouse trap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Susan didn’t ask to go to the garden. She would have much rather stayed inside and chatted online with the few friends she had left, or go see a movie for once. But she couldn’t. That’s what having a sick brother does to you. Now, instead of being a normal teenager she has to take her sickly brother, Gary, for a stroll through their immense gardens whenever he so desires. It’s less of a stroll for him, as he cruises in his wheelchair while Susan struggles to navigate the gardens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Making their way through the rose garden, the orchard, and even the pond wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the stories. The garden had been planted long ago by Susan and Gary’s mysterious uncle, and strange and disturbing things were have said to have happened in the garden. Susan and Gary never paid much attention to the stories before, until bizarre things start happening in the garden. Paths moved, tropical plants grew overnight, and the garden seemed to be alive with a new energy. Then Gary and Susan happen upon the maze. It can be seen from an upstairs window, but no one has ever been able to get to it… until now. Gary sees all of this as a change on the horizon, a way for him to get better. But all Susan sees is a dangerous new game that they shouldn’t be playing. Will Susan and Gary figure out what the strange changes in the garden mean, or will they die trying? All is revealed in William Sleator’s intense thriller that looks at our alternate realities in, <i>The Last Universe</i>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Last Universe</i> is a mind-boggling read that questions what “real” really is. Every time Susan and Gary enter the maze, they come out into a new reality, a new universe. Sometimes the changes are only slight, and other times the differences between the original universe and the new one are vast. The maze is unpredictable, resulting in a read that kept me searching through the maze that <i>The Last Universe</i> created with every twist and turn. I suggest this read for teens who are looking for a sci-fi thriller with something to wrap your head around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rules that controlled the maze and the entire garden was challenging to understand at first. When I think of it now, I’m still confused by how the maze works. Quantum mechanics is the name of the game, and the rules are extremely complicated. Quantum mechanics deals with things such as the theory of Schrodinger’s Cat, and the fact that multiple universes, and realities could exist at the same time. For example, when Gary and Susan entered the maze, the deeper they went the hazier reality became, and they could see other versions of themselves in the maze at the same time. In some Gary was still in a wheelchair, while in others he looked healthy and was walking on his own. Each were different possibilities. The world of quantum mechanics is full of uncertainty, and consists of matter working at the tiniest of levels. Or at least, that’s my understanding of it. Luckily, the book takes quantum mechanics step by step as the story progresses and nothing was piled on all at once.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">William Sleator’s intense writing and complicated storyline kept me involved throughout the entire book. <i>The Last Universe</i> is on the shorter side, but reading the book felt like a long ride. I had no idea what would come next in this world where nothing was certain, and one move could change everything. Every new baffling occurrence just raised more questions, and I never knew where the story was headed. I was trying to wind my way out of a maze of my own while reading. Even the ending of <i>The Last Universe</i> managed to cause my jaw to drop. The journey certainly made reaching the destination worth it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At times Gary and Susan fell slightly flat for me. It would have been nice to have seen them fleshed out a little more, or have gotten to see them interact more outside of the garden. Their thoughts constantly surrounded the garden, but I didn’t get to know who they were as people beyond it. Seeing more sides of Gary and Susan would have made the story feel slightly more realistic. However, they did feel like the typical sibling duo who bickered, but underneath it all truly did care about each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Last Universe</i> led me through a winding maze of questions that may never be answered, but caused me to think about what my reality really is. With science, adventure, and mystery this is a read that will question everything you know. Join Susan and Gary as they search for the perfect world in, <i>The Last Universe</i>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span></div>
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</div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-48216181797584423552012-06-23T09:37:00.000-07:002012-06-23T09:37:45.242-07:00The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Big Crunch</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pete Hautman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the beginning, you would have never thought that something like this could have happened. Not with her, and not with anyone else either. She was just the new girl, but somehow you just seemed to keep bumping into her. Now you two are dating, and she’s everything you could have ever wanted. Things just feel right with her. Fast-forward… and now things aren’t so perfect. She’s moving away, and you’re trying your best to make this work, but there are a lot of miles between you and her. You really are going the distance on this one. Somehow, you stay together. It was a bumpy road, but things are back to how they should be. But will it last? After all you’ve been through together, what will tomorrow bring? Despite your uncertainty, none of that matters, because you could live in this moment forever. Let’s hope it lasts…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">June doesn’t see how things can get anyworse. It’s her first day at Wellstone High, and already it’s her worst. Hopefully she won’t be here for long though. With her father’s job constantly moving them across the country, June will soon be at another high school, in another boring town, filled with more unfamiliar faces. It is only a matter of time, so no point trying too hard to make any friends. She won’t even keep in touch with most of them once she’s gone. June is very good at not getting too attached, and that’s fine by her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wes believes that everyone is connected, as if by a string. Everyone’s connections with each other make up one giant spider web that they are all caught in. So when Wes first sees June, his only connection to her is Aqua Girl. That’s the first thing that he thinks of when he sees her, and he doesn’t make much of it. But slowly the string that connects Wes and June becomes shorter, bringing the two of them closer together. But as time goes on, Wes and June realize that despite how perfect everything feels when they’re together, it won’t always last. When June is forced to move, their relationship is jeopardized, and it may be the end for Wes and June. Will the two of them be able to stick together, or will the string connecting them fray and break? All is revealed in Pete Hautman’s genuine telling of two teen’s unlikely love story in, <i>The Big Crunch</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Big Crunch</i> isn’t your typical love story. Wes and June don’t stare into each other’s eyes the first time they meet and know that they are soul mates. Instead, the two of them don’t connect with each other until their realities intersect. Wes and June’s story reminds me of two straight lines that intersect at one point, and then continue on, without looking back. But in that one moment in which the two lines intersect they feel complete. Both Wes and June’s personalities are captured completely and their personalities are so distinct. I suggest this book for teens fourteen and up, looking for a not so typical romance, with some humor tossed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my mind <i>The Big Crunch</i> is a teen version of the movie 500 Days of Summer starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. From the cover that depicts June and Wes throughout the four seasons with a park bench in the background, to the tag line in the book jacket, “This is <i>not</i> that kind of love story.” <i>The Big Crunch</i> gave off a feel of the movie, which I loved. Both <i>The Big Crunch</i> and 500 Days of Summer told the story of two people’s relationship together, and though it may not have lasted, or it wasn’t always perfect, it was the memories that they shared together and how they helped each other grow that made the story memorable. By the end of the book Wes and June weren’t sure where things would go or how things would turn out, but that was okay, because the fact that they just got the chance to know each other was all that mattered. They gave each other memories that they would never forget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite being a couple, Wes and June were their own people throughout the entire book. I never felt that the two of them meshed into one person, and I never thought of them as Wune or Jes. They were always their own person, with distinct personalities. June was the funny, sarcastic girl who was normally guarded with her feelings. Wes was the caring, thoughtful boy who didn’t always know quite to say. Their time together changed both of them and helped them grow as people, but in the end they were always true to themselves. Getting to see their push and pull with each other to try and make things work, yet still do what was best for each of them made their stories solely their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pete Hautman did a fantastic job of capturing the crazy, turbulent waters that make up a teen’s crazy crushes driven by their hormones. Wes, June, and all of the other characters felt like kids I could find in my own high school. Funny, sarcastic, searching, but when all was said and done just trying to enjoy their youth while they could. Not knowing what’s coming next is a scary thought, but Wes and June had each other to try and figure that out. They didn’t really have to worry too much about their future when the moment they were in was all they needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Big Crunch</i> is not your typical romance book. It is much more than that. Two teens who can be funny, moody, caring, insightful, and in love had their own story to tell. Join Wes and June as they try to figure out their future without even knowing what to expect in the present in, <i>The Big Crunch</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My signed copy of <i>The Big Crunch</i> from the L.A. Time's Festival of Books! Thank you so much Pete Hautman!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Pete Hautman's website at <a href="http://www.petehautman.com/" target="_blank">www.petehautman.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-24879696972949876282012-06-12T12:43:00.003-07:002012-06-18T18:39:01.554-07:00Legend by Marie Lu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Legend</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marie Lu</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">G.P. Putnam's Sons</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4½ out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole world tilts as you lose your grip, sending you flying through the air. The wind whips your hair around as you scramble to find a purchase on the building. A windowsill, ledge, anything, that could slow your fall. But your hands only feel smooth glass, and you try to turn your body to shield your precious cargo. You came all this way, risked so much, you’re not about to lose it all now. With each passing second you descend a floor, getting closer to the ground. 3… 2… 1… impact. You try and roll as you hit the concrete, but all you can hear is the glass underneath your jacket clinking violently. Bruised and battered you run to the sewers, dragging your twisted ankle, leaving a trail in the dust. This is your last chance. Don’t mess it up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Day has lived a life of crime. At fifteen years old, he is already the Republic’s most wanted criminal. Living off the streets, no one knows quite who the mysterious juvenile is. His crimes have made a fool out of the Republic countless times, but other than that, has he really done anything wrong? Some say no. He’s never harmed anyone and his crimes are more akin to pranks than felonies. He gives the people hope. But the Republic is out to crush him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fed up with his crime spree, the Republic decides to send their newest recruit after Day. The bright, military prodigy June Iparis. Raised in a wealthy family, with everything at her beck and call, June is the perfect image of the Republic. Though she may have trouble following orders, there is one order June is determined to carry out: track down Day. After her brother, Metias, is murdered, all the clues point to the notorious Day. June wants nothing more than to avenge her brother’s death. But to do so she’ll have to go into the field and integrate herself into a world she has barely met. Will June capture Day and make him pay for what he has done? Or will June find out that there is more to Day than meets the eye? All is revealed in Marie Lu’s debut novel of two unlikely teens’ journey to realizing what it is they’re really up against in, <i>Legend</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Legend</i> takes the world as we know it, and hurtles it into the future, a place much like the one today. In a society with a huge rift between the poor and the wealthy, this is a book that takes a look at honor to oneself, versus honor to one’s country. Both Day and June must cross the line, and decide exactly what it is that they are fighting for. Told from alternating points of view, <i>Legend</i> gave me a thorough look at the lives that had been planned out for Day and June. I recommend this book for both boys and girls, who will both find something to enjoy with its healthy dose of action, and some romance on the side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">June and Day are from completely different worlds. In an unlikely string of events, the two end up being thrown together, without even realizing it. It’s through their interactions with each other that they learn more about themselves than they ever have before. The two don’t even realize who the other is, but that doesn’t affect their relationship at all. Instead I think it helped it. It was interesting to see how caring and compassionate they were to one another when they didn’t know their true identities. However, once they realized who they were, things changed. When June and Day were stripped of their backgrounds, and the lives set out for them, they became different people and were able to see past the illusion that obscured the true Day and June. They got a chance to get to know each other for who they are, and what it is that fuels their actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The world in which <i>Legend</i> is set is reminiscent of other dystopian books, but it still managed to stand out on its own. June and Day live in the Republic, which is ruled by the glorious Elector Primo. A society of have and have-nots, the elite live in grand apartments with every need taken care of, while the common citizens barely have enough to make it by. The Republic is at war with the mysterious Colonies, and the citizens are brainwashed to hate the Colonies. With JumboTrons that flash ads, electro-bombs that disable guns, and various sectors in which citizens live, the world of <i>Legend</i> felt both futuristic, yet very similar to today’s own society. Those living in the slums dealt with the same problems that people do today, and the wealthy had luxuries, but not many. One thing that was the same for both the poor and the rich was that at the age of ten, every child is required to take the Trial, which determines their education for the rest of their lives. Only one kid has ever gotten a perfect score, 1500, on it, and that was June. Overall, the world in <i>Legend</i> was immersive, but it would have been nice to have some things explained, such as the reasons behind the great rift between the Republic and the Colonies, and more history on their world in general.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Both June and Day tell their stories throughout <i>Legend</i>, which gave me a chance to see their world from both of their perspectives. The chapters alternate between Day and June, with different fonts and font colors respectively. The alternating colors and fonts didn’t bother me while reading, and reminded me of <i>The Neverending Story</i>, in which different font colors were used to symbolize reality, and the world of Fantastica. Although the changing fonts may bother some readers, I felt that it only added to the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Legend</i> is action-packed and introduced me to a dystopian world unlike any other. Deception, lies, and deceit surround Day and June’s lives, but somehow they are both searching for the truth underneath it all. Join June and Day as they reveal the startling reality that connects them in, <i>Legend</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">My signed copy of <i>Legend</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> from </span><a href="http://www.bridgetobooks.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #00a1d3; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bridge To Book's</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> YA In Bloom Event! Thanks so much Bridge To Books and Marie Lu!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Check out the <i>Legend </i>website at <a href="http://www.legendtheseries.com/" target="_blank">www.legendtheseries.com</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Check out Marie Lu's website at <a href="http://www.marielu.org/" target="_blank">www.marielu.org</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-82278484628457349792012-06-05T22:33:00.006-07:002012-06-08T17:29:01.133-07:00I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xOorPRzb4G0/T87pwLzqudI/AAAAAAAABHU/-HgC4cMjTO8/s1600/I'll+Be+There.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xOorPRzb4G0/T87pwLzqudI/AAAAAAAABHU/-HgC4cMjTO8/s320/I'll+Be+There.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I'll Be There</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Holly Goldberg Sloan</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Little, Brown</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yuxt78uJmPY/T87qDknU75I/AAAAAAAABHc/P0qANAjp8zE/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yuxt78uJmPY/T87qDknU75I/AAAAAAAABHc/P0qANAjp8zE/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The hot and sweaty truck rattles on, as the town’s lights fade in the distance. The sky turns from a coral pink to a deep purple as you keep on driving from somewhere you were just starting to call home. Why is something you do so often, so hard this time? This move isn’t any different from the rest. Soon the town becomes nothing more than a speck on the horizon, but if you squint you can almost see everything you’re leaving behind. The memories, the long days, and the people. As soon as you open your eyes though, reality butts in. You stare until it all disappears, and with it so does your life. It’s time to start over. Again.</span></div></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sam and Riddle Border are no strangers to change. It’s about the only friend they’ve made, moving from city to city, as their criminal, psychotic father, Clarence, drags them along with him. Living out of stolen cars, RV’s, and vacant, run-down buildings, Sam does all he can to make sure that he and Riddle survive. They don’t go to school, but Sam and Riddle have had a different kind of schooling living on the streets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sam and Riddle only have each other, and that’s the way they’ve learned to survive. Sam looks out for his little brother Riddle, because if he doesn’t, who else will? But Sam learns that he and Riddle might not be all alone in the world after a chance encounter with a girl at a church. The girl’s name is Emily Bell, and she believes that every chance encounter is meant to happen. So what is meant to happen with Emily and Sam? Is Sam about to get the break that he didn’t know he was even waiting for? Holly Goldberg Sloan reveals all in her debut novel, about true connection between the most unlikely people in, <i>I’ll Be There</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I’ll Be There</i> captures the true essence of love and the bonds of family. After meeting Emily, Sam and Riddle’s lives dip into a world that they have never known before. Even against the odds Sloan’s characters manage to stay true to themselves. With stark writing and extraordinary circumstances, Sloan has created a book that both boys and girls will find something they can enjoy.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The characters in <i>I’ll Be There</i> were some of the most genuine that I have ever met. None of them are perfect, rather they are all flawed. However, they never stop staying true to themselves and protecting what is important to them. They all have solid values that they will never give up on. Their beliefs are what drive them forward even when there’s nowhere left to go. Despite all of their various connections, every character in <i>I’ll Be There</i> is still their own person. Sam and Riddle may be brothers, but they couldn’t be more different. Little things, such as Riddle’s obsessive nature with drawing the inner workings of things, or Sam’s caring disposition despite his seemingly secluded personality, make every character their own. I can’t wait to read more about these guys in Sloan’s continuation of <i>I’ll Be There</i>.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everyone is connected. That’s what seventeen-year-old Emily Bell believes, and her idea seems to be true, especially as <i>I’ll Be There</i> progresses. Whether it’s simply passing someone on the street or holding the door open for a stranger, you never know how that moment can change your life. When Emily first meets Sam no one could have foreseen that such an unlikely relationship would form between the two of them. Their destinies happened to intertwine simply without them realizing it. Some may call it fate, but our actions affect others more than we know. Told from multiple perspectives, it was interesting to see how simple actions could cause a domino effect, and have an impact on so much more than it would have seemed. Every chapter was a puzzle piece coming together to form the big picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sloan’s writing is both simple and complex. She gets right down to the bottom of things by describing the characters’ emotions clearly and stating things exactly as they are. In <i>I’ll Be There</i> Sloan strips things down to their bare form, and their natural beauty is breathtaking. She pierces straight to the heart of things in a way that tugs at your emotions and gets you to really feel. A word was never wasted throughout <i>I’ll Be There</i>, just as every single one of Sam’s actions was never for nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I’ll Be There</i> is extremely touching, and raw to the core. Sloan manages to peel back the layers of her characters to reveal who they truly are underneath it all. These characters shape their lives, and don’t let their circumstances dictate who they are. Join Sam, Riddle, and Emily as they show each other everything that they’ve been missing out on in, <i>I’ll Be There</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPD7MEDnpIQ/T87qf0FGZNI/AAAAAAAABHk/ZPVvzLrTMuY/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPD7MEDnpIQ/T87qf0FGZNI/AAAAAAAABHk/ZPVvzLrTMuY/s200/021.JPG" width="150" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My signed copy of <i>I'll Be There</i> from <a href="http://www.bridgetobooks.org/" target="_blank">Bridge To Book's</a> YA Rising Stars Event at Once Upon A Time Book Store! Thanks so much Bridge To Books and Holly Goldberg Sloan!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Holly Goldberg Sloan's website at <a href="http://hollygoldbergsloan.com/" target="_blank">www.hollygoldbergsloan.com</a>.</span></div></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-47505352178046040062012-05-01T00:01:00.000-07:002012-05-01T00:06:48.576-07:00(Sela Blog Tour) Tour Encore and Wrap-Up<div style="background: rgb(209,238,238); border-bottom: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-left: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-right: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-top: #6c7b8b 3px double; padding-bottom: 28px; padding-left: 28px; padding-right: 28px; padding-top: 28px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spring is here! Sadly with spring, the end of the <a href="http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/press_releases.html" target="_blank">Sela Blog Tour</a> is here as well. I am honored to be a part of this blog tour, and to be the closing stop. It has been an eventful ride, with book reviews, author interviews, guest posts, and giveaways along the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Sela</i> follows the story of one girl trapped in human form. Once a dragon, Sela is thrown into the unknown to fend for herself. As Sela journey's to find herself, she shapes her future as well. <i>Sela </i>continues the story of the dragons of the Leland Province, while exploring the ability to change. You can find my full review of <i>Sela </i><a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-by-jackie-gamber.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Below is a schedule of the stops on the tour with direct links, and some notable posts you may want to check out. The tour may be over, but you can still join in on the fun!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Sela Blog Tour Wrap-Up</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">March 27 <a href="http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/2012/character-interview-from-leland-dragon-series" target="_blank">Lisa's Book Reviews</a> (Character Interview)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">March 28 <a href="http://watchplayread.com/giving-wings-to-once-upon-a-time-why-you-should-read-fantasy-to-kids/" target="_blank">Watch Play Read</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">March 29 <a href="http://www.stuckinbooks.com/2012/03/sela-blog-tour.html" target="_blank">Stuck In Books</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">March 30 <a href="http://fadeintofantasy.com/character-interview-sela-by-jackie-gamber/" target="_blank">Fade Into Fantasy</a> (Character Interview) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">March 31 <a href="http://dragontargeseries.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ian's Realm</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 1 <a href="http://booksfromthepurplejellybeanchair.blogspot.com/2012/04/guest-post-by-jackie-gamber-author-of.html" target="_blank">Jelly Bean Chair Reviews</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 2 <a href="http://onceuponatime.jaedia.net/?p=5439" target="_blank">Once Upon A Time</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 3 <a href="http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/review-sela-by-jackie-gamber/" target="_blank">A Book Vacation</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 4 <a href="http://frellathon.com/2012/04/04/sela-by-jackie-gamber-tour/" target="_blank">Jess Resides Here</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 5 <a href="http://kaitlinmichelle.com/sela-by-jackie-gamber-review-and-giveaway/"><span id="goog_2130900313"></span>Soliloquy<span id="goog_2130900314"></span></a> (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Book Review and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giveaway [OVER]</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 6 <a href="http://www.vilutheril.com/?p=1160">Vilutheril Reviews</a> (Giveaway [OVER])</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 7 <a href="http://riteshkala.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/interview-with-jackie-gamber-author-of-the-leland-dragon-series/">Ritesh Kala's Book Review</a> (Author Interview)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 8 <a href="http://scifiguysbookreview.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-book-review.html">Sci Fi Guys</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 9 <a href="http://unputdownablebookies.blogspot.com/2012/04/guestpost-balancing-act-good-guys-vs_09.html">Unputdownable Books</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 10 <a href="http://edisbooklighthouse.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-blog-tour-like-moth-to-dragon.html">Edi's Book Lighthouse</a> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 11 <a href="http://www.workadayreads.com/2012/04/interview-jackie-gamber.html">Workaday Reads</a> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Author Interview)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 12 <a href="http://vampirekiss1967.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-blog-tour-with-jackie-gamber.html">Eva's Sanctuary</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 13 <a href="http://bmdimension.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-online-book-tour-from-vantage.html">Book and Movie Dimension Blog</a> (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Author Interview)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 14 <a href="http://www.babsbookbistro.net/blog/2012/04/sela-blog-tour-giveaway.html">Babs Book Bistro</a> (Book Review and Giveaway)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 15 <a href="http://azuredwarf.blogspot.com/2012/03/sela-by-jackie-gamber-giveaway-sequel.html">Azure Dwarf Horde of Fantasy and SciFi</a> (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giveaway [OVER])</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 16 <a href="http://fadeintofantasy.com/">Fade Into Fantasy</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 17 <a href="http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-blog-tour-author-interview.html">Reading Away the Days</a> (Author Interview)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 18 <a href="http://splashofourworlds.blogspot.com/2012/04/book-review-sela.html">Splash of Our Worlds</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 19 <a href="http://alisbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-blog-tour-giveaway.html">Ali's Bookshelf</a> (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giveaway [OVER])</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 20 <a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/">Sheila Deeth</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 21 <a href="http://daydreamingbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/book-review-sela.html">I Heart Reading</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 22 <a href="http://tigersallconsumingbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/guest-post-sela-blog-tour-writers-and.html">All-Consuming Media</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 23 <a href="http://www.spellboundbybooks.com/2012/04/sela-by-jackie-gamber.html">Spellbound By Books</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 24 <a href="http://www.onethriftygurl.com/2012/04/leland-dragon-book-series-sela-book.html">One Thrifty Gurl</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 25 <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-tour-sela-by-jackie-gamber-review.html">Evie Bookish</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 26 <a href="http://bookladysbooknotes.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/guest-post-by-jackie-gamber-author-of-the-leland-dragon-series/">Booklady's Booknotes</a> (Guest Post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 27 <a href="http://ellabellareviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-by-jackie-gamber.html">Ella Bella Reviews</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 28 <a href="http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2012/04/sheep-interview-jackie-gamber-sela-blog.html">I Smell Sheep</a> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Author Interview and Giveaway)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 29 <a href="http://hauntedorchid.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-tour-sela.html">The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia</a> (Book Review)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April 30 <a href="http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.com/2012/04/guest-post-and-giveaway-with-jackie.html" target="_blank">Darlene's Book Nook</a> (Guest Post and Giveaway)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">May 1 <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/sela-blog-tour-tour-encore-and-wrap-up.html" target="_blank">From The Bookshelf of T.B.</a> (special tour encore and wrap-up visit)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some highlights of the tour included:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span><a href="http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/2012/character-interview-from-leland-dragon-series" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Lisa's Book Reviews</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (Character Interview with Jastin Armitage): A character interview that captures the essence of the character Jastin Armitage, and gives you a glimpse into the history of the books. Jastin seems to come alive off of the page.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span><a href="http://www.stuckinbooks.com/2012/03/sela-blog-tour.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Stuck In Books</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (Guest Post on where Jackie Gamber's characters came from): An insightful guest post as to where Jackie gets her inspiration from, and how her characters become their own. Jackie compares her process to that of a kaleidoscope, and how her kaleidoscope "</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is always spinning, turning, exploring."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span></span><a href="http://frellathon.com/2012/04/04/sela-by-jackie-gamber-tour/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Jess Resides Here</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (Guest Post on how Jackie Gamber matches teas to go with her books): Jackie compares her books to teas, and pairs them up with the perfect fit in this interesting guest post. If you're a tea-lover, then this is definitely a post to check out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span><a href="http://riteshkala.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/interview-with-jackie-gamber-author-of-the-leland-dragon-series/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ritesh Kala's Book Review</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (Author Interview with Jackie Gamber): An in-depth interview with Jackie that talks about her writing process, and some of her favorite things about her books as well. A great post to get to know more about the author.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span><a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-tour-sela-by-jackie-gamber-review.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Evie Bookish</a> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Book Review of </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sela</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">): An enthusiastic review of </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sela </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that covers what the reader enjoyed and some memorable quotes too. A very detailed review, that will help you get a feel for the book if you have not yet read it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2012/04/sheep-interview-jackie-gamber-sela-blog.html">I Smell Sheep</a> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Author Interview and Giveaway) and </span><a href="http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.com/2012/04/guest-post-and-giveaway-with-jackie.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Darlene's Book Nook</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (Guest Post and Giveaway): If you missed the giveaways earlier in the tour, here's your chance to still win a copy of <i>Sela </i>and see what it is that everyone is talking about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you so much for stopping by as part of the <a href="http://seventhstarpress.com/documents/press_releases.html" target="_blank">Sela Blog Tour</a>! I hope you enjoyed the tour, and get a chance to stop by and visit some of the wonderful blogs that participated in the tour. Thank you so much to <a href="http://seventhstarpress.com/index.html" target="_blank">Seventh Star Press</a> and <a href="http://www.jackiegamber.com/" target="_blank">Jackie Gamber</a> for including me in the tour as well! Thanks again for stopping by!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out my full review of <i>Sela </i><a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/sela-by-jackie-gamber.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out my full review of book one in <i>The Leland Dragon Series</i>, <i>Redheart</i>, <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/redheart-by-jackie-gamber.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out my Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Jackie Gamber <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/interviews-with-authors-jackie-gamber.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
</div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-43666724495497433662012-04-30T23:01:00.003-07:002012-04-30T23:57:29.236-07:00Sela by Jackie Gamber<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3kyqafnntA/T5923bnj92I/AAAAAAAABGY/Z326dyQ2zEE/s1600/Sela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3kyqafnntA/T5923bnj92I/AAAAAAAABGY/Z326dyQ2zEE/s320/Sela.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Sela</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jackie Gamber</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seventh Star Press</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u02BS6iMRj8/T593Qr7VzGI/AAAAAAAABGg/1COlCAvxZo8/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u02BS6iMRj8/T593Qr7VzGI/AAAAAAAABGg/1COlCAvxZo8/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<em style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">Note: This review assumes that you have already read the first book in this series, Redheart. If you have not yet read Redheart then you may not want to read this review, as it will reveal key points from the first book. You can find my review of Redheart <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/redheart-by-jackie-gamber.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</em> <br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wind swirls around you, as you soar through the sky. Your scaly wings glint in the sunlight as you twirl in the air, enjoying your freedom. Suddenly, you start to fall towards the earth, sinking like a stone. The calm air now cuts through you, and your body feels as if it is compressing, getting smaller by the second. When you finally hit the ground with a thud, you open your clenched eyes, and look around. Everything seems fine. But as you try to get up on your paws, you look down and see fingers and toes instead of claws. Skin instead of scales. Two arms and two legs. An overwhelming fear envelops you, and you feel as if you are caged in, unable to escape. You’ve locked yourself in, but you don’t know the key to breaking free.</span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just by looking at her, you would never be able to tell. At a glance, she looks like a plain maiden, with sparkling green eyes. Nothing more special than anyone else. But underneath the mirage, there is something unique about Sela Redheart. She is a dragon… or at least, she used to be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sela is the heir to the throne of Mount Gore. Being the child of the leader of the Leland’s Dragon Council, Kallon Redheart, and his once human wife, Riza Redheart, Sela’s destiny is mapped out for her. Until she turns into a human. Sela doesn’t understand how or why she has changed, but ever since the transformation things haven’t been the same. No longer able to stay at Mount Gore in her human form, Sela is placed under the care of her grumpy, old uncle and wizard, Orman Thistleby. But all Sela longs for is to feel whole again, and find her place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the hope of not burdening her parents any longer, Sela runs away to the Esra Province where she gets caught up in more than she is ready for. Can Sela blend in with the humans, or will she be found out for who she really is? Old tensions and rumors are resurfacing, and Sela might just be at the center of it all. Jackie Gamber reveals all in her magical journey exploring the ability to change in, <i>Sela</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Sela</i> starts off with old friends and new faces. The sequel to<i> Redheart</i>, <i>Sela</i> picks up where <i>Redheart</i> left off. Only this time, instead of following Riza and Kallon’s adventures, readers get a chance to know their daughter Sela, who is thrown into the world, left to fend for herself. Mixing new with old, <i>Sela</i> has a familiar, yet fresh feel to it. I recommend this book for readers fourteen and up, as there may be concepts that younger readers may not understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trapped in human form, Sela must learn how to live all over again. Growing up sheltered her entire life, when Sela takes a risk to explore the unknown outside of her home, things don’t come as easily to her. She always seems to find herself in the thick of things. This reminded me of her mother Riza in <i>Redheart</i>, who was also always getting caught in sticky situations. It was interesting to get to witness Sela’s naivety, but also her understanding, wise way at looking at things. Having been a dragon gave Sela a different perspective in which she saw things. She got a chance to see things from both worlds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Old friends and foes are brought back in <i>Sela</i>, with some mysterious new ones as well. Sela doesn’t know who to trust in this new world. It was nice to get to see some old characters again, even if I did have trouble remembering them at first. The past intertwined with the present, causing new plots to arise. There was still unfinished business to attend to, and new problems to face. Sela got a taste of what her parents had to deal with, but she also got a chance to take on her own troubles as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Revisiting the Leland Province, and also being introduced to new parts of the land was a delight. Some things had changed since Kallon and Riza’s youth, but I could count on others to always be there. During Sela’s journey, those around her change as well, especially herself. Sela learns who she truly is, and finds her own place in the world. But it’s not over yet. I can’t wait to see Sela’s journey continue in the next book of <i>The Leland Dragon Series</i>, and how she deals with the trials coming her way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Sela</i> continues the story of the dragons of the Leland Province, and it is just as I remember. With its rolling hills, mountains, raging deserts, and mythical creatures at every turn, this is a book full of rich detail and changing times. Join Sela as she searches for her destiny, all the while shaping her future in, <i>Sela</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">*I received <i>Sela</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> from C.C. James of <a href="http://www.seventhstarpress.com/" target="_blank">Seventh Star Press</a> and the author, Jackie Gamber, in exchange for my honest review as part of the <a href="http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/press_releases.html" target="_blank">Sela Blog Tour</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Thank you so much C.C. James, Jackie Gamber, and Seventh Star Press!</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--g9j8XLySHY/T5-Ii42S7gI/AAAAAAAABHA/orrDI3UoFoI/s1600/Artwork+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--g9j8XLySHY/T5-Ii42S7gI/AAAAAAAABHA/orrDI3UoFoI/s320/Artwork+1.jpg" width="216" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yruTgPsHprk/T5-IjjYRiEI/AAAAAAAABHI/cLOgF3-Tgy4/s1600/Artwork+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yruTgPsHprk/T5-IjjYRiEI/AAAAAAAABHI/cLOgF3-Tgy4/s320/Artwork+2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Sela </i>also features artwork by Matthew Perry in the book.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out my review of book one in </span><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Leland Dragon Series</i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, </span><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Redheart</i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/redheart-by-jackie-gamber.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: right;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out my Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Jackie Gamber <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/interviews-with-authors-jackie-gamber.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Jackie Gamber's website at <a href="http://www.jackiegamber.com/" target="_blank">www.jackiegamber.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-25007622804444034082012-04-16T21:26:00.000-07:002012-04-16T21:26:22.855-07:00The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FDqtWA937S8/T4zpMEb9CmI/AAAAAAAABF4/plyfOelPbsY/s1600/The+Forest+of+Hands+and+Teeth.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FDqtWA937S8/T4zpMEb9CmI/AAAAAAAABF4/plyfOelPbsY/s320/The+Forest+of+Hands+and+Teeth.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Forest of Hands and Teeth</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Carrie Ryan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Delacorte Press</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
rattling and moans never stop. Coming
from all sides, the Unconsecrated slowly push their way in. You run from them through the rain, slipping
in the mud. Your foot catches on a root
and you go sprawling to the ground, cutting your knees. As you scramble to get up they close in
around you, and you can feel the fear bubbling up inside of you. It works its way up as a scream, that you let
loose like a wild animal. You swing at
the mass of bodies engulfing you, and you manage to clear an opening and push
your way back onto the narrow path, escaping them. Ahead of you is a fork in the path, and you
randomly take one, hoping it will lead you to a place without the constant
questions and fear that you experience every day now. Maybe that place doesn’t exist, and you’re
better off right back where you started.
There’s only one way to find out…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary
has lived with the din of the Unconsecrated scraping at the fences her entire
life. They’re always on the outside,
trying to get in. She knows not to get
too close, for fear of being infected. But
she can’t help but wonder. What is it
like on the other side? Is there more
than just an endless forest full of zombies that never cease to hunger for your
flesh? Mary yearns to visit the ocean
from her mother’s stories and find out what’s beyond her small village. Are the gates surrounding their tiny village
meant to keep the Unconsecrated out, or them in?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary’s
simple life isn’t enough. She wants
more. But the Sisterhood who controls
the village is set in their ways, and the villagers live in a monotonous
routine. Some find this life fulfilling,
but not Mary. Mary yearns to break free
of the confines of her suffocating village.
She lives off of the hope that there is more out there, that there is
more to life. Mary isn’t about to find
that out any time soon, unless she manages to escape. Will Mary choose to delve into the unknown,
risking it all for a hopeful dream? Or
will she live the rest of her life always wondering what could have been? Carrie Ryan reveals all in her stirring
novel, of one girl’s pursuit for the chance at a full life in, <i>The Forest of Hands and Teeth</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Forest of Hands and Teeth</i> never let up with the threat of the unknown that
lurked beyond the fences, and Mary’s own internal conflicts that plagued her
daily. After getting a taste of the
secrets that the Sisterhood holds, Mary can’t help but wonder what else they’re
hiding. She could have a chance at a
whole new life, if she’s willing to take the risks. Zombies, romance, and adventure pack the
pages of <i>The Forest of Hands and Teeth</i>,
filling it with completely unexpected turns.
I suggest this book for readers fourteen and up, as it can be intense at
times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
new world in which I was introduced to in <i>The
Forest of Hands and Teeth</i> constantly kept me guessing. I knew just as much as Mary did, and I
wondered if anything really was left.
After the Return, humankind faded away, and as far as Mary’s village is
concerned, they’re the only ones left.
The Sisterhood does all they can to keep the villagers inside the gates
and content with their lives. But they
can’t keep Mary from dreaming about what really is beyond her tiny gates, and
doubting the life that is planned for her in the village. With the Unconsecrated as a constant threat,
Mary has the fear of the unknown looming over her. Is risking it all really worth it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary
has a huge amount of conflict within herself.
She was never really satisfied with her life in the village, and she was
coming to an age where it was time to make a decision. Not only did she want to know more, but the one
she loved was promised to another. Mary
constantly debated whether she was being selfish or not if she went after the
things she desired. In the end she might
get the things she wanted, but she would hurt people who care about her along
the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At
times Mary’s journey felt like an endless search. Everything she did never led her to any
answers, and it was as if she was on a futile journey that would last until she
died trying. Mary’s conflict within
herself and her situation with her love interest tended to take over, where I
would have rather seen more of the physical obstacles that she struggled
against. Most of the things that she
faced in the environment on her journey were driven by the emotions she felt
inside of herself. It would have been
nice to have seen her act on her own instinct when the situation called for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Forest of Hands and Teeth</i> always asks what else could there be? Mary strives to answer that question as she
journeys to find what she’s always hoped was true. With a treacherous world and unanswered
questions, this book takes a dive into new territory. Join Mary, as she seeks more out of life, not
knowing what direction will lead her there in, <i>The Forest of Hands and Teeth</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My signed copy of </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The Forest of Hands and Teeth </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">from <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/ReadingItAll" target="_blank">Robyn Hawk</a> at the <a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/oc-childrens-book-festival-recap.html" target="_blank">Orange County Children's Book Festival</a>! Thank you so much Robyn Hawk and Carrie Ryan!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Check out Carrie Ryan's website at <a href="http://www.carrieryan.com/" target="_blank">www.carrieryan.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-49268739803688007252012-04-07T13:14:00.001-07:002012-04-07T13:16:33.230-07:00Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ULUpGTPw26s/T4CfUwSeyeI/AAAAAAAABFo/zH9OK_KMz_0/s1600/Revolution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ULUpGTPw26s/T4CfUwSeyeI/AAAAAAAABFo/zH9OK_KMz_0/s320/Revolution.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Revolution</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jennifer Donnelly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Delacorte Press</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bkUNuXGblcY/T4CfqxR3HJI/AAAAAAAABFw/Bf165zTvgi4/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bkUNuXGblcY/T4CfqxR3HJI/AAAAAAAABFw/Bf165zTvgi4/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grimy faces shout at you from all directions. They’re jeering at you, and snickering at what’s to come. You look around for help, but all you see is a dirty crowd, riled up for the killings. You’re to be beheaded for your crimes. You’re slowly led up to the guillotine, and you turn your head away, unable to take in the brutal death of those ahead of you in line. When you turn back around it’s your turn. Your head is lowered into the opening, and the crowd goes crazy. They know your blood is about to spill. The blade comes whooshing down and… you wake up. But part of you wishes you were still back in eighteenth century France, because you don’t fit in very well in the present.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Andi Alpers is an aspiring musician, music junkie, and also recovering from her little brother’s death. His name was Truman, but it hurts just to think of him. Truman’s death has consumed Andi, and has turned her into a bitter, angry person. She’s stuck in a rut of pain, and pops pills to distract herself from all the reminders of Truman. Andi doesn’t want to get over it. She wants to end it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the fear of dropping out and not graduating from her prestigious school unless Andi finishes her senior thesis, her father whisks her away to France over the winter break, hoping she will be forced to focus and get to work. All Andi wants to do is get back home to Brooklyn, and away from her father, who she can’t even have a conversation with without arguing. But when Andi finds an old journal from eighteenth century France, she’s dragged into the world of revolutions, kings, and a young prince. Will Andi be able to unlock the mystery behind the journal? Can Andi escape the past, and see just what she’s missing in the present? All is revealed in Jennifer Donnelly’s historical account of one girl’s tormented journey to happiness in, <i>Revolution</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Revolution</i> takes place in two different worlds with two girls whose stories intertwine. Andi looks to Alexandrine, the girl the journal belongs to, for hope and a way to find strength, while Alex needs Andi to tell her story. Switching between Andi’s life in the present, and Alex’s journal entries, <i>Revolution</i> weaves the mysteries and stories of the past and the present together. I recommend <i>Revolution</i> for older readers as it deals with drugs and topics that are mature for younger readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being a large book, <i>Revolution</i> can get tedious at times, mainly due to the main character Andi. In the beginning, Andi is so depressed and angry at everything and everyone, that it was too much for me to read. I got tired of reading about Andi feeling sorry for herself, and not doing anything to change her situation. It wasn’t until Andi stumbled upon Alex’s journal that things started to change. It takes a while to get to Alex’s journal, but once there things start to get interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alex’s journal transported me straight to eighteenth century Paris. With revolutions, and tense times, there was never a dull moment while reading Alex’s account of her time in Paris. Even though Alex was long dead, her journal kept her alive, and she was such a lively, exuberant character that I wish I got a chance to know her even more. She was a large part of the story, and truly spurred on Andi to do something about her life. Alex may have been in the eighteenth century, but I felt as if I knew her today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The vast extent of history and music in <i>Revolution</i> added greatly to the book, and really made it what it is. Alex’s journal accounts felt so real, and I learned so much about eighteenth century Paris that I never knew. It was a learning experience in both the past and the present. Andi’s passion for music was evident in the way she felt so strongly about it. Not only was her senior thesis about a composer, but music was one of the few things that she could still find joy in after Truman’s death. The modern and classic music, tied in well with the history to make the story feel authentic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Revolution</i> delved into the past, and looked at one young girl’s undying love for a young boy who suffered unjustly. Andi knew that feeling, and learned to move past the clouds and see the sun. Join Andi as she lives vicariously through Alex, and escapes from the past in, <i>Revolution</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Jennifer Donnelly's website at <a href="http://www.jenniferdonnelly.com/" target="_blank">www.jenniferdonnelly.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-58740629534418441662012-03-25T18:20:00.001-07:002012-03-25T18:20:49.860-07:00Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have by Allen Zadoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNDq5N-Fwb0/T2-9g4I9NJI/AAAAAAAABFI/6XEhhuoDL5s/s1600/Food,+Girls,+and+Other+Things+I+Can%E2%80%99t+Have.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNDq5N-Fwb0/T2-9g4I9NJI/AAAAAAAABFI/6XEhhuoDL5s/s320/Food,+Girls,+and+Other+Things+I+Can%E2%80%99t+Have.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Allen Zadoff</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Egmont</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K938pxGuYRM/T2-907zyosI/AAAAAAAABFQ/6lgjpGdrIdg/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K938pxGuYRM/T2-907zyosI/AAAAAAAABFQ/6lgjpGdrIdg/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4½ out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
stares bore into you from all directions like laser beams. It feels as if everyone is looking right at
you, judging you. How could they not,
you’re kind of hard to miss in the first place. You try to walk faster, but it’s difficult with
all of your fat weighing you down. It
feels as if you take up the entire hallway, and with every step the ground
trembles under your weight. You wish you
could just sit on everyone and crush them.
Then you wouldn’t have to deal with the names and cruel jokes that never
seem to end. But you know that’s not
going to work. So instead, you just take
a bite of your cookie, and keep on walking…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At
307 pounds, Andrew Zansky is the second heaviest kid at Newton High
School. It doesn’t help that his mom is
a caterer as well. With food always at
his disposal, Andrew finds it difficult to commit to losing weight. His size 48 pants never seem to fit, and he’s
sick of avoiding gym class at all costs.
But one girl changes all of that.
Andrew is now a sophomore in high school, and with a new year comes big
changes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her
name is April. That’s all he knows the first
time he meets her. It’s at one of his
mother’s catering events, and she seems to appear out of nowhere as Andrew
noshes on his mother’s mini creations.
In those few minutes of chatting with her, Andrew can’t stop thinking
about her. To Andrew’s surprise, April
is the new girl at Andrew’s school this year.
If Andrew wants to get the girl, he’s going to have to move fast. Faster than ever before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After
getting saved by the legendary O. Douglas, the quarterback and most-popular guy
at school, Andrew knows exactly what he needs to do. He can lose the weight and become popular all
at once by joining the football team.
But will Andrew be able to change completely in order to commit to his
new lifestyle? Is Andrew meant to be
popular, or will he always be “that fat kid?”
Allen Zadoff reveals all in his humorous story of one boy’s journey to
reinvent himself inside and out in, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food,
Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t
Have</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> had me laughing out loud and
giggling to myself at Andrew’s unique look on life. I got a chance to see his struggles and his
triumphs as he did all he could to accomplish what he thought it was that he
really wanted. Taking your typical high
school kid, author Allen Zadoff makes him come alive with personality and real
emotions. I recommend </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
for any teens out there (boys and girls alike) looking for a read that will
help them find themselves.</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t
Have</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> goes on the list of one of the
funniest books I’ve read. The witty
lines here and there throughout the novel are so unexpected at times. Andrew had a sarcastic, yet truthful outlook
on his weight. He didn’t lie about his
body or try to kid himself. He knew that
he was overweight, and he wasn’t shy about calling himself fat. That’s not to say that he was happy about
it. Andrew’s comical take on the
situation made the book an enjoyable read, that had me laughing along, rather
than a book that was bogged down by Andrew’s issues and him feeling sorry for
himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At
times the high school setting in </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food,
Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> felt clichéd. There was the typical popular guy, the geeks,
the girl, and the guy trying to do everything he could to get noticed. Despite feeling like any other book that
dealt with your everyday high school teens, this was a book that also dug
deeper and got into the emotions behind the trivial, petty fights that go on
between teens. Being in high school
myself, I could relate extremely well to the things that go on in a teen’s
life. Things such as just feeling like
you have to have a group to fit in with, or someone to walk to class with might
not seem like much at the time, but the little things that go on in high school
certainly do make a difference.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Andrew’s
story became so much more than just a boy trying to get the girl. As he climbed up the social ladder and experimented
in new social circles, he realized just what it was that he was missing. But he didn’t necessarily like everything he
saw. With the higher status came drama,
and he slowly realized that not everyone was who they appeared to be. In the end, this became Andrew’s journey of realizing
exactly what it was that </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> wanted,
and not what everyone else thought he did.</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t
Have</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> takes a regular teen and delves
into the inner workings and struggles of day-to-day high school life. Fitting in, and finding a place to belong
resonate throughout this book as Andrew gets a taste of the different
possibilities school has to offer. Join
Andrew as he does all he can to shed the pounds, and gain the confidence to get
what he wants in life in, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food, Girls,
and Other Things I Can’t Have</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MzpxBTxl5sU/T2_BzcnmDWI/AAAAAAAABFY/N3x8zHwtTa4/s1600/Signed+Food%252C+Girls%252C+and+Other+Things+I+Can%25E2%2580%2599t+Have.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MzpxBTxl5sU/T2_BzcnmDWI/AAAAAAAABFY/N3x8zHwtTa4/s200/Signed+Food%252C+Girls%252C+and+Other+Things+I+Can%25E2%2580%2599t+Have.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My signed copy of <i style="text-align: justify;">Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> from Bridge To Book's <a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-chromosome-why-boys-do-love-books.html" target="_blank">The Why Chromosome: Why Boys Do Love Books</a> event! Thank you so much Allen Zadoff!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Check out Allen Zadoff's website at <a href="http://www.allenzadoff.com/" target="_blank">www.allenzadoff.com</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-85334384969380039542012-03-18T20:26:00.000-07:002012-03-18T20:26:53.154-07:00Midnighters: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a3tgEwNgLM8/T2al9y6_S4I/AAAAAAAABE4/g78eZtTiNks/s1600/Midnighters-+The+Secret+Hour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a3tgEwNgLM8/T2al9y6_S4I/AAAAAAAABE4/g78eZtTiNks/s320/Midnighters-+The+Secret+Hour.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Midnighters: The Secret Hour</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Scott Westerfeld</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eos</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UFYz5XVE7RY/T2amnxXQRNI/AAAAAAAABFA/TJFKHbZZVW4/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UFYz5XVE7RY/T2amnxXQRNI/AAAAAAAABFA/TJFKHbZZVW4/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tick tock. It’s starting. You glance over at your clock, midnight, just as usual. The second, minute, and hour hand are all frozen in time, pointing straight up to the number twelve. They’ll be like that for quite some time. For an hour to be exact, giving you more than enough time to splash in the raindrops that dot the sky, or walk around as if you were the only one left on Earth. But there are many things that inhabit the secret hour. You are not alone. The original nightmares are still alive and well, and they want to play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jessica Day is the new girl in Bixby, Oklahoma. Moving from the windy city of Chicago, the small town life of Bixby is completely different. With the stressful move, advanced classes, and new town, things are going to take some time to get used to. Luckily, Jessica has an extra hour to do just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first time it happened, Jessica didn’t know quite what was going on. She assumed it was just some dream. However, with the help of her mysterious new friends, she learns that it was no dream… it was real. Jessica is one of them, the ones they call “Midnighters.” Every night when the clock strikes midnight, time stops. Whether someone was driving home, or sleeping in their bed they are frozen for an hour. The twenty-fifth hour. While the rest of the population is stopped in time, the Midnighters and the creatures of the night come out, and it’s not pretty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Jessica came to town, the dark creatures that inspire nightmares left the Midnighters alone. But Jessica’s arrival is stirring up creatures older than time itself. With the help of the other Midnighters, Jessica must do her best to adapt to her new life, and figure out what her power is. Will Jessica be able to survive the extra hour, or will she die trying? All is revealed in Scott Westerfeld’s heart-stopping tale of one girl’s fight against arcane forces that lurk in the shadows in, <i>Midnighters: The Secret Hour</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Midnighters: The Secret Hour</i> takes place in the darkest hours of the night, and gives off a vibe of unfathomable creatures and unimaginable possibilities. There is a constant air of mystery, as the Midnighters don’t know what exactly they’re dealing with. Caution to those who dare to read this book in the wee hours of the morning. I tried to read this at midnight, but I ended up saving it for the safety of the daylight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beauty of having the world to yourself for an hour was both a blessing and a curse. There were moments where Jess saw how lucky she was to experience the simple joys that few got the chance to. The first time Jess experienced the secret hour she splashed in the frozen rain, with raindrops suspended in the middle of the air. When the leaves were blowing in the wind, with just a touch of her finger she could set them falling to the ground again. However, Jess also had to live a nightmare over and over again, as she raced from beasts that were very real despite how dreamlike the entire thing was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The interesting mix of magic, lore, and powers, made <i>Midnighters: The Secret Hour</i> unique. The secret hour had its own set of rules that I learned along with Jess. Only “new technology” could hurt the creatures that inhabited the secret hour, such as steel, as they had grown accustomed to things such as fire. The number thirteen, and multiples of thirteen, also repelled the beasts. The Midnighters also learned that tridecalogisms, thirteen letter words, held power as well. The laws of the secret hour gave it a feeling of both arcane power mixed with modern technology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jess wasn’t quite like the other Midnighters. Many of the other Midnighters were sensitive to sunlight, and were the outcasts of the school. Throughout <i>Midnighters: The Secret Hour</i> I didn’t get to know some of the Midnighters very well, but my favorites would be Dess, who has a knack with numbers and a sarcastic, dry humor, and Jonathan, who was an easygoing troublemaker with a constant craving for food. Though these teens had extraordinary powers and had to deal with more than the average teenager’s problems, there were times when I was reminded that they were still just kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The secret hour in which the Midnighters thrived in was so unique, that I wish I had gotten to learn even more about it throughout the book. It was difficult to learn all there was about the mysterious twenty-fifth hour, as the Midnighters themselves didn’t know everything there was to know. Also, there was a sense of secrecy, and not all of the Midnighters got along very well, so everything wasn’t always put out there. It felt as if the Midnighters were running blindly from something they didn’t even understand. Hopefully I’ll learn more about the Midnighters’ strange predicament in book two of the trilogy, <i>Midnighters: Touching Darkness</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Midnighters: The Secret Hour</i> was both strikingly beautiful but also terrifyingly menacing. The Midnighters have to face daunting creatures that want nothing more than to get rid of them, all the while trying to blend in and live some type of “normal” life. Join Jess as she tries to discover the secrets of the twenty-fifth hour in, <i>Midnighters: The Secret Hour</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Scott Westerfeld's website at <a href="http://scottwesterfeld.com/">www.scottwesterfeld.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-24391665072049793862012-03-11T19:51:00.002-07:002012-03-11T19:54:44.382-07:00Ghost Medicine by Andrew Smith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Ghost Medicine</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Andrew Smith</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Square Fish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4½ out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Smoke curls around you, forming a curtain of cloudy gray. As the breeze clears it away, the stars come back into view, as do your friends sitting across the fire. They’re smiling, and you feel the ends of your straight mouth picking up and curving into one as well. This may be your last summer as boys. This may even be your last summer together, but you know that what you have right now is worth it. As you lean your head back against your hands and readjust your feet propped up against the rocks, a feeling of complete bliss envelops you. You don’t know quite what you were searching for, but you know that this is it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Troy Stotts, better known to his friends as Stottsy, has grown up most of his life riding horses, wearing loose pants, and having a mother. That all changes after Troy’s mother dies. Now Troy doesn’t know what to do with his life, and nothing is quite the same. To escape from it all, Troy goes up into the mountains with his trusty steed, Reno. Troy doesn’t know how long he has been living in an abandoned shack by the river, until Luz, his best friend and secret crush, comes to bring him back. But Troy never thought he’d be coming back to these mountains so soon… and yet leave so much behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Things start to slip into a routine for Troy as he starts working at the Benavidez Ranch. His days are filled with chores, yet he always has his friends by his side. Tom Buller, Luz Benavidez, and her little brother Gabe, are making this a summer to remember. Nights spent around the bonfire, days full of riding in the sun, nothing could make this summer better. But there are things that can make it worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sheriff’s son, Chase Rutledge, has always been a constant bully in Troy and his friends’ lives. After Chase steals the boys’ clothes while they’re swimming in the river, it’s not a game anymore. The days of meaningless pranks are over, being replaced with threats and the chance that one day Chase will go too far. Will the summer to remember turn into a summer that they just want to forget? All is revealed, in Andrew Smith’s debut novel about three boys’ being forced to grow up in,<i> Ghost Medicine</i>!</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> captures the long days and endless nights of summer as Troy and his friends do all they can to spend it together. With the dusty feel of living life on a ranch, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> hints at things that are much more than they first seem. With lives lost, the blossoming of opportunities, and much more yet to come, this is a book that will transport you to a new scene for a while. I suggest </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for older teens as it deals with some mature topics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was Andrew Smith’s first novel and after reading both </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Marbury Lens</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stick</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> by him as well, it was interesting to get to see how much his writing has evolved and grown over the years. To me, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> felt like a toned down version of Andrew Smith, and it was as if I was just dipping my toe into the water of his work. Elements that can be found in his other books, could be first seen in </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, such as how certain lines are repeated throughout the story, thrown in at the perfect moments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">I’ve noticed that in his most recent work, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Stick</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">, Andrew can get across the same feeling that he does in all his novels, but in much less words. He can word things in such a way that I feel the same amount of impact in one sentence, rather than a paragraph. After reading </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">, it’s evident that with time he has become much better at showing rather than telling. I can take away the same message from his books, and do so in much less time now than ever before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">I enjoyed Andrew’s descriptions immensely in </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">, as I got a chance to feel as if I was right there riding on Reno, or in the mountains fishing in the river. You never know exactly where </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"> takes place, except for the fact that it’s in the rural countryside. Troy’s home became my getaway. If there is a place like the one where Troy and his friends live, I hope I get to live there myself one day. The lazy feel of living in the country, and the fact that every day was a new adventure would be a nice change from the daily grind of school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">The bonds of friends and brothers are always shown throughout Andrew’s books. Troy, Tom, and Gabe weren’t just friends, they were like brothers. They were extremely close, and always knew just what the other needed. Out of all of Andrew’s characters, this trio of boys would receive the award for true friendship if there was one. They understood each other on such a deep level, that they were closer to one another than they were to their own families even. Over the course of the book, I came to know each of them just as well.</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"> takes an ordinary summer, and turns it into an extraordinary one filled with love, regret, and the risk of never turning back. A tragically real telling of a coming-of-age story, I could expect nothing less from Andrew Smith. Join Troy, Tom, Gabe, and Luz as they choose their path and take off in different directions in, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ghost Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My signed copy of <i>Ghost Medicine</i>! Thank you so much Andrew!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Andrew Smith's website at <a href="http://www.ghostmedicine.com/Ghost_Medicine/Ghosts.html">www.ghostmedicine.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-72322858570356377082012-03-03T09:56:00.001-08:002012-03-03T09:57:10.955-08:00The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Secret Life of Bees</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sue Monk Kidd</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Penguin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An insistent humming fills the air. As she gets nearer, it’s as if she can feel the vibrations in the air. She can’t believe how all those tiny, delicate wings can come together to create a noise that demands her attention in such a way. Everywhere she looks there are bees, and more bees. They swirl in the air, lazily cutting through the thick, summer heat. They appear to be so free, doing whatever they please. Sometimes Lily wishes she could sprout wings and fly through the air just like them. Maybe she can, just without the wings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lily Owens has lived her entire life as a question. It’s the summer of 1964, and Lily is now fourteen years old. She’s had to go through more than any fourteen-year-old should. All Lily has ever wanted is to have a mother who could help her navigate the treacherous waters of growing up. Instead all she has is her abusive father T. Ray, who she isn’t even comfortable with calling Daddy. Her father constantly puts her down, and her regular punishment is being forced to kneel on uncooked grits for hours at a time. It’s time for Lily to find some answers, and she knows she won’t be getting any here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After being attacked while with her African American nanny, Rosaleen, Lily decides that she has had enough. She sneaks Rosaleen out of the hospital, and the two set off to Tiburon, South Carolina. They go in search of answers, but what they find is much more. Will Lily ever be able to escape her past and find out where she truly belongs? All is revealed in Sue Monk Kidd’s empowering novel about the power of mothers and just how strong a bond of love can be in, <i>The Secret Life of Bees</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Secret Life of Bees</i> follows the journey of one girl searching for what she thinks she needs most in her life, only to find what she never knew she was even missing. With a historical, Southern setting, and told from Lily’s unique perspective, <i>The Secret Life of Bees</i> feels entirely real. A story with true heart, this book is a great read for any teen out there who is trying to find themself. I suggest this book for older teens, as it deals with extreme racism, and language not suitable for younger readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reading <i>The Secret Life of Bees</i> from Lily’s perspective truly made the journey feel all the more relatable. I could connect with Lily on an emotional level, and it was easy to feel her frustrations and her sorrow. At times it may have felt that Lily was whining and wallowing in self-pity, but when I really saw the big picture, I probably would have handled myself in the same way Lily did. Lily also looked at life in such a unique way, that there was never a dull moment. At the start of the book, Lily has already been through so much, that she has a very mature outlook on life. It’s almost as if there is an old soul inside of her, and it was a pleasure to get to watch her find that within herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The everlasting bonds of love were truly shown throughout the book, and it helped me see how anyone can change their lives if they wish to do so. You can do anything as long as you have that web of support that your family and loved ones provide. The people that Lily encounters along the way are amazingly kind and caring, such as the beekeeping sisters that Lily stays with. Though they might not have all welcomed Lily at first, they soon grew on each other, and showed what love is all about. It doesn’t matter what race you are, your sexuality, or what your past is, love is love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hence the name of the book, in <i>The Secret Life of Bees </i>bees played a large role. At first, they were merely a means for Lily to dream of escaping her father’s clutches. They were something she dreamed of becoming. However, later on they came to mean so much more than that. Not only were bees a meaningful symbol for Lily, but at the beginning of each chapter, there was also an excerpt that explains a certain aspect of the life of bees. These little excerpts foreshadowed what was to come, and always related to what took place in the chapter. Who knew bees and humans were so much alike?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Secret Life of Bees</i> takes a look at life in the 60’s and how one young girl is surviving through the intense racism of the time. Full of love, this is a book that shows both the good and the bad of Lily Owens’ journey to find herself. Join Lily, as she flits from flower to flower to find her own hive in, <i>The Secret Life of Bees</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Sue Monk Kidd's website at <a href="http://www.suemonkkidd.com/">www.suemonkkidd.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-7062589307507104882012-02-13T21:16:00.001-08:002012-02-13T21:18:17.791-08:00The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Future of Us</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Razorbill</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3½ out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Welcome!</i> You are now on the internet. It’s your first time, and the year is 1996. You can hear the soft, insistent whirring of the America Online CD-ROM as it spins in your CD tray. A new message appears on your computer screen, and you can’t hide your excitement, as you hear, “You’ve got mail.” The internet is the latest innovation, and you get to be one of the first to use it. Your computer hums and crackles, and the vast possibilities of being online are just a click away. But with one click of the mouse, what if your future were to change along with it? <i>Click…</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emma and Josh have been next-door neighbors and best friends their entire lives. They’ve grown up alongside one another, but that all changed when Josh read things the wrong way. Now Emma and Josh barely see each other, let alone speak to one another. But if anything can bring the two together, it’s the internet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When Josh brings over an America Online CD-ROM with 100 free hours for Emma’s new computer, more than what they expected comes along with it. Emma is shocked and bewildered to discover a little website called Facebook when she logs on. The only thing is, Facebook hasn’t even been invented yet, and what she’s seeing is definitely not taking place anytime soon, but fifteen years into the future. All Emma and Josh can do is watch their lives play out before their eyes, but they don’t necessarily like what they see on the screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Emma and Josh learn more about their future selves, they also realize that they have a certain amount of control over their futures. It is <i>their</i> lives after all. But as Emma and Josh tinker with the mysterious workings of Facebook, not all the changes are for the better, some of them are worse, far worse. Facebook is showing them things that they never could have imagined and don’t quite know how to fix. Is Facebook here for good? Will Emma and Josh be able to take control of their futures before they get out of hand? All is revealed in Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler’s futuristic story of two teens’ trying to navigate their own lives in, <i>The Future of Us</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Future of Us</i> mixes old and new to open up a window into a world of possibilities. Things were constantly changing as Emma and Josh updated their statuses in the future, and struggled to cope with the changes in the present. Set in 1996, it’s difficult to envision a time when the internet consisted mainly of sending emails and instant messages. I suggest <i>The Future of Us</i> for older teens, as it does deal with some mature topics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Future of Us</i> dealt with changes in both the future and the present, all the while opening up seams in the fabric of Emma and Josh’s lives. Emma and Josh slowly realized that they had a certain amount of control over their own futures, and that they could dictate their own lives. However, the more and more they obsessed over the future through Facebook, the less they lived in the here and now. In a way I felt that <i>The Future of Us</i> spoke to our current generation as well, and that its time to step away from the computer before we miss out on what truly matters in the world around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facebook played a large role in the story of <i>The Future of Us</i>, but Emma and Josh’s relationship with one another was an underlying storyline as well. Everything Emma and Josh did stemmed from what they saw on Facebook, but their actions also came from their feelings for one another. It was nice to have more to look forward to than just the time Emma and Josh spent on Facebook. Emma and Josh’s complicated relationship with one another, and their playful banter made <i>The Future of Us</i> a light, fluffy read compared to Jay Asher’s previous novel, <i>Thirteen Reasons Why</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was interesting to see how decisions that Emma and Josh deliberately or accidently made in their present affected their futures in such a minute or drastic manner. They could go from changing what they ate for dinner, to creating entire new lives for themselves. The two of them were playing with fire, and they had to be careful not to get themselves burned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being born in 1997, it was hard for me to imagine what it was like living in 1996, even though it wasn’t too different from our own lives today. It would have been nice to see even more instances of that time period throughout the book to make it feel more authentic, but it helped me relate to Emma and Josh’s situation even more, as I could identify with their surroundings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Future of Us </i>is a light, romance that also deals with living in the here and now. With seamlessly blended writing and a combination of old and new, this is a story that will get them thinking about what really matters in life. Join Emma and Josh as they navigate the World Wide Web and click through their futures in, <i>The Future of Us</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading</span>!<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Jay Asher's website at <a href="http://jayasher.blogspot.com/">www.jayasher.blogspot.com</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Carolyn Mackler's website at <a href="http://carolynmackler.com/Carolyn-Mackler-Home-Page.asp">www.carolynmackler.com</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-7418406287968558752012-01-25T20:56:00.000-08:002012-01-25T20:57:22.510-08:00Dust City by Robert Paul Weston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JRkJpxKv9xM/TyDcD4qliOI/AAAAAAAABDM/d4rY5SUX1jg/s1600/Dust+City.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JRkJpxKv9xM/TyDcD4qliOI/AAAAAAAABDM/d4rY5SUX1jg/s320/Dust+City.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Dust City</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Robert Paul Weston</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Razorbill</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wd1WRiu0kNg/TyDcT6Hw65I/AAAAAAAABDU/WF76S8wJhC0/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wd1WRiu0kNg/TyDcT6Hw65I/AAAAAAAABDU/WF76S8wJhC0/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The effects can be deadly. Even worse than death. Everyone’s hooked on it, despite what it can do to you. Humans, wolves, ravens, foxes, pixies, and more can’t seem to get enough of it. Some will kill just to experience the delicious fantasies that the dust holds just beyond their reach. But what the dust gives never lasts. All it does is takes, and takes, and takes… until there is nothing left. Henry knows how that feels, and he’s about to take back what the dust stole from him his entire life. So start running, because the son of the Big Bad Wolf is coming.</span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fairydust, or dust as it is more commonly known, has hurt Henry more than it has helped him. Dust is what took his mother’s life and sent him to the St. Remus Home for Wayward Youth in the first place. Now Henry is stuck here with nowhere to go. Being in a home for animal delinquents isn’t exactly helping Henry’s image either. Being the son of the Big Bad Wolf, everyone expects him to follow in his father’s paw prints. But Henry isn’t about to live up to that fairytale any time soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When Henry gets the chance to escape from St. Remus, he’s thrown into the corrupt world of Dust City, where under-the-table deals and black market trades are an everyday thing. Once Henry starts to realize that everything is not as it seems, he starts to question his father’s crime. Could it have all been a set up?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the help of his new friend, the daring she-wolf, Fiona, Henry begins to dig deeper into the many folds of Dust City. He immerses himself into the world of crime, lies, and deadly dust that his father came from. Will Henry ever be able to prove his father’s innocence? It’s no longer fun and games, but the real deal. Is Henry getting himself into more than he can handle? All is revealed in Robert Paul Weston’s grim look at the truth behind the fairytales in, <i>Dust City</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Dust City</i> combines the innocent fairytales of our childhood with a harsh slap of reality and weaves them into a story that blends into our modern times. Weston’s illustrative and vivid writing sets the scene for a unique look at what really goes on behind the curtain of seemingly flawless fairytales. In the Dust City that Henry knows, there is no “happily ever after.” I recommend <i>Dust City</i> for older teens as it deals with the much darker side behind the fairytales that we know and love.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Weston’s dark and haunting writing couldn’t have been better for the tone of <i>Dust City</i>. He knew just how to show off the dark alleys and murky crevices that made up Dust City. Weston told it as it was, and didn’t sugarcoat things by presenting the reader with a false reality, like the fairydust does to its users. I was able to get an incredibly clear image of not only what Dust City looked like, but what really goes on underneath the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also noticed that the title of every chapter seems to have a double meaning. Many times the title can be found within the chapter, but after finishing the chapter, the title can suddenly mean so much more than at first glance. To me this was reminiscent of how the fairydust and the entire dust industry in <i>Dust City</i> is much more than it seems. Everything always needs to be examined further, and not looked at what it is said to be, but what it really is.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The world of <i>Dust City</i> felt part fantasy, yet also very realistic. Dust City felt like it could be any large, metropolitan city in America, yet it had fairytale substitutes to take the places of many everyday things instead. The landscape and structure of how things were run in the city felt very familiar. You had the humans who lived in Eden, above the city in luxury, similar to the rich and influential living in the towering skyscrapers of New York City, out of touch with the harsh realities those below them face. On the other hand there were the fantasy creatures and animals that were struggling to make it by, resorting to dust to delude themselves of their own realities, in the same way that there are those living on the streets with barely anything to call their own. Dust City felt very real and within reach compared to our own modern day society.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I loved getting the chance to see the fairytales that I have read so many times before play out in <i>Dust City. </i>There were many little side stories that were reminiscent of the classic fairytales, and I couldn’t help but be fascinated as they took off in different directions than I would have ever had thought. <i>Dust City</i> reminded me of an older version of the <i>Sisters Grimm</i> series by Michael Buckley, which I enjoyed very much when I was younger as well. Hopefully I’ll get to see Henry’s story and that of his friends continue in a sequel!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Dust City</i> transported me into a world that paralleled our own, and had me question everything I thought I once knew about the fairytales. Filled with action and mystery, Robert Paul Weston will take you on a wild ride that you never saw coming. Join Henry as he travels the perilous streets of Dust City and huffs and puffs his way to exposing the truth in, <i>Dust City</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Robert Paul Weston's website at <a href="http://robertpaulweston.com/">www.robertpaulweston.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-87363701708187475652012-01-17T18:00:00.000-08:002012-01-17T18:02:24.050-08:00Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vD41thUhXVs/TxPGManvu2I/AAAAAAAABC4/pjst-eXfIIA/s1600/Destiny%2527s+Fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vD41thUhXVs/TxPGManvu2I/AAAAAAAABC4/pjst-eXfIIA/s320/Destiny%2527s+Fire.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Destiny's Fire</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Trisha Wolfe</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Omnific Publishing</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZtn93SXBdY/TxPGgs8R2KI/AAAAAAAABDA/j1po8yTiRQA/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+3.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZtn93SXBdY/TxPGgs8R2KI/AAAAAAAABDA/j1po8yTiRQA/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+3.5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3½ out of 5 stars</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An electric blue charge spills out of your fingertips, crackling and twisting its way across the room. Tendrils of it spiral up your arms, spreading a cooling sensation across your body. The intense blue throws a glow of light around you, making you seem as if you are some powerful god. You pull your arm back and carefully take aim. You forcefully hurl the bolt of energy towards the target and as it flies through the air you know you’ve made it. You don’t miss, you never miss. But suddenly you lose control and you begin to shift. You know you’re not ready for this, but as the panic builds, there’s nothing you can do to stop what has already begun. Ready or not… the time is now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dez has grown up knowing she is nothing like the other Shythe. No matter how much she tries to blend in, she knows she will never be fully accepted by any of them. They just don’t know it yet. The measures that Dez and her mother have taken have held so far, but they won’t for long. Dez’s seventeenth birthday is almost here, and that means that she will have to go through the change… whether she likes it or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being Shythe, Dez is expected to receive the power Charge, once she goes through her change. All Shythe do, and it is then that they can send bolts of electric blue power through the air, and shift into their true Kythan form. There were once more, but now there are only two races of Kythans, the Shythe and the Narcolym. The Kythans are shape-shifters, the descendants of ancient guardians who used to watch over Egyptian pharaohs. Now the Kythans’ main goal is to assist humans with their powers. However, the Narcolyms are out to do just the opposite.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the Narcolyms moving into town permanently, tensions are rising and the peace between the two races is wearing thin. The Shythe and Narcolym have harbored feelings of contempt and hatred for too long to put it all aside because of one peace treaty. Not all of the Shythe agree with the two races becoming one, including Dez and her friends. Why are the Shythe and the Narcolym being forced to get along? Will this reveal Dez’s secret sooner than she would have ever thought? Trisha Wolfe reveals all in her electrifying tale of one girl’s journey to do what’s right not only for her people, but herself as well in, <i>Destiny’s Fire</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Destiny’s Fire</i> mixes steampunk inventions with supernatural powers that creates a thrilling combination in a world that is full of old and new. I got the chance to get a glimpse into Dez’s extraordinary life. There was never a dull moment and I never knew when something would come along to change the game. With a healthy dose of romance and a side of action, <i>Destiny’s Fire</i> is sure to immerse any older teen into the world of Haven Falls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ability that the Kythan’s possess was both intriguing and mysterious. I found myself wishing I could shoot out bolts of Charge or sparks of Flame as I read along. The fact that the Narcolyms were moving into Haven Falls gave me the opportunity to witness both the Shythe and Narcolym powers. I’m curious to see where the Kythans acquired their powers from originally, and hopefully more of their history will be revealed in book two!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The world in which <i>Destiny’s Fire</i> is set in is both familiar and alien. I was constantly amazed at how the Kythans blended in with the humans and even ran inventions on their own powers. The Kythans had a world of their own that the humans weren’t even aware of. The mix of steampunk and fantasy worked well together as Haven Falls had a futuristic, yet vintage feel to it. Girls wore corsets, yet motorbikes ran on steam. It was interesting to see how the Kythans lived in this world that I hadn’t quite seen before.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tension between the Narcolyms and Shythe played a big role in how things were handled between the two races. Dez and her friends despised the Narolyms, yet Dez came to know one of them, Reese, very closely. She was never quite sure if he could be trusted, even though there was a peace act in place. The distrust between the two races kept things interesting as the story progressed, and I was never quite sure if things could really get better between the two of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At times I wondered quite how the Kythans lived alongside the humans, and how they still helped the humans in this modern era. I felt as if I was given a glimpse into the Kythan’s world, but was never really fully in it. There were details that I would have like to have seen worked out or have learned more about. I look forward to learning more in the sequel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Destiny’s Fire </i>presents a unique mix of old and new with a dash of fantasy that makes it unique. With the Narcolyms here to stay, Dez and her friends are no longer safe in their own homes, but they never realize just how much danger they’re in. Join Dez, as she searches for answers to her past and what is yet to come in, <i>Destiny’s Fire</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading</span><span style="font-size: medium;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">*I received <i>Destiny's Fire</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"> from Julie of <a href="http://ataleofmanyreviews.com/">A Tale of Many Reviews</a> and the author, Trisha Wolfe, in exchange for my honest review as part of the <a href="http://atomrbookblogtours.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/destinys-fire-blog-tour/">Destiny's Fire Blog Tour</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;">. Thank you so much Trisha, Julie, and Omnific Publishing!</span> </div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can't wait to read more about Dez and her friends? Check out my Destiny's Fire Blog Tour post, Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Trisha Wolfe to enter to win an e-book copy of <i>Destiny's Fire</i> and a bookmark! The giveaway ends January 22, and you can enter <a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/destinys-fire-blog-tour-interviews-with.html">here</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Trisha Wolfe's website at <a href="http://www.trishawolfe.com/">www.trishawolfe.com</a>.</span></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-80051631092432785492012-01-10T17:51:00.000-08:002012-01-10T18:15:48.766-08:00(Destiny's Fire Blog Tour) Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Trisha Wolfe + Giveaway!<div style="background: rgb(209,238,238); border-bottom: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-left: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-right: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-top: #6c7b8b 3px double; padding-bottom: 28px; padding-left: 28px; padding-right: 28px; padding-top: 28px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new year has begun! And to start the new year off today we have Trisha Wolfe, author of<i> Destiny's Fire</i>, stopping by as part of the <a href="http://atomrbookblogtours.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/destinys-fire-blog-tour/">Destiny's Fire Blog Tour</a>! Trisha took the time to talk to us about what it is like being an author and where she got the inspiration for her novel. <i>Destiny's Fire </i>follows the story of Dez, a shape-shifter who lives in the futuristic, steampunk world of Haven Falls. Dez has a secret about her powers, and with tensions running high it will be harder than ever for her to keep her secret hidden. Dex must not only do </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">what’s right for her people, but herself as well in, </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: transparent;">Destiny’s Fire</i><span style="background-color: transparent;">! Look for my full review of <i>Destiny's Fire</i> coming soon!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">I now give you, Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Trisha Wolfe!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue;">Don't forget to keep reading to win an e-book copy of <i>Destiny's Fire</i> and a bookmark as well!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Talk With Trisha Wolfe</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Author of <i>Destiny's Fire</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By T.B.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1) </b>What prompted you to start writing your debut novel Destiny's Fire?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What prompted me? Hmm, two failed novels LOL After book two got shelved, I sat down with pen and paper and started hammering away at new ideas. I figured one of these days, agents and publishers would have to stop telling me "no" if I just kept bugging them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2) </b>Why did you decide to go the steampunk route in your book, and feature Victorian-style clothing and machines set in a futuristic world?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I read a lot of short stories online, as I’m a short story author, too, and I love the fantasy e-zines. They issue a lot of Steampunk. So…I said, what the heck. I’ll give it a shot. But, there were certain aspects of the traditional Steampunk genre that I didn’t relate to personally. And I felt girls and young women wouldn’t either. I thought long and hard about things that interested me, and then I started developing the world around my characters that I already had established. The reason why I went for a futuristic setting rather than the Victorian era, was because I wanted to really make it different than the traditional, and with that, be able to make the paranormal aspect more believable. And honestly, it just felt right. When I started writing, the characters spoke modern. So, there ya go lol.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kndQiNkkheU/Twzha0v__VI/AAAAAAAABCY/PNcP5H6dxC4/s1600/Destinys+Fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kndQiNkkheU/Twzha0v__VI/AAAAAAAABCY/PNcP5H6dxC4/s320/Destinys+Fire.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3)</b> Did you have to do any research to shape the Kythans, descendants of the ancient guardians who watched over the pharaohs, and the steampunk setting of Destiny's Fire?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, yeah. But believe it or not, most of what I have in my notes for the Egyptian ancestry won’t be revealed until book two. Book one was about establishing the world, characters, and letting Dez’s power be known. Most of my research will be used to take the characters and world to a new level as the characters discover more about themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As for most of the guardian stuff and setting, I made it up. It’s all fiction. Well, obviously, or else I’d be moving to a city where I can ride around on a hover-bike. For the devices, I researched a lot of Steampunk inventions. YouTube is great for that! Then I just turned them into devices that could operate on the Kythan’s power rather than steam.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4)</b> Dez and her friends felt like real teens that I could meet today. Did you do anything special to make your characters feel so realistic?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aw, thank you! I’m so glad that you feel they’re relatable. That’s important to me. I wish I was some intellectual writer that could talk about channeling their characters and making charts, and whatever else awesome authors do. But really, I just write. I start at the top and work my way down. The characters talk to me in my head (Yes, I could be considered crazy) and I just have fun with them. They are very much three dimensional people to me. Sometimes I feel I don’t do them justice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5)</b> While writing Destiny's Fire was it difficult to keep a balance of both romance and action to keep the story interesting?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great question. And yes. Very much so. I get really carried away in the romance department. It’s not even a joke. I have to rein myself in all the time. There were actually scenes that got deleted even before DF went out to my critique partners. I really wanted the romance to be the subplot, but I felt like maybe Dez had to deal with some things before she could move on to the bigger stuff in book two. I don’t argue with my characters. They know better than</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6)</b> Being a mother, business owner, and an author, when do you find time for your writing?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just you saying that makes me squirm LOL Hmm. I don’t clean. When I go into writer mode, everything else just doesn’t matter. The dishes stack up, the laundry goes unfolded, and yes, I do feel bad about that. But something has to give and it can’t be the business. I don’t think I could write from my car or where I’d have to live if I couldn’t pay my mortgage. So the cleaning is what has to go while writing. And honestly, living with two guys (teen son and hubby) it’s never clean no matter how much I do. They don’t notice either way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7)</b> When did you realize you wanted to be an author and write for a living?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know the exact moment. I was fourteen, and I’d just finished reading INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice. I closed the book, stared up into space, and said, “I want to be an author.” And then I ran to my local Indie bookstore and bought a copy of EB White’s Elements of Style. I wrote a lot of poetry and short stories in HS. Then I took a long break in my twenties. I got busy with college, getting married, and having a kid. When the dreaded 30 marker started creeping up, I panicked, and decided it was time to get busy trying to fulfill the dream or hate myself on my death bed. Yeah, I’m a drama queen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8)</b> Are you working on any other projects at the moment?</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-phTsx_lJiU4/TwzqvPvwC0I/AAAAAAAABCw/uXf7CpTdDi4/s1600/Unveiled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-phTsx_lJiU4/TwzqvPvwC0I/AAAAAAAABCw/uXf7CpTdDi4/s200/Unveiled.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just completed book number four, which is a Dystopia/Historical, and ties in to my short story UNVEILED. It’s tentatively titled FIREBLOOD, and my agent takes it on submission the third week of January. And, I’ve started the sequel to DESTINY’S FIRE. I’m looking to complete the rough draft in the next three months. But there’s no release date at this point. I promise to post that info as soon as I get it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I’m also tossing around a Sci-Fi idea for a novel I want to complete before the year’s end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>9)</b> Do you believe that the Kythans could be living among us and blending in with humans today, or possibly in the future?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I believe, with all honesty, that there are things we don’t see in this world. Whether we’re not able, not connected enough to the strange, or because we’re not ready as a species. So yes, they or something very similar, could be hanging out tossing fireballs and electrocuting people now, or very soon. I hope this will all my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10)</b> Lastly, what advice would you give to any young readers who someday wish to become recognized authors?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don’t take no for an answer. Never. Keep writing, and read, read, read! Read until your eyes bleed, then read some more. Write a book. Read another 200 books, and then write another book. Keep doing that until you write the book that’s “IT”. And then, when you sell that bitch, shake your butt and run around your house naked screaming. Run outside and tell your neighbors that think you’re a creepy hermit to suck it. This is absolutely what I did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions Trisha! I really love how you re-worked what you knew about the steampunk genre to make it fit for your story and be more relatable to readers. I definitely think it worked! I can't wait to see how all of your research comes into play in book two. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and your upcoming books as well! Thanks again for being kind enough to stop by as part of the Destiny's Fire Blog Tour. I hope you enjoyed reading the interview and this is, Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Trisha Wolfe!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look for my full review of <i>Destiny's Fire </i>coming soon!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Interested in more Interviews With Authors? Check out my Interviews With Authors page </span><a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/p/interviews-with-authors.html" style="color: #00a1d3; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;">here</a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">, to find more exciting interviews!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: blue;">Don't click away just yet! Keep reading to find out how you could win an e-book copy of Destiny's Fire and a bookmark as well!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Can't wait to get your hands on <i>Destiny's Fire</i> now? Well thanks to Julie from <a href="http://ataleofmanyreviews.com/">A Tale of Many Reviews</a>, who set up the tour, Trisha, and Omnific Publishing you can win an e-book copy of <i>Destiny's Fire</i> along with a bookmark!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Now here are the rules:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">-You must be 13 years of age or older</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">-E-book giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">-Destiny's Fire Bookmark is open to US ONLY!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">-Giveaway ends January 22, 2012</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't forget to stop by the final stop over at <a href="http://ataleofmanyreviews.com/">A Tale of Many Reviews</a> on January 18 for your chance to win the grand prize giveaway! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You could win:</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-juTjqYPcFOs/TwzorbJai-I/AAAAAAAABCo/CNRRRBS5UIc/s1600/Egyptian+steampunk+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-juTjqYPcFOs/TwzorbJai-I/AAAAAAAABCo/CNRRRBS5UIc/s200/Egyptian+steampunk+necklace.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kndQiNkkheU/Twzha0v__VI/AAAAAAAABCY/PNcP5H6dxC4/s1600/Destinys+Fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kndQiNkkheU/Twzha0v__VI/AAAAAAAABCY/PNcP5H6dxC4/s200/Destinys+Fire.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-An Egyptian/Steampunk Necklace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-A Print Copy of <i>Destiny's Fire</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-A <i>Destiny's Fire</i> Bookmark</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-A Signed Bookplate</span></div>
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<a href="http://atomrbookblogtours.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/destinys-fire-blog-tour/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-taJk0A1Ah4I/TwzmLcrkKlI/AAAAAAAABCg/kfwwoUq-dTg/s320/DestinysFireARCTourBanner.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't forget to check out the other stops in the Destiny's Fire Blog Tour, where you can read reviews, excerpts, interviews, and enter giveaways!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can find the Destiny's Fire Blog Tour schedule <a href="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=123154">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Check out Trisha Wolfe's fan page on Facebook to see what's coming next for Dez, Reese, and Jace, and keep up with the latest news! You can find her Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-Trisha-Wolfe/294987897218248">here</a>.</span></div>
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</div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-66349981392204352762012-01-03T23:32:00.000-08:002012-01-03T23:34:36.887-08:00On A Dark Wing by Jordan Dane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H8jKWJmTj78/TwP52Cyl2lI/AAAAAAAABBs/3BdxEPjlvJs/s1600/On+A+Dark+Wing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H8jKWJmTj78/TwP52Cyl2lI/AAAAAAAABBs/3BdxEPjlvJs/s1600/On+A+Dark+Wing.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">On A Dark Wing</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jordan Dane</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Harlequin Teen</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yJA728EIT98/TwP6K5OxlLI/AAAAAAAABB4/BvjifH5y_Sg/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yJA728EIT98/TwP6K5OxlLI/AAAAAAAABB4/BvjifH5y_Sg/s1600/Gold+Stars+-+4.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 out of 5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At first there was just one. Then, suddenly more appear. They fill the sky, blocking out the setting sun and, cloaking the landscape in shadow. Swarms of them beat their wings in a horde of majestic beauty that you can’t tear your gaze away from. The squawking fills the air, fixing the din of their caws inside the crevices of your brain. As they come closer, you can make out their beady, black eyes that follow your every move and their matted wings that cut through the air. They surround you in a constantly moving cage of feathers, trapping you in. The ravens are here, and he has come with them.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Abbey Chandler wishes for nothing more than to get the chance to rewind time and get her mother back. If only Abbey hadn't stopped for some Cheetos, if only she hadn't missed the bus, if only she had thought about someone else for once. Abbey’s nightmares are filled with “if only’s” that she wishes she could take back. After all, if Abbey hadn't done any of those things, her mother would still be alive. In Abbey’s eyes the car accident should have never happened. Little does Abbey know that on that fateful day, she met Death.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that was five years ago.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now Abbey focuses on surviving high school and monitoring her secret crush, Nate Holden.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, life gets a great deal more complicated when Abbey takes her yearly trip with her father to their cabin in Alaska.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every year Abbey and her father take a trip to their old cabin where they all used to spend vacation together as a family, before Abbey’s mother died.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now the trip symbolizes a time to reminisce and mourn the loss of Abbey’s mother.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However this year is different.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Abbey is shocked when her long-time crush, Nate Holden, arrives, surprising Abbey on her trip.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only problem with this dream come true, is that Nate is supposed to be on an expedition, scaling the face of Mt. Denali.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How can he be in two places at once?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Death is visiting Abbey once again, but will it cost the lives of those she loves?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will Abbey choose to live in her fantasy, or reality?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All is revealed in Jordan Dane’s deadly tale of one girl’s journey to let go of the past, before it’s too late in, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dealing with the trials and hardships of coming to terms with a loved one’s death, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> takes a look at the concept of death from a whole new perspective.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There was a healthy dose of both romance and the supernatural, creating a balance between the two that seemed fitting.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recommend </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for older teens looking for a read that holds much more than just your typical romance story.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The way in which </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> dealt with what “death” is and how it can consume a person really got me thinking.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This book definitely had a deep message to convey, and did so in a way that got the reader to rethink their own ideas of the concept of “death” and what exactly that word means.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was interesting to see Death as a character, and how he strived to “feel,” just like all of the souls that he carried away once could.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Death became much more than just what happens to someone once their life ends, and turned into an entity of its own.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every single one of the characters in </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> were fully formed, and while reading, I felt that I could run into any of them in my lifetime.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jordan Dane does an amazing job of building up her characters, and giving every one of them a backstory.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her characters are more than just a name, but plausible people as well.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got to not only see their outside façade, but peel back the layers and take a look inside of them as well.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tanner, Abbey’s best friend, had his own unique personality and there was much more to him than meets the eye.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I even got to read in-depth about characters such as Death and Abbey’s father, which helped make the story feel all the more real.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Told from multiple perspectives, it was interesting to get a chance to read about not only Abbey’s, but also Tanner, Nate, and Death’s journeys, as they each struggled to overcome their own hurdles.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I loved getting the chance to read about Nate climbing Mt. Denali and the beauty that he got to witness, but also the harsh challenges of the elements that he faced.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, the different points of view helped me get a better grasp about what was going on in the story and seeing the big picture come together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At times things felt drawn out, and it was taking longer than necessary for things to move on in the story.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, it tends to go by quickly when descriptive scenes of the Alaskan landscape come up.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was hard not to lose myself in the beautiful snow-capped mountains and frost covered forests.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> digs deeper to reveal the hidden secrets of Death and what it can all set into motion.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Taking on challenging topics, that many teens can relate to, this is a book that knows how to work its way into you.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Join Abbey as she conquers her past and realizes what she has in the present in, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">*I received <i>On A Dark Wing</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"> from Trisha of <a href="http://yabound.blogspot.com/">YA Bound</a> and the author, Jordan Dane, in exchange for my honest review as part of the <a href="http://yabound.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-tour-schedule-on-dark-wing-by.html">On A Dark Wing Blog Tour</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;">. Thank you so much Trisha, Jordan, and Harlequin Teen!</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Want to read even more about Abbey and her experiences with Death? Check out my On A Dark Wing Blog Tour post, Interviews with Characters: A Talk With Abbey Chandler from <i>On A Dark Wing</i> <a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-dark-wing-blog-tour-interviews-with.html">here</a>.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Check out Jordan Dane's website at <a href="http://jordandane.com/">www.jordandane.com</a>.</span></span></div></div></div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-73428788723048990232011-12-30T10:22:00.000-08:002011-12-30T10:23:42.888-08:00(Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour) Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Julia Crane + Giveaway!<div style="background: rgb(209,238,238); border-bottom: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-left: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-right: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-top: #6c7b8b 3px double; padding-bottom: 28px; padding-left: 28px; padding-right: 28px; padding-top: 28px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and Happy (almost) New Year! Today we have Julia Crane, author of <i>Coexist</i>, book one in the Keegan's Chronicles series with us today as part of the <a href="http://www.ataleofmanyreviews.com/index.php/2011/12/excerpt-grand-prize-coexist-keegans-chronicles/">Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour</a>! Julia was kind enough to answer my questions about her experiences as an author and many magical elements in her book. <i>Coexist</i> takes place in the modern world, but really it is inhabited with magical creatures. Keegan, is just one of them, as she is an elf. However, little does Keegan know that she is about to meet the love of her life and be the center of a war between the creatures of the light and the dark. Look for my full review of <i>Coexist </i>coming soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now without further ado, as part of the Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour here is, Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Julia Crane!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't forget to scroll down to win an e-book copy of <i>Coexist </i>as well!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">A Talk With Julia Crane</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Author of <i>Coexist</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1)</b> Where did you get the idea to write your debut novel, Coexist?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think the idea has always been in the back of my mind. Years ago, my husband told me he had a dream about a big elf battle. Which was strange because he never recalls his dreams. When I was halfway finished with Coexist, I remembered that. I figured it was always in my subconscious. Also, growing up I was always teased about having elf ears and coming from an Irish family. We heard many stories about sprites.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2)</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I've read that you used to write frequently as a child. Did you always know that writing is what you wanted to do?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not really. I was one of those kids that changed my mind on a regular basis. However, I always got my ideas from books. I wanted to be a detective like Nancy Drew, a spy, geologist, anthropologist etc... I've always loved reading and getting sucked into the stories.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3)</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Is it difficult to put into words what you envision in your head as you describe characters and scenes?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, it can be. I don't usually have trouble with the big picture, but the smaller details I really have to be conscious to show and not tell.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I tried to think of a creature that had not saturated the market.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5)</b> In Coexist, the elves have various powers such as invisibility, healing, and teleportation. If you were an elf, what power would you like to have the most, and why?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmm, I have always wanted to be able to read minds.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6) </b>Coexist is told in multiple perspectives, alternating between characters. Was it difficult at times to not give too much away, yet still give the reader enough to keep them interested?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me, it was the only way I could tell the story and get out as much information as needed. I've heard most people find it easier to write in first person - that is not the case for me at all. I really struggle with first person for some reason.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7) </b>What has been the most difficult challenge being a self-published author?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finding a good editor.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8)</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Can you tell us a bit about what you are currently working on?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm working on a spin-off to Keegan's Chronicles which will be called "Anna"; I'm also co-writing a novel with Nolia McCarty; and in 2012, I plan to work on a witch series.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9)</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Do you believe that there is a possibility that mythical creatures exist in our day-to-day lives, as they do in Coexist?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, anything is possible.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10) </b>Lastly, what advice would you give to any young readers who someday wish to become recognized authors?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I LOVE hearing from readers who hope to someday become authors. My advice would be to write and don't stop. Life likes to get in the way, but don't allow it. Even if it just means keeping your own personal journal. Read tons, and watch people pay attention to the little details.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you so much for stopping by as part of the Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour, Julia! Great reasoning on your part for why you chose elves to be the main fantasy creature in your story. It was definitely very interesting to read about them! If I could choose a power to have, I would have to go with super speed if that's even a power. That way I could sprint to the front of the lunch line! I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series! Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions and for stopping by as part of the Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour! That's all for this Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Julia Crane!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look for my full review of <i>Coexist </i>coming soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interested in more Interviews With Authors? Check out my Interviews With Authors page <a href="http://ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/p/interviews-with-authors.html">here</a>, to find more exciting interviews!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't click away just yet! Keep reading for a chance to win an e-book copy of <i>Coexist</i>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Itching to read <i>Coexist</i> after that interview? Well, thanks to Julia and Julie from <a href="http://ataleofmanyreviews.com/">A Tale Of Many Reviews</a> for providing a copy, you can win an e-book copy of <i>Coexist</i>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now here are the rules:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">-You must be 13 years of age or older</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">-You DO NOT have to be a follower to enter, but following is always appreciated!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">-Giveaway ends January 2, 2012</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">To enter all you have to do is simply fill out the Rafflecopter from below. Good luck!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.ataleofmanyreviews.com/index.php/2011/12/excerpt-grand-prize-coexist-keegans-chronicles/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gUvHjZ6vgzM/Tv37R-dS0HI/AAAAAAAABBg/v92xUJwy-7o/s320/Keegan%2527s+Chronicles+Book+Tour+Banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't forget to check out the other stops in the Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour, where you can read reviews, excerpts, interviews, and enter giveaways!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can find the Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour schedule <a href="http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=116229&type=basic">here</a>.</span></div>
</div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-33708807535690449622011-12-21T12:19:00.000-08:002011-12-21T12:29:06.103-08:00(On A Dark Wing Blog Tour) Interviews with Characters: A Talk with Abbey Chandler<div style="background: rgb(209,238,238); border-bottom: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-left: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-right: #6c7b8b 3px double; border-top: #6c7b8b 3px double; padding-bottom: 28px; padding-left: 28px; padding-right: 28px; padding-top: 28px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The holidays are almost upon us! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Abbey Chandler, from <i>On A Dark Wing</i> by Jordan Dane, as part of the <a href="http://yabound.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-tour-schedule-on-dark-wing-by.html">On A Dark Wing Blog Tour</a>. Abbey was kind enough to answer some questions about her experience with Death and how she copes without her mother. <i>On A Dark Wing </i>follows Abbey as she tries to escape Death's clutches once again. Five years ago Abbey cheated Death, but now he's back to take her secret crush, Nate Holden, as well. </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On A Dark Wing </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">takes a look at the complexities of the concept of death, and spins them into a beautiful tale full of love, letting go, and new beginnings. Look for my review of <i>On A Dark Wing </i>coming soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now in honor of the On A Dark Wing Blog Tour, I give to you Interviews With Characters: A Talk With Abbey Chandler!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And don't forget to find out how you could win a Kindle Fire at the bottom of the page!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">A Talk With Abbey Chandler</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From <i>On A Dark Wing</i> by Jordan Dane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By T.B.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1) </b>If you could change one thing about the day your mother died, what would it be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Only one?</i> The easy answer is—I would never have missed that damned school bus. If I had a groundhog day and could do something different, I would’ve faked being sick and stayed home from school. Or I could have resisted the urge for a Pepsi and Cheetos and quit being such a junk food addict, but wishing for a do-over has been pure torture and it never changed anything. I like to think that I eventually would have been smart enough to realize that, but after years of nightmares where nothing ever changed and my mom died over and over—I only felt worse about what I did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Death had been the smart one, not me. I love you, mom…</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">always</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2) </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you ever think you will be able to see ravens in the same way again?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ravens look scary. Have you ever stared at one, for real? They got those beady black eyes that look dead. It’s like they know something you don’t. I mean, there’s got to be a reason that Poe wrote about them to scare people, right? That’s how I felt about ravens before. Now when I see one, I think about my first kiss. </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gawh!</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Guess that’s another reason I’m weird.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3)</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before meeting Death, would you have ever believed that beings such as spirits were possible?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don’t think of Death as a spirit. Not really. Whatever it means to have a soul, I believe he has one, like all of us do. He just doesn’t have a body, unless he borrows one and takes it for a spin. How amazing is that? And if what he showed me is real, what else is out there that we can’t see?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first time I saw the boy made of clouds and sky, he felt more like a powerful energy force. I should have been afraid of him, but I wasn’t. He made the pain and my shivering go away. I thought I’d dreamed him. It’s hard to explain, but the instant I took his hand he made me feel connected to…everything, like I was important and really mattered. I felt…loved. I tried to explain this to Tanner. He said he totally got it, but I’m not sure I can ever find the words to describe how at peace I felt. I didn’t feel alone either. The day of the accident, I really wanted to go with that boy—stay with him—but my mother’s voice shook me. She made me afraid again—</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for her</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. I used to be scared of dying, but now, not so much. I just got things I wanna do before that happens, you know?</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4) </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When your secret crush, Nate Holden, showed up on your mountain and kissed you—i</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">n the back of your mind, did you have a feeling that his sudden interest in you seemed too good to be true?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Guess I was delusional to think some great perfect guy could actually have an interest in me, huh? But if Robert Pattinson, Liam Hemsworth or Alex Pettyfer came up to you and kissed you, I bet you’d let him do it without asking ‘</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">why me</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,’ wouldn’t you? I had to know what it felt like to be a regular girl with a guy who actually wanted to kiss her. Is having a crush with a movie actor so different from the fantasy I had over a guy in my school? I guess I have to say that I never thought anything real would happen with Nate. Yeah, when he kissed me, I probably should have freaked more or questioned what happened, but I just…couldn’t. I held onto that moment—just for me—until I had to let it go. Was that wrong?</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5) </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are there days where you wish you could see your mother one more time and get a chance to say goodbye? If so, how do you deal with those days?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Death gave me something very special. It’s too personal to talk about online, but I feel closer to my mom than I ever did before. I can’t explain what happened. All I know is that a mother’s love is a powerful thing and not even Death can stop it. I actually feel my mom sometimes, when I least expect her. Maybe she’s always with me. (Gawd, I hope she doesn’t come with me in the bathroom or see me naked in the shower.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But on days when I need to feel her with me, sometimes I look through our family photo albums or wear some of her old clothes. And I can’t eat a roasted marshmallow without feeling her with me. Is that crazy? I hope not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you so much for stopping by as part of the On A Dark Wing Blog Tour, Abbey! If any one of those stars that you mentioned threw himself at me, I definitely wouldn't protest! Death really helped you become at peace with your mother's passing, and that's something that is so nice to see. I agree, I have so many things I want to do before my time comes! I'll definitely keep an eye out next time I see a raven, so I can let you know what I think! Again, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Abbey! Don't forget to stop by the other stops on the tour for some fun prizes! That wraps up this interview. This was Interviews with Characters: A Talk With Abbey Chandler!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look for my full review of <i>On A Dark Wing </i>soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interested in more interviews? Check out my Interviews with Authors page <a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/p/interviews-with-authors.html">here</a> to find more exciting interviews!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't click away just yet! Keep scrolling down to find out how you could win a Kindle Fire!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As part of the On A Dark Wing Blog Tour Jordan is giving away a Kindle Fire to one lucky winner! All you have to do is go to the On A Dark Wing Tour Page <a href="http://yabound.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-tour-schedule-on-dark-wing-by.html">here</a> and enter the Rafflecopter form on the page.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, ten blogs will be giving away SIGNED hardcover copies of <i>On A Dark Wing</i> by Jordan Dane, as part of the tour, along with a secret gift from yours truly, Abbey Chandler! To enter visit the participating blogs and fill out their Rafflecopter entry form.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winners will be announced at the LIVE chat with Jordan Dane on January 5, so keep your eyes open for that and make sure to mark your calenders! More info on the chat will be coming soon.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't forget to check out the other stops of the On A Dark Wing Blog Tour where you can read reviews, excerpts, interviews, and enter giveaways as well!</span></div>
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<a href="http://yabound.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-tour-schedule-on-dark-wing-by.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OO_5mkAb3GU/TvI9OUUGZgI/AAAAAAAAA_0/YsyPYAo-uQs/s400/DarkWingBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://musingsfromatoz.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-tour-on-dark-wing-by-jordan-dane.html?showComment=1324328798860#c3768891228711435434" target="_blank">Musingsfromatoz.blogspot.com</a> <o:p></o:p>: Dec. 19 – Review</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/2011/12/on-dark-wing-tour-stopquote-battle.html">Chapter-by-chapter.com</a> : Dec. 19 –Quote Battle (Tanner VS Death)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://everafteresther.blogspot.com/2011/12/character-interview-tanner-from-on-dark.html">Everafteresther.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 19 – Character Interview (Tanner)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_913809161">Redhousebooks.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 19 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://cubicleblindness.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-dark-wing-by-jordan-dane.html">Cubicleblindness.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 20 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.avidreadermusings.com/">Avidreadermusings.com/</a> : Dec. 20 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://abeautifulmadness.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-on-dark-wing.html">Abeautifulmadness.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 20 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-tour-on-dark-wing-arc-by-jordan.html?showComment=1324386051615#c6528346341973364354" target="_blank">Behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 20 – Author Interview<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-tour-on-dark-wing.html" target="_blank">Theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 20 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/">Ftbotbblog.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 21 – Character Interview (Abbey)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.stuckinbooks.com/">Stuckinbooks.com/</a> : Dec. 21 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.basiasbookshelf.com/">Basiasbookshelf.com</a> : Dec. 22 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://rhireading.blogspot.com/">Rhireading.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 22 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bookbriefs.blogspot.com/">Bookbriefs.blogspot.com/</a> : Dec. 22 – Review & Dream Cast<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://jlwylie.wordpress.com/">Jlwylie.wordpress.com/</a> : Dec. 22 – Parody Questions (Jordan Dane)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://booktwirps.com/">Booktwirps.com</a> : Dec. 23 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://fantasysink.blogspot.com/">Fantasysink.blogspot.com/</a> : Dec. 23 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/">Frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 23 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bookish-delights.blogspot.com/">Bookish-Delights.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 24 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://roroisreading.blogspot.com/">Roroisreading.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 24 – Review</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Onceuponatwilight.com</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> : Dec. 26 – Review</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://fiktshun.com/">Fiktshun.com</a> : Dec. 26--Review </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mochalattereads.blogspot.com/">Mochalattereads.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 26 – Author Interview<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bookstothesky.com/">Bookstothesky.com</a> : Dec. 26 – Guest Post (Character Tweets)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sarahsbookslife.blogspot.com/">Sarahsbookslife.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 27 – Guest Post Death Becomes You - The Concept of Afterlife in “On a Dark Wing”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://twochicksonbooks1.blogspot.com/">Twochicksonbooks1.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 27 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://safaripoet.blogspot.com/">Safaripoet.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 28 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sarahliveslovesreads.blogspot.com/">Sarahliveslovesreads.blogspot.com/</a> : Dec. 28 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thetravelingreader.wordpress.com/">Thetravelingreader.wordpress.com</a> : Dec. 28 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.whatsyourthoughtonthat.blogspot.com/">Whatsyourthoughtonthat.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 28 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thefairytalenerd.com/">Thefairytalenerd.com/</a> : Dec. 29 – Character Interview (Death)(Death may make an appearance. Fingers crossed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://zoeysuncreativelytitledblog.blogspot.com/">Zoeysuncreativelytitledblog.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 29 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://kfwwriters.blogspot.com/">http://kfwwriters.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 29 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/">Lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 29 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bookyurt.com/">Bookyurt.com</a> : Dec. 30 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://speedyreader-allthingsbooks.blogspot.com/">Speedyreader-allthingsbooks.blogspot.com</a> : Dec. 30 – Guest Post(My Alternate Universe. IT COULD HAPPEN!) Includes book excerpt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bookswithbite.net/">Bookswithbite.net</a> : Dec. 31 – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thebookcellarx.com/">Thebookcellarx.com</a> : Dec. 31 – Guest Post(Music for ON A DARK WING) Includes book Excerpt & Special Surprise for Comments <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ashleysuzanne.com/">Ashleysuzanne.com/</a> : Jan 2 – Author Interview<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.xpressoreads.blogspot.com/">Xpressoreads.blogspot.com</a> : Jan. 2 – Review</span></div>
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</div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843960750472345528.post-49851829550593043512011-12-03T00:03:00.001-08:002011-12-03T00:14:27.937-08:00The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Things a Brother Knows</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Author: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dana Reinhardt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Publisher: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wendy Lamb Books</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Boaz is back. After all this time, he has finally returned. Boaz can put the war behind him once and for all, and just go back to how things were before he left. He was gone for three years. Three years full of worrying, hardship, and adjustment. Those three years don’t matter anymore. They can be tossed out the window, because Boaz would never leave them again. Never put them through that unnecessary strain on their emotions ever again. He’s home for good. But is he really?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Levi has spent the last three years growing up and getting older, all without his big brother Boaz. Boaz has always been the star of the family. Everyone loves him, everyone thinks he can do no wrong, and no one really knows Boaz like Levi does. The thing is, Levi isn’t even sure if he still knows his older brother. He’s been gone for three years now, and he’s about to come home. But will it be Boaz who comes home, or someone else?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When Boaz comes home Levi expects everything to go back to normal, to how it was <i>before</i>. Before he left them to fight in the war. Before he made a decision that would do more harm than good. Before he changed. But Levi is in for a surprise. When Boaz comes back home Levi realizes that he has changed. While everyone else refuses to believe it, Levi knows that things are not the same. Boaz now wants to be called Bo. All he ever does is lock himself in his room and listen to the static on the radio while looking at maps, and to top it all off he won’t even get into a car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Levi isn’t sure what Boaz is up to, or if there will ever be a “normal” to go back to. All he knows for sure is that he needs to find out what happened in the war. When Boaz announces that he is going to hike the Appalachian Trail, Levi suspects that something more is going on. With the help of his two best friends, Pearl and Zim, Levi sets off on a journey to follow his brother into the unexpected. This time he won’t let his brother get away. Where is Boaz headed? Will Levi ever know the same Boaz as before? All is revealed in Dana Reinhardt’s stunning story of one boy’s attempt to not lose his brother a second time in, <i>The Things a Brother Knows</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Things a Brother Knows</i> is a provocative, genuine story that was both tender and witty all at once. Slowly the puzzle pieces started to come together as I followed along Levi’s journey of finally learning Boaz’s touching story. <i>The Things a Brother Knows</i> truly illustrates that family will always be there to catch you when you fall and pick you right back up again. I could insert myself right into the story, as I could really relate to how much Levi loved his brother, even if he didn’t always know the entire truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dana Reinhardt’s writing is reminiscent of Andrew Smith’s, in the way that both of their writing never holds anything back. Reinhardt’s writing felt so real and I felt as if I could grasp her words and flip through all of the layers in my mind. The witty humor mixed in with the sincere truth made for not only an incredible story, but an incredible journey as well. Levi’s voice was one that embodied any teen today, but also looked deeper into the things around him. He didn’t just see things as they are said to be, but as they are. I feel that Reinhardt’s writing and Levi’s voice were a perfect complement to each other and worked well together to make a very enjoyable story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Things a Brother Knows</i> also reminded me of Andrew Smith’s novel, <i>Stick</i>. In both books a brother follows his older brother in an effort to get him back and bring him home for good. Boaz’s journey was not only for him to sort through his own haunting images of the war, but it was also a time for Levi to sift through his thoughts on his own life, his brother, and how he felt about the war. Both brothers changed, but Levi especially. Though Boaz may not have always been the best brother, it was evident that he loved Levi with all his heart just by letting him tag along on such a personal voyage. Instead of going through it all alone, Levi was there to witness his brother slowly return to “normal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pearl and Zim, Levi’s two best friends, are just as unique as Levi. Both constantly cracked me up, and the way in which they rebounded off each other with their witty banter and mocking jokes is something that only true friends can do. Levi has known both Pearl and Zim for his entire life, so it was interesting to get to see how they dealt with what Levi was going through. They had Levi’s back the entire time and always nudged him in the right direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At times, <i>The Things a Brother Knows</i> led me in different directions than I thought the story would go, and I felt that these sections were a little too drawn-out. Ultimately, it all led up to why Boaz was going on this trek, but it would have been nice to get right to his reasons for taking this trip. I was held in suspense until the very end, and it was only then that I truly found what Boaz had been looking for. However, the journey wouldn’t have been the same without all the moments that brought Levi a little closer to knowing Boaz once again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Things a Brother Knows</i> is a book that I surely won’t forget any time soon. With Levi’s witty humor, and Boaz’s thoughtful manner, the two come together to create a beautiful tale that slowly unravels the closer they come to reaching their goal. Join Levi, as he follows his brother into the unknown only using what he knows as a guide in, <i>The Things a Brother Knows</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Next Time, Keep Reading!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">*I received this novel from <a href="http://www.ftbotbblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-chromosome-why-boys-do-love-books.html">The Why Chromosome: Why Boys Do Love Books </a>event by <a href="http://www.bridgetobooks.org/">Bridge To Books</a>. I received <i>The Things a Brother Knows</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"> in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much to Wendy Lamb Books and everyone at The Why Chromosome: Why Boys Do Love Books event for providing me with a copy!</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Check out Dana Reinhardt's website at <a href="http://danareinhardt.net/">www.danareinhardt.net</a>.</span></span></div>
</div>T.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12326693692811570135noreply@blogger.com2