Need by Carrie Jones Review

Book: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

From: Library

Summary:

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling herself to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right--not human--in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

Review: Zara is my favorite type of protagonist: strong (but still has her moments of fear) and confidant in her abilities. She has her flaws, but she's a great character who really cares about others.

Nick is sexy, mysterious, and practically has all the girls' swooning. He's strong, amusing, and protective. At first, I thought his relationship with Zara was a little quick and unbelievable, but they won me over in the end. As for Zara's friends, I wanted a little more with them, to get to know them a bit more.

The action kept me turning the pages, the romance left me breathless for more, and the all-around story kept me intrigued. Jones' makes one of the most harmless fairytale creatures seem deadly, which is quite an accomplishment.

In order to keep this spoiler-free, I'll just say this: Need is a page turner that makes you want more.

Highlights: Gram was the best side-character I've read about in awhile. She's funny, blunt, and completely cool. Also, the cover is just so incredibly gorgeous. I loved how the phobias were included at the beginning of each chapter, it was very fitting of Zara's personality.

Lowlights: I disliked how easily the characters accepted that there were pixies. If someone told me there were pixies, I wouldn't be all "I knew it!". I would honestly ask if the pixie-believer was on drugs. So, I really hated how easily it was accepted. I wanted more back and forth at that point, a struggle to accept. Also, there were quite a few moments where I had questions about bits that just didn't make sense.

Rating:   

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier Review

Book: How To Ditch Your Fairy

Author: Justine Larbalestier

From: Library

Summary:

Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy--like a specialized good luck charm--is vital to a person's success. It might determine whether you make a sports team, pass a class, or find that perfect outfit. But for fourteen-year-old Charlie, having a parking fairy is worse than having nothing at all--especially when the school bully carts her around like his private parking pass.

Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with her archenemy, Fiorenze (who has an all-the-boys-like-you fairy), seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her hearts desire, it isn't at all how she thought it would be, and she'll have to resort to extraordinary measures to set things right.

Review: How to Ditch Your Fairy was definitely doos.

This was such a fun fairy book, and a bit different from the norm. New Avalon is like a mix of Australia and America, and the slang was fun (and there's a glossary!). Doos is my new favorite word.

Charlie hates her parking fairy (and why wouldn't she? She can't even drive! Although I would personally love that fairy...) and would do anything to get rid of it. And boy, does she do a lot. When Charlie teams up with Fiorenze, things get interesting. Charlie comes off as a sweet, smart, athletic girl. Stefan was a fun character to throw into the mix (and his fairy rocks). At the end, she learns more than just fairy business. This book was entirely cute and awesome. Especially a certain chapter toward the end...*luge*....

I loved Justine Larbalestier's fairy twist in this book. A personal fairy? Umm, cool! But I probably would have something lame like Never-being-late fairy. Yeah, lame.

Highlights: Justine's writing kept me entertained on all levels (fun, romance, fights). Her novel was fun, fresh,bubbly, and totally doos. Plus, the glossary in the back is definitely a major help when it comes to the words she invented.

Lowlights: I hate the word pulchy. I'm sorry, I just do. Pulchy does not give me a "hot/sexy" vibe...Plus, at times Charlie really annoyed me, but then I realized that she's still a kid, only fourteen, and I was probably annoying at times too when I was that young, so I can't really hold it against her. ;)

Rating: 5 out of 5

WINNER(S)!!!!!!

Alright. So two contests are officially over, and I've got the winner names. :)

Comments = Love Contest #1 winner is.......TEPH!

Nancy Holder Book Bundle winner is......ILONGA!!


Congrats you guys! I've emailed you both so be sure to please email me back with some mailing addresses soon!

As for everyone else, be sure to check out the other contests going on at my blog, such as Hold Still by Nina LaCour or 100 Follower's contest .


-Lea

Contest: Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Summary:

Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful...in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend's suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn't die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid's descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid--and Caitlin herself.

Check out the trailer:





Nina will be doing an author event at Borders in San Francisco, which will be streaming LIVE on the POV site on October 28th, at 7 PM Pacific time. Go HERE to watch the event.

Want to win?

Rules:

+1 Follower

+1 Sidebar/blog post/tweet

+1 comment with email

Contest ends on November 7th, 2009 at midnight.

This contest is only open to US and Canada.

Big Box Challenge at Princess Bookie's

Hurry! Go here before it ends tomorrow!

Option 2: Make your own cover based on the title of the book.

and,

Lol, you can so tell I was rushing to get these done...oh well, it was fun to do!

Good luck to everyone who's trying to win that fabulous box!

Surprise Contest at Princess Bookie's

Check it out here.

8 of my favorite things

1. Books (Ah, books...)
2. "Fireflies" by Owl City (Cannot get it out of my head)
3. Veronica Mars TV series (the most kick-$#* sleuth ever)
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series (Well, she'll just hurt you, lol)
5. Meg Cabot's blog (Or just Meg Cabot in general, she cracks me up)
6. Blogger (Cuz without it, I would be soooo bored!)
7. Nice people (How do you not love them?)
8. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (HEAVEN)

In My Mailbox (6)

IMM is a meme presented by the fabulous Kristi of The Story Siren.Bought: I went for graph paper, and came out with books and two pens, lol.

- Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

- The Vampire Diaries: The Fury & Dark Reunion by LJ Smith

- Two pens supporting Breast Cancer

Won: Thanks to Zoe from Zoe's Book Reviews!

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Maximum Ride: School's Out - Forever

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning

Maximum Ride: Max

Maximum Ride: Manga (it's so COOL!)

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X

Daniel X Watch the Skies.....all books by James Patterson

Library:

   

Madapple by Christina Meldrum

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Girl in the Arena Trailer (totally awesome!)

So I was over at Zoe's Book Reviews, and I just had to post this video she found. It's my favorite book trailer video ever.

Lol, I love it. So brilliant.

-Lea

Interview: ICE by Sarah Beth Durst

1. What is ICE about?

ICE is a modern Arctic fantasy about a polar bear, true love, and one girl's impossible quest across the frozen North. I wrote ICE as a love letter to my husband. It's about true love. And a talking polar bear.

Not to imply that my husband is a talking polar bear...

2. What inspired you to write ICE?

I was initially inspired by a picture book of the Norwegian folktale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" illustrated by P.J. Lynch. Specifically, there's one illustration in there of the "lassie" where she has her hand on her hip and she's wearing this you-won't-stop-me expression. As soon as I saw that illustration, I knew I wanted to write about that kind of girl -- a fearless girl who won't be stopped.

I have to confess that I veer pretty far from the original folktale. It's a modern story, for one thing, but at the heart there is that girl who is bound and determined to save her prince...I named my protagonist Cassie, in honor of the lassie from that original inspiring story.

3. How was it to write?

I loved writing this book. Okay, it wasn't easy. Writing a book is never easy. There's always a point where you want to bang your head against your desk and make pathetic noises. I think that's true for every writer, and it happens at different stages for every book. But still, I loved working on this novel. Cassie is a million times braver than I am so I got to live vicariously through her. And Bear's castle...that place comes straight out of all my best dreams. I loved bringing that place to life.

4. What do you think of the cover?

I love, love, love the cover. It reflects the characters and the mood of the book perfectly. (I'm not bragging here. As you may know, the author typically has zero say over his/her cover so I can't claim any credit whatsoever. The extent of my involvement was to shriek with glee when I saw it.) The art is by Cliff Nielsen, and the jacket design is by Debra Sfetsios. And I think they're brilliant.

5. What's next for you?

My next book is called TIGERLILY (edit: different title now). It's coming from Simon & Schuster in fall 2010. It's about applying to college, meeting college boys, talking to gargoyles, flying on dragons, saving the world...you know, the usual teenage experience.

Wow, ICE sounds incredibly awesome (as does Tigerlily)! Make sure to check it out--it's in stores now!

And thanks for the interview Sarah!

-Lea

Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder Review

Book: Pretty Little Devils

Author: Nancy Holder

Source: Author

Summary:

Some girls would kill to be part of the in crowd.

Popularity is the one thing Hazel wants....High school junior Hazel Stone is sick of being stuck with the c-listers. She'll do anything to be one of the Pretty Little Devils, her school's most coveted clique. The PLDS are famous for their secret soirees, held in the oversized suburban homes of the people they babysit for. So when Sylvia invites her to one of the PLD parties, Hazel couldn't be more thrilled!

Little does she know...

Hazel's new social status comes with a price. Sure, it's fun skinny-dipping in infinity pools and drinking the contents of well-stocked rec rooms...after the kids are in bed. But when the lights go out, this babysitter has to deal with more than monsters in the closet. Nasty things start happening. Frightening crank calls. A cat gone missing. Mysterious threats. It seems that someone's jealous of newly popular Hazel...Deadly jealous.

When other babysitters start turning up dead, Hazel has to figure out who to trust, before someone turns their backstabbing ways on her.

Review: Nancy Holder, you are the queen of mystery & suspense.

I'll admit it, I thought I had the killer pegged after only 100 pages in, and I wasn't swaying. Usually I rock at guessing the killers but, needless to say, I was so far off. So bravo, Nancy, you fooled me!

This novel kept me on my toes, wondering who would be next, who would be the next suspect. The crank calls were definitely eerie (I know I would flip out if some weirdo was crank calling me like that). Sylvia definitely has the group wrapped around her finger, even sweet little Hazel, who can't believe she's one of the PLD's. With every page, I was sucked in even more, bent on trying to figure out this mystery.

The PLD's look at one another differently, each wondering just who is the killer that has it in for them....and how far will they go?

Highlights: Oh, definitely the end. I still can't believe I didn't figure it out. Pure brilliance. I also liked how even though Hazel was dying to be a part of the group, she still did her own thing and wasn't completely wrapped around Sylvia's finger.

Lowlights: Hmm.......I've got no idea. This novel had fantastic suspense, mystery, intrigue, a little romance, it was amazing.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Possessions by Nancy Holder Review

Book: Possessions

Author: Nancy Holder

Source: Author

Summary: 

New girl Lindsay can't figure out what's going on with popular Mandy and her followers. And what Lindsay doesn't know can hurt her. Long ago, someone at Marlwood made a grave mistake--and girls died because of it. Now spirits who were silent for two hundred years have woken up. These spirits need to take possession. And they must have their revenge. 

Review: If you like supernatural things, then this is your type of book. After reading the end of the first chapter, I was hooked (which is very weird for me, because I usually take a few chapters to get into a book). 

Lindsay was a great protagonist, who's kind, curious and compassionate. She's been through a lot, and is still dealing with the effects. She played at being popular, and felt the pain from being on the losing end of the game. So now at Marlwood, she's not interested in jumping through the hoops to get in with the right girls (yay, independence!). Lindsay is strong, but she's always wondering if she'll have another breakdown...and in Marlwood, there's plenty going on to make that happen. 

There are twists after twists, and plenty of spooky, eerie moments (not to mention a hot guy). As events get crazier and crazier, and the popular and eerie girls living in Jessel get even more bizarre, I couldn't help but become entranced and keep turning the pages. 

I don't want to say much more, because I would hate to ruin all the best parts of the book. In all, this book was great! 

Highlights: A strong protagonist who could have left at any time, but chose to stay to protect her friends, like the super awesome Julie. The characters were great, and very well fleshed-out in each of their personalities. Also, the ending is the perfect cliffhanger. Ah! I'm so curious now for the next in the series!

Lowlights: I wanted the creepy/freaky scenes to push just a bit more. But some of the scenes were done perfectly, leaving me with that eerie sensation. I also felt like a lot of great scenes were in the middle-end of the book, leaving the beginning a bit lacking. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

New Look

Heya!

Alright, you may have noticed...my blog has a new look! (I finally got sick of only having one sidebar!)

So please, if you come across posts that look atrocious, don't judge too harshly. I'm working on fixing it all soon!

Let me know what you think of it!

-Lea


*edit* 148 followers! EEEEPPP! I love you people,

In My Mailbox (5)

IMM is a meme presented by Kristi of The Story Siren

Bought:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Suspicion (private series) by Kate Brian

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening & The Struggle by L.J. Smith

Won:

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Library:

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Vamped by Lucienne Diver

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Whew! Plenty to read, right?

-Lea

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater Review

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception

Maggie Stiefvater

Source: Library

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand--one who can see fairies. When a mysterious boy enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of nowhere, Deirdre finds herself infatuated. Trouble is, the enigmatic and conflicted Luke turns out to be a gallowglass--a souless faerie assassin--and Deirdre is meant to be his next mark. Deirdre has to decide if Luke's feelings towards her are real, or only a way to lure her deeper into the world of Faerie.

Lament is now my favorite "faerie" tale. Seriously.

Stiefvater weaves her words together brilliantly, and so vividly to create a beautiful story. I felt like at any second, one of "Them" would show up in the shadows or a clover would drop in my lap. Deirdre was an amazing protagonist. Seemingly normal, if a little bland and boring in those first few pages, she grows more enjoyable as a protagonist as the pages turn. James and Luke were great supporting characters. I favored James a bit more, just because he was such a great friend, believing in all of this craziness and sticking by Deirdre.

Highlights: Definitely towards the end of the novel, when Deirdre figures out who she can't trust. I already disliked this character, but was surprised at the betrayal.

Lowlights: I honestly cannot think of anything I disliked. It was a great novel, and I couldn't put it down no matter how hard I tried.

Rating: 5 out of 5