YA Book Queen

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Interview: Jennifer Echols - Endless Summer

Jennifer Echols was kind enough to answer a few questions about her newest release, Endless Summer (which is two books in one!).

Quick! Describe Endless Summer in 7 words or less!

Lori and Adam forbidden to date OMG!

Okay, so what's Endless Summer about (in however many words it takes!)

Well, the big honking volume actually contains two novels. The Boys Next Door first came out in 2007, but this is the first publication of the sequel, Endless Summer. Both books are about childhood friends Lori and Adam having a blast at the lake, trying to find their self-worth while surrounded by older boys, and falling in love with each other in the process.

Where did the idea behind Endless Summer come from?

I always knew what happened to Lori and Adam the night The Boys Next Door ends, and I’m so glad I got a chance to write the sequel.

What was your first reaction to seeing the new cover?

I love it. It’s absolutely perfect. The photo could have been taken of me at the lake when I was 16, if I’d had a hot boyfriend like Adam.

If you could spend your summer doing anything and at any place in the world, what would you do and where would you be?

I have always wanted the live on the Gulf Coast of Florida, the one currently threatened by the oil spill. I’m holding my breath and hoping we are all wiser in the future about pursuing clean energy sources that won’t ruin paradise.

What are you working on now?

I’m writing a YA romantic drama that will be published by MTV Books in July 2011.

Would you like to say anything else?

Don’t forget my next book, Forget You, will be out on July 20!

Thanks for the interview, Jennifer! I'm definitely putting this one on my TBR list! Sounds like the perfect summer read :)

- Lea

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins Review

Hex Hall

Rachel Hawkins

March 2nd, 2010

336 pages

Source: Bought

Summary (From Me):

When Sophie Mercer casts a spell that goes wrong, her father sentences her to Hecate "Hex" Hall. She gets off to a rough start after *almost* being attacked by a student, and being verbally taunted by the devilishly handsome Archer Cross. His girlfriend Elodie (along with her two best friends) are also out to make Sophie's life a bit more difficult. And on top of that, Sophie's stuck with the most hated student, Jenna, (who's also a vampire) as her roommate.

Then the attacks continue, and it seems to be a work of a vampire, which Sophie dutifully disbelieves for Jenna's sake. As Sophie digs deeper to find out who is behind these murderous acts, she learns more about herself, her history, her magic, and she starts to get too close to the dangers for her own good...

Fast, fun, wicked, and an overall fantastic debut!

Sophie was a fantastic narrator, with a strong and humorous voice. She was easy to relate with, by the end of the first chapter I was already sympathetic to her. It's difficult not to enjoy her character! She's grown up all over the country, but now she's stuck in Hex Hall, trying to get a grip on her powers.

Each of the characters were well defined, and their own personalities shined. There seemed to be some cliches, but they were fun! While the mean girls seemed to just be...well, mean girls, I still enjoyed their presence. Hex Hall is filled with twists and turns you won't see coming, which makes for a fun and exciting debut novel. I'm looking forward to Hawkins follow up!

Highlights: It's been awhile since I've read a fun, fresh witch story, so this was a nice one to read. The plot moves along quickly, and the twists at the end were surprising. The magic was interesting too, although I wanted more!

Lowlights: I wanted the supporting characters to have a bit more depth. Some of them felt a bit too cliche (mean girls, romantic interest).

Rating: