Review: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

DEAD IN THE FAMILY by Charlaine Harris

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Pages: 311

Publication: May 4, 2010
(Ace Hardcover)

Source: Borrowed


Goodreads Summary: Trying to put his past behind him, Kaden moves to New York City where he creates a new life for himself. And that isn't easy, considering the fact that he's a six-hundred-year-old vampire who hasn't fed on a human in more than a century. Unfortunately, the past isn't something you can always escape from. When old enemies resurface, they come with a message. His master wants him back and refusing isn't an option. Confronted with losing both his freedom, as well as the human that has captivated him, Kaden struggles to hold onto his humanity while controlling his darker side. He knows the showdown is inevitable. He must find a way to stand his ground.

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It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the Sookieverse…it felt good to be back!

Sookie and Eric are finally together (yay!), but it’s certainly not a happily ever after. Even though the war from Dead and Gone has ended, the dust hasn’t completely settled. Between vampire, Were, and fairy politics and schemes, there’s never a dull moment for Sookie. As always, Sookie finds herself in a variety of dangerous situations, and she has to rely on her own wits, as well as some unlikely allies, to find her way out.

Moreso than the action in this book, I enjoyed seeing how the characters have developed throughout the series. Sookie is starting to see the gray area of matters, Jason is slowly growing up, and even Claude makes an effort to be civil. It was nice to see Sookie interacting with a variety of people, including her spending time with Hunter and Remy again. There are also a few new characters introduced, who with their backstories and actions made the book much more interesting.

The downside to all of the above is that this book had little Sookie and Eric time, and the scenes they did have seemed rather rushed. Also, while this series certainly has no shortage of interesting turns of events, I can’t help but wonder what else there is left to happen in this series. Granted, this book leaves more than a few things unresolved, so I’m eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

Overall, this book was a quick, fun read – perhaps not on par with some of the other books in the series, but enjoyable nonetheless. I can’t wait to see what Sookie gets herself into next, and how things will work out for her and Eric!

Rating: 3.5 stars

Teaser Tuesday (33)

We're very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And here is my teaser:


"You lay your cheek against Ours and whisper, 'Who are you?' We feel your heart, your quickening breath. Your pulsing blood. Yes, We hear you. And We know what to do. Soothe. Beckon. Tempt. Capture, oh yes. We capture you. From the first touch, We had you. Come back tonight. Save me! Say nothing!"


p. 39 from Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

You can read Christin's review of Cryer's Cross here.

Please leave us a comment letting us know what you think! Also, tell us your teasers...post them, or link to your blog.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books. Each week we will share the books we have just finished reading, are currently reading, and are planning to read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just Finished Reading:
Nothing last week - between it being Holy Week and trying to finish papers and projects, I was swamped!

Currently Reading:
Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

Planning To Read:
Hickey of the Beast by Isabel Kunkle

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What are you reading this week?

In My Mailbox (33)

We're very excited to be part of the many blogs who participate in In My Mailbox! IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, so be sure to check out her blog to find out more details and see what other blogs are participating!

Each week we will post books (or book-related things) that we've bought, checked out from the library, won in contests, or received in the mail.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Review:



Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

Received as part of a blog tour hosted by Crazy Book Tours


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Christin's Mailbox:






City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr

So what did you get this week? Please leave us a comment letting us know and link to your own IMM post!

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Weekly Recap:

Review: Moon Spell by Samantha Young
Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Author Interview: Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

Monday Reads
Teaser Tuesday: 12.21.12 by Killian McRae

Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Pages: 278

Publication: March 2009
(Viking Juvenile)


Goodreads Summary: “Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the National Book Award finalist Speak, best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores one girl's chilling descent into the all-consuming vortex of anorexia.

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After reading Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak, I knew how powerful her writing could be. Once again, she has written a very moving novel, this time tackling the subject of eating disorders.

Best friends Lia and Cassie have made a pact: to be the skinniest. While Cassie is stuck on an endless cycle of bingeing and purging, Lia turns to starvation, obsessively counting every calorie she eats. Even after Cassie's death, she doesn't let Lia forget their pact; Cassie haunts Lia, encouraging her destructive habits, keeping her a wintergirl. But that is not all Lia suffers from; like many teenagers, she feels her parents don't care, she feels alone, she feels that she is worthless. And so the vicious cycle continues, until Lia may have taken one step too far on the path of self-destruction...

Although Wintergirls is not based on any specific true story, it so easily could be. I think almost everyone suffers from negative self-image at some point or other, and that is what makes Lia so real. It is heartbreaking to remember that people actually do go to the extremes that Lia does, that some people do live as wintergirls. As someone who's struggled with weight issues for a long time, it was painful to see how the negative thoughts that occasionally crept in eventually supplanted everything else.

Despite the dark tone of this novel, there were some bright spots. I loved the relationship between Lia and Emma. Although I didn't agree with everything that Elijah did, I could appreciate the help he eventually gave Lia. The book also brings into focus how one person's choices can have rippling effects, both good and bad, especially on loved ones. Despite the negativity, Lia's voice is very strong and true; Anderson's writing is both refined and direct, a unique and compelling combination.

Though difficult to read at times because of the subject matter and raw emotions, Wintergirls is definitely worth it. Once again, Anderson has presented a book that is very well crafted, that tells a story that was begging to be told...that speaks loudly.

Rating: 4 stars

Author Interview: Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

Nora, the popular girl and happy consumer, witnesses a horrific bombing on a shopping trip with her mother. In Nora’s near-future world, terrorism is so commonplace that she can pop one little white pill to forget and go on like nothing ever happened. However, when Nora makes her first trip to a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic, she learns what her mother, a frequent forgetter, has been frequently forgetting. Nora secretly spits out the pill and holds on to her memories. The memory of the bombing as well as her mother’s secret and her budding awareness of the world outside her little clique make it increasingly difficult for Nora to cope. She turns to two new friends, each with their own reasons to remember, and together they share their experiences with their classmates through an underground comic. They soon learn, though, they can’t get away with remembering. (From Goodreads)

You can view Christin's review HERE.


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~ ~ ~ INTERVIEW ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to have Angie Smibert with us today for a "what-if" interview! Take a few moments to learn more about this wonderful author.


1. If your house was burning down and you could only save three books, what would they be and why?

This is going to be kind of a boring answer. I could easily replace most of my books--except three family history books that were all done by small presses or universities.

2. If you could only write in one genre for your entire career, which genre would it be?

I could handle writing science fiction for my entire career.

3. If you had to choose between reading and writing, which would it be?

That's tough. I love both, and to be a good writer, you need to read a lot. Uh, reading . .. no, writing.

4. If you could have written any book, which one would it be?

Feed by MT Anderson. After I finished reading Feed, I sincerely wished I'd written it.

5. If you could have dinner with any author, alive or dead, who would it be?

Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird). However, she might not like me asking why she never wrote another book.

6. If you had to move to a new city and state tomorrow, where would you move?

If I could move family and certain friends, too, I'd pick Seattle or maybe Portland.

7. If you could return to any time in history, when would it be?

Ancient Rome

8. If you had to choose one song or sound to wake up to every morning, what would you choose?

Purring

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Memento Nora will be released on April 28, 2011, so be sure to look for it soon!

Teaser Tuesday (32)

We're very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And here is my teaser:


"As he looked at a scrawling of letters in the center, his heart nearly stopped. He couldn’t say exactly why he knew at that moment that Victoria had been lying, but he understood nevertheless.

Anathea fears Shep will suspect what really happened to the queen."

p. 31 (e-ARC) from 12.21.12 by Killian McRae



Please leave us a comment letting us know what you think! Also, tell us your teasers...post them, or link to your blog.

Review: Moon Spell by Samantha Young

MOON SPELL by Samantha Young

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 296

Publication: March 1, 2011
(CreateSpace)

Source: Author


Goodreads Summary: Enter a world of fierce wolves, stunning magic and romance...

Existing in the shadows of our world are supernatural races; children blessed by the ancient Greek gods with unimaginable gifts, and at present they are fighting a two thousand year old war with one another.

The Midnight Coven, an alliance of dark magiks, faeries, and daemons born of black magik, believe that vampyres and lykans are lesser supernaturals and a threat to mankind.

The Daylight Coven, a confederate of light magiks, faeries, vampyres and lykans, believe in the equality of the races.

Into this war, seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is born, a lykan with a heritage unlike any other. A heritage that, whether she wants it to or not, will put her into the ver heart of battle.

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With sordid pasts, interwoven mythology, and fantastical creatures of all kinds, Moon Spell is anything but just another werewolf book. A revision of the previously-published book called Lunarmorte, Moon Spell takes the reader on a journey of magic and myth as experienced through one small lykan pack.

Caia has grown up in isolation from her lykan pack, supposedly for her protection. When she is suddenly told to rejoin her family and friends, the reunion is not all that she hoped for. She can sense that she is different, both in her physical appearance and something else she can't quite identify. Though some lykans are friendly, likely at the order of the pack alpha, Lucien, there are others who resent Caia for something that wasn't her fault. As Caia struggles to navigate a human high school as well as her new pack members, she must also deal with her growing attraction for her pack alpha and come to terms with the reality that maybe she isn't who she always thought she was. But when she discovers who she truly is, will it be for the better...or for the worse?

I really liked the different dimensions to this story as well as the changing points of view. It was enjoyable to learn and adapt with Caia as she rejoined her family, made new friends, and experienced her first run with the lykan pack. As for Lucien...who can resist an alpha male? He is several years older than Caia, which allowed for a different level of interaction than usually happens in YA. The story was fast-paced and engaging, and the conflicts were well-balanced with places of romance and humor.

Though I did enjoy this story, I found that I constantly had to ignore grammatical errors. Also, there were several scenes at the beginning that were confusing, but those issues were quickly resolved. The book does effectively close this first chapter of the Tales of Lunarmorte, but enough questions are unresolved to make the rest of the trilogy a must-read.

Moon Spell provides a fresh twist to the werewolf tale, one full of romance, snark, and a few fairies for good measure. I'm looking forward to seeing how this story continues in River Cast!

Rating: 4 stars

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books. Each week we will share the books we have just finished reading, are currently reading, and are planning to read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just Finished Reading:
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Currently Reading:
I'm between books at the moment -
I've had too much reading to do for school!

Planning To Read:
Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros
Hickey of the Beast by Isabel Kunkle

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What are you reading this week?

In My Mailbox (32)

We're very excited to be part of the many blogs who participate in In My Mailbox! IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, so be sure to check out her blog to find out more details and see what other blogs are participating!

Each week we will post books (or book-related things) that we've bought, checked out from the library, won in contests, or received in the mail.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Review:



Being by T. R. Mousner

Received courtesy of the author


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Christin's Mailbox:

A few weeks ago I won some great Jane Eyre goodies from Page Turners Blog...and here they are!



A copy of Jane Eyre with movie tie-in cover, the Jane Eyre soundtrack, a bookmark, a notebook, and a pencil. Thank you Page Turners!

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So what did you get this week? Please leave us a comment letting us know and link to your own IMM post!

Book Blog Hop (22)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books. In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So visit Crazy-for-Books to grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list there!

This week's question:

"Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her."

I recently finished Moon Spell by Samantha Young, so I'll tell you a little about the main character, Caia Ribeiro. Caia is a lykan, or werewolf who owes her lineage to the goddess Artemis. Throughout much of the book, Caia struggles with finding the truth and accepting her responsibilities. But despite what she might be by birth, Caia is still a human girl at heart - she longs for friends, for love, has moments of insecurity, moments of snark, and moments of joy.

What character do you want to talk about?

Review: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 233

Publication: February 8, 2011
(Simon Pulse)

Source: Bought


Goodreads Summary: The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

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The countdown widget for this book, as well as the trailer, both seemed to promise a story that was deliciously creepy. Cryer's Cross did not disappoint.

"The smaller the town, the bigger the secrets." So the cover of Cryer's Cross proclaims, and how true it is. Kendall Fletcher's entire routine is shaken by the disappearance of Tiffany Quinn. Despite her OCD, Kendall tries to move on as best she can; after all, she has soccer, Julliard, and her quasi-boyfriend Nico to think about. But then Nico disappears as well, and Kendall's mind is permanently locked on overdrive. When another search turns up nothing, she tries desperately to distract herself - even if it means spending time with Jacian, the seemingly rude, brooding, and yet undeniably hot new senior in town. Eventually Kendall notices something strange, courtesy of her OCD: The graffiti on Nico's desk is changing. New messages are there, and what's more, that's the same desk that Tiffany Quinn sat in before she disappeared. Kendall is strangely drawn to the desk, to the voice that must be Nico's. If only she can learn enough from the messages, she knows she can save him. But in a small town, things are never what they seem...

Even though I'd heard about Cryer's Cross from fellow bloggers and seen good reviews of it, I kept thinking of it as "one of those books I'll read when I have time." Then I went to the Lisa McMann signing and heard her read the first chapter. And I was hooked. I read the book in a few hours one afternoon, because, once I started, I couldn't put it down. Kendall is such a relatable character; even people without OCD suffer from recurring thoughts and preoccupations. I loved that she was interested in both athletics and arts and that, even though she became close with Marlena, she could still be one of the guys. And then there was the creepy/paranormal factor. The comments from "WE" were, in a word, chilling. Piecing them together as Kendall tried to unravel the secrets of the desk and the town definitely made for a compelling read. I had my suspicions, but I would never have put everything together quite the way it was in the end.

The only thing I wanted from this book was more - I wasn't quite ready to let Kendall and Jacian go at the end. And while Lisa has a very clean, effective writing style (and one in which present-tense definitely works), occasionally I wanted more description, or perhaps a bit more of the character from the "WE" sections in the rest of the book.

Overall, Cryer's Cross is a great mystery with just the right amount of paranormal elements and a dash of romance added in. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't read the Wake trilogy, but I will definitely be reading that soon, and I cannot wait for Lisa's new novel, The Unwanteds, that will be released in September!

Rating: 4 stars

Teaser Tuesday (31)

We're very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And here is my teaser:


"It made me angry. He didn't understand the tenet: 'The dead are past saving.' You could miss someone, but it did no good to fixate on loss. I wished I had the ready words of a Breeder or the ability to comfort with a soft touch. I didn't. Instead I had daggers and determination.

That would have to do."

p. 210 (ARC) from Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Please leave us a comment letting us know what you think! Also, tell us your teasers...post them, or link to your blog.

Review: Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

SING YOU HOME by Jodi Picoult

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 466

Publication: March 1, 2011
(Atria)

Source: Blog tour
Hosted by Crazy Book Tours


Goodreads Summary: One miscarriage too many spelled the end of Max and Zoe Baxter's marriage. Though the former couple went quite separate ways, their fates remained entangled: After veering into alcoholism, Max is saved in multiple senses by his fundamentalist conversion; Zoe, for her part, finds healing relief in music therapy and the friendship, then romantic love with Vanessa, her counselor. After Zoe and Vanessa, now married, decide to have a baby, they realize that they must join battle with Max, who objects on both religious and financial grounds. Like her House Rules and several other previous Jodi Picoult novels, Sing You Home grapples with hot button issues. The novel also includes a CD of songs, each matched with a chapter in the book. Perfect for book clubs.

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As someone who once thought about being a music therapist but is now a church musician, this book immediately appealed to me. Just like all of Picoult's books, Sing You Home focuses on contemporary issues and offers a variety of perspectives.

Zoe wants a child more than anything. After years of miscarriages infertility treatments, she is finally pregnant and has carried the baby long enough to have a baby shower. Even she miscarries the baby once more, she is desperate to try again...which is one time too many for her husband, Max. Max moves out and in with his brother and sister-in-law, Reid and Liddy, and soon finds himself caught up with the Eternal Glory Church. Zoe throws herself into her work, and one day crosses paths with Vanessa, a school counselor who could use Zoe's talents for a suicidal teenager. Zoe soon finds herself becoming more than just friends with Vanessa. When they decide that they want a baby together, Zoe plans to use the frozen embryos still at the fertility clinic. But she must ask Max, and the new Max, the one dedicated to Eternal Glory Church, objects for various reasons. Soon Zoe, Vanessa, and Max are embroiled in a custody battle, but one with serious social and moral overtones, and one that might cost one woman everything...

What I love about Jodi Picoult's books is that they have such compelling narratives but are also well-researched and are never as straightforward as they first seem. This book alternates among Zoe, Max, and Vanessa's point of view, each allowing us to know more about both the main and secondary characters. In addition, past and present are mixed seamlessly to give the story more depth. Regardless of beliefs, this book shows the struggles that homosexual couples have to go through to obtain similar rights to heterosexual couples. Yet the book is well-balanced in all respects: it makes a case for and against same-sex couples raising children, it shows the benefits of having a church family while calling into question the dangers of religious fanaticism, it explores the struggles not only of Zoe and Vanessa but also of Max, making the reader feel for each character. And, of course, the importance of music and its ability to heal is pervasive throughout the book.

Picoult's writing is clear and direct yet still beautiful, making the reader think and question the issues that she discusses. The ending was absolutely perfect (and I rarely say that about endings), so much so that I didn't want to close the cover when it was over. This book is an emotional read, but one that is so engaging that hundreds of pages have passed without even realizing it.

Sing You Home is yet another excellently-written book from Jodi Picoult, and I will look forward to reading my next book from her!

Rating: 4.5 stars

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books. Each week we will share the books we have just finished reading, are currently reading, and are planning to read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just Finished Reading:
Illegal by Bettina Restrepo
Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Currently Reading:
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Planning To Read:
Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

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What are you reading this week?

In My Mailbox (31)

We're very excited to be part of the many blogs who participate in In My Mailbox! IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, so be sure to check out her blog to find out more details and see what other blogs are participating!

Each week we will post books (or book-related things) that we've bought, checked out from the library, won in contests, or received in the mail.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christin's Mailbox:

Today was the Teen Book Con in Houston, with over 20 authors and the chance to hear 4 different panels. All of these authors were fabulous and had great things to say during their panels. Needless to say, I splurged on books!










Stay by Deb Caletti
Wild Roses by Deb Caletti
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Shine by Lauren Myracle
The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Abandon by Meg Cabot

And I also got my copy of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer signed!

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So what did you get this week? Please leave us a comment letting us know and link to your own IMM post!

Review: Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell

TRICKSTER'S GIRL by Hilari Bell

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy

Pages: 288

Publication: January 3, 2011
(Houghton Mifflin Books for Children)

Source: Netgalley


Goodreads Summary: In the year 2098 America isn't so different from the USA of today. But, in a post-9/11 security-obssessed world, "secured" doesn't just refer to borders between countries, it also refer to borders between states. Teenagers still think they know everything, but there is no cure for cancer, as Kelsa knows first-hand from watching her father die.

The night Kelsa buries her father, a boy appears. He claims magic is responsible for the health of Earth, but human damage disrupts its flow. The planet is dying.

Kelsa has the powers to reverse the damage, but first she must accept that magic exists and see beyond her own pain in order to heal the planet.

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Trickster's Girl is one of those books that doesn't fit neatly into any box. Instead, it combines many different ideas - dystopian, science fiction, and Native American mythology - into something new.

Kelsa knows she can't leave her father's ashes to rest in an ordinary cemetery. What she doesn't know is that in attempting to bury them herself, the course of her life will change. While in the forest, she meets Raven - the embodiment of a Native American spirit - who tells her that she is the one he needs to heal the leys and reverse the tree plague that has been unleashed in the rain forest. At first she refuses - after all, she can't very well take off for Alaska on her own - but the more she learns about Raven, and after she heals the first ley, she can't bring herself to abandon the quest. Yet the journey is not as easy as Kelsa imagined. Raven isn't the most trustworthy of boys...or creatures...and he has his share of enemies. There are those who would see the leys unhealed, and the human race destroyed...not to mention the fact that Kelsa must break numerous laws in the process. Can she avoid her enemies and heal the leys in time?

This book was quite original at the outset, with a very interesting premise. It was nice to see Native American mythology incorporated into a book for a change instead of Greek or Roman. Although the setting is futuristic, many of the elements were not much of a leap from what exists or is being developed now. The adventures were very well written, and I really loved the descriptions of the various landscapes (especially Banff - it brought back fond memories). Kelsa and Raven had some great moments: funny banter moreso than anything romantic, even though romantic feelings vied for their place.

After a while, however the story became a bit repetitive and predictable. At the same time, however, a few things seemed to come from nowhere - but in a confusing way, rather than a surprising or intriguing one. Also, he ending seemed a bit rushed and incomplete; I know there will be a sequel, and there is certainly a need for one, but I still found myself wanting something more from this book.

Overall, Tricker's Girl is an enjoyable story with a unique premise. I'll be curious to see how things are resolved in the sequel!

Rating: 3 stars

Teaser Tuesday (30)

We're very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And here is my teaser:

"'Just be you,' he says finally.

And I want to say, I am. This is me, the new, improved Jude.

But he's known me too long. So I tell him the truth. 'That's the last person on earth I want to be.'"


p. 72 (ARC) from Wonderland by Joanna Nadin

You can read Christin's review of Wonderland here.

Please leave us a comment letting us know what you think! Also, tell us your teasers...post them, or link to your blog.

Review: Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy

Pages: 272

Publication: May 7, 2009
(Puffin)

Source: Bought


Goodreads Summary: As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy.

Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He's ready to reclaim his place in Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart.

But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. One of the order's ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years -- a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London's firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined.

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When I first stumbled upon the Billi SanGreal novels, my thoughts were - "Templar lore? Strong heroine? A little romance thrown in? Yes, please!" And Devil's Kiss did not disappoint.

Billi has been raised to be a fighter for the Knights Templar - she has been trained, tested, and accepted. But it is a hard life, and even when her one and only friend returns from his time away in training, Billi is still longing for a meaningful relationship. Enter Michael, who seems to be Billi's knight in shining armor - almost literally. He appears just in time to help Billi out of a dangerous situation, and he is clearly interested in her, much to Billi's delight and her father's consternation. But things are seldom as they seem to be. Soon Billi finds herself caught between Michael and Kay, her lifelong friend and fellow Knight. Furthermore, he begins to question what she truly wants out of her life. And in the end, a simple shard of glass could control the future for them all...

Talk about gripping introductions - Devil's Kiss has one of the most morbidly intriguing openings that I think I've read. And the action never stops. Whether the characters are fighting physically or emotionally, the intensity carries you through page after page. Chadda brought an old religious legend back and gave it new life. I thoroughly enjoyed his writing style; he didn't mince words, and yet it was still very refined. Refined though it may be, this book still incorporates the harsh realities of the Knight life, though in a compelling way.

I think the most intense relationship in this book was the one between Billi and her father. Though there was certainly an interesting interplay between Billi, Kay, and Michael, it was the familial relationship that was really explored and held the answers to some of Billi's questions. However, Billi and Kay certainly had their moments. The ending was something that I wouldn't have predicted and should definitely make things interesting in the next book!

Devil's Kiss was a compelling read, one that kept me up long past when I should have been asleep to read it. With it, Chadda achieved an excellent balance of action and introspection, adventure and respite. I'm looking forward to reading Dark Goddess!

Rating: 4 stars

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books. Each week we will share the books we have just finished reading, are currently reading, and are planning to read.

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Just Finished Reading:
Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
Moon Spell by Samantha Young
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

Currently Reading:
Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

Planning To Read:
Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros
Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

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What are you reading this week?

In My Mailbox (30)

We're very excited to be part of the many blogs who participate in In My Mailbox! IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, so be sure to check out her blog to find out more details and see what other blogs are participating!

Each week we will post books (or book-related things) that we've bought, checked out from the library, won in contests, or received in the mail.

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For Review:



Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

Received as part of a blog tour hosted by Crazy Book Tours


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Christin's Mailbox:










This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz
Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz
The Van Allen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz
Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

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Louise's Mailbox:



Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

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So what did you get this week? Please leave us a comment letting us know and link to your own IMM post!

Book Blog Hop (21)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books. In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So visit Crazy-for-Books to grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list there!

This week's question:

"Since today is April Fool's Day in the USA, what is the best prank you have ever played on someone OR that someone has played on you?"

I'm not much for April Fool's pranks, but I do remember one: In my high school Algebra II class, I sat next to a girl who asked me for paper every day...to the point that I just started handing her several sheets when she walked in. When April Fool's Day (which also happened to be her birthday) rolled around, I brought her a gift - a bag full of paper. Tissue paper, paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, newspaper, all kinds of paper. And buried between everything were two reams of notebook paper. My whole class had a good laugh about it :-)

What pranks have you played?