Teaser Tuesday: ELIXIR by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

(make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

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I might as well just give up on life now and go sit at Jennifer L. Armentrout's feet to beg from scraps of her books!  EVERYTHING, I mean EVERYTHING she writes just blowI moved so fast s me away!!!  I've had so many amazing things to say about her, that my words are exhausted!  There are literally no more words left to express how much I LOVE JLA'S books!  So, to have Elixir is my hands or more correctly in my kindle, I am giddy and overcome with excitement!  Let me tell you something else, it is UNPARALELLED to be inside Aiden's head!  I cannot wait for everyone to read this!  But in the meanwhile, I will give you a little teaser... (now which to choose...there are so many good ones)

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"I moved so fast I startled her.  My hands shot through the bars, clasping the sides of her face.  My forehead pressed against the cold bars and my lips were on hers.  The kiss was hard and fast.  Angry.  Desperate.  She went still, unsure how to respond.  Several times in the past forty-eight hours it had been the only way to shut her up." (page 2)

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"Shooting forward, I wrapped my arms around her, clamping her arms to her sides.  Using my weight, I brought her to the floor as carefully as I could, but she thrashed and struggled.  From behind her, I got my legs around her waist and locked them down over hers....

"No! No!" She screamed over and over, each word a punch straight to my heart. "No! No!"

Pressing my cheek again hers, I forced her head back.  "I'm sorry, Alex, I'm so sorry." (page 38)

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Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex. Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for. 
Even if it means making war against the gods.







**Elixir will be available for a free download on Spencer Hill's site in November.  You can also pre-order a print copy through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.**

Harper Spotlight: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

Hey everyone!  Today we have the pleasure of spotlighting one of Harper's new middle grade books, The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver.  This sounds like such a cute book complete with talking animals, annoying little brothers, and a hero's quest. 

 

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One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.

When Liza's brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen his soul.

She knows, too, that she is the only one who can save him.

To rescue Patrick, Liza must go Below, armed with little more than her wits and a broom. There, she uncovers a vast world populated with talking rats, music-loving moles, greedy troglods, and overexcitable nids . . . as well as terrible dangers. But she will face her greatest challenge at the spindlers' nests, where she encounters the evil queen and must pass a series of deadly tests--or else her soul, too, will remain Below forever.

From "New York Times" best-selling author Lauren Oliver comes a bewitching story about the reaches of loyalty, the meaning of love, and the enduring power of hope.

 

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Want an insider's look at Lauren's fantastic middle grade novel?

 

Click here for a sneak peek, video, letter from Lauren and more! 

 

You can also become a Facebook fan here.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

The Catastrophic History of You and Me
By Jess Rothenberg
Reviewed by: Sis-in-law Sarah
Release date: On Shelves Now
This sister says: Heavenly, Hilarious, and Heartbreaking

Brie's life ends at sixteen: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart - "literally." But now that she's in heaven, Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend knows a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost - and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul who's been D&G (dead and gone) much longer than she and who just might hold the key to her forever after. With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on, but how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

Summary from goodreads.com

Oh. My. Gosh.  Seriously, people.  I have never in my life read a book where the main heroine was ME.  Until now.  This book really resonated with me...it had me laughing, weeping, and clutching my heart in pure joy! I'm not kidding. Jess Rothenberg, will you PLEASE be my BFF?!?!  I mean, who references 80's music, Into the Woods, Disney princesses, and Top Gun all in one book?!?!  Oh, Jess, I do believe we are kindred spirits.

Basically, Brie (no, not named for the cheese, although she does endure her share of cheese-related humor), has died literally from a broken heart.  The story explores life after death, where you can hang out in familiar places, relive memories, and basically do anything and everything you want.  However, she has to go through the stages of grief, the first being denial.  There to help her through the process is Patrick, a super-hot motorcycle dude who looks straight out of an 80's movie. As Brie revisits those she knew on earth, she discovers that perhaps things are not always what they seem.

And the end...oh the end...so unexpected and so splendid.  I really thought this book had to have a bum ending...I mean, she's dead...how can there be a happy ending? But, people, the ending was just as wonderful as the beginning and everything in between!

Brie is one of the most realistic heroines I've read about in a long time.  There's nothing pushing her towards true heroism, she's simply just trying to deal with what life (or death) has handed her.  And although you will only be reading this book if you are NOT dead (errrr, hopefully)...I think every girl can see herself in Brie's shoes.  Family, friends, love interests, school, dreams for the future....it's everyday life that we can understand and grasp.  It's a simple life (though at times can seem complicated)...but it's YOUR life.  And like Brie, if you lost your life, you would want to do everything you could to get it back. Such a genius premise for a contemporary YA novel! It really makes you stop and appreciate the life you've been given!!!

I love that this read is full of so many life issues...family drama, breakups, the dynamics of friendship, becoming and being yourself, and the discovery of love where you did not expect love to be at all.  It's truly an extraordinary read that people who prefer all sorts of different genres will enjoy. (I read this one aloud to my husband and he really enjoyed it too!) Definitely put this one on your TBR list!!!

LOSING IT by Cora Carmack Blog Tour w/a Giveaway and Excerpt

Losing It by Cora Carmack

Already available from B&N, should be on Amazon soon!
Add to Goodreads

Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)

Sister's Say: Laugh Out Loud Wonderful

**Warning: this is not a YA book. It is a New Adult Book and is intended for readers 18 and older.**
For a quick definition of the New Adult genre, I would say simply that it's books about that transition period between being a teenager and beoming an adult.

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Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

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I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that there has been such an insurgence of books in this New Adult genre.  Let me just say first off, that I love New Adult books.  I love that the characters are older and more matrue, facing real life stuggles. Plus, you don't feel like such quite a perve if you think the guy is dreamy because, guess what?!?!? he's not sixteen!!!!  Also, these books tend to be stand alones which means, no tortuous cliffhanger ending, no waiting years between books, and you get your happily ever after sooner rather than later!

With all that being said, if you were are wanting more of what I mentioned above, then LOSING IT is for you!  I flew through this book 0.9 seconds, with the wind blowing through my hair, smiling all the way!  Bliss Edwards is a theatre major in her senior year of college and also happens to be the queen of awkward!  I'm sure you've met those people who just find themselves in awkward situations.  They say something about their crush while he's standing right behind them, they get sick on a roller coaster while on a date or they pass gas while being tickled.  If you have ever met someone like that then you've met Bliss!  Only Bliss could possibly take it to the extreme!  One night she decides she is tired of being the resident innocent, so goes to the local bar to "pick up a guy."  Only she freaks out mid-makeout leaving him underclothed in HER apartment.  Then the next morning she walks into class only to find that her hot date from the night before is her new professor!  AWWWKWARD!  But aren't these the type situations that you would want to crawl under a rock and die if it happened to you, but you giggle hysterically if it's someone else?!?

As you can guess, there are plenty more awkward situations and an abundance of laughs through the novel.  The heart of the story is Garrick and Bliss though.  It's a story of forbidden love and perfect chemisty.  Losing it is a character driven novel, and I couldn't help but fall in love with Garrick right along side Bliss.  The first thing about Garrick, he's British!  And, that's pretty much all I have to say and most American girls are already yelling, "SOLD!"  However, he is more than just a sexy accent.  He knows his literaute!  There are references to Shakespeare, Pride and Prejudice and more that will leave all our fellow book lovers cheering.  He makes literary references without being nerdy!  He's basically a book bloggers incarnation of a perfect man!  Garrick is a struggling actor turned temporary professor.  He cares about Bliss and her classmates, giving them a dose of reality while at the same time encouraging them to follow their dreams.  He wants to do the honorable thing in the eyes of the school and leave Bliss alone.  But, we all know that if that once in a life time love staring you in the face, you don't just stand there biding your time!  I love that about Garrick.  He is stubborn (having a little of that alpha-male gene), but he's not afraid to take what he wants!

Bliss on the other hand is a mess!  I basically want to kidnap her and make her be my best friend.  She would make my life seem a whole lot simpler!  Her heart knows what she wants, but she's scared.  She's terrified of the future (as most college seniors are), of her own judgment and of heartbreak.  Bliss is so unbelievably relatable and real.  Every woman will find Bliss's stream of conscienceness achingly familiar.  Those doubts that you face when you are on the verge of going out into the world completely on your own and start making those decision that set you on the course for the rest of your life.  So, some people might not have as many freakouts as Bliss, but we've definitely at least had them in our minds.  She's sweet and endearing and will make you laugh outloud at the crazy things life throws in her path.

The theatre scene in this novel is perfection.  I lived in the theatre through high school and was a theatre major in college for 2 years (until I met my now husband, and he wasn't too fond of me kissing other boys in plays).  Cora captures the atmosphere, the relationships and the high of acting beautifully!  In chapter 26 this quote expresses it perfectly, "That was what the theatre was about--that kind of experience.  We would never be able to recreate that again.  Only the people here tonight would ever know what that show was like.  Theatre is once in a lifetime... everytime." (page 219)  If you have ever done any kind of theatre you know how perfect this quote is.  The high of the moment, the emtions and the people who lived it with you will forever be burned into your mind, heart and soul.  So many times I found myself saying yes, yes, yes, this is so true!!!  For those of you have done theatre you will find this book a wonderful trip down memory lane and for those who have not, you will get a realistic sneak peek inside the world of theatre.

I really did love every part of this book.  Those books that can take you away from reality are the special ones, and for a few precious hours I was completely swept away into a familiar world that made me laugh, cry, cheer, melt and fall in love all over again!  You rock Cora Carmack!!!

To see future stops on the tour, check out the Blog Tour Tab at the top or go here.

About the author: 

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She’s done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working at Target), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She loves theatre, travel, and anything that makes her laugh. She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. 

Goodreads | Twitter | Cora Carmack

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Read Chapter 1 of LOSING IT right now! Just click below!

  

Open publication - Free publishing

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2nd Annual YA Crush Tourney Blogemony

Authors, Advocates, Friends, and Fellow Book Geeks!!!

It took a little while, but we've finally recovered from the madness and chaos of our 2nd Annual YA Crush Tourney! We cannot even begin to express how much we adore you all! We unanimously think that this was our BEST TOURNAMENT SO FAR!

Do you guys agree?

Despite a somewhat rocky start, you guys made this such an awesome experience for us as moderators, the advocates, and the authors!  And we LOOOVE you for it!

We had so many fabulous memories from this tournament:

Our first time ever trending on twitter on the Tournament's opening day! That day was CRAZY!

Our first ever male advocate (shout out to Benji)!

Daemon asking us if we want a cookie! *dies just at the memory*

That insane final four with Two Vampire Academy and Two Infernal Devices boys squaring off against each other!

And, of course, that insane finale that literally came down to the very last moments.

In short, this tournament was the most fun we've had in a long time!

And to celebrate, we have two huge things to tell you!

First, many of you have been asking about the future of the tournaments. We weren't planning to do any more because of some events that transpired early this summer. However, this tournament was so beyond amazing that we've decided to reconsider. Nothing is certain yet. We're looking at the possibility of doing similar tournaments, but perhaps in a different format. All we can say for sure is that there will be more fun, book-loving things to come from YA Sisterhood!

Next, it's time to honor our advocates! Remember those literary fiends who spent hours working on original defenses, stayed up all night tweeting, and made some killer icons? Yeah, we remember them, too! We had an amazing group this year, and thanks to the generosity of numerous bloggers and publishers, we're able to award them all some small prizes as our thanks!

Thanks goes to the following people and publishers for donating Advocate Prizes:

Harlequin Teen
HarperCollins
Jeri Smith-Ready, author of the Shade Series (creator of Team Kilt)
Nicole Passante, CEO shareAread
Francesca, blog reader from Ireland
David Estes, author of Moon Dwellers

Thank you times a million to all of you!  You were beyond generous and provided some great prizes for our advocates!


And now, here's our final list of the characters and their advocates:

WINNER:

Adrian Ivashkov of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead.

We don't have to tell you all how amazing Adrian is. He won the tourney, after all! But we will anyway! Adrian is drop dead gorgeous vampire with snarky comments that are almost as good as his looks! He's charming with that bad party boy appeal, but definitely has a softer side. He's artistic (and he can make us a painting anytime). If he's not making you laugh, he's making you swoon! He's not your typical hero, but that's why we love him so much! Three cheers for the reign champ of the YA CRUSH TOURNEY!

Adrian was represented by the amazing Anna from The Bursting Bookshelf!

Coming in second was the devilish and sexy Will Herondale, represented by Katie from Mundie Moms and Alyssa from TMI Source! He put up an amazing fight, and his status as a major book crush is obvious!

These other amazing Characters and Advocates made it into the Elite Eight!

Jem, Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare:  Pixie(Amber) and Stacey @ Pageturners
Dimitri, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead:  Stacey @ Fantasy Book Addict
Daemon, Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout:  Valerie @ Stuck in Books
Patch, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick:  Jen @ Jenuine Cupcakes
Adam, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi:  Hannah @ The Girl in the Cafe
Magnus, ID and TMI by Cassandra Clare:  Michelle @ Oh! For the Love of Books


And now to celebrate the Characters and Advocates of the Sweet Sixteen!

Peeta, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:  Brenna @ Ever After Esther
Aiden, Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout:  Kaleigh @ K-Books
Simon, Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare:  Benji @ The Non Reluctant Reader
Alec, Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare:  Steph @ Steph Likes Books
Finnick, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:  Juli @ The Reviews News
Four, Divergent by Veronica Roth:  Becky @ Bibliognome
Zachary, Shade Series by Jeri Smith-Ready:  Amy and Jen @ Fictitious Delicious
Sam, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater:  Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf


And last, but certainly not least, there's the rest of the top 32 Characters and Advocates that beat out hundreds of characters and dozens of other advocates to make the Tournament!

Augustus, Fault in Our Stars by John Green:  Brooke @ Brooke Reports
Lucas, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini:  Emilie @ Emilie's Book World
Ash, Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa :  Amy @ Bookgoonie
Archer, Hex Hall Series by Rachel Hawkins:  Mag @ Geek Chic
Etienne, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins:  Jesse and Kira @ Pretty In Fiction
Percy, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan:  Kayla @ Bibliophilia, Please
Cricket, Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins:  Avery @ Avery's Book Nook
Noah, Mara Dyer Series by Michelle Hodkin:  Amanda @ Stuck in YA Books
Kaidan, Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins:  Tara @ Tater's Tall Tails
Gale, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:  Tiffany @ Paranormal Reads Reviews
Tucker, Unearthly by Cynthia Hand:  Kris @ Imaginary Reads
Tod, Soul Screamers Series by Rachel Vincent:  Ina @ Smiling_Ina's Bookish Corner
Christian, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead:  Gabbi @ Bookbreather
Eddie, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead:  Chandra @ Unabridged Bookshelf
Vincent, Die for Me by Amy Plum:  Moire the Fates and Emberchyld
Alex, Delirium by Lauren Oliver:  Emily @ Falling for YA

And one more time, thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone that participated, voted, advocated, and donated books.  You are all rock stars!!!  A huge, gigantic thank you to Rachel and Brooke also for your help behind the scenes!  You 2 made things SO MUCH less stressful! I love, love, love you both!!!  And lastly, thank you to the authors that created all these amazing, crush-worthy characters!  You are the reason why we are able to have this touranment!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you do!!!! We hope you have many, many more fans because of these tournaments!

Beautifully Broken by Sherry Soule

Beautifully Broken by Sherry Soule

Received by Sherry Soule, Published by Moonlight Publishing

On Shelves Now

Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Haunting and Harrowing

Thirteenth daughter. Heritage witch. Demon slayer.
They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Whispering Pines. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse…

Sixteen-year-old Shiloh Ravenwolf is a heritage witch from the Broussard family, a family both destined and cursed. After she takes a summer job at Ravenhurst Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan. But Trent may be the next victim on the supernatural hit list, and Shiloh is the only person with the power to save him.

Complicated much?

After receiving cryptic messages from a creepy wraith, and then frightening threats from a demon, Shiloh finally begins to understand the mysterious significance of the strange mark branded on her wrist. Now Shiloh must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to protect the other teenagers in town.

Unfortunately, for Shiloh, not all ghosts want help crossing over. Some want vengeance.

Sherry Soule creates a mystifying world, filled with haunting demons, grotesque deaths, and one oh-so-hot guy!

I really enjoyed the way Sherry described her world—Ravenhurst Manor, drifting and creepy fogs, and the alluring ocean.  It felt like the fog drifted off the page and settled around me—I’m definitely leaving the lights on, just to make sure nothing creepy comes at me!

The storyline is very similar to many other YA books—a girl who discovers she’s more than just a girl and has to use her new found abilities or powers to save those she loves.  While the storyline wasn’t unique, I did find that Sherry strayed into areas that other authors are more hesitant to write themselves in to.  For example, the creepiness—most of the YA books I’ve read just gloss over the horror details, but Sherry did not.  So kudos for sticking with it!

This story follows Shiloh, who discovers she has the power to break the town’s curse.  At times, I really liked Shiloh.  She was fun and snarky and had a personality all her own; however, I got annoyed at times because of her boy-craziness.  Don’t get me wrong—I’m all swoony when it comes to the hot, mysterious guys; but I don’t need to hear a teenager’s rambling thoughts on every page.  There came a point where I wanted to slap her upside the head and tell her to get over it!  I think this might be because she is a younger heroine, but I truthfully would have liked her to be a little less in her head and more out in her world.

And then there’s Trent….resident hottie of Whispering Pines (the small town setting) who just moved in to Ravenhurst Manor.  Can’t you just hear the “da da da” of the piano here?  Trent is the kind of bad boy I like—sexy and broody with a smile to die for.  Plus, there’s the leather jacket and Mustang!  But I have the feeling that there is more to Trent than meets the eye—something sinister, but maybe in a sexy way?  Because let’s face it---even if he’s evil, he’s still smoldering!

Overall, this was an enjoyable book.  I would have liked to see more imagery throughout the book.  At times I felt like was just reading instead of participating in the action.  In order for this book to move from good to great, I needed to feel like I was immersed in the action, the romance, and the mystery; but the book never made that leap.  This is the first in the series, so hopefully, the next books will pull me into the story more.

Waiting on Wednesday: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is LEVEL 2 by Lenore Appelhan.  LEVEL 2 releases on January 15, 2013 from Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers.

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In this gripping exploration of a futuristic afterlife, a teen discovers that death is just the beginning.  Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.



Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.



Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

 

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First off..the cover is gorgeous!  I love all the white and silver--its so surreal, and it just seems like the perfect representation for a book about the afterlife.  I find the idea of this book very interesting, especially the idea of the Morati and how it would be possible to overthrow them.  Plus, there is the "dangerously charming" guy that I know, just from this slight description, that I will fall for!  I just can't help it; I like the mysterious ones.  The reviews of this one have been very positive so far, and I can't wait to read about the suspense, the secrets, and the boys!

 

What are you waiting on?  Leave me a link!

Home Run Blog Tour: Stealing Parker Review and Giveaway

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

eARC received by Sourcebooks

Release Date:  October 1^st—On Shelves Now!

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  A poignant story about heartbreak, forgiveness, and first love
 

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

After her family's scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back.

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter at the end of this review!

This is my first book by Miranda, and I had no idea what to expect.  Just from reading the blurb, I thought it sounded interesting, but I didn’t know how I would like the sports aspect of the story.  Don’t get me wrong---I love sports, but I’m more of a watch ‘em, not read ‘em type of girl.  Surprisingly, the sports part was one of my favorite parts of the story.  It wasn’t overly boyish and I didn’t find myself saying, “Go on…get on with it.”  Their sports world was like an entirely new setting within the high school life, and I enjoyed being opened up to a YA book that touched on sports.

The best part of the book was the growing friendship between Parker and Corndog.  It was sweet and innocent, and it just felt right.  I found myself laughing at loud at some of Corndog’s jokes, but at other times, he was a real jerk.  Just like a high school guy!  It was endearing to see him struggle with his own problems and then take them out on Parker—a realistic and heartbreaking truth about high school relationships.  I found myself waiting for Parker’s next encounter with Corndog, just to see what would happen next.

I also really liked Drew, Parker’s best friend.  He is the type of guy that you just automatically like.  He sticks by Parker when her mother comes out as a lesbian and the entire town turns on her family.   It’s a very religious town, so this caused quite a scandal.  While everyone else looked at Parker like she was the plague, Drew stood up for her and stood by her.  Such a sweetie!

I was really surprised by the mature content level of this book—it didn’t bother me at all, but I think I was expecting the fade to black type of love scenes.  At first, I enjoyed these small scenes between Parker and Brian (the coach).  It wasn’t really creepy, and I felt like they really liked each other.  However, as their physical relationship progressed, I found myself getting really annoyed by Parker and the way she discussed their relationship.  She seemed very crude to me, and by the end unfortunately, I was really wishing she would just zip her mouth.

What bugged me?

The entire book was preachy to the extent of annoyance.  I’m from a small town, and I understand the role religion plays in the lives of people there, but I just don’t believe that an entire town would turn against someone instead of trying to save or help them.  But instead of doing that, they hurled accusatory glares and Bible verses.  It just became too much for me, and I think it took away from the book.

Most of the reviews I have read said they really enjoyed Parker as the main character, but I was on the other side of the fence with her.  She seemed very vain and immature to me, and I found her very annoying.  There were times she was so self-involved that I ended up rooting against her, hoping things would fall apart so she would look around, wake up and quit her self-loathing.

Overall, there were some very cute parts to this tale of discovery, and I think that many people will enjoy this book.  I liked that Miranda ventured into an area that many other authors might be afraid to write about, and I liked that she did it in a non-creepy way.  However, I thought that Parker and Brian (both major characters) were too wishy-washy, and this wavering made them unrealistic and frustrating to me. 

Final Judgment: While this book was not my favorite, I do plan to read more of Miranda’s books in the future. 

Content Warning:  I would rate this for mature teens for somewhat explicit sexual situations.  (Riding the line somewhere between YA and NA).

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Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Published by Tor Teen

On Shelves Now

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Sinister and Superb, A sucker-punch to awaken the world of YA!

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story... (don't you just love that...hehehe)

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

One of our honorary sisters reviewed this over a year ago, but I loved it so much I wanted to share my thoughts, too!  Plus, since Girl of Nightmares just came out, many people are just now reading Anna!

So, I’ve been staring at this book for months now trying to work up the courage to read it.  And when  say months, I mean, at least six—but I always psyched myself and decided it was probably too scary for me.  So, when I finally picked this up to read, it was a big deal to me.  I mean a BIG DEAL!  Further explanation?  I don’t do horror.  Whenever I think I’m kick butt enough to watch a horror movie, I end up sleeping with EVERY light on for at least a week.  In fact, when I watched Silent Hill…that week turned into almost a month.  I don’t do scary.  So, I started reading Anna, completely sure that I would spend my nights lying flat on my back…with dozens of pillows surrounding me….with all the lights on….and with my glasses perched on my nose all night (just in case I heard and noise and needed to quickly scan the room)….and with a bat hiding snuggly under the bed (if I could brave myself enough to look under the bed).  AND?  Pleasant surprise!  Anna was amazing—scary at times, but not so much to warrant an all-night watch-for-the-unworldly-athon. 

The best thing about this book—it was the FIRST BOOK EVER where I liked the female main character better than the guy.  This is a big deal!  Big!  I’m usually swept away by the good boy with charming good looks and sweet smile, or fall head over heels for the bad boy whose arrogance rivals only a Greek god’s.  But, with this one, I immediately fell on the side of Team Anna.  She was so awesome!  The way Kendare described her was chilling, and her words wrenched me from the recliner and thrust me straight into that old Victorian where I felt like I was staring the “dark goddess” in the eyes.  Full of power and darkness, yet ridden with innocence and guilt; Anna was the kind of bad guy that you just can’t help root for.

Now that doesn’t mean I didn’t like Cas, I really enjoyed him, also.  Tough and arrogant, and completely at home in the other world, Cas will definitely leave you breathless at moments.  Cas has been left with the duty of sending murderous ghosts back where they belong, but there is a part of him that wonders about his destiny.  He struggles with everything he doesn’t know about the world on the other side.  I loved watching his journey of truth, and by the end of the book, though his journey is far from over, I felt like Cas had grown from a boy exacting revenge to a man seeking discover the truth about his powers.

Kendare did an amazing job creating the personalities of the minor characters, also.  You have 2 sidekicks in this Scooby gang—the quiet, nerdy boy with witchy powers (like Velma, only a dude), and the beautiful, always gets her way popular chick (we’ll call her the modern day Daphne).  Together with Cas and Anna, these two will provide the much needed comic relief from the terror of the book.

And what about the story itself?

It was full of twists and turns that (although some you could see coming), kept me on the edge of my seat.  The imagery was at times beautiful and poetic, while at other times, sinister and macabre.  There were definite gory parts, but surprisingly, they didn’t bother me.  In fact, they added to the sorrow of the story.  I mean, this is a horror story, but most of the time I either felt an unwavering sadness at how evil had caught so many in its net, and at other times, I was in awe—of the way Kendare put so much power into play.  Her world will melt from the page and come alive around you, and there will be times when you will wish it could stay that way!

Okay…so I will leave you with a few statements that you need to remember!

1.) This books is Ah-mazing!

2.) If you are scared to read this book, don’t be!  It’s worth the fear!

3.) Anna is freaking unbelievably awesome! 

4.) YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!

5.) My review of Girl of Nightmares (Book 2) will be up soon.  Although I didn’t like it as much as this one, it was still great.

6)….AND…AGAIN….You must read this book! 

Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell

Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell

ARC received by St. Martin’s Griffin via LibraryThing

Release Date:  10-30-2012

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Mystical, Mysterious and Malevolent

In a post-apocalyptic world controlled by alien invaders, two teens and a young girl with mysterious powers embark on a dangerous journey. What they find will change everything...


Earth has been conquered. An extraterrestrial race known as The Assembly has abducted the adult population, leaving the planet’s youth to fend for themselves. In this treacherous landscape, Holt, a bounty hunter, is transporting his prisoner Mira when they discover Zoey, a young girl with powerful abilities who could be the key to stopping The Assembly. As they make their way to the cavernous metropolis of Midnight City, the trio must contend with freedom fighters, mutants, otherworldly artifacts, pirates, feuding alien armies, and perhaps most perilous of all: Holt and Mira’s growing attraction to each other.



Midnight City is the breathtaking first novel in the Conquered Earth series, and a stunning work of imagination from debut author J. Barton Mitchell.

When I first read the synopsis for Midnight City, I was intrigued; but not really sold.  I had that same outlook that I get when I see ANOTHER end-of-the-world alien movie coming out.  You know the attitude—seen one, seen them all.  I will say, with this book, I was pleasantly surprised.  Hooked from Chapter 1, Mitchell kept me guessing, page by page, mystery by mystery, and near-death experience by near-death experience.

This book wastes no time getting to the good stuff.  Straight off, I was thrown into a post-apocalyptic barren wasteland where it’s everyone for themselves.  It’s kill or be killed.  Betray or be betrayed.  This world doesn’t have the luxury of time or calm or even love.  In fact, love is the thing most likely to get you killed.  As a result, Holt and Mira are both loners, highly skeptical of anything and everything—but they must learn to put aside those instincts and embrace each other—because the future of the world rest of their shoulders, as does Zoey—the key to it all.

I really enjoyed watching Holt and Mira bicker and torture each other.  They are both such powerful people and are used to getting their own way, so when you throw these two in a ring, it’s wham-bam!  Who is out for the count, though?  You’ll have to read for yourself; and trust me, you’ll enjoy every minute of it.

My favorite part of this book was the paranormal aspects of the world—the Shadowlands.  Things that originate there have some sort of magical quality—put them together and you can be invisible, create light, or even fly on the wind.  I loved watching the new things that Mira made, and it gave a much needed mysticism to the plot.  The thing that bothered me:  the details!  It got really confusing when Mira was mixing this coin with that essence and blah blah blah.  I don’t need to know how it happens…just rub them together and show me the result.  I tended to skip over the ritual parts and go right to what happens next.

Zoey, the little girl with powers, was cute and innocent; yet you didn’t know if you could trust her.  I liked watching her cling to Holt and Mira, but then start to discover herself along the way.  I have a feeling she’s going to be clutch as the series continues.

The suspense and mysticism were amazing—and I really look forward to these aspects in the next installment. 

So, what bugged me?

There were some elements that were just too much like Independence Day and Signs and War of the Worlds.  They didn’t feel original, and part of me felt cheated at the similarities.

There wasn’t enough romance woven throughout the action.  It needed a softer touch to relieve all the tension.

Overall, this was a thrill-ride of a novel.  And the ending?  Let’s just say I have a feeling Book 2 is going to be even better!!!!!  I highly recommend this to sci-fi lovers and those looking for something a little different than your regular dystopian or paranormal book.