I'm coming back!

After giving birth to a beautiful baby boy, and now moving into a new place....I'm coming back to review!  I'm going to be changing things up a bit though, not as many giveaways or interviews at first.

I'm also (probably) going to be starting a new blog just for YA Reviews as well, so they will be separated.

As soon as I get settled, look forward to more reviews from me, along with pics of my adorable baby boy Connor :)

Connor at 4 1/2 Months

I've also started making handmade wire-work jewelry.  I may be doing some giveaways of that as well.  Look forward to more info on that as well!

Blog Tour : Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

Blog Tour

Read My Review

About the Book

Life has been nothing but unfair to Grace Parkes and her sister. Penniless, the two orphans manage to stay alive-but only barely, like so many on the streets of Victorian London. And Grace must bear a greater heartbreak, having become pregnant from terrible circumstances and then given birth to a stillborn baby. But the infant's death sets Grace on a new path, bringing her into contact with people who hold both riches and power. A great fraud has been perpetrated on young Grace and her sister, and they are the secret recipients of a most unusual legacy-if only they can find the means to claim it. Mary Hooper's latest offers Dickensian social commentary, as well as malicious fraud, mysterious secrets, and a riveting read.

About the Author 

Mary Hooper is a very popular writer for children and young adults. Mary's brilliant historical novels, At the House of the Magician, By Royal Command, At the Sign of the Sugared Plum, Petals in the Ashes and The Extraordinary Life and Times of Eliza Rose have a huge fan base, as do her contemporary novels for teenagers. Mary is very much in demand for her events at literary festivals and schools. She lives in England.

More Teen Titles by Mary Hooper


At the House of the Magician
By Royal Command
The Betrayal
The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose
 Petals in the Ashes
Amy

Visit Mary @ MaryHooper.Co.Uk

A special Thank You to Kate from Bloomsbury Kids for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

Review : Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

Title : Fallen Grace
Author : Mary Hooper
Publisher : Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Genre : Historical Fiction, YA
ISBN : 978-1599905648
Source : Received from Publisher
Release Date : February 1, 2011
Rating : 2/5 Stars - Okay

Description from Amazon : 

Life has been nothing but unfair to Grace Parkes and her sister. Penniless, the two orphans manage to stay alive-but only barely, like so many on the streets of Victorian London. And Grace must bear a greater heartbreak, having become pregnant from terrible circumstances and then given birth to a stillborn baby. But the infant's death sets Grace on a new path, bringing her into contact with people who hold both riches and power. A great fraud has been perpetrated on young Grace and her sister, and they are the secret recipients of a most unusual legacy-if only they can find the means to claim it. Mary Hooper's latest offers Dickensian social commentary, as well as malicious fraud, mysterious secrets, and a riveting read.  

Trailer : 
  

Review : 

The story starts with young Grace Parkes, on a journey to Brookwood Cemetery.  The unfortunate death of her newborn son has forced her to bring the lifeless body of her infant to be buried.  Grace is only sixteen years old, and as far as anyone thinks in the 1800's, she is considered a fallen woman.  No one will want to love her now, knowing that she has given birth out of wedlock.  As sad as this time is for Grace, she knows that she wouldn't be able to care for the baby, because she can barely afford to care for herself and her sister Lily.

Each day Grace and Lily go out and buy watercress to sell on the streets of Victorian London.  It's not a stable job, but it makes them enough money to pay their weekly rent and to put food in their mouths, most of the time.  When things become to tough, Grace must make some decisions that will change her and her sister's lives forever.  Accepting a job from a woman she met while at Brookwood Cemetery, she becomes a mute for a funeral home.  The job is depressing, as it is her job to mourn the death of every dead person that they are to bury.  While Grace works at the funeral home, the owners of the home, the Unwins, take her sister in as a maid in their family home.  Grace barely sees her sister, and begins to become suspicious of some of the things that have been going on with the Unwin family.

Grace thinks it best to contact Mr. Solent, a man who had pressed her to contact him if she ever was in need of help.  With his help she finds out some disturbing and somewhat relieving news.  It's up to the two of them to blow the lid off a huge scandal, and restoring a fortune to it's rightful owner.

I'll have to admit that this book didn't capture me as much as I was hoping that it would.  I normally fall into historical novels and can't get out of them because they are just so engrossing.  The only thing that engrossed me about this novel was the fact that the author clearly researched the era before writing about it.  At times I felt like I was truly walking through the streets of London, as the descriptions of the surroundings were perfect.

I didn't really feel as though I connected with any of the characters, except maybe Grace, but only in the aspect that by losing a child she was in constant grief.  I myself am pregnant, and don't know what I would do under those circumstances, and pray that I won't have to feel that sort of pain.  Other than that I couldn't really feel much toward any of the characters, and at times caught myself skipping parts of the story looking for something a little more interesting.  I rarely skip full pages in a book, but it was the only way I was going to finish this one, because I felt that the story was creeping along far too slowly.

I was disappointed in this book, but I did manage to finish it, out of curiosity and the history that was jammed into the pages.  I will not let this one book by this author prevent me from reading more from her in the future, because her writing style is quite beautiful.  The writing and amount of detail that went into this story makes me believe that I just happened to pick up the wrong book by this author, and I'm sure she will give me a good story next time.

Despite my low rating, I encourage you to go out and read this book.  There have been many great reviews for this title, and I think that you may either love or dislike this book.  I unfortunately did the latter in these circumstances.

Where did I get this book? :
I received this book from Kate at Bloomsbury Kids publishing house in exchange for my honest review for a blog tour.

Amazon Affiliates :

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com. If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Friday Finds - February 18, 2011

Friday Finds was started by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Check back each Friday to see what I've found, and make sure to stop by Should Be Reading's Friday Finds Post to see what other bloggers have found as well!

Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter (Pre-Order Hardcover @ Amazon)

Publisher : Arthur A. Levine Books

ISBN : 978-0545221306

Release Date : August 1, 2011

Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone

Adult or YA :  YA

"The Luxe" meets the ancient world in the extraordinary story of Cleopatra's daughter.

Selene has grown up in a palace on the Nile with her parents, Cleopatra & Mark Antony—the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But the jealous Roman Emperor Octavianus wants Egypt for himself, & when war finally comes, Selene faces the loss of all she's ever loved. Forced to build a new life in Octavianus's household in Rome, she finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies—until she reaches out to claim her own.

This stunning novel brings to life the personalities & passions of one of the greatest dramas in history, & offers a wonderful new heroine in Selene.

 

The Revenant by Sonia Gensler (Pre-Order Hardcover or Kindle Edition @ Amazon)
Publisher : Knopf Books For Young Readers

ISBN : 978-0375867019
Release Date : June 14, 2011
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone
Adult or YA : YA

Loading...

Loading...

When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.

Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wea...moreWhen Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.

Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.

Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. .

Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay (Pre-Order Paperback or Kindle Edition @ Amazon)

Publisher : Pocket Books

ISBN : 978-1439189863
Release Date : May 31, 2011

Series or Stand Alone : #1 Dead on the Delta

Adult or YA : Adult 

If you believe in fairies, run. . . .

Once upon a time, fairies were the stuff of bedtime stories and sweet dreams. Then came the mutations, and the dreams turned to nightmares. Mosquito-sized fairies now indulge their taste for human blood—and for most humans, a fairy bite means madness or death. Luckily, Annabelle Lee isn’t most humans. The hard-drinking, smart mouthed, bicycle riding redhead is immune to fairy venom, and able to do the dirty work most humans can’t. Including helping law enforcement—and Cane Cooper, the bayou’s sexiest detective—collect evidence when a body pops up outside the barricades of her Louisiana town.

But Annabelle isn’t equipped to deal with the murder of a six-year-old girl, or a former lover turned FBI snob taking an interest in the case. Suddenly her already bumpy relationship with Cane turns even rockier and even the most trustworthy friends turn into suspects. Annabelle’s life is imploding: Between relationship drama, a heartbreaking murder investigation, Breeze-crazed drug runners, and a few too many rum and cokes, Annabelle is a woman on the run—from her past, from her future, and into the arms of a darkness waiting just for her. . . . 

Amazon Affiliates : 

Clicking on links in parenthesis in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Waiting on Wednesday - February 16, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday

Hosted by Breaking The Spine

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Heroes 'Til Curfew by Susan Bischoff

Release Date : TBA 

Synopsis from Goodreads : 

How do you impress a girl who can toss dumpsters around with her brain, when all your invisibility Talent makes you great at is hiding? As Dylan ponders this, Joss finds herself mired deep in "he likes me, he likes me not" territory. While our super couple dances awkwardly around their feelings, NIAC's mysterious undercover agent is sending away more Talents than ever. It's the perfect climate of fear for Marco to draw these scared kids to his cause as he plots both his revenge, and a crime wave that sweeps over the town of Fairview, threatening Joss's family business and the safety of all Talents, good and bad. Joss and Dylan have to decide if they're going to stand up or step aside. Is it worth risking their freedom? Or each other? 

 

I recently read the first book in the Talent Chronicles, Hush Money, and instantly wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters in the sequel.  Unfortunately there isn't a definitive date as to when it will be released, but as soon as I find out I will be sure to let everyone know!  Until then, you should most definitely head on over to Amazon and grab yourself a copy of Hush Money!

 

You can also read my review of Hush Money HERE.

 

Amazon Affiliates : 

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Blog Tour : Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Blog Tour

Read My Review

About the Book

When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother-and she needs one fast.

That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth-that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.

About the Author

Suzanne Selfors is the author of Saving Juliet as well as a middle grade series with Little, Brown. She held a number of jobs before becoming a writer, including children's photographer, video producer, organic flower grower, and marketing director. She lives in Washington.

More Teen Titles by Suzanne Selfors

Saving Juliet (Amazon)

Coffeehouse Angel (Amazon)

Visit Suzanne @ SuzanneSelfors.com

A special Thank You to Kate from Bloomsbury Kids for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

Review : Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Title : Mad Love
Author : Suzanne Selfors
Publisher : Walker Books for Young Readers
Genre : Young Adult
ISBN : 978-0802784506
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone
Release Date : January 4, 2011
Rating  : 4/5 Stars - Very Good

Description from Amazon : 

When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother-and she needs one fast.

That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth-that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.

Trailer :



Review : 

Alice Amorous is the Queen of Romance's daughter.  Life is pretty tough for her though, because her mother suffers from a very serious mental condition.  She's had it her whole life, but has recently been admitted into a hospital to help her out of a catatonic state.  Alice has quit going to the private school she has been going to her whole life, and has climbed into a pair of adult pants earlier than she ever thought she would.  She's been holding up the fort for quite some time, and letting everyone around her believe that everything is perfect, when clearly things just aren't.  Now she has to come up with a new book for her mother's publisher, or they're life will surely go down the drain.

Errol, who claims he is the real Cupid, has confronted Alice with the true story of Cupid and Psyche.  Alice doesn't believe a word he says, so she continues to make excuses as to the reason why she can't write his book for him.  When she starts hearing his voice in her head, and can't stop thinking about him, she thinks she must be going insane just like her mother, and this is the scariest thing she can imagine for herself.  Besides, he can't really be Cupid, right?

When I started this book I expected more of a comedic attempt at a story about Cupid.  Surprisingly, I was wrong.  I'm glad I was wrong though, because this book is perfect just the way it is.  If not for lack of time due to a bit of nesting fever, I would have devoured this book within hours.  I clearly have been missing out on the talent of Suzanne Selfors, and now I want to go back and read each and every one of her previous titles.

My favorite character in this title would have to be Archibald, the only gay tenant in the building that Alice and her Mother own and rent out.  He always seemed to be there for someone, and never had anything to complain about, even when dealing with everyone else's drama.  My least favorite character was Realm, previously known as Lily, until she cut all ties from her previous self and became a self-centered, manipulating little brat.  There were times that I wanted to shake her because of the things she put Alice through, but her character clearly had some issues that she needed to work out.

The main character, Alice, annoyed me at some points in time.  She was absorbed with trying to write a new romance novel in her mother's name, but didn't seem to realize that Errol was trying desperately to give her one.  I thought she was a little stubborn at times, but like all of us, we just need to sit back and look at the big picture.  Sometimes things just come to you when you least expect it.

Despite Alice's mother being the Queen of Romance, and Errol being the supposed 'real Cupid', there wasn't too much romance in this book.  Alice has a huge crush on a new boy in town, Tony, and they do get to know each other a little bit throughout the book, but I wouldn't consider it to be too much of a romance between them.  I'm glad that there wasn't that much romance between them though, because they are so young, and I hate to see young characters fall head over heels in love with each other within a few short chapters.  I thought that their feelings toward each other, and the slow pacing of them getting acquainted was much more realistic than most young adult books.

I really liked how Selfors included a very serious mental condition into this book.  It gives a lot of insight on what families have to go through when their loved ones can't take care of themselves and need to be admitted into a hospital.  The illness in this book hits close to home too, because I do have a few family members that suffer from it, although they had it treated early on so it never had the time to come to the state that Alice's mother faced. 

The bottom line is that this was a great book.  Within the last few chapters I cried my eyes out, and I'm not sure if it was because Selfors is fantastic with depicting emotion, or if my pregnancy hormones were just raging at the moment.  Either way, I love a book that can grip my heart and make it break for the characters.  I highly recommend this book, to both young adults and adults alike, because it will give you a real insight on a teenager who has to deal with a parent being mentally ill, and how sometimes you have to grow up before your time.


Where did I get this book? : 

I received this book from Kate at Bloomsbury Kids publishing house in exchange for my honest review for a blog tour.

Amazon Affiliates : 

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits. 

Review : Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Title : Cryer's Cross
Author : Lisa McMann
Publisher : Simon Pulse
Genre : Young Adult, Paranormal, Mystery
ISBN : 978-1416994817
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone
Release Date : February 8, 2011
Rating : 3/5 Stars - Good

Description from Amazon : 

The small town of Cryer’s Cross is rocked by tragedy when an unassuming freshman disappears without a trace. Kendall Fletcher wasn’t that friendly with the missing girl, but the angst wreaks havoc on her OCD-addled brain. 

When a second student goes missing—someone close to Kendall’s heart—the community is in an uproar. Caught in a downward spiral of fear and anxiety, Kendall’s not sure she can hold it together. When she starts hearing the voices of the missing, calling out to her and pleading for help, she fears she’s losing her grip on reality. But when she finds messages scratched in a desk at school—messages that could only be from the missing student who used to sit there—Kendall decides that crazy or not, she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t act on her suspicions. 

Something’s not right in Cryer’s Cross—and Kendall’s about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried. 

Trailer : 

 

 

Review : 

Kendall Fletcher lives in the small town of Cryer's Cross.  Nothing bad has ever happened there, and everyone knows everyone.  The high school is a one room classroom, so when one girl goes missing, the whole town knows about it.  Kendall takes it very hard when the girl goes missing, because she already has really bad OCD as it is.  Now Kendall has added on new tasks to her daily life, because she fears that she might be the next person to go missing.

Things are even worse for her when someone she truly cares about is the next one to go missing.  She even begins to think that the stress of the missing children has made her crazy, because she starts to hear their voices.  Words scratched into a desk at school are her only clue that she's not crazy, so she uses those clues to try to find her missing friend.

I'll be quite honest, I didn't even read the synopsis of this book before I started it.  The cover just looked so interesting that I wanted to read it from that image alone.  I was about half-way through the story, wondering whether or not there was a paranormal element when I decided to read the synopsis.  While this book does have some paranormal elements, you don't see them until close to the end of the book.  It all just seemed like a regular mystery novel to me for quite some time.

I liked Kendall, although she wasn't my favorite main character.  She really enlightened me on how a person with OCD goes throughout their day, and what they really do go through.  Most people don't realize how difficult life can be for a person with OCD, but McMann easily portrayed how a person with this disorder would live their life.  At times I thought Kendall was a little too judgmental, especially to the new boy in town, although he wasn't the nicest person to her either. 

This was the first book that I've read by Lisa McMann, and honestly I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.  I've heard a lot of good things about her writing, but it felt like it lacked something, although I can't put my finger on it.  I'm not saying that this story wasn't good, because it was, but it was a little slow moving.  I did however, think it was good enough to read more of her work, so I'll be going back and reading her Wake Series.

Where did I get this book? : 

I received my e-galley from the Simon & Schuster Galley Grab for my honest review.

Amazon Affiliates : 

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits. 

Busy Busy Busy!!

Sorry folks!  I've been quit busy this past week with work and baby stuff!  I'll be back to make some posts on Sunday, and luckily I only have 3 days on the schedule this week so I can relax a little bit!

Also have another ultrasound, so I'm going to be posting the pics from both the first one, and the new one this week so everyone can see how my little man is progressing!

See you soon!

In My Mailbox - January 24, 2011

In My Mailbox was started by Krist @ The Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau (Kindle Edition)

December 1, 2010 - Purchased from Amazon for $2.39

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail? 

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

Ghost Ocean by S.M. Peters (Paperback)

May 5, 2009 - Received from Bookmooch

Beings of unimaginable power, classified as myths and legends, have been imprisoned in the secluded town of St. Ives for centuries-watched over by guardians with supernatural skills. Te Evangeline-s father was one such guardian, a -binder- who died in the line of duty and who passed along his ability to his daughter. Now, Te must awaken the magic within her before her father-s killer releases his fellow prisoners on an unsuspecting world.

A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp (Paperback)
April 27, 2010 - Received from Bookmooch  

Meet three noble bachelors and a quartet of American girls of questionable manners! New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp delights with an exciting new series featuring love, laughter, and intrigue. 
 When Mary Bascombe’s stepfather tries to sell her and her sisters to  the highest bidder after their mother’s death, she resolves to take  drastic action. Although their British mother was estranged from her family, Mary decides the four will flee to London and take their place in society as granddaughters of the Earl of Stewkesbury.

Dashing Sir Royce Winslow doubts the honesty of the young women’s claim—despite their charms, they seem to be hiding something. His attraction to feisty Mary, however, is no ruse, so when the sisters are shipped off to Willowmere, the earl’s country estate, to acquire some polish, Royce is quick to join them. When an unknown villain attempts a kidnapping, Royce and Mary are thrown together as they confront the danger . . . and Royce learns that while high society may sing the praises of proper behavior, it is a most improper American who is winning his heart.

Prince Charming Doesn't Live Here by Christine Warren (Paperback)
November 2, 2010 - Received from Paperbackswap

Danice Carter is not one for glass slippers. A stilettos-wearing lawyer at one of Manhattan’s most elite establishments, Danice has a very strong grip on reality. So when she’s asked by one the firm’s founding partners to take on a personal case, Danice knows she’s in for the opportunity of a lifetime. All she has to do is convince her top boss’s granddaughter, Rosemary, to file a paternity suit. Sounds simple enough…until Danice arrives at Rosemary’s home and is pounced on by a handsome stranger.

Private investigator McIntyre Callahan’s was only following his powerful client’s orders: Find Rosemary—at all costs. Instead, he’s found a super-hot lawyer prowling around looking for answers he can’t give. The half-human, half-Fae Mac tries to warn Danice that she’s way in over her head—that Rosemary may roam among The Others, and may have dangerous ties to the Unseelie Court—but she won’t be deterred. Even if that means following Mac to the ends of the earth to find Rosemary…or surrendering to his supernatural powers of temptation…until death do they part.

Whom God Would Destroy by Commander Pants (Kindle Edition)
May 5, 2010 - Received for review by the Author

t's 1987, and “God” decides that it's about time he returned to Earth once more. Opening up a New Age store, he brings with him a fresh message for mankind to screw up - one tailor-made for this, the age of greed. It's called Meism, and it extols the virtues of selfishness, having its adherents, "Do good unto others so they can feel good about themselves," instead of that Golden Rule's tired old message. Sadly, He runs into a few kinks he didn't foresee...

Whom God Would Destroy; it's about God, Big Macs, insanity and the search for the Ultimate Orgasm!

Big Girls Don't Die by Crystal Jordan (Kindle Edition)
February 6, 2009 - Kindle Freebie on Amazon (Currently $1.99) 

“I will always love you.” Not just a figure of speech when you’re undead.

In the Heat of the Night, Book Two

Six months ago, Andre St. James committed the ultimate one-night-stand party foul by turning Cynthiana into the spawn of Satan…also known as a vampire. He insisted he knew they were meant to be together forever and ever, so why wait for her to be on the same page with him to suck the life out of her?

What. Ever. The only thing the two of them share is chemistry that blasts off the charts. So she dropkicked him out of her life and told him to never come back. He listened. Until now.

Andre knows Cyn has trouble dealing with his take-no-prisoners approach to life, and that turning her against her will was a mistake. But he’s got patience born of centuries of immortality, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get back into her good graces and stay there forever. Including wait until she has no choice but to turn to him.
After all, no one understands forever like a vampire. He’s loved her from the moment he saw her…and he always will.

Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson (Kindle Edition)
August 24, 2007 - Kindle Freebie

Fifteen-year-old Scotty Dawn has spent her young life on the road, traveling to movie sets with her single mom, Charley, a food designer. Yet even though Scotty is wise beyond her years, she still struggles to find her identity. Complicating matters is a mother who offers no guidance and a father she's never met.

Now Scotty is determined to discover what she wants from life. She's even documenting the journey on her "Hollywood Nobody" blog. But as Scotty begins to find dark answers to tough questions, will her story have a happy ending?

The first in a series, Hollywood Nobody is a novel for teen girls that examines real issues with honesty and humor. Enhancing the book's themes, the story includes journal and blog entries as well as screenplay dialog, providing an engaging experience for readers.

Amazon Affiliates : 

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Sunday Kindle Deals - Young Adult Titles Under $5 (+3)

Each Sunday come back here to Falling Off The Shelf to find out the latest Kindle book deals in the Young Adult genre!  If you find a deal that you would like me to showcase, please let me know!

**Clicking on Title Links will redirect you to Amazon** 

 

Titles still under $5, previously showcased.

Marked (House of Night Bk 1) by P.C. & Kristin Cast - $2.99

Evermore (The Immortals Bk 1) by Alyson Noel - $2.99

The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine Bk 1) by Bree Despain - $2.39 

Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses Bk 1) by Ellen Schreiber - $3.99

Dramarama by E. Lockhart - $3.76

The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods Bk 4) by Melissa de la Cruz - $4.24

Book of Love (Knight Angels Bk 1) by Abra Ebner - $4.99

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry - $4.88

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn - $4.69

Football Genius by Tim Green - $4.99

All Alone in the Universe by Lynn Rae Perkins - $4.99

Ghost of a Chance by Laura Peyton Roberts - $4.79

 

This Week's Showcase :

 

My Little Phony (The Clique #13) by Lisi Harrison

Current Kindle Price : $1.99

Lending Enabled : No

 

Massie Block: The holidays are just around the corner, and the only thing Massie doesn't want for Christmas is a lip-kiss from her ninth-grade crush, Landon. Not that she'd ever admit it, but she's nervous! To distract herself, Massie focuses on getting revenge on Claire for ditching the Pretty Committee. But when the plan to bug her ex-BFF backfires big-time, she may find herself headed for a Merry Kissmass-whether she likes it or not.

Alicia Rivera: Promised her parents she wouldn't shop at awl between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Her reward? An all-expenses-paid trip to the Spanish Riviera. But what happens when she sees the cuh-yutest pair of Ralph Lauren sunglasses? No pain, no Spain.

Dylan Marvil: After going overboard at the Westchester Mall, Dylan isn't worried about the size of her clothes . . . but she is worried about the size of her clothing budget. Cuh-redit denied!

Kristen Gregory: Is sick of being the only poor girl in Westchester. But misery loves company, and maybe, just maybe, she won't be the only broke member of the Pretty Committee for long. . . .

Claire Lyons: When Massie scares off her new drama friends with a fake-lice scare, Claire decides she's done letting Massie bully her. The alpha may have exterminated Claire's social life, but what goes around comes around. The raid is on, and it won't be over until the fat ladybug sings.

The Clique . . . the only thing harder than getting in is staying in. 

 

The Fifth of March : A Story of the Boston Massacre by Ann Rinaldi 

Current Kindle Price : $4.80

Lending Enabled : No

 

Rachel Marsh is a servant in the Boston household of John Adams. But her loyalty to the Adams family is tested by her friendship with Matthew Kilroy, a British private who leads his soldiers in firing upon a mob of Boston citizens. 

 

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau 

Current Kindle Price : $2.39

Lending Enabled : No

 

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?
Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt 
Current Kindle Price : $4.99
Lending Enabled : No

After her mother's death, Julie goes to live with Aunt Cordelia, a spinster schoolteacher, where she experiences many emotions and changes as she grows from seven to eighteen.

Don't Kiss Him Goodbye by Sandra Byrd
Current Kindle Price : $4.69
Lending Enabled : Yes

Now established in her quirky British village, Savvy works hard to get an article with her own byline published in the school newspaper. When an attractive and mysterious boy asks her for help with his school work, Savvy is slowly pulled into his circle and soon finds out that the wrong set of friends—boys and girls—can influence her own behavior. Following her own advice to cut ties with a charming bad boy would mean abandoning her dearest wishes, and it just doesn't seem as wrong as it feels. Is it? Read on for surprise twists throughout the book!

London Confidential is a new series for young girls. In the series, British fashion, friendships, and guys collide as an all-American teen girl learns to love life and live out her faith. The series follows Savvy's entertaining attempts to fit in during her first year at a new school in a new country.

Flirting With Disaster by Sandra Byrd 
Current Kindle Price : $4.79
Lending Enabled : Yes

In a shocking turn of events, all writers for the Wexburg Academy Times will cast their votes for next year's editor—and it looks like Savvy's vote will be the tie breaker! She must choose between a nasty-girl-turned-nice, with a sudden interest in letting Savvy get what she wants, and the prickly Hazelle, who promises nothing at all. Savvy then finds herself wrapped up in a new, seemingly innocent but potentially dangerous activity. It's all at risk in this book: her position on the paper, the boy she likes, the ministry she wants to go well. At a critical moment, Savvy must figure out how to rely on God rather than luck and to overcome temptation before it is too late.

London Confidential is a new series for young girls. In the series, British fashion, friendships, and guys collide as an all-American teen girl learns to love life and live out her faith. The series follows Savvy's entertaining attempts to fit in during her first year at a new school in a new country.  

Amazon Affiliates :

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

   

Friday Finds - January 21, 2011

Friday Finds was started by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Check back each Friday to see what I've found, and make sure to stop by Should Be Reading's Friday Finds Post to see what other bloggers have found as well!

 

Between the Sea & Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore (Pre-Order Hardcover @ Amazon)

Publisher : Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

ISBN : 978-1599904344

Release Date : June 7, 2011

Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. Then Dosinia runs away to the mainland, and Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou (Pre-Order Hardcover or Kindle Edition @ Amazon)

Publisher : Knopf Books for Young Readers

ISBN : 978-0375842450
Release Date : August 9, 2011
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone

Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.

Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.

Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini (Pre-Order Hardcover @ Amazon)

Publisher : HarperTeen

ISBN : 978-0062011992

Release Date : May 31, 2011

Series or Stand Alone : #1 Starcrossed 

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Publisher : Tor
ISBN : 978-0765328
Release Date : September 2011
Series or Stand Alone : #1 Anna Dressed in Blood 

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story. . .

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.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (Pre-Order Hardcover or Kindle Edition @ Amazon)
Publisher : Dutton Juvenile
ISBN : 978-0525423386 
Release Date : June 14, 2011
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone 

Chloe’s older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can’t be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby’s friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns home two years later, a precarious and deadly balance waits. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

Imaginary Girls is a masterfully distorted vision of family reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, laced with twists that beg for their secrets to be kept.

Amazon Affiliates : 

Clicking on links in parenthesis in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.