Sunday, September 25, 2011

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Me and Maggie Stiefvater, author of Forever, at This Is Teen
Authors are my rock stars, to steal a quote from a magnet I have on my fridge and a conversation I had with the MIA Crew at the Carrie Ryan book signing. And those of you who know me know that I tend to get a little mute and tongue-tied and weird around my faves, even though I know they're regular people and all that. Anyways, this goes to explain why upon meeting Maggie Stiefvater at the This Is Teen event in Miami back in July, I decided to tell her that her books made me cry in public when I read them over my lunch breaks. To which she let me know that Forever would certainly make me cry in Burger King. Thanks Maggie.

I'd heard mixed reviews about Forever, so I wasn't sure what to expect going in. And WOW. I think it 's my favorite of the trilogy. Maggie doesn't just write scenes, or write a narrative. She writes poetry that weaves together to form a plot line. I can honestly say that I wasn't sure whether I wanted to read her next book, The Scorpio Races, and now I know I will for sure. Just to experience again the song that is her writing style.

But back to Forever. I have another confession to make. Unlike pretty much everyone else I've talked to who has read this series, I was not really a huge fan of Cole. (This even includes Maggie who told us at This Is Teen that Cole surprised her and was really fun to write.) I could take him or leave him. Eh. But by the end of this book, he won me over.

And then, at the end of this amazing book which, Maggie added an Author's Note that included this:

"Many, many readers have written me asking wistfully about the nature of Sam and Grace's relationship, and I can assure you, that sort is absolutely real. Mutual, respectful, enduring love is completely attainable as long as you swear you won't settle for less."

Ok, how much do I love Grace, Sam and Maggie?! A lot.

~Flo~

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

One Day by David Nicholls

I am going to keep this review short and sweet because I know that the movie is still in theaters and I think that everyone should go and see it.

When I began this book it was starting to feel a lot like "When Harry Met Sally" in some ways.  However, in other ways the book is a stand alone.

I love the back and forth with Emma and Dexter's relationship and I enjoy how they share so much of their lives together with each other.  There friendship had its up and downs and I enjoyed the "pop" culture references throughout the book.

Now, the ending is something that I never, never saw coming and I was a bit upset that Nicholls put it in there, but I understood that it was important for the storyline. 




Flo's Movie Review
I am a bad BookNerd. I know that in the majority of cases, the book is better than the movie. And I really was planning to read this book and then go see the movie afterward so I could make a comparison. However, I happened to be at the movies and this was the only one playing in an acceptable time frame that I wanted to see. And I haven't read the book yet. And after the seeing the movie...I don't think I will. The movie was...okay. Just okay. I do think that the book probably provides a lot more depth than the movie could hope to penetrate in two hours. I felt like we kinda knew Emma and Dexter and the other characters, but not really. The yearly snapshots provided insight into their characters, but not enough for me to feel strongly vested. Because of this, the surprise at the end didn't have what I think was the intended effect on me. I was just surprised. I think if I had read the book, I would have enjoyed the movie more because I could see the visual representations of characters I had come to know in depth, instead of looking at them for the whole story.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

September Giveaway Week 3

Uggg as always I am late getting around to getting things posted, but I havent forgotten any of you. This week I am giving away to one lucky follower a 20.00 gift card from Barnes and Nobles! YAY....Ok for my part of the contest I require the following:


  You must follow our blog in order to enter.

To enter the contest, you will need to post a comment containing the following information:

Let us know what book you cant wait to read in 2012...there are so many good ones coming out next year and you might just give me some more reading ideas! You know how we all need a bigger TBR list =o)
 
  Your e-mail address or twitter name so that we can contact you if you are the winner.

The winner will be announced Sunday September 25, 2011.....

Good luck everyone!!!!

Monday, September 19, 2011

September Extravaganza - Week of Giveaways WINNERS!

CONGRATULATIONS to the following winners from last week's September Extravaganza Week of Giveaways!

The Half Life audiobook goes to ... Ricki!

The Summer I Turned Pretty goes to ... Annette!

The Girl's Guide to Vampires: All You Need to Know About the Original Bad Boys goes to ... Khyla!

Torment audiobook goes to ... Emily!

The Witches of East End ARC goes to ... ebaker!

Thank you to everyone who entered! We had a great time reading all your responses. Stay tuned for more prizes -- September's not over yet!!

Friday, September 16, 2011

September Extravaganza - Week of Giveaways, Day V

The Witches of East End ARC by Melissa De La Cruz

From the author of the highly addictive and bestselling Blue Bloods series, with almost 3 million copies sold, comes a new novel, Melissa de la Cruz's first for adults, featuring a family of formidable and beguiling witches (from Goodreads).  
TO WIN THIS CONTEST:  Leave us a comment telling us your favorite thing about the Book Nerds Across America blog. Don't forget to include your name and email address so we can contact the winner.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

September Extravaganza - Week of Giveaways, Day IV


Torment audiobook by Lauren Kate

Torment is the second novel in the Fallen series by Lauren Kate, so be aware when you enter the contest that you'll need to have read Fallen before you can start listening to this. The Fallen series is one that has been on my (Flo) TBR list for awhile. I read Fallen, and when I got the opportunity to listen to Torment, I jumped on it to help accelerate my journey through Luce's world.

TO WIN THIS PRIZE: Leave a comment telling us what book or series is on your TBR (to be read) list. Don't forget to leave your name and email address so we can contact the winner.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

"In James Patterson's blockbuster series, fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time..." (From Goodreads)

Oh James Patterson! How could you do this to me?! You know very well that I already have an incredibly long TBR pile. And then what do you do? You go and make me invested in a bunch of teenagers with crazy names like Nudge and Fang. *sighs* Even if I wanted to stop reading with this one book (which I don't!) I can't -- you left me with so many questions at the end of this book that I simply MUST keep reading to find out the answers!!

Two quick things I want to say about this book. First, I listened to the audiobook...and it wasn't just an audiobook -- it was a Production. Evan Rachel Wood is one of the most expressive (if not the most expressive) reader I have ever listened to on a book on CD. She always had a hint of laughter in her voice that made the crazy story that much more fun. It also made you realize just how much Max loves her flock. 

It's hinted, though, that something might happen with Max and Fang...and I may be in the minority here, but I'm not a fan of that! They grew up together -- they are like brother and sister! They can't start dating! Awkward!

But, yes -- this is a cute read. Though I had my doubts around the middle whether I would stick around to see the series through, I knew by the end that I would.

September Extravaganza - Week of Giveaways, Day III

The Girl's Guide to Vampires: All You Need to Know About the Original Bad Boys.

The good news is: He's tall, dark, and handsome.

The bad news is: He's a bloodsucking creature of the night. Not to mention arrogant, predatory, and immortal.


What's a girl to do? No worries-in this guide, girls learn everything they need to know about these romantic rogues, including how to:
  • Know when they've met a vampire
  • Avoid falling prey to a nightstalker's charms
  • Resist even the most aggressive advances
  • Protect themselves against the undead
  • Destroy a vampire-using everything from holy water to decapitation
Complete with a review of vampire books, TV shows, and films as well as accounts of real-life encounters with vampires, this book is all girls need to surrender to the night-and still make sure they're around to see another day! (from Goodreads).

TO WIN THIS PRIZE: Leave us a comment telling us your favorite vampire story and why. Don't forget to include your name and email address so we can contact the winner.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

September Extravaganza - Week of Giveaways, Day II


The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han!

I (Flo) loved, loved, LOVED this book and am super excited for the opportunity to share it with one of our readers! Click here to read our review.

TO WIN THIS PRIZE: Leave a comment telling us your favorite memory from Summer 2011. Don't forget to include your name and email address so we can contact the winner.

Monday, September 12, 2011

September Extravaganza - Week of Giveaways, Day I


The Half Life audiobook by Jennifer Weiner!


From Redbook’s Red-Hot Read series, a short story by the New York Times #1 best-selling author of In Her Shoes and Fly Away Home.

"My life is over," Piper DeWitt thinks to herself, awaiting departure in the overcrowded International Terminal of the Philadelphia airport for an overseas business trip, to romantic Paris no less. She watched as her husband, Tosh, put his own suitcase into the trunk of a taxi the day before. He’d been telling her for months that he wasn’t happy, and though she still wants to believe it is just a phase, after a call to her mother from the Admiral’s Club, she can no longer deny that he’s left her, left their home, left their four-year-old daughter in her mother’s sole care.

Piper met Tosh when she was only twenty-two, just the way self help books said she would – when she wasn’t looking. Now at forty, she wonders how, through all those years, they’d gotten to this place in their marriage. When her flight is canceled due to volcanic ash spreading from Iceland across Europe, and when a handsome stranger offers her an invitation to share a cab, she realizes she can take a departure from her own life. And after a day of living like a tourist in her own city, she hopes she can still find her way home...

TO WIN THIS PRIZE: Leave a comment telling us what our favorite Jennifer Weiner book. If you've never read any of her books, let us know why you want to read The Half Life. Don't forget to include your name & email address so we can contact the winner!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner


For twenty-eight years, things have been tripping along nicely for Cannie Shapiro. Sure, her mother has come charging out of the closet, and her father has long since dropped out of her world. But she loves her friends, her rat terrier, Nifkin, and her job as pop culture reporter for The Philadelphia Examiner. She's even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body. 

But the day she opens up a national women's magazine and sees the words "Loving a Larger Woman" above her ex-boyfriend's byline, Cannie is plunged into misery...and the most amazing year of her life. From Philadelphia to Hollywood and back home again, she charts a new course for herself: mourning her losses, facing her past, and figuring out who she is and who she can become. (from Goodreads).

Ever since I read Little Earthquakes, I have been a fan of Jennifer Weiner. I love the way she writes you into feeling the depth of the emotions that her characters are feeling. If they are blissful, I am smiling for them. When things go right, I cheer. When they are conflicted, I myself feel torn. Good in Bed was no different. Weiner did such a good job expressing her Cannie's emotional conflicts that there were points in the book where I wanted to stop listening (I was listening to the audiobook on a road trip), thinking, "I can't....I can't listen to this pain..." But, like Cannie, I hung on. Like Cannie, it was because of the wonderful surprises and great friends and family (well some of the family) in her life. I cried for a good 30 minutes straight toward the end of the book. But by the end, my heart was swelling with loving life and contentment for how Cannie pulled through.

~Flo~

September Extravaganza - Week II



We are continuing our September Extravaganza with a full Week of Giveaways! Each day from Monday through Friday, September 12 - 16, we will post a different contest. Each contest day will run from 12 midnight til 11:59 p.m. Then, at 12 midnight a new contest will be revealed!

We are super excited about this Week of Giveaways and hope you will check back daily to see the different prizes you can win!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Boys in Brackets

I updated the brackets with the results of our first four matches.  Please continue to tweet your votes to @booknerdsblog.   

Click on Brackets to Enlarge

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

September Extravaganza - Week 1

To thank all of our WONDERFUL followers, we are giving away a $25 gift card to either Barnes and Noble or Amazon.  (The winner can choose their store of preference.)  You must follow our blog in order to enter.

To enter the contest, you will need to post a comment containing the following information:

1. Have you participated in one of our read alongs? If so, which book has been your favorite?

2. What is your favorite YA Book Series?  We BookNerds LOVE YA books. If we are missing out on something good, we want to know about it :)

3. Your e-mail address or twitter name so that we can contact you if you are the winner.

The winner will be announced Saturday September 10th.  Good Luck!!!!

Monday, September 5, 2011

Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen

I was searching around some site that I follow through Twitter and I came across one of my favorites Tigris Eden.  It was there I saw a review called The Fallen Star By Jessica Sorensen.  After reading the REVIEW I knew that I had to read this.  I order the book immediately and could not stop reading it.

I was sucked into the world of Gemma, a teenager in a small town, with violet eyes, and who just started having feelings. However, I felt so much pain for Gemma, the way she was treated, how alone she felt and the isolation that was all around her.  Then came Alex, green eyes, and very cute.  Now I know that you are thinking that it was just like every other typical story, BUT this is not like that.  There were twist and turns throughout the book that I did not see coming: Gemma's Mom, the heartache of never have any interaction with others, the wanting to feel, and the Death Walkers.  Then, of course, Jessica Sorensen left us hanging at the very end.  Which just made me crave more!

Thank goodness for Google because I rushed to find Jessica Sorensen site.  It was here that I was please to see that Book 2 is already out AND Book 3 will be out in November 2011.  Let me tell you I was very very happy about this! I am now readin Book 2 and I will let you know the second I am done with it.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

September Extravaganza Giveaway

Not to long ago we made the statement that if we had a 100 followers on the site that there would be a surprise.  Well............

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!

The BookNerds have decided to have a whole month of Giveaways! Each BookNerd will take a week in September and giveaway something special.

Each BookNerd will have their own rules for that giveaway and each week it will be something different.  We could give something away everyday or something for the whole week.

Be sure to watch Twitter each week to see the prizes and rules.

To everyone who follows our site and our Twitter, we would like to say THANK YOU!!!!!

September Reads

A new month has started and you know what that means? It is time to announce our September Reads!

For the September read along is:  Hourglass by Myra McEntire


One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut. (This book description is from GoodReads)


The Mystery Corner read is: The Snowman by Jo Nesbo and Don Bartlett

The night the first snow falls a young boy wakes to find his mother gone. He walks through the silent house, but finds only wet footprints on the stairs. In the garden looms a solitary figure: a snowman bathed in cold moonlight, its black eyes glaring up at the bedroom windows. Round its neck is his mother's pink scarf. Inspector Harry Hole is convinced there is a link between the disappearance and a menacing letter he received some months earlier. As Harry and his team delve into unsolved case files, they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears Harry's suspicions are confirmed: he is a pawn in a deadly game. For the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his turf, a killer who will drive him to the brink of insanity. A brilliant thriller with a pace that never lets up, The Snowman confirms Jo Nesbø's position as an international star of crime fiction.  (This book description is from GoodReads)

Movie/Book Night read is: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.



In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't. (This book description comes from GoodReads)

As always we hope that everyone joins in on the reading fun!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Amy Plum Interview

Our August read was Die For Me by Amy Plum.  When we all, the BookNerds, finished the book we could not stop talking about how great it was.  Then we got into contact with Amy Plum herself and asked if we could ask a few questions.  She was nice enough to take time out of her busy schedule to answer our questions.

1.       One of the great things about Die For Me is the way history and the arts are so seamlessly blended into the narrative. Can you tell us briefly about how you blend fact and fiction?

That was one of my favorite parts about writing DIE FOR ME. I’m an art historian (my M.A. is in 13th century Sienese painting), and, besides books, history and art are my life’s passions. So historical events and art are already there in the forefront of my mind, not needing to be researched. There is such a wealth of events and images already out there, that for me it’s like picking strawberries. I pluck the biggest, juiciest ones and weave them in with my story. It’s not like I think ahead of time “I want to include Picasso and Léger and Modigliani in Book 1”. It’s just that when I need an image, they’re all there waiting for me to choose between them.
And as for the characters’ fictional histories being set in actual history, I’m a bit of a mystic about that. I feel like my characters already exist and it’s up to me to discover them. I feel like I’m digging for their histories instead of making them up. But it does help to have done a lot of reading in history because the basis for those stories are already there in my subconscious, and I’m always pleasantly surprised when I come across something similar in the course of my research. (Such as Lucien and Ambrose. I knew who they were, and almost fell over when I found actual stories that defined them more clearly. Lucien is Philippe Henriot, and you’ll find out who Ambrose is later!)

2. We can see the parallels in this book with your background in art, literature, and antiques.  We found it very interesting that the heroine in this story had these same interests.  On the other hand, her party oriented sister became unintentionally involved with a bad crowd.  How have the arts influenced you as a writer?  Was it your intention to encourage readers to explore their own interest in the arts?
That was not my agenda going into the writing of the book. I just based Kate on myself in a very shameless manner! J They say, “Write what you know”, so I thought that with this first foray into fiction, I would imbue my protagonist with my own personality and character in order to make her as realistic as possible. However, once I began including the history and art, I thought, “Wouldn’t that be cool if I actually interested my readers in the stories and artwork and places that I’m mentioning?” My editor actually had me cut a few parts because she said it was beginning to sound like I was giving my readers a history lesson!

3. Vincent is chivalrous, well spoken, and respectful.  We are drawn to individuals like him, but they seem very far and few between in today's society.  What do you hope young readers will take from these characters?
Perhaps individuals like Vincent are far and few between today, but that doesn’t mean that we should accept less in a potential partner. I expect a lot of people. I set my own personal bar high. Maybe – subconsciously – I want to tell my readers, “You deserve someone like him.”
Then again, DIE FOR ME is fiction. I don’t want my readers to compare Vincent to their husband/boyfriend and find their partners lacking. But I do think that we can expect chivalry, good manners, a good heart, and intelligence—if that is what we’re looking for. As for saying the perfect thing at the perfect time, buying the ultimate gift that touches the girls’ heart, swoonworthy dates, and the rest...those aren’t very realistic expectations on a consistent basis. But that’s the reason we read novels with romance!

4. We loved all the extras you have on your website Amy Plum, such as a Die For Me scene from Vincent’s point of view and an interactive map of Paris highlighting important landmarks from the book. Are you planning on doing the same type of thing for Until I Die, the next book in the trilogy?
I had so much fun doing those extras. I am definitely going to do the same for UNTIL I DIE, and am hoping to go even further with a separate DIE FOR ME site with character pages if I can find the time!

5.   Where are you in the process of writing Until I Die? Can you give us any hints about this book?
I am done with UNTIL I DIE and am starting the third novel. In UNTIL I DIE, Kate and Vincent’s relationship has already begun and now they will have to figure out how to make it work with all of the hardships they will face in combining two completely different worlds. There is a lot of romance, there are some new characters as well as all of the old characters, a new evil will be faced – oh I wish I could tell you it all, but we’re all going to have to wait! (How I hate waiting!)


Please visit Amy Plum's Site where there are FAQ's, a special verison of Vincent's Point of View, and many others.  Again we would like to thank Amy Plum for taking time to answer our questions. 

We cannot wait for Until I Die!!!!!!!!!!

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Flo's Review
Die For Me is the story of Kate, a teenager who moves to Paris with her sister Georgia to live with their grandparents after their parents die. Kate finds herself drawn to a very attractive guy named Vincent, and the feeling is mutual. However, there is more to Vincent than meets the eye. Die For Me was a good book and a fast, easy read....however, it felt like I was reading Twilight revamped. Like how sometimes authors, after they have nothing else they can do with one group of characters and story lines, branches off with a companion series about the original casts' cousins or something. I mean, family of undead living together in big, awesome house? Check. Funny family member, displeased-with-being-dead family member, much older patriarch? Check. Most attractive undead family member falls for human girl and compromises family secret? Check. And on and on. There were even multiple times a variation of the line, "Thank goodness you're not dating a vampire!" was used, as if the book really needed to say, "I SWEAR I'm not Twilight! I swear!" But there were some differences, and the book comes alive (I love using puns and clever wording in reviews!) in these. First, author Amy Plum said that she set the story in Paris because it always felt magical to her and she wanted Kate and the reader to feel the same way. She succeeds. Second, I loved reading the relationship between Kate and her sister Georgia. They handled their grief differently and they had their disagreements, but they were always there for each other.  And finally, my favorite character Jules. I just can't resist a funny man charmer. Even an undead one.

Jacque:
I understand some of the similarities Flo mentioned above between Die for Me and Twilight, but this is also one of the few book since Twilight that I absolutely fell in love with.  Like Edward, Vincent is from another era and brings with him chivalry and respect.  While he thinks he is doing and saying everything all wrong, he is actually very well spoken and charming.  I enjoyed the fact that Kate was a strong character and did what she felt would enable her to persevere, which was a sharp contrast to Bella.  While I struggled with some of her decisions, I could understand why she made them based upon her recent past.  She didn't want to expose herself to any further loss or pain.

The characteristics that the revenants possessed were very original and the setting was nothing short of spectacular.  Vincent's kindred (family) each possessed such unique personalities and I enjoyed meeting each of them along with Kate.  There was just enough conflict and paranormal activity present to keep the pages turning while I longed to see how the relationship between Kate and Vincent would unfold. Now that she has earned his family's trust, I can't wait to see where things will lead in the second installment of this series.    

Mary's Review

Out of all 4 BookNerds I was the first to finish Die For Me.  I finished it in less than 2 days and this is what I have to say about it.....OH MY VINCENT!!!! I could not put this book down once I started it.  I could not stop wanting more of Kate and Vincent.  I began feeling so much pain for Kate for losing her parents and what a tragedy it was.  Then came Vincent and he was the perfect fit for Kate.  Now I did not feel the "Twilight" moment like other BookNerds; I felt that Vincent was nothing like Edward and Kate was MUCH STRONGER than Bella.  Also, with this book I felt more connected with Vincent and Kate.  There were three parts in the book where I actually cried my eyes out and there was one part that I actually had to put my Kindle down and walk out of the room to compose myself because I was so upset.  There have not been a lot of books like that for me.  The second I was done I tweeted Amy Plum and told her how much I loved the book and that I could not wait until the next one. Now I am counting down the days.

Tee's Review

Even without all of Mary's gushing about Die For Me, I knew I would enjoy this book. It has four things I love in a book....




1. An angel or in the case of Vincent, an angel like character
2. A dark bad boy
3.Gushy Romance
4.A funny sidekick character, in this case Jules


Amy Plum delivered all of them quite well in this book.  Surprisingly, I really liked the character of Kate. This is a change for me, I usually do not like the female heroine . They come off as weak and needy. I liked that Kate didn't take well to Vincent's life and what he was. Most of the YA girls in these types of books are all..." I don't care that you are a ( insert mythical being here)  or what could happen to me. I love you and I need you to protect me yada yada yada" Kate was like.." Umm no way dude, I can't handle that your this undead thing, I don't care that you are beautiful.." I liked that, but of course she gave in , but I give her kudos for trying. Now to Vincent, oh my, how can you not love him? First of all, we all know I have a thing for the bad boy, and tho Vincent isn't really a bad boy, so to speak, he has had an adventurous past. Second he has that almost angel type thing going on ( tho the whole sleeping dead thing for a few days was kinda creepy to me) and I love a Fallen boy, especially one that can hold his own with a sword. Third, he was soo romantic, I mean I swooned with the letter he wrote Kate, and her birthday surprise at the end of the book * faints*. He pulled out all the stops. So if you love the bad boy angel type that have a romantic side..this book is a definate read for you..

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Congratulations!!

The winners of the Amy Plum Autographed Bookmarks are:

Marissa and Nicole

I will start posting one YA Bachelor match on twitter each day.  Please post as an RT who you feel should win each match as it is posted.  I will leave each match open for 24 hours.  Please make sure the #BoysInBrackets hash tag is included or I will not be able to track your votes.


Monday, August 29, 2011

Boys in Brackets




Click on Brackets to Enlarge


Anyone who has followed our conversations on twitter and the blog knows that the Book Nerds LOVE to gush about our favorite YA Bachelors.  We all have our "teams" and enjoy debating over which of the bachelors is superior to all of the others.  In all actuality, we really do love them all.  To showcase some of our favorites we thought it would be fun to host a draft amongst the 4 Book Nerds and allow our followers to decide the overall winner.

The first step in this challenge is to guess which of the Book Nerds selected each bracket.  The first two people to correctly guess and post their answer as a comment to this post will win an AUTOGRAPHED Die for Me bookmark from Amy Plum.  Die for Me is one of our August read-alongs and is one of my favorite YA books.  I was beyond excited when Amy offered to send us some bookmarks for our readers that participated in the read-along.  I have two extras, which I would love to share with two lucky followers.

Please list in your comment an e-mail address or twitter name that we can use to contact you if you win.

The names to match up with the brackets are Mary, Jacque, Flo, and Terri.

Good Luck!!!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

BookNerds Tumblr




BookNerds is on Tumblr, real or not real?  This is REAL!  The BookNerds have created a Tumblr Page for FanArt, quotes, and other tidbits from authors, fans, and fandoms alike.

So if you get a chance please "FOLLOW" us and see more BookNerds fun!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Unwind by Neal Shusterman


Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives. The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive. (from Goodreads)

Unwind is a book that stays with you. I'd put it on my TBR list on Goodreads awhile ago because I kept hearing people talking about it and I noticed that the majority of its reviews were 4 or 5 stars. (If you have time, they are worth skimming through.) When I first started reading it, I wanted to compare it to one of my favorite books -- The Hunger Games. This was easy to do, because both stories involve dystopian societies that have convinced themselves that it's okay to kill children.  But as I read on I discovered this is entirely different. Shusterman, whether he is trying to or not,addresses several "hot button" issues of our modern society -- right to life issues, war, religion, terrorists. One line that really stuck with me was spoken by one of the "founding fathers" of the The Bill of Life, which ended a war between pro-life and pro-choice parties and made unwinding legal:

"I was right there in the room when they came up with the idea that a pregnancy could be terminated retroactively once a child reaches the age of reason. At first it was a joke -- no one intended it to be taken seriously....we proposed the idea of unwinding, which would terminate unwanteds without actually ending their lives. We thought it would shock both sides into seeing reason -- that they would stare at each other across the table and someone would blink. But nobody blinked. The choice to terminate life without ending life -- it satisfied the needs of both sides. The Bill of Life was signed"

See what I mean about this book?! It makes you go, "What?!?!" I guess that's what I love about dystopian fiction. It suggests extreme situations and then runs with them. But at the same time it has that hint of, "Really, just how extreme is it? How far off are we from it? Who says we couldn't possibly head in this direction?" 

I have been talking with people on Twitter about it and have been met with a myriad of reactions from absolute love to "Well, I don't know what to think!" If you have read Unwind, please let me know your thoughts on it. If you haven't, it's definitely worth your time. I promise you, it will leave you thinking.

~Flo~

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

UPDATE: Day 3 -- Bout of Books Read-a-Thon Day 2: Switch It, Change It, Rearrange It!


Flo here on Day 2 of the Read-a-Thon...and I completely want to change it!

The reality is, I am a BookNerd. That means there will be always be a list of about 5 books that are in my immediate TBR pile, followed by a list of about 25 that are in my general TBR pile. In the grand scheme of things, this one week can help my immediate TBR, but it really won't make too much a difference in my general TBR. Unless...

Unless, I dedicate this Read-a-Thon to those handful of books that I have been saying FOREVER that I will read. You know them. We all have them. Those books that you know will be great because they have gotten great reviews from so many in the blogging community (for example, the Summer series by Jenny Han or the If I Stay books by Gayle Forman), yet because they are not new they are shifted over to the general TBR pile. These books are only ever moved over for some random reason, like me wanting to read the Summer series in summer or happening upon the If I Stay audiobook at the library.

So, I revised my lists to include those books. Without further adieu...

Reading Goals for the Week

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
As much of the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa as I can
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
One Day by David Nicholls (it's the BookNerds Blog August Read Along, so I have to keep it)

Stretching It Goals for the Week (as in, if I happen to get lucky and finish the books above)

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Heist Society by Ally Carter
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

Day 1: Monday the 22nd
Read pages 1 - 108 of Ready or Not.
Today #insixwords: Wasn't a lazy day like planned :(

Day 2: Tuesday the 23rd
Finished Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Read to page 132 of Ready or Not, and I'm trying to decide whether to read further or not. So far it's not as good as the first one.
Today #insixwords: Completely redid bout of books plan!

Day 3: Wednesday the 24th
Read to page 48 of Hush, Hush
Read to page 87 of The Iron King
Today #insixwords: Watched TV instead of my reading

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Bout of Books Read-a-Thon


Flo here. I stumbled upon On a Book Bender's Bout of Books Read-a-Thon this morning and thought it was actually perfect. I am lucky enough to be free this week, and my goal was to really do a lot of nothing and spend a lot of time reading. I'm going to get super busy again starting next week (Fall is officially here!) and I really want to use this time to relax with some good books while I can. So, why not hop on to this? I'll just continue adding to this post over the next few days.

Reading Goals for the Week

Ready or Not by Meg Cabot
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
One Day by David Nicholls

Stretching It Goals for the Week (as in, if I happen to get lucky and finish the 3 books above)

This Summer by Sarah Dessen, Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler or Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel (I see one of these as being what I'll take to the beach if I make it this week.)
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Possession by Elana Johnson
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares


Day 1: Monday the 22nd
Read pages 1 - 108 of Ready or Not.
Today #insixwords: Wasn't a lazy day like planned :(

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Where She Went by Gayle Forman


WOW, Gayle Forman. You really know how to break my heart, but do it so artfully that I'm thinking it's beautiful while it's shattering.

I loved If I Stay so much, and I'd had the foresight to pick up Where She Went from the library, so as soon as I finished the first one, I dove into the second one. Where She Went is told from Adam's point of view. The story takes place three years after the events of If I Stay. Mia wakes up, gets better, and goes to Julliard in the fall as she'd originally planned. But soon after she gets to New York, she simply stops talking to Adam. Now, it's three years later and Adam's band Shooting Star has skyrocketed to phenomenal success...yet, Adam still struggles with the question of Mia and where she went. One night in New York City, their paths cross and...

Adam is a beautiful broken bad boy. I have to admit, I am a sucker for these YA guys! Because they're not really bad -- they're broken. And beautiful. Adam, you can write me enough songs to fill an entire CD anytime you want! Here is my favorite quote in the book:

"Mia's smile is melting chocolate. It's a kick-ass guitar solo. It's everything good in this world."

If you enjoyed If I Stay, then definitely, definitely pick up Where She Went.

~Flo~

*Note: The image above is one of almost 40 "Team Adam" button contenders. Go to Gayle's blog to vote for your favorite.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Something Borrowed DVD Giveaway

The BookNerds read Something Borrowed to launch our Friday Movie/Book Read back in May. We really enjoyed the book, and those of us who saw the movie really liked it as well. Now it's coming out on DVD tomorrow, and we are giving you the opportunity to win a free copy! To enter, simply take the "Is it OK?" quiz below and then leave a comment with your result and/or thoughts on the quiz, along with an email address so we can contact you. The contest will run until next Monday, August 22nd. Good luck!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Breaking Dawn: Chapters 20 & 21



Below is the link to our latest Breaking Dawn post.  As always, there are LOADS of spoilers.  Proceed at your own risk.

I have to admit.  I was VERY happy to find out that I was back to Bella as the narrator.  The only other perspective that really matters in my opinion is Edward's.  When are we going to be able to get our hands on Midnight Sun?  Not just the leaked then released chapters. The entire book.  That is one book I would be certain to have on release day.   

http://booknerdspoilers.blogspot.com/2011/08/chapters-20-21.html

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

1st to Die by James Patterson (Women's Murder Club book 1)


When Mary selected 10th Anniversary for this month's Sunday Mystery Corner, I had to ask for a pass on this read along.  I didn't want to start on the tenth book in a series when I had never read a single book written by James Patterson.  I have had these books on my to be read list for quite a while, but never had a chance to read them. (The BookNerds keep me very busy with other assignments...Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Mortal Instruments..you get the idea.)  Instead of 10th Anniversary, I read 1st to Die, which is the first book in the series. I decided I would give our followers a brief introduction to the characters and my thoughts on the first book to hopefully inspire them to join us in this month's read along.

The Women's Murder Club is formed during 1st to Die in an effort to catch a brutal murderer preying on young newlyweds.  Each woman provides a different piece of the puzzle and is essential in solving the crimes.  Lindsay Boxer is the homicide detective working the investigation.  Her long time friend Claire Washburn is the Medical Examiner assigned to the cases.  Cindy Thomas is a reporter that stumbled upon the initial crime scene and develops a relationship with Lindsay.  When the investigation seems to have come to a halt, Lindsay decides to introduce Cindy to Claire.  The three women meet off the record to brainstorm over margaritas.  Once they have enough evidence for a search warrant and arrest, they seek the assistance of Jill Bernhardt the assistant district attorney.  When Lindsay decides that the case is not taking the direction she first thought it was, she invites Jill to their next club meeting...over more margaritas of course.  Their friendship, strong work ethic, and expertise in their fields enables them to crack a case that is far more than it initially appears to be.

Patterson had me on the edge of my seat from the initial crime to the final scene.  I was sure I knew who the murderer was with about 100 pages left in the book.  I sent Mary a message and she said to keep reading.  After another 50 pages...I was sure it was someone else.  She once again said to keep reading.  I was SHOCKED by who was eventually responsible for the crimes.  I didn't see it coming at all, but in retrospect it makes complete sense.  Patterson laid out an amazing murder mystery with brilliant characters.  I can't wait to read the rest of this series.  Hopefully I will be able to fit one in here and there between all of my BookNerd assignments.   

-Jacque

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

"In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck... A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands." (From ifistay.com)

Pros of listening to If I Stay on audiobook: The music. Mia plays the cello, and at the beginning and end of every CD, cello music plays. It adds the perfect context and emotion to the story, touching the listener in a way that only music can -- which is a big part of how Mia understands and relates to the world.

Cons of listening to If I Stay on audiobook: You can probably figure out just from the synopsis that it's a tearjerker. And bawling your eyes out when you're driving?! Kinda hard.

I had heard a lot of great things about this book, so I went into it with high expectations. Luckily, these expectations were met. Gayle Forman develops her characters so well. By the end of the book, I felt I personally knew Mia, Adam, Kim, Teddy and Mia's parents. This book also did a good job at taking a somewhat hazy issue and giving it a clear path.

I definitely recommend it! Listen to it if you can, but if  you can't -- at least have some tissues on hand!

~Flo~

Teri's Review

I wasn't sure how I would react to this book. I picked it up on a whim, I def. didn't think I would like it or relate to it as much as I did  .The subject of the books is both heart wrenching and tragic. Mia, is in a coma after a horrific car accident that takes the rest of her family. She somehow has an out of body experience and is able to witness and tell us the events that are taking place around her. These moments are intermixed with memories of her past to help us understand the characters in the book.
I think Forman did  excellent job in her secondary characters. I am usually not a fan of parents in YA series, they either come off as completely over protective or so uncaring you wonder why they are in the book , Mia's parents were in a happy middle ground. Parents that were once carefree and were now trying to make the best for a family. I loved how Mia's fathers description is of a former rocker and now a English teacher geek , there was lots of humor on the subject.
This book was truly written about Mia, and her struggle to stay among the living or join her parents in death , but it was Adam who brought the story home for me. He wasn't a main character so much, but his presence in the book greatly affected me.  The year my son was a sophomore in high school his long time girlfriend was in a car accident and several days later was taken off life support. My son was with her at the end. When I read the speech that Adam gave Mia, the one begging her to stay, my heart was wrenched out. I have never asked my son what he said to Bek when she was laying there and he has ever felt he could tell me, this was their last moment together and it still remains theirs. I think I related so much to Adam because of the few horrific days in my life, I know first hand not only does it affect the people involved, but it also affects the people on the fringes of the accident, such as Mia's friends and family, as we were left to deal with my sons roller coasting emotions. I think for these reasons alone I shed a few tears while reading this book, something I usually do not do.
My son has moved on, slowly at first, but this has always played a key in his life choices . I look forward to picking up Where She Went. I want to know how this affected both Mia and Adam, because I know it will. This book was a great read, I laughed, I cried, it defiantly made me feel.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The Summer series by Jenny Han



Lesson learned. When several other book bloggers who often have similar tastes in books as I do rave about a certain book or series -- I need to read them! I'd had Jenny Han's Summer series: namely, The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You, and We'll Always Have Summer, on my TBR (to be read) list for quite awhile. When the summer started, I told myself that I would read them sometime this summer. So when I found out that my local library had the CD for The Summer I Turned Pretty, I picked it up, along with the second book.

The Summer series tells the story of Isabel, known as Belly, and her summers. Belly admits that she kind of lives her for for the summers, as she spends the year looking forward to going to the beach house in Cousins Beach where she goes every summer with her mother and her brother Steven. The beach house belongs to her mother's best friend Susannah, who always comes with her two boys, Conrad and Jeremiah. Belly has been in love with Conrad for almost her entire life, but the summer of her fifteenth year, the summer she "turned pretty," everything starts to change...

First of all, I want to take a road trip to Cousins Beach right now. Han describes a cute little beach town where everybody knows everybody and all is laid back. She paints a beautiful picture in the readers' minds of lazy summer days filled with lying by the pool, walking along the beach, and eating a lot of junk food. Belly's summer world is so cozy, so intimate, so imperfect that it envelops you and you want to be there.

You can probably guess that the heart of the story lies with Belly figuring out her true feelings for the brothers -- Conrad and Jeremiah. Both of these boys were so real. They were your typical high school boys -- immature, moody, silly, fun, and fiercely protective of Belly. For those who are wondering, I loved both of the boys, but my heart belongs to Jeremiah. As the quiz on Jenny's website revealed to me:

"Jeremiah is totally your type! It's so easy to be around him, he's the life of every party. And he's sweet, too. It's too bad he's always surrounded by a ton of admirers…things can get a little crowded." 

(That actually sounds like an exact description of my past two exes. Ok, this is kinda creepy...moving on...)

I would have to say that It's Not Summer Without You is my favorite book in the series. I loved The Summer I Turned Pretty, but I didn't love the girl who was doing the narration on the CD. I was so invested in the story, though, that I ditched the CD and finished reading it on my Nook. I immediately picked up the second book and started reading it. I got through one chapter, since it was pretty late by that point, and went to sleep. The next morning I woke up and read the entire book in a few hours. I went out for about an hour, came back, and read the entire third book. Book 3 was based around a storyline that I didn't really like. I understand why Han brought it in, but it seems a bit unrealistic to me. I didn't like it, but I loved all the characters, and that's what redeemed the book for me.

So now I am becoming one of those book bloggers who is raving to you about a series. Read the Summer series! I loved it, and I think you will, too.

~Flo~

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Amy Plum Video Interview

YouTube can be the greatest website ever (and sometimes not); however, this time it is a good thing! Often times I get on YouTube and search for book trailers (even the ones that are made by fans) and I came across an interview of Amy Plum on Harper Teen's YouTube page.

Amy Plum gave some insight into the storyline of Vincent and Kate.




-Mary

Friday, August 5, 2011

Friday Night Movie/Book: On the Road: By Jack Kerouac

Mary's Review:

Out of all the BookNerds, I was the only one to actually finish the book.  However, it was so painful to finish that I was thankful I did an audio book instead of reading the actual book.  I do not know if I would have been able to finish it! I really disliked that Sal was never content where he was.  If he was in New York then he wanted to be in Denver.  If he was in Denver then he wanted to be in San Francisco.  This whole book was very drawn out and so LONG! I was bored to tears through most of it.  However, I did like Part 2 of the book (which I am going to assume is where most of the movie will take place). I enjoyed the storyline with Sal and MaryAnn, until she left him on the corner.  I absolutely did not understand anything in Part 3,the whole story line in Mexico was a mess!  I am so hoping that the movie will breathe some life into this book. 



Teri's Review:
My hitchhiking adventure started in New York. I was going out west..YAY..I was going to discover the great unknown..the hip generation... I was excited...I was.... oh so WRONG!
Somewhere, and I couldn't honestly tell you where, as I had no stopping places in this adventure, we climbed aboard a flat bed truck with a cast of colorful characters. Actually they were more black and white, I remember none of them, maybe a man traveling with a teenager and some guy named Montana Slim. Heck for all I know these two could be one and the same, you see I slept through this part of the trip.
The truck did finally stop, jarring me from my sleep. Someone said we were stopping for a "pisscall" in Cheyenne Wyoming. Here it was, my chance to escape my fate, a chance to go on, to travel to a land ( any land really) of perhaps vampires, angels, heck I'd take on a zombie attack at this point. I slipped inside the nearest bar (Oh please please be Pandemonium and full of ShadowHunters) , grabbed  a drink and watched from the distance as Sal and his merry men rode off into the sunset. I would never make it to Denver, or anywhere else that Sal roamed. I would never meet the people he was destined to meet, but hey I am okay with that, because I know my fellow Booknerds will be joining me soon, we will get our Haymitch on and then take off on another great adventure together. Books are like that.... they let us escape!

Jacque's Review:
I started out on this journey in central Ohio.  I travelled to northern Indiana and back listening to the audio book.  I just could not get into the story.  Sal was travelling the country aimlessly from New York to Denver to California then back to New York.  He worked odd jobs, complained about not having any money, but managed to buy alcohol and party every night.  When Dean arrived in New York and they decided to travel out west again, I couldn't believe I was about to make another cross country trek.  They made it as far as Denver before Dean had to stop for gas.  While he was filling up the car, I ran into Teri who was on her way to a local pub.  After countless hours in the car, I decided to join her for a cold one and ended the road trip early.  I could not bear to listen to any more of this book.

Flo's Review:
Like Mary, I listened to this one on audio. And like Jacque, I could not finish it. I was the last of the BookNerds to attempt reading this, even after I knew how the other 3 felt about it. But I have to agree with everyone above. Sal seemed to be just traveling around without a real destination. I thought he was planning to go to San Francisco to meet his friend and they'd go work on a ship together. But after he finally made it across country, he just hung around Denver playing around for a period of time. He admitted that he didn't go to work, yet he had money to go drinking with his friends every night?! I know it was the 1940s, but still!

So, then he finally leaves Denver and heads to San Francisco...where he only stays for a night before he decides he wants to leave again?! Really?! So then he meets this girl and ends up just living with her and her son and her family for several months. We see the situation is not ideal, so it's understandable when he wants to leave again. He returns home and is there for awhile before Dean returns, and all of a sudden they are talking about randomly going somewhere else?!? It was too much for me to take. I heard that Jacque and Teri had hopped off the road and decided to hang out at the bar, so I left Sal and Dean and went to join them.

I will say this though: Jack Kerouac is a good writer. Maybe even a great one. I have a feeling that if this story actually had a plot, I really would have enjoyed it. Kerouac has a way with words. He comes up with beautiful phrases to describe simple things. Simply Google "On the Road quotes" and you will come up with a wealth of them. Here are a couple of my favorites:

"I was halfway across America, at the dividing line between the East of my youth and the West of my future."

And perhaps the most famous one: "...because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'"

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Interview with Josephine Angelini

The BookNerds were very excited to read Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini.  The love for Helen and Lucas runs strong from the BookNerds. We were even more excited when we were granted an interview from Josephine herself. 

Beside Greek Mythology, how did you come up with the character Helen?


A lot of hard work!  I spend a lot of time writing character biographies and outlining the plot of my story before I start.  Most of my characters are based on real people, but then they grow and change as I ask and answer a whole list of questions like:  What are her favorite hobbies?  Is she the kind of girl who would go out for cheering or does she run track, play field hockey, or basketball?  I answer tons of questions that never even make it into the story just so that I get real sense of the character I’m writing about.

Who is your favorite Greek Mythology God and why?


The BookNerds would love to thank Josephine Angelini for taking the time out her very busy schedule to answer our questions.  We will be looking forward to Book 2 soon!

I go back and forth on this one a lot.  I usually say Dionysus because he seems like a blast.  The guy could really party and he loved a good play, like me.  On the other hand, he didn’t pick his friends too well.  He hung out with goat men and crazy women that tore animals apart with their bare hands.  That’s not really my thing. 

There are a lot of lesser gods and goddesses that I think are interesting—like Nike.  On of my all time favorite statues from antiquity is the Nike of Samothrace at the Louvre.  I think it’s just gorgeous. 

Who is Your favorite character in the book and why?

If I had to pick a favorite I guess it has to be Helen.  She has the most interesting character arc.  She starts out terribly shy because of a curse that her mother put on her.  As soon as she starts to understand that she isn’t a freak, she learns to accept herself and all the amazing things she can do.  I think a lot of people can appreciate this learning process, especially teen-agers.  So many people at that age are made to feel like that the things that make them special are wrong in some way, and it takes a while to unlearn that and come into their power.


What inspired you to become an author?


I’ve always written.  When I was ten years old my big sister Mary Francis gave me a journal for my birthday.  It was called “A Writer’s Journal” and at the top of every page was a bit of advice or inspiration.  Mary Francis told me to write in as often as I could, and I did.  In fact, I wrote in it every day.  I don’t know what she saw in me all the way back then, but I’m glad she did.  It took me years to build enough confidence to admit to myself that my journal writing hobby was more than a hobby and that I wanted to be a writer as a profession, but better late than never, right?

Why do you think retelling Greek Tales with a modern twist has become so popular in YA Books today?

I think people have always written retellings of the ancient Greek myths; it’s just now the publishing world is actually buying those manuscripts and turning them into books!  The body of work that the Greeks left behind is impossible to ignore, and it’s kind of hard not to borrow something Greek when you want to write something epic.  Shakespeare used Greek themes in his plays, and even some Greek heroes, like Theseus (In Midsummer).  The Greeks never completely go out of style, but sometimes, like now, they are more “in” than at other times.

This Months Read: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

MARY'S REVIEW

When I read the book description about Starcrossed on GoodReads, I knew that I had to read this.  I just can not help myself when it comes to love stories!  Helen is a character that you feel so sorry for.  Her mother leaves her when she is a small child, she lives on an island with only one friend, and she runs track and works in her father's hardware store.  Then literally in just a few chapters everything changes.  Lucas moves onto the island and Helen's world is turned upside down.  Helen tried to kill him the first time she met him and has no clue why.  The twist of this book is the Greek Mythology tie in.  The details and back stories are written to make you feel every breeze and pain with Helen, I loved it! I am a huge fan of Greek Mythology and I love how it was all tied together.

FLO'S REVIEW
It took me a little while to get into this one. The first hundred pages or so were a lot of background and explanation. I understand that we needed to set the scene for the events to come, but I felt it was a lot of, "And here's something weird happening to Helen that she doesn't understand!" [Describe for awhile.] "Oh, and here's something else weird about Helen that she doesn't understand!" [Describe for awhile.] And so forth. It was only once Helen started learning who she was that the story took flight. (If you've read the story, you will understand what I did with my wording there. ;-) From that point on, I was hooked. Like I have heard many people say, I absolutely fell in love with Lucas. He was such a dedicated and loving character. For the last third of the book, new developments were happening rapidly and I kept going, "OMG!" (I really did. Just ask Mary. Every time I did it, I sent her a message about it and she nicely keep telling me, "Oh, it's getting good!") With the world already set up, I can only guess that the next book in the trilogy will be even better because we will get to jump right into the action.

Jacque's Review:
Having taken 4 years of Latin in high school I was familiar with some of the Greek mythology this story was based upon, but this is the first Greek fiction I have ever read.  I LOVED it.  Helen grew up on Nantucket (a small island in Massachusetts) and was always aware of the fact that she was different, but never understood why.  While Helen and her friends had an interesting dynamic, the story didn't really take off until the Delos family arrived on the island.  I enjoyed discovering Helen's unique abilities along with her and sharing in Lucas and Helen's developing relationship.  From mortal enemies to destined lovers, I couldn't help but root for them.  I was absolutely devastated by some of the twists that took place the last third of the book.  The readers become aware of at least one lie that greatly impacts the characters, but they have yet to discover it.  How many other lies they have been fed has yet to be determined.  Angelini left me completely thirsting for Dreamless, which is scheduled to be released in May 2012. (For those who have read the book, the pun is intended.  I'm just following in Flo's footsteps.)  I can only hope that over the course of the next two books the lead characters will unravel the lies, Helen and Lucas will conquer the Demigod world together, and the Delos family (including Helen) will live happily ever after. Is this too much to ask for? I don't think so.  It is fiction after all.