Review: What Comes After

Author: Steve Watkins
Publication Date: April 12, 2011
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
Copy provided by: Teen Book Scene
Summary (via Goodreads): A gripping portrait of a teen’s struggles through grief and abuse - and the miraculous power of animals to heal us.

After her veterinarian dad dies, sixteen-year-old Iris Wight must leave her beloved Maine to live on a North Carolina farm with her hardbitten aunt and a cousin she barely knows. Iris, a vegetarian and animal lover, immediately clashes with Aunt Sue, who mistreats the livestock, spends Iris’s small inheritance, and thinks nothing of striking Iris for the smallest offense. Things come to a head when Iris sets two young goats free to save them from slaughter, and an enraged Aunt Sue orders her brutish son, Book, to beat Iris senseless - a horrific act that lands Book and his mother in jail. Sent to live with an offbeat foster family and their "dooking" ferrets, Iris must find a way to take care of the animals back at the farm, even if it means confronting Aunt Sue. Powerful and deeply moving, this compelling novel affirms the redemptive power of animals and the resilience of the human spirit.

Why I read this: I really thought this one sounded good, despite it not being my favorite genre and decided to give it a try.

Plot: This book is a mix of emotions. Iris goes through a lot, she loses her dad, the friend she was staying with forces her to leave because her parents were fighting, and then she has to deal with an abrasive aunt who turns out to be more abusive than Iris first thought. I have to say, the way she coped was very realistic, she turned to what she knew she loved - animals, and used them to keep going.

Characters: I can't imagine being in her shoes, but I feel like Iris was a very realistic character. The way she reacted to things really pulled her character together and made her so concrete. I thought the villain of the story - Aunt Sue - is probably one of the most realistic villians I've encountered as well. She's not over the top violent, but she takes deep offense when Iris does anything against her and she finds a way to make her miserable. Aunt Sue abuses Iris physically and mentally and you hate her for it, but you get this glimpse of how sorry a life she's lived behind all that anger.

Relatability: It's hard not to relate to one of the many themes in the book - moving away, trying to fit in, abuse, loss of a parent, and the love of animals.

Cover Commentary: Very pretty.

Rating: 5/5 Roses

Find it on Goodreads

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Guest Post with Helen Stringer + Giveaway

Today, I have with me author Helen Stringer, author of Spellbinder and The Midnight Gate, two wonderfully spooky and supernatural middle grade novels. I just reviewed Spellbinder last night and will be reviewing The Midnight Gate later this week, both are spectacular middle grade novels, with a great combination of funny commentary and seriously spooky moments.

I asked Helen if she would talk a little about where she got the inspiration for some of the creepy places that her novel take place in.



Playing In The Hall

One of the things that has always got my imagination firing on all cylinders is places. Old places, new places, buildings, countryside, towns, cities – it really doesn’t matter. Most of the time, particularly with historical sites, the only view you are going to get is as part of a tour group. Often this is fine – when I was at school we were taken to an old Elizabethan house outside Liverpool so many times that the actual tour blurb is engraved on my memory. The house is called Speke Hall, which became Arkbath Hall in Spellbinder, where the tour guide that takes Belladonna and her classmates through the house spouts, verbatim, the old Speke Hall tour of my childhood!

Many real places pop up in Spellbinder and Midnight Gate, an old monastery near Barrow in Cumbria, a 1930s apartment building in Liverpool, and an electric store/vaudeville theater in Los Angeles, as well as my old school – Belvedere, which really is made up of three Victorian Houses joined together. The one place that I grew to know almost as well as my school, however, is the fabulous Croxteth Hall.

Croxteth was the home of the Earls of Sefton. It is a vast pile right on the edge of Liverpool and was such a mish-mash of styles that after the last earl died the National Trust turned down the opportunity to run the property. Enter the city council. They took on the old place and when the surviving countess gave permission for them to have the family papers, I was hired to catalog them. This was my first job. It was supposed to be for six months and I was totally unqualified, which didn’t matter as I was only supposed to be making lists. Then the first of two disasters struck. First, the countess changed her mind about the papers (oh, no! I’m going to lose my job!), then the local paper ran a campaign questioning why the place wasn’t open to the public (hooray! I get a new job!).

The scramble was now on to prepare the place for visitors. There was only one problem: the countess had sold off nearly all the furniture, so the first part of my new job was to research the family history and put together a tour with what we had to hand. The second was to actually do the tours at the weekends.

It was kid in a candy store time! A bunch of my friends were hired to help do the tours (what were the managers thinking?) and during the week I spent most of my time either downtown in the central library reading the personal diaries of the lady who was countess in the early 1900s or wandering around the huge house, keys in hand, seeing what they would open. The answer to that was…everything!

We meandered all over the place, found the earl and countess’s ceremonial robes, complete with coronets (and tried them on, of course), found boxes and boxes of photographs taken by the same countess who wrote the diaries (she was a keen photographer and had a dark room at the top of the house), and explored the absolutely massive kitchens.

The kitchens consisted of a giant room with dozens of stoves and huge worktables, as well as smaller rooms for the preparation of vegetables, meats and confectionary. (This is the kitchen that Belladonna finds in the House of Mists in Spellbinder.) The kitchen also featured a large dumb waiter that was powered by water. The servants would simply load up the dumb waiter and pull an enormous lever. There would be the sound of rushing water and the huge box would move slowly upwards to the dining room. Needless to say, we had to experiment with this. One of my friends climbed into the box, we closed it, pulled the lever and ran up the servants’ stairs to the small ante-room next to the dining room. It seemed to take forever, but eventually the box hove into view and we got our friend out. His name was Steve, which is odd, because it’s exactly the kind of thing Steve Evans would do! (I should probably pause here and point out that it was really dangerous and could have gone wrong in so many ways. But it didn’t. Heh.)

By the end of the summer I had worked seven days a week for almost a year. I was exhausted but had absorbed everything about the old house and grounds and it has never left me: the perfect proportions of the eighteenth century rooms that make you feel calm as soon as you step into them, the winding servants stairs and basement passages, the grand main staircase and pillared balconies, the tiny servants’ bedrooms at the top of the house, and perhaps most of all the details of the life of the daunting woman whose domain it was in the days of balls and hunts and garden parties.

These days the house is run like a well-oiled machine, with a proper visitors center and glass cases of artifacts. But I prefer to remember it as it was – a chaotic playground and an inspiration that I find myself returning to again and again.

Spellbinder series giveaway! Three lucky winners will receive one copy each of THE MIDNIGHT GATE and SPELLBINDER along with some bookmarks! To enter, send an e-mail to SpellbinderSeries@gmail.com. In the body of the e-mail, include your name, mailing address, and e-mail address (if you're under 13, submit a parent's name and e-mail address). One entry per person and prizes will only be shipped to US or Canadian addresses. Entries must be received by midnight (PDT) on 6/17/11. Winners will be selected in a random drawing on 6/18/11 and notified via email.

For excerpts, games, links, and more, visit Helen's website at: http://www.helenstringer.net/

Read Helen's blog: http://helenstringer.net/blog/

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This or That List with Brent Hartinger

I had a fun time coming up with a This or That List for Brent Hartinger, author of Shadow Walkers.

Tea or Coffee?
Green tea. These people who pay five bucks for a cup of coffee? Don’t get that at all.

Sugar or Salt?
Sugar, and I’ll take this a step further (and alienate a lot of people), and say that I prefer sugar to chocolate. Chocolate is fine, but only because it has sugar in it.

Quiet or Loud?
Quiet, definitely. This typing I’m doing now is too loud for me.

Thrifty or Expensive?
Thrifty. Also known as “cheap.”

Vampires or Werewolves?
I was sick to death of vampires in 1998. You can imagine I feel now. Werewolves (although I’m soon to be sick of them too).

Unicorns or Zombies?
I know everyone probably says “zombie unicorns,” but I’m firmly in the “unicorn” camp.

Fantasy or Science Fiction?
Fantasy! Seriously: who doesn’t want to go to Narnia?

Hot or Cold?
Hot. Or, preferably, “hot tub warm.”

Movies or TV Shows?
You know, probably TV. So many movies just suck these days.

Hardcover or Paperback?
Paperback. Remember what I said about being thrifty? cheap?

Rain or Sun?
Misty morning, sunny afternoon.

Beach or Mountains?
Beach, but I like rocky, sea-weedy Puget Sound beaches, not necessarily sandy ones.

Ebooks or physical books?
Ebooks. Own the future!

Want to know more about Brent? Check out his website.

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Review: Stones for My Father

Author: Trilby Kent
Publication Date: March 8, 2011
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Copy provided by: Publisher
Summary (via Goodreads):

The Boer War was disastrous for the British: 22,000 of them died. Close to 7,000 Boers died. Nobody knows how many Africans lost their lives, but the number is estimated to be around 20,000. This tragic, and little remembered, chapter in history is the backdrop for Trilby Kent’s powerful novel.

Corlie Roux’s father has always told her that God gave Africa to the Boers. Her life growing up on a farm in South Africa is not easy: it is beautiful, but it is also a harsh place where the heat can be so intense that the very raindrops sizzle. When her beloved father dies, she is left in the care of a cold, stern mother who clearly favors her two younger brothers. But she finds solace with her African maitie, Sipho, and in Africa itself.

Corlie’s world is about to vanish: the British are invading and driving Boers from their farms. The families who do not surrender escape to hidden laagers in the bush to help fight off the British. When Corlie’s laager is discovered, she and the others are sent to an internment camp.

Corlie is strong and can draw on her knowledge of the land she loves, but is that enough to help her survive the starvation, disease, and loss that befalls her in the camp?

Why I read this: I really enjoyed Trilby's previous book Medina Hill and was happy to join her tour for Stones of My Father.

Plot: Corlie is constantly feeling her mother's wrath. When they have to abandon their farm to flee the British, she finally finds out why her mother favors her younger brothers over her. This book really tore into my emotions and was quite a turbulent ride. Trilby has again produced a book that really speaks to the reader and gives such a clear view of that time in history it was like I was there with Corlie.

Characters: Corlie was very strong for such a young character. She endured so much after her father died and when she is forced to live in a refugee camp, she uses her wits to make sure she is well fed.

Relatability: I think fans of historical fiction will love this one. Or anyone who likes a strong female lead character.

Cover Commentary: Harrowing, isn't it? I love it, definitely speaks to the novel.

Rating: 5/5 Roses

Find it on Goodreads

TRILBY KENT was born in Toronto, Ontario, but grew up in cities on both sides of the Atlantic. After completing degrees at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, she worked for a time in the rare books department at Bonhams before turning to journalism and writing novels for children and adults. Her first book, Medina Hill, is also available from Tundra Books. Trilby Kent lives in London, England.

Find Trilby on Twitter.

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Interview with K. Ryer Breese

Today, I have with me K. Ryer Breese, author of Future Imperfect. I reviewed Future Imperfect a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it.


How did all of your past occupations impact your writing?

Only indirectly. But I do believe that creative writing comes directly from experience. Throughout my working life -- whether I was doing research with severely disabled autistic children or trying to avoid being beaten to a pulp by an ex-con while working the grill at a zoo restaurant -- I kind of mentally recorded all the conversations I'd heard. All the WTF scenes I'd witnessed. These went into the mental hopper and came out, sometimes heavily distorted, on the page.


If you could have any job, real or not, what would it be?

In college I was pre-med. Still think I'd love to be a physician.


What was the best and worst thing about writing Future Imperfect?

It was cathartic. Something very honest and comfortable about it. Though at the same time I worried a lot about how it would be received. Would people get it? That worry was definitely the worst. I suppose it still is. . .


Were any of the characters in Future Imperfect based off of yourself or people close to you?

All of them. I actually "appear" in the book as someone else but I'll leave it there. . .


What's next for you writing-wise?

The sequel, PAST CONTINUOUS. Having great fun writing it.



Want to know more about K. Ryer Breese?

K. Ryer Breese lives in Denver. He’s worked as a clinical researcher, a short order chef, a film critic, a patient advocate, and a teacher. He does not, as far as he knows have an super powers but he has had three concussions.

For more info on K. Ryer, visit his sites:
-Website
-Facebook
-GoodReads

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Interview with Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban + Giveaway

Today, I am interviewing Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban, author of Two-Moon Princess, which I reviewed yesterday.

What has your road to publications been like?

Long and bumpy as is the case for most of us.

Writing is hard. Getting published is harder. In a different way.

Writing is a lonely process. To be able to write you must cut yourself from the world and create from within. To get published you must reach out, communicate effectively with others, to create a network that will allow you to put your manuscript at the right time on the right hands.

Writers are introverts by definition. But to get published you must be an extrovert. It isn't easy to do both.

So how did I get Two Moon Princess published?

I joined the SCBWI and attended the SCBWI conference in NYC (once) and the PA charter meetings (regularly). I also read their bulletin religiously, especially the page called "Editors Needs". It was there I found out that Tanglewood Press, that until then had only published Picture Books, was open to MG and YA submissions. I submitted my manuscript to Tanglewood Press in September 2005. A year later we signed the contract. Two Moon Princess came out in September 2007. The paperback edition with a new cover, in June 2010.

And yes, before that, Two Moon Princess was rejected. Many times. It's part of the process.

How did the idea for "Two Moon Princess" come to you?

Once upon a time, when I was a child, I saw a broken arch on a beach in northern Spain. In my mind, the arch was magical. It was a portal to another world, I called Xaren Ra. Later, I moved to California and Andrea, a teen princess from Xaren-Ra came with me. Two Moon Princess is the story of what happened to Andrea when she returned to her world with an American boy.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing "Two Moon Princess" ?

The story came first. It is always like that for me. I write because I have a story I want to tell. This one was a personal story, the story of a girl from a patriarchal, authoritarian society that discovers freedom in California.

Because it was a personal story, I chose to write it using first person point of view (POV). It is my favorite POV because it is more immediate. It brings the reader into the character's mind. But this being my first novel, I didn't realize the obvious problem I would have using Andrea's POV: How was I to convey to the reader the events that happen when Andrea is not there?

This was a big issue, especially, in the second part of the book when Andrea is a virtual prisoner in her father's castle while the king and her love interest go to battle.

I had to learn a trick or two to be able to cover that part.


What's something surprising about yourself that most people wouldn't think true?

I am from Spain. English is my third language. My second language was French. I didn't study English until I was in my late teens and didn't become fluent until I moved to California in my mid twenties.

But, I must confess, it wouldn't be a surprise if you talk to me in person, for I do have a Spanish accent.


What's next for you?

Tanglewood Press has agreed to publish the sequel to Two Moon Princess. Its working title is The King in the Stone (an homage to The Sword in the Stone, my favorite Disney movie when I was growing up). They will probably change the title, though.

The King in the Stone follows Andrea's adventures in northern Spain both in the present and in the year 718 A.D. 718 A.D. is a crucial year in Spanish history. It marks the first victory of the Spaniards over the Arabs that had invaded the peninsula seven years before. Andrea's journey is rather personal though. It is a story of love, loss and revenge. Not necessarily in that order.

You can read an excerpt at http://onpublishing.wordpress.com/authors-writings/carmens/the-king-in-the-stone-upcoming-2010/

I've also finished another Young Adult novel, tentatively titled Requiem for a King. Requiem for a King is a story of forbidden love and blind revenge in XII century Spain.

While querying Requiem for a King, I'm also working on a paranormal story in which my two favorite Spanish authors (Becquer and Lorca) are, literary, immortal. You can read the first chapter at: http://carmenferreiroesteban.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/garlic-for-breakfast/

Here's a bit more about Carmen, via her website:

I was born in Galicia (Northern Spain), a land of rolling hills and green valleys surrounded by ocean thought in medieval times to be ‘Finisterre,’ the place where the world came to an end.

While still in college, I moved to the arid highlands of Castilla—the land of the castles—in Central Spain and it was there, in the capital city of Madrid, where I finished my Ph.D. in Biology. For the next ten years, I worked as a researcher both in Madrid and at the University of Davis in Northern California.

My writing career started when I came to live in Pennsylvania in the 1990s. Following my first sale, a magazine article on latex allergy, I published four books for Chelsea House (Facts on File): Heroin, Ritalin, Mad Cow Disease, and Lung Cancer. I have also written three short scripts for young children for a Pharmaceutical Company.

As a fiction writer, I have published three short stories on the literary magazine Errata. One of them, a variation on O. Henry's short story ‘The Marry Month of May,’ won second prize in the 2004 Bucks County Writers Workshop Summer Contest.

Two Moon Princess is my first book.

As I await the publication of The King in the Stone, a sequel to Two Moon Princess, I'm hard at work on my new book, a mystery/love story set, again, in a medieval world.

To win a copy of this great fantasy story, leave a comment below with your email address. Ends Friday, April 29th. US Only.

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Interview with Michael Griffo

As a part of the tour for Teen Book Scene, I was able to ask Michael Griffo, author of Unnatural, questions which are answered with lines from the book.


Is there anything you would like to say to your readers: “You’re forever beautiful and you’re forever mine”

What’s it like hearing that readers are eagerly awaiting your book’s release: “Could they tell that Michael was happier and more excited than he had ever been in his entire life?"


How does it feel when you’ve written something you think is really good: “What wonderful freedom this was, to express himself, express the passion that burned deep within him and not keep it locked away, ignored, admonished.”


What do you like to do when you’re not writing? “Spend hours chatting about the Brontë siblings, Oscar Wilde, and a ton of more unliterary topics.”


What does it feel like to connect to your audience? “This is the feeling you’ve been craving, the feeling that was always out of your grasp, of being connected, being accepted, feeling utterly natural.”




Check out more about Michael and his books on his website.

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Interview with Ann Aguirre

Today, I'm honored to have the great Ann Aguirre, author of Enclave, with me to answer a few questions.

A little bit about Ann before we begin:

Ann Aguirre is a national bestselling author with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, two cats, and one very lazy dog. She likes all kinds of books, emo music, action movies and Dr. Who. She writes urban fantasy (the Corine Solomon series), romantic science fiction (the Jax series), apocalyptic paranormal romance (the Ellen Connor books with Carrie Lofty), paranormal romantic suspense (as Ava Gray), and post-apocalyptic dystopian young adult fiction.

Find Ann Aguirre:

At her website
On Twitter
On Facebook
On Goodreads



What's the best thing about being an author?

Setting my own hours, working when I want to, and seeing my characters become real in readers' hearts and minds.


What does your family think of your writing?

My son, age 11: I am very proud of you.
My husband: I'm glad you're doing something you love.
My daughter, age 13: I think it's good.


How did the idea for "Enclave" come to you?

Recently, in an interview, I was asked why I chose a post-apocalyptic world for my YA debut. The answer is actually two-fold. First, I wasn't sure I had the voice to write a beautiful contemporary in the vein of Jennifer Echols, but I wanted, quite desperately, to write a YA. So I decided if I couldn't do a compelling young protagonist in this world, I'd invent one.

I'm a child of the eighties, and we saw filmstrips about what would happen if the bomb dropped. Sometimes we had nuclear drills in addition to fire and tornado. When I think about twenty small children huddled under their desks in case the Russians let one fly, well, it's rather absurd, isn't it? But that sort of fear shaped my psyche, so that's definitely a contributing factor.

What's it like hearing that readers are eagerly awaiting your book's release date?

Thrilling.


What's next for you?

I have many releases in 2011. For that list, click here: http://www.annaguirre.com/extras/2011-releases/

As for what I'm writing, I am working on DEVIL'S PUNCH, at the moment, which is the fourth in my urban fantasy series.


Awesome! I can't wait to read some of your other books while I'm waiting for the second Razorland novel to come out.

Check out my review of Enclave.

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Review: Enclave

Author: Ann Aguirre
Publication Date: April 12, 2011
Genre: YA Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian
Copy provided by: Teen Book Scene
Summary (via Goodreads):

New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20's. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters—or Freaks—who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight, in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs. As the two are guided by Fade’s long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they’ve ever known.

Why I read this: I'm always up for some good dystopian is why.

Plot: Full of zombie-like creatures (only without the rising from the dead and infection of the living), Enclave takes you on a journey underground to a small community that gets by with following rules that aren't afraid to sacrifice for the good of all. Deuce's goal is to become a huntress, to defend her enclave, but finds that all is not right and fair and is exiled to the dreaded Topside with Fade, a former topsider. There's a lot of fighting in this book and I love how kick-butt Deuce is. Add in a little romance, a lot of danger and you've got a great read here. I can't wait for more of this series.

Characters: Deuce is a strong female lead, who knows how to hold her own and stands her ground. I really liked her and hope to see more of who she is outside of the enclave in the next books. Fade is a bit of a moody character and one who I was unsure of but now has grown on me. I can't wait to see what blossoms between the two.

Relatability: I think fans of Hunger Games and dystopian or zombie fiction will enjoy this one.

Cover Commentary: I love it. Deuce uses dual knives, so it's very fitting.

Rating: 5/5 Roses

Find it on Goodreads

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Interview with Jackie Morse Kessler + Giveaway info

Today, I have the great pleasure of hosting an interview with Jackie Morse Kessler, author of Hunger and Rage. Stay tuned for giveaway details below.


How did the idea for the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series come to you?

I wanted to write HUNGER for 10 years, but I didn't let myself, because I wasn't convinced that anyone would want to read it. In October 2008, I pitched the idea -- an anorexic teenage girl becomes the new Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; hard-hitting look at eating disorders -- to my agent, and she enthusiastically told me that I should write it. So I did, and when I handed it in and Harcourt bought it, my agent said to me, "Which Horseman are you going to write about next?" And I was like, "NEXT???" Happily, I came up with the idea for RAGE in less than 10 years. :)

I'm not the first person to write about an anorexic girl becoming Famine. Marvel Comics did it back in the 1980s, which I mention in my Author's Note at the end of the book. They took a very different spin on it than I did; I wanted my book to be about eating disorders and the Marvel character was all about kicking superhero ass (she was a villain in the comics). Other influences include Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's amazing book GOOD OMENS, as well as Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality series, especially the first book, ON A PALE HORSE.


I know that you've written a few adult books, did you set out writing Horsemen of the Apocalypse for teens on purpose?

Actually, no. HUNGER could have had an adult protagonist. I think I tried it that way first, when I was first figuring out who the main character was. But it wasn't until I decided to loosely base Lisa on someone from my life that I realized that she was supposed to be a teenager.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

Pieces of the Riders' history came to me at interesting times. I mention something in RAGE that had almost been a throwaway line, but that wound up being an important plot point in LOSS (Book 3 of the Riders of the Apocalypse). And as I was working on that book, I finally discovered exactly why War and Famine despise each other -- and that will be shown in the last book, not in LOSS.


What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don't know if it's interesting, but I have to have a first sentence. If I don't have a first sentence, I can't get started. It's very frustrating -- I could know everything about the book, except for exactly how it starts, and that will tie me up for a small piece of eternity.


What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future projects?

As soon as I'm finished writing LOSS (due to my editor by May 15, eek!!!), I have a middle-grade novel I'm itching to write for my boys. And I also have an idea for a YA paranormal romance duology. And, of course, there's BREATH, which is the fourth book in the Riders series. **rubs hands gleefully**



Oooo, can't wait to read more from you Jackie! Thanks for answering my questions.


And now for the Riders of the Apocalypse giveaway!


Three lucky winners will receive one copy each of HUNGER and RAGE along with postcards and a mini-poster! To enter, send an e-mail to RageGiveaway@gmail.com. In the body of the e-mail, include your name and e-mail address (if you're under 13, submit a parent's name and e-mail address). One entry per person and prizes will only be shipped to US or Canadian addresses. Entries must be received by midnight (PDT) on 4/30/11. Winners will be selected in a random drawing on 5/1/11 and notified via email.

Jackie's next stop is GreenBeanTeenQueen at http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/.

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Review: Rage

Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Publication Date: April 8, 2011
Genre: YA Paranormal
Copy provided by: Publisher
Summary (via Goodreads):

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

Why I read this: I really enjoyed the first book and was interested to see how Kessler would continue the series.

Plot: This book is about Missy, a girl who is a cutter and has a lot of pent-up emotions that push her to cut. It's really quite a train-wreck for Missy - she's humiliated, made fun of, and a lot of other horrible things happen. And her reprieve happens to be taking on the role of War and realizing that she needs to learn control over herself in order to do what she need to do.

I'm not sure where this series is going and Kessler has left it open-ended as to whether the end of the world is actually inevitable or what will happen next. Definitely interested to see what book will be next.

Characters: Well, wow, I just saw a lot of myself in Missy. If you had made Sue her older sister, that would've been me right there, no joke. I really related to her, so I think I just placed myself in the story and dug in. It was quite a ride.

Relatability: As I said above, I really related to Missy - if you have any teen hormones what-so-ever you can probably relate to this book.

Cover Commentary: Love it. :) I like the ongoing theme of the covers.

Rating: 4/5 Roses

Read my review of the first book - Hunger.

Find Rage on Goodreads

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Review: Through Her Eyes

Author: Jennifer Archer
Publication Date: April 5, 2011
Genre: YA Paranormal
Copy provided by: Teen Book Scene
Summary (via Goodreads):

Every ghost has a story to tell.

The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.

Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch with her own life forever.

Why I read this: It sounded like an intriguing premise. And it's a YA debut novel! :)

Plot: I was wondering how creepy this book would get and was surprised a little at how yes, it was spooky but the fact that Tansy wasn't creeped out really mellowed it a little bit. Which is good, for me at least. I really enjoyed reading this book. There's a lot of flashbacks and this whole mysterious feel that there's more to the story. I love the way it's revealed and how it didn't turn into a horror novel - which I felt it slowly creeping towards.

Characters: I love Tansy. She's a girl who has real feelings and I love that she calls Tate out during the book for his hot and cold behavior, for his moodiness. I was starting to worry it was going to tread to the paranormal formula that I so hate, but I was wondrously surprised to see it get turned around relationship wise. Archer definitely creates some characters that you wouldn't be surprised to meet in real life (minus the ghosts I suppose) and I really enjoyed getting to know them.

Relatability: Anyone who wants a ghost story that isn't too scary would enjoy this one.

Cover Commentary: Gorgeous!

Rating: 5/5 Roses

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Review: Future Imperfect

Author: K. Ryer Breese
Publication Date: April 26, 2011
Genre: YA Paranormal
Copy provided by: Teen Book Scene
Summary (via Goodreads):

Ade Patience can see the future and it's destroying his life. When the seventeen-year-old Mantlo High School student knocks himself unconscious, he can see days and decades into his own future. Ade's the best of Denver's "divination" underground and eager to join the heralded Mantlo Diviners, a group of similarly enabled teens. Yet, unlike the Diviners, Ade Patience doesn't see the future out of curiosity or good will; Ade gives himself concussions because he's addicted to the high, the Buzz, he gets when he breaks the laws of physics. And while there have been visions he's wanted to change, Ade knows the Rule: You can't change the future, no matter how hard you try.

His memory is failing, his grades are in a death spiral, and both Ade's best friend and his shrink are begging him to stop before he kills himself. Ade knows he needs to straighten-out. Luckily, the stunning Vauxhall Rodolfo has just transferred to Mantlo and, as Ade has seen her in a vision two years previously, they're going to fall in love. It's just the motivation Ade needs to kick his habit. Only things are a bit more complicated. Vauxhall has an addiction of her own, and, after a a vision in which he sees Vauxhall's close friend, Jimmy, drown while he looks on seemingly too wasted to move, Ade realizes that he must break the one rule he's been told he can't.

The pair must overcome their addictions and embrace their love for each other in order to do the impossible: change the future.

Why I read this: The plot seemed intriguing and I'm always looking for new debut authors to read. :)

Plot: This book takes you on a wild ride. From Ade's point of view, his life is just about to finally begin on a certain day. The day he meets the girl he dreamed of two years ago. This book takes you around twists and turns and introduces a type of power that is addictive and harmful, but serves a purpose. Definitely a book that is left a little open for maybe more to come, but wrapped up enough that it could be a great single novel. There was a bit of suspense, some definitely romance and sexuality and possibly the most messed up novel I've read since Bleeding Violet - only it made a lot more sense. And I loved it.

Characters: Ade and Vauxhall are both messed up, there's no denying it. It's interesting to see them change in this novel. To go from destructive to productive and trying to change the future. I really enjoyed their personalities and also the supportive characters, mostly bad guys, but also friends like Paige. They just flew off the page in their own way and really left an impact with their personalities.

Relatability: I think anyone whose done anything destructive to themselves or others in their lives can relate to this book.. anywhere from anger to sleeping around to self-harm is what you shall find in these pages.

Cover Commentary: Interesting. Not my favorite, but it has some images from the book in it.

Rating: 5/5 Roses

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Interview with Rebecca Ryals Russell + Giveaway

Today, I have with me, Rebecca Ryals Russell, author of Odessa the first book in the Seraphym Wars. I was able to find out a bit more of which books Rebecca loved to read when she was younger.

What books would your past self recommend at ages 7, 12, 16 and 20? What makes these books so special to you?

This is really difficult. You have no idea how long ago ages 7-20 are for me. I barely remember being 20, much less 7. Okay, here goes:

Age 7-There weren’t a lot of children’s books that I can remember at that age. I think I read the Little Golden books. They had a hard cardboard cover with a golden spine. They covered all sorts of topics.

Age 12-I won a Library contest at school that year, for my diorama depicting the Cabin Faced West out of toothpicks. The book I won was Freckles. The Librarian wrote a message in the front of it and I still have the book.

Age 16-I had just finished reading the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I bought and put together a
puzzle of Middle Earth which my Daddy mounted on wood and we hung over my bedroom door. It was there the day I moved out to get married. Wish I had it now. I’m sure I read other stuff but I remember doing more writing then reading at that age.

Age 20-College Books! I was in my third year of college for Elementary Ed and just married on Valentine’s Day. I didn’t do a lot of reading. Although this was about the time I discovered David Eddings’ and Terry Brooks’ books, which I devoured. They were the inspiration for my own series, the first book of which we are celebrating: Odessa of The Seraphym Wars Series.

I guess I did it after all. And it wasn’t as painful as I thought. I enjoyed reaching down through 43 years of memories to see my seven-year old self sitting in the grass reading Little Golden books. Thanks for the memories.


Thank you Rebecca for answering my question so thoroughly!

Now for the giveaway. There will be two winners. One will receive a copy of the book, the other will receive one of these prize packs:

Prize Pack 1:

choice of 1 Wall Calendar (Majikals or Monsters)

Odessa pen

Odessa Sticky Pad

Odessa Notepad

Odessa Author-signed Cover Art Postcard

Odessa Cover Art Bookmark

Prize Pack 2:

Seraphym Wars Character Wall Calendar

Odessa Mug

Odessa Pen

Odessa Key Ring

Odessa Author-signed Cover Art Postcard

Odessa Cover Art Bookmark

Enter the form below. Open Internationally. Ends April 15th.

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Character Tweets: Tina from Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

In my debut novel, Leverage, Tina is the tough Goth-girl that single-handedly runs the stadium sound system and jumbotron messages at all the of Knights football home games--not because she likes football but because she wants to acquire the technical skills needed to become a sound and video producer. Unfortunately for Tina, she has to share the production booth with a very old crank named Walt who does the play-by-play game commentary. The following is a transcript of tweets from Tina during one of the Knights' recent home games.


TinaRocks!--Old Man Walt (OMW) just took out his flask filled with "tea" and the football game hasn't even started yet. Gonna B a fun night!

TinaRocks!--OMW says the football players in his day were a lot tougher. Sure they were, grandpa!

TinaRocks!--I can smell the "tea" on OMW's breath. I'm pretty sure it's not Lipton and I'm pretty sure you can't buy it at the grocery store.

TinaRocks!--Just explained to OMW the concept of twitter and tweets. He told me to "stop chirping on my fancy-schmancy gadget."

TinaRocks!--2nd quarter begins and OMW is nipping fast and furious on his flask.

TinaRocks!--OMW just called the visiting Mustangs a "bunch of sissy-bitches." His microphone was on and the whole stadium just heard it. I don't think he cares.

TinaRocks!--OMW just asked why a "devil girl" is running the sound/light board. He says I should be waving pom-poms on the sidelines.

TinaRocks!--Just put the following message up on the jumbotron screen. I'M WALT & I'M DRUNK!!! ENJOY THE GAME! Fans cheered. OMW didn't even notice!

TinaRocks!--Halftime is over. Can't wake OMW up. I would be worried except he's snoring like a bear.

TinaRocks!--OMW woke up midway through the third quarter. Said he needs to "take a mean ass piss right now!" Wayyyy too much info, Walt!

TinaRocks!--The Knights football team is up 24 to 10 not that OMW is around to comment and tell the fans.

TinaRocks!--OMW made it back to the booth with five minutes left in the game. He's got ketchup on his chin, half a hotdog in his mouth and his fly is down. Help!

TinaRocks!--OMW decided to take another nap on the floor.

TinaRocks!--Knights win game 27-13. OMW still asleep.

TinaRocks!--2nd to last jumbotron message of the night: CONGRATULATIONS KNIGHTS!

TinaRocks!--Last jumbotron message of the night: I'M WALT AND I'M HOMELESS. AGAIN!

TinaRocks!--Didn't want to wake OMW. Still snoring peacefully when I locked up the production booth. Same time next week, Walt?

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