Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Add it: Goodreads

Source: Won (paperback)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover, 344 pages
Release Date: May 4, 2010

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

This book is one that sneaked up on me. I went into it with the praises of so many bloggers ringing in my ears but I just wasn't feeling it at the start. Amy's life situation is tough (it does kind of suck!) but I had some trouble connecting to her character immediately. Soon enough though, I felt myself falling deeper in love for this gem of a road trip novel.

This is going to sound really dorky but I feel like I went on a big adventure with this book. When Amy and Roger first started taking the detours from their set itinerary, I got kind of panicked and the rule-follower in me was all, Amy, no! You can't! Then it just got so fun and so interesting and so personal that I couldn't really find it in myself to care much. I wanted them to take more detours if it meant extending their trip just a day longer because I was so invested in Amy and Roger.

Although it's Amy that is dealing with the brunt of the emotional pain after the loss of her father, Roger is not exactly living in a happy-go-lucky paradise. Both of these characters come so far in the course of the novel and that, to me, was the best part of the novel. That they are able to find comfort and strength in each other only makes their relationship all the more sweet.

Despite the darker side to Amy and Roger lives in the time of the novel, the journey they take is one filled with laughter and good times. An awesome soundtrack, a substantial amount of sugar and the bright personalities of the two main characters and all of the people they meet just make this such an enjoyable read. When the impressionable places they visit are added... let's just say it tips the scales in favour of Amy & Roger's Epic Detour.

A heartwarming story with plenty to make you laugh and think.

Cover Comments: Aww, it's cute! Anything with Amy and Roger together is enough to make me smile :)

4.5 stars

Interview with Aimee Agresti + Giveaway!

I recently read Illuminate by Aimee Agresti and I FELL IN LOVE. You can read my 5 Reasons You Should Read It here or you can just read this interview and see if you're not at least intrigued. Without further ado, here is Aimee Agresti!

What can readers expect from Illuminate? What's it about?
Hi! Thanks so much for having me! Well, on the surface, ILLUMINATE is about a teen angel-in-training, who's forced to battle a pack of soul-stealing devils and ends up falling in love with one (of course!) But, there's so much more to it! I like to think what it's really about is a girl learning to have confidence in herself.

The Lexington Hotel, where most of the book takes place, is described with such breathtaking detail. How did you go about planning that out?
Thank you! I've always loved Chicago's wild history -- the Prohibition era, Capone and his gangster pals, and those amazing tunnels that ran beneath the city. I thought it would be tons of fun to resurrect the Lexington Hotel, which is no longer standing, and create a whole new world there. I did a lot of peeking into the hotel's past, looking at pictures, and I kept the façade and certain parts of it, but then I gave myself plenty of creative license to modernize it, make some fun changes and really make it my own!

You find out that you've been forced to choose a book and live in that world forever. Which book do you pick?
What a great question! I'd love to live in the world of Alice in Wonderland. That's always been a favorite of mine, it's just so wild and whimsical!

Which is easier for you to write -- dialogue or description?
Dialogue comes much easier to me than description, which might seem surprising since there's so much description in this book! But as a reader, I really love and appreciate descriptive writing, that's what truly makes me feel the world of whatever book I may be reading. It can make a book powerful and let it get in your head in the way that only a book can. So as a writer, it's important for me to push myself to do it well.

Who's your absolute favourite YA fictional boyfriend?
Oooh, this is fun. Let's see, I love Brendan Salinger of SPELLBOUND and SPELLCASTER by Cara Lynn Shultz. He's tall, dark and handsome, brooding, so sweetly protective of Emma, and just all-around dreamy. Sigh!

Illuminate deals with a struggle between good and evil. Can we expect to see this is a continuing trend in the next two books of the trilogy? (Please, feel free to reveal anything at all about Book 2 -- I can't wait!)
You'll definitely be seeing more good vs. evil in the next two books of the Gilded Wings trilogy! I'm polishing up Book Two now and all I'll say is that the gang heads to New Orleans to take on some new devils. Oh, and we haven't seen the last of Lucian! Stay tuned and check for updates on www.aimeeagresti.com!

***

Aimee's description of Illuminate is spot-on (and I guess she would know, being the author and all...) Haven grows so much and behind the whole soul trading business, it really is just a story about a girl discovering the awesome in herself. And oooh, Brendan <3 He's so sweet.

FREE BOOKS! FREE BOOKS! FREE BOOKS! FREE BOOKS!

Thanks to the absolutely AMAZING people at Thomas Allen & Son, I have FIVE copies of Illuminate to give away. Here are some guidelines:

• Open only to CANADIAN RESIDENTS (or if you have a Canadian address, that's cool) - sorry, everyone else!
• You have one week to claim your prize or I'm giving it away to someone else.
• Um. Have fun. And good luck! (Although I'm wishing everyone good luck, so I don't know how much good that does you)

There's a Rafflecopter form below (it won out over Google Docs on Twitter). I hope you can see it.

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

Add it: Goodreads
Source: Thomas Allen & Son for review
Publisher: Harcourt
Format: Hardcover, 534 pages
Release Date: March 6, 2012

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew.

5 Reasons Why You Should Read Illuminate

1. You'll feel like you know the MC, Haven, from the very start.

Maybe you do know a Haven! You probably do. She starts off shy and bright but then you can see her confidence start to grow and soar throughout the book. She'll do things she never thought herself capable of and you'll cheer her on because she is so easy to connect with. Haven made some pretty good calls and I loved having her as my guide through this wonderful novel.

2. There are 534 pages to devour!

I get that for non-readers, this is probably more of a negative, but for me? Let the cheering commence! I'm pretty greedy when it comes to books - I just want more, more, more. With such a lengthy read, I was worried that my mind would wander, but it never did. Although the action doesn't start until later on in the book, the first portion will keep you well entertained with the characters and setting. Even just the set-up is fun!

3. The Lexington Hotel... it is gorgeous!

I'm not really a setting person so when I notice and comment on it, it's usually pretty notable. The Lexington Hotel, where the book takes place, has an amazingly vibrant atmosphere. There are such intricate details describing sections of the hotels and I really felt like I had been transported there. Plus, there are these hidden nooks and crannies which made me feel like I was on some kind of treasure hunt.

4. The suspense will grab you, slowly but surely.

So the whole situation behind the Lexington Hotel is kind of a creepy one. Haven sneaks in on some pretty freaky things and there is this almost tangible wrongness in the air amidst the gorgeous people working at the hotel. Even a lot is revealed in the summary, the tension and suspense still builds until you're desperately flipping pages for more.

5. The Two Ls <3

Oh, sigh. Lance and Lucian. Who will you pick? Lucian is almost irresistable with his charms and confidence while Lance is someone that you can always count on to be there right by your side. Personally, I'm definitely Team Lance, but I can see that I'm in the minority. Whichever type you go for, I'm sure one of these boys will win you over.

Are you convinced?

Cover Comments: It's absolutely gorgeous. I love the shimmer in the background and the swirly kind of lighting around the title. Haven's looking good (in her RED DRESS!) and I love the shadow of a wing in the place of a fully grown one.

5 stars

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for an interview with the lovely Aimee Agresti and a giveaway for Canadian residents!

The Hunger Games Movie

Spoiler-free Review!

So yesterday, something BIG happened...

I got ready on time!

No, actually, that's not it. I mean, I did, but believe it or not, something even MORE IMPORTANT happened. I finally saw The Hunger Games!

AND IT WAS AMAZING. MY MIND IS BLOWN. I'm going to try my best to articulate my thoughts in a clear, rational way but don't be surprised if a lot of key smashing occurs instead.

First up, major props to the cast. I thought every single one of them did a fantastic job but there was one character in particular that I thought was exceptional. I'm talking, of course, about the lovely Jennifer Lawrence or, as she is known in the movie, Katniss Everdeen.

Source: Telegraph

I already knew that Jennifer understood Katniss' character perfectly from the numerous interviews I've read but I wasn't sure that she would be able to pull it off on-screen. She did. Every single scene whether it was happy, humorous, sad or bone-chilling was just nailed. I am so impressed with the way she embodied Katniss.

Then, there was the rest of the cast. Amazing!

Source: Wikia

Peeta was adorable: sweet and charming, just like I wanted. Although Gale didn't have too many scenes, he still portrayed the strong, confident hunter. Both boys were able to capture the feelings they had for Katniss in a few seconds and I am just so pleased with the end result.

Then, of course, there were the other characters like Effie and Cinna, Haymitch and Rue. EVERYONE WAS SO GOOD OMG. Sorry I don't have time to go over each and every single one but I LOVED THEM AAAAAAAALL.

I love Katniss, Haymitch and Effie in this picture LOL. They all had such great chemistry.

Then besides the characters, there were so many things I loved.

The Capitol fashion was completely ridiculous (see Effie!) but so fun and colourful too. I think I snorted every time the camera flashed to the audience in the Capitol.

Seneca Crane was AWESOME and I loved the technology used to work the games. I really appreciated the constant flipping back between the Games and the TV broadcasting which emphasized the whole point of it.

Check out that beard!

Source: zap2it

I think this may be my favourite book-to-movie adaptation of all time. (Except Lord of the Rings. You can't beat LotR.) It stayed close to the book and left in what I thought were the most important points. Is it time for Catching Fire yet? BECAUSE FAKSFHKSAFHSAKFH, I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have you seen The Hunger Games yet? What did you think?

Blogspiration (1)

Blogspiration is a weekly meme hosted by GrowingUp YA & saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers & writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation & just a little SOMETHING.

http://rainbowballz.tumblr.com/

Okay... is anyone really surprised that my post is a Hufflepuff-centric one? I haven't really made it a secret that I am a Hufflepuff and I'm immensely proud of my house.

I feel like Hufflepuff gets overlooked. We're accepting and will take people of all types, so I guess people take that to mean that Hufflepuffs are the "leftovers" and the "losers." So not true.

I have always wanted to be a Hufflepuff because their qualities are the ones I value most: kindness, loyalty and compassion. Okay, sure, it's great to be brave and smart and ambitious. If that's what's the most important to you, I'm certainly not against it!

For me, being a Hufflepuff has always meant putting kindness first. It means that being an understanding, non-judgemental person is more important than being an intelligent one. It means that you stick by what you believe in, even if you're made fun of for it. I'm hard-working. I'm fair. I'm tolerant. I'm a particularly good finder! (haha, no I'm not actually... but forget that)

So that is why I proudly wave my Hufflepuff banner. BADGER PRIDE!

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

Add it: Goodreads
Source: Online library loan
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: e-book, 59 pages
Release Date: June 1, 2010

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

So, funny story. I actually did read this book when it first came out, contrary to what I had been thinking when I started reading it again a few days ago. It wasn't until I got to the end of the book and the "ancient, powerful hunter" was revealed that I went, "oh! I have read this!" Is that because this book is lame and forgettable?

A million times no.

I think it's probably just that I feel like ALL of Julie Kagawa's work is brilliant and engaging so I ignored the signs that everything was sounding a little too familiar. Winter's Passage is a brilliant edition to the Iron Fey series.

Since Winter's Passage is set between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter, I had to adjust to going backwards on Meghan's character from the completely awesome, scene-owning girl I had grown used to from The Iron Queen. Fortunately, Meghan was shown in mostly a good light and I loved the compassion and resilience she displayed.

Oh, Ash. As much as I love Puck, I'm glad that he wasn't in this novella because it means we got so much more time with the Ice Prince! It's heart-achingly clear from this read that Ash's feelings for Meghan are developing rapidly and watching them get closer was perfect and had me beaming on every page. I want to re-read this whole series!

Then, of course, there was Kagawa's signature adventure style. Winter's Passage plunges straight into an exciting, fast-paced chase back to Tir Na Nog (Fairyland!) and there isn't a moment of boredom. I loved the looming threat of the Hunter and when he was finally introduced, I was hanging on to every word. Talk about making the most of 59 pages!

A must-read for fans of The Iron Fey series.

Cover Comments: I love the wolf eyes! I didn't really understand it before reading but now that I have, it's perfect.

Wait! There's more!

I've literally JUST seen on Julie Kagawa's blog that this novella along with Summer's Crossing and a new novella (eeee!) entitled Iron's Prophecy PLUS some super special additional content - like the first chapter of the new Iron Fey book - will be published in print! This sure to be amazing anthology will be called The Iron Legends and will be out from Harlequin Teen on August 28th.

EXCITED? I am.

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. The purpose of the event is to spotlight the upcoming releases that readers are most looking forward to.

This week, I've chosen:

 

In Honor by Jessi Kirby
Add it: Goodreads
Publisher: S&S BFYR
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
Release Date: May 8, 2012

Honor receives her brother's last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn't. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

Oooh, a contemporary that sounds awesome! :) Not to say that they don't usually because I LOVE contemporary fiction... I just don't read nearly enough of it. I can't wait to read this novel. Strong emotions, a road trip and maybe even a little romance? BRING IT.