Blogspiration (14)

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.

So yesterday, I discovered Katie's blog, Color Me Katie and I can't stop scrolling! It's just such a fun, magical place to be. The enthusiasm is infectious! I am so inspired to fill my life with a little more colour, a few more laughs and a lot more FUN!

Cover Reveal: Dare You To

The cover for Dare You To by Katie McGarry, sequel/companion novel to the popular Pushing the Limits  was revealed yesterday by Harlequin Teen on their Facebook page. What do you think?

Well, that is certainly one hot cover ;) It kind of reminds me of the covers of Rules of Attraction and Chain Reaction (aaand I'm going to stop comparing these books any day now!). I definitely like the tones in this cover more than I did in the one for Pushing the Limits. I can't wait! I really enjoyed the first book and I'm looking forward to another powerful read. Be sure to add the book on Goodreads if you haven't already!

What are your thoughts on the cover? Are you excited for Beth's story?

Blogspiration (13)

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.

Source: Laws of Modern Woman

Can I just say... yes. A million times, yes. There are some really lazy words in my vocabulary that I'm trying to eliminate because half of the time, they don't even make sense. I don't want to be saying things just because I'm picking up on other people using it all the time!

Confessions of a Teenage Story Queen

Amongst my friends, I'm something like the resident bookworm. Most people I know would probably tell you that I like to read and it's not uncommon for me to give out recommendations to people I barely speak to. And while talking about books with other people that have read them too is about the BEST THING EVER, it doesn't always work out so nicely. You know what I mean, right? The moment where

YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK.

And it's not just a regular book, it's THE book. It's The Perks of Being a Wallflower or Game of Thrones. It's the book that everyone in the entire universe is suddenly reading and obsessed with and you still haven't gotten around to it. And oh, the SHAME when you have to admit to the person asking about your opinion that you haven't actually read it yet. But you will someday! Eventually! "Are you sure I can't recommend Harry Potter to you again?!?!" ... And suddenly you've lost all credibility. Like, apparently HP is something kids have been reading for a while now? What?

I am slowly (slowwwwly) coming to terms with the fact that I will never have read ALL THE BOOKS. But there are some books that I would very, very, very much like to read before the blogging authorities snatch away my membership card for not reading those things that seem to fuel so many peoples' passion.

Books that I will one day read. No, seriously!:

1. Anything by Melina Marchetta
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
3. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
4. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
5. Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
6. Fire and Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

... and okay, I'm starting to scare myself with the number of ideas that are jumping out at me. We'll just leave it at 6, alright? ;)

Source: Budreiku Monika

I'm coming for you, books!

Waiting on Wednesday (52)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine so that (this is me paraphrasing) we can all FREAK OUT TOGETHER about some rocking upcoming books. Warning: extreme fangirling may occur.

Transparent by Natalie Whipple

Add to: Goodreads
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Release Date: May 21, 2013

X-Men meets The Godfather; in which an invisible girl has to stop her dad—an infamous crime lord—from ruining her life.

On the run from her mind-controlling father, the infamously invisible Fiona McClean hides in a small town, hoping to finally rid herself of the crime world she has always known. But playing at “normal life” with a mother she hates, a brother she can’t trust, and a boy she can’t stand proves more difficult than she ever imagined. Soon her father is hot on her heels, and it’s up to Fiona to protect not only her family, but the friends who’ve taught her that life doesn’t have to be as lonely and cruel as she thought.

I've kind of been dying to read about invisible people lately (that happens to you too, right?) and what better choice than Transparent! ...Too bad I'll be waiting a while for it. Ah well. I'm just so happy that it's going to be published! Natalie seems like the coolest person just from what I've read from her online and obviously I'm thrilled for anyone that manages to make their dreams a reality, publishing-related or otherwise! And if the invisibility thing doesn't sell you... X-Men + The Godfather? Awesome.

Mira's Diary: Lost in Paris by Marissa Moss

Mira's Diary: Lost in Paris by Marissa Moss

Add to: Goodreads
Source: ARC from Raincoast Books for review (thank you! <3)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
Release Date: September 4, 2012

Mira is shocked when she receives a postcard from her missing mother from Paris. Her father decides it's time for a trip to France to search for her. While visiting Notre Dame, Mira touches a gargoyle and is whirled into the past. There she meets the famous painter Degas and catches a brief, shocking glimpse of her mother. Mira begins to suspect that her mom didn't run out on them but is a prisoner of the past. Can one family on an incredible worldwide adventure stop a plot in time?
 

If you're looking for an enjoyable MG with a little bit of everything -- time travel, culture, history, romance -- look no further! Mira's Diary is a fun and charming trip to Paris that you'll be able to race through in no time.

What starts off for the main character Mira as a trip to Paris to find her mysteriously missing mother quickly turns into a whirlwind of an adventure as she tries to shape the future and hide her identity. I can't say that I was familiar with most of the history and information shared in the book about Degas and that entire scandal but it was interesting to read about. I did feel like the information came a little abruptly at times (I would have liked a bit more of a break between chunks of it) but overall, it was very cool to learn.

Mira herself was an interesting character. I appreciated for the most part what she tried to accomplish throughout the novel but I also wish that her character had been a little more well-developped. At the end of everything, I still don't think I have a good sense of who Mira is.

A part of this, I suspect, is the constant back-and-forth with the time travel. Now look, I get it. Time travel novels usually have lots of this and it's fine! For some reason though, it didn't 100% work all the time with this novel for me. The jumping around got a little confusing for me and I kept having to go back and compare the dates in the chapter titles (super helpful, those).

Overall, a cute MG with great pictures to improve the experience even more! Lots of fun.

Cover Comments: I saw this IRL at a bookstore when it first came out and it looks adorable! I love the diary style of it.

3 Golden Crowns!

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Add to: Goodreads
Source: Raincoast Books for review
Publisher: Harcourt
Format: Paperback, 351 pages
Release Date: January 18, 2010

The undead can really screw up your senior year . . . 

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war — and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

Vampires. Maybe you're sick of these fanged creatures or perhaps you're like me and can't get enough of them, but either way, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side provides a likeable and unique take on them.

I've heard different opinions on the tone of this novel ranging from more serious and probing to light and easy. Really, I'm going to say that this is one of those novels where it's up to YOU to decide how you want to take it. There were definitely some deeper issues about self-worth and coming into your own but if you want to take it at face-value as the wonderfully entertaining read that it is... go for it.

The novel is told in alternating perspectives with Jessica and Lucius at centre-stage. Both of these characters had strong, distinct voices and contrasted nicely with each other. I appreciated Jessica's analytical mind and loved Lucius' dry humour. Getting a chance to get into both of their minds was definitely an element that worked well for this novel.

Both of the these characters make some interesting transformations throughout the course of the novel. For Jessica, this means discovering who she truly is and learning to love herself. For Lucius, it's adjusting to a new life in America (however temporary it may be). In both cases, the characters are forced to change their way of thinking and watching that happen was one of my favourite things about the story.

A well-written novel that succeeded in making me both laugh and think.

Cover Comments: It's cute! Pretty standard but visually-appealing, I think.

4 Golden Crowns!

CANADIAN RESIDENTS: There's still time to win a copy of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side HERE!