Best YA Blog? Seriously?

Amy of My Friend Amy started the Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW) Awards and guess what?

MyFavoriteAuthor got nominated and is now short-listed in the Best YA Blog category!

Wow.

I mean, W-O-W!

I'm still stunned. Especially when I see the awesome blogs that share the list ... The Story Siren, Pop Culture Junkie, Mrs. Magoo Reads, and Green Bean Teen Queen! These are all awesome YA blogs that I regularly read.

Thanks to all those who nominated MFA (there had to be several in order for the nomination to "stick")! I never thought I'd have a reason to say this, but it is an honor just to be nominated!

Click on the BBAW button below to vote for your favorite YA book blog, along with book blogs in a ga-zillion other categories. There are some seriously super cool blogs out there that have been nominated.

Hurry up and vote because the polls close on Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 11:59 EST.



And while you're online, be sure to check out Aubrey's new blog, My Pile of Books. MyFavoriteAuthor definitely wouldn't be on the shortlist if not for the efforts of Aubrey and PageTurner! You girls rock!

Taking A Break

MyFavoriteAuthor will be taking an indefinite break. I debated a lot on whether to get into the details of why of it all and decided that it would keep anyone from thinking that we were flaking out or that there had been a falling out among the blog authors (not true).

I have thyroid cancer -- which really is ridiculously easy to treat in the grand scheme of cancers. In fact, one of the reasons I hesitate to even tell people is because it feels so wrong that I have a cancer with a virtually 100% cure rate when there are people with "real" cancer who have to go through chemo, PET scans, major surgery, and still have to deal with wondering if the cancer will spread or even be eradicated from their body. But still, it is cancer, even if I'm not freaking out about it, and it is going to take some time to deal with. It means surgery, radiation, and medication to replace the hormones produced by your thyroid which regulate things like body temperature, metabolism and energy levels. It means that I am going to be out of commission for a couple of months to deal with all of that in addition to all the responsibilities I already have as a wife, mother, daughter, friend, etc. So, you could say that I have a lot on my plate right now. It was a hard decision, but I can't do everything and unfortunately the most realistic cut with the biggest impact is the blog. And while I do have 2 fabulous co-bloggers that help out, I would never let myself not be involved if I turned it over to them while I get back on my feet, so it just needs to be put on hold. The blog will still be here with all of our reviews and author interviews for you to find. And if you have MyFavoriteAuthor on your blog roll or feed reader, there is a possibility that you may be pleasantly surprised with new posts once I get past all of this.

I know that I will continue to read throughout all of this ... I can't think of a scenario under which I wouldn't find time to read. (I guess maybe if I went blind? Nope. There's audio books, and then I'd make my friends and family read to me anything else I couldn't listen to. But I guess that's still not "reading", right? But you get the point.) Reading is escape, entertainment, and a way to experience new things. So if you want to keep up with what I'm reading, follow me on GoodReads. (If you are not already a "friend", you will see a button near the top of the page that says "follow reviews".)

I want to recognize my partners-in-crime who have helped to feed my addiction to books and the amazing authors who write them! Aubrey & PageTurner, thanks for joining me on this crazy ride. It's been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. I can't think of 2 friends that I would rather have done this with than you! I'm glad that we'll still be able to have great book conversations offline.

And finally to all of the blog readers and authors who have read, commented, and supported the blog! I know that there are a lot of book blogs out there to read, so I feel very honored that you thought MyFavoriteAuthor was worth your time!

Happy Reading!

Review: THE ACTOR AND THE HOUSEWIFE by Shannon Hale

THE ACTOR AND THE HOUSEWIFE
by Shannon Hale
352 Pages
Released June 2009 by Bloomsbury

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Hardback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: I've already given it to just about everyone I can think of that would enjoy reading it . . . someone in the mood for a well-told story about love and friendship . . . and in the mood to do some thinking.
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: DEFINITELY!

ABOUT
A very different kind of fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale. What if you were to meet the number-one person on your laminated list—you know, that list you joke about with your significant other about which five celebrities you’d be allowed to run off with if ever given the chance? And of course since it’ll never happen it doesn’t matter…

Mormon housewife Becky Jack is seven months pregnant with her fourth child when she meets celebrity heartthrob Felix Callahan. Twelve hours, one elevator ride, and one alcohol-free dinner later, something has happened…though nothing has happened. It isn’t sexual. It isn’t even quite love. But a month later Felix shows up in Salt Lake City to visit and before they know what’s hit them, Felix and Becky are best friends. Really. Becky’s husband is pretty cool about it. Her children roll their eyes. Her neighbours gossip endlessly. But Felix and Becky have something special…something unusual, something completely impossible to sustain. Or is it? A magical story, The Actor and the Housewife explores what could happen when your not-so-secret celebrity crush walks right into real life and changes everything.


REVIEW
I smiled. I smirked. I giggled. I laughed. I laughed some more. I mulled the problem in my head. I laughed A LOT more. I thought about it some more. Then I laughed so stinkin' hard that I had to put the book down 3 separate times before being able to continue reading. I thought some more. I laughed hard again and had to put the book down a second time to calm down my out-loud uncontrolled laughter. Then I got teary. Literally. Followed by some smiles. More tears. More giggles. More...more This is not a YA book, it's technically classified as adult fiction. But since this is a blog for adult readers and Shannon Hale is one of my favorite all-time YA authors I couldn't not write about and recommend this book.

I smiled. I smirked. I giggled. I laughed. I laughed some more. I mulled the problem in my head. I laughed A LOT more. I thought about it some more. Then I laughed so stinkin' hard that I had to put the book down 3 separate times before being able to continue reading. I thought some more. I laughed hard again and had to put the book down a second time to calm down my out-loud uncontrolled laughter. Then I got teary. Literally. Followed by some smiles. More tears. More giggles. More thinking. Then some big alligator tears. A smile. A smirk. Some more giggles. Some more laughter. Some cursing at the characters for being stupid. Some relief when they seemed to be headed back in the right direction again. Some more laughing. Well actually, a lot more laughing. And then the perfect ending for this story.

I was immediately drawn to the banter between Becky & Felix. It is hands-down the most hilarious thing I've ever experienced ... in books, tv or movies. While reading, I imagined that the humorous dialogue is what it would be like to be best friends with Shannon Hale. I have been following her blog for about 2 years now and love how her personality comes through there. And I just gotta tell you that as funny as this book was, I think it would be even better to be know Shannon in real life ... I had the opportunity to see her in person twice in a week shortly after reading this book and she is a riot! If you ever have the chance to see Shannon in person, DO IT! You won't regret it ... even if she publicly picks on you in front of everyone else (like she did the 2nd time I saw her that fateful week).

According to her blog, Shannon says that the most common reaction that she gets to this story is "It's not what I expected" and I think that is a perfect way to describe this story. What I think I loved most about it was how much it made me think. I talked to PageTurner about it for an hour after she finished reading it, and I think we could have gone on for a while longer but our kids were pestering us too much so we had to hang up the phone. I think this would make for an awesome book club discussion.

Review: PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS by Michelle Zink

PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS
by Michelle Zink
352 Pages
Released August 1, 2009 by Little Brown

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Hardback ... depending on how the series ends!
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: Fans of Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle series
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Yes, especially before the next book comes out.

ABOUT
Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. (from GoodReads)


REVIEW
This is a not a book that grips you from the first line in a flurry of page-turning action that leaves you breathless. It gently, but insistently, winds itself around you and draws you into the setting and holds you there until the last page where you take a breath that you didn't realize you were holding. (Yes, I know that's a horribly long run-on sentence! That's just the way it goes sometimes.) Reading the story felt like fog winding its way over the dry leaves covering an autumn forest of bare trees. I know that sounds totally superfluous, but I can't help it because that's how I felt when reading this book.

I was intrigued by the Prophecy and how its meaning unfolded throughout the book. The sisters, Lia and Alice were fantastic. Although they are on opposing sides of the prophecy, I loved how neither is wholly good or bad ... and the reasons why are a fantastic twist on what would be expected.

This is definitely a book that will have strong cross-over appeal to adult audiences. In fact, I believe the cover was chosen to attract adult readers.

PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS is the first of in a trilogy to complete the story. The remaining books will be released in 1 year intervals. For more information, visit Michelle's website/blog or the official Prophecy of the Sisters website.

Review: DULL BOY by Sarah Cross

DULL BOY

By Sarah Cross

308 pages

Released May 14th 2009 by Dutton Juvenile

AT A GLANCE

Hardback, Paperback, Library: Hardback

The Next Person I'm Giving This Book To: My Husband

To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Re-Read!

ABOUT
What do you do if you can deadlift a car, and you spend your nights flying to get away from it all? If you’re fifteen-year-old Avery Pirzwick, you keep that information to yourself. When you’re a former jock turned freak, you can’t afford to let the secret slip.

But then Avery makes some friends who are as extraordinary as he is. He realizes they’re more than just freaks—together, maybe they have a chance to be heroes. First, though, they have to decide whether to trust the mysterious Cherchette, a powerful wouldbe mentor whose remarkable generosity may come at a terrible price. ***From Goodreads

REVIEW

This book was a lot of fun to read. Let me first start by saying how excited I am to do a happy positive review! I love comic books, super heroes, villains, super powers! This book is all of the above without the visuals. I do enjoy the artwork in comic books, but I have to say, it was fun reading a comic book with no pictures. It was fun to visualize the characters the way my imagination wanted to. I even think people who don't care much for comic books, may really enjoy this story! Sarah Cross did a wonderful job writing a fun, entertaining story!

One small disclaimer because I know a lot of you out there would want to know, there is some swearing in this book. Not a ton, and not a lot of horrible words. It really didn't bother me in this book, and at times, it was funny. 

The humor in this book is great and I really liked getting to know the characters. I hope there will be more Dull Boy adventures in the future! 

Keep those Pages Turning!

Review: THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH
by Carrie Ryan
310 pages
Released March 10, 2008

AT A GLANCE:
* HARDBACK, PAPERBACK, LIBRARY: Hardback!
* THE NEXT PERSON I'M GIVING THIS BOOK TO IS: Anyone who likes the movie The Village or 28 Days Later.
* TO RE-READ or NOT TO RE-READ:RE-READ!!! There is a sequel planned, and I think it's a trilogy???

ABOUT:
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

REVIEW:
I have to say I have been meaning to pick this up for a long time. We received this as an ARC, but since it didn't fit into any of our themes, it was sadly set aside. I picked it up one night when my husband wanted to go to bed and I wasn't really tired so I grabbed it off my shelf to read some before going to bed. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!

Literally. I read all night long and finished at 6 am the next morning. The story and writing captivated me immensely.

It isn't necessarily a happy ending, but not a bad one either in my opinion. Ryan's tale is haunting, unforgiving, and completely emotionally real. Her characters feel real. I even cried when one of Mary's relationships reach the climax. In the end it isn't just your average love story mixed into a dystopic tale. There is so much to this world that I can not wait for the next book in the series! Titled THE DEAD TOSSED WAVES coming out March 9, 2010. Honestly, the haunting titles reflect the nature of the books.

The narrative slows down a bit for the last 1/4 of the book though, so it made it harder to keep reading through the early morning hours of the night. Other than that this book was a complete and utter joy for me to read, in a haunting, think about life and death and society sort of way.

Review: SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater

SHIVER
by Maggie Stiefvater
390 Pages
Published August 1, 2009 by Scholastic Press

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Hardback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: Fans of paranormal, especially fans of TWILIGHT (who don't think that "werewolf" is synonymous with Jacob)
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Yes

ABOUT
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.


REVIEW
SHIVER is the perfect title for this book because it describes the way I felt while reading it. I love they way this story has stuck with me beyond finishing the last page. The relationship between Sam and Grace is the main story line, but there are lots of great complications in the story with other characters that really rounded out the story.

The ending was a bit abrupt, but I have to think that the unanswered questions are setting up the story for LINGER, the sequel to SHIVER. I believe that there will also be a 3rd book to complete the story.

I am definitely going to pick up Stiefvater's other books, LAMENT and BALLAD, which are about faeries. Again, I think there is a 3rd book to this story as well to be released next year.

Review: Destroy All Cars by Blake Nelson

DESTROY ALL CARS

By Blake Nelson

218 pages

Released  May 1st 2009 by Scholastic Press

AT A GLANCE

-Hardback, Paperback, Library: Library

-The Next Person I am Giving This Book To Is: I can't recommend this to anyone

-To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: No, I have no desire to read this again.

ABOUT

James Hoff likes to rant against America's consumerist culture. He also likes to rant against his ex-girlfriend, Sadie, who he feels isn't doing enough to change the world. But just like he can't avoid buying things, he also can't avoid Sadie for long. This is a fantastic, funny, sexy, cool masterpiece from one of the best YA writers at work today, an anti-consumerist love story that's all about idealism, in both James's relationship with the world and his relationships with the people around him. **From Goodreads

REVIEW

I am really at a loss of positive words on this one. I personally did not enjoy this book at all. I have looked at other reviews for this book and I guess I am just the wrong demographic because a lot of people liked it. The main character James is a very angry teenager and I kept on wanting to like him, but it never happened. All he cared about was complaining. He constantly rants and raves in every way possible and the book is chopped up into all these forms of writing: In Essays, in his Journal, on Facebook and to his "Friends". I kept reading the book, hoping to find something to like about James only to be disappointed!

I did not enjoy the swearing, the sexual talk, the crudeness, and the disrespectful attitude and I would not let my teenage son/daughter read this book.

I wish this could have been a positive review. I was actually looking forward to reading this book because the title was so intriguing, but sadly the book really has nothing to do with "Destroying all Cars" other than an Essay he writes and brings up in the book every once in awhile.

Review: THE DEMON'S LEXICON by Sarah Rees Brennan

THE DEMON'S LEXICON
by Sarah Rees Brennan
336 Pages
Released June 2, 2009 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Hardback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: Anyone who likes urban fantasy, magic and demons
  
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Yup

ABOUT
Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again.

Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is desperate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.

This is the Demon's Lexicon. Turn the page. (from GoodReads)


REVIEW
I loved the characters in this story! Nick and Alan are awesome!! I loved how much I hated Nick and yet still loved him for his devotion to Alan. And Alan? Wow. I don't know what to say without giving anything away. Mae and Jamie may be "secondary" characters, and Mae could be simply categorized as the "love interest" of the story, but they are just as real and stand on their own as well and Nick and Alan. I especially love Mae and her strength and dedication to Jamie.

The story starts out a bit slow ... not as in boring, but as in building everything so that once you are hooked you can't stop reading. I loved the intricacies of the plot and all the twists and turns. I was thinking throughout the whole story, and never sure if I had anything right. Let's just say that looks can be deceiving.

This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait to get my hands on the next part of the story! DEMON'S COVENANT will be released Summer 2010 and the final book will follow in 2011.

Guest Blog: FIRST LOVE by Angela Morrison

Today we have Angela Morrison, author of TAKEN BY STORM guesting for us about her experience with First Love. And in her case (as is the case for so many of us), she definitely draws a distinction between first love and true love! For more information about Angela and her books, check out her website!

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First Love
Angela Morrison

I have to stretch my memory clear back to junior high for my first real love. My mom remarried that year, and we moved in with my dad and his kids out on the farm near Tekoa, Washington, where Taken by Storm is set.

I fell madly, shyly, painfully in like with this boy in my class who I was convinced was the cutest male walking the earth. Blonde hair, dark blue eyes, nice tan. As smart as me, but athletic, too. Point guard in basketball, quarterback for the football team. And for awhile there, he liked me back.

He was sweet, funny, kind, and perfect. But I was mortified and awkward about everything. And way uptight because I was so not supposed to have a boyfriend until I was sixteen. And, of course, he wasn’t a Mormon like me. He finally got tired of waiting for me to grow up and get a clue. Halfway through eighth grade, he dumped me and went out with the most beautiful girl known to humanity who lived in a neighboring small town. That didn’t last long, but it was still mortification overload.

Some time after all that, we were together at a dance at somebody’s house—probably the last party at someone’s house I ever went to. Dancing and soft drinks didn’t cut it in high school. He kept asking me to dance and sat by me. We were slow dancing, and he tried to kiss me, and surprised into panic, I jerked away from it.

He said, “Okay, if that’s how you want to be.”

I was mortified, once more, but managed to whisper, “It isn’t. Try again.”

I still remember that kiss. Way better that the dry little pecks he’d coaxed out of me before. My lips actually worked.

I’d like to say we got back together after that and were boyfriend and girlfriend all through high school. I would have loved that, but another girl from that same wretched town moved to Tekoa. She was everything I wasn’t. Athletic. Outgoing. Fun. Older. She was perfect for him in ways I couldn’t ever dream to compete with. They got together and stayed together.

I remained painfully in like.

I still feel it. A tiny twist of regret, the twinge of “what if.” As his girl friend, high school would have been so different. I would have kept getting elected cheerleader instead of losing out after my freshman year. No guy would have grabbed my butt or said vile things to me. I wouldn’t have got groped on the bus. I would have gone to my senior prom.

Don’t feel too sorry for me. I went to three proms that year—just not mine. And dated a beautiful Mormon guy from Spokane that I was way more than in like with.

Still a lot of bad things wouldn’t have happened.

But I would have missed out on good things that did happen. With a boyfriend like that at home, I probably wouldn’t have been so eager to run off to fiction writing workshops where I learned from real writers for the first time. (And fell in love a couple more times—hence those three proms.) And can you imagine a popular cheerleader, dating the QB, going to anything as nerdy as the International Future Problem Solving Bowl in Lincoln, Nebraska? I was rejected and unpopular and free to do just that. There I became soul mates with an LDS girl from New York. Later at BYU, she set me up on a blind date with her cousin who is still the love of my life.

When you decide to do a feature on “true love,” I’ll tell you all about that!

Review: TAKEN BY STORM by Angela Morrison

TAKEN BY STORM
by Angela Morrison
291 Pages
Released March 2009 by Razorbill

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback, or Library: Hardback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This Book To Is: My friend Mandy
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Yes

ABOUT
Leesie Hunt has many rules: No kissing. No sex. No dating outside the Mormon faith.

When Michael Walden—a deep-sea diver who lost his parents in a violent hurricane—arrives in town, Leesie sees someone who needs her. They fall for one another, even though his dreams are tied to the depths of the ocean and hers to salvation above.

Will their intense chemistry be too strong to resist?

Leesie and Michael must make the hardest choice of their lives: whether to follow their beliefs or their hearts.

Readers will be swept away by this tale of forbidden romance told in online chats, Leesie’s chapbook poems, and Michael’s dive log. It’s as steamy as Twilight and just as clean.


REVIEW
This is a great story about first love, dreams (yours and of those you love), and grief. Told in alternating points of view of Leesie and Michael, the format of the book is a combination of dive-log entries, poems, and chat/IM conversations. The characters are amazing and almost seem to jump off the page, they are so real. I especially liked the way Leesie's relgiousness is an integral part of her character and understanding what she does and conflict with Michael, instead of being preachy or trying to convert.

Leesie is a Mormon farm girl who is focused on her dreams and the rules that will get her there. Michael is the new student at school who recently lost his parents in a hurricane while on a scuba diving trip. When they discover that they are more than just "friends" they both struggle with Leesie's rules and Michael's grief. In the end they learn that loving someone is helping them achieve their dreams.

This book definitely stands on its own; but for those who want more, Angela Morrison is working on 2 more books that involve Leesie and Michael. While I actually really liked the way this book ended, I still think there is more to their story and I can't wait to read it!

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Come back later today to read what Angela Morrison has to say about her experience with First Love!

Review: PRADA & PREJUDICE by Mandy Hubbard

PRADA & PREJUDICE
by Mandy Hubbard
270 Pages
Released June 11, 2009 by Razorbill

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Hardback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: Jane Austen and Regency Addicts!
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Definitely!

ABOUT
To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips…conks her head…and wakes up in the year 1815!

There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily’s family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily’s cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.

But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex’s heart, before her time in the past is up?

More Cabot than Ibbotson, Prada and Prejudice is a high-concept romantic comedy about finding friendship and love in the past in order to have happiness in the present. (from GoodReads)

REVIEW
I loved this book! It was so cute and fun! I definitely recommend it for fans of Jane Austen (especially PRIDE & PREJUDICE) who have secretly (or not so secretly) wished they could take a Regency "vacation" and snag their own Mr. Darcy!

This is not a Pride & Prejudice story really. It's more of a "modern-day girl wakes up in Regency England after tripping on her newly purchased $400 pair of PRADA heels and has to figure out what to do next" kind of a story.

And just a fun extra for the book . . . have you seen the music video for Taylor Swift's "Love Story"? (It's below if you want to watch it now . . . . no seriously, you should watch it because it is one of the prettiest music videos I've ever seen!) According to Mandy, this song/video mirrors the plotline of PRADA & PREJUDICE. And when Taylor Swift came to town to do a concert, Mandy was able to get a copy of her book into Taylor's hands. If you want to read the whole story, check out the post on Mandy's livejournal page.

Review: FORTUNE'S FOLLY by Deva Fagan

FORTUNE'S FOLLY
by Deva Fagan
272 Pages
Released April 2009 by Henry Holt

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Hardback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: Anyone who loves fairy tales
  
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Yes! Especially with my girls when they get a little older

ABOUT
Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she’s tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy—or her father will be put to death. Now Fortunata has to help Prince Leonato secure a magic sword, vanquish a wicked witch, discover a long-lost golden shoe, and rescue the princess who fits it. If only she hadn’t fallen in love with the prince herself! (from GoodReads)


REVIEW
This was a fast and very entertaining read that got better and better as the story progressed. It is definitely more on the Middle Grade side of YA, but still enjoyable to me as an adult. However, I am most excited to read it to my girls when they get a little older.

Fortunata is a fantastic character - full of spunk and determination to do what needs to be done. I loved all of the different fairy tales whose various trademark elements found their way into this story. FORTUNE'S FOLLY is full of adventure with mystery, humor and a little romance thrown in for good measure.

I love Fortunata's voice and her determination to do whatever it takes to be free. Here one of my favorite "lines" from the book that also shows a little of what I'm talking about:

PAGE 197:
"There were so many variables I froze with fear if I began to consider them. What if the girl was too slow, what if someone else happened by, what if the guards altered their routine?"

But it was our best option. I had given up worrying about whether the slippers would fit. We would get her out and then see. And if they didn't, Saints help me if I didn't chop the girl's toes off to make them fit."

Seriously, you should go out and get this book! It is a great story!

Review: ACROSS THE POND by Storyheart

ACROSS THE POND
by Storyheart
120 pages
Printed by Xlibris Corporation on Sept. 25, 2008

AT A GLANCE:
* HARDBACK, PAPERBACK, LIBRARY: I can't really answer this question since this is a self-published work. If I could I would say maybe library?
* THE NEXT PERSON I'M GIVING THIS BOOK TO IS: Anyone interested in a quick read, that won't pay attention to writing mistakes.
* TO RE-READ or NOT TO RE-READ: No, I don't think I will re-read this one.

ABOUT:
Finding himself packed off to friends in the USA, fifteen-year-old English born Fred Squire is not happy. Then he meets Brittany.

Struggling with his feelings for Brit and the language, Fred is further confused when he meets Brit's flirtatious friend, Angel.

Escaping from a confrontation with Steve Harris, the neighborhood bully, Brit tells Fred her dark secret about Harris, and Fred's world is turned upside down.

Life continues to throw Fred a curveball when he catches a baseball worth a small fortune. Further run-ins with Harris, a crazy family BBQ, and a chase through a mall all add to Fred's American adventure.

"Brit and her Brit", know that their young love will be followed by heartache when Fred has to return to England. But not before some final twists in the tale.
With romance, adventure, humor, first love and even a little sport thrown in for good measure. Across the Pond takes the readers on magical trip that all will enjoy, from the young to the young at heart.

REVIEW:
I have struggled with how to review this novel. Storyheart has published short stories and this is his first self published work. He sent it to us when we were first starting off, and we appreciate him putting his work out there for review.

Unfortunately, it has taken us a long time to get to reviewing this story, and as such we have learned a lot about publishing, writing, and what is good and what isn't. So my review here is going to be a little harsh on the writing.

The story is fine. Enjoyable and even made me laugh at times. The character's emotions are real, and the comparisons between British and American English were very enjoyable (to someone who is a self proclaimed Anglophile!). However, it was hard not to notice classic writing mistakes that threw me out of the story instantly.

DISCUSSION:
I think this opens us up to a discussion on writing and self-publishing. I wonder if you have ever read a self-published book. If so let us know what your experience was. I think the problem with self-publishing rather than searching for an agent or editor to love your book before publication is your book, even if it is a good story, does not become polished in a way that makes it, well...publishable. Through rejections and going to community college classes, or writing conferences a novice CAN write a beautiful story with publishing potential. This book, just needs editing to be truly enjoyable.

Winner!

Ack! I know I promised this on Saturday, but it was a crazy day ... and then the power went out when I was ready to announce the winner! It was sort of a Murphy's Law kind of day . . .

Without further adieu, the winner of our 200th follower giveaway is:

** sjones98042 **

Here's her experience with first love:

My first love? I met him in 5th grade when I moved to a new state. We went to church together, too. I couldn't talk around him, it was really sad. Then in the 8th grade, he "asked me out" ... but only after I had heard from a friend that he was going to ask me on the way back from 5th period English. I was on cloud nine! But then my good friend who had previously insisted that she didn't like him, got all upset because she really DID like him! And so I broke up with him because I thought that friends were more important than boyfriends. He said he understood and that we could "go out" again later, but we never did. It was so tragic that it still makes my 8th grade heart break all over again!

Congrats on winning! Be sure to email your address and book picks to us at myfavoriteauthor [at] gmail [dot] com.


Thanks to all who shared their experiences with us. It was a lot of fun to read!

Review: AIRHEAD and BEING NIKKI by Meg Cabot

AIRHEAD and BEING NIKKI
by Meg Cabot
340 & 336 Pages
Released May 2008 & May 2009 by Point

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Library
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: My sister Michelle. She loves chicklit and fashion, so I think she'd get a kick out of this story.
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Nope. I'm curious what will happen in the 3rd (and final) book, but I don't feel like I need to be refreshed in the story by re-reading.

ABOUT
AIRHEAD and BEING NIKKI are the first 2 books in Airhead trilogy. A third book will be released next May to complete the story. If you haven't read AIRHEAD yet, be warned that the synopsis for BEING NIKKI is a little spoilery. I was sent BEING NIKKI to review without having read AIRHEAD and even though I read the synopsis, I didn't have a clue what it meant and was still surprised by the story when I read the first book. So you are still probably safe to keep reading. I'll stay vague in my review so as not to give anything away either.

AIRHEAD
Emerson Watts, 16 and female, loves playing video games, hanging out with her best friend, Christopher, and has made peace with her less-than-supermodel-esque looks. But when she's involved in a mysterious accident, she wakes up to find she's now in the body of...a supermodel. Who was behind this switch? What was the motive? And how can she get Christopher to realize she's still the same person inside?

BEING NIKKI
Things aren't pretty for Emerson Watts.

Em was sure there couldn't be anything worse than being a brainiac in the body of a teenaged supermodel.

But it turned out she was wrong. Because that supermodel could turn out to have a mother who's gone mysteriously missing, a brother who's shown up on her doorstep demanding answers, a former best friend who's intent on destroying Stark Enterprises to avenge the death of his lost love, and a British heartthrob who's written a song about her that's topping the charts.

How can Em balance all that with school, runway shows, and weekend jaunts to St. John's - especially when she's got ex-boyfriends crawling out of the woodwork who want more than just a photo op; a sister who is headed to the high school cheerleading championships; a company she represents that seems to be turning to the dark side...

Not to mention trying to convince the love of her life that models aren't really airheads after all... especially one model in particular. But then, nobody said it was going to be easy being Nikki.


REVIEW
I am not normally a huge fan of chicklit. But these were actually pretty fun books to read. It's a "don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes" kind of story with a interesting and surprising twist.

AIRHEAD and BEING NIKKI were easy and fast reads. I have only read 2 other books by Meg Cabot, but I am starting to see why she is so popular in the YA world. Her stories are inventive and fun to read.

The AIRHEAD series is not a "must go out and buy/read this book right now" kind of series, but I'm curious enough to keep my eyes open for the next installment to come in at the library next year. And I'm interested to check out some of Meg's other YA books.

Review:CHASING THE BEAR by Robert B. Parker

CHASING THE BEAR

By Robert B. Parker

169 Pages

Released May 14th, 2009 by Philomel

AT A GLANCE

Hardback, Paperback or Library: Library

The Next Person I'm Giving This To: Fans of the Spenser Detective Novels

To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: No, but I will pick up a Spenser Novel now.

ABOUT

For almost forty years, Robert B. Parker’s inimitable private investigator Spenser has been solving cases and selling millions of books worldwide. Now, for the first time, see how it all began as the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master sheds light on Spenser’s formative years spent with his father and two uncles out West. This is an event book for every fan of Spenser, and a revelation for teens about to discover an American icon.** From Goodreads

REVIEW

The only exposure I have had with the Spenser novels is that I sort of  remember my Mom watching Spenser for Hire. Chasing the Bear gives you and insight of how Young Spenser grew up and how he became the man he is known for today. The book jumps back and forth between the present with him talking with Susan and then jumps to the past when the story he is telling her is taking place. There is a lot of dialogue, but it works for this book. The book has 169 pages but the print is really big, so I read it in about 2 hours or so. I actually enjoyed the book enough to keep reading. I think it was really written for fans of the Spenser novels to give a good backstory to Spenser himself. The book really shows that Spenser had to grow up really fast really young. He lives with his Dad and 2 Uncles and they teach him how to take care of himself and how to be a man. After reading this book, I am curious to see how the Spenser Detective novels are. I think I might pick one up and give it a try. If you are already a Spenser fan, pick up Chasing the Bear and enjoy a quick little insight to how Spenser became the man he is in the Detective novels. 

Guest Blog: SUMMER ME by Sarah Ockler

Today we have Sarah Ockler guest posting for us about her "Summer Me" persona that would emerge every summer at the beach. For more information about Sarah and her writing, check out her website!

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When I was a teen, summer was the season for reinventing. A time for leaving behind the usual for an entirely new place where no one knew whether I was popular or geeky or smart or funny or athletic or outgoing or just the quiet girl who sat alone at lunch. The boys at the beach… well, they were summer boys who only got to see the Summer Me. And the Summer Me, away from the limitations and judgments and responsibilities of home, was more confident, more vibrant, more alive, and definitely more prone to falling in love than the usual me. Near the ocean, I became enamored, pulled under the spell of every summer thing from the boys splashing in the water to the shine of the moon dripping its pale glow into the sea.

Summer. An intoxicating slow-brew of heat and light and cocoa butter and music and waves and sticky-sweet ice cream sliding down your chin. Tangy ocean air. A cherry popsicle-cooled kiss. Warm whispers like a breeze against the soft hairs on your skin. In summer, nature sets us up for love, dropping us right on its doorstep, leaning in close for that first kiss. I love that time of year. I love the amplified possibilities, all of the promises made and broken, all of the spells cast, all of the secrets shared under the blanket of a thousand stars.

But before long, the sun blazes across the sky and burns out. Nights get cooler; the space between the darkness shorter. Fall nears. We watch it creep to the edge of things and know that soon, we’ll be back home, back in school, sitting side by side with the expected and the planned and the already-decided. We’ll sigh as we tuck our beach towels and flip-flops and secrets under the bed, trading them for our sweaters and winter boots, bracing for the cold, hoping that the memory of that stolen summer kiss is enough to warm us until the sun shines high in the sky once again. Summer Me remembers this part well. It was a goodbye of sorts; a storing of fortification for the long winter months ahead.

I'm no longer in school, so the passage of time for me isn't marked by the countdown to summer. And I finally figured out that I don't need to reinvent myself just to fall in love with everything around me. But there's still something about summer that just completely intoxicates me, and now, all these years later, a single whiff of suntan lotion or the lone cry of a seagull will bring me right back there, right back to the beach, right back to the sea and that annual start of endless possibilities.

It always makes me smile.

So for all of the “Summer Mes” still out there, counting down the final hours until exams are over and school is out, holding your breath until you can kick off your shoes and go barefoot, I wish you a summer filled with things that make you the best kind of dizzy. Here’s to the warmth of the sun on your bare skin, the sand between your toes, the breeze against your shoulders, and all of that seductive, sweet but fleeting in-loveness that summer promises!

Review: TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler

TWENTY BOY SUMMER
by Sarah Ockler
304 Pages
Released June 1, 2009 by Little Brown

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Library
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To: Anyone interested in a poignant story about friendship and loss
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: No. But I look forward to more books from this author.

ABOUT
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had her romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.


REVIEW
TWENTY BOY SUMMER was very well written. I didn't always care for decisions and actions of the characters, and I was really in the mood for a happy romance (which this wasn't) . . . but I wanted to keep reading to see what happened next. To me, that's good writing -- something that compels me to keep reading even when I'm not necessarily grabbed by the action of the story.

The writing was so great that I felt like I was there in the story with Anna and Frankie, laying on the beach and surfing in the water. The relationships were great. And the way most of the characters were dealing with their grief over Matt's death were so real I almost felt like I was mourning right along with them. I wanted to reach into the pages to hug them, cry with them, and in some cases tell them straight up how they were unnecessarily hurting the people around them who were feeling the same pain.

And Matt? Ahhh .... I know he has to die for the story to even exist ... but it was so heartbreaking! I think Sarah needs to turns this story into a sci-fi or fantasy series and bring him back somehow because he was so amazing! haha!

There was just one thing about the story that I didn't care for -- that one of the story lines centered around Anna needing to lose her virginity, and especially that Anna only wanted to lost it in order to placate Frankie who was struggling with her brother's death.

Sarah Ockler is a great writer and I am interested to see what stories she has to tell in the future!

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Come back later today to read what Sarah Ockler has to say about Summer Romance!

Review: THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY
by Jenny Han
288 Pages
Published May 2009 by Simon & Schuster

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Paperback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To: Fans of Susanne Colasanti and Sarah Dessen
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Possibly ... before the sequel comes out.

ABOUT
Some summers are just destined to be pretty.

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. (from GoodReads)


REVIEW
Do you remember those awkward teenage years where you had glasses, braces, frizzy hair, and no sense of style? I definitely do! I also remember the summer that suddenly I got my act together a bit more. The braces came off, I got a little more control over my crazy curly hair, and learned to dress a little better. I was sure that things were going to be different, better somehow. But they weren't. I still had the same great friends. I still had the same life that was fun, but didn't include some things that I dreamed of. But I have since learned that life is all about who you are right now. If you are waiting for something to happen that will change your life and make everything better, it's most likely not going to happen. And even if it does happen, life probably won't be noticeably better.

This is story of THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY but in a more poignant way. It's about the idea that once you get over those awkward teen years that life will be different and better than before.

After I read this book I discovered that Jenny Han is working on a sequel! And I'm actually really excited to hear that. The ending of THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY was satisfying to me in a way that makes the story completely stand alone. But now that I know there will be more to the story, I have all sorts of questions about what happens next. So for those of you who hate waiting for the next part of the story, this one feels pretty good all by itself.

Review: THE DUST OF 100 DOGS by A.S. King

THE DUST OF 100 DOGS
by A.S. King
320 Pages
Released February 2009 by Flux

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Library
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To Is: PageTurner
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Not

ABOUT
In the late seventeenth century, famed teenage pirate Emer Morrisey was on the cusp of escaping the pirate life with her one true love and unfathomable riches when she was slain and cursed with the dust of one hundred dogs, dooming her to one hundred lives as a dog before returning to a human body -- with her memories intact.

Now she's a contemporary American teenager and all she needs is a shovel and a ride to Jamaica.

This novel, told in several threads from one multi-voiced narrator (Saffron Adams), explores life from 17th century Ireland to 17th century Caribbean piracy, to 20th century small-town Pennsylvania. And 100 dog lives in between.


REVIEW
I saw this cover plastered all over the internet, but it didn't interest me so I never looked further to see what the story was about. But I finally stopped to look further one day and was completely intrigued by the idea of this story. The trailer for the book also helped peak my interest and desire to read the book.

Sometimes first impressions are accurate, and sometimes they aren't. In this case I wouldn't say my first impression was wrong, but the book did not live up to the excitement I finally had for it. The book flips back and forth (not necessarily every other chapter) between present day (1970's) Saffron Adams and 17th century Emer Morrisey. At first I was more interested in Saffron so I had to "get through" the Emer chapters. Towards the middle through the end, I was more interested in Emer than Saffron. And then the end came it the story was just . . . over?

I really liked the idea of the story. It was very intriguing and interesting to see to see the two lives of this same character unfold. I also really liked the voice of Saffron and Emer. Saffron still has all her memories from her 100 dogs lives and from when she was Emer, so she'll make comments in her head when she is annoyed with people that show the pirate that she was before the curse. And they are pretty funny.

Overall, I wouldn't not recommend this book (at least to most people), but I wouldn't straight up recommend it either. I'd say that if it sounds interesting to you, then give it a shot. I think I had hyped it up in my head because the premise of the story sounded so intriguing and new and inventive to me that I was disappointed when it didn't blow me away. And by the way, I do now love the cover!

So what does this book have to do with first love and summer romance? Well, you'll just have to read it to find out!

200th Follower Contest!

Let's give away some books to celebrate the 200th follower we got over the weekend!!

If you are a follower prior to this post (there are 203 of you), then comment to tell us about your first love or a summer romance!


A winner will be chosen at random to receive 4 of the 7 seven books pictured above (or listed below) of their choice!

TAKEN BY STORM by Angela Morrison (signed)
TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler (ARC)
THE DUST OF 100 DOGS by A.S. King
WAITING FOR YOU by Susane Colasanti (ARC)
PEACE, LOVE AND BABY DUCKS by Lauren Myracle (ARC)
AND THEN EVERYTHING UNRAVELED by by Jamie Sturman (ARC)
SEA CHANGE by Aimee Friedman (ARC)
NEED by Carrie Jones

The winner will be announced on Saturday, June 2oth!

Review: A KISS IN TIME by Alex Flinn

A KISS IN TIME

by Alex Flinn

371 pages

Released May 1, 2008

AT A GLANCE:

* HARDBACK, PAPERBACK, LIBRARY: Paperback. I was very tempted to put hardback just because the cover is so adorable, but I am starting to realize I have to spend less money on my books!

* THE NEXT PERSON I'M GIVING THIS BOOK TO IS: My friend Erin. I think she will like this story. It is fun and cute, and has a great ending (which is a big deal to her).

* TO RE-READ or NOT TO RE-READ: I've decided that I just can't answer this question anymore! I am not a fast enough reader to do so. I will continue to buy books so that my children can read them, and I can pick them up when I want to, but really re-reading a book is rare for me unless it is part of a series -- since I like to re-read the series before a new one in the series is released.

ABOUT:

Talia fell under a spell . . . . Jack broke the curse.
I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic. . . .
I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.
I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.
I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.
Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!
Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak!
Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

REVIEW:

Sleeping Beauty is given a new voice. She is aware of the curse her whole life and extremely aware of how suppressed her life is because of it. When she makes the mistake of touching a spindle (she didn't even know what one looked like, because she had never seen one!) it sets the classic story in motion. However, Talia isn't woken up 10, 20 or even 100 years later. She is woken up nearly 300 years later by a modern teenage boy who was sent to Europe for the summer. You can imagine the possibilities!

This book seplores some of the real pitfalls of not being part of society for 300 years - and some of it was hillarious. Talia is a likeable character and her view on our era is that it isn't as great as Jack thinks it is. People are rude, impersonable, and the girls dress very immodestly. Jack who is getting over his girlfriend dumping him and making out with another guy is kindof annoyed by Talia, until he starts falling in love with her.

This summer love story, taken from the pages of a fairy tale will keep you wanting to read more. The banter between Talia and Jack I found to be funny. He truly is a teenage boy, and she truly is a bit of a spoiled princess, but together they bring out the best in each other, and in the end you are rooting for both of them to have the life of their dreams.

Check It Out!

If you're looking for books to add to your reading list, or just curious which authors inspired the creation of MyFavoriteAuthor, check out our guest post over at The Secret Adventures of Writer Girl today.

Review: Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks

by Lauren Myracle

289 Pages

Published May 2009, by Dutton Juvenile

AT A GLANCE

Hardback, Paperback or Library: Library

The Next Person I'm Giving This To: Anyone looking for a funny, quirky teenage read about sisters.

To Re-Read or Not to Re-Read: Not again, It wasn't my style

About

Growing up in a world of wealth and pastel-tinted entitlement, fifteen-year-old Carly has always relied on the constancy—and authenticity—of her sister, Anna. But when fourteen-year-old Anna turns plastic-perfect-pretty over the course of a single summer, everything starts to change. And there are boys involved, complicating things as boys always do. With warmth, insight, and an unparalleled gift for finding humor even in stormy situations, beloved author Lauren Myracle dives into the tumultuous waters of sisterhood and shows that even very different sisters can learn to help each other stay afloat.***From Goodreads

Review

This book started out strong for me. I liked the main character Carly and I wanted to hear more about her summer adventure. This was a good sister book, I could relate to this book because I was pretty close to my sister growing up and the experiences in this book that happened between them both took me back a little. I think more backstory to Carly's vacation would have been helpful and I think that those experiences would have made her a little stronger, but you don't really see that happen which was disappointing.

The things I didn't like about the book was a constant sense of how much it would suck to live in this house with these lame parents and lame friends. I felt like Carly didn't ever really stand up for herself to anyone, and yet, you always feel like she had it in her to believe in herself and get some new friends that actually cared about her. 

Her Dad and Mom were super rude to her and super nice to the younger sister. I am not saying that this situation doesn't happen, it was just hard to read and I didn't like the fact that the Mom let the Dad be so degrading and rude to Carly and worshiped Anna and she usually followed suit.

The thing I liked about the book was that it does have a lot of funny moments.

For those of you wondering if your kids should read it, read it first, it has some swearing and some icky situations in it.

TAKE THE DARE

Cynthia Liu is celebrating the release of PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE by daring readers to help raise money for books to go to an Elementary school in Oklahoma City that is impoverished and surrounded by crime and violence. Read the letter here describing the situation. Then head over to Cynthia's website to help out. Everything from spreading the word to bidding on critiques by authors/editors/agents will earn you something special. Even if you are only interested in buying Cynthia's new book, if you use the links on her TAKE THE DARE post, all of the royalties will go to support this school.

So check it out . . . I DARE YOU!

Review: BREATHING by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

BREATHING
by Cheryl Renee Herbsman
262 Pages
Published April 2009 by Viking


AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Paperback
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To: Anyone looking for a good book to take to the beach or the pool or outside on the blanket to read.
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: Maybe.

ABOUT
What if the guy who took your breath away was the only one who could help you breathe?

Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels and working at the library. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she’s convinced he’s the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama’s strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he’s called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.

This debut novel has it all—an endearing, funny, hopelessly romantic main character, lots of down-home Southern charm, and a sunny, salty beach setting that will transport you to the Carolina coast. (from GoodReads)


REVIEW
This is a great story about first love and summer romance. I loved Savannah's voice. I felt like the South just reached out of the pages and wrapped its arms around me as I was reading. Here is an excerpt for you to get a feel for Savannah's voice and the atmosphere of the writing.

From pages 54-55

Rules for Savannah and Jackson's Courting
[Mama actually wrote this!]

1. Y'all are not to be alone in the house together under any circumstances. This goes for the Channings' house, too.
2. When at either house, the bedroom door is to remain open at all times.
3. The back of the Channing boys' truck is off-limits--period!
4. Y'all are not to be out at the beach after dark.
5. Savannah's curfew is 10 o'clock during the week and 11 o'clock on weekends. [Like it would even matter whether it's the week or the weekend during summer vacation!]
6. Savannah may spend time with Jackson only after her chores are done. [I knew that one was coming.]
7. Finally, y'all best mind your manners. I've got eyes watching for me just about everywhere. Don't cross me.

Now if that ain't the most humiliating manifesto you've ever seen, I don't know what is. Can you imagine? Mama sat us down before we even left the hospital to go over this little document with her. I honest-to-God thought I might die of embarrassment! Jackson blushed something fierce but didn't say a word against it. It must be awful. Here he is eighteen years old and more or less free to do as he pleases, and he's now saddled with a list of rules as long as his arm. I'm surprised he didn't up and hightail it out of there.

BREATHING is a sweet story about listening to your heart, following your dreams, and the important people in your life that love you.

Guest Blog: THE MAGIC OF SUMMER & FIRST LOVE by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

The Magic of Summer Love – First Love

Cheryl Renée Herbsman

This is pretty much my favorite topic to write about. There is something so magical about first love, and when you’re lucky enough to find it in the summer, the magic glows even brighter. When I was growing up, summer was always a time of freedom, friendship, and connection, a time for me to see friends I didn’t get to see during the year, a time to reinvent myself, a time to be free to really be me without worrying about who that was.

I met my husband when I was just thirteen. For years, we only saw each other during the summers. It was the most magical of moments when we finally got to be together. I remember feeling lit up from within, and feeling as if there was an aura of light that surrounded us, a magic bubble. Everything he did seemed amazing to me. And the light that shone from his eyes when he looked at me made me come alive.

As we celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary this June, I look back and realize that the key to making first love last is keeping that magic alive -- letting the love spill from your eyes as you look at each other, appreciating the little things you do for one another, supporting each other’s dreams, and tuning into the magic bubble of light that surrounds you.


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Cheryl Renee Herbsman is the author of BREATHING, which was released in April. We'll post a review of BREATHING tomorrow, and you can check our Cheryl's website here for a peak at the first chapter and more.

Happy Release Day!

Happy Release Day Shannon Hale! 

The wait is finally over, today you can go out and buy a copy of The Actor and the Housewife! 

MFA was sent an ARC of The Actor and the Housewife and so far 2 of the 3 of us LOVED IT!!! SpeedReader and I talked for an hour after I finished the book, now we just need Aubrey to finish up so we can talk her ear off too! 

The Actor and the Housewife has so many things to ponder about and discuss. After I read it, I really felt alive, that is the only way I can describe it. This book really makes you feel, and after I put it down I had a renewed appreciation for life, love, laughing, my Husband, my Children, and my friends.

Thank You Shannon, for sharing this lovely story with the world! We love you and all of your wonderful books!

Review: THE LOSER'S GUIDE TO LIFE AND LOVE by A.E. Cannon

THE LOSER'S GUIDE TO LIFE AND LOVE
by A.E. Cannon
272 pages
Released July 1, 2008

AT A GLANCE:
* HARDBACK, PAPERBACK, LIBRARY: Hardback. This was such a fun read. I hope it is one my daughter will enjoy someday.
* THE NEXT PERSON I'M GIVING THIS BOOK TO IS: My 16 year old niece. She has been doing more reading this summer and looking for something fun and entertaining.
* TO RE-READ or NOT TO RE-READ: I've decided that I just can't answer this question anymore! I am not a fast enough reader to do so. I will continue to buy books so that my children can read them, and I can pick them up when I want to, but really re-reading a book is rare for me unless it is part of a series -- since I like to re-read the series before a new one in the series is released.

ABOUT:
Ordinary, boring Ed works a loser summer job at Reel Life Movies, where he doesn't even have his own name tag. He's stuck with "Sergio." Ed's only consolations are his two best friends. Shelving DVDs isn't so mind-numbingly dull with Scout cracking jokes, and after hours Ed hangs out with the superbrain, Quark. Life starts to look up when the girl of his dreams saunters into Reel Life. Ed knows he doesn't stand a chance . . . but maybe, just maybe Sergio does. All he has to do is pretend to be a smoldering Brazilian stud for the rest of his life. Simple, right? But . . . Ed's new dream girl has her own secrets, Scout wants to be more than Ed's best friend, and his buddy Quark wants Scout for himself.

Star-crossed crushes make for hilarious misunderstandings as Ed guides his life toward disaster in this fresh, contemporary twist on Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

REVIEW:
I was lucky enough to win this book at a Barnes and Noble author event that I recently went to, where I met AE Cannon and had the book signed. I didn't realize until I got home and read up on her a little bit more online that I OWN one of her other books, CHARLOTTE'S ROSE. And really enjoyed that, so it made me even more excited to read this one!

It is a really cute book and a really quick read. It is told from 4 perspectives each voice being wholly unique and fun to read. Each character added something to the puzzle that was this love quadrangle in the heat of a Utah summer. It is like taking Midsummernight's Dream and sticking it into modern Salt Lake City, Utah. Complete with fairy king and queen and a Midsummer's Eve celebration.

It is a great summer read and explores many ideas about love. Pretending to be someone else other than who you are to impress someone, using people to get over other people, first crushes and how hard they can hit, loving someone your whole life -- and that person not seeming to see you as anything other than a friend. And the realization that in the end, being who you are will bring you the greatest happiness.

This was truly a great book!

Review: AND THEN EVERYTHING UNRAVELED by Jennifer Sturman

AND THEN EVERYTHING UNRAVELED

by Jennifer Sturman

256 Pages

Released July 1st 2009 by Point

AT A GLANCE

• HARDBACK, PAPERBACK, LIBRARY: Paperback. I would like to have this on my bookshelf. I think my daughter would like to read it in a couple of years. There was nothing inappropriate in it and it was a good mystery.
• THE NEXT PERSON I AM GIVING THIS TO: Speed Reader - I think she will like this fun, short mystery!
• TO READ or NOT to RE-READ: Re-Read

ABOUT

Delia Truesdale has no idea her life's about to change forever. She's too busy enjoying the California summer. Her internet tycoon mother, T.K. Truesdale, is out of town, and that means Delia can spend all her time at the beach, surfing. That is, until everything unravels.

Her mother suddenly goes missing, and everyone thinks she's dead - excpet Delia, who knows T.K.'s way too organized to simply disappear. But Delia's still sent to New York to live with her two aunts - a downtown bohemian and an uptown ice queen.

And in case that's not bad enough, she also has to deal with a snooty new school and trying not to fall for the wrong guy. Oh, and finding her mother.

As she delves deeper into the tangle of conspiracies and lies surrounding T.K.'s disappearance, Delia begins to suspect that the wrong guy may be the right guy...and that some secrets - especially the dangerous ones - were never meant to be unraveled. (from Goodreads)

REVIEW

I really enjoyed reading this book. I took it with me on a road/camping trip and it kept me very entertained. This book has a great mystery that you follow from the very beginning. The book has a very nice pace to it. I love when I am reading and have a hard time putting it down because I want to get to the end.

AND THEN EVERYTHING UNRAVELED really fits in with what is going on in the world right now with how dependent we are on foreign oil and how corrupt giant corporate companies can be, it made for a good backbone of a mystery!

I hope that this book gets a sequel. It does finish up most of the story, but it leaves a wide open path for a possible sequel. It has some great characters, Charley, one of the Aunts, is my favorite. There is some romance that happens in this book as well as some interesting friendships. I noticed that Jennifer Sturman has a few other mystery novels out there and this one was good enough that I just might check them out.

Guest Blog: The Magic of Summer Love

The Magic of Summer Love

Susane Colasanti

In the real world, relationships usually go something like this: Two people establish that they like each other, there are a few months of total and complete awesomeness, and then drama ensues. If the drama is stronger than the love, the relationship dissolves. During those early months, everyone is on their best behavior. They can’t get enough of each other. Everything about the other person is so freaking interesting. You feel like you want to get into the other person’s head and find out everything about them. But that amazing part eventually dissipates. Real life moves in. There’s laundry to be done, work to finish, friends you might have forgotten about. The euphoric first part of a relationship just can’t last.

Except in the case of summer love. Summer love doesn’t have time to get corroded. It’s like taking that early exciting part where everything is happy and new and putting it into a time capsule. You can always look back on your summer romances with happy feelings. There are no bad memories. Just magic. There’s nothing like the intensity of summer love. And the possibilities are endless.


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Susane Colasanti is the author of WAITING FOR YOU (July 2009), TAKE ME THERE and WHEN IT HAPPENS. Check out her website for more info about the author or her books.

Review: WAITING FOR YOU by Susane Colasanti

Here's the first book in our First Love & Summer Romance theme. Tomorrow we'll share what Susane Colasanti has to say about the magic of Summer Romance!

WAITING FOR YOU
by Susane Colasanti
317 Pages
Published July 2009 by Viking

AT A GLANCE

• Hardback, Paperback or Library: Library
• The Next Person I'm Giving This To: My sister ... she enjoys chick-lit and stories with a contemporary high school setting (books, movies, tv) so I think she'd enjoy this one.
  
• To Re-Read or Not To Re-Read: No, but I'm definitely interested in checking out the other 2 books already published by this author.
  

ABOUT
Derek's clearly the love Marisa's been waiting for, but there's just one problem: he has a girlfriend. Nash is clearly wrong for Marisa, but he's crushing on her. And as if life wasn't complicated enough, Marisa's also contending with a best friend who won't stop falling for older guys, a family that's acting totally bizarre, and a secret crush on a guy whose identity is a mystery -- even to her.

Sophomore year is going to intense.

REVIEW
I really connected with this high school setting. A lot of the books that I read that are set in high school make me think, "Is this really what high school is like now?" So I enjoyed relating to this experience and these characters.

Marisa is starting off a new school year wanting to reinvent herself and be someone new. The problem is, it's high school and that doesn't usually work very well. She's got a total crush on a guy that seems unattainable and is worried that her uncool childhood friend has a crush on her. And throughout the story, Marisa is waiting . . . for real life to start, for something exciting to happen, for her secret crush to notice how great she is, for a first boyfriend, for her first kiss . . . (Was this book about me??)

WAITING FOR YOU is a great story about appreciating what is right in front of you instead of waiting for the next best thing that may not happen or may not be better than what you already have.

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June Theme: First Love & Summer Romance

There's something magic about first love and summer romance, don't you think? I still remember the boy who I consider to be my "first love" and whenever I think of it I feel like I'm 13 again and not able to speak out loud if he was in the same room. Unfortunately, nothing really happened between us, but that doesn't mean that I didn't come up with all sorts of scenarios in my head about us. You know, how he will suddenly notice one day that I'm the perfect person he has been waiting for, we become the perfect Jr. High couple who them stay together all through High School. We go to college together, move to an awesome city when we graduate. Get married, have an awesome apartment/condo/house, and live happily ever after. C'mon, you guys totally know what I'm talking about, right? Haha! And summer love? At the end of each school year I was always convinced that this was going to be the summer that I had a spectacular summer fling. But again, it never really happened. Although I guess now that I think about it, the summer that I got engaged was a pretty romantic couple of months that culminated in a spectacular wedding. So I guess I got my summer love after all . . . and I get to be with him every day.

Even though I'm old married boring mom, I love books with this story line. I've read some fantastic books for this month that all explore the magic, innocence and excitement of first love and summer romance. Some of them have the happily-ever-after ending (the girl gets the boy), but some of them don't. And you know what? The ones that don't really are pretty good endings, too. Sometimes I think you can be in love with someone, but in the end they really aren't the right person for you to be with. I think it's important to recognize that sometimes friends are more important than boyfriends, and that fulfilling your own dreams is as important as sacrificing for the one you love to fulfill theirs.

We also asked a couple of authors to share their feelings about the magic of first love and summer romance, or even their own personal experience with it!

And of course we'll be doing another book giveaway this month, details to be announced a little later.


Enjoy the month!


Oh, and FYI - we are moving to a more random mix of book reviews in the future. You'll start to see some of that randomness in June but there are still enough books that worked with this theme that we decided to go forward with it anyway.

May WINNER

Sorry for the delay . . . We are excited to announce the winner of the May Book Giveaway! The winner gets to choose 2 of the 7 books pictured below. The rest will be taken to our Children's Hospital for the patients to enjoy. I know it sucks being sick enough to have to stay in the hospital, but we hope that they will be able to pass the time a little faster with these amazing books!

Thanks to everyone who entered! There are some seriously interesting stories in the comments section to this entry post that you should check out. You guys should all consider expanding your "micro" stories into something a little longer!

And now . . . the winner is . . .

*** LINDSEY ***

whose fairy/faery/faerie story of 100 words or less is below:

“But they are real,” Derrick touched her face lightly to show her his sincerity. “They are Lea, and they can heal with their magic.”

He looked at her now, eyes smiling. She stared at him. Maybe this would be her last hope. Life wasn’t always a fairy tale, but sometimes they could have a fairy tale ending. Suppose she gave this idea of these healing fairies a try. She might at last be able to give life let alone love a chance. Did these fairies hold the secret to healing all her pain? Maybe.

Lindsey, email your address to us at: myfavoriteauthor[at]gmail[dot]com with your 2 choices and we'll get those books in the mail to you asap!