Sunday, July 31, 2011

In My Mailbox (45)

Don't forget to enter my 
Summer Reading Giveaway! 

In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed.

So here's what I got this week!


Won in a contest over at Stuck in Books: a signed copy of The Cinderella Society (a 2011 debut, if I'm not mistaken!) by Kay Cassidy and an adorable bookmark (thanks, Jen and Kay!):





Borrowed from the library:
  • How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain
  • Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer (2 more 2011 debuts!)
Received from publisher:
  • Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma (arc): I've read & reviewed the eGalley of this, and wasn't that impressed, but I will plan on giving it a second pass. 
Received from author for review:
  • Choices by Kate Buckley


What did you get?
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Janet Ruth Young's Blog: Happy to Be Horrifying



How incredibly awesome is this? Not only did Janet Ruth Young even find my little blog and read my review of her latest novel, The Babysitter Murders, she did a whole blog post on it!

Janet Ruth Young's Blog: Happy to Be Horrifying: "Among all the thrills of yesterday, release day for The Babysitter Murders...amid the cake and the balloons...the readings and the toasts...the lobster roll and the prosecco...possibly the biggest thrill was being named to Christi the Teen Librarian's list of Most Awesomely Horrifying Reads of All Time."

Click on the link above to read the whole amazing post!!!!

SQUEE! I feel, like, famous!

Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Friday, July 29, 2011

Brother/Sister by Sean Olin

Don't forget to enter my 
Summer Reading Giveaway! 

Brother/Sister by Sean Olin
Razorbill, June 9, 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

Will and Asheley have a troubled past. Their father left them when they were little, and their mother has just been carted off to an alcohol treatment center. Now, they have the house to themselves, and an endless California summer stretching out before them. Through alternating perspectives, they tell the story of how and why their lives spun violently out of control - right up to the impossibly shocking conclusion you'll have to read for yourself to believe.
Totally creeptastic book. Not quite up to par with any of my MAHROAT titles, but it's close. I tell you, this book about brothers and sisters affected me way more than Forbidden did.

I wasn't Asheley's biggest fan while reading this book, though. She was a very spineless character, and spent most of the book doing what she was told without having a concrete opinion of her own. Will more than made up for that, though. I don't want to give too much away, but it's pretty safe (and understated) to say that Will has some mental problems that haven't properly been addressed.

The story is told in alternating viewpoints, which I thoroughly appreciated. I loved hearing both sides of the story, and knowing what each sibling was thinking. I have to admit that the narrations gets a little more horrid as the story goes on, until the unbelievable ending. For some reason I felt this sibling novel was way more believable than Forbidden, although both are wildly disturbing novels. If you like dark fiction, you should enjoy Brother/Sister.

Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

Don't forget to enter my 
Summer Reading Giveaway! 


The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, February 6, 2012


Summary from Goodreads:
When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn’t do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that’s been given to her, she’s now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before. 

It isn’t rape. It isn’t bullying. It isn’t hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don’t add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds. 
As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

I absolutely adored The Mockingbirds, so of course I was anxious to red the sequel. And I gotta say, I really did enjoy The Rivals. Of course I'm going to try to avoid spoilers as always, but if you haven't read The Mockingbirds, you probably shouldn't read any more.


So. Alex and the gang are starting their senior year at Themis. Alex, in particular, is facing a tough year, what with auditioning for Juilliard, trying to get over last year's date rape while enjoying her relationship with Martin, and, oh yeah, being the new leader of the Mockingbirds. She's absolutely got her hands full.


I have to be honest here--I really didn't like Alex for much of this book. I felt she kept alternating personas when it suited her fancy. I suspect that Daisy Whitney did that on purpose, because Alex's healing process felt quite authentic. Sometimes she felt completely overwhelmed that the date rape was something she'd have to carry with her forever, but other times she came across as almost invincible, like because she handled the date rape she could handle anything. So yeah, watching that healing process was great. However, there were many, many things that Alex as a friend, girlfriend, and leader-of-an-underground-justice-system that I felt were, well, downright crappy. I felt there was some growth at the end of the book, but I thought that Alex should have treated her friends better from the beginning, especially because of how they stood up for her, and behind her, last year.


Alex's first case as the leader of the Mockingbirds is an intriguing one, and, naturally, one that's completely different from anything else the group has seen before. Daisy Whitney does a great job of allowing the readers to decipher the mystery right alongside the Mockingbirds. I've read too many mystery novels (mostly non-YA stuff) where the author lays everything out for the reader, who then spends the rest of the book waiting for the main character to catch up. I like learning what Alex learns when she learns it. It's definitely dizzying, and there were some scenes that had me going, "Wait, what?" and re-reading to make sure I was all caught up. But it's a fun mystery.


I LOVE books with boarding school settings! I love the idea of teens living on their own, but not really, testing out their independence with a safety net to catch them should they fall. I imagine that there are some prep schools out there that will ignore everything except academic and athletic excellence. I hope that the school Daisy Whitney created is the exception, and not the rule. 


As for the ending, I won't reveal any spoilers, but I'll just say that I get why it was handled the way it was. The grown-up in me is screaming for a different ending. Once you read it, you'll see. It is open-ended enough for the possibility of a third book, although Daisy has said she thinks she's ready to move on to new characters.


This book won't be released until February, but you can be sure I'll be reminding you about it! Wouldn't hurt to add it to your to-read pile now, though!


ARC received through Around the World ARC Tours.
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday is going on hiatus

I'm thinking about giving up WOW for a while, at least for this week. I find that if I can sit down and pound out a month's worth at a time, then I'm OK, but it's really hard for me to find time to sit down and do WOW one week at a time. 

Plus, I'm finding that I'm waiting for most of what everyone else is waiting for--that is, I'm not coming up with unique titles to bring to your attention. I feel like I'm saying "Yeah, I want to read this too!" Basically I'm not finding it that fun anymore.

But who knows? I'll have some time this weekend so maybe I'll be able to get some more posted!

Does anyone have an opinion?

Enjoy your reading!
Christi



Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Library program: Henna Tattoos!

Don't forget to enter my 
Summer Reading Giveaway! 

OK, I don't really spend too much time talking about my actual JOB as a teen services librarian. This blog is in no way related to my place of employment--it's all my own thoughts, done on my own time--and I think I'm still trying to find that right balance.

BUT! I had a FANTASTIC program earlier this month, and I definitely want to share it. The summer reading theme this year is Travel (for teens, specifically, it's You Are Here). So a bunch of us YA librarians are hosting henna tattoos programs. Some of the branches are having someone come in and actually do the henna. I wasn't sure how a program like this would go over with my kids, so I opted to simply purchase some henna cones and let the teens have at it. Actually, another librarian graciously got the cones for me, as she'd done this program before and knew exactly where to get them. Sometimes I love being a part of a team!

I requested a bunch of books and printed out tons of how-to's and examples. For the teens whose parents wouldn't let them get tattoos (I provided consent forms) and everyone, really, I printed out information on Mandalas, and got some printables off the internet that could be colored in.

Can I just tell you--TWENTY-THREE teens showed up for this event! My teen advisory board (TAB) has been steadily growing since I started last year--I had about five dedicated teens, and now I can count on at least a dozen, and closer to 15-17 for programs. But there were at least a dozen new teens at the event that I'd never seen in the library before!

There was a Mah-Jong program that afternoon, so instead of rearranging the room I simply left the four card tables up, with long tables at the front for all the supplies. The teens got themselves into little clusters, provided their consent forms, and listened carefully as I explained the history and laid out the ground rules (legs, feet, arms or hands only--no face, and nothing obscene). A volunteer handed out the how-to's, scrap paper, crayons, markers, and pencils for each table, and the groups set about trying to come up with the best designs ever.


My co-worker told me that it sounded loud from where she was in the library, but I didn't feel that it was loud at all--and I've had to speak to smaller groups of kids for being loud before! Instead, I likened it to controlled chaos. These kids were excited, and tested out several designs before I started handing out the cones. I'd purchased nine cones, which was more than enough (I actually have tons left over in my fridge). I could have purchased less, but I thought what I had was the perfect amount for sharing.


I had teens giving themselves tattoos, teens with their legs up on the table so their friends could do their henna, and people who'd never met before giving each other tattoos. I had one of the girls do one on my wrist, and a mom even came in at the end and asked if she could get one (and then had one of the teens do it!).

Here's mine (it's on the inside of my left wrist, where my next real tat is going to go):


It was such an awesome program, and I don't pat myself on the back too much, but my boss says I need to, so...there you go. :) When I do this program again, the only thing I'd do differently would be to have lemon juice and cotton balls available. Dabbing the henna tattoo with lemon juice really helps to darken the tat.

How's your summer going?

Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Babysitter Murders

Don't forget to enter my 
Summer Reading Giveaway! 


The Babysitter Murders by Janet Ruth Young
July 26, 2011, Atheneum

Summary from Goodreads:
Everyone has weird thoughts sometimes. But for seventeen-year-old Dani Solomon, strange thoughts have taken over her life. She loves Alex, the little boy she babysits, more than anything. But one day, she has a vision of murdering him that's so gruesome, she can't get it out of her mind. In fact, Dani's convinced that she really will kill Alex. She confesses the thoughts to keep him safe, setting off a media frenzy that makes "Dani Death" the target of an extremist vigilante group.

Through the help of an uncoventional psychiatrist, Dani begins to heal her broken mind. But will it be too late? The people of her community want justice . . . and Dani's learning that some thoughts are better left unsaid.
I heard about this book months ago and was so eager to read it. So of course I was totes ecstatic when I saw it on Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab. Are you guys ready for this?

I think...I might have book #4 for my MAHROAT list! Yes, I found the events in this story that horrifying, and that realistic, that I'm going to add The Babysitter Murders to my Most Awesomely Horrifying Reads of All Time. Even though there's no rape or incest in this book, what happens to Dani is so unbelievable that you just know it can really happen.

When Dani starts to have these uncontrollable urges to hurt or kill people, she's understandably scared. Why is she having these thoughts, and is it possible she could actually do what she's thinking of? How could she ever want to harm anyone, especially Alex, the uber-sweet little boy she babysits? Dani first tries to confide in her best friend, and later her mother, to no avail, and finally attemps to quit her babysitting job. Alex's mom, however, won't take no for an answer, and Dani is finally forced to reveal what's been going through her mind.

The aftermath after this revelation is what makes this novel so shocking. I mean, Dani never does anything to actually hurt anyone. She simply confides in Alex's mom that she's thinking these thoughts, and all of a sudden the entire community wants to burn her at the stake. And I have to say that her mom's reaction is about as scary as eveyone else's--she's not the most supportive person. But everyone, and I mean everyone--friends, police, teachers, the media--villifies Dani without a second thought. This poor girl is suddenly having this nasty thoughts, and instead of immediately seeking medical attention, she has to contend with lawyers and hatred thrown at her. How can Dani ever return to "normal" after this? If you love those dark, uncomfortable reads as much as I do, you will love this book. Be sure to pick it up tomorrow!

eGalley received from publisher.
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Sunday, July 24, 2011

In My Mailbox (44)

Don't forget to enter my 
Summer Reading Giveaway! 


In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed.


So here's what I got this week!


Received from publisher:


  • Conspiracies by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill (thank you, Tor!)
  • Dark Parties by Sara Grant (thank you, Little, Brown!)
What did you get?
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Friday, July 22, 2011

Summer Reading Giveaway!

Summer Reading Giveaway!
So it’s the middle of summer and at work we are SWAMPED with summer reading requests. Each student in grades 3 through 12 must read at least one book from a select list. I won’t bore you with the lists for the younger kids, but the high school reading list is actually quite impressive (and I can’t take any of the credit for it). The school media specialist at the high school creates a committee every year, made up of a few teachers but mostly students from all grades who are avid readers. She selects a giant master list of books (mostly really current stuff and recent award winners) and the members of the committee will read and review each book, eventually whittling the list down to about 30 titles. 
What’s on this year’s list, you might ask? Here are some of the titles that I’ve already read:
  • The Hunger Games trilogy
  • The Monstrumologist (but oddly enough, The Curse of the Wendigo didn't make the cut)
  • Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters
  • The Sky is Everywhere
  • The Graveyard Book
But there are more titles on the list that I’m hoping to get through this summer, including:



  • Fat Cat
  • Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour
  • Sisters Red
  • All Unquiet Things
This long-winded intro leads me to my giveaway (are you still with me?). Disney-Hyperion is running an unRequired Reading promotion this summer, and I have two books from their list to give away, in addition to one book from my local school's required summer reading list. As if that’s not enough, I have a pack of unRequired Playing Cards and a water bottle, courtesy of Disney-Hyperion, to add to the prize! 

So here's what ONE winner will be getting!

  • an ARC of Queen of the Dead (the Ghost and the Goth, book 2) by Stacey Kade 
  • a finished hardcover copy of Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter
  • a paperback copy of Blindsided by Priscilla Cummings (yet another title I'd like to read soon!)
  • unRequired Reading playing cards
  • unRequired Reading water bottle
(Blindsided isn't pictured)

Here's what you need to know: you need to be a US resident age 13 or up and a follower of my blog. In addition, when filling out the form, I'm asking you to list (at least) one of your required reads this summer. It can be a true requirement for school, or just something you're determined to cross off your to-read list. When the contest is over, I'll create a post with a list of all the titles (anonymously). 

I can't wait to see what's on your "required" summer reading list!

Contest is open until August 1.


Enjoy your reading and good luck!
Christi

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
HarperTeen, September 6, 2011
Read for 2011 Debut Author Challenge


Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Laurel's world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all, there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel's life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss, a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways. 

Fans of emotionally true and heartfelt stories, such as Sarah Dessen's THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and IF I STAY by Gayle Forman, will fall in love with Jennifer Castle’s incandescent debut novel...a heart wrenching, surprisingly witty testament to how drastically life can change in the span of a single moment.

It sounds like I've been saying this a lot, but. This is one of the most powerful 2011 debuts I've read this year! I don't even think this review can do this book justice. You MUST add this book to your to-read list when it debuts in September. Seriously.


I suppose it's not giving anything away to say that this book begins with a horrible tragedy. Laurel's parents and brother are suddenly gone, and it may or may not be the fault of her neighbor's father, who was driving (and whose wife died as well). He's in a coma, so the truth of what happened might never be really known. Laurel is, to put it mildly, shattered. Thankfully, she doesn't have to go through this alone. Her Nana willingly puts her life aside to move in with Laurel so the two of them can grieve and attempt to heal together.


There were so many times while reading that I was tearing up. Jennifer Castle had a talent for creating realistic characters, situations, and dialogue. This is not a story about a girl who turns to drugs or prostitution after her parents die; not that those things don't happen, but what is I think is more common is for the survivor to quietly try to reconstruct their lives and try to figure out their place now that everything they've known has changed.


Perhaps this story resonated with me because I've suffered that kind of personal loss, and "the beginning of after" is a completely concrete idea for me. When tragedy strikes, your life is suddenly divided into before the tragedy, and after. Everything in your life will now be defined by when it happened. 


Laurel was so strikingly real, and her feelings are so vivid. On the one hand, she wants to just blend in and not have everyone stare at her, wonder if she's OK. On the other hand, if she just blends in, she won't be special anymore, and if she's not special anymore, does that lessen her grief? 


Laurel is extremely fortunate to have her Nana. Nana simply gives up her life and makes the three-hour trek to move in with Laurel, no questions asked. I can only hope that, if tragedy has to strike, that every victim and survivor has their own Nana in their corner. She's strong and strong-willed, but not afraid to show that she's hurting, too.


I very rarely quote from books, and I don't think I've ever quoted from an eGalley before. I know that the text is subject to change and once the book comes out I have to compare it. But, I think this little section (Nana and Laurel are preparing to sort through and donate many of the family's coats) showcases Jennifer Castle's gift with language as well as demonstrate the strength of the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter:
"I don't think I can do this, Nana," I said.
She was holding one of Toby's down parkas, petting it. "I don't know if I can either, sweetie. That's why we should do it together and do it fast, before I change my mind."
"Just the coats?"
"Just the coats. For now."
I nodded, biting my lip as the tears came burning through, and laid the cashmere coat on the dining room table.
I said, "This will be the Keep Pile." (p. 185, eGalley)
Doesn't that just get you?


I don't want you to think that this is a book just about Laurel and Nana, because it's not. Laurel's got a best friend, new friends and co-workers, a sort-of romance, and the whole thing with David, whose father was driving the car (and is now in a vegetative state). There are so many elements to this story. I will urge you again to be sure to pick this book up in September--I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy, and to see what else Jennifer Castle has to share with us!


eGalley received from NetGalley.
Enjoy your reading!
Christi



Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (36)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme event created by Breaking the Spine to help showcase upcoming releases. 


This week I'm waiting for The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle.


Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Laurel's world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all, there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel's life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss, a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways. 

Fans of emotionally true and heartfelt stories, such as Sarah Dessen's THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and IF I STAY by Gayle Forman, will fall in love with Jennifer Castle’s incandescent debut novel...a heart wrenching, surprisingly witty testament to how drastically life can change in the span of a single moment.

I have actually have already read this book (thank you, NetGalley!), but it has made such an impression on me that I'm keeping it on my WOW for this week. I am waiting for its official release so that I can make sure everyone I know reads it!


The Beginning of After is scheduled to be released on September 6 by HarperTeen. My review will be posted tomorrow, so be sure to stop back!


What are you waiting for?
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy
Walker & Co., May 10, 2011
Read for 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Summary from Goodreads:
Jewish girl. Christian camp. Holy moly. 
Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp, she's sure that if she wins the final tournament, it'll be her ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country. Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. His name is Devon and, whether she likes it or not, being near him makes her sizzle. Luckily she's confident enough to take on the challenge-until she begins to suspect that the private scholarship's benefactor has negative feelings toward Jews. Will hiding her true identity and heritage be worth a shot at her dream? 
Debut author Amy Fellner Dominy mixes sweet romance, surprising secrets, and even some matzo ball soup to cook up a funny yet heartfelt story about an outspoken girl who must learn to speak out for herself.

This was a very sweet debut novel, one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to younger teens. Ellie is a typical almost-freshman teenager—except that she argues for fun and because she loves it. She wants to take her debating skills as far as she can, and the Benedict School is where she knows she’ll excel. All she has to do is dazzle the pants off of the woman in charge of scholarships. Who might not be so fond of people of Jewish faith. And Ellie is Jewish. No problem!
This is a learning story. Ellie learns more about who she is and wants to be, as well as when it’s important to stand up for what you believe in, and why you should do that. This book also has a hint of romance and a strong sense of family, which can be refreshing after reading countless books about absent and/or drunk moms and/or dads. This is one of those books that will have you thinking about what you believe in, and why.
Borrowed book from the library.
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Monday, July 18, 2011

Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy

Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy
Hyperion, June 28, 2011
Read for YA Contemps Challenge
Summary from Goodreads:
When 15-year-old Enid Calhoun follows her boyfriend Wick to Maryland for a party, fearful that he might be intending to cheat on her, she finds herself sneaking on board a houseboat where Wick and his friends plan to have a wild night. But before the boys discover their stowaway, a hurricane strikes, and the teenagers are carried miles from the shore and shipwrecked. What follows is a harrowing, yet heartwarming, story of survival, as the teens battle hypothermia, dehydration, man-eating sharks--and along the way, confront their own deepest secrets, including their catalytic roles in the disaster.
I first found out about this book through the YA Contemps Challenge, so it was automatically on my to-read list. The whole “lost at sea” thing was another reason I wanted to read it—when I do read nonfiction (which is infrequently, I’ll admit), I gravitate towards those kinds of stories, so naturally I thought I’d enjoy a fictional tale, as well. And finally, months ago I attended a webinar of upcoming releases that only piqued my interest more.

I finally got around to reading it! (I think that if I own a book that I know I’m going to love, I tend to put it to the side. I’m not sure why I do that, except maybe I’m saving it? Anyway.) I have to say that I loved this story, but I also have to say that I didn’t expect it to be as dark as it was. I’m not complaining that it was dark, because you know I love my dark fiction, and I don’t know why I was surprised that it was dark—it IS a story about a group of teens shipwrecked and left adrift in a lifeboat that tends to attracts sharks, after all. There’s just something about the book that led me to believe it would be a little lighter. Again, NOT complaining!
The events that lead Enid to be adrift at sea with a group of boys (her brother included, so right away you know this is not going to be a steamy-and-possibly-dirty-lost-at-sea book, so get your mind out of the gutter) are completely realistic. Basically, almost everyone makes a small mistake or two, but when you put all those little mistakes together, you get a ginormous catastrophe. 
I love that the characters were all twins, but I have to say that I hated Enid’s boyfriend Wick. I feel he was misnamed—his real name should rhyme with Wick. He’s just not a nice kid, and I struggled to understand why Enid was attracted to him. I did love the relationship between Enid and her twin brother Landon. You can tell that they’re each others’ best friend, it’s so sweet.
I felt Sharks & Boys was a great novel. There are a few twists that I was so not expecting, but ultimately I’m glad Kristen went that way—it added to the realistic aspect of the story. I’m no expert on lost at sea adventures, so I don’t know if everything that happened to this group is something that really could happen, especially with the sharks. Do sharks really antagonize people like that, without attacking? (I must pay closer attention to Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, which starts July 31 for those who are interested!) However, Kristen’s writing makes all of the events seem realistic and believable.
ARC received from publisher, but Sharks & Boys is out now!
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Sunday, July 17, 2011

In My Mailbox (43)

In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed.


So here's what I got this week!
  • Sarah Mlynowksi, Lauren Myracle, and E. Lockhart all posted on their Facebook pages that the book they co-wrote, How to Be Bad, is currently available as an eBook for only $1.99! So of course I hopped over to B&N to purchase it for the nook. Yay!
  • Won in a contest over at Reading Lark: Crush, edited by Andrea N. Richesin. This was actually the second time I won Crush, so now I have one copy for a summer reading giveaway for my teens, yay!
  • Forever by Maggie Stiefvater: I'd preordered this from Barnes & Noble a hundred years ago, it feels like. And here's why:

These books are just so absolutely gorgeous together I can't stand it! I have 2 ARCs making their rounds with the teens at the library (and finished copies on order, of course) and they're loving the conclusion to this series!
  • From Around the World ARC Tours run by Princess Bookie: The Rivals by Daisy Whitney. Squee!! I've already read and loved this sequel to The Mockingbirds. Review to come soon!
What did you get?
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Friday, July 15, 2011

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter (Heist Society #2)

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter (Heist Society #2)
Hyperion, June 21, 2011
Summary from Goodreads:
Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.
There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed.
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

I have to be honest here: I read this book without having read Heist Society. I know, I know, how could I read a sequel without having read the first book? To be fair, while reading over some reviews, someone did mention that book 2 would work as a standalone. So I kind of wanted to test that theory.
Yes, there was a lot that I didn’t really understand. Like, why are these kids left alone while the rest of the family (which is a question, too) is in Uruguay, or maybe Paraguay? How did Kat (or her family?) get involved in thievery? Why is she a modern-day Robin Hood?
But at the heart of this book is a good mystery, and for that I didn’t need to read the first book. Kat offers to, and does, return the Cleopatra Emerald to its original owners. Who are not, actually, the original owners. In short, the conner has become the conned. It’s an intriguing story, and once I accepted that no, I was not going to learn all the back story I needed, it was an engaging read. The heat between Kat and Hale was certainly worth the read. For the love of all things holy, will these two just hook up and get it over with? Everyone is aware can feel the sexual tension between these two. And the jet-setting to various countries in the space of days or even hours is fun—why didn’t I have a wealthy friend like Hale when I was growing up? Oh, I guess because I wasn’t born into a world of talented thieves. Man, some people have all the luck.
I enjoyed this read, but I suspect I would have enjoyed it more had I read the first book. If you read and enjoyed Heist Society, this should be a no-brainer for you. If you’re interested in this one, please read book 1 first. You’ll be glad you did.
Finished copy received from the publisher. I didn’t receive any compensation for this review.

Enjoy your reading!
Christi