Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa


Release Date: June 1, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: The Iron Fey, Book 3.5
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eBook
Source: Free Download
Download: Amazon
Goodreads ❘ Website

A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

An ebook exclusive novella from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

If you know me, you'll know how much I love Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series. This novella was definitely no exception! I haven't read many novellas so far, but these ones have definitely grabbed my attention and are SO worth the read.
I loved the change in perspective here! I understand that Meghan's story is over (...or is it? you'll just have to see in The Iron Knight *winks*) and so it was fabulous to see another narrator take on the role. I loved the change in atmosphere and mood I must say. Puck was hilarious narrator, and we got to see a different side to him in this short story.

Once again, I must compliment the gorgeous descriptions of the summer court! It sounds so beautiful...and somewhat terrifying as well. I liked all the allusions as well to A Midsummer's Night Dream, and the twist at the end is fabulously played out.

Do NOT hesitate to pick this one up if you love The Iron Fey series as much as I do! It leads up to the Iron Knight (which is as amazing) and this second-last (mini) installment to this amazing series will entice you as all of its books do.

500 Follower Giveaway!

Hi!


Just a couple of days back I hit 500 Followers! Thank you so much you guys :D This totally means so much to me. SO, I thought, because this is another milestone, it's time for another GIVEAWAY!!! *launch confetti cannons and commence marching band*

Da Rulz:

• You must be 13+ in order to enter the giveaway.
• This is open internationally. Giveaways #1 and #2 is only open to wherever The Book Depository ships for free (check here).
• There'll be a total of three winners in this giveaway– one winner per giveaway.
• Enter in the Rafflecopters below each giveaway.
• You may enter all three giveaways, or which ever ones you want to enter in.
• The winners have 72 hours to reply or another winner will be chosen.
• I am not responsible for any lost or damaged packages.
• All three giveaways end on September 30 2012.
• **for the "comment on a review" option: if entering more than one giveaway and choosing to complete that option, you must comment on a review DIFFERENT to the one that you entered in first (and second).

Giveaway #1

I know a HUGE amount of new covers have been released for 2013, so I thought, why not give one pre-order away? One winner will win a pre-order of a 2013 release from the books below (click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads link):

**Some of these don't show covers on The Book Depository, and for some of them I'll be buying the paperback, so I'm ASSUMING that the covers will remain the same. If they don't, I apologize in advance**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2

WELL, since it's summer, I thought it would be fabulous to give away a contemporary. So here we have it, one winner will get their choice of one of the following books (cover links to Goodreads):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #3

For my last giveaway, I'm going to be giving away a swag pack!

(sorry for the fuzzy-ish photo)

Included: Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini bookmark (signed), mini bookmark/"business card", and rubber bracelet; Cat Girl's Day Off by Kimberly Pauley bookmark, and two tattoos (globe + bat); The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton postcard, and bookmark (signed); Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole tattoo; Everlasting by Alyson Noël tattoo; Need series by Carrie Jones (on the back is The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey); Solid by Shelley Workinger bookmark.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So that's it my fellow readaholics and may the odds be ever in your favor, the force be with you, and just plain ol' good lucky to you all :)

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman


Release Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Rated: YA 15+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

It’s the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She’s not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn’t sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn’t start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn’t want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn’t want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself spending more time with Inggy’s boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.

When I caught a glimpse of the cover, Jersey Angel perked my interest. Sure, I'm not a fan of the cover (it's one that I certainly don't want to be caught carrying!), but it screamed S-U-M-M-E-R at me, and so I thought, why not?

Well...

It wasn't too bad, I'll give you that. I read the whole thing in one sitting, because it's quite a short book. The writing was great, really good actually. Beth Ann Bauman really grabs you in with the descriptions of summer and Angel's life. The plot however, seemed to be non-existent. When I try to recall what happens in the book, my answer is: not too much. I can remember little slivers of big things happening, but nothing too major that makes me go, "OH MY GOD, that happens in the book!".

As far as YA heroines go, Angel is my least favorite. And favorite shouldn't be in that sentence. I'm sorry, but I HATED her. I liked her best friend Inggy, but she I loathed. I hate to use this word, but the only word I can think to describe her is as a SLUT. Oh god, I'm sorry I ruined the review with the word, but really, the only thing she seems to be focused on is sex, sex, and oh yeah did I mention? more sex. She literally at one point mentions that she can't count the amount of guys that she's slept with. Oh yeah, and she's what? 16? It's quite a scary fact.
Cork, that jerk. Okay, I don't know Inggy seriously bothers to hang out with Angel and DATE Cork. They are SO not worth it. Joey is sweet, yes, and MUCH better than those two. But it seriously makes me grimace with the amount of cheating and going-behind-Inggy's-back this novel has. I don't know what made Angel think that it was okay to sleep with your best friend's boyfriend periodically, and continue to do so while he's still dating her and she's still hanging out with you, but *growls* I give up...

If you haven't seen me mention it previously in this review (then I'd consider you getting your eyesight checked out), this book contains a lot of sex. Okay, I for one being a teen, can handle some level of "hot" scenes, and brief mentions of sexual activity. I found myself skimming over paragraphs, eager to finish it off, because there is a LOT of it in this book (basically Angel's whole summer) and even though it's not too graphically described, there are descriptions in there.

Overall, I found Jersey Angel to be that book that you either gotta love or hate. I'm sorry to say that I, despite the author's magnificent writing which I will surely be checking out more in the near future, didn't enjoy this book, but that doesn't mean that you won't. I'd definitely recommend this to fans of Jersey Shore the TV show though!

If you like this, try...

• Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt ◆ Goodreads
• After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy ◆ Goodreads

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard


Release Date: July 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Something Strange and Deadly, Book 1
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: Edelweiss
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Just from reading that first line of the blurb, I KNEW I needed to read this book. And it did not disappoint.
I've never read a book about zombies before, and I'm glad to say I enjoyed this thrill-ride very much. I've read about revenants yes, but never about grisly detached body parts, deadly spirits, and a necromancer rising the dead. Something Strange and Deadly is one book definitely not to miss when it comes to paranormal.

Even though I wasn't too big a fan of her at first, I came around to loving Eleanor. I liked that she struggled with the expectations of her mother and society against what she wishes to do. She's smart and funny– her witty comebacks are quite clever! I really admired her determination and her gall to break free from rules and other such things that bound her.
Joseph was an interesting character. He’s Creole, which is one background which isn't shown at all in YA, and it was interesting to see how he spoke the language. With the little I had to study about Creole, it certainly is interesting to see it in this novel! Jie was also another interesting character. Again, you don't see too many Asian characters (like Jem from The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare) and it was cool to see her as a part of the cast. She's so sweet and kick-ass!
and then of course, we come to the love interest...s. There's Clarence, who does come throughout the book, and yes, I definitely like him, but there was that certain "spark" missing from their interaction. BUT Daniel on the other hand *mouth-waters* swoon-worthy! Definitely cannot WAIT to see more of him in the second book.

I loved the ending– it was truly a huge twist that I didn't expect. Well, okay to admit, I did have my suspicions, but I kind of hovered to the I-don't-think-that-would-happen side. I should have listened to my gut instinct! This novel is like multiple genres in one. Mystery, steampunk, paranormal, romance... I'm telling you, it's got everything an epic story needs.

Something Strange and Deadly will captivate readers from line one. There's no dull spots– It's completely action-packed from start to finish. Susan Dennard has written a fabulous debut which I'm sure will attract zombie fans to history lovers all over. I loved it and can't wait for A Darkness Strange and Lovely.

If you like this, try...

• The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross ◆ Goodreads
• Die for Me by Amy Plum ◆ Goodreads

---

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 64

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight on upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on.

This week's WoW is:

City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

The girl with no past, and no future, may be the only one who can save their lives. 

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but her own life.

Goodreads ◆ February 5, 2013

I love the sound of this one! It seems so magical and so original– definitely one book I can't wait for in 2013!

What are you waiting on?

Lethally Blonde by Patrice Lyle

Lethally Blonde by Patrice Lyle


Release Date: January 27, 2012
Publisher: Leap Books
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

Morgan Skully is the world's only blonde demon girl, and she's got a brand new, very unusual afterschool job. Spying for the Devil. She'd much rather use her cloak-and-dagger skills to spy on hottie-licious Derek with her friends, but the Devil won't take no for an answer. Luckily for Morgan, her new boss is kinda hot. Her assignment is simple: find out who at Pitchfork Prep is funneling secrets to the Siberian Werewolf Council. If she succeeds, pedicures and platinum highlights are just the beginning. But if she fails...there's more on the line than killer shoes.

I was surprised when this one arrived in the mail. I mean, I'd requested it maybe around 2 months ago, but didn't expect to be able to review it. And I'm really glad it landed up with me. This was such a cute book! I was giggling the whole way through. I loved the humor, Morgan and the Devil's ego's "competing" and the whole story was so original, I couldn't help but fall in love with it.
I found this book, as I said before, really original. I've never read a book with demons and the devil himself in it! I really liked that it didn't focus entirely on the mission itself. We got to see a more personal side to Morgan, and that, I felt, really helped me to connect with her (And does anyone get the very clever title?? :D).

I loved Morgan. I fell head-over-heels for her, and I mean quite literally. She may have been the most shoe-obsessed girl I've ever seen, but she's really sweet, shy, and of course, has a hilarious personality! She really does remind me of Elle from the movie Legally Blonde.
This is quite rare for me, but I didn't quite fall for Derek, Morgan's love interest. He's hot, yes, but he wasn't quite as well described and made to look like the amazing-omg-kill-me-now-I-worship-the-ground-you-walk-on guy like the devil was. THE DEVIL. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I fell for the devil's teen self. Morgan should have really chosen better I feel. But oh well...

Overall, Lethally Blonde is that novel on your shelf which you can always pick up if you need a laugh and break from other long and more serious paranormal books. I adore this one and really hope that there'll be a book 2, because even though this ended with no loose knots, I'm dying for more Morgan and the devil!

**Thank you so much to Leap Books for sending me Lethally Blonde for review!**

If you like this, try...

• Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman ◆ Goodreads

Books, Blogging and Everything Else: Love in YA, Blog posts, and Ideal Vacations

Books, Blogging and Everything Else is a discussion meme that I created. For each of the three topics (Books, Blogging and Everything Else...duh!) I'll pick a question for each and please feel free to discuss and post.

Books...

Hello my lovelies :) Hopefully your summer so far has been great and book-filled. Today's question has been seen across the blogosphere, in several different memes, and I wanted to add my take on it, as well as hear yours:

In YA books, do you prefer love-triangles or insta-love?

Ah, yes. The ongoing question as to which is better. Welllll... this is a difficult one because both have their ups and downs.

Love Triangles. Some of these have been FABULOUS, for example, Julie Kagawa's The Iron Fey series. WOW. Okay, I've not been so confused as to who to pick. One minute I was Team Ash, another Team Puck. But then eventually, here's the thing about love triangles: they'll always end. The girl can't end up with two guys, and two guys can't have the same girl. Love triangles are short-lived, and sometimes, can end in disappointment, depending on which team you're in. BUT BUT BUT. In a lot of books, I'm noticing that it's often very clear which team you're supposed to be on. Like, the author's clearly pushing you towards that guy. Anyway. It can be confusing. 
And here's another thought: have you ever seen a love triangle in YA lit where the guy has to pick between two girls? I was just thinking about it when I was typing this paragraph up, and I've NEVER seen it (so far). If you have, PLEASE let me know whether or not, because it's something original for me!

Insta-love. Okay, I'm not gonna lie: I'm not too big a fan of this. It's kind of weird... a guy and a girl (or guy and a guy, or girl and a girl) see each other and BAM! they both fall in love with each other. *shakes head*. NOOO. Love totally needs to blossom, that's my view! Otherwise, it's just infatuation and short-lived. Yeah, sure love-triangles end fast too, but on the weird journey where they decide which person to fall for, they consider their options and actually get to know the person. With insta-love, well, it's instant. That's what I hate.

There seems to be a clear winner of what I'd pick here. Love triangles over insta-love any day for this gal.

Blogging...

I was reading a post by the lovely Mimi @ Mimi Valentine, her question was: Do you plan your posts ahead of time?. I think this is an excellent question which she chose to discuss on, so here's a variation of the question:

How do you go about posting blog posts? Is it immediate publication or scheduled ahead of time?

This question fits perfectly because I'm on vacation in India where I thought there would be no internet at my summer house. I was scared of that possibility, so before I left home I planned WAY ahead of time. I scheduled tons of reviews, meme posts and such so that you all could be entertained when I was away. Turns out I didn't have to worry too much because our house had internet. BUT THEN... we decided to go to Ladakh (this place in Northern India) for sightseeing for two weeks and then came panic mode. I quickly made posts and scheduled them. And now, I'm kind of stuck on them. I don't have to wake up and worry that I'll have to post something with a deadline of today. I always manage to keep two scheduled posts ahead of the latest published one, and this system is totally working for me.

and Everything Else...

Well, nothing too big is going on with me, because I'm stuck here for another week, doing nothing but blogging and reading (I know, sounds like heaven when I put it like that, but trust me, I haven't really set foot out of this apartment very much). SO... here's the last question of the day:

If you had the chance to go on your ideal vacation, what would you do? Where would you go?

WELLL... I've travelled a lot, I must say, because of moving countries every 2 to 4 years, and I really prefer to relax during the vacation, because my family and I end up going somewhere ALL the time, for almost EVERY vacation that I have (and the school that I go to gives quite a bit). I could say a million places I'd want to visit, like Italy, Peru, New Zealand, Hawaii (been there...but I was like, 2?? GAH parents are so unfair)– but honestly, right now I can say, home would be good, because I've done too much at the start of the holiday, such as climbing like a bajillion stairs of millions of monasteries to eating Momo's, and so I need to REALLY relax.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

That's it for todays BBandEE, so please feel free to answer in the comments, make your own post and leave a link etc. because it's already half-way through summer and school is coming closer by every second (dan-dan-DAAAANNN). Not to be a downer!!! Sorry. But anyway, hope you're having a fab vacay :)

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland


Release Date: May 10, 2012
Publisher: Speak
Rated: YA 13+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

A great summer beach read filled with sunshine, cooking, and—of course—romance!

Elizabeth Margaret--better known as Em--has always known what her life would contain: an internship at her father's firm, a degree from Harvard, and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is, it's not what she wants. So when she gets the opportunity to get away and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em learns that her family has some pretty significant secrets. And then there's Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can't resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels that for the first time ever, she is really living life on her own terms.

I only understood why the title of this novel was The Summer My Life Began at the end of the novel. Truly, this book is the definition of a perfect summer read– boys, secrets and of course, sun and the sand! I loved how the story played out, how the character's pasts are slowly revealed, because for such a short read, it's certainly packed with twists and surprises. Definitely not a book to miss. 

Em! She's quite different from other YA heroines. She cooks for one thing! And gosh, my mouth was watering from all the things she makes in this book. I also felt bad for her. I mean, her family is so constricting, and she doesn't have the freedom which many teens in young adult books do. 
Tilly was another fabulous character. I loved her and her son, Frederick. All the staff at her B&B were also a really great cast. And then of course, the guy in the lead: Cade. *SWOON*. Loved him, and I liked how his past was slowly unraveled, and in the end, it all turns out right. 

The Summer My Life Began is a fab beach read, for anyone who wants a fluffy, sweet contemporary with a some profound depth to it. I'm highly recommending this for your summer reading list– Shannon Greenland has captured my attention in the realistic fiction genre, and it's most definite that I'll be reading more from her in the future.

If you like this, try...

• Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell ◆ Goodreads 
• Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy ◆ Goodreads
• Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole ◆ Goodreads

Interview with Lucas Klauss

Lucas Klauss

Lucas Klauss was born and raised in Georgia. He received an MFA in writing for children from the New School, and his humor writing has been featured online at McSweeney's and College Humor--but mostly at lucasklauss.com. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Website ❘ Goodreads ❘ Twitter

Books

Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse (2012) ◆ My Review ❘ Goodreads ❘ Amazon ❘ The Book Depository

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Hi and thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions on Confessions of a Readaholic! Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse is such an amazing YA contemporary. 

Can you describe your novel in three 3-word sentences for us?

Boy meets girl. Boy meets Jesus. Boy is confused.

What gave you the inspiration to write your novel?

Honestly I was just trying to write *a* novel, any novel that I could actually finish instead of writing just the first fifty pages of it and then getting discouraged. In fact, that actually happened with this one, and then I went back to it, started over an, with encouragement from my MFA thesis advisor, made a whole book-length novel out of it! As far as what inspired this particular story, I was somewhat of an outsider in an evangelical community in high school and that was a significant part of my teenage years. Later, I noticed that there weren't many YA books that took place in such a context or that dealt so explicitly with religious themes, so I felt I had something unique to contribute.

■ ■ ■

PICK THIS OR THAT

A life without writing or a life without reading? (yes, I can be evil >:D)
A life without writing, I guess. I would be miserable but informed.

Night Owl or Early Bird?
Night Owl. (But actually I usually go to sleep and get up at reasonable hours.)

Coffee or Tea?
Tea. Coffee is gross. Rabiah: I like coffee...but I won't hold that against you :P

Movies or Television?
TV. At one point (college), I would have said movies (cinema, actually). But TV is my first love. Rabiah: AGREED.

■ ■ ■

Philip, the main character in Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse has quite a couple of problems: Rebekah, faith, and his past amongst others. How did you come up with his character? Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Readers will surely be shocked to hear that Philip and I (or, I as a teenager) share many characteristics. I wouldn't say he's me, and the novel isn't autobiographical, but and teenage me both have a lot of internalized anxiety, especially about girls. And of course I drew a lot from my experience as a teen coming from a not-really-religious background and joining a religious community.

Did you always want to be a writer? What and/or who inspired you to become one?

I always wanted to be a G.I. Joe, but that didn't quite work out. Some people do know from a very young age that they're going to be writers. That wasn't how it worked for me, though thanks to my parents I was pretty much always a reader. In middle school and high school, I had this vague idea that I maaaaybe wanted to be a writer but it wasn't something I took seriously. In college, I finally got up the courage to actually try to do it. And then I got into the MFA program at the New School, which gave me a lot of confidence and writing experience.

When you're not writing, what can you be found doing?

Well, aside from writing YA fiction, I also write humor and sketch comedy. I've been on McSweeney's a few times and am part of a sketch group called the Bilderbergers. Doing that stuff takes up most of my time, so I don't really have "hobbies" or "friends".

Are you planning to write another book (or several more!) for YA readers?

I am! In fact, I have written the first draft of another, stand-alone YA. It doesn't have a title and still needs work but I'm excited about it. And hugely relieved to have actually completed it. Rabiah: I'm excited for it too! :D

And lastly, for all aspiring writers out there, do you have any advice?

A big thing I learned during my time at the New School was how important it is to learn more about your writing process. It can vary widely from person to person. Finding (and incorporating into your life) the conditions under which you produce the best (or, at least, the most) work can really help you, or instance, actually finish a novel rather than write 50 pages of it and get discouraged.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Thank you so much to Lucas Klauss for agreeing to answer questions here on the blog! If you haven't read Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse, you need to, because it's such an amazing book– I spent ages pouring over it!

Phillip’s sophomore year is off to a rough start. One of his best friends ditches him for a group of douchebags. His track coach singles him out for personalized, torturous training sessions. And his dad decides to clean out all of the emergency supplies from the basement, even though the world could end in disaster at any moment... and even though those supplies are all Phillip has left of his dead mom. Not that he wants to talk about that.

But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she has seriously great boobs. And she might like him back.

As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to?

Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole

Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole


Release Date: May 15, 2012
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

The summer after high-school graduation, a year after her mother’s tragic death, Anna has no plans – beyond her need to put a lot of miles between herself and the past. With forever friend Kat, a battered copy of Kerouac’s DHARMA BUMS, and a car with a dodgy oil filter, the girls set out on an epic road trip across the USA. Maybe somewhere along the way they’ll prove or disprove the existence of God. Maybe they’ll even get laid . . .

It’s a journey both outward and inward. Through the Badlands and encounters with predatory men and buffalo. A crazy bus ride to Mexico with a bunch of hymn-singing missionaries. Facing death, naked in the forest with an enraged grizzly bear . . . Gradually, Anna realizes that this is a voyage of discovery into her own self, her own silent pain – and into the tangled history that she and Kat share. What is love? What is sexual identity? And how do you find a way forward into a new future – a way to declare openly and without fear all that lies within you?

As far as road-trips in YA go, this one is quite unique. It's got the usual ingredients: a car, a map, some romance, and some crazy situations. However, the way in which Elissa Janine Hoole has mapped out this road trip to self-discovery is amazing. Granted, this book is also somewhat religious, but not in the way you'd expect. I love how that this is an unplanned trip (hence the uniqueness) and they use a book, Dharma Bums in order to find out where to go next. It really does make us question whether there's such a thing as fate, because wherever they go, something seems to bring Anna and Kat closer together, and learn more about themselves.

❝"Let's stay up all night," Kat whispers. "Let's wait for the moon to kiss the morning star"❞

I liked Anna's character enough. I like that she has the guts to go on this quest, to defy what her family has brought her up to be, and learn things on her own. What I didn't like was the constant worrying which went for ages on and on, although in a way that made me like Anna because she was the more sensible and mature one. Kat on the other hand...
I didn't like her too much, because she dragged Anna into things that she didn't want to do. I found her too outward, too forward. I know if I was Anna in this situation, I would rather go home than do completely crazy things. I hated how irresponsible Kat was sometimes, but she DID add some humor to the story. *Sighs* I hate how conflicted I am about the characters in this novel.
I also love the people along the way which they meet. Obviously, not all of them are good, but I loved Shaggy, Seth and Leroy– they all added that "umph" to the trip, and definitely spiced it up.

As I mentioned before, this book has some religious tones. It's not completely filled with it, but initially, this road trip is a quest for faith in the end. It all really comes down to that. But on the final line, Kiss the Morning Star is definitely one to pick up. It's a short read, but one not to be taken so lightly. Hoole has written a novel which teens will adore, and I can't wait to read more from her in the future.

If you like this, try...

• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green ◆ Goodreads
• Sister Mischief by Laura Goode ◆ Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 63

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight on upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on.

This week's WoW is:

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

Goodreads ◆ September 18, 2012

I LOVE Libba Bray's books, even though I've only read The Gemma Doyle Trilogy. I have yet to read Going Bovine and Beauty Queens. Honestly, I think her books are the most original yet :) Anyway, can't wait for this one, it sounds fabulous!

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday – Week 37

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the bloggers over at The Broke and the Bookish. This week's top ten is:

Top Ten Books For People Who Like The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

It was tough picking a book for this week's top ten, but I think since a LOT of people have read this one (or if you haven't you NEED to read it!), and so the list begins...

1. The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black. Holly Black's books are amazing, and apparently some of her characters or other elements to do with this series appears in Clare's series ;D.

2. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. Just stating the obvious, okay? If you don't know, this is the prequel series to The Mortal Instruments. LOVE 'EM!

3. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White. Like The Mortal Instruments, this one has a ton of paranormal creatures thrown into the mix.

4. The Darkest Powers by Kelley Armstrong. Likewise with Paranormalcy, there's many paranormal/supernatural elements in this trilogy.

5. The Dream Catcher trilogy by Lisa McMann. This series is dark, and can be quickly read, but SO SO SO creepy. Love all three books :D

6. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott. This series can be read by younger readers, but this awesome combination of mythology, history and fantasy will blow your minds.

7. Angel by L.A. Weatherly. I've only read Angel Burn, the first book in the series, but I'm already blown away. It's that good!

8. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. One of the best werewolf series out there. I still need to read the last book Forever. The anticipation is killing me!

9. The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray. LOVE these books, and they're probably the best historical fantasy I've ever read. Libba Bray is a genius (and hilarious too).

10. ... so many books can go here. But honestly, if you just look on Goodreads, I completely agree with the books categorized in the same list as The Mortal Instruments books. Go take a look there for some more ideas!

That's it for my top ten! Well, rather 9ish...anyway. I seriously need to re-read The Mortal Instruments, because I just won City of Lost Souls the latest one, and can't remember the series. I read the first three books around 3 years ago, so I need to get to them, and read City of Fallen Angels as well.

What's your top ten?