The Book Scoop

Book Watch: What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

How can you talk about something you can’t remember?

Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader, a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.

Back home and alienated by her friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.

Humorous and thoughtful, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a moving exploration of one girl’s triumph over tragedy.

I'm mighty curious to find out what happened that made her forget everything. What is Sid having nightmares about? What happened to that local college dude? What happened to Sid? Why is everyone snubbing her? So of course, I'm going to be looking out for this book.

This book comes out on October 9, 2012 so I've got my fingers crossed that I'll be able to add this to my mountain high TBR pile. Wish me luck and mark your calendars, this one looks good.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Poppy.
Pre-order the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://goodreads.com

Review: Happy Families by Tanita S. Davis.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Happy Families by Tunita S. Davis.

Main Character: Justin and Ysabel
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

Teenage twins Ysabel and Justin Nicholas are lucky. Ysabel's jewelry designs have already caught the eyes of the art world and Justin's intelligence and drive are sure to gain him entrance into the most prestigious of colleges. They even like their parents. But their father has a secret—one that threatens to destroy the twins' happy family and life as they know it.

Over the course of spring break, Ysabel and Justin will be forced to come to terms with their dad's new life, but can they overcome their fears to piece together their happy family again?

I requested this book for review so long ago that by the time I picked it to read, I had forgotten what it was about. I'm so glad that I read this book. It was an eye opening story about a pair of twins who's lives are turned inside out after their father comes out about being a cross dresser. Their father, Christopher Nicholas likes to dress up as a woman and when he's dressed up as a woman prefers to be called Christine. Reading about Ysabel and Justin coming to terms with what this means for their family, their confusion over what happens from here on out felt totally real and I couldn't put this book down.

I thought Davis did a fabulous job of telling this story. We get the story from both Ys and Justin's POV and I thought it was great to get both of their takes on what's going on since all of this affected the both of them. They're both dealing with this differently so it was good to get in the both of their heads.

Both Justin and Ysabel are mad, embarrassed and confused as to where to go from here. They know the truth about their father and they're forced to deal with it over Spring Break. They're mad because they're not ready to talk about it. They're not ready to deal with it and I thought Davis did a great job of making the reader see that, understand that and my heart broke a bit while I was reading this book because it's a tough situation to be in and I couldn't imagine having to deal with learning something like that with my own parents.

The confusion going on between Justin and Ys was interesting because even though their Dad was still their Dad, they didn't know if he was gay or if they had a Dad anymore since their Dad wanted to be a woman. My eyes ate up every word in this book because I've never been through this and it isn't an easy thing for a teenager to deal with so I'm glad that this book was written, I'm glad that this book was published and I'm glad that even though I don't know anyone who's been through this or been through it myself, that I got a little peek into character's who have gone through this because as they were being educated about all of this, I was too.

My heart went out to both Justin and Ysabel. They were characters that were real with real problems and dealt with their issues regarding their Dad and his new lifestyle realistically and I appreciated this book more than I thought I would since this isn't usually the kind of book that I'm interested in reading.

It's a good book and a great story. I'm glad that I requested this book for review.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Random House.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Review: Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm.

Main Character: Libby Kelting
Love Interest: Garrett McCafferty
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum. But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker wants her dead, the too-smart-for-his-own-good local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, her gorgeous sailor may be more shipwreck than dreamboat — plus Camden Harbor’s haunted. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem.

After reading Past Perfect by Leila Sales and loving it, I thought I'd really enjoy reading this book as well. While I did enjoy it, I enjoyed the Sales more. That's not to say that this book wasn't good because it was, I just spent a good portion of this book, annoyed to high heaven with Libby.

You see, Libby scored an internship working at Camden Harbor, a museum in Maine. She's a big history buff and thought she'd enjoy some time in Maine, working at the museum there and she totally did. She met some new people, made some new friends and learned a lot about herself over the summer and it was an enjoyable reading adventure for me even though there were times when I wanted to smack some sense into Libby and times when I cringed because of what was happening in the story.

Libby was a good character. She's young and she has great taste in friends (how awesome was Dev?) but she was also rude to the one person who has been up front with her from the jump. The romance that blossomed between her and Garrett was cute and even though I cringed when Libby let Garrett have a piece of her mind, I still enjoyed their romance. I'm a sucker for a good romance and theirs was cute.

Libby is one of those girls before boys kind of girls and I loved that. When she cut her date with Cam short because her best friend needed her, I loved her. I think that even though I was highly annoyed with the way that she talked to Garrett over and over again, because it was evident that she was such a good friend to Dev that I let a lot of things about her actions slide.

Right from the time that Garrett comes into the picture, I knew that I was going to love him. I mean, how can you not love him after he starts busting up laughing after Libby falls over and shows her Hello Kitty panties to the world? How can you not fall a little more in love with him when he starts calling her Hello Kitty? and then later when he calls her Proud Mary? I thought he was just too adorable. I loved that he wasn't a jock but a sci-fi nerd who was proud to be a sci-fi nerd. The way that he would defend his passion for nerdy things endeared him to me more than anything. He owned his nerdiness and he won me over with that. Such a cutie patootie.

Overall, this book was a great contemporary read that would be perfect for a day at the beach. It's cute, it's fun and even though I didn't absolutely love it- I still thought it was a cute read.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Week in Review (3)

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:02:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

I had a busy weekend so I didn't get to write up this post until I got to work today but better late than never, right? Here's a quick rundown of my week.

Happy Families by Tunita S. Davis|Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm|Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan|The Red Lily by Nora Roberts|The Stranger in Her Bed by Janet Chapman

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot|Let Me in by Callie Croix|That Thing Called Love by Susan Andersen|Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson|In Honor by Jess Kirby|When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle|Being Friends with Boys by Tera Elan McVoy

I think that's it, what does your week in review look like this week? Let's dish!

..and that's your scoop!

Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Book Watch: If I Lie by Corrine Jackson.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

This book looks really interesting. It seems like she cheated on her boyfriend but there's more to the story than just merely cheating. It's always interesting to see friends turn on friends at the drop of a hat. Especially teenagers. I'm interested to see how Corrine Jackson weaves this story so this is going on my wish list.

This book comes out on August 28, 2012 so that's just a couple months wait. I can hold off until then (I guess) but this is definitely a book that I'll be watching out for. Mark your calendars, readers, this one looks like it'll be good. I've got my fingers crossed.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Simon Pulse.
Pre-order the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://goodreads.com

Review: Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullvan.

Main Character: Eliza, Beth, Zabby
Love Interest: Read to see
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

Eliza dreams of being a playwright for the king’s theater, where she will be admired for her witty turns of phrase rather than her father’s wealth.

Beth is beautiful as the day but poor as a church mouse, so she must marry well, despite her love for her childhood sweetheart.

Zabby comes to England to further her scientific studies—and ends up saving the life of King Charles II. Soon her friendship with him becomes a dangerous, impossible obsession. Though she knows she should stay away from the young, handsome king, Charles has a new bride, Queen Catherine, and a queen needs ladies in waiting.

And so Zabby, Beth, and Eliza, three Elizabeths from very different walks of life, find themselves at the center of the most scandal-filled court that England has ever seen.

I'm not exactly sure why I wanted to read this because historical YA isn't something that I normally read but I'm not exactly mad that I read it. I will say that it was an interesting read. I was drawn into the court of King Charles and I was curious to read about the lives of the three Elizabeth's that were ladies maids to Queen Catherine.

There's Eliza, Beth and Zabby. Eliza is the writer, Beth is the pretty but poor one and Zabby is the nerdy scientist that saves the Kings life. Of the three Elizabeths, the story that I was most drawn to was Zabby's. Zabby spends two weeks behind closed doors with the King and only her, the King and his servant know the real reason that they were stuck together. He was sick with the plague and she healed him but while they were together for those two weeks, Zabby fell in love with him.

What a guy Zabby picked to fall in love with. He's the King of England, he's married and he has so many mistresses it'd be impossible to count them all in one day. Instead of becoming another one of his mistresses (even though she's kind of wanting to become one), she becomes King Charles friend and they develop a friendship that she treasures above all. She's obsessed with him, she's in love with him and she wants to become his Queen but because he already has a Queen, knows that he can't ever possibly want someone as plain as her. I really liked Zabby because of her personality and because she was a good person at heart. She had all of these feelings for her friend that she couldn't possibly act on but she couldn't leave him either. So it was the worst kind of love for her, being in love with someone who didn't feel the same way and not being able to walk away from it all.

Both Beth and Eliza's storylines weren't as compelling to me as Zabby's story.

Beth is in love with a man from her past, a man that loves her right back but they can never be together because her mother wouldn't approve (their families don't get along) and he's a wanted criminal. Their love was totally real to Beth but for me, not so much. I'm not even sure I can explain why Beth's story was my least favorite of the three stories. It just was. Beth was a two dimensional character that I should have liked more than I did but the plain Zabby took all of my interest. So much so that there wasn't much left over for either Beth and Eliza.

Eliza's father is rich and she doesn't ever want to get married. She wants to become a play write and be free to write her stories and her plays. She wants to be able to sell her stories and she'd like that more than she'd like to get married to the guy that her father has chosen for her. Of the three Elizabeth's, Eliza was the more outspoken and funny. She had a lot of funny lines and it was easy to see why she wanted to be a writer so much but like I said with Beth, I should have liked her more than I did but because I was so wrapped up with Zabby's obsession with the King, Eliza and Beth's storylines fell to the wayside for me.

I think Sullivan did a fine job of writing a story of the royal court back in the day and it was easy to follow along with but I'm not sure I'd read another historical YA story. As much as I enjoyed this one, I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it enough to read something else of this nature. I wasn't a fan with the way King Charles lived his life and I wasn't a fan with the way that the story ended but even with all of that said, I couldn't put this book down either. I don't even know if I'd recommend this book because I was a bit let down with the way that Zabby and King Charles story ended. I will say that it was a compelling read that kept me interested all the way throughout the story.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Harcourt.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Week in Review (2)

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000

It's been a pretty hectic week for me at home and at work so I haven't been able to do as much as I'd hoped but I did get a few reviews posted this week. Here's my week in review:

Destiny by Carly Phillips|Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan|Karma by Carly Phillips

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman|She, Myself and I by Whitney Gaskell|Nadia Knows Best by Jill Mansell|Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins|The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts

Here are some new additions to my TBR pile.

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins
Huge thanks to my book fairies, you guys rock!

Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg
How did you guys do this week? What new additions made onto your bookshelves?

Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Book Watch: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

Unexpected surprises are always a treat, aren't they? What surprised me about this book is that it wasn't the cover that caught my eye (that's what usually catches my eye and attention first) but the title. I'm a romantic at heart so I'm always up for a romantic read. This sounds like a good story and I'm totally going to read it.

This book comes out on my birthday, November 13th so I'm pretty excited to turn *gasp* 32. I'm hopeful that this will be a good one. Mark your calendar lovely readers!

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Delacorte.
Pre-order the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://goodreads.com

Review: She, Myself & I by Whitney Gaskell.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of She, Myself and I by Whitney Gaskell.

Main Character: Paige, Sophie and Mickey
Love Interest: Zack, Aiden and another guy
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

The Cassel sisters have little in common besides a pair of wacky parents and a maddening knack for eluding happily-ever-after endings. But when their lives require damage control, only a dose of sisterhood will do.

Paige, the oldest, is a go-getter divorce attorney who's reeling from her own disastrously failed marriage--and the fact that her ex has suddenly come roaring out of the closet with a cute boyfriend in tow. Middle sister Sophie is having trouble adjusting to life as a wife and expectant mom. With her doubts on the rise along with her weight, she's ogling every available baked good--and every available man--that crosses her path. And up-and-coming medical student Mickey has a racy new plan for her future that's sure to shock her entire family. It includes a dangerously handsome, decidedly married chef...private cooking lessons...and spicy lingerie.

To top it all off, the parents who dragged them through the Divorce from Hell years ago are acting like teenagers in love...with each other! One by one, Paige, Sophie, and Mickey are about to learn just how good it is to have a sisterly shoulder--or two--to lean on.

Real.

If I were to have summed this entire book up in one word, I would use the word real. Because this book is just about the most realest book I've ever read. Everything that happens in this book is something that I can see actually happening. It's about real life, its issues and there's no sugar coating anything.

This book reminds me a whole lot of The Solomon Sisters Wise Up. It started a bit slow, but that's probably because I didn't really care for the older sister Paige. You see, the whole book is divided into three sections, a section for each sister. Paige is a bitch, and it totally shows in her section of the book, but after I finished reading her section, I liked her, understood her more and was okay with the way she was. And boy did she land on her feet with a hottie like Zack Duncan, he was yummy. The perfect man, really. Tall, broad shouldered and smart? Yum!

All of the sisters are close in their own little way but you can see that they all love and support each other whereas with the Solomon sisters, they didn't get along, they loved each other but it was more of a because they had to love each other love. No so with the Cassels, they loved each other, knew it, showed it and put up with it.

Sophie's story was so cute. This is the one that I really felt for. She's the middle sister, just had a baby and her marriage in on the rocks. Her husband Aidan, works too much, is acting weird around her but she thinks it's because he doesn't like looking at her since she had their son, Ben. Her story about how she dealt with the problems of being a new mom and a neglected wife really touched me because I can totally see that happening in real life. This novel isn't all glitzy and glamorous but just in your face, this is how my life is and this is how I solved my problems. I really connected with Sophie, thought she was a great character and I think she's my favorite Cassel sister.

Mickey, the youngest sister just graduated from college and everyone thinks she's going to Brown to start Med School. No one knows that the sight of blood makes her nauseous. Instead, she wants to become a chef and attend the Culinary School of America. I can totally see myself hedging on telling my parents and family something as big as her not going to med school as originally planned. That is why this book was so real to me. Because, without going into detail, I was fooled right alongside Mick when she was going through her turmoil in the book and so when things didn't turn out as I thought they were going to turn out, I was left baffled but I learned from Mickey's mistakes. Her story was just about as real as you can get. Took me back to high school when everything wasn't as it always seemed but I thought I could change it.

Overall this was a fast paced story about three sisters and it was all around good. Recommended to those who need a reason to remember that they DO love their sisters....LOL.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Bantam.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Review: Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman.

Main Character: Angel
Love Interest: Too many to name
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

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.

I've been itching to read this book since I saw the cover. I love the cover. The colors, the feel, I loved it all. I was really looking forward to reading a book because I kept thinking Jersey Shore and I thought it'd be a fun book but for me, it was anything but. One of my biggest things when reading a book is the characters. If you can get me to like your characters, connect with them, I will almost always enjoy your book.

But I just couldn't like Angel. I couldn't connect with her on any level and she was the worst kind of friend.

She's a senior in high school, she lives in Jersey and she just broke up with her boyfriend because he wants to be more than just someone she sleeps with. There's nothing wrong with Joey (the boyfriend, or well, the ex-boyfriend), she just doesn't like to be tied down. She dumps him and then she continues to stalk him outside his window at night, wanting to hook up with him and when he shuts her down (for good), she starts sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend. She didn't fall in love with him, he didn't fall in love with her but they started sleeping together anyway.

It was a real douchey thing to do and the thing about it was she knew it was wrong and yet, she kept doing it over and over again. I wanted to thrash her for being such a horrible friend to Inggy. She never developed feelings for Cork, he never developed feelings for her but they kept sleeping together like it wasn't a big deal and that was a huge part of the reason that I couldn't like Angel. She was selfish, plain and simple. She did what she wanted to do and to hell with whoever got hurt.

Over the course of the book, you can see that Angel is starting to wise up. She knows that she has to stop sleeping with Cork but she slips each and every time he shows up at her door. She still has feelings for Joey and he's in a new relationship with another girl but that doesn't stop her from showing up at his house in the middle of the night to hang out with him. My main issue with Angel was in the end, she learned her lesson but she doesn't really make up for anything. The end was much too abrupt for my tastes. I mean, nothing is dealt with. Angel sleeping with Cork, betraying her best friend. In her head, it's resolved. She resolves to be better, to stop sleeping with Cork but she doesn't resolve the problems outside of her head. She doesn't come clean to Inggy, she doesn't apologize to everyone that she used over the course of the book but in the end, she gets the guy anyway. Joey was too good for Angel. He deserved way better than the likes of her.

I was really bothered by all of the bed hopping going on in this book and how casual these kids were about sex. One of Angel's friend is pregnant and everyone else is jumping from bed to bed like it's the thing to do (and apparently it is) and how unconcerned the parents were about it in this book. Angel's Mom lets a seventeen year old (Angel) have an entire house to herself (they have three houses on the same street and when she's not renting them out for money, the Mom lets Angel live there by HERSELF) and she lets Angel do whatever it is she wants. Honey, that's why Angel is only seventeen and is already on the patch because she was addicted to smoking. The whole absent parent thing in this book had me shaking my head left and right. I wasn't a fan.

Overall, I kept reading this book because I kept waiting for Angel to get over herself and start making amends for her actions but when it became apparent that she wasn't going to do any of that, I was good and pissed. I can't say that I enjoyed this book even though I really wanted to. I went into this book thinking that I'd get something cute and fluffy but what I got was a whole lot of WTF? So yeah, this isn't a book that I can say that I enjoyed.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Random House.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Week in Review (1)

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I love reading Ames week in review posts over at her blog, Thrifty Reader so I thought I'd try my hand at doing it over here on The Book Scoop. Thanks Ames for letting me use your picture. I love it!

Anyway, on with it now, this is my week in review...

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell|Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell|The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson|Black Rose by Nora Roberts|Slow Burn by Julie Garwood

Here are the books that I got for review from the publisher via NetGalley.

One Moment by Kristina McBride|Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
What about you guys? What does your reading week in review look like? Read anything good? Get anything good?

Let me know, I'm nosy like that.

..and that's your scoop!

Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book covers credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Book Watch: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

I really enjoyed reading Catching Jordan, so when I heard that Kenneally was releasing a companion novel, I was excited. I'm super duper excited to read this one, even if it's got an inappropriate teacher/coach and student relationship in it. I'm hoping against hope that the baseball coach doesn't give in to temptation and Parker comes to her senses so I'm willing to give this book a try. I'm crossing my fingers that the guy pictured on the cover is NOT the baseball coach. I'm most curious about the scandal that involves Parker's Mom. What's that about?

I'm also hoping that we'll get to see some Henry and Jordan action too. I liked those two. This book comes out on October 1, 2012 so we still have a bit of a wait for it but I'm pretty certain that I'll enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed Catching Jordan.

Is anyone else excited for this book like me? I can't wait!

..and that's your scoop!

Pre-order the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

My Monthly Wish List: May 2012.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

There are a few books coming out this month that I've been anxious for I don't even know how long. I'm pretty stoked for this month's offerings on the New Releases list. Check out what books made it onto my wish list this month.

1. This is So Not Happening by Kieran Scott.

Just when Ally and Jake think they’ve finally got it together, things fall completely apart in this drama-filled conclusion to the He’s So/She’s So trilogy.

After their long summer apart, Ally and Jake were hoping for a drama-free senior year. Instead

they are faced with a turn of events that threaten to tear them apart...for good.

It turns out that Chloe is pregnant and says that Jake is the father. Hammond is pissed at his best friend, and he cannot believe that Ally would stay with Jake. But Ally’s willingness to make it work is tested when Jake starts blowing her off to go to doctor’s appointments with Chloe, and Ally joins the school play—and meets a cute guy.

As graduation approaches, new secrets come out and Ally realizes maybe Jake isn’t the guy she thought he was. After everything they’ve been through, can Ally and Jake get out of Orchard Hill with their relationship intact?

The gossip-fueled action of She’s So Dead to Us and He’s So Not Worth It comes full circle in this can’t-miss conclusion to a popular series.

The drama in the last book had me gasping and "Oh no she didn't"-ing all over the place and I'm anxious to see what happens next after the bombshell that Chloe dropped on Jake and Ally. Talk about, I NEED TO KNOW, I really do.

2. Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy.

From the author of Pure and The Summer of Firsts and Lasts, a friendship story with one girl, several boys, and lots of complications.

Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl’s perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys’ band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex–best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free…until it isn’t anymore.

When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl…and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he might want to be more than friends with Char…being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.

I've got ants in my pants for this one, I've been wanting it forEVER.

3. When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle.

In this intensely romantic, modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told, Romeo’s original intended—Juliet’s cousin Rosaline—tells her side of the tale.

What’s in a name, Shakespeare? I’ll tell you: Everything.

Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her—and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit crazy...and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends….

Everyone (including me) always forgets about Rosaline from Romeo and Juliet so when I came across this book (thanks Nath, Ames and Monroe for the heads up on this) I thought it would be really interesting to read. How lucky for Rosaline that she didn't end up with Romeo, right? =)

4. Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell.

Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe until her best friend shreds her reputation and her school counselor axes her junior independent study project. Chloe is forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass, and so she joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t find her too queenly. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the misfits who call it home.

I actually just finished this book (got it for review) and I enjoyed it so I want you lovely readers to put this on your wish lists because it was a fab read.

5. What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen.

In this suspenseful thriller, Sara and her mother are going to secretly escape her abusive father—when her mother mysteriously disappears.

Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it.

With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both.

Ooh, what happened to Sara's Mom? I so need to know this. I was sucked in by the blurb and I definitely need to read this to find out what happens.

6. The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond.

Is he or isn't he? Brigitta's best friend is convinced that Brigitta's new crush, Luke, is actually egotistical teen heartthrob Trent Yves, hiding from his fans in their tiny town. But Brigitta actually likes Luke, whereas Trent is an arrogant jerk. As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, what can she be sure of?

I've been seeing some reviews going up around blogland for this one and I'm pretty interested to read it for myself.

7. In Honor by Jessi Kerby.

A devastating loss leads to an unexpected road trip in this novel from the author of Moonglass, whose voice Sarah Dessen says “is fresh and wise, all at once.”

Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.

Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

I met Jess Kirby a few months ago at the Passion and Prose event in Long Beach and I thought she was lovely. I'm very anxious for this book because it feels like ages since I've been pining for this one. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

8. The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland.

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 can't wait to read this book. It looks really good and I need to hurry up and get this read before it expires. This is on my wish list as a reminder to buy it.

9. Unbreak my Heart by Melissa C. Walker.

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

I've been sucked into these kinds of stories for a while now. I have no idea since I'm supposed to detest cheating but I can't help myself. I want to read this one, bad.

10. Home in Time for Dinner by Kathryn Ellis.

Chris Ramsay is living a normal, quiet - if rather tightly controlled -existence in a quiet suburb in Dallas, Texas. He lives with his father, who’s the one doing the controlling. Shopping every Friday for the next week’s meals, with Chris as the cook. A home with bare walls, no family photos. Predictable routines, including Chris’s tryouts for the baseball team — which he has just flubbed and fears telling his father about.

Then, one evening, his father out for a meeting, Chris turns on the TV a short while before his favourite program and finds himself watching one of those “true story” shows his father detests for some reason.

There, suddenly, he sees a photo of a little kid on Santa’s knee, a little kid who’s missing and whose computer-aged face is an exact duplicate of Chris’s. A kid stolen from his mother 13 years ago, a kid who has disappeared from his home in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

The body of the story traces Chris’s journey home to Kingston, home to find the mother who is still alive — not dead as his father has always told him. Travelling by bus, meeting strangers, assuming a new identity to escape detection by his father, grabbing opportunities as they are available, Chris makes his way home. And when he finds himself almost there, it’s not over.

In this sparely written, page-turning chronicle of Chris’s journey, author Kathryn Ellis presents a vivid account of a boy discovering his life and creating a new one for himself.

This book sounds interesting too. How moded would Chris be if he gets all the way to Kingston, Ontario only to find out that he's not the missing boy? Even still, I want to read this one.

So there you have it, my monthly wish list. What's on your wish list this month?

..and that's your scoop!

Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Review: Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell.

Main Character: Chloe Camden
Love Interest: Duncan Moore
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe and loved by all until the Christmas holidays of her penultimate year of school. That's when her best friend shreads her reputation and her school counselor axes her independent study project. Forced to take on a 'more meaningful' project in order to pass, Chloe joins her school's struggling radio station, where she must team up with a group of misfits who don't find her too queenly. Ostracised by her former best-friends, lonely Chloe throws herself into the radio station where she ends up hosting a late-night call- in show that gets the station much needed publicity and in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the lovable misfits who call it home.

When your best friend up and leaves you and you have no idea why, you're left wondering what you did. When you get to school after the winter break and find out that your best friends are spreading rumors (that are also lies) about you around school, you start to wonder if they were ever your friends to begin with. That's what happened to Chloe Camden. She won the crown for Queen of the Winter Formal and had a fabulous time.

Now she's back in school and she finds herself shunned from her own circle of friends and she sets out to try to find out why. She's not the kind of person that get let things like this slide. She's a bubbly kind of person who is happy and she loves to surround herself with people and with friends.

Chloe was the kind of person that I would have loved to be friends with in high school. I couldn't understand why her friends were mad at her. She wasn't there for Brie for ONE night, then you get mad and then you get over it. You don't go around, spreading lies about the person that would never have done that to you. It showed just how great a person Chloe was that she was able to look past all of the lies and the rumors and the cold shoulders because she wanted to make things work with her best friend. I wouldn't want a friend in my life like Brie. She was like poison and going through some rough stuff at home didn't justify what she did to the people who loved her.

I wasn't all that wild about Merce either. She shouldn't have let Brie and Chloe's beef get between her and Chloe but she did and she's not the kind of person that will have your back when its up against the wall so why would you want that person as a friend? Yeah, eventually she came around but I was mad at her throughout most of the book. I needed more than just showing up at Chloe's JISP presentation to get over my madness at her.

When Chloe gets assigned to work at the school radio station, I wasn't too wild about that until I met the crew over there. The way that they rallied behind each other and then the way that they were there for each other was great. I loved seeing the interactions between them, even when they were being mean to Chloe at first. Now, when they got mad at her and blamed her for the fire, I wanted to karate chop each of them in their kneecaps because it was stupid of them to blame Chloe but I wasn't as mad at them the way that I was with Brie and Merce. I was probably not as mad at them because they weren't friends that long and at that point, I wouldn't have considered them friends since the only person that Chloe talked to outside of the shack was Duncan.

Duncan was a great person to have on your side. I loved the romance that blossomed between him and Chloe. I loved how he wasn't good with girls and he flubbed things up a time or two before he finally got them right and I loved how he was a Captain Save a Hoe. He got by with so little and gave so much of himself that I couldn't help myself but care about him. I thought Chloe was so good for him because she made him enjoy the simple things in life, things that cost no money but bring about great joy. Their relationship was cute and cuddly and I loved it. I thought Chloe was a little hard on him from time to time but overall, I really enjoyed their romance. They had faith in each other and they waited and it was just all things good.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought Chloe was a strong protagonist and it was a treat to get to know her. I loved her family, I loved the tuna can and I loved her new friendships with the radio kids and with Duncan. I thought she was a total natural on the air and enjoyed reading the radio show bits as well. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone in the mood for something light and fun, this totally fit the bill.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Amulet Books.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

The Story Siren Drama Llama.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:08:00 +0000

I wrote up a post with my blogging buddy Holly about the whole Story Siren drama cluster[insert bad word here]. Feel free to go on over to Book Binge and read it.

THE STORY SIREN IS A PLAGIARIST, NOT A VICTIM

I'm still pretty peeved about the whole thing because people are having a hard time remembering who the real victims in this whole thing are and it is NOT The Story Siren. It really boils my blood that Beautifully Invisible and Grit and Glamour are STILL getting hate mail from all of The Story Siren minions. Pisses me right off.

All of her fans that are sending hate mail to the true victims here aren't doing anything to help The Story Siren's case and the longer she doesn't tell them to knock it off, the more it makes me question why I was a fan of hers anyway.

Review: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Main Character: Lennie
Love Interest: Joe (Highlight to see)
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

Lennie plays second clarinet in the school orchestra and has always happily been second fiddle to her charismatic older sister, Bailey. Then Bailey dies suddenly, and Lennie is left at sea without her anchor. Overcome by emotion, Lennie soon finds herself torn between two boys: Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, and Joe, the charming and musically gifted new boy in town. While Toby can't see her without seeing Bailey and Joe sees her only for herself, each offers Lennie something she desperately needs. But ultimately, it's up to Lennie to find her own way toward what she really needs-without Bailey. A remarkable debut novel perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block.

LOVE!

Ames read and reviewed this book not too long ago on the blog and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm happy to say that I loved this book just as much. This book was so full of awesome that I can't even begin to know where to start this review at.

Lennie's sister just died and she's having a rough time of it. She doesn't know how to move on from here and quite frankly, she doesn't want to. She wants to go back to when her sister was alive and they were bickering over some sisterly thing. She doesn't think anyone understands what she's going through and in a lot of ways, nobody does. When you lose someone close to you, it's hard for you to want to move on. Especially if that person wasn't suffering from a sickness that made living hard for them. Her sister, Bailey was only 19 years old when she died, quite suddenly and Lennie wasn't ready to lose her.

Lennie loses herself in her grief, pulling away from her best friend and family. She builds this cocoon around herself, making it really hard for those that love and care about her to be there for her. But there's someone out there that does understand what she's going through because they're going through the exact same thing and that's Bailey's boyfriend, Toby.

Toby and Bailey were together and so in love. When she died, it was like a part of Toby died too and he can't deal. He can't function properly in public and he connects with Lennie on a level that nobody else does and their grief brings them together in ways that leaves them both feeling ashamed and heart broken all over again but there's a force between them that keeps bringing them back together. With Toby, Lennie can remember Bailey and talk about her because she knows that he'll understand. He'll know exactly what she's talking about or going through because he's going through the same. It is with Toby that she remembers Bailey and she doesn't ever want to forget.

On a completely different note, there's a new boy at school named Joe and Lennie is mighty curious about him. He plays instruments like magic and he has an ear for music that is second to none. She feels a kinship with him (which doesn't hurt since he's super hot) but isn't going to do anything about it because he's snuggling up to the stuck up hag, Rachel and well, Lennie stays away. But when Joe starts showing interest in her, she's torn.

She's torn because she's got this understanding thing going on with her dead sister's boyfriend, something that she doesn't understand but can't stop and then there's this budding relationship that she's got going on with Joe. Watching her struggle with what to do and how to move on was interesting because her grief was real and I felt it. My heart was broken right along with hers and Toby and even though their relationship was wrong on so many levels, Nelson did a fabulous job of writing her confusion and her need for Toby into the book. I connected with Lennie's character on so many levels and felt everything she went through. There was no judgments from me while reading this book. She needed to go through all of the things she went through in this book to become the person that she was in the end.

I thought Nelson did a fabulous job of writing the transition that Lennie went through. She was a totally different person in the end and that was a good thing. She went through some pretty dark stuff that she didn't understand but in the end, she was on the right track to leading the life she always wanted to live. Out of the shadow of Bailey.

Her relationship with Joe was such a great part of this book. I adored the both of them and what they had felt completely real and not at all rushed or anything. It wasn't perfect and that's what made it so good. He understood her in a way that not even Toby understood her and I liked that. I liked that he was able to love Lennie for the person he knew her to be and not just the person that she thought she was. When she finally went after that first chair, I was so hot dang happy that I cheered out loud (I totally did).

Overall, this was a great story about a girl and her grief, and the people that loved her. Lennie was a fabulous and interesting character. She had so many different sides to her and I enjoyed getting to know them all. I'm definitely going to be reading more books by Jandy Nelson because I loved this book so much, how could I not? I definitely recommend this book because it's just so hot damn good.

Read it!

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Dial Books.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Finnick?

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I've seen mention around the web that Sebastard from Glee (I'm not a fan of Sebastian so he's Sebastard to me), played by Grant Gustin is showing interest in playing Finnick in the movie version of Catching Fire.

What do you guys think? Can you guys see him playing Finnick? If no, who would you choose to cast as Finnick in the movie? Curious minds want to know...

..and that's your scoop!

Listen Up West Coasters! YA or Bust! 2012 Group Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Hey guys!

All you West Coasters and Contemporary YA fans, the YA or Bust 2012 Group Tour is coming to a town near you (hopefully). Gayle Forman, Stephanie Perkins and Nina LaCour will be touring different west coast cities and if you're in the area, you should definitely check them out.

Here are the deets!

4/20: Chaucer's Bookstore in Santa Barbara, CA at 7pm
4/21: Los Angeles Book Fair in Los Angeles, CA at 12pm
4/23: Children's Book World in Los Angeles, CA at 6:30pm
4/24: Barnes and Noble in Huntington Beach, CA at 7pm (OMG, this is near my work)
4/25: Mysterious Galaxies in San Diego, CA at 7pm
4/26: Roosevelt High School in Seattle, WA at 7pm

I'm definitely going to try to make my way over to B&N in Huntington Beach on Tuesday because it's about ten minutes away from where I work and I'll already be out here since I get off at 6pm. Woot!

..and that's your scoop!

Book Watch: Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

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.

With summer right around the corner, I'm already looking forward to this year's batch of summer contemporary YA romances and this one certainly fits the bill. It seems like the perfect beach book and I'm anxious to read it for myself. I'm not quite sure what my sudden interest in reading forbidden YA romances but I'm interested and I can't wait to get this book read.

Is anyone else looking forward to this book? Has anyone read it? If yes, what did you think?

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Random House.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

My Monthly Wish List: April 2012.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

This post is being posted late (as are a whole lot of things around here, sorry) but I wanted to get it up anyway.

1. Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2) by Aimee Carter.

Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

I was really looking forward to reading this book when I found out that it was going to come out. I really enjoyed the first one and even though I didn't enjoy this one as much, I'm still glad that I read it.

2. The List by Siobhan Vivian.

An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

I've been really interested in reading this book because it looks like something that would have me thinking a lot about the person that I am now and the person that I was back in high school. It's also something that I'm hoping will pan out to be a really good read so that I can share with my daughter. One of those eye opening reads is what I'm hoping for and that's why it made it onto my wish list for this month.

3. Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg.

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

I really enjoyed both of Eulberg's other books in her back list and have every faith that I will adore this book as well. Of course this book made it onto my wish list. It's a Eulberg!

4. The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad.

In Hollywood, fame can be found on every corner and behind any door. You just have to know where to look for it. Nineteen-year-old Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of nice-girl-next-door Jane Roberts on the hot reality show L.A. Candy. Now Madison's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. Sure, she's the star of a new show, but with backstabbing friends and suspicious family members trying to bring her down, Madison has her work cut out for her. Plus, there's a new nice girl in "reality" town—aspiring actress Carmen Price, the daughter of Hollywood royalty—and she's a lot more experienced at playing the fame game... When the camera's start rolling, whose star will shine brighter?

Filled with characters both familiar and new, Lauren Conrad's series about the highs and lows of being famous delivers Hollywood gossip and drama at every turn.

I read the first series of books told through Janes POV and enjoyed it enough that I'm still wanting the rest of the books by LC. I'm definitely intrigued by this book so on my wish list it goes.

5. Radiate by Marley Gibson.

Hayley Matthews is determined to be the best cheerleader she can. She works hard and pushes herself 110% all the time.

Then Hayley finds a lump on her leg. The diagnosis is cancer. The prognosis is unclear. She could lose her leg. Or maybe her life.

At first Haley is scared, terrified. In an instant, everything she’s worked for seems out of reach. But Haley is strong. She’s going to fight this disease. She will not let it take her life or her dreams.

I've wanted to read this book since I found out that it was a cancer story. Having lived through the big cancer scare, I was very interested to read another persons cancer story. This story totally rang true and I really enjoyed it. If you haven't read this book, you should definitely fix that because this story is just too good not to share.

6. Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John.

One crazy road trip that's a mix of rejection, redemption, and romance

When sixteen-year-old Luke's book, Hallelujah, becomes a national bestseller, his publishing house sends him on a cross-country book tour with his older brother, Matt, as chauffeur. But when irresponsible Matt offers to drive Luke's ex–soul mate, Fran, across the country too, things get a little crazy. On the trip, Luke must loosen up, discover what it truly means to have faith, and do what it takes to get the girl he loves.

Told with Antony John's signature wit and authenticity, and featuring smart, singular characters who jump off the page and into your heart, this story is a spiritual awakening and rockin' road trip in one.

I really enjoyed the first book that I read by Antony John and this is a road trip book. It's a no brainer. I'm so reading this book.

7. Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz.

In the wake of the post-9/11 sniper shootings, fragile love finds a stronghold in this intense, romantic novel from the author of Break and Invincible Summer.

It's a year after 9/11. Sniper shootings throughout the D.C. area have everyone on edge and trying to make sense of these random acts of violence. Meanwhile, Craig and Lio are just trying to make sense of their lives.

Craig’s crushing on quiet, distant Lio, and preoccupied with what it meant when Lio kissed him...and if he’ll do it again...and if kissing Lio will help him finally get over his ex-boyfriend, Cody.

Lio feels most alive when he's with Craig. He forgets about his broken family, his dead brother, and the messed up world. But being with Craig means being vulnerable...and Lio will have to decide whether love is worth the risk.

This intense, romantic novel from the author of Break and Invincible Summer is a poignant look at what it is to feel needed, connected, and alive.

This book looks like it'll be really intense and it also looks like something that I'd enjoy. Something out of my comfort zone but still interesting anyway. I'm hoping to get this one soon and read it because I'm itching to find out what happens between Craig and Lio.

8. Glimmer by Phoebe Kitandis.

When Marshall King and Elyse Alton suddenly wake up tangled in each other's arms with zero memory of how they got there or even who they are, it's the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.

Terrified by their amnesia, Marshall and Elyse make a pact to work together to find the answers that could restore their missing memories. As they piece together clues about their lives, they discover that they're in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls. Everyone seems happy there, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town's perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall's mom, not the hidden violence in Elyse's family, not even the day-to-day anguish of being a high schooler.

Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marshall and Elyse fall into an intense relationship founded on their mutual quest for truth. But the secrets they're trying to uncover could be the death of this budding love affair—and of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

I can't give you a concrete reason for wanting to read this book. I only know that I want to read it and that's why it's going on my wish list. That is all.

9. The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa.

In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die…or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

I may not be in the mood for paranormals or even dystopians for that matter but this book, I must read.

10. The Selection by Kiera Cass.

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I saw some news around blogland that they were turning this book into a TV series and it was then that this book caught my eye. Mostly it's because Julie from Friday Night Lights is set to play the main character in this story so yeah, for Julie, this book is going on my wish list.

11. Thumped by Megan McCafferty.

It's been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. Since then, their story has become irresistible to legions of girls: twins separated at birth and living different lives, each due to deliver sets of twins . . . on the same day! In a future where only teens can "bump," or give birth, babies mean money, status, and freedom.

Married to Ram and living in religious Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once loved and believed in. But she can't seem to forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell in love with under the strangest of circumstances.

To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything she always wanted: a big, fat contract and a coupling with Jondoe, the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.

Cursed by their own popularity, the girls are obsessively tracked by their millions of fans, who have been eagerly counting down the days to their "Double Double Due Date." Without a doubt, they are two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and there's only one thing they could do that would make them more famous than they already are:

Tell the truth.

I've been hearing good things about this series around the web and I'm definitely curious. I'm not quite sure why I haven't tried this series yet since this is the same author that introduced me to Jessica Darling. Jessica Darling rocks my socks, so on the wish list this book goes.

12. The Story of Us by Deb Caletti.

A fresh and bittersweet story of love and family from National Book Award finalist Deb Caletti.

Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancÉs, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:

Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war.

While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her....

I've got a few Caletti books under my belt and I've enjoyed each book that I've read. I'm pretty confident that I'll enjoy this book so on the wish list, this one goes.

13. Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf.

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

I finished this book last week and really enjoyed it. It was intense and it was emotional and very interesting. I'm looking at the cover now and its the first cover that I've seen in a long time that goes quite well with the story. The red heels, the bridge, everything is spot on. Well done, book cover friends, well done. This book was a good one and I'm putting it up here for the whole lot of you reading my blog to put it on your wish list. It's a very worthy book.

14. Seven Clues to Winning You by Kristin Walker.

When a humiliating picture of Blythe goes viral, she's instantly the target of ridicule at her new school. To salvage her reputation, Blythe teams up with Luke to win the Senior Scramble scavenger hunt. But Luke is an unlikely ally and potentially can't be trusted.

Perhaps it's his Shakespearean witticisms that reel Blythe in despite her better judgment . . . or maybe she just craves the thrill of the game. But as the hunt progresses, their relationship heats up. Soon their madcap mischief spirals out of control. Blythe is faced with arrest and expulsion, among other catastrophes - until Luke shows her what the Scramble (and love) is really about.

This sounds like it'd be fun to read and for that reason alone, it made the cut. It's on my wish list.

What are you guys looking forward to releasing this month?

..and that's your scoop!

Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf.

Main Character: Allie
Love Interest: Blake (highlight to see)
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

This book turned out to such an intense read. I mean, I knew that it would be pretty intense but I wasn't exactly prepared for the story that I got (if that makes any sense). This book was dark and it held secrets and I was anxious to uncover it all. You see, Allie's boyfriend died in a car accident that should have killed her but didn't. She was able to get away and everything would be okay if she could remember what happened the night that Trip (the boyfriend) lost control of the car and died but she can't.

It's like her mind has blocked out the unpleasant memory of that night and she either doesn't want to remember or she's hiding something. Turns out, it's both. Trip Phillips was the most popular guy in school. He was the town sweetheart and everyone loved him. His father was rich and so everyone loves the rich guy, right? And when Allie first met him, she was already in serious like with another boy who wasn't in town that summer and he missed out on her because the summer he wasn't around was the summer that Trip Phillips came into her life and Trip was a whole lot of boy that she couldn't resist.

Not everyone is happy about Trip and Allie being a couple. There's Hannah, the girl that Trip dumped for Allie. She was used to being part of the golden couple and when Trip dumped her, that went out the window so it's no big secret that she hated Allie but along with Hannah, there's someone else that's back in town that isn't too thrilled about Trip and Allie as a couple. Blake. The guy that got left behind. Oh, and then there's Allie's twin brother, he doesn't like them together either.

As Allie's story unfolds, you realize just how big of a jerk Trip was. The Trip that everyone knew and loved wasn't the guy that Allie knew. He was hurtful and abusive and just an all out asshat. I hated him and I was so glad that he was finally out of Allie's life. I thought that Jennifer Shaw Wolf did a fabulous job of telling their story and getting the reader to see how it must have been to be Allie. Seeing the person she was and then seeing that person disappear day after day of being with someone like Trip. Their relationship did some serious damage to the way that Allie felt about herself and through it all, you can't help but want things to get better for Allie.

This book was times frustrating because people couldn't help Allie because she wouldn't confide in anyone. There were times that I wanted to plead with Allie to tell someone, something. If only she had the confidence to step up and say something, the help she so desparetely needed was there for the taking but she was too scared to take it. I really grew attached to the characters in this book and with that, I was delighted when things went good for them but I was also bummed out when things happened that I would never want someone so young to go through.

Each character in this story played a different part for Allie and I appreciated the additions. From her family, wanting to be there for her and not knowing how to be to Blake and his Grandmother giving her something to do to inch slowly back into the world of the living to Blake being there for her, emotionally and physically. Even Hannah with her being such a stupid b word, forcing Allie to realize that they were never friends and would never be friends. I thought this was a well written novel about coming to terms with things that happened in your life and moving on. I'm glad that I was able to read it because I really enjoyed it.

I definitely recommend this book.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Walker Books.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Review: Supergirl Mixtapes by Megan Brothers.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Supergirl Mixtapes by Meagan Brothers.

Main Character: Maria
Love Interest: Graham(highlight)
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

After years of boredom in her rural South Carolina town, Maria is thrilled when her father finally allows her to visit her estranged artist mother in New York City. She’s ready for adventure, and she soon finds herself immersed in a world of rock music and busy streets, where new people and ideas lie around every concrete corner. This is the freedom she’s always longed for—and she pushes for as much as she can get, skipping school to roam the streets, visit fancy museums, and flirt with the cute clerk at a downtown record store.

But just like her beloved New York City, Maria’s life has a darker side. Behind her mother’s carefree existence are shadowy secrets, and Maria must decide just where—and with whom—her loyalty lies.

I'm not really sure where to start with this book because well, this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting. In the blurb, we're led to believe that Maria was bored in South Carolina and wanted out but in the book, that's not why she left South Carolina. She had a bad year and convinced her Dad to let her move to NYC with her Mom. She moves to New York with her Mom and her Mom's boyfriend Travis. Travis is only 6 years older than her and for me, growing up the way that I did- it was a big wowzers for me.

Maria's Mom hasn't been around much in Maria's life and well, her Mom got on my nerves. There was so much about her Mom that bothered me (being a Mother myself) and Ifelt for Maria because she deserved better than what she got with her Mom and I'm glad that she had Travis. Travis was a good friend to her and I really enjoyed their relationship. It wasn't a disgusting relationship so don't go thinking that.

As much as I felt for Maria, I didn't connect with her as much as I hoped to. To be honest, most of the characters were pretty one dimensional for me. I mean, they were great but not much about them pulled at me to want to know more about them. They were great to read about while I was reading the book but I can't say that they were memorable characters that will stay with me forever and ever. I liked Graham and I could see why Maria liked him but that was about it. I liked him but I didn't adore him the way that I usually adore the love interests in books. He was great but that's about it.

I will say that I loved the way that New York is described in this book. It was almost like New York was a character itself and I really got into the scene. I could see everything so clearly in my mind and I've never been to New York but after reading this book, I wanted to go there...bad. I wanted to smell the food in the air, ride the subways and drink in all of the sights. I wanted to experience what it was like to surround myself with all the noise and attractions that make New York one of the best cities in the world. Being a California girl through and through, that's pretty big.

Overall, this book was good for what it was. A story to lose yourself in for a couple of hours but I can't say that I was thoroughly engrossed in the story from beginning to end. I enjoyed parts of the book a great deal but I didn't connect with the characters as much as I would have liked and my overall enjoyment of the book suffered because of it. Would I recommend this book? I'm not sure, it's not a D grade of a book but I can't give it more than a C because at the end, while I did enjoy it, I was left wanting more.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Henry Holt & Co.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

In My Mailbox (57)

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Loads of books to catch up on. I've been in a blogging slump that I couldn't shake for a few weeks but that seems to be behind me now. I'm working on getting back on track and I seem to be doing okay so I'm glad. Here's what I got in the last few weeks in my mailbox.

Caught in the Act by Jill Sorenson|Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson|Along Came a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle|Willow Springs by Toni Blake

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen|Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman|Sweet Stuff by Donna Kauffman|Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton|Tempted Again by Cathie Linz|Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales|Across the Universe by Beth Revis|Nightshade by Andrea Cremer|Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

These are the books that I didn't get around to adding to my IMM post the last time so after this post, I should be all caught up. Loads and loads to read but now that my reading (and blogging) slump seem to be behind me, I'm stoked to reading each and every single one of these books.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

..and that's your scoop!

Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Review: Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer.

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Rowena's review of Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer.

Main Character: Apron
Love Interest: ??
Series: None that I know of
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads

Apron Bramhall has come unmoored. It's 1985 and her mom has passed away, her evil stepmother is pregnant, and her best friend has traded her in for a newer model. Fortunately, she's about to be saved by Jesus. Not that Jesus—the actor who plays him in Jesus Christ, Superstar. Apron is desperate to avoid the look-alike Mike (no one should look that much like Jesus unless they can perform a miracle or two), but suddenly he's everywhere. Until one day, she's stuck in church with him—of all places. And then something happens; Apron's broken teenage heart blinks on for the first time since she's been adrift.

Mike and his grumpy boyfriend, Chad, offer her a summer job in their flower store, Apron's world seems to calm. But when she uncovers Chad's secret, coming of age becomes almost too much bear. She's forced to see things the adults around her fail to—like what love really means and who is paying too much for it.

What a surprising book this turned out to be. I was expecting a quirky story about a girl named Apron but I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. This story follows Apron as she goes through her life. Her Mom is dead, her Dad married her Mom's nurse who is a total b word and her best friend has a new best friend who hates Apron's guts.

This book takes place in the 80's and I didn't know that when I first requested this book for review. I'm not much of a fan of books set in the 80's, well I shouldn't say that because there's only one other book that I know of that took place in the 80's and I liked that book fine. In case you were wondering, that book was Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal. I should say instead that I don't usually read many books that are set in the 80's but I should change that because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

At her father's wedding to the hag that used to be her Mom's nurse (she calls her just 'M', nothing else.), Apron meets two guys, Mike and Chad. Mike and Chad own a flower shop and boy did I adore the hell out of these two. They were just so freaking awesome and good to Apron that I couldn't help but fall in love with the both of them. They made me laugh, they made me cry and I just ate up all of the page time that they got. The way that they were there for Apron when Apron had nobody to turn to was just great.

This story is a fast read, it doesn't take much to jump right in and I appreciated that. Far too often, I have to lug through the beginning hump and I'm always anxious for the book to take off so that I can really dig into the story but with this book, it took off right from the very beginning and I enjoyed the ride.

Apron was a wonderful main character and I loved her to pieces. She was such a klutz but such a lovable one, one that went through so much and learned so much over the course of this book. I adored this book and will definitely be reading more from this author. Kudos to Hummer on a fabulous job, I definitely recommend this book.

..and that's your scoop!

This book is available from Fiction Std.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon
Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com

Love!

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:20:00 +0000

I so want any of these libraries...

..and that's your scoop!