tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10542775150335157972024-03-18T22:57:05.116+13:00Crack A SpineRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-81632845281810345532012-07-22T16:41:00.000+12:002012-07-22T16:41:39.814+12:00Review: Zero by Tom Leveen<br />
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<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=10869590.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/10869590.jpg" width="212" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Synopsis (from </span><u><a href="synopsis:%20For%20aspiring%20artist%20Amanda%20Walsh,%20who%20only%20half-jokingly%20goes%20by%20the%20nickname%20Zero,%20the%20summer%20before%20college%20was%20supposed%20to%20be%20fun%E2%80%94plain%20and%20simple.%20Hanging%20out%20with%20her%20best%20friend%20Jenn,%20going%20to%20clubs,%20painting,%20and%20counting%20down%20the%20days%20until%20her%20escape.%20But%20when%20must-have%20scholarship%20money%20doesn't%20materialize,%20and%20she%20has%20a%20falling%20out%20with%20Jenn%20that%20can%20only%20be%20described%20as%20majorly%20awkward,%20and%20Zero's%20parents%20relationship%20goes%20from%20tense%20to%20relentless%20fighting,%20her%20prospects%20start%20looking%20as%20bleak%20and%20surreal%20as%20a%20painting%20by%20her%20idol%20Salvador%20Dali.%20Will%20life%20truly%20imitate%20art?%20Will%20her%20new,%20unexpected%20relationship%20with%20a%20punk%20skater%20boy%20who%20seems%20too%20good%20to%20be%20real%20and%20support%20from%20the%20unlikeliest%20of%20sources%20show%20Zero%20that%20she's%20so%20much%20more%20than%20a%20name." target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Goodreads</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">): </span></i></b></span><span style="color: #990000; letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>For aspiring artist Amanda Walsh, who only half-jokingly goes by the nickname Zero, the summer before college was supposed to be fun—plain and simple. Hanging out with her best friend Jenn, going to clubs, painting, and counting down the days until her escape. But when must-have scholarship money doesn't materialize, and she has a falling out with Jenn that can only be described as majorly awkward, and Zero's parents relationship goes from tense to relentless fighting, her prospects start looking as bleak and surreal as a painting by her idol Salvador Dali. Will life truly imitate art? Will her new, unexpected relationship with a punk skater boy who seems too good to be real and support from the unlikeliest of sources show Zero that she's so much more than a name.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Review: </b><i>Zero </i>is a novel that took me completely by surprise. I expected it to be a typical teenage coming-of-age story - and in some ways it was - but it turned out to be so much more than that. When we meet Amanda, or Zero as she prefers, she’s a timid girl trying to figure out what to do next. She’s lost her college chances, her best friend and has family problems aplenty. This all seems fairly standard fare, but Tom Leveen manages to give a refreshing take on the situation that helps <i>Zero</i> stand out from the rest in its genre.</span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’ll admit, Amanda annoyed my for a lot of the novel. She was just so <i>angsty</i>. Obviously she had to be, and it was an honest portrayal, not forced, but sometimes it just felt grating. This complaint resolved somewhat as the novel progressed and Amanda starts to see herself as more than ‘zero.’ Her character development was natural and never felt forced. And the best part - it came from herself! Yes, there was a boy involved, but he wasn’t the sole reason Amanda developed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Speaking of the boy, Mike was interesting. He was a sweet love interest, although I am a bit biased - musical guys are my soft spot. He was a good fit for Amanda, and was so sweet. He builds Amanda up, but not in a creepy, demanding way. He just acknowledges her awesome-ness like it’s a fact, and never talks down to her or forces her into anything. Woo-hoo for a healthy relationship being portrayed in YA fiction!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Overall, I found <i>Zero</i> to be a refreshing, sweet read. There was definite depth and growth within its pages and it’s more serious than your typical YA contemporary. If you love art, music, or just want to read a quality book, give this one a go. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rating: 4 out of 5</span></span></div>
</span></i></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-13217164038749781962012-01-07T17:43:00.000+13:002012-01-07T17:43:45.119+13:00Mini Reviews<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=51qCOvlcJPL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/51qCOvlcJPL.jpg" width="138" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11621048-unearthly">Unearthly</a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Cynthia Hand</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">I have to admit, with all the awful YA angel novels out there, I didn’t expect anything special from this book. However, <i>Unearthly</i> turned my expectations on their head and was a fantastic read. I loved that the author researched her subject material and knew the mythology behind what she was writing about. Many YA authors fall at this simple hurdle, so it was refreshing to see one that puts some effort in. I also loved the way Clara was written - she actually had a personality! She was funny, undramatic and intelligent, and didn’t succumb to the ‘instant-love’ trope so many YA protagonists fall into. Her relationship with Tucker was believable, happening over time and never becoming her whole life. <i>Unearthly </i>is a great addition to the paranormal genre, and I, for one, cannot wait for the sequel.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Rating</b>: 5 out of 5</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=51yuGA8iwGL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/51yuGA8iwGL.jpg" width="128" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9758768-ordinary-beauty">Ordinary Beauty</a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Laura Wiess</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Ordinary Beauty</i> is definitely the most powerful, heartbreaking novel I’ve read this year. It follows Sayre as she copes with the life her drug addict mother has provided her with. This is an example of how to write well in flashbacks. I usually don’t enjoy this style of writing but it really works here, with the reader slowly coming to understand the events that have led to Sayre’s current situation. Sayre’s voice was so powerful and I actually had tears in my eyes at a couple of points. This is definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction, and if you don’t this novel might just change your mind.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Rating</b>: 4 out of 5</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=7791997.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/7791997.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7791997-crescendo" target="_blank">Crescendo</a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Becca Fitzpatrick</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Crescendo</i> is a novel that, in my opinion, highlights everything that is wrong with the YA paranormal genre. I mean, it has it all - Nora, the insipid, supposedly intelligent but actually incredible stupid protagonist; Vee, the best friend who Nora constantly belittles and degrades; and Patch, the love interest who rivals Edward in rapey-creepiness. I’m not going to go into too much detail, as I’m really not a flamer, but there is honestly nothing that I can recommend about this novel. It’s full to the brim with flat characters, pointless plot twists and horrible messages for young girls. I have no desire to continue the series and, with the announcement of a <i>fourth</i> novel, I probably won’t.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Rating</b>: 1 out of 5</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/313159.Beige" target="_blank">Beige</a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span itemprop="name"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cecil Castellucci</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=313159.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/313159.jpg" width="135" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Beige </i>is an adorable novel that will appeal to all those who have music in their hearts. When Katy is forced to spend a summer in Los Angeles with her aging rockstar father, she believes it’ll turn out to be the worst summer of her life. However, things change as Katy starts to meet exciting new people who prove to her that being ‘beige’ isn’t all she wants to be. This was a definitely a cute read, but I was expecting a bit more depth from the characters. Instead, they were too young for me to fully connect with them and this stopped me from enjoying the story as much as I should have. I did enjoy Katy’s friendship with Lake, this felt to me the most realistic relationship in the novel. I recommend this to anyone who loves music, particularly punk, and wants a book that doesn’t involve too much thinking.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Rating</b>: 3 out of 5</span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-26485335512546982332012-01-06T15:54:00.000+13:002012-01-06T15:54:16.323+13:00One Year Blogoversary Giveaway!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm a bit late, but the second of January marked one year of Crack A Spine Book Reviews! I know I haven't been the most consistent reviewer (I guess starting the blog during my last year of high school wasn't my brightest idea) but I aim to be a lot better in 2012. I have lots of cool features planned, including a spotlight on self-published authors. I aim to bring more author interviews and giveaways, as well as plenty more reviews. Thanks to everyone who has supported me this year, your kind comments have constantly inspired me to be a better blogger.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Now, on to the giveaway! I've decided to give away two of my favourite books from 2011 - </span><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7619057-warm-bodies">Warm Bodies</a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Isaac Marion and </span><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11500217-angelfall">Angelfall</a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Susan Ee (follow the links for their Goodreads pages). This is an international giveaway, but please check that The Book Depository delivers to your country. Also, Angelfall is currently available only as an ebook, so if you are entering for it you must have an ereader or be able to read ebooks in some way. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Contest Details</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- Fill out the form below to be entered for the contest.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- Must be 13 or over to enter.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- There will be two (2) winners.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- Must be a follower to enter.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- Contest is international.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- Runs until February 6th.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- Winners must reply within 48 hours.</span><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="1131" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFdYVWpfaWlCZ2xqaE9maFpHRmlkMHc6MQ" width="95%">&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Loading...&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;</iframe>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-82058757606846401432012-01-06T00:40:00.000+13:002012-01-06T00:40:33.567+13:002012 Debut Author Challenge<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I've decided to participate in the Debut Author Challenge next year as a way to discover fantastic new authors that are out there. Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, this seems like a really fun challenge, and I hope to get introduced to the beginning of some exciting new series. Click</span> <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/2011/11/2012-dac-info.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">here</span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">if you are interested in signing up.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">I am planning on reading at least 12 debuts in 2012, and those include:</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">2. Everneath by Brodi Ashton</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">3. Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">4. Above by Leah Bobet</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">5. Fracture by Megan Miranda</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">6. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">7. Where It Began by Ann Redsich Stampler</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">8. The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">9. Grave Mercy by R. L. LaFevers</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">10. Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">11. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">12. Slide by Jill Hathaway</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Backups:</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">2. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">3. Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">4. The Selection by Kiera Cass</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">5. Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">6. Level Two by Lenore Appelhans</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">7. Crewel by Gennifer Albin</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">8. Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">9. Undeadly by Michele Vail</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">10. The Girls Of No Return by Erin Saldin</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">11. Croak by Gina Damico</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">12. The Glimpse by Claire Merle</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I do hope I can get to more books, but I'll be starting my first year at university, so I may not be able to afford too many new books. There are </span><i style="color: #990000;">so</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> many debuts I'm excited about and this is just a fraction of them. If you'd like to see my full list, check out my </span><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4590707-rachel?shelf=2012-dac"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">2012 DAC shelf</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> on Goodreads. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Are any of you participating in this challenge next year? What books are you looking forward to in 2012?</span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-82888635886051185002012-01-05T20:50:00.000+13:002012-01-05T20:50:09.741+13:00Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=10429045.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/10429045.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Summary (from </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span id="goog_883263870"></span>Goodreads</span><span id="goog_883263871"></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">)</span></b><i style="color: #990000;">: Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. </i></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i></i></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. </span></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i></i></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. </span></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i></i></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. </span></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i></i></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.</span></i></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></i></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Review</b><b style="font-style: italic;">: </b>A combination of dystopian and paranormal, <i>Shatter Me</i> is a unique novel that follows Juliette, a young woman unable to touch anyone. Then she meets Adam, and starts to learn more about the world outside of the cell she’s been confined to. As Juliette’s knowledge grows, her view about her power begins to change. Is it really a curse, as she has always believed? Or does she have the ability to make it a gift?</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: xx-large; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Shatter Me</i> is definitely a book that has a lot of potential, and while this potential is never fully realized, there is no denying that Tahereh Mafi is a talented author who actually has the ability to write a moving novel. Unfortunately for me, this was not that novel.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Juliette is a likable enough protagonist, but also had her fair share of annoying traits. For the first half of the book it felt like every time she entered a new room she’d either cry or blush. For a character who is supposedly strong at heart, Juliette’s constant breakdowns felt contrived and unnecessary. Half the time it felt like her emotions only presented themselves so Adam or Warner could comfort her. This wasn’t good enough for me. When an author states repeatedly that their character is strong and tenacious, I actually want to see proof of that, not a scared teenager running to a love interest whenever something bad happens. I wouldn’t have cared that Mafi had written Juliette the way she did if she hadn’t tried to pass off Juliette’s behaviour as strong. Juliette was <i>not</i> strong for the majority of the book and I hated the feeling of being force-fed the idea that she was.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Shatter Me</i> also contained two of the most loathed tropes in YA literature - insta-love and a love triangle. The love triangle was wholly unnecessary and seemed to exist just for the sake of it. I honestly didn’t see the point of including it - I felt some of the tense scenes with Warner were diminished when all Juliette could think about was how attractive he looked.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The prose in this novel was both its biggest flaw and its saving grace. There were times that I was able to be swept up in the beauty of it, and other times when I was rolling my eyes, wishing Mafi would just get on with the story. I think the prose would have had more effect if the overdone phrases were more spread out. When every other sentence is an overwrought description, the overall effect of the writing is diminished.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Overall, <i>Shatter Me</i> just wasn’t the book for me, but I know plenty of others will enjoy it. Mafi succeeds in blending the dystopian and paranormal genres and the book contains some truly touching moments. Although I wasn’t a huge fan, I will check out Mafi’s future work, if only because her writing had enough sparks of brilliance to convince me that, with some work, she could produce something genuinely special.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating</b>: 2.5 stars</span></span></span></span></div></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-74772950851995374732011-11-30T19:55:00.000+13:002011-11-30T19:55:45.669+13:00Review: Blood Red Road by Moira Young<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=9917938.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/9917938.jpg" width="212" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Synopsis (from </span><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9917938-blood-red-road">Goodreads</a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">)</span></i></b><i style="color: #990000;">: </i></span><span style="color: #990000; letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i></i></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.</span></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i></i></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.<br />
<br />
</i><b>Review</b>: Saba lives her life in a dehydrated, barren world, yet she is content enough as long as she has her twin brother, Lugh. When Lugh is kidnapped by a group of mysterious horsemen, Saba knows she has to do whatever it takes to save him. This starts a rip-roaring adventure, with Saba facing unexpected dangers in her quest to bring Lugh home. <br />
<br />
I have to admit, I was sold on Blood Red Road right from the synopsis and had very high expectations for the novel. Often these assumptions can affect a reading experience for the worst, but in this case my expectations were fully met. I loved every minute of Saba’s quest, and I enjoyed getting to know the richly drawn side characters, which include a kick-ass girl vigilante group, Saba’s down-trodden younger sister, and of course, a guy.<br />
<br />
I’ll admit, it did take some adjusting to get used to the sparse writing style Young uses in this novel, but once I did it flowed perfectly. Even though there wasn’t a huge amount of description, I didn’t feel that anything was lacking and I could picture everything as if I was there with Saba - rare for any book. I grew to love the writing style - with so many authors bogging their writing down with unnecessary descriptions, it was great to read only what needed to be said and no more. <br />
<br />
Saba was a refreshing heroine. She wasn’t portrayed in any way as perfect; in fact she began the novel as selfish, petulant, and just generally unlikeable. However, she went through some extraordinary growth throughout the novel, and by the story’s end she had developed many redeeming traits. I also enjoyed Saba’s relationship with Jack - it felt so real and actually took time to develop, no instant-love here, folks! Jack was adorable, and was never creepy or over-possessive. He and Saba actually worked as a team, and he wasn’t constantly saving her from danger - in fact, Saba would be more likely to save him. So all in all, just a healthy, realistic relationship that I loved.<br />
<br />
<i>Blood Red Road</i> was such a fabulous adventure, plain and simple. It’s easily one of my favourite novels of 2011, and I know I’ll be coming back to it whenever I need fun, exciting read. I’m highly anticipating the sequel and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Saba, Jack and the rest of the gang.<br />
<br />
<b> Rating</b>: 5 out of 5</span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-69332922910908695282011-11-16T00:37:00.000+13:002011-11-16T00:37:06.149+13:00Top Ten Tuesday (1)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=TTT3W.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="152" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/TTT3W.jpg" width="200" /></a><div style="line-height: 18px;"></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by </span><u><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The Broke and the Bookish</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; line-height: normal;"> </span></b></span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: normal;">This is my first time participating in Top Ten Tuesday! This week's topic looked like a fun one to start on - and might actually motivate me to read at least some of the books on this list. </span></div></blockquote></blockquote></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px;"><b>Top Top Ten Books That Have Been On My Shelf For The Longest But I've Never Read:</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306857-divergent" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Divergent</span></a> </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>by Veronica Roth</b> - I was so excited when this book arrived in the mail, all shiny and new. I just <i>had</i> to read it, what with all the hype and awesome reviews surrounding it. But I just never got there and four months later it's still on my shelf, just begging to be read. Soon, I think. I'm in the mood for some action.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">2. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6261522-the-body-finder"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The Body Finder</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Kimberley Derting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - The synopsis for this one is really intriguing, and when the Kindle store had it on sale I couldn't pass the opportunity up. Despite this great deal however, <b>The Body Finder</b> remains unread. I'm determined to get to it one day though - it sounds so good!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">3. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17020.13_Little_Blue_Envelopes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">13 Little Blue Envelopes</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Maureen Johnson</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - I love a sweet contemporary read and this fits the bill perfectly. I honestly don't know why I haven't gotten around to reading this one, as it seems like a quick and adorable novel. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">4. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9439303-life"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Life</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Keith Richards</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - This is totally left-field in this list, but I love me a good rock n roll biography! I pined for this, waited patiently for it to arrive at my book store, <i>finally</i> got my hands on it, and...that's where the story ends. I was desperate to read this, and now it's just gathering dust. I really want to get to it someday though.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">5. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/305234.Wicked_Lovely"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Wicked Lovely</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Melissa Marr</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - This has been on my shelf for a shamefully long time. I think the problem is that I'm not fully drawn in by the synopsis. I've read some good reviews, but I've never read a book about faeries before. But there's a first time for everything, right?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">6. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6964455-a-blue-so-dark"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">A Blue So Dark</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Holly Schindler</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - This one drew me in right away with its promise of a dark and twisted contemporary novel. I started it, but I just wasn't hooked so I set it right back down...and never picked it back up. I still have high hopes for this one, though.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">7. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10145673-call-me-irresistible"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Call Me Irresistible</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - I've never really read much chick-lit, but this one just had the right synopsis for me. I think I've never got round to it simply because it's a new genre - I've always got something more 'me' that I want to read first.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">8. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3764355-shrinking-violet"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Shrinking Violet</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Danielle Joseph</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - Just rereading that synopsis now makes me wonder why I haven't yet read this book. I love anything music related in a novel and this totally fits the bill. I need to get started on this one soon.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">9. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7818683-five-flavors-of-dumb"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Five Flavors Of Dumb</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Antony John</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - This is pretty much ditto what I said above. Although, through in a deaf girl managing the band and you're dealing with something different to the norm. I've read a lot of good things about this, so I really need to get started.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">10. </span><b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8734467-sean-griswold-s-head"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Sean Griswold's Head</span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> by Lindsey Leavitt</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - This sounds like such a sweet book, I honestly don't know why I haven't read it yet. Many of the things I look for in a contemporary are here, so I just need to get started!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">So there's my ten. Hopefully nothing too outrageous on there! Leave your post links in the comments - I'd love to see what everyone else hasn't quite gotten around to reading yet.</span></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-895498862321650712011-10-12T22:54:00.000+13:002011-10-12T22:54:27.523+13:00Review and Contest: Fall by Jennifer Hurst<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=51uoy4GW8L.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/51uoy4GW8L.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><b>Synopsis</b> (from <u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12204961-fall"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">GoodReads</span></a></u>): </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Women and construction shouldn't mix. At least, that is what the client; Mr. Blackwell thinks when twenty-one year old Julia D. Halstead is promoted to project manager to remodel a turn-of-the-century schoolhouse into a bed and breakfast. However, the schoolhouse contains a dark secret that has been hidden for nearly a hundred years. A secret that will unleash the Furies of Hell and cause the Angels in Heaven to weep as ethereal brothers, Matthew and Nathan battle over Julia's very soul.</i></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Review</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: </span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">A promising new series begins here, with Jennifer Hurst’s debut self-published novel </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Fall</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. Although it’s not perfect, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Fall</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> was an enjoyable read with engaging characters and an exciting story-line. </span></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Julia, or JD as she prefers to be known, was a strong protagonist and had interesting quirks - she was completely organized when it came to her construction work, but also let her impulsivity take over a little too much in her normal life. She showed a strong work ethic, always wanting to prove herself in the very male-dominated industry she worked in. I enjoyed getting inside JD’s head - she made some very funny comments throughout the novel, but I would have liked to have seen her more fleshed out as a character. I felt like there was something deeper that the author could have explored, but I hope this will be resolved in the sequel.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The brothers, Matthew and Nathan, were compelling love interests. I feel like the two brother love triangle trope is a little worn out, but here it did work. Although I felt like JD rushed into things with the two a little too haphazardly, this was resolved and I came to understand her decisions better. I’m looking forward to more depth being added to both relationships in the sequel, I think this will be an intriguing love triangle to follow.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Overall, I found this a promising start to a new series. The characters were strong and the plot was gripping, with plenty of twists to keep readers interested. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading paranormal romance, especially you’re interested in reading about characters more mature than the typical teen protagonists that dominate this genre. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 3.5 out of 5</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Buy the book</b>: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/71705" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://www.smashwords.com/<wbr></wbr>books/view/71705</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Jennifer Hurst's Website</b>: </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://jenniferhurst.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://jenniferhurst.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com/</span></a> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Contest Information</span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">In conjunction with this blog tour, Jennifer is holding a contest.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It will </span></span></span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">involve any of the blogs that Jennifer visits or where her book is featured and will close on December 31st, 2011. The entrants have to answer three questions about the book they’ve read (bought, borrowed, or stolen - shame on you) and post a link to Jennifer's website on their Twitter, Facebook, or blog (need link for verification).<br />
<br />
Then the names will be entered in a random name picker generator (</span></span></span><a href="http://textmechanic.com/Random-Line-Picker.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://textmechanic.com/<wbr></wbr>Random-Line-Picker.html</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">) and announced on Jennifer's website (</span></span></span><a href="http://www.fabulousreads.blogspot.com/www.jenniferhurst.com" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">www.jenniferhurst.com</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">) on January 31st, 2012. The winner will receive a gift certificate for a night’s stay at the actual bed and breakfast where the story takes place.<br />
<br />
Other prizes include an autographed copy of FALL, and she will randomly select 3 contestants’ names to use in the sequel to FALL. Plus, they will receive a free copy of that book when it is published.<br />
<br />
Each blog that Jennifer Hurst visits will have a different set of questions people can answer, and they may enter as many times as they want - but they can enter once per blog site that they visit. So the more sites you visit, the more you can enter your name, thus increasing your chances of winning the gift certificate, a copy of the book FALL, and your name in the sequel.</span></span></span><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Get the book, read the book, and then read over the questions below.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Once you have your answers, e-mail them to Jennifer.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><a href="mailto:fall.jenniferhurst@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">fall.jenniferhurst@gmail.com</span></span></span></a><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Your privacy is respected and your email address will </span></span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">NOT</span></span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> be used for anything but the contest. Once the contest is over - your email address will be deleted from the database.</span></span></span></span></strong><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Here are the questions for you to answer:</span></span></span></span></strong><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 569px;"><tbody>
<tr><td nowrap="" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: #d8d8d8; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 379pt;" valign="bottom" width="505"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What did JD buy for Missy for Christmas?</span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td nowrap="" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: #d8d8d8; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 379pt;" valign="bottom" width="505"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What famous outlaw called Torrey home for awhile?</span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td nowrap="" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: #d8d8d8; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 379pt;" valign="bottom" width="505"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What was Butch Cassidy's alias?</span></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">If you would like to visit the other sites, go here for the master list of all participating sites:</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></strong><a href="http://fallbyjenniferhurst.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://fallbyjenniferhurst.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com/</span></span></span></a><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Best of luck, and thanks for participating!</span></span></span></span></strong></div></span></b></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com247tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-78700441160353184962011-08-22T18:40:00.000+12:002011-08-22T18:40:55.947+12:00Review: Across The Universe by Beth Revis<br />
<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=8235178.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/8235178.jpg" width="208" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Synopsis (from <u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8235178-across-the-universe"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Goodreads</span></a></u>): </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"></span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b>Review</b></span>: Across The Universe</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is one of my first forays into the sci-fi genre, and although I didn’t love it, I still found it an enjoyable read with some great world-building.</span></span></span></div></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The chapters detailing Amy’s claustrophobia while being trapped in the ice were, in my opinion, the strongest of the book. I could feel the horror right along with her, and I applaud Revis for being able to evoke that kind of response. These chapters really showed her strength as an author, and I wished more of this had been captured in the later chapters.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I enjoyed getting to know the ship along with Amy, all the rules and rituals that she saw. This world-building was the author’s strong point and was definitely a highlight. I liked all the secrets behind the Elder/Eldest plot and the Season was particularly disturbing. I hope we’ll see some stronger characterization in the next book now that this is out of the way, because I felt that sometimes it was lacking compared to the detail that went into the world-building. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now for the romance - or lack thereof. I’m not sure what I missed, but I just didn’t feel any spark between Amy and Elder. I actually wanted Amy to end up with Harley - and I’m sure that’s not what the author intended. I think the next book will explore the relationship more, so hopefully my mind will be changed.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Across The Universe</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is a solid debut that has some strong world-building and interesting characters. I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel and am excited to see where Revis takes this series.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 3.5 out of 5</span></span></span></div></span></i></span></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-20366172336601507842011-08-14T17:41:00.003+12:002011-08-14T23:30:07.074+12:00Review: The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder<br />
<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=51zbJlREfgL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/51zbJlREfgL.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><b>Synopsis (from </b><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8922087-the-day-before"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b>Goodreads</b></span></a></u>: </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></i></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></i></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last.</i></span></span></span></span></div><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Review</b>: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It’s amazing that an author can create so much emotion from so few words, but this is exactly what Lisa Schroeder does in </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Day Before</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. This is a book written entirely in verse, and is my first foray into verse literature. Although it took me a while to adjust to the sparse, minimalist writing style, I was ultimately won over by the amazing characters developed in this novel.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Amber is a girl that just wants a break from the huge decisions looming in the near future, and so takes a day-trip to a beach town where she has spent many a family holiday. Here, she meets Cade, a boy who seems to be doing exactly the same thing. The relationship between these two was so sweet. Even though the book only spanned a day, it never felt rushed or fake, instead it captured the sweetness of love in a way I hadn’t read in so long.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The day was perfectly paced, enough conflict to drive the story but not so much that it got unrealistic. There were so many sweet moments, so many heart-breaking moments and so many touching moments. I loved getting to know Amber, all her struggles and triumphs. She was so great and I related to many of the things she said. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Honestly, I’m so glad </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Day Before</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> was my first verse book. It was an amazing book - I stayed up until 2 am reading it! I highly recommend this for anyone who loves contemporary novels or who is looking to challenge themselves by reading a novel in verse form.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 4 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>I received this e-book free of charge from Simon and Schuster's galley grab program. This is no way affected my review.</i></span></span></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-35371501076800181062011-08-07T16:52:00.000+12:002011-08-07T16:52:00.043+12:00Review: Instructions For a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=9633221.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/9633221.jpg" width="212" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><i>Synopsis (from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9633221-instructions-for-a-broken-heart"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Goodread</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">s</span>): </i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Three days before her drama club's trip to Italy, Jessa Gardner discovers her boyfriend in the costume barn with another girl. Jessa is left with a care package from her best friend titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," instructing her to do one un-Jessa-like thing each day of the trip. At turns hilarious and heartwrenching,</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> </i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Instructions for a Broken Heart </span></span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>paints a magical Italy in which Jessa learns she must figure out life-and romance-for herself.</i></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Review: </span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">So. My first one star review. And on a book I thought I would love, no less. I feel really bad giving </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Instructions For A Broken Heart</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> such a low rating - I tried so hard to find something, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">anything</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, I liked, but ultimately I drew a blank.</span></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Reading that synopsis, I was expecting a light, fluffy novel, probably in the same vein as </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Anna and the French Kiss</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. Instead, I got an annoying main character that squanders a trip to beautiful Italy by being the most petty, pathetic and just downright annoying female lead that I have read in a long while. I mean, I understood that Jessa was upset, she had every right to be. But her actions were just unbelievable. The things that should have made her mad, she completely ignored and things that were inconsequential had her in tears or performing a completely irrational response. I just could not relate or comprehend it at all.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The synopsis gave a hint that there’d be a romance with a cute Italian guy, but that never happened. Did I read a different book? Because the only romance (I use the word romance loosely here) I saw came in the last 10 pages and was utterly pointless and confusing. There </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">was</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> an Italian guy, but he was involved in some ridiculous sub-plot that had nothing to do with the main story and seemed totally out of place.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I honestly felt perpetually confused while reading this book. There was no rhyme or reason to any of the character’s actions and none of them were particularly likable. I kept reading only for the fact that I thought it </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">must</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> get better. Unfortunately, it starts badly and just continues going down-hill. A disappointing read that I had such high hopes for.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 1 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-57943223858078092742011-05-08T23:29:00.000+12:002011-05-08T23:29:03.674+12:00Blog Tour: Kea's Flight Review and Author Interview<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=51jCC6MGkxL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/51jCC6MGkxL.jpg" width="209" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><b>Synopsis (from </b></i></span></span><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11102806-kea-s-flight"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><b>Goodreads</b></i></span></span></a></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><b>):</b> </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>It's the 25th century, and humans have learned how to end unwanted pregnancies by removing and cryogenically freezing the embryos to save for later. But they never planned for how many there would be, or how much control people would want over their offspring's genetic makeup.</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></i></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Kea was an exile before she was born. Grown from an embryo that was rejected for having autism-spectrum genes, she has been raised on a starship full of Earth's unwanted children. When a sudden discovery threatens their plan to find a home, Kea must join with other rejects to save the ship from its own insane government. </i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Review: </span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">When I read the synopsis for </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Kea’s Flight</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> it definitely got me interested, but I had no idea what an awesome book it would turn out to be. And by awesome, I definitely mean </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">awesome</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - this is already one of my favorite books of the year. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I’m not usually one for sci-if/futuristic space adventures, but there was just something about this novel that made it incredibly appealing. The characters were probably what did it for me, they were so well-drawn and felt very real. The characters are all teenagers who had been into space for having genes on the Autism Specter and I think it would have been easy to let them all blur together until they were all too similar. However, this is far from the case. The authors, Erika and John, have succeeded in creating relatable and flawed characters - Kea with her love of languages, Draz with his computer knowledge and emotional issues, Chris and his anger management troubles. I could go on forever, but the point is, I haven’t read characters such as these in a long time.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The plot was also great, with just the right amount of dialogue and action. There was a lot to wrap my head around in this novel, but the authors succeeded in creating a world that was believable and fairly easy to grasp. Some of it is quite daunting - for example, the computer knowledge involved - but I felt that it was all explained extremely well. There are a lot of ethical issues tackled in </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Kea’s Flight</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, and the authors did a great job with coming coming up with unique perspectives. The novel really made me think about a lot of things, and I loved all the differing opinions on some very real issues.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Overall, I honestly don’t think </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Kea’s Flight</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> could have been better. It’s a self-published novel, but it certainly doesn’t read like one - I only managed to pick up a couple of spelling/grammar errors. For any 500 page book that’s an achievement! With richly drawn characters, and a plot to rival many of the novels out there at the moment, you really don’t want to miss this book. I highly recommended </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Kea’s Flight</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rating</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">: 5 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Scroll to the bottom of this post to find the places to purchase the book. You know you want to!</span></span></div><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Interview: </b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>1. Describe your novel in 10 words or less.</b></span></span></div><div class="im" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oppressed children growing up with mental disorders-- in space!</span></span></span><br />
<div class="im" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">2. How did the idea for Kea's Flight come about?</span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">John and I got the idea together, when we were having a conversation</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">with his father about the controversy over abortion. I said something</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">like, "It would be so much better if people didn't even have to make</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">that choice. Wouldn't it be great if unwanted embryos could just be</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">removed alive and saved for later?" John just laughed and said "There</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">would be so many, we'd have to start sending them into space!" That</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">thought stayed in my head for a long time, stored wherever my brain</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">stores ideas for possible stories.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Then one day, I was thinking about how some people are against</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">abortion and birth control, and some people are in favor of both, and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">some people are against abortion but in favor of birth control... but</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">nobody thinks birth control is worse than abortion. My mind loves to</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">explore weird scenarios, so I wondered: what if someone had an opinion</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">like that? How would they explain it logically? That developed into</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">the essay that the main character, Kea, wrote when she was twelve. I</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">was going to build a short story around that essay, but John</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">encouraged me to go bigger.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="im" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b>3. How did your own experiences with Asperger's Syndrome affect the<br />
shaping of your characters and the situations they face?</b></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It was hard to figure out what these characters would be like, because</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">their situation isn't like anything we know. Based on genetic</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">predispositions that might or might not lead to mental disorders, they</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">were rejected as embryos and sent away on a spaceship. They were</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">raised by robots and exiled convicts, they were treated as disabled</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">people for their whole lives, and at the same time they were under</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">constant pressure to be normal. In some ways they ended up a lot like</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">real people on the autism spectrum, and in other ways they ended up</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">different.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I was diagnosed with Asperger's at the age of eleven, and John was</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">diagnosed at the age of twenty-four. We had very different</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">experiences, and we've woven them into the plot of the story as best</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">we could. Most of the main characters are somewhat inspired by</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">ourselves, but in different ways. Blaro has the impulse control</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">problems I used to have. Lefty is my scientific side, and the side of</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">me that gets panicked and overwhelmed easily. Draz is a lot like John,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">with his computer skills, his tendency to make funny word mistakes,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">and his subdued emotions... but Draz's emotions aren't quite as</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">subdued as John's. As the situation gets worse throughout the story,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Draz has more trouble controlling his anger and fear.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The narrator, Kea, has my language fascination, but she's better at</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">managing her panic attacks than I am, and she's better at the morale</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">aspect of leadership-- encouraging her friends to keep going, and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">managing their conflicts with each other. I think her hard life has</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">forced her to become mature at a younger age.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I think the part where I took the most from my own experience was in</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Kea's childhood interactions with the teacher she calls Screen Man.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">His patronizing speech is very closely based on things I heard from</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">special ed workers when I was a kid: the sweet droning voice tone, the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">use of "we" to mean "you," the frequency of phrases like "you need to"</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">and "good choice." The romance between Kea and Draz is also very much</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">inspired by my relationship with John.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="im" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">4. Physics, language and computer smarts are all big parts of your<br />
novel. How long was the research process and did you face any problems<br />
that made you rethink parts of the novel?</span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I put together the rough draft in six months, but it was really just a</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">skeleton. John and I spent over five years fleshing out the book</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">together. We try to write what we know, even when we're writing about</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">a world that doesn't exist, so the language and computer aspects</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">didn't require much research; they were mostly things we were already</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">familiar with. I'm the language nerd, and John is the physics and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">computer nerd. Kea's language lectures are mostly based around facts</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">that are common knowledge to students of Spanish and German, but her</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">insights are ones that I came up with on my own (like the realization</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">that Spanish is not completely gender-obsessed, and actually has some</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">words that are less gender-specific than their English equivalents).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">We did end up having to rethink a lot of parts, mostly involving the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">technology. Sometimes I would write a passage about how Draz hacked</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">into something, and John would tell me it had to be redone. He was</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">very successful at finding ways that my ideas could work. I would come</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">up with a scene I wanted to have, and he would lay the technological</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">foundation that would let us have that scene.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">We had to rewrite some parts several times, especially the parts</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">involving the hacker who sabotaged the food system. Almost everything</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">about that had to be redone: how long it took, how the hacker managed</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">to do it, and how Draz and Kea figured out who it was. We also had to</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">spend a lot of time revising the part about the power outage that</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">happened in their teens. For that John actually did a lot of research,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">mostly relating to the kinds of sounds you would hear coming from the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">ship if the temperature were changing rapidly.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="im" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b>5. There are a lot of political and social issues tackled in Kea's<br />
Flight that are relevant today. How did you decide which issues would<br />
still be prevalent 400 years into Earth's future?</b></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">There are many possible futures that we can extrapolate from what we</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">know today. This is one where the government has been taken over by</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">people who are not socially progressive, and want to maintain most of</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">the traditions they grew up with. All the other facets of the society</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">fell into place once we had that premise.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Diversity isn't accepted; even diversity of languages has been wiped</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">out. Censors patrol the internet and try to control what people can</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">say online. Religion is allowed to dominate the culture, because the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">dictators who came to power value it highly, but like most despots,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">they bend religion to suit their wishes.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">They've allowed some technological development, but only the kinds</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">that they find useful for their purposes. Artificial intelligence is</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">strictly controlled. There are no cyborgs, no human minds uploaded</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">into computers. Humans still have fully human bodies, and the use of</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">birth control is still left up to the individual people, so unwanted</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">pregnancies are still an issue. Genetically altering embryos is</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">illegal, and aborting them is illegal, so embryos with genetic</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">abnormalities still exist, but they're still unwanted. The government</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">maintains the hypocrisy of saying they want to accept children the way</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">God made them, but being unwilling to actually help families support</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">those children. Hypocrisy like that already exists in the present day,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">and in a dystopian future, it's easy to imagine it infiltrating all of</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">society.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I'm not sure that the world actually has a high chance of going</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">through those changes 400 years from now. As far as we know, it could</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">end up many different ways. We chose to explore a future that scared</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">us, because it made a compelling story.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="im" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">6. Kea's Flight is a self-published novel. Did you face any unexpected<br />
hurdles during the process?</span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My first book, "Born on the Wrong Planet," was professionally</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">published. Compared to that experience, self-publishing has been less</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">stressful; we've gotten to move at our own pace and make our own</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">decisions about what parts of the book needed to be changed.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">When it came to marketing, though, we have encountered obstacles.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Promoting our own book is hard work. When we first went looking for</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">bloggers to review the book, most of the ones we found wouldn't even</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">consider anything that was self-published. The sites that come up when</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">you do a Google search for "book bloggers" are only a tiny sliver of</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">what's out there. We were able to find more reviewers through posts on</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">the Book Blogs community, and through services like Enchanted Book</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Tours.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">We've been getting some help from the fact that my first book has a</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">following in the autism community. It's still too early to know how</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">successful "Kea's Flight" will be, but it will probably be more</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">successful than it would have been without the experience of</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">publishing "Born on the Wrong Planet."</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="im" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">7. Finally, do you have plans for a sequel to Kea's Flight or are you<br />
working on any new projects?</span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">We are working on a sequel, though it will be a few more years before</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">it's ready. Among other things, the sequel will address the question</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">of what happened in the rest of the galaxy while Kea and her friends</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">were traveling. They were going at almost light speed, which brings</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">temporal relativity into the equation: from their perspective it was</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">still the 25th century, but outside their ship it was a thousand years</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">later than that. Obviously many things happened to Earth and other</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">human-inhabited planets in that time, and the second book will explore</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">what happened.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div style="border-collapse: collapse;"></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Thanks for stopping by, Erika! I loved your interview answers.</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Links to the author and places to buy Kea's Flight:</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Author Bio<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">:</span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Erika Hammerschmidt was born in Minnesota and graduated from Augsburg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><pre style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">College with two language majors and an art minor. She was diagnosed
with Asperger's Syndrome at the age of 11, and has written Born on the
Wrong Planet, a memoir about her childhood. Her husband John C. Ricker
was born in Hawaii, received a diagnosis of Asperger's at the age of
24, and studied computer science before working in vacuum technology.
They live in Minnesota with their parrot, Rain Man. Together they have
co-authored the science fiction novel Kea's Flight.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
<b>Goodreads</b>: </span></span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11102806-kea-s-flight" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://www.goodreads.com/book/<wbr></wbr>show/11102806-kea-s-flight</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
<b>Website</b>:</span> </span><a href="http://www.erikahammerschmidt.com/kea.php" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://www.erikahammerschmidt.<wbr></wbr>com/kea.php</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
<b>Places to buy the book:</b>
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QOAVW8" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://www.amazon.com/dp/<wbr></wbr>B004QOAVW8</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">ebook</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">for Kindle on Amazon, for $3.89
</span></span><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Keas-Flight/Erika-Hammerschmidt/e/2940012378828/?itm=1&USRI=kea%27s+flight" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://search.barnesandnoble.<wbr></wbr>com/Keas-Flight/Erika-<wbr></wbr>Hammerschmidt/e/2940012378828/<wbr></wbr>?itm=1&USRI=kea%27s+flight</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
ebook for Nook on Barnes and Noble, for $3.89
</span></span><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/keas-flight-%28ebook%29/15167660" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://www.lulu.com/product/<wbr></wbr>ebook/keas-flight-%28ebook%29/<wbr></wbr>15167660</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
epub for iPhone, iPad, etc. on Lulu, for $3.89
</span></span><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/keas-flight-%28lulu-only-edition%29/15167650" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://www.lulu.com/product/<wbr></wbr>file-download/keas-flight-%<wbr></wbr>28lulu-only-edition%29/<wbr></wbr>15167650</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
PDF download on Lulu for $3.89
</span></span><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/keas-flight-%28lulu-only-edition%29/15167649" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">http://www.lulu.com/product/<wbr></wbr>paperback/keas-flight-%28lulu-<wbr></wbr>only-edition%29/15167649</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
569-page paperback version on Lulu for $15.00, without ISBN, on standard paper</span></span></pre></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-27474151273620744272011-04-23T18:40:00.000+12:002011-04-23T18:40:37.157+12:00Stay Giveaway Winner!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My first competition is all wrapped up now, and the winner was Stella - congrats! Her blog is located <u><a href="http://www.stella-exlibris.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">.</span></u></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></u></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thanks to everyone who entered, I hope you stick around the blog and enjoy what you see. Have a great Easter! :)</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-53238205766067047512011-04-19T19:04:00.000+12:002011-04-19T19:04:21.093+12:00Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=51C9TAif6fL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/51C9TAif6fL.jpg" width="199" /></a><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Summary (from <u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9681214-the-goddess-test"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">GoodReads</span></a></u>)</span></span></span></i></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: </span></span></span></i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.</span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.</span></span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.</span></span></span></i></span></div><br />
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Review</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: I have to admit, I went into this book with this book with quite high expectations and although </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Goddess Test</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> didn’t quite meet these expectations, I found myself really enjoying the story and am highly anticipating the sequel.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The start of this novel was a tad slow for my liking, and Kate seemed to go a bit back and forth character-wise, which was annoying, but was this was all resolved once Kate arrived at Henry’s mansion. After this point, the characters seemed more three-dimensional, and I found myself warming up to Kate and - eventually - Henry. Henry was quite a hard character to like at first, as he is very moody, demanding and sometimes a bit sulky. Kate felt similarly, and as she got to know Henry and discovered the reasons why he is the way he is, I felt my heart softening towards him. Although I doubt he’ll ever become one of my favorite male leads, he certainly did improve as </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Goddess Test</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> progressed.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed were the side characters. They were all well-drawn and I’m particularly taken with James, who I’m hoping is going to have a big part to play in the second novel. I also liked Kate’s ladies-in-waiting, Ella, Calliope and Ava, they were all interesting characters that didn’t blend together - instead all having definite personalities that made them unique.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Overall, this was a very impressive debut from Aimee Carter and I’m looking forward to see whether she can continue to impress with the rest of this series. With a debut as strong as The Goddess Test, I’m sure she’ll have no trouble at all!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 4 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>I received this book free of charge from <a href="http:/www.netgalley.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">NetGalley</span></a>. This in no way influenced my review.</i></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-33839552889893990122011-04-06T22:35:00.000+12:002011-04-06T22:35:47.403+12:00Waiting On Wednesday (5) Instructions For A Broken Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ </span></span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Breaking the Spine</span></span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</span></span></span><br />
<div><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=9633221.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/9633221.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Title: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Instructions For A Broken Heart</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Author: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kim Culbertson</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Release Date: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">May 1st 2011</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Publisher: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Sourcebooks, Incorporated</span></span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Synopsis (from </span></span></b><u><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9633221-instructions-for-a-broken-heart"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Goodreads</span></span></a></b></u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">):<i> </i></span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Three days before her drama club's trip to Italy, Jessa Gardner discovers her boyfriend in the costume barn with another girl. Jessa is left with a care package from her best friend titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," instructing her to do one un-Jessa-like thing each day of the trip. At turns hilarious and heartwrenching, </i></span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Instructions for a Broken Heart </span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>paints a magical Italy in which Jessa learns she must figure out life-and romance-for herself.</i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Why I'm waiting on it: </b>Okay, how promising is that synopsis? And it's set in Italy! I'm totally sold on this book already, and can't wait until May!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What are you waiting on this week? And while you're at the blog, check out my giveaway for <i>Stay</i> by Deb Caletti <u><a href="http://crackaspinebookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/international-giveaway-stay-by-deb.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">here</span></a></u>.</span></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-70139409014709230432011-04-03T23:11:00.001+12:002011-04-03T23:16:08.455+12:00Mix It Up Monday (3)<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mix It Up Monday is a meme hosted here at Crack A Spine Book Reviews. On the first Monday of each month I will post a review of a book that:</span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a) I wouldn't normally read, or</span></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">b) Wouldn't normally be reviewed on a YA blog.</span></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Link-up under the review.</span></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=8660589.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/8660589.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><b>Summary</b>: No secret is too dark. <br />
No revelation too sick. But you must have the appetite for it.</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>After forty years, twenty-eight ODs, three botched suicides, two heart attacks, a couple of jail stints, and a debilitating stroke, Steven Adler, the most self-destructive rock star ever, is ready to share the shattering untold truth in </i></span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My Appetite for Destruction</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>.</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>With Adler's newfound clarity comes a fierce determination to tell it all. Revelatory, heartbreaking, hilarious, and ultimately inspirational, you will never read anything more jaw-droppingly honest than </i></span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My Appetite for Destruction</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>.</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Review</b>: I’m a huge fan of Guns N’ Roses, so I’ve read my fair share of biographies about them. After reading the band’s ex-guitarist, Slash’s autobiography, I was more than a bit dubious about picking up ex-drummer Steven Adler’s book. After all, he is the one that has the severest drug problems, and probably has the worst memory of all the band members. However, although I was far from blown away by this autobiography, I did end up enjoying it more than I thought I was going to.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Alder starts the story at his childhood, and quickly sets the tone for the rest of the book - whining, moaning, and a whole heap of blaming others for his own mistakes. He is someone that seems to have an excuse for every bad choice he makes, and is convinced that everyone but himself is to blame for his life has turning out the way it has. Although this sort of attitude is okay for a teenager, on a 40+ year-old man, it just seems pathetic. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I also wasn’t a huge fan of a lot of the anecdotes Adler chose to share with his readers. They seemed random and many of them were pointless to the progression of his life, so I couldn’t understand why he felt the need to keep them in the book. Adler is a recovered drug addict, but you couldn’t tell from reading this book - the many ways he glorifies drug-use is mind-boggling. Instead of facing up to his problems, Adler seems to have deluded himself into a false sense of security, and reading this book, I feel that it is only a matter of time before he falls off the wagon.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">For all these flaws though, I did find myself enjoying this book. It was a quick read and, I will admit, some of the stories Adler shared were very entertaining. Overall though, unless you’re a die-hard Guns N’ Roses fan, stay away from this book. There are many more rock biographies on shelfs that don’t smack of desperation, whining and pathetic attempts to relive the ‘glory days’.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 2.5 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div><br />
<script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=CrackASpine&postid=03Apr2011&meme=" type="text/javascript">
</script>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-11716323711340972102011-04-03T17:18:00.000+12:002011-04-03T17:18:51.280+12:00International Giveaway: Stay by Deb Caletti<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=41dJFviJedL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/41dJFviJedL.jpg" width="131" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I recently hit the 50 followers mark, so to celebrate I'm giving away Stay by Deb Caletti! If you haven't read my review, it's located <u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://crackaspinebookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/03/review-stay-by-deb-caletti.html">here</a>.</span></u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I absolutely loved this book and I know many of you will too.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Summary: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she's ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is - and what he's willing to do to make her stay.</span></span></i></span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now Clara has left the city - and Christian - behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough...</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><br />
</i><br />
<b>Contest Details</b><br />
- To enter, fill out the form below.<br />
- Must be 13 to enter.<br />
- Must be a follower.<br />
- Contest is international.<br />
- Runs until 17th April.</div></span><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="95%" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dGRtOTViN2xVN2t4OHI4OE41SnotM0E6MQ" width="95%"><p><p><p>Loading...</p></p></p></iframe>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-66075344910939202762011-03-30T22:05:00.000+13:002011-03-30T22:05:30.053+13:00Review: Stay by Deb Caletti<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=41dJFviJedL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/41dJFviJedL.jpg" width="209" /></a><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Special thanks to Simon & Schuster's galley grab for providing me with a copy of this book. Stay is available on April 5th 2011.</i></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Summary: </i></span></span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....</i></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Review</b>: </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8527904-stay">Stay</a></span></u></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> is one of those rare books. You know the ones - you’re not expecting anything amazing, but they sneak up on you and all you want to do once you’re finished is open it back up and read it all over again. I haven’t read a book this powerful in a long time and although this was the first Deb Caletti book I’ve read, it certainly won’t be the last.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Clara’s voice was a refreshing one to read, and I loved the tone the author gave to her narration - it wasn’t quite chatty, but not totally formal either; very unique. I also loved the footnotes that randomly popped up throughout the story, they added some humour to a story that definitely had its dark points.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I also really loved Clara and her Dad’s relationship. It seemed so real and it was a pleasant surprise to read about a parental figure that was actually part of his daughter’s life. All too often in YA contemporary, parents get pushed to the background of the story, so it so it was lovely to see him included and actually be an imperative part in the story.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Deb did a phenomenal job of portraying the abuse Clara suffered at the hands of her ‘soul mate’, Christian. Possession is a hard one to get right, because it’s not an obvious type of abuse, it doesn’t leave marks that you can see. I’ve read a few books dealing with the possession/jealously type of abuse, but in comparison to </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Stay </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">they fade to the background. It was also interesting to see Clara’s blossoming relationship with Finn, to compare it to her and Christian. It was a necessary addition and honestly, Finn is just too dreamy for me to do justice to.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Stay </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">is a book that makes me want to read more contemporary novels. It was an insanely powerful book - I finished it almost a week ago, and I’m </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">still</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> constantly thinking about it. I can already tell this is going to be on my favorites of 2011 list, and honestly it’s going on my ‘favorites of all-time’ shelf too. Read this as soon as you can.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 5 out of 5</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for a giveaway of this book in the near future. I just reached 50 followers, so consider it my thank you!</span></span></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-87141269290249149872011-03-15T23:11:00.000+13:002011-03-15T23:11:57.079+13:00Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=6339664.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/6339664.jpg" width="209" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Synopsis (from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6339664-hush-hush">Goodreads</a></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">)</span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: </span></span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. </span></span></span></i></span></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. </span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.</span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Review</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: I had been going back and forth for the last few months over whether to read </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Hush, Hush</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> - and by doing so, invest in a new series. Honestly though, I can’t go past a fallen angel story and this one just sounded too good to resist. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Hush, Hush</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> starts typically enough, with Nora meeting a mysterious new boy in her biology class and being inexplicably both drawn to him and wary of him. Although this sounds familiar, it’s how the rest of the book plays out that makes this novel so different to the plethora of YA fantasy already out there. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Let’s start with Nora, our wonderful protagonist. Nora’s so great - she’s very strong minded and believable, and isn’t afraid to tell Patch to pull his head in, so to speak. With so many female characters being spineless bimbos in the YA fantasy genre, it was refreshing to see the author inject some spunk into Nora. Although she didn’t always show the most common sense, her actions were always believable and relatable.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And now, what about Patch? He was such an enigmatic, dangerously seductive leading man that I couldn’t decide whether or not I should trust him or not. I also couldn’t make up my mind whether to love him or hate him, but by the end of the book I was firmly in the love camp. I often caught myself smirking at his smart-ass comments and grew to enjoy his bizarre actions towards Nora. Plus, with chemistry as sizzling as they have, how can anyone not love them?</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I’m so glad I finally caved and gave this book a shot because it definitely raised the bar for any future fallen angel books that I’ll read. I loved Patch and Nora and was kept interested by the underlying mystery. I’ve just ordered a copy of </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Crescendo</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and I’ve got high hopes that it will be every bit as great as </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Hush, Hush</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, if not better.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 4 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-8605606279791008562011-03-13T22:51:00.002+13:002011-03-13T23:35:14.093+13:00In My Mailbox (3)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #510202; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;"></span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at </span></span><a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/2010/10/in-my-mailbox-102.html#comments" style="color: #c83232; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The Story Siren</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and inspired by Alea at </span></span><a href="http://aleapopculture.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c83232; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Pop Culture Junkie</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">.</span></span></div></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Bought</b>:</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=6261522.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=8562584-1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/8562584-1.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=7402393.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/7402393.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=4374400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/4374400.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/6261522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/6261522.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7402393-nightshade">Nightshade</a></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: I saw this on the bottom shelf of the YA section in my local bookstore and was shocked - my book stores never stock books like this! So, needless to say, I bought it immediately.</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4374400-if-i-stay"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">If I Stay</span></a></u>: I found If I Stay and Burnt Snow lurking in the bargain table of another book shop, and I've heard nothing but good things about Gayle Foreman's books so I'm very excited to start reading this!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8562584-burnt-snow"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Burnt Snow</span></a></u>: This has an intriguing summary that I'm not too sure about yet. I think it could be a good read though, so I'm definitely going to read it soon.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6261522-the-body-finder"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The Body Finder</span></a></u>: I saw this one advertised on Amazon for $1.99 on Kindle, so I couldn't pass up that awesome deal! I was a bit on the fence about whether or not this would be my thing, so I'll guess I'll find out soon enough.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And that's it from me! What arrived in your mailbox this week? (Btw - sorry for the formatting, I couldn't for the life of me get the pictures to stay in line!)</span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-17008973673535093042011-03-09T21:00:00.000+13:002011-03-09T21:00:59.112+13:00Waiting On Wednesday (4) Scorpia Rising<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=NewWoW.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="188" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/NewWoW.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; color: #510202; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ </span></span></span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c83232; text-decoration: none;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Breaking the Spine</span></span></span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</span></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=8435445.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/8435445.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Title</b>: Scorpia Rising</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Author</b>: Anthony Horowitz</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date</b>: March 22nd 2011</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Publisher</b>: Philomel</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Synopsis</b>: </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Scorpia has dogged Alex Rider for most of his life. They killed his parents, they did their best to con Alex into turning traitor, and they just keep coming back with more power. Now the world's most dangerous terrorist organization is playing with fire in the world's most combustible land: the Middle East. No one knows Scorpia like Alex. And no one knows how best to get to Alex like Scorpia. Until now.</i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><br />
The chases have never been more intense, the fights more treacherous, or the risks so perilous to mankind. And this time, Alex won't get away.</i></span></span></span></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; color: #510202; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; color: #510202; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;"><b>Why I'm waiting on it</b>: I've loved the Alex Rider series since I was a kid, so to see that the last one is finally coming out made me ecstatic. Although I've fallen a little behind with the series I'll have to set aside a few weekends and read them all before I get this one.</span></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; color: #510202; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; color: #510202; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;">What are you waiting on?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-26321280791148669162011-03-07T21:14:00.001+13:002011-03-09T22:38:12.299+13:00Mix It Up Monday (2)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Mix It Up Monday is a meme I've started here, where on the first Monday of each month I will post a review of a book that:</span></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> a) I wouldn't normally read, or<br />
b) Wouldn't normally be reviewed on a YA blog.</span></span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Let me know if you're interested in participating. :)</span></span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=376612.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/376612.jpg" width="211" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Note: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">This review is written by my younger sister. Thank you!</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></i><br />
Summary</b>: John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wriggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.</span></span></span></i></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, and stole women's undergarments. Obedience school did no good -- Marley was expelled.</span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And yet his heart was pure. Just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. A dog like no other, Marley remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.</span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Review</b>: It doesn’t matter if you consider yourself a ‘dog person’ or not, as </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/376612.Marley_Me"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Marley and Me</span></a></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> will teach you some of the most important lessons life has to offer. There is a laugh a minute when reading this hilarious book and with the the help of ‘the world’s worst dog’ the Grogan family’s story will have you wiping away tears of laughter - and of sadness.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">If you aren’t really a dog person, you probably haven’t even thought about reading this book. However, there is more to the book than just a dog and it will help you appreciate the small things in life a whole lot more. The way the author writes his memories is very descriptive and heartfelt, with just the right mix of humour, which is a great combination to read.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Even though </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Marley and Me</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> is a comical book, there are definitely some tear-jerking moments throughout the book. It is written with full honesty and the right amount of emotions is put into the words, with the author managing not to lose too much in translation. I really loved that although Marley destroyed everything he could get his teeth on, he was still treated as one of the family, right from the very beginning of their journey together. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Overall </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Marley and Me</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> is an excellent book that all sorts of people can enjoy. By the end we are all reminded that life should be lived to the full and that swallowed jewelry and chewed drywall are a very small price to pay for a life long friend.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 4.5 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-52674735894623566832011-03-06T20:26:00.000+13:002011-03-06T20:26:38.414+13:00In My Mailbox (2)<div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at </span></span><a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/2010/10/in-my-mailbox-102.html#comments" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The Story Siren</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and inspired by Alea at </span></span><a href="http://aleapopculture.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Pop Culture Junkie</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">.</span></span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Bought</b></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=2951911.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/2951911.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=7686667.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/7686667.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=51wY5Z6ChFL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/51wY5Z6ChFL.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7686667-delirium">Delirium</a>: </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I reviewed the ARC of this a while ago and loved it, so I'm stoked to finally own a copy of the real thing! </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8160983-meridian">Meridian</a>:</span></b> I got this one for $2 at a second hand book store. I probably would have passed it up at full price, but the synopsis was intriguing enough for me to give it a go at that price.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2951911.The_Otherworldlies">The Otherworldlies</a>: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Same deal as Meridian, but this plot interested me more. I'm excited to start reading it!</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">What arrived in your Mailbox this week?</span></span></b></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-24564304318368542262011-03-04T18:20:00.000+13:002011-03-04T18:20:22.260+13:00The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder<a href="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/8730372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/8730372.jpg" width="216" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"></span></b></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Note<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">: The Lipstick Laws is released on April 4th 2011. Big thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!</span></span></span></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></b></span></i><br />
Summary</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her. For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity. But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?</span></span></i><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Review</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: While reading </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8730372-the-lipstick-laws"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The Lipstick Laws</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I couldn’t</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">help thinking it would have been the perfect book for me at age 14. However, being almost 18 now, there was a little bit of a lack of a connection between the characters and I that prevented me from loving this book as much as I thought I would.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The characters in </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Lipstick Laws</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> were a big part of what saved the novel for me. The plot itself is quite cliched, but add in these wonderful characters and the result is quite surprising. April was a great protagonist, frequently coming out with witty observations - I laughed out loud numerous times, something I don’t normally do. The supporting characters were great too, all realistic and flawed - although sometimes the flaws were a little too obviously told, instead of subtly shown to the reader. Even Britney had some redeeming qualities and even though she was horrible, it was easy to understand why and feel empathy for her.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">One thing that I noticed was that the story line seemed to be very derivative of </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Mean Girls </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">but just toned down for a younger audience. Maybe it was because I had just watched the film before I read the book, but I found more than one similarity - the revenge aspect being a biggie. It wasn’t a huge deal, because there were enough differences to make it its own story, but for me it was just that wee bit too similar.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Overall though, </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Lipstick Laws</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> was a quick, enjoyable book. Although it wasn’t quite the right fit for me, I know there will be countless other readers who will enjoy it. I would recommend it most for 13-15 year olds.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating</b>: 3.5 out of 5</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Author Info:</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amyholder.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Website</span></a></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/amyholderbooks"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Twitter</span></a></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/amyholderbooks"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Facebook</span></a></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1054277515033515797.post-20154980720788016372011-03-01T19:06:00.000+13:002011-03-01T19:06:02.668+13:00Teaser Tuesday (3) Hush, Hush<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://s421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/?action=view&current=6339664.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/gunsnroses_rach/6339664.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="131" /></a><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Teaser Tuesdays</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of </span></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Should Be Reading</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #510202; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Grab your current read</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Open to a random page</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> (</span></span></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">)</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Share the </span></span></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">title & author</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My teaser: </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">"Five days a week isn't enough of me? Had to give me a evening too?"</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">- Patch to Nora, in Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What are your teasers this week?</span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></div></div></div></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947251025557488547noreply@blogger.com12