Another Cover Reveal: Land of Corn Chips by Angela Carlie

Now if you know me, you know that I'm a total fangirl cheerleader for author Angela Carlie. She write the YA novel Dream Smashers and now she's working on a middle grade novel called Land of Corn Chips! And because my daughter now blogs, I thought it would be fun to do a mother/daughter review of the book.

Synopsis: Eleven-year-old Nate Hansen never believed in dragons before an eccentric man with a purple-feather hat kidnaps him. Spirited to the Land of Corn Chips on the back of a mechanical yellow dragon, Nate must find a way to avoid being ground into compost. His only hope of escape is to earn the friendship of the local wrestling gang and zombie kids, and to believe in a parent he no longer trusts.

This sounds like so much fun. And here is the fabulous cover! Doesn't it look like a seriously imaginative, adventure of a book? I cannot wait to read it.

Love it!

Cover Reveal: The Death Cure by James Dashner

Love it!!

This cover and the imagery promises something pretty distinctive and I so cannot wait to read it. I wish I didn't have to wait so long! Maybe if we keep our fingers crossed (and toes and eyes...) they'll push up the publication date like they've done for other amazing books!

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 441
Reading level: Young Adult
My Rating:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

-- from Goodreads.com

Quick Note: This book convinced me I needed a half star in my ratings!

Delirium had a very strikingly interesting dystopia. I loved (pun intended) everything about it down the minutiae that Ms. Oliver threw in that I would never have thought of in a million years. The world was intricately and carefully woven so completely that I definitely felt that in some ways it could happen in our world given the right motivations. Which can be difficult where dystopias are concerned. This world felt authentic and well thought out.

That said, I really did not like the narrator of this story. That's not a negative comment on the writing of the character because she was very fleshed out and complete as a person. I felt she was very well developed and never seemed to stray out of character with one exception that may or may not just have to do with my personal dislike of her in general. I struggle reading narrow-minded protagonists. There isn't anything wrong with them -- there are people out there who always think inside the box and believe whatever is told to them is what is right. I personally don't like to read stories from their point of view though. I would have rather read this story from Hannah's point of view.

The rest of the characters are well written and I think they all work in their own niches. Even the party goers and rule enforcers, what little we see of them, are given some personality as Lena interacts with them. I would have liked to have seen a little more of Lena's mother in interaction with Lena in memories as opposed to just being told by Lena what happened with her.

I would also have liked to have seen a little more of an interesting love interest. I felt that Alex was a little too vanilla and boy next door to inspire someone as dead set on conforming to the society's norms to break away from that as completely as she appears to do. He was really nice but I felt no spark with the two of them. It was just nice.

Unfortunately as well, there felt like there were a few scenes that could have been left out of this story to make it feel a lot tighter as a story. It sort of meanders in a couple of places and begins to feel like the scenes were written to make the book longer. They didn't seem to further the plot, the world building, or the character development.

By the time the book reached its climax and ended I wasn't emotionally invested enough in the characters to have a big reaction for which I'm sorry. This book got a lot of coverage and I know there are going to be a lot of people who really loved it. I didn't love it but it was a pretty good read. I hope the next in the series hits a bit stronger. I'll definitely read it!

The ONE Book

I'm just curious. If there was one book out there, that hasn't yet been published, that you would give up all new books for a year just to get your hands on right now -- what book would that be?

For me it's The Death Cure by James Dashner. I have been waiting so impatiently for this book since I gobbled up The Scorch Trials. Which feels like eons ago. The cover reveal is said to be tomorrow so maybe I'll update this post with the cover then. But the book won't be out until like November. It's agony!

So what are you waiting for? What is your ONE book?

Reminder: Blog Header Giveaway

Just a reminder, there are only 4 days left to Win a Blog Header By Me! Please note that I changed it from a fantasy header to any blog header so if the fantasy idea was not your thing, you can request anything else if you win!

Enter Here

Review & Giveaway: Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby

Sleight: Book One of the AVRA-K by Jennifer Sommersby

Release Date: March 25, 2011
Publisher: Accendo Press
Pages: 342
Reading level: Young Adult
My Rating:

Her mom is dead.
Ghosts follow her around.
Her best friend is an elephant.
And she's about to meet the biggest game changer of all: a boy. With a secret.

When circus-dwelling Gemma Flannery learns she will be attending public school for the first time in her seventeen years, little does she know that fitting in with her 12th-grade classmates will be the least of her concerns. A pro at hiding her knack for seeing the dead ("shades"), Gemma is grieving the recent suicide of her mentally ill mother, a process eased by the introduction of her first real love interest, the charming and painfully handsome Henry Dmitri, who is harboring his own collection of dangerous secrets. Together, they will be presented with a frightening challenge: to assume their roles as heirs to a 3000-year-old magical text, the AVRAKEDAVRA, a book the über-rich, sleight-of-being master Lucian Dmitri would do anything to get his hands on. As each terrifying layer in her new reality melts away, Gemma unearths truths that her quiet, nomadic life with the Cinzio Traveling Players is not at all what she’d always cherished. Gemma and Henry must rely on each other to stop Lucian’s diabolical plotting that will bring the world to its tired, scab-riddled knees, and are sent on the flight of their young lives, to save themselves, their families, and the world from the darkest kind of destruction.

Let the chase begin.

-- from Amazon.com

Review

This is a truly great story, the idea is superb and the execution is clean and bright. I loved every minute and couldn't wait to get back to reading whenever I had to put it down to face reality. We are treated to the sometimes snarky but often vulnerable inner thoughts of Gemma as she faces first the ordeal of not fitting in at her new school and then a whole spectrum of catastrophes and new experiences that are thrown her way. And let me just say it was refreshing to read this often told story with the twist of it not being the popular girl(s) who torment the protagonist but someone else.

In a circus I would have expected no less than brilliantly colorful characters and Ms. Sommersby does not disappoint! They come in every shape and size and are all unique and well-rounded. Every character in this story is a complex individual -- even the ones who seemed periphery had backstory and were well-developed. Right down to the silent, ghostly whittler who occupies the corner of the mess tent. I was pleased to see real people living and breathing on the pages of this book. The emotions rung true with every new scene and the relationships progressed so naturally even in spite of the limited time frame.

I was so impressed with the realistic treatment of Gemma and Henry's interactions. There was an authenticity to them that helped me stay comfortably in the story with them, living it alongside them. I especially enjoyed the fact that, while Gemma faces things she's not sure how to handle, she may want to run away but does so only when it felt appropriate that a girl her age would do so. There was no huge and unnecessary melodramatic displays of emotion that I've noticed in other YA novels. Gemma is grounded and may do silly things sometimes, but what teenager doesn't? The same goes for Henry and Ash as well.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen better developed perhaps is the relationship between Gemma and Junie. I felt that due to the constraints of the timeline in the story that we didn't get to see that fleshed out to the point that I felt we were looking at two girls who counted each other as sisters even though they both expressed that feeling toward the other at some point.

One of the best surprises is a secondary ability that Gemma develops. I've never read anything like that before and I felt it was very original, unexpected, and fun! Though the overall surprise with this book is that with its length, there is absolutely no fluff -- no extraneous scenes written just to make the book seem longer. Every scene has a purpose and furthers the plot or character development. Well done, Ms. Sommersby!

Giveaway

I am effusively in love with this book and cannot wait for the next chapter in Gemma's life. This one book that I think should be on everyone's to be read list or in their Amazon.com shopping carts. And because I feel so strongly about that, I am most grateful to the fantastic Jennifer Sommersby teaming up with the fabulous Angela Carlie, author of Dream Smashers (read my 5-star review here) to get their amazing books into your hands with a giveaway!

What You Win

one eBook copy of Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby

one eBook copy of Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie.

Rules

You must be 13 years old or older.

This contest is open to everyone.

Contest ends May 9, 2011.

One entry per person.

Contest Closed

Quick Note & Coming Up

Hey guys, I know I sort of dropped off the planet there for a couple weeks and been neglecting my blog and somewhat New Books for New Bloggers too. But I'm back and here's what you can look forward to next week: Reviews Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby Delirium by Lauren Oliver The Dark & Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan Giveaways Contemporary Meets Fantasy Giveaway Cover Reveal Land of Corn Chips by Angela Carlie And other things as I think of them!

Review: The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Release Date: January 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 256
Reading level: Young Adult
My Rating:

Welcome to a future where water is more precious than gold or oil-and worth killing for.

Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.

-- from Goodreads.com

I've been sitting on this review for a little while because I wasn't sure if I was going to finish reading the book or not. And now that I'm sure that I can't finish it, I'm writing a review on what I did read and explaining why I couldn't finish. I want to explain too why I gave this three stars instead of one (which, according to my star chart, means I didn't finish). I won't be posting this review anywhere but on my own site.

The reason this receives three stars is because the idea is a fantastic one. The progression of the story is fascinating and I really wanted to know the outcome. The whole dystopia was interesting and well fleshed out with details that I wouldn't personally have thought of which always is a great thing to read for me. While the idea and the world were built out of wonderful, what I struggled with was the execution of the point of view and the writing style.

First, the execution of the point of view was strange and stiff to me. I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that it's a grown man writing the point of view of a young girl. I'm guessing from the unemotional, flat voice of the narrator that Mr. Stracher doesn't have daughters or nieces or much interaction with young girls. I think he needed to have done a little more research because the way the story is told from her point of view it sounded like the recounting of a story that happened 5 years ago. There was no immediacy or emotional connection to what was happening.

And second, other than the dispassionate narrator, the writing style had something to it that I can't put my finger on but that made it really hard to enjoy reading. I love being immersed in the world of the book I'm reading and feel like I'm living it. And I would get there with this book but then something about how it was written would jar me right out of it. I couldn't even tell you what it was or why but after being ejected from the world several times I realized that it was becoming more a chore to read this book than something enjoyable. So I put it down and decided not to read anymore.

Let me just say this in conclusion, that I don't have a problem with the fans of this book or the author. I wish that I could have liked this a lot more than I did but I honestly couldn't. I tried for a few months and had to give up. I know that there are many who will enjoy this and I'm glad! And because I think that people should enjoy and read this, I will not be publishing this review anywhere other than here. I hope that Mr. Stracher will polish his research and writing skills and blow me away with a second YA book. He was almost there with this one!

Follow Friday #012

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee.com.

 

This Week's Question: Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her.
I always tell my younger sister what I'm reading and my mother. They both pass on the excitement to their friends and others in my family. It's fun to talk with them both about books because they have such differing interests but sometimes, in the rare wonderful and fun moments, we all sync up and enjoy the same books. It's fab!

If I Had a Million Dollars -- I'd Own a Barnes & Noble

I know I've been neglecting my blog -- I got a mini contract job (gratis) to design some print materials for my church so I've been busy but I wanted to post something. So I was reading my Shelf Awareness email yesterday and came across an interview with Jim Moore (an author I had never heard of). The questions they asked him were fun and I wanted to answer them myself. Here goes!

On your nightstand now: More books than I'm actually reading really. My Nook is there and it's stuffed with some great indie novels. Then there's Timeless by Alexandra Monir, Like Mandarin by Kristen Hubbard, and The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente.

Favorite book when you were a child: Without a doubt, Muffy & The Mystery of the Stolen Eggs by Ethel Barrett. I loved anything by her when I was little but that one was especially fun.

Your top five (or nine!) authors: Dean Koontz, Jane Austen, LJ Smith, Lauren Henderson, Jennifer Sommersby, James Dashner, Sophie Jordan, Angela Carlie, and Rex Stout.

Book you've faked reading: Ohh that would have to be Don Quixote by Cervantes. It was assigned as summer reading between my Junior & Senior years of high school AP English. And it was so farcical that I couldn't stomach it so I got the Cliff's Notes. First and last time in my life I did that!

Book you're an evangelist for: There are 3 at the moment. I emphatically tell everyone I know about Shine by Lauren Myracle, Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby, and Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie. They are just tremendous books. Go. Read them. Now!

Book you've bought for the cover: I don't usually do that but if I did, Firelight by Sophie Jordan would probably have been the one. I'm drawn to red hair, what can I say?

Book that changed your life: That's a tough call. So many books I've read have affected me, especially the ones about tough social issues. But it could be said that Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte changed me from a casual reader to a voracious, insatiable reader when I was about 11.

Favorite line and one-half from a book: "I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am --" from The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

Book you most want to read again for the first time: Either The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or The Scorch Trials by James Dashner.

Book you'd take with you to a desert island: You can't make me choose. I refuse. My answer is I'd take my Nook and therefore have about 6000 books! Also, if I were on a desert island it would be by choice because I was a millionaire and I owned it. And, if I had a million dollars -- I'd own a Barnes & Noble and it would come with me to the desert island! Take that, mean question!

Follow Friday #011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee.com.

 

This Week's Question: Do You Judge A Book By Its Cover?
Well, sometimes I do, yes. I love covers that identify books to be a gritty grasp for survival in a post-apocalyptic or dystopian future. You know the ones with grunge lettering and industrial-looking graphics. I'm not all that attracted to girls in flowy prom dresses usually but will often read the book anyway if I've seen it reviewed well. And I especially have a hard time with the boy+girl+hearts+cute stuff covers or really close up faces covers because they generally tend to be on books about contemporary romance which is my least favorite of books unless its coupled with a mystery or social issue.

 

Comment if you decide to follow me. I'd love to read your blog and follow you too!

Retro Reads #008: The Knife by R. L. Stine

The Knife by R. L. Stine

Release Date: January 1, 1992
Purchase Date: December 2010 @ Library Book Sale
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 176
Reading level: Young Adult
My Rating:

The doctors and nurses at Shadyside Hospital want to keep many things about their hospital a secret. But a student volunteer aide, Laurie, stumbles onto the hospital's sickest secret of all--and the staff prescribes a deadly diagnosis for poor Laurie.
-- from FantasticFiction.co.uk

I haven't done a Retro Reads in a while, months really, so I figured I'd do one right now because I'm in a bit of a reading slump but I'm feeling like reviewing!

It seems to be a trend in my reviews lately that the books I'm reading tend to deal with real issues that are important to society. This one is no different, even if it is an older book. The issue touched in this book is one that will always be relevant as long as there are power-hungry people in the world.

An illegal adoption ring is being operated inside the hospital and Laurie has her pretty nose in the middle of it because her heart has gone out to a poor little 2 year old who seems to have been left alone with his misery and a very scary nurse. The plot unfolds with all the delicious fun of YA books from the 90s with a hint of possible romance and a snarky best friend too. All elements of a good, fast read.

The characters are a little cookie-cutter in some respect. Laurie feels like many other of Stine's leading ladies who are quite, intelligent, but insatiably curious and caring. Her best friend felt equally similar to past sarcastic, funky best friends. And of course, the possible romantic interest is just like other mysterious, possible serial killers that popped up in many of Stine's works. They are all likable however and interesting so it's more like being among good friends than being bored.

What really makes this work, better than many of Stine's books, is that it had the feel of a more adult plot structure. There were subplots (which don't always crop up in Stine's books from the 90s) and twists that not even I could figure out until the final reveal. Not that this was any cerebral read. No, it was just finely crafted and a head above shoulders read among the rest of 80s & 90s YA thrillers.

If you are looking for a super fast read, snag this one from the library or Amazon.com. It's a nice change of pace from some of the ponderous current YA books which take a while to get to the action and have scenes that feel inflated to elongate the book to contemporary lengths of 350+ pages. Then take a peek at my other Retro Reads for more fast reads from the 80s & 90s.

The Apple & The Tree

Apparently the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. I'm super excited that my daughter wants to start blogging about the books she reads. She's been watching me spend time writing in my own blog and talking about my blog with everyone who will listen. And now she wants to start one of her own.

Her blog is called Reading Pixie and will probably be geared toward middle grade books for some years to come. But if you want you can certainly hop over and see what a 10 year old would say were she to have a book blog!

Waiting on Wednesday #012: Zombies & Ghosts & Romance, Oh My!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

* * *

Bad Taste In Boys by July 12, 2011
Release Date: July 12, 2011

From Goodreads.com
Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah ... not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town ... and stay hormonally human.

I mean come on. It's about ZOMBIES after all. Hello? What self-respecting fan of zombie fiction and YA books doesn't want to read this one?! :D

* * *

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Release Date: June 14, 2011

From Amazon.com
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Ghosts. Secret Organizations. Romance. What's not to like, right? Well, except I'm going to have a really hard time if the book isn't written in first person from Emerson's point of view because I really don't like that name for a girl.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

How Did I Not Know?

Pardon this interruption, LOL. This is so totally not book related unless you go by the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon rule and link this band, The Just Luv, to my dad (the drummer) who will be a published author within the year. I just found out that Dad and his brother Frank, the lead singer, recorded this song called Valley of Hate. How did I not know my dad had a record? I know it was just one song and it didn't even have an original B-track (they do a cover of James Brown), but it appeared on several 60s compilations and is merited as being a true masterpiece by YouTube commentors.

Dad just emailed me a link to a blog review at Flower Bomb Songs posted back in March (and funnily enough the post was made on my younger sister's birthday). If you're curious or care, you can listen to the track here.

Creative Writing: Wither Inspired

So most anyone who follows my blog closely knows that I adored Wither by Lauren DeStefano so when I stumbled across a contest where one had to write a 250-500 word story inspired by the book, I so jumped at it!

The contest is being held by Novel Novice and you can get more of the details here if you want to enter. They also have another similar contest for Curse Workers!

If you're interested in reading my entry, click here. I'd love any comments or constructive criticism you might have!

The Stand For Japan Giveaway Hop

Hey guys, this is sort of a bittersweet post because I'm both bringing to mind the disaster in Japan which is weighing heavily on so many minds and in so many hearts. And I'm announcing a giveaway, Stand For Japan Giveaway Hop, brought to you by The Bawdy Book Blog, and My Shelf Confessions. Each blog participating is hosting their own giveaway.

I'm highlighting Khadija's @ Black Fingernailed Reviews.

Here's how it works, to be entered in her giveaway you have to make a donation to Shelterbox USA. Each box costs $1,000 and they're hoping to raise enough money for two. Go here to see what the box includes, and to learn more about Shelterbox please go here.

To me, this is a seriously worthy cause for a giveaway. I hope that you will be as generous as you can and snag a few great prizes too. Check out Khadija's blog for the list of prizes she's giving away.

Review: Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie

Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie

Release Date: April 4, 2011
Publisher: DarkSide
Pages: 242
Reading level: Young Adult
My Rating:

Sixteen-year-old Autumn has spent her entire life worrying about others. Her ailing grandma, meth-addicted mother, and a best friend who is always in trouble. She's spent the last few years attempting to worry less, to be carefree, without success. Enter Evan, whose radiant attitude is an Autumn magnet. With Evan at her side, Autumn's able to let some of her worries go as they trudge through life's difficulties and fall for each other in the process. A coming of age story about a girl who no longer wants to care and a boy who cares enough for the both of them.

-- from Amazon.com

Mini-Disclaimer: I don't usually disclaim books because I want the reader to make their own decisions, but I did want to warn anyone sensitive to profanity that this book has a lot of it, though mostly it originates from or because of Jacinda, Autumn's meth addicted mother. To me, it didn't feel superfluous to the storyline.

Dream Smashers was a very difficult read for me. Not because I didn't understand or like it but because it deals with some very tough topics in a very bold, real way. At times elegant, at times thoroughly visceral, the story dives right into meth addiction from the point of view of the addict as well as those around them including family.

The narrator is Autumn whose mother is as toxic as they come, addicted to meth and angry about her past choices and mistakes. Autumn's voice is snarky and funny and very intelligent in spite of her sometimes poor grammar and foul language. With a mother who constantly invades her life and turns it upside down, it's no wonder Autumn's viewpoint is so raw with emotion and frustration and hopelessness. Enter Evan, who appears to be the epitome of light and goodness who comes armed with words of truth and hope and with an easy, sometimes cheesy manner. The two are so well written together that everything else in the plot seems to fall away in the moments when they are together. The romance is gentle and sweet and I enjoyed every second of it.

The other characters are equally well-written and layered. Every one seems to go on a transforming journey through the story, from the supposed drug pushing popular girl to the rough, trouble-magnet best friend. I was so impressed with how each character had their own personal story which we were treated to at least partially through the events of the story as well as layers which were peeled back slowly in response to the central metamorphosis of Autumn's life because of her interactions with Evan.

Parts of this book were so uplifting that it was a joy to read. The scenes of hope and love were just as well-crafted as those that were dark and angry with drugs and alcohol and their aftermaths. Ms. Carlie is a wordsmith (she discovered myriad new and fascinating ways for Jacinda to drop the f-bomb) and her writing transported me from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other, sometimes within seconds. I felt what Autumn felt, lived her life for the entire journey of the book. This is truly an amazing coming of age story with an element of faith that I had not expected to find.

I especially appreciated the building up and toppling down of a false beacon of hope for Autumn. Watching her realize that she has a more lasting and real source of hope in Evan and what he brings to her through his faith was one of the best parts of this story.

I could probably extol the merit of this work of art for hours. It reminded me of the brilliant way in which Lauren Myracle wove the story in Shine. Ms. Carlie should be praised for her bravery with the subject matter and for her exquisite writing style. Dream Smashers might be shorter than most YA novels on the market at the moment but there is no fluff; it is completely full of life and action. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys books dealing with heavy social issues and those who are fans of coming of age stories with hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. I encourage everyone to read this book though. Bravo, Ms. Carlie.

Check out Angela Carlie's blog for a chance to win Dream Smashers and other DarkSide Publishing goodies!

Just Curious: Author/Bloggers

I'm just curious to know how many of my readers are also writing their own YA novel. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to but if you just raise your hand I won't feel quite so alone! :D

Books & Movies: Insidious

So anyone who knows me in real life knows that I am a horror movie addict. I'm the one who sits and watches the Oscars and grumbles because there is no horror movie category and no horror movies are ever recognized at awards shows. I am the one who likes the so-silly campy ones that don't take themselves too seriously and make me laugh at stuff that should be scary because it's just ridiculous. And I'm the one who is sitting front row, by myself, when you sneak in with your boyfriend to laugh at yourself getting startled because I just totally love the thrill ride.

My big complaint, I guess, is that I can't find a book that makes my blood run cold the way the movie I watched today did. Insidious, while a little silly sometimes, had moments where the editing was so tight and bizarre that I literally had chills and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my younger sister (who I usually see horror films with since I naughtily sneaked her into see Scream before she was 17) would be screaming and grabbing my arm in fright.

Why can I not find a BOOK like this? Well, let me be honest and say that Hell House by Richard Matheson gave me that sensation the first time I read it. So I've found at least one book. And Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz attempted it and Ted Dekker's House almost got there. But there's been little satisfaction anywhere else in the scare department. Aren't there any intensely creepy haunted house books anymore?

If you happen to know of one or a couple or several (dare I hope?) that are on par with the delicious thrill of horror movies on the screen (the good ones) please let me know!

Follow Friday #010

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee.com.

 

This Week's Question: What is the book that you really don't want to admit to loving??
Err... I don't know. I guess maybe it would have to be a totally NON-YA book because I don't have any problems admitting to those that I enjoy and don't enjoy however they fall. So to answer that I have to admit that I like something Stephen King wrote even though I usually don't like his books. Except Cell really caught me and even though it wasn't a YA book, it had a young adult character that I got really attached to, not to mention a fantabulous plot that I can't wait to see in film. I read this book twice. It's that good.

 

Comment if you decide to follow me. I'd love to read your blog and follow you too!

Winner: Cleaning My Bookshelf Giveaway #5

Here is the winner for the last Cleaning My Bookshelf giveaway.

Cleaning My Shelf Giveaway #5
Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

and the winner is...
Tena @ Crazy Book Slut

Congrats to the winners! All books will be sent out in the next week. Can't wait to see what you think in your reviews!