Review "The Red Umbrella"

"The Red Umbrella"
by Christina Diaz Gonzalez


4

Pub. Date: May 11, 2010
Pages: 288

Synopsis: The Red Umbrella is the moving tale of a 14-year-old girl's journey from Cuba to America as part of Operation Pedro Pan—an organized exodus of more than 14,000 unaccompanied children, whose parents sent them away to escape Fidel Castro's revolution.

In 1961, two years after the Communist revolution, Lucía Álvarez still leads a carefree life, dreaming of parties and her first crush. But when the soldiers come to her sleepy Cuban town, everything begins to change. Freedoms are stripped away. Neighbors disappear. Her friends feel like strangers. And her family is being watched.

As the revolution's impact becomes more oppressive, Lucía's parents make the heart-wrenching decision to send her and her little brother to the United States—on their own.

Suddenly plunked down in Nebraska with well-meaning strangers, Lucía struggles to adapt to a new country, a new language, a new way of life. But what of her old life? Will she ever see her home or her parents again? And if she does, will she still be the same girl?

If it had not been for the 2010 Debut Author Challenge, I wouldn't have picked up this book and I would have missed out on a great book! I hadn't heard about Operation Pedro Pan and I honestly didn't know much about Fidel Castro's revolution, so I really enjoyed learning about this period in history. I love how Lucia is just your average teenage girl making her very relatable. You can see yourself in her situation thinking about boys, gossiping with your friends and then all of a sudden seeing horrors you thought happened in other parts of the world. The safe streets you walk down every day now have troops with guns. Your friends are moving out of their parents house to support the revolution and you aren't allowed out of your house because your parents fear for you safety.

This book had many parts that were heartbreaking, but it was also uplifting and even funny at times. I really enjoyed reading about the time Lucia and her brother spent in Nebraska. Even though they were away from their parents, they were able to make the best of a bad situation. It was also interesting to see how Lucia's family morphed throughout the book. She started with a very typical family; a mother, father, and brother who loved each other very much, but all this changed when her parents realized they must send their children away for their safety.

This book is all about hope in tough situations and finding family where you least expect it. I really enjoyed how Gonzalez was able to tell a sad story without it being overwhelmingly depressing. I feel like she really balanced the good with the bad. Many children had to be seperated from their families during this part of Cuba's history, but Gonzalez was able to highlight the amazing story of how these children were successfully brought to America with the hopes of starting a new life where their. parents could one day join them.
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2010 Book Challenge Update

Books Read in 2010

01) Fallen- Lauren Kate
02) Ivy- Julia Hearn
03) Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey- Trenton Lee Stewart
04) The Secret Year- Jennifer Hubbard
05) The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold
06) Bleeding Violet- Dia Reeves
07) Maid Sama! Volume 1- Fujiwara Hiro
08) Incarceron- Catherine Fisher
09) A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame- Brenda Woods
10) The Cheat to Lose Diet- Joel Marion
11) The Iron King- Julie Kagawa
12) NG Life Volume 1- Mizuho Kusanagi
13) NG Life Volume 2- Mizuho Kusanagi
14) NG Life Volume 3- Mizuho Kusanagi
15) My Sister's Keeper- Jodi Picoult
16) The Host Club- Bisco Hatori
17) Shutter Island- Dennis Lehane
18- Dirty Little Secrets- C.J. Omololu
19) The Tenth Circle- Jodi Picoult
20) Leviathan- Scott Westerfeld
21) Hex Hall- Rachel Hawkins
22) The Looking Glass Wars- Frank Beddor
23) The Body Finder- Kimberly Derting
24) The Mark- Jen Nadol
25) The Dead-Tossed Waves- Carrie Ryan
26) Pirates Latitude- Michael Crichton
27) The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky
28) A Hopeless Romantic-Harriet Evans
29) Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side- Beth Fantaskey
30) My Soul To Save- Rachel Vincent
31) Seeing Red- Frank Beddor
32) Shinju- Laura Joh Rowland
33) Aria (Volume 1)- Kozue Amano
34) Push- Sapphire
35) Little Miss Red- Robin Palmer
36) The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma- Trenton Lee Stewart
37) Heist Society- Ally Carter
38) Marcelo in the Real World- Francisco X. Stork
39) Secret Vampire (Night World Book 1)- L.J. Smith
40) Daughters of Darkness (Night World Book 2)- L.J. Smith
41) Spellbinder (Night World Book 3)- L.J. Smith
42) Darkly Dreaming Dexter- Jeff Lindsay
43) Good In Bed- Jennifer Weiner
44) Jekel Loves Hyde- Beth Fantaskey
45) Dead in the Family- Charlaine Harris
46) Something Like Fate- Susane Colasanti
47) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo- Stieg Larson
48) Looking For Alaska- John Green
49) Prom- Laurie Halse Anderson
50) The Red Pyramid- Rick Riordan
51) Size 12 is Not Fat- Meg Cabot
52) Anansi Boys- Neil Gaiman
53) A Measure of Disorder- Alan Tucker
54) Perchance to Dream- Lisa Mantchev
55) Broken Birds; The Story of My Momila- Jeannette Katzir
56) Pretty Little Liars- Sara Shepard
57) Alice in the Country of Hearts Volume 1- Soumei Hoshino (Illustrator), QuinRose (Author)
58) Alice in the Country of Hearts Volume 2- Soumei Hoshino (Illustrator), QuinRose (Author)
59) The Girl Who Played With Fire- Stieg Larsson
60) A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend- Emily Horner
61) Linger- Maggie Stiefvater
62) Airhead- Meg Cabot
63) Before I Die- Jenny Downham
64) Flawless- Sara Shepard
65) Shadowland: The Mediator- Meg Cabot
66) The Ghost and the Goth- Stacey Kade
67) Girls in Trucks- Katie Crouch
68) The Chosen One- Carol Lynch Williams
69) Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins
70) To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
71) The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest- Stieg Larsson
72) Clockwork Angel- Cassandra Clare
73) A Touch of Dead- Charlaine Harris
74) Wicked Lovely- Melissa Marr
75) The Eternal Ones- Kirsten Miller
76) Being Nikki- Meg Cabot
77) Wildthorn- Jane Eagland
78) Paranormalcy- Kiersten White
79) Ink Exchange- Melissa Marr
80) The Replacement- Yovanoff, Brenna
81) Avalon High- Meg Cabot
82) Halo- Alexandra Adornetto
83) Enchanted Ivy- Sarah Beth Durst
84) The House of the Scorpion- Nancy Farmer
85) A Wrinkle In Time-Madeleine L'Engle
86) Torment- Lauren Kate
87) ArchEnemy- Frank Beddor
88) Ill Wind- Rachel Caine
89) Nightshade- Andrea Cremer
90) Chains- Laurie Halse Anderson
91) Three Rivers Rising- Jame Richards
92) Other- Karen Kincy
93) Aria Volume 2- Kozue Amano
94) Mushishi- Yuki Urushibara
95) Stormbreaker- Anthony Horowitz
96) The Red Umbrella- Christina Gonzalez
97) Tsubasa: Those With Wings- Natsuki Takaya
98) Fairy Tail Vol 1- Hiro Mashima
99) Crescendo- Becca Fitzpatrick
100) Will Grayson, Will Grayson- John Green and David Levithan

I read 100 books this year, but I am a little disappointed that I didn't finish the 4 books I am still in the middle of before the end of the year! The yellow books are paranormal books that I was reading for the Paranormal Reading Challenge. I read 49 books (unless I miscounted), only 1 off of the goal of 5o for the year!

Debut Author Challenge

1. Hex Hall- Rachel Hawkins
2. Paranormalcy- Kiersten White
3. The Iron King- Julie Kagawa
4. The Body Finder- Kimberly Derting
5. The Secret Year- Jennifer Hubbard
6. Nightshade- Andrea Cremer
7. Bleeding Violet- Dia Reeves
8. The Replacement- Brenna Yovanoff
9. The Mark- Jen Nadol
10. Dirty Little Secrets- C.J. Omololu
11. A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend- Emily Horner
12. The Ghost and the Goth- Stacey Kade
13. Halo- Alexandra Adornetto
14. A Measure of Disorder- Alan Tucker
15. Three Rivers Rising- Jame Richards
16. The Red Umbrella- Christina Gonzalez
17. Other- Karen Kincy

I read 5 more books then the goal of the challenge, and most of the books were awesome! I am definitely doing this challenge next year, but I think my goal shall be 20.

I am very happy with my performance overall. I think for 2011 I am going to try to read 120 books... I will be pretty surprised if I reach this goal, but the whole point is for it to be a challenge! How did your reading challenges go for 2010?

Review of "Other"

"Other"
Karen Kincy

4

Pub. Date: July 28, 2010
Pages: 326

Synopsis: Feathers unfurl from my skin. My plummet curves into a swoop, and I tuck my talons beneath my body. From girl to great horned owl in about a second. Pretty good, huh?

Gwen Williams is like any other modern teenager with one exception: she's a shapeshifter. Never having known her Pooka-spirit father, Gwen must struggle with the wild, wonderful magic inside of her alone—and in secret. While society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in Klikamuks, Washington, who don't care for her kind.

Now there's a new werewolf pack in town, and Others are getting killed, including Gwen's dryad friend. The police are doing zilch. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen meets a cute Japanese fox spirit who's refreshingly comfortable with his Otherness. Can Gwen find the courage to embrace her true self and find the killer—before she becomes the next victim?

After months of waiting to read this book, I finally sucked it up and bought it. "Other" is a paranormal romance, but it goes beyond the basics of vampires and werewolves. Gwen is half pooka and her best friend is a dryad, but there are many other paranormal creatures sprinkled in the premier book of the series. The murder mystery moves the story along with its high death rate and tension mounting. Gwen knows that her otherness won't stay secret for very long. I like how Kincy didn't hold back when it came to the death toll. Some books boast there being lots of danger, but then the main characters only have minor scares here and there; Kincy does not fall into this trap, instead the danger gets closer and closer to Gwen as more others die.

"Other" does a great job at discussing social issues that teenagers face daily. Gwen struggles with accepting her true identity and even hides her otherness from her boyfriend of one year. She also struggles with whether or not she is ready to have sex for the first time. Kincy's portrayal of a first relationship was very honest without being completely brutal. I like how she was able to blend typical teenage issues into a paranormal romance/ murder mystery without slowing down the story or taking the emphasis off the main plot. I feel like a lot of teenagers will be able to relate to Gwen's struggles with her otherness because many teens find them not fitting into the cliques that form during that age. Even if they do fit in, many teens hide parts of themselves from their friends and other people their age for fear of being thought of as a freak or seen as different; this is exactly what Gwen does every day.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys paranormal mysteries or is looking for a quick read. I think people who enjoyed "The Body Finder" will also really like "Other". There are already two more follow up books in the works. "Bloodborn", the second book in the series, will be coming out next fall. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for it!

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Review of "Nightshade"

"Nightshade"
Andrea Cremer


6

Pub. Date: October 19, 2010
Pages: 453

Synopsis: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything-- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

I absolutely loved "Nightshade", it was definitely one of the best books I have read all year. Calla is such a strong character, I couldn't help but admire her. Even though Ren was kind of a womanizer, but he also had a lot more to him than his sex appeal. He was just so charming, but then again so was Shay. Calla's brother and best friend were also fantastic characters... to be honest all the characters were pretty great. Even if I didn't like their personalities, I felt like they added a lot to the book.

I also loved the mythology Cremer created in her story. It was interesting to me that there was this whole other social structure functioning in a world and humans were completely unaware. I also liked the spin on classic werewolves; it seemed to combine them with shape shifters. I hate to say it, but it kind of reminded me of the werewolves in the "Twilight" series. Although there are a lot more politics involved with the packs in Cremer's world.

My favorite part of the book had to be Calla's struggle with personal freedom. I like how this paranormal romance went to another level through the conflicts of civil rights. A lot of the characters were being oppressed, but many of them didn't seem to mind. They may not have even thought about it, or may not have wanted to.

All these elements that Cremer has woven into "Nightshade" make for an amazing series. I can't wait to read "Wolfsbane", the next book in the trilogy. I am glad I won't have to wait a full year for more in the "Nightshade" series. I read on Cremer's website that she is working on a steampunk book that explores what would have happened in the American Revolution never took place... I am pretty psyched about this! If it is anything like "Nightshade" it will be FANTASTIC! Click here for more about "Nightshade" and an excerpt from the book.

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2010 Debut Author Challenge Update

I just realized I have read 14 books by 2010 debut authors! Yay! I am still planning on reading 4 or 5 more books, but I just can't believe I didn't realize I past the 12... oops! I hope everyone is on track with this challenge.

1. Hex Hall- Rachel Hawkins
2. Paranormalcy- Kiersten White
3. The Iron King- Julie Kagawa
4. The Body Finder- Kimberly Derting
5. The Secret Year- Jennifer Hubbard
6. Nightshade- Andrea Cremer
7. Bleeding Violet- Dia Reeves
8. The Replacement- Brenna Yovanoff
9. The Mark- Jen Nadol
10. Dirty Little Secrets- C.J. Omololu
11. A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend- Emily Horner
12. The Ghost and the Goth- Stacey Kade
13. Halo- Alexandra Adornetto
14. A Measure of Disorder- Alan Tucker

2010 Reading Challenges Update

I just realized that I am terrible at keeping up with this... I have been doing the challenges though! I have read 26 books for the Paranormal Book Challenge. I think that means I am super behind my goal of 50. If 24 of my 28 books remaining are paranormal, then technically I can do it, but I don't think that will happen. For the 100+ Reading Challenge I am at a good pace. If I read between 6-7 books a month then I will have accomplished that! This is definitely a doable. For the Debut Author Challenge, I have read 8 out of 12. It is safe to say that I will make that goal. Maybe I should try for 15... Here are the list of books I've read. Paranormal Book Challenge books are highlighted and Debut Author Challenge books say Debut next to them ( I know you probably figured that one out on your own). Good luck to everyone else with their book challenges. If you aren't doing anything then I suggest trying at least one next year, they are just a lot of fun! I am definitely going to do the Debut Author Challenge for 2011... assuming there is one.

01) Fallen- Lauren Kate

02) Ivy- Julia Hearn
03) Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey- Trenton Lee Stewart
04) The Secret Year- Jennifer Hubbard (Debut)
05) The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold
06) Bleeding Violet- Dia Reeves (Debut)
07) Maid Sama! Volume 1- Fujiwara Hiro
08) Incarceron- Catherine Fisher
09) A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame- Brenda Woods
10) The Cheat to Lose Diet- Joel Marion
11) The Iron King- Julie Kagawa (Debut)
12) NG Life Volume 1- Mizuho Kusanagi
13) NG Life Volume 2- Mizuho Kusanagi
14) NG Life Volume 3- Mizuho Kusanagi
15) My Sister's Keeper- Jodi Picoult
16) The Host Club- Bisco Hatori
17) Shutter Island- Dennis Lehane
18- Dirty Little Secrets- C.J. Omololu
19) The Tenth Circle- Jodi Picoult
20) Leviathan- Scott Westerfeld
21) Hex Hall- Rachel Hawkins (Debut)
22) The Looking Glass Wars- Frank Beddor
23) The Body Finder- Kimberly Derting (Debut)
24) The Mark- Jen Nadol (Debut)
25) The Dead-Tossed Waves- Carrie Ryan
26) Pirates Latitude- Michael Crichton
27) The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky
28) A Hopeless Romantic-Harriet Evans
29) Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side- Beth Fantaskey
30) My Soul To Save- Rachel Vincent
31) Seeing Red- Frank Beddor
32) Shinju- Laura Joh Rowland
33) Aria (Volume 1)- Kozue Amano
34) Push- Sapphire
35) Little Miss Red- Robin Palmer
36) The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma- Trenton Lee Stewart
37) Heist Society- Ally Carter
38) Marcelo in the Real World- Francisco X. Stork
39) Secret Vampire (Night World Book 1)- L.J. Smith
40) Daughters of Darkness (Night World Book 2)- L.J. Smith
41) Spellbinder (Night World Book 3)- L.J. Smith
42) Darkly Dreaming Dexter- Jeff Lindsay
43) Good In Bed- Jennifer Weiner
44) Jekel Loves Hyde- Beth Fantaskey
45) Dead in the Family- Charlaine Harris
46) Something Like Fate- Susane Colasanti
47) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo- Stieg Larson
48) Looking For Alaska- John Green
49) Prom- Laurie Halse Anderson
50) The Red Pyramid- Rick Riordan
51) Size 12 is Not Fat- Meg Cabot
52) Anansi Boys- Neil Gaiman
53) A Measure of Disorder- Alan Tucker (Debut)
54) Perchance to Dream- Lisa Mantchev
55) Broken Birds; The Story of My Momila- Jeannette Katzir
56) Pretty Little Liars- Sara Shepard
57) Alice in the Country of Hearts Volume 1- Soumei Hoshino (Illustrator), QuinRose (Author)
58) Alice in the Country of Hearts Volume 2- Soumei Hoshino (Illustrator), QuinRose (Author)
59) The Girl Who Played With Fire- Stieg Larsson
60) A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend- Emily Horner (Debut)
61) Linger- Maggie Stiefvater
62) Airhead- Meg Cabot
63) Before I Die- Jenny Downham
64) Flawless- Sara Shepard
65) Shadowland: The Mediator- Meg Cabot
66) The Ghost and the Goth- Stacey Kade
67) Girls in Trucks- Katie Crouch
68) The Chosen One- Carol Lynch Williams
69) To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
70) Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins
71) The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest- Stieg Larsson
72) Clockwork Angel- Cassandra Clare

Review of "The Ghost and The Goth" by Stacey Kade

"The Ghost and The Goth"
by Stacey Kade


3

Pub. Date: June 29th, 2010
Pages: 288

Synopsis: After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from Homecoming Queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she’s stuck as a spirit (DON’T call her a ghost) in the land of the living with no sign of the big, bright light to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser outcast who despises the social elite. He alone can see and hear (turns out he’s been “blessed” with the ability to communicate with the dead), but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Groundsboro High.

Alona has never needed anyone for anything, and now she’s supposed to expose her deepest, darkest secrets to this pseudo-goth boy? Right. She’s not telling anyone what really happened the day she died, not even to save her eternal soul. And Will’s not filling out any volunteer forms to help her cross to the other side. He only has a few more weeks until his graduation, when he can strike out on his own and find a place with less spiritual interference. But he has to survive and stay out of the psych ward until then. Can they get over their mutual distrust—and the weird attraction between them—to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don’t exist?

I enjoyed "The Ghost and the Goth", but it kind of fell flat for me. Alona was an interesting character, but I couldn't get over her attitude and ego. She got better towards the end of the book and it helped me to enjoy the book more, but I felt like it just took too long for me to start to enjoy her character. I did like how she was able to help Will to learn to use his ability and that did show that she wasn't as heartless as she seemed, but it came a little late for me. It also bothered me how Will would complain about Alona so much but then he was constantly staring at her legs. I guess that's just a guy thing, but the whole relationship didn't really make much sense to me. Both characters only seemed physically attracted to one another.

I think I would have liked the book better if the story had focused on Will's abilities more. I did enjoy hearing the story through both characters' perspectives. Sometimes I find this jarring, but both characters had unique voices that made it easy to follow. Overall the book was enjoyable and funny, I just wish I could have connected to the characters more. I know that other people have enjoyed this book a lot more than me, so I think it comes down to whether or not you can accept Alona's character.

Review of "A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend"

"A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend"
By Emily Horner


4

Pub. Date: June 6, 2010
Pages: 272

Synopsis: For months, Cass has heard her best friend, Julia, whisper about a secret project. When Julia dies in a car accident, her drama friends decide to bring the project--a musical called Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad--to fruition. But Cass isn't a drama person. She can't take a summer of painting sets, and she won't spend long hours with Heather, the girl who made her miserable all through middle school and has somehow landed the leading role. So Cass takes off. In alternating chapters, she spends the first part of summer on a cross-country bike trip and the rest swallowing her pride, making props, and--of all things--falling for Heather. This is a story of the breadth of love. Of the depth of friendship. And of the most hilarious musical one quiet suburb has ever seen.

I was very impressed by Emily Horner's debut book; it had a lot of depth making it a great coming of age story. It deals with many classic topics such as sexuality, teasing, first love, friendship and grieving. Cass goes on her own journey to escape the past while searching for her identity. Many readers will be able to relate to Cass's feeling and may have gone through similar experiences. I really liked Heather's character and thought Horner did a great job at making her likable even with her treatment of Cass in the past. Even though Julia was dead, she still had a presence in the book and I felt like I knew her.

This book covers a lot of serious topics, but is able to stay upbeat and funny at the same time. Cass has a great cast of friends even if she doesn't realize it at the beginning. They can be goofy while still being good friends when it matters most. The play adds another level of humor, but is also what brings about many of the conflicts. Cass's bicycling trip is just one step that helps her move on with her life having both it's quirky, memorable and scary, "what will happen next" moments.

I am so glad I signed up for the Debut Author Challenge because I may not have picked up this book otherwise. I am attracted to this cover, but I am so far behind on my reading I don't know if I would have picked it up. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy Sarah Dessen or John Green. I think this would make a great Summer Reading book or book club selection.

Author Interview with Alan Tucker

Author Alan Tucker just released his first book "A Measure of Disorder" and is currently working on his second book. "A Cure for Chaos", the sequel in the "Mother-Earth" series, should be available early 2011. I really enjoyed Alan's book and was excited that he took the time to answer some of my questions. Here is my review of "A Measure of Disorder" and a link to the books website where you can find an excerpt from the book.

Synopsis: High school will be a breeze for Jenni Kershaw - if she lives long enough to enroll, that is. Jenni's ordinary, eighth grade life becomes a thing of the past when her science class goes on a field trip. Armed with only their notebooks, MP3 players, and wits, Jenni and her classmates are unknowingly transported to another world. There they encounter amazing creatures, some of which think a kid shish kebab would be a tasty treat. But they soon find the greatest dangers they face may come from themselves ... Follow Jenni and her class on their extraordinary adventures in their fight to discover who - and what - they really are.

1) Why did you decide to write a book?

My "day job", if you will, is graphic design and advertising, so I've actually been writing fiction for some time ; ) — okay, okay, advertising isn't really fiction, or at least it shouldn't be! But I majored in English Literature in college and have always had the writing bug in the back of my mind at the very least. I wrote some poetry and short stories with some success in and after college, then moved on to other creative ventures. I've started several novels through the years, but never seemed to have the whole package until this project. I'd either have a great beginning with nowhere to go, or I'd have a terrific ending with no way to start. I found myself some time last summer when my younger daughter was away visiting relatives and decided to give this project a go. It flowed quite steady with only a couple of hiccups along the way.

2) Did you know that this would be a series when you first started?

I had several ideas for where I wanted the story to go and pretty quickly realized it would take more than one book to tell the stories I wanted. The biggest challenge was fashioning an "ending" for the first book, because I don't like reading series books that don't really have some resolution of their own. Of course there will be untied threads to lead into the next installment, but the reader should leave the story with satisfaction, not frustration in waiting for the next book.

3) Where did you get the idea of the characters finding their true identity in another world?

I came at that from a couple of different directions. One theme in the book(s) is that many myths in our world may have kernels of truth to them. Why do so many cultures have stories about fairies, goblins and dragons? Maybe the common elements came from somewhere in "fact". Then secondly, I wanted to explore issues that affect teens universally. One of those is puberty and the process of becoming an adult. What if that process involved physical changes on a massive level? Also, the themes of fitting in, class and gender roles, and genetics vs. environment play a large part in the story. Crank develops many of these from the "other side" so to speak.

4) Do any of your characters reflect people in your life?

Each of the characters probably reflect amalgams of people in my life rather than any one in particular. I think every writer forms characters in a similar way. Writing is based on your experiences as a person, so the characters naturally have a basis in that experience. I can recall a couple of teachers with qualities like those of Ms. Pap and Mr. Kain. Likewise, the kids have aspects of people I grew up with, along with kids my daughters have known through the years. Most of all, I wanted to make them all identifiable and relatable.

5) What was the hardest part of the writing process for you?

Interview questions! Definitely! ; ) — Getting started with something is always tough. I tend to mold and massage things in my mind too long. My family will tell you that I'm famous for over-analyzing, so forcing myself to just sit down and peck away at the keyboard is probably the hardest thing. I do a lot of writing and rewriting in my head and many times try to hard to have it perfect before I put finger to keyboard.

6) What were your favorite books growing up?

When I was little I loved Encyclopedia Brown. I always wanted to figure out the case before he did. My teen years were filled largely with the Flinx and Pip books by Alan Dean Foster. I fancied myself to be Flinx, all I needed was a mini-drag ; ) I had the red hair and smart-alec attitude already! Foster always wrote fun and intriguing stories and he has been amazingly prolific over the years.

7) Can you give us any hints about what is in store for the next installment in the “Mother- Earth” series?

The next book will be called "A Cure for Chaos" and the first chapter is included in the back of "A Measure of Disorder" It takes place about six months after the end of "Measure" and starts off quickly with Jenni getting into trouble, Crank finding his way in a new world and a new form, and many of the others gaining control and confidence in their abilities.

8) Is there any question that you never get asked that you want to answer?

Big Time Movie Producer: "Will you sign here, please?" My answer would most certainly be, "Yes!"

Review of "The Body Finder"

"The Body Finder"
by Kimberly Derting


5

Pub. Date: March 16th 2010
Pages: 329

Summary: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

I absolutely loved this book! I am a slow reader and I read this book in only a few hours, it was THAT good. I really enjoyed the mystery, paranormal, and romance combo. Out of all the books that I've read for the 2010 Debut Author Challenge this was definitely my favorite so far. I thought it was really cool how each soul that Violet sensed had an original smell or taste. Getting glimpses into the killer's mind helped pick up the pace of the story for me. It just gave me chills knowing what was happening before Violet did. Derting was also good at keeping me guessing throughout the story. There were a couple of times where I thought I knew what was happening and then I found out I was completely wrong. I love when I have trouble figuring out what is going to happen next in a book. I like when I don't see things coming and just HAVE to continue to read to find out the next twist. I loved watching the interactions between Violet and Jay. I feel like that's how I act when I like guys, playfully hitting one another and teasing the pants off them.

I've never been the type of person to actively seek out a mystery to read, but this book made me want to delve into the genre. I know that it wasn't a strict mystery because there was a lot more going on in the plot, but I felt it was a good introduction for me. I don't usually plug bookstores or online bookstores, but I just discovered that BN.com has an e-book version of "The Body Finder" for only $1.99. I'm not sure if this is a sale price, but I just had to share this fantastic deal with you! I can't wait to see what Derting writes next, but according to her website she does have a book coming out in 2011 called "Desires of the Dead". Here is the book trailer for "The Body Finder" that I got off Derting's website.

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Review of "Bleeding Violet"

"Bleeding Violet"
By Dia Reeves
4

Pub. Date: January 05, 2010
Pages: 454

Synopsis:

Love can be a dangerous thing....

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

Reeves has create a first book to be truly proud of. Hanna is a complex character that maybe truly crazy, but her quirks are what make you love her. Even though this book was a paranormal book about a town where monsters and magic are a reality, Reeves was able to weave more important topics such as family, love, responsibility, honor, and the search to find ones place in the world. When I first heard about this novel I didn't expect to find the depth that this book was able to achieve. I really enjoyed the world that Reeves created where things that would be considered crazy become a reality; and I'm not just talking about the monsters.

With that said, there were a couple of things that rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know why this bothered me, but there was a lot of sexual encounters in this book. I understand that this is just part of Hanna's character, but for some reason it just didn't work for me. It's not that I thought they weren't believable and I understand why Reeves put them in there, but it is just something that I could have done without. I also didn't quite feel the chemistry between Hanna and Wyatt. I understood why Hanna had a thing for Wyatt, but Wyatt kind of fell flat for me. I think what it comes down to is that I could have done with more of the paranormal monster stuff and less with the Wyatt relationship and sexual content.

I definitely recommend this book for mature teens. Even though there were things that bothered me about the book, I found it to be a fast read. I have a feeling that most readers won't care about the things I mentioned. The first chapter of the book is available on Dia Reeve's website, check it out by clicking here.

Review: "The Secret Year"

"The Secret Year"

Jennifer Hubbard

4

Pub. Date: January 2010
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Pages: 208

Synopsis: Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia's boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can't mourn Julia openly, and he's tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia's journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he's desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

I was so excited when this book came in the mail because I was dying to read it and I forgot that I had preordered it during Christmas. It was a really quick read and I enjoyed it a lot. I especially liked the fact that it was a love story told from the male perspective. I honestly can't tell you why I didn't love this book. The plot had a lot of great depth. There was the initial plot about the Colt trying to get over the death of Julia, but there were also conflicts between Colt and his friends; as well as the conflict between the Black Mountain and flats kids. I really liked the characters in this book. Colt interested me a lot because he reminded me of some of the guys I know. I also was fascinated by Julia’s notes and was dying to know more about her. Even though she wasn’t the easiest character to like, I still felt myself drawn to her.

Jennifer Hubbard wrote a great first novel. I’m not sure why this book didn’t quite make it into the love category, but I have to say I hope to read more by her. I am glad that I have the book in hardcover and I’ve already passed it onto one of my friends. She was going through the pile of ARCs I got at the ALA conference and HAD to read “The Secret Year”. I would recommend this book to people who are fans of Sarah Dessen, John Green, and other realistic fiction authors. I am so sure that you guys will enjoy this book as much as I did that I am going to be giving away the ARC I have! If you want to enter to win the book, please click here for more information.

2010 Debut Author Challenge

Now that I'm finishing up school I will have time to do a lot more reading. One great way to make sure I stay on task is to sign up for challenges, so I am signing up for the 2010 Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren.

• Kristy is challenging us to read at least 12 debut YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels.
  
• The challenges runs between January 1st 2010 to December 31st, 2010.
• You don't have to be a blogger to participate.
• The books need to be released in 2010.

Click here for more information about the challenge. Kristy has listed some websites to go to when choosing your books for the challenge. These books can change throughout the year so don't worry if you feel like reading books that aren't on your original list.

Books I plan on reading:

Bleeding Violet- Dia Reeves (January 5th)
The Secret Year- Jennifer Hubbard (January 7th)
The Iron King- Julie Kagawa (February 1st)
Dirty Little Secrets- C.J. Omololu (February 2nd)
Forget-Her-Nots- Amy Brecount White (March 2nd)
The Body Finder- Kimberly Derting (March 16th)

Three Rivers Rising- James Richards (April 13th)
The Red Umbrella- Christina Gonzalez (May 11th)
Sea- Heidi R. Kling (June 10th)
A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend- Emily Horner (June 10th)
Tell Me a Secret- Holly Cupala (June 22nd)
Other- Karen Kincy (July 1st)
Paranormalcy- Kiersten White (Fall)
Freefall- Mindi Scott (Fall)