Book Recommendation -- Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

By John Green and David Levithan

 

Blurb from Goodreads: "One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical."

I freaking loved this book.  LOVED.  In fact, I think you can officially consider me a John Green/David Levithan fangirl.

On the serious side though, let's talk about why I love this book so much.  First of all, the characters are so full of depth and voice it's as if you're standing right there in the halls of their high school with them.  (Tiny, OMG how I love Tiny, is probably the best of all of them with his super-spectacular sparkly self.)

Second, I love that this book completely encapsulates gay characters without making it anything out of the ordinary.  They're gay.  So what?  That's just who they are.  I LOVE that. 

Third, I am an utter and complete sucker for musicals.  Ah, what I would pay to see Tiny's performance up on stage.  I'm sure the show would reach epic beyond epic levels.

Fourth, we'll go back to Tiny because I love him so much.  He's not afraid to put himself or his feelings out there, and all he wants is to see people happy and be appreciated.  And the arc of the characters is so wide and so well done with Tiny being the driving force behind it all -- I just can't quite put it all to words.

Fifth, it's funny!  So funny I laughed out loud sporadically through the whole book.

In fact, I loved it so much that mere hours after finishing it, I passed it to a friend and demanded that she read it immediately. 

What about you all, have you read Will Grayson, Will Grayson yet?  What'd you think? 

Also, go check out my post over on Paper Hangover today in celebration of banned book week!

Book Recommendation -- The Day Before

The Day Before

By Lisa Schroeder

 

 Blurb from Goodreads: "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. 

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. 

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."


First of all, I got this as an ARC thanks to Simon and Schuster's egalley program.  (Yay!)  This book will debut on June 28th from Simon Pulse.

Now, when I downloaded this galley, I didn't realize it was a novel in verse.  To be honest, I've never been a big fan of poetry (Feel free to slaughter me for saying that.)  So when I realized this was a story told in a poetic form, well, I was nervous.


But I have good news.  It. Was. Wonderful.

The words flowed along at a rhythmic pace, deepening and lifting the story in ways that wouldn't have been possible had it been told any other way.

Amber and Cade are both such rich characters.  Through the whole story one of the main driving forces is finding out who these people are.  What is it that drives them to be all alone at the beach? 

I don't know if I can really say much else without giving the story away.  Thing is, this is a fast read with an emotional intensity I didn't expect.  It is worth every minute you spend reading it.

Even if you don't have a love of poetry, I recommend you give it a try.  I'll be seeking out the other books Ms. Schroeder has written now for sure.

Book Recommendation -- The Goddess Test

Okay, so I wasn't going to do a book rec this week.  You know, change and all.  But GUYS I READ THE MOST AWESOME BOOK AND I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT!! 

Ehm.  Sorry about that.  ;)  I finished it at about two this morning, so I'm a little over the edge today.  lol

The Goddess Test

By Aimee Carter

Blurb on Goodreads: "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.
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.
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."


IT WAS SO GOOD!!!

I wasn't sure about the book when I started it, but it didn't take long to fall in love with the story.  Kate is a great main character, and for most of the story I was right on the same page as her.  Sometimes I did want to smack her, but it wasn't for any bad reason.  Just because I could see what was going on and she couldn't.  :)

And Henry is The Most Awesome EVER.  OMG I HEART HENRY.

At first he's kinda scary, but guys!  *swoon*  Let me tell ya, Carter has got the whole romantic tension bit in the bag.

You definitely want to pick this one up.

Book Recommendation -- Where She Went

Where She Went

By Gayle Forman

 

Blurb from Goodreads: "It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.  Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance."

Phew.  Okay, so, I loved If I Stay.  Let there be no question about that.  But I was terrified that Where She Went would disappoint me. 

I'm so happy to say:  It didn't.  Not even a tiny bit.

Adam's character is incredible.  The emotional intensity is incredible.  Everything about this book is incredible.

I keep typing up big comments about the book and then realize that no matter how I try to veil them, I'm spoiling the ending.  So, I'm not going to say anything direct about the story, because getting there is the most important part.

This is the kind of book that changes you.  I highly, and with most sincerity, recommend you read it.

Have any of you read it yet?  What'd you think?

Book Recommendation -- Virtuosity

Virtuosity

By Jessica Martinez

Blurb from Goodreads: "Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. Two weeks before the most important violin competition of her career, she has bigger things to worry about—like growing out of that suffocating “child prodigy” label, and not disappointing her mother. But it isn’t just the wrong time. It’s the wrong guy. Jeremy is Carmen’s most talented rival, and according to her mother, he’s only interested in one thing: winning. He isn’t the only one. Carmen is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to control performance nerves. But what started a year ago as an easy fix is now a hungry addiction. Her mother insists now is not the time to quit, but Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of doing what she’s told. When the darker side of the classical music industry and her mother's ambition collide, Carmen must choose between her career and her love for music."

First, take a moment and stare in wonder at that magnificent cover.  It's just so PRETTY! 

Guys.  Oh, guys.  Seriously...I am without words.

This book is so moving, so full of emotion and hope and love and life, that it absolutely sings on the page.  It was 100% unputdownable.  I kept sneaking peeks at it while I was at work.  I devoured it in the evenings, on my lunch break, any spare moment I could find.

It not only stole my breath, it stole my heart.  I can't stop thinking about it, about Carmen, about how brave she was, and how noble. 

Funny side note -- I always wanted to play violin.  I played guitar, but it never felt right.  I begged my parents, pleaded with them, to let me take violin lessons.  They couldn't afford to buy me a violin though, not to mention the fact that there was probably nobody anywhere near us that could give me lessons.  But it was a dream.  :)  This book brought the dream back, and I may just put playing violin on my bucket list now.

I can't tell you enough how simply amazing this book is.  You're just going to have to read it when it comes out in October.  And don't worry, I'll remind you about it.

A humongous thank you to Simon and Schuster for the egalley.

Book Recommendation -- Paper Towns

Paper Towns

By John Green

Blurb from Goodreads: "Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows.
After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew."

 Oh. Em. Gee.

John Green is a master.  The way he writes is so -- so -- I don't even have words to explain it.  That's how good he is.  I am a total fangirl.  I loved him after reading Looking for Alaska, but now... oh, goodness.  We've reached dangerous levels of fangirldom.

First of all, Q's character is so fresh.  He's not a guy dying to fit in with the popular crowd, he's not concerned with looking the way everyone "expects" him to.  He's just a teenager content with being who he is for the most part -- which is OMG awesome. 

When Margo disappears, Q has to find her.  She left him clues, but they're more riddles than anything helpful.  So you go on this huge journey with Q that is so much more than a mystery.  It's a journey of self realization. 

Okay, I could talk about this book all day.  But if I did that, I'd wind up spoiling the ending for you, and I don't want to do that because it's beautiful.  And the journey to get there is beautiful. 

And the whole book is just BEAUTIFUL.  For the love of all things written, please go read this book.

Book Recommendation - Haunting Emma

Well, you get another twofer this week!  Aren't you excited?  You should be.  You get two books that go together today.  DECEPTION and BETRAYAL from Lee Nichols's Haunting Emma trilogy.


DECEPTION
Blurb from Goodreads: "When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England. After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life."

 

BETRAYAL 
Blurb from Goodreads: "Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive—one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar—Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good. As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor."

These books are SO GOOD.  I was hooked from the very first page with both of them.  They are keep you up all night, scared to turn the light off, OMG I HAVE TO FINISH THIS NOW good.

Oh yeah.  That good.

Emma is a likable character.  Easy to relate to, easy to understand why she does the things she does.  Oh, and she sees ghosts.  Yeah, that's pretty freaky.  And cool.  But mostly freaky.  Some of the ghosts are good.  Then there are the shadows...the bad guys.  They are SCARY.  I had to read these books as fast as I could because they gave me nightmares.  For real.  lol  The wraiths may be the scariest of all.  Though, no.  Neos is the scariest.  *shudder*


Then there's Bennett.  *swoon*  You'll love Bennett.  ;)
  
This is definitely a series you should pick up.  You won't regret it. 

Book Recommendations - Two for One!

Well, since I didn't give you a recommendation last week, and I've got another post planned for this Thursday, you get a double recommendation today! Yay!

Up first, You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

 

Blurb from Goodreads: "Kayla McHenry's sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla's secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin' do. Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year's supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla's wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend."




Pure. Awesome.


Let me tell you, if you are looking for a book that demonstrates the perfect character arc, this is it.  It's quick, it's funny, and it's just plain fun to read.  Kayla is a great MC, and you really can't help but feel sorry for her.  Especially when gumballs keep falling out of her pockets.  ;)


Definitely a must!

 

Second, we have Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (2nd book in the Hex Hall series)

 

 

Blurb from Goodreads: "Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth. Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers. But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?"

 

If you enjoyed Hex Hall, you'll love the second installment.  

 

Sophie is back, and this time, she's faced with even more danger than the terrifying Alice.  The Eye is out to get her, she's stuck in the Council's headquarters in London with her dad and two very creepy demons, and best of all, Archer keeps showing up.

 

I'm going to warn you, though.  CLIFFHANGER OF EPIC PROPORTIONS.  Just so you know.  lol  Now...when does the third book come out???  ;) 

Book Recommendation -- Once Upon a Marigold

I decided to wander through the book store over the weekend.  There was a task in mind.  A desire to find something new.  A book I've never heard of by an author I've never read.  Something fresh and fun.

Boy did I find a winner.

Once Upon a Marigold

By Jean Ferris

 

 

Blurb from Goodreads: "A young man with a mysterious past and a penchant for inventing things leaves the troll who raised him, meets an unhappy princess he has loved from afar, and discovers a plot against her and her father."

 

Guys, I don't even know if I can do this book justice here.  You know I have a love of fairy tales, and I am quite over the moon for this one.

First of all, the book is written in 3rd person omniescent.  I didn't realize this when I bought it (based only on the cover, admittedly), but it is easily discovered in the first few pages.  Omniescent is hard, but Ferris definitely did it the right way.  You're not overloaded with thoughts, but given just enough to make the story even funnier.

Yes, it is FUNNY.  And it's so rich with detail and charisma...okay, I could sit here and gush ALL day.

The message here: Read this book.  It's light-hearted and fun, and will make your heart melt.  The narrative flows so well and keeps you enchanted right to the very last sentence.

I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel, Twice Upon a Marigold.

And don't forget to check out Paper Hangover today!  Emy and Michelle are introducing themselves, and there are MORE prizes!

Book Recommendation - Leviathan

Steampunk Month FTW!!  Today, I'm recommending an awesome steampunk that Susan is having a contest for over on her blog.  Make sure you're entered for your chance to win! 

LEVIATHAN

By Scott Westerfeld

 

Blurb from Goodreads: "Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.  Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered. With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever."

*swoon*

Westerfeld is a master at world building.  The world he created here, the beasties and machiens, are just amazing.  I seriously am just in awe at his brilliance.  

From page one it's an action-packed adventure.  Not once did I find myself bored or feeling overwhelmed with detail, even though there is *so* much to learn about this alternate world.  The descriptions are seamlessly woven into the action, leaving you salivating for more.

And the characters are jump-off-the-page good.  Alek and Deryn both have very distinctive voices, and are easy to tell apart as the story shifts between their POV.

Be ready though, when you pick this up, you won't want to put it down.  ;)

Book Recommendation - Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss

By Stephanie Perkins

 
Blurb from Goodreads: "Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.  As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?"

A breath of fresh air.  That's what this book was for me.  It's light, witty, fun, and romantic.  It makes you squirm in your chair, laugh out loud, and want to jump for joy with every passing page.

I've been reading a lot of O-M-G-THE-WORLD-IS-ENDING type books lately, and this was the perfect respite.  Falling in love, betrayal, making new friends, being thrown into a new culture -- all fascinating events, and all incredibly relatable.

Anna struck a chord with me from the beginning.  She's a little bit shy and reserved -- would rather stay in reading than go out partying with the other kids.  Yep, me.  She's not one to cause confrontation, but when it comes time to defend her friends, she does so without thought.

There were a few moments when I wanted to reach in the story and smack her for beating herself up for no reason.  But then, isn't that what we all do?  I can't fault her when I'm the same darn way.

And St. Claire?  Afreakingmazing.

Overall, this is one of my new favorite books of all time.  I absolutely adored it.

A must read.

Book Recommendation - Delirium

DELIRIUM

By Lauren Oliver

Blurb from Goodreads: "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."

Oh. My. Gravy. 

Amazing.  This whole book was amazing.

The blurb caught my eye...I mean, love as a disease?  What a freaking cool idea!  Plus, it's Lauren Oliver.  I very much enjoyed her book BEFORE I FALL, but I have to say, it doesn't hold a candle to DELIRIUM.

It's fast paced, but not so fast that you're missing important parts.  The writing is so poetic and romantic it felt like the word version of chocolate!  For real!  And the love interest?  *swoon*

Every aspect of Oliver's world building was phenomenal.  From the approved music to the procedure teens undergo to rid themselves of the deliria.  

It was a little reminiscent of UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld, but in a good way. 

DELIRIUM is going to be released February 1, 2011 from HarperTeen.  Go preorder it.  Seriously.  

This is easily one of the best books I've read all year.

Book Recommendation - Revolution

Revolution
By Jennifer Donnelly

Blurb from Goodreads: "BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.
PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present"

Andi's ten-year-old brother was killed in a tragic accident two years ago, and she blames herself. Overdosing on antidepressants is the only thing that helps her get through the day -- most days. Some days she finds herself standing in front of oncoming traffic, or one step from the edge of a quick fate. Andi's absentee father pays her no attention, and her mother is insane with grief. There's nobody left in this world for Andi. Until she finds Alex.

Alex lived during the French Revolution, she was 17 when she wrote the diary Andi found. Seventeen and sure she was about to die. She tells a story of desperation and hope -- tells of how she risked her very life to save someone she loved. A ten-year-old boy -- the King's son and heir -- who was locked away in a tower to literally suffer to death by the revolutionists.

It's a breathtakingly painful story, but it is so beautiful.

Andi's progression through the book, the way she rises and plummets over the emotional roller coaster of grief are so dead on.

It is a sad story, yes, but not overwhelmingly so. There is hope -- even when everything is lost, still there is hope for Andi. Hope for Alex.

I didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up. The first chapter was rather off-putting. I didn't understand Andi's character or why she was so incredibly depressed and angry. She is so, so angry. Plus the pretentious kids she goes to school with -- well, I could live without them. But by the second chapter I was hooked and flying through pages.

This is a really thick book. 496 pages thick. But it is worth every single minute it takes to read.

Revolution is set to debut on October 12. Mark your calendars -- this is a must read!

Book Recommendation - From the Query to the Call

From the Query to the Call
By Elana Johnson

"An aspiring author's guide to writing a query letter." You can buy this ebook on Elana's website.


This is a handy dandy little book that, in my opinion, everyone should have. Elana packed it full of helpful advice, worksheets (YES!! I LOVE WORKSHEETS!!), query letter examples, and everything you need.

The book is easy to navigate. If you want to jump to a specific section, just click on the link that's in the left toolbar. There are actual real-life queries that landed agents through the pages, as well as their draft form with comments.

Everything about this book is helpful and informative. I am about to take the plunge and start writing my query letter, and it doesn't look nearly as intimidating now that I'm armed with worksheets!

Did I tell you I love worksheets?

I did? Oh. Good. 'Cause I love 'em.

Book Recommendation - Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska
By John Green

Blurb from Goodreads: "Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave "the Great Perhaps" even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then . . . After. Nothing is ever the same."


I have heard so many great things about John Green, and I've had this book on my to-be-read list for a long time. Well, I finally got around to reading it and -- amazing.

I was hooked from the start by the voice of our narrator, Pudge. Instantly he was important to me, and I really cared about what he had to say. The story of Culver Creek Boarding School is so real and raw it is impossible not to be sucked into it. I laughed out loud at several spots through the book, squirmed uncomfortably at several more.

John Green immerses you right back into that teenage mindset with flawless skill. These were kids I'd have known in school, would have loved, and never once did I feel they faltered from the true essence of teenagers.

If you haven't read this book, you need to. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll finish with every expectation fulfilled.

Book Recommendation - If I Stay

If I Stay
By Gayle Forman

The blurb: "In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands."

This is a novel that you devour in one sitting and spend the next few days thinking back on. It is haunting and beautiful, heartbreaking and uplifting all at once. This is the kind of book that makes you question yourself, and really think twice.

A book hasn't affected me like this in a very long time. I was weary of reading it to be honest, I'm quite emotional when it comes to kids, and wasn't sure I could handle the premise. The thing is, the story is written in such a way that,...more This is a novel that you devour in one sitting, and spend the next few days thinking back on. It is haunting and beautiful, heartbreaking and uplifting all at once. This is the kind of book that makes you question yourself, and really think twice.

A book hasn't affected me like this in a very long time. I was weary of reading it to be honest. I'm quite emotional when it comes to kids, and I wasn't sure I could handle the premise.

The thing is, the story is written in such a way that, while sad, I didn't cry. I felt like an observer -- not a part of Mia's world. It really helped to have that distance, because while I was emotionally invested in the story, I didn't feel like the author was making my heart break just to keep my attention. She didn't have to. And the result was this phenomenal, life-changing novel about Mia's choice to live or die.
It really will leave you wondering, "What would I do?"
This is probably one of the best books I have ever read. Honestly. And I feel like I could read it 100 more times and never get tired of it, always come away with a new lesson.

Read it.

Special Alert- Must Read!

Got YA goes natural for a cause. A blog post that I simply must share.

Please, please go to their BLOG and read this awesomely inspiring post on body image and the media's negative influence.

Everyone is affected by what the media portrays as "perfection" whether you're woman, man, teenager or child.

It needs to stop.

Road Trip Wednesday

It's Road Trip Wednesday on the YA Highway, and you know what that means!

This week's topic:
What's the best book you've read this month?

I have two that stand out in my mind, but forced to choose one...I'd say above all The Hunger Games. If you haven't read it, go get it. Beg, borrow, steal...well, don't steal it but definitely borrow it if you can't buy it.

You can read my recommendation Here if you haven't already.

This is the kind of book that sticks with you for days, makes you stay up way too late reading, and wish all day at work that you could just finish it and find out what happens!

I love books like that. I still find myself pondering what will happen in the last installment Mockingjay. Can't wait to find out!

Book Recommendation - The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins

Oh my freaking goodness. I don't even know where to start on this one. First of all, it was amazing. And I don't take that label lightly.

Katniss is a protagonist I can love. Right from the start I'm connected to her in her struggle to survive and keep her sister fed. It's something I would have done for my own sister if life had called for it. The games themselves are treated like our Olympics with huge parties and celebrations. But the truth is, they're sending these kids for slaughter and everyone knows it. It's slightly horrific to read about children murdering each other. Yet I kept reading.

There are so many twists and turns through the story you feel like you're on a roller coaster, unable to breathe with the wind pounding your face. I really love that the ending remains a surprise. I could never have guessed where it was going, even though I was trying. Suzanne made sure to keep us on our toes.

Bottom line: Read it. Even through the horror of the games, this is one of the best books I've ever read.

I can't wait to read Catching Fire, in fact I may go pick it up at lunch.