Super Spawn's MG Book of the Week

I thought it would be fun to let my kiddos have a chance to share their love of reading with you all, and maybe even provide some recommendations you wouldn't have otherwise known about. Plus, it gives a good picture of what actual MG aged readers are reading!

 This week, Super Spawn's pick is:

Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal

by Dan Middleton

 

After a day of experiments, Trayaurus and DanTDM are about to call it a night when a strange-looking crystal plummets to earth, breaking into five pieces that scatter far and wide. DanTDM and Trayaurus recover one of the shards and quickly realize they are in possession of an object more powerful than anything they’ve ever known.

Word reaches DanTDM and Trayaurus that other pieces of crystal have been recovered—a group of pigs have harnessed the crystals’ power to enable them to talk. But they’re not alone—Dan and Trayaurus’s archenemy, Denton, has also found a shard and manipulated its power for evil. He has created a cloning machine and is producing a terrifying marauding army intent on hunting down the remaining crystals in his effort to become all-powerful.

It’s down to DanTDM and Trayaurus to stop him. Will they prevail, or will the forces of evil be too great for them to overcome?

 

Things you should know about Super Spawn:

1. He is CRAZY about Minecraft.

2. He laughs hysterically at the videos Dan TDM puts on YouTube when he gets to watch them.

 

 

With that being said, the kiddo has been looking forward to this book since he first heard it was coming out. When we went to the book store over the weekend, it came as no surprise when he picked this one up. This is another of those books that isn't in the AR system for school, and so puts me through a lot of angst over it. I love that he still wants to read it though.

 

Anyway, Super Spawn devoured this book in a day, and immediately started reading it again. He laughed the entire way through it, and said it's one of his favorite books EVER. (Yes, he put that much emphasis on the ever.)

 

So if you've got a young Minecraft lover in your life, I'd say this one is worth picking up for sure. Maybe next week I'll get him on the blog to tell you all about a book himself. He also got FUZZY by Tom Angleberger, so maybe he can review it soon! If you have any MG recommendations for my boy, we'd be happy to hear them! 

Parenting the MG Reader

Being both a mom and a writer adds a lot of complexities to the task of developing my children as readers. It has been heavy on my mind the past couple of months as I've watched one child blossom and the other struggle in my own home over their school reading requirements.

I don't know about the rest of the world, but in our school district the kids are on the Accelerated Reader program (AR for short). Which means they read a book and then take a comprehension test on it, which earns them "points" toward their goals for the term.

Within this system the kids are also given reading levels and goals to reach in that regard as well. For Super Spawn, who is now 9 and in 4th grade, he's reading at a 7th grade level as of the beginning of winter break. Curly Girl is 7 and in 2nd grade, and she's reading at a 3rd grade level. Which is great!

Until I take them to the book store.

Super Spawn is big into middle grade fiction, which is wonderful. I've been sharing some of my all-time favorites with him this year. HARRY POTTER, PERCY JACKSON, MAGYK, and more! The issue arises when we're standing in front of a shelf of hundreds of books and I have to pull out my phone and plug the titles into the AR search to see if 1. there's a test for this book, and 2. if it's in his pre-set range. Let the frustration begin.

New releases? Not in the AR system. Could take months for it to show up there.


What does he want to read? The newest LAST KIDS ON EARTH book, of course.


But guess what, even though it's now in the AR system, it's no longer in his range. He's moved above it level-wise. Except he loves this series, and he wants to read it no matter what. 

 And I'm supposed to tell him what? Sure, I'll get it for you and you can read it, but it can't count toward your school goals? 

Sorry, but that's a load of crap. It's almost like a punishment for reading something he loves just because it's below his level. I hate that for him. However, I still bought him the book.

With Super Spawn I also have the added challenge of appropriateness. Yes, he reads well above his grade level, and only continues to improve. We're reaching the point where books like DIVERGENT are falling into his reading range. Now, I LOVE that series. I own all the books and movies. But just because it falls within his capacity to comprehend it, doesn't mean he's at the right maturity level for it. *Cue freakout because he wants to read it, and he knows I've read it, and it's staring at him on our bookshelf begging him to read it*

Our kids are being pushed to challenge themselves to read more complex stories, which is fantastic. Until you hit that wall where they've leveled up beyond their maturity and their teachers are still pushing them farther.

In the case of Curly Girl she's being pushed really hard to read higher level books, which causes her to take less tests, to struggle with her goals, and to not want to read her AR books at all. They're pushing her too fast. Let her just be a 2nd grader for a minute! She will grow at her own pace! The transition from early readers to novels is a hard one for kids. Super Spawn struggled with it too. It just takes time.

All of this to say that I'm not sure putting all of these restrictions and guidelines on our children's reading is as beneficial as we (as parents) are told it is. Isn't there a better way? Wouldn't more freedom to choose help to grow their passion for reading far more than shoving a certain level of book down their throat?

As I writer I worry the implications this has on the novels we put out. What if, because of my sentence structure, my book is labeled as a 6th grade reading level, but the content is appropriate for a high school level of maturity? Is that going to automatically put my book in that "you can read it but it won't count" crowd? I'm not sure I like that one bit.

Do any of you have thoughts on this or similar experiences to share? I'd love to hear them.

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!

Banned Book Week

Super Spawn made a video for you guys for the kickoff of banned book week.  Enjoy!

Big words from a little guy, "Please don't ban my books."

As a mother, I feel it's important to point out that I fully support parents being involved in, and knowing what, their kids are reading.  What is fine for one child or teen to read may not be suitable for the next for a variety of reasons.  However, just because one child is lactose intollerant doesn't mean every child should go without cheese.

Hope you all have a great Monday.  :)

Book Recommendation -- The Liar Society

The Liar Society

By Lisa and Laura Roecker

Blurb from Goodreads: "Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)

Kate,
I'm here…
sort of.
Find Cameron.
He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell.
They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder..."


This book is so much fun!  I blew through the three hundred some odd pages at lightning speed trying to figure out all the clues and solve the mystery of Grace's email.  Talk about a page turner!  The mystery of a dead best friend is one that had me glued to the pages.  I just. couldn't. put. it. down.


Kate, the MC, was an awesome character.  One minute I'd be laughing at her offhanded snark, and the next I'd have fat alligator tears rolling down my cheeks.  There were moments I squirmed through an embarrassing scene right along with Kate, and you can bet when she felt slighted, so did I.  The Roecker sisters did an amazing job delivering an emotional punch.  It wasn't just Kate either, all of the characters had voices that pop off the page at you.  Seth was one of my favorite with his need to ask five million questions a minute, and his determination to find a conspiracy in everything.  He was such a cute character I wanted to ask him to be MY best friend!  lol


If you enjoy a good mystery with characters that are engaging and well-rounded (not to mention the killer plot!), this is the book for you.  

I highly recommend.

Teen Scene -- The Older Crowd

Teen Scene -- The Older Crowd

So, I know Pam and I usually feature teens who are in high school, but today I've got a new sort of teen for you: The College Student.

The College Student works at my day job part time -- she sits in my office when she's there.  *evil grin*  So, naturally I've pinned her down to talk about books.  Because that's what I do.  To everyone.

Continue Reading...

Friday Fives in the Summer Sun

Visit Paper Hangover to join in!

Summer is my favorite time of year, and not just because of all the great books that come out.  But that totally plays a big role.  I'm going to take this prompt as a reason to recommend you some of my all-time favorite summer reads!




1)  Jemima J by Jane Green -- Now, this is not a YA book, but it's one that I've read several times and always enjoy.  Lots of humor, and actually quite empowering.





2)  You Wish by Mandy Hubbard would make an excellent summer read.  Romance, humor, a teen learning about life, and a spark of the fantastical -- it doesn't get much better.





3)  Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris -- Guys, I just adore this book.  Again, humor, romance, fantasy -- total summer read WIN.




4)  Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins -- If you haven't read it yet...well, why not?  Make sure it's on the top of your summer reading list!






5)  The Princess Bride by William Goldman -- Nobody's reading list will ever be complete until they've read this one.




What do you think, lovelies?  What are your five best summer reads?

Super Spawn Takes the Stage

I'm home with a sick Super Spawn (again) today. So, in lieu of a normal post, I give you video preciousness.

My adorable Super Spawn reading his favorite book, The Three Billy Goats Gruff. You'll see his hilariousness as he tells my mom (sitting with him) to shush and let him read the story his self.  I wonder where he gets that from...  ;)

Enjoy.

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 -- 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 - Radiance

Sorry for the radio silence yesterday.  I wound up being out and about all day -- still trying to resolve car issues, so I didn't know what the Road Trip was.  Until about 20 minutes ago that is.  ;)

RADIANCE

By Alyson Noel

Blurb from Goodreads: "Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . ."


This is a MG book I picked up on a whim when I stopped in the book store to waste some time one day.  I liked the cover, but the pages...oh, the pages.  They have those ragged edges that are so deliciously gorgeous I can't stand not to own any book I see that has them.  *ehm*  Seriously.  I bought this book for the ragged edged paper.  So sue me.

Turns out though, I really enjoyed the story too.  I read it in just a few short hours.  It's fast paced and entertaining, without being too fast.  I also really like Riley's voice.  She's snarky and sarcastic, but not overly so...she's still likable.  Which is important.


The story itself is quite simple, but the concept keeps you thinking even after you put it down.


A very well written book with entertaining characters and events.  I especially like that this book for younger teens tackles an issue like death.  And Noel does it with the utmost care for her audience.  Excellent.

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. 

Road Trip Wednesday

This week on the YAHighway, another episode of best book of the month!

What's the best book you read in November?

For me, if you only count new books that I read (which were few, admittedly) I'd say Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.

You can see my recommendation here.

What's the best book you read this month, lovelies?  I'm looking to expand that TBR pile that's getting monstrously out of control.  ;)

While we're at it, I thought I should let you know... I'm taking the rest of the week off from the blog.  *gasp of horror*  I know!  How dare I?  The nerve!

Seriously though, I hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

On Monday I promise to have a super hilarious post about my adventure to the premier of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  You don't want to miss this, trust me.

And if anybody has a suggestion for a good book for a 16yo boy, let me know. (For my brother for Christmas) lol  I'm stumped.  He has read all the Harry Potters and the Percy Jackson series.

Super Spawn and the Deathly Hallows

I have no book review for you this week.

Excuses:  Super Spawn has been sick.  Deathly Hallows comes out Friday and I just HAD to re-read the book before I could see it.  I'm in revising heaven with the most awesome critique partner ever, and the best WIP I've ever written and just. can't. put it down.

But now I feel inclined to write a little ditty about Super Spawn and the Deathly Hallows because that sounds SO intriguing.  lol


It has been such an awesome week.  I'm going to take a moment to thank Susan for her enthusiastic support and friendship, not to mention her stellar critiques.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone who commented on yesterdays post.  It's something that I wouldn't ever wish on a person, and I hope one day something I say can help someone either get out, or deal with the after effects of the situation.

You are all wonderful, and thank you so much for the support and kind words.  Really.  It means a lot.

Okay, get over here!  Group hug!

Road Trip Wednesday

Welcome to YAHighway's weekly road trip around the blogosphere!

This week's topic:

What's the best book you read in October?

Well, I'm heartily embarrassed to admit I didn't read a single dad-blame book in the whole month!  *insert gasps of horror here*  I know!  But October was my very own OctoWriMo in which I battered out a first draft of my new WIP.

Writing is a good excuse for not reading, right?  (And I actually did read one book, but it's tomorrow's post.  So you have to wait.)

To make up for it, I'm going to give you a special treat!  A Vlog so you can "meet me" in person!  I was going to do a vlog for the conference post (and even went so far as to make one) but chickened out and didn't post it.  So, here you are...Holly Live!  (Sort of.  Okay, not really, but it's as close as you'll get on a blog.)  Please forgive me for the wet hair and PJ's lol  I decided to squeeze it in just before Super Spawn's bedtime.

(PS I'm reading Lauren Olliver's BEFORE I FALL, not If I Fall like I say in the video.  Oops.  Guess that's what I get trying to make a video with a three-year-old nearby!)

Road Trip Wednesday

It's Road Trip Wednesday, and you know what that means! Jump on the YA Highway and join us for a blog trip around the YA author haunts.

This week's topic:

You're packing for a month on a deserted island. What, as a reader and writer, must be in your backpack?

Because this says as a reader and writer, I'm going to skip the basics (food, water, etc) and assume they are being provided. Cheating? Yes. More fun? Totally.

1. I'm gonna need a laptop with a solar powered battery (They make those, right?)
   
2. One of those cell phone wifi hubs
3. My Nook
4. My debit card (to pay for whatever I buy online)
5. A nice, thick notebook
6. A fresh pack of pens
7. Post-it notes
8. Sunglasses
9. A big blanket to lay on
   

I'm thinking that's a pretty good list! I can write as much as I want, read as much as I want, order more supplies, keep up my blogging and networking, email agents (and a rescue chopper), and not have to worry about squinting or getting sandy.

Yep, I'm set.

What would you bring?

Book Recommendation - 13 Reasons Why

Don't forget to enter my Birthday Party, Follower Celebration Contest Bonanza!!!

Thirteen Reasons Why
By Jay Asher

Blurb from Goodreads: "Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list."

Guys, this is the kind of book that you finish the entire thing before you even realize you're more than 100 pages in. Seriously. I flew through this book, unable to stand the anticipation of what was coming next.

It was a one-nighter.

The beginning was a little awkward. You start out at the post office, with Clay sending the package on, and then jump back to when he received the package. It threw me off at first, but I caught on eventually. lol

Either way, the things you learn about what happened to Hannah and why Clay is mentioned in the tapes...it's incredibly moving. At times I would be angry at Hannah, and other times I was angry at some of the other characters. The whole time, however, I felt nothing but sorry for Clay. He is such a likable character -- easy to relate to.

This is the kind of book that really teaches a lesson along with the story, but you don't realize it until later when you're still thinking about it.

Definitely a must read.

Road Trip Wednesday

You know what day it is -- it's Road Trip Wednesday on the YA Highway! This week's topic:

What book ending would you rewrite and why?

Well, I'll have to go with Nightshade here. I know, how rude of me to choose an ARC! It's just the one that stands out in my mind the most.

I was so pulled into the story and so invested in Calla's struggle the ending was just sort-of a let down. I really wanted some answers -- some kind of a half-way solution at least. The ending felt rushed and left so many loose ends I was pretty frustrated with it actually. But only because I wanted to read more. ;)

What about you? What book's ending would you rewrite?

Book Recommendation - Nightshade

Nightshade
by Andrea Cremer

Blurb on Goodreads: "While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all."

I will start with a disclaimer: I don't like wolves. In fact, I'm terrified of them for no real reason other than I just am. Even with that -- and the nightmares I got from reading this book -- I still really enjoyed it.  That says a lot coming from me.

Calla is a likable MC. She is easily persuaded to do things she doesn't really want to do though, which isn't her best characteristic. Other than her weakness for anything male and breathing, she's a tough chick who leads her pack not only with a firm hand, but with kindness.

I'll go ahead and shout from the rooftops: I'M TEAM REN!!!!

I really did not like Shay -- and rather hoped Ren would rip him to pieces.

The ending, oh the ending. I didn't get any of my questions answered, and I'm really not even sure what just happened! I kept flipping pages hoping to find more. lol  It was so good!

This was a very enjoyable read and you should pick up a copy when it is released in October.

Book Review Thursday- Tithe

Tithe
By Holly Black

Blurb from Goodreads: "Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces the sixteen-year-old back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death."


When I first picked this book up, I really wasn't sure I'd like it. The blurb didn't speak to me.

Boy was I wrong.

It's fast-paced with plenty of action, but also moments that made me laugh. I really like that Holly puts a fresh twist on old tales of faeries. I'm a big faerie fan -- the Irish type, not Tinkerbell -- so seeing the tables turned between the Seelie and Unseelie courts was fun.

There were a few head-scratching moments where, if this had been something I was critting, I'd have whipped out my handy dandy hot pink pen to make notes, but alas, it wasn't. lol

Definitely a good read.