Review: Rosebush by Michele Jaffe

Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run. Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane's boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface-not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died.  

With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she's forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller.

____________________________________

I should probably start off by saying that I am a huge Michele Jaffe fan. Huge. I started reading her books back in freshman year of high school... and I didn't start with the YA titles. Instead, I was addicted to her Arboretti Family novels, which are adult historical mysteries set in Europe with plenty of romance and steamy encounters. 

After I devoured those, I read Bad Kitty, one of her YA novels. I didn't know if I'd like it since it is nothing like her adult titles, but I loved it! The main character, Jasmine, is wonderful and hilarious and I'm not sure if anyone could manage to not laugh aloud while reading Bad Kitty and its sequel, Kitty Kitty. These books don't get the attention they deserve!

Then Rosebush came along. Again, the description made it sound like a complete departure from what I was familiar with from Jaffe. At this point, Jaffe had proved that she's a very versatile writer and I'd missed her characters, so I had no choice but to give this newest offering a try.

Rosebush reminds me of an edgier, more succinct version of Pretty Little Liars. Admittedly, I've never read these novels, but I have watched some of the television show, so this comparison is based entirely on my knowledge and opinion of the CW show rather than the novels. I felt like Rosebush brings the same rush, panic, and mystery as PLL in a much smaller package, which packed an impressive punch. I felt so much emotion in such a short span of time that I was left breathless.

Having read Jaffe's adult novels, I knew she was fully capable of writing a good mystery/thriller, but it was interesting to see it done in a YA contemporary setting rather than historic London. I truly had no idea who had tried to kill Jane. One minute I felt sure it had to be one particularly guilty looking individual, then I be totally unsure by the next chapter. I really couldn't put Rosebush down until I determined which character ran Jane down or Jaffe revealed the culprit! 

Rosebush was full of twists and turns that kept me muddling through the details of Jane's accident right along with her. Jaffe has delivered another compelling read, ensuring I'll be reading her next book... no matter what genre is!

Razorbill, December 2010, Paperback, ISBN: 9781595143532, 326 pages.

__________________________________________

This weekend I was able to attend the RT Booklovers Convention and I finally was able to meet Michele Jaffe in person! It was the end of the day and I was tired and a hot mess, but still SO EXCITED to meet an author that I've been reading for years! She's completely fabulous and I'm extremely jealous of her hair. In the photo below we're trying out a pose recommended by one of Michele's friend that is supposed to make us look amazing in photographs...  Did it work? ;)


Michele's new book, Ghost Flower released this week and I must get my hands on a copy!

  

Review: Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston

Title: Tempestuous
Author: Lesley Livingston
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub. Date: 12.21.10
Genre: Paranormal YA
Keywords: Faeries, Romance, Good vs Evil, Family, Secrets, Lies
Pages: 368
Description (from Goodreads):

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."

That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.

But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

The intrigue and romance that began with Wondrous strange and Darklight come to a stormy head in Tempestuous, the breathtaking conclusion to Lesley Livingston's ravishing urban Faerie trilogy.


Lesley Livingston left readers hanging with a gut wrenching conclusion to DARKLIGHT... not only was it intense, but readers were left to wait for answers for months. Luckily, Livingston knows exactly what her characters (and readers!) need. Every bit of emotional turmoil inflicted on the characters and readers in the second installment is essential to fully appreciate Kelley's journey and this phenomenal final chapter to her story.


I don't regret reading these books as they were released, but, if you haven't read any of them yet, I highly recommend reading them all in rapid succession rather than with months in between. Each time I picked up the newest installment, I was worried that I'd be forgetting a briefly mentioned detail that would tie everything together. I really love these books, so I have a pretty good memory of the events and whatnot, but there's something to be said about reading a trilogy or series all in one monstrous bite. I'm a strong proponent of Kelley and Sonny's relationship, so I felt the sting of DARKLIGHT's conclusion during the wait for TEMPESTUOUS, but I think some of my wild longing for this third book dissipated over the long months I waited. Take my word for it, these books are well worth reading, and, now that they're all released, it's the perfect time to pick them up.


Livingston writes absolutely fantastic love scenes... and fight scenes. Sometimes she even combines them... there will be an epic battle and then a little timeout for some kissing and then back to the fight. Love it!


I have a love/hate relationship with the Sonny-Kelley-Fennrys love triangle... because I honestly have a hard time choosing and that isn't normal for me. It does, however, show just how good Livingston at writing the romance aspect of her stories. This part of the novel is so realistic to me... Kelley loves Sonny, but that doesn't mean that she can't have feelings for someone else. Still, she must look within herself and determine what her feelings for Fenn mean not only for her, but for her relationship with Sonny. Ahhh, yes. Many of us have had to figure out this confusing debacle.


I appreciate that Kelley is such a strong individual and that her growth is clearly evident throughout each book. Not only does she develop her skills and gifts in regard to her faerie heritage, she also learns to take charge of her life and do what she thinks is right, even if it ends up causing all kinds of trouble and heartache. Even faerie princesses get confused when it comes to duty and love and all the rest... but Kelley takes charge and does what needs to be done.


I would be heartbroken about this trilogy ending, but for the fact that I know Livingston has more stories to tell and worlds and characters to introduce her readers to... and I'm anxious to meet them all!

Review copy provided by publisher.

Review: Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

Title: Fall for Anything
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: December 2010
Genre: Contemporary YA
Keywords: Grief, Suicide, Love, Lies, Secrets
Pages: 240
Description (from arc):
When Eddie Reeves's father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why. Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, former student of her father's and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie's vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on... but some questions should be left unanswered.

Courtney Summers is the Queen of Mean; she holds hold court over characters that readers love to hate... and just plain love. Readers are well aware that Summers can write a compelling mean girl, but, with FALL FOR ANYTHING, she shows us that she can write vulnerable and broken with just as much skill.

I quickly realized that Eddie wasn't anything like Summers' previous two main characters, Parker and Regina. Eddie has never dated the most popular guy in school, she doesn't bully, and, most notably, she doesn't  hide her pain and vulnerability behind a mean exterior. She's had one best friend, Milo, for years, and, except for the occasional girlfriend, it's them against the world. That is, until her father commits suicide, Milo refuses to talk about what happened that fateful night, and Eddie meets Culler Evans.

Eddie's quest to find the reason for father's sudden death is painfully sad and incredibly moving. The novel begins "My hands are dying" and this line stayed with me throughout the novel. Since the night her father died, of which she only has a hazy, incomplete memory, Eddie does not feel alive. She constantly analyzes her father's actions, his words, his life, looking for the reason behind his departure. And when Culler Evans, her father's student whom she's never met, reaches out to her, she holds on for dear life because he's the only person who makes her feels alive. For the first time, something and someone has come between Eddie and Milo, despite the fact that Eddie might need Milo now more than ever.


I'll openly admit that I love everything I've read by Summers, so maybe my opinion regarding this novel is biased... or maybe, my love for her previous novels, CRACKED UP TO BE and SOME GIRLS ARE, and newfound adoration for FALL FOR ANYTHING, offers proof of just how wonderful her stories and characters are and will convince you to pick up these titles for your own collection.

Cover of the Week (22)

Cover of the Week is a weekly feature at The Hiding Spot, in which I share a cover that gives me that swoony feeling.

You Against Me by Jenny Downham
David Fickling Books/12.2.2010
Description (from Amazon):
If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother's been accused of a terrible crime and you're the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him. Isn't that what families do? When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her at a party, his world of work and girls begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the crime, but says he didn't do it, her world of revision, exams and fitting in at a new school begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. Brave and unflinching, this is a novel of extraordinary skillfulness and almost unbearable tension. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love - for one's family and for another.

I'm really liking the image on the cover of YOU AGAINST ME, but my favorite aspect is the lines of text across the bottom. I haven't seen that done many times before and there is something beautiful about it... that small snapshot into the novel. The one aspect that I don't like is the little bubble mentioning BEFORE I DIE. I understand why it's there, but I feel like it takes from overall effect of the cover.


And can I just say that I am unable to express how much I'm longing for this novel. BEFORE I DIE caused me to sob uncontrollably and I feel like I've been waiting forever for Downham's next novel. Now that I have a description and cover, I feel like I can finally allow myself to imagine walking into the bookstore and taking it home with me where it will live happily on my bookshelf. There is "unbearable tension" in this book. UNBEARABLE. I think you all know how I feel about tension. Especially when it's unbearable.

{Book Trailer} Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

I know I've been mentioning FALL FOR ANYTHING, Courtney Summers' upcoming December release, way too much lately, but oh.em.gee. guys. Have you seen the book trailer? What? You haven't? Watch it now. Seriously.





 

Ahhhhhh! I have no words to express just how excited I am about this novel. Courtney, you are beyond awesome.

Cover of the Week (21)

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers
St. Martin's Press/12.21.2010
Description (from GoodReads):
When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on… but some questions should be left unanswered.

Ohmygoodness! I've loved each and every one of Courtney's covers, but this one... WOW. Just 3 more months!

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

WoW is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

**The above image is a placeholder... no cover yet!**

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers
St. Martin's Griffin/12.21.10
Description (from GoodReads):
When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on… but some questions should be left unanswered.

I like WoW picks that have cover images (hey, they're shiny and eyecatching!), but I just couldn't wait until FALL FOR ANYTHING to be cover-ized. After weeks of checking the GoodReads page (and Courtney's website) with no luck, I decided to give in and feature it for WoW... because I am so waiting on Summers' upcoming release. Even before the description was released I was daydreaming about it... I have no doubts that I'll love this book. None.
Summers' books have all been released in December/January, which is great because they make fabulous holiday (and birthday *cough*December 16th*cough*) gifts.

Fragment Friday (1) feat. ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

This Friday I'm trying something a little bit different. It's called a vlog. Some may call it terrifying. Oh, wait... That's just me.

Erica (from the fabulous blog The Book Cellar) convinced me it was time to make a vlog. So you can blame (or thank) her.

Fragment Friday is hosted by James at Book Chic Club!

You can find my post in which I gush about ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS - and try to convince you to read it - here. Stephanie Perkins' super fun website is here.

READ THIS BOOK. You know you want to.

To vlog or not to vlog... Should I do it again? I'll let you decide. Leave a comment with some feedback!

As you can see, there are some issues with video quality. For example, the fact that, in the sceond half of the video, my lips and the sound don't match. I'm not very tech savvy, so I welcome any tips regarding vlogging and things of that nature.

Excerpt taken from an Uncopyedited Sales Galley.

Top 10 Reasons to Read ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

About a month ago I received a box from Penguin. In this box were 16 arcs. One of these arcs was Stephanie Perkins' debut novel ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS. I'd heard of this book and I had read Stephanie's blog, so I was excited to get a copy. I had (have) loads of review books to read, so I put in on my bookshelf with all my other review copies, since it isn't released until December. A week ago, I was in the mood for a love story, so I picked up ANNA and slipped it in my bag. I was having a busy week, so I basically ended up carrying it around with me for days and didn't have a chance to actually start it. Two days ago, at midnight, I decided I was going to read a few chapters before I went to bed. I convinced the lovely Erica, of the Book Cellar, to read it with me, despite the fact that our review copy piles were glaring at us menacingly. Three hours later, bleary-eyed, I read the last few lines. And now, two days later, I'm still carrying it around with me. And no, I don't mean in my head, I mean LITERALLY. This book is so full of awesome that I can't let it go. I unable to stop talking or thinking about it. Which explains this fangirly post. If you aren't jealous that I've read this book, you should be. I'm not bragging, it's simply FACT. It's too early to write a review of ANNA, but I will give you 10 reasons this book should be on your to-be-read pile, if not preordered in your hand right this second.

1. Etienne St. Clair. I never thought this would happen, but St. Clair may have stolen my heart from John After (of Going Too Far by Jen Echols). The best part about St. Clair? He's flawed. And that just makes him more irresistable.
2. Anna. St. Clair is lusted after by nearly every girl at their school, but Anna doesn't compare herself to all those other girls or put herself down. Sure, she has flaws, she just doesn't focus on them constantly. 
3. The characters make mistakes. And then they acknowledge and learn from them. So many characters never actually acknowledge that they've screwed up. Acknowledgement is good.
4. Anna's best friend has a penchant for big words. Like callipygian. Look it up.
5. The romantic tension made my heart beat ridiculously fast. And my head almost explode. I live for romantic tension. Stepanie Perkins is my hero.
6. It's funny. Laugh out loud funny. There are books that make you say, 'Oh, haha' and then there are books that make you laugh aloud and turn to the person next to you and say 'Oh my gosh, listen...' ANNA is the latter.
7. There's a love rhombus. Even better than a love triangle.
8. It's real. There's happiness, sadness, anger, embarrassment... It's a love story, but it isn't all sunny days and rainbows, you see the storm too.
9. Etienne St. Clair. I think he deserves two spots on this list. Need more reasons to love him? He's an American who lives in France and has an English accent. I think that's reason enough.
10. I'm obsessed.

This book needs to be on your radar. But don't just take my word for it, Erica (The Book Cellar), Daisy Whitney (The Mockingbirds), Suzanne Young (The Naughty List) and Lindsey Leavitt (Princess for Hire) all agree. And it's been blurbed by some amazing authors:

"Very sly. Very funny. Very romantic. You should date this book."
— Maureen Johnson
(Truer words have never been spoken.)

"Imagine a mug of rich, thick hot chocolate. Now add a swirl of sweet whipped cream. Yummy? Oui. Well, Anna and the French Kiss is richer, sweeter, and—yes—even hotter. You're in for a very special treat."

— LAUREN MYRACLE, NYT bestselling author of Peace, Love, & Baby Ducks and Let It Snow
(I second that.)

So. Don't take my word for it... take theirs.

For more information about ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS see Stephanie Perkins' website! Be sure to check out her blog too, which is hilarious.

And hop over to Erica blog, The Book Cellar, for her fangirly post. (If you aren't already reading Erica's blog, you should. She's amazing in real life and online!) EDIT: Oddly enough, Erica and I didn't know what the other's post would look like. So the fact that we cite many of the same things only further proves this book's awesomeness.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go pet my copy.

Cover of the Week (9)

Vixen (The Flappers Book #1) by Lila Fine

Delacorte BFYR/12.14.10
Description (GoodReads):
Set in Jazz Age Chicago, the first book, Vixen, follows 17-year-old socialite Gloria Carmody, who longs to be a flapper and is caught between her conservative fiancé and a sexy jazz musician.

I absolutely adore this cover. If it were in poster form, it would definitely be going up on my wall. In fact, I might still try to find a way to make that happen. VIXEN is a December 2010 release, so there's a chance that this cover isn't final, but I hope it isn't changed too dramatically, as I'm already completely in love with this one! The most exciting thing about it? VIXEN is only the first book, so there will be more of these lovely covers!

And this has nothing to do with the cover... did you read that description? THERE IS A LOVE TRIANGLE.

Cover of the Week (8)

Cover of the Week is a weekly feature at The Hiding Spot, in which I share a cover that gives me that swoony feeling.

Edges by Lena Roy
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux/12.7.10
Description (from GoodReads):
It is a story of love and grief, addiction and redemption, set in both NYC’s Upper West Side and in the red rock desert of Moab, Utah.

Seventeen-year-old Luke lives and works at the Moonflower Motel in Moab, having fled New York City where his father Frank drowns his sorrows after the death of Luke’s mother. Back in New York, eighteen-year-old Ava meets Frank at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. When these lost souls converge in Moab, what happens transforms them all.

I absolutely adore this cover! Where to even start??
The font is eye-catching and different than anything I've ever seen on a cover. I love how large the title is!
The image itself deserves a nod as well. I have a slight obsession with trees and the tree on the cover is so interesting.
The only thing that would make this cover better is if it has a unique texture to go along with the worn look. Even if it doesn't, I'll still love it!

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine!

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Dutton Juvenile, December 9, 2010
Description:
It's about a girl. It's about a boy. It's about Parisian boarding school, almond-scented macarons, famous cemeteries, and cinemaphiles. It's about heartache. And it's about true love.

TRUE LOVE. If a book's description says anything about love, you can pretty much guarantee that I'll be picking it up. Plus the cover is absolutely adorable!