Interview with Burn Mark Author, Laura Powell!

Today, The Hiding Spot is visited by Laura Powell, author of the recently released Burn Mark! Check out the book trailer at the end of the interview to learn more about Burn Mark.

______________

Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Or, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write? 

My two main characters, posh-boy Lucas the Inquisitor’s son, and wild-child Glory the wannabe criminal, came to me quite fully-formed. From there, it was easy to build a picture of their different worlds. But I did struggle with the witch-ducking scene that happens towards the end of the book. Even though Burn Mark is a fantasy novel, I wanted it to be relevant to the here and now, and so the ducking was very much based on accounts of water-boarding I read. I wanted the violence to be shocking, but thought-provoking, not sensationalist. 

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication? 

The title came to me relatively early on. Fire and the scars it leaves, both literally and metaphorically, plays a big part in the story. 

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general? 

There’s no one person or book. But my favourite authors include Jane Austen, Maurice Sendak, E. Nesbitt, Mary Renault and Margaret Atwood. 

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a writer/published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing? 

I worked in publishing for five years before leaving to concentrate on my own books and there is no better apprenticeship for a wannabe author! I got to work with some fantastic writers, but learned most from the editors I worked under. Publishing is packed with interesting and creative people, but it’s also a hard-nosed commercial business. The more a writer understands what goes on behind the scenes, the easier their journey to publication will be. Now I have a part-time job at a ballet company, which fulfills all my childhood dreams of hanging out with ballerinas and playing dress-up with tutus. 

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why? 

I love “perhaps”. It’s full of promise and possibility, and can herald either disappointment or gratification. Doris Day sang it best! 

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality? 

Whenever grown-up life gets too much, I head back to my childhood home in rural Wales. It’s in a hidden valley, with a ruined castle across the way, and lots of ravens, wild ponies and waterfalls. Plus, there’s no mobile phone reception and a very dodgy internet connection, so it’s tricky for people to get hold of me there.

____________________________

To find out more about Laura and her writing, check out her website! 

Interview & Giveaway with Shadow and Bone Author, Leigh Bardugo!

Today Leigh Bardugo, debut author of the fantastic Shadow and Bone, is here at The Hiding Spot to answer a few questions about her novel, her inspiration, words, and hiding spots. Enjoy!

___________________

Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Or, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write? 

There's a scene a little over halfway through the book that I call the "pivot," where everything changes for my main character. Big revelations. Lots of new information. I rewrote that scene so many times that I actually gave myself hives. I am not exaggerating. I don't know that anything was "easy," but I really enjoyed writing the scenes between Alina and Genya. On the surface, they're so different, but they're both outsiders who have found their own ways to survive. I like the bond that forms between them. 

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication? 

Oh no, Shadow and Bone has had a few titles. Back when it was a WIP, I called it The Darkling. Then I heard about a little book called Graceling and I knew I had to change it before I queried agents. I wanted something that would stand out and hint at the book's Russian inspiration, so I called it The Grisha (referring to the kingdom's magical elite). Then, after the sale, my publisher felt that particular title would be too hard to pronounce or google, so we put our heads together and came up with Shadow and Bone. I know it's been confusing because of Laini Taylor's and Robin Wasserman's books, but hopefully the cover will help it stand out in people's minds. (On a sidenote, I posted about this on Pub(lishing) Crawl recently and Robin tweeted that she'd been thinking about calling her next book The Gathering Dark-- the UK title of Shadow and Bone!) 

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general? 

Such a hard question. I'm not sure about influences, but I can tell you that Dune was the first book I was truly sorry to finish. I just didn't want to leave Frank Herbert's world behind, and that was a powerful thing. Also, I remember Louise Erdrich's story "Fleur" wrecked me. I read her a lot when I was younger, and she had a big impact on the way I understood myth in relation to narrative and language. 

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a writer/published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing? 

I worked at an ad firm, as a journalist, for a dotcom, for the FOX network, and as a beer girl. (I sat at bars and said, "Brand X beer tastes delicious!" Lies! That beer did not taste delicious.) I wrote movie trailers ("in a land without justice" etc.) and eventually I ended up as a makeup and special effects artist. I've had a few monstrous bosses and I suspect they've all made it into my work, one way or another. 

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why? 

Oooh, so many! Kerfuffle! Dubloon! Umbrage! Rhombus... Oh how I love to say "Rhombus." Also, "toothsome" makes me laugh for some reason. "Was he hot?" "Oh yes, get this, he had all of his teeth." I really want to bring that back. Who's in? 

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality? 

Last year, my friends and I spent July 4th eating pupusas, drinking cocktails in the garden, and marathoning the entire first season of Game of Thrones. Days like that are all the escape from reality I need.

_______________________

You can find out more about Leigh and her novel on at her website. And be sure to check out my review of Shadow and Bone, here! Don't forget to enter to win a copy for yourself below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill

Jett is a girl disguised as a boy, living as a gambler in the old West as she searches for her long-lost brother. Honoria Gibbons is a smart, self-sufficient young woman who also happens to be a fabulous inventor. Both young women travel the prairie alone – until they are brought together by a zombie invasion! As Jett and Honoria investigate, they soon learn that these zombies aren’t rising from the dead of their own accord … but who would want an undead army? And why? 

This gunslinging, hair-raising, zombie western mashup is perfect for fans of Cowboys vs. Aliens and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.

___________________________________

I didn't think I was going to be able to finish this novel. It started out at an extremely slow pace and the characters were just... weird. So, I set Dead Reckoning aside. For weeks. And then I decided to give it another try... and I fell in love and couldn't stop reading.


First off, I'm not a fan of the novel's description. Not only does it make Dead Reckoning sound much more happy and girly than it really it, it doesn't mention the third main character, White Fox, at all. I feel like the description is trying to promote some type of girl power vibe, which is somewhat present in the novel, but not to the extent implied. 


That said, Jett and Gibbons are definitely strong, unique women. Once I got used to Gibbons' quirks and learns more about Jett, I kind of loved them. A lot. And, though we didn't get to know White Fox quite as well, he grew on me as well. In fact, I'm actually very curious to see what happens to them next. When the characters finally started to grow on me and I became more invested in the story, I though to myself, I actually don't mind this, but I don't think I'd read a sequel... but now I take that back. 


For me, the best part of Dead Reckoning was the interactions and relationships between the three main characters. They are all ridiculously different that being together at the beginning is a mess, but, as they grew on me, they also grew on one another. At one point, White Fox notices that the two girls are bickering like sisters - and it was true! And then I realized, this odd little trio actually works together. Whoa.


Dead Reckoning combines many elements that really shouldn't work together: westerns, zombies, steampunk, and cults, but Lackey and Edgehill make it work. I'm not sure how they came up with such a crazy idea for a novel, but it's obvious they thought it through because I never found myself thinking "okay, that's just too far-fetched"... as I read about zombies, westerns, cults, and steampunkery. 


I also found Dead Reckoning to be rather funny. And sometimes quite touching. And sometimes scary. And other times exciting. I was surprised by how much I felt as I read this novel, considering that I'd almost given up on it.


I'm so glad that I gave this novel a second chance, and I'm hoping that my review will convince you to give this crazy book a try. It won't be for everyone, but there are readers out there who are going to love the hell out of it!

Bloomsbury, June 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9781599906843, 336 pages.

This post is part of the Dead Reckoning Blog Tour organized by Bloomsbury.

Review: The Story of Us by Deb Caletti

Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancés, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise: 

Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war. 

While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her....

___________________________________

My feelings about Deb Caletti's newest offering, The Story of Us, are divided. 


On one hand, I really enjoyed the story as I read it... and related to it on a very personal level, having done something very similar to Cricket a year or two ago. On the other hand, there are aspects of this novel that are a bit blurry to me after having only read it a couple days ago. 


While some aspects of the novel resonated deeply with me, I didn't feel a deep connection to any of the characters, including the main character, Cricket. This is a definite issue and I think it's why the details of the novel failed to stick. The overall story - Cricket's confusion regarding her relationships and her search for herself - was wonderfully done. I truly enjoyed the themes of the novel. The characters and setting, for whatever reason, didn't do it for me. There wasn't an actual event that caused a deeper connection to form between myself and the characters.


Caletti is a must-buy author for me, so I now own a copy of The Story of Us... and I don't regret buying it. The writing in this novel is fantastic and I don't feel like reading it was time well spent, but this book isn't one that I'll reread, like Caletti's Stay or The Secret Life of Prince Charming. If you're a Caletti fan or simply a fan of contemporary YA, give The Story of Us a chance, it's worth a read and you may end up loving it!

Simon Pulse, April 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9781442423466, 389 pages.

Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR Pile

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

_____________________________

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
I really loved Sisters Red, so I bought a copy of Sweetly as soon as it released... but I haven't found time to read it. I've heard such good things about it though, so I NEED to make time.

Starters by Lissa Price
I need to just sit down and read this because I'm pretty sure I'll love it, but the cover has never appealed to me all that much, so I keep passing it by for prettier things. Which is not cool, not cool at all.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
I am so behind when it comes to Clare's novels! I've yet to read Clockwork Prince, even though I adored the first book... and I'm two books behind in the Mortal Instruments series as well!

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
I listened to part of this on audio, but then never picked it back up... It was hilarious, so I much finish it!

Looking for Alaska by John Green
I really need to read this simply because I feel like it's a YA must read. I've read Paper Towns and I watch Green's vlogs all the time, but I still need to read this. It's happening this summer.

Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer
My friend Kristen loves these books, so I've been meaning to read them forever. I bought the first one over a year ago, but still haven't read it!

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta
Marchetta's Jellicoe Road is my favorite book, but I still haven't found time to read this one.

Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols
I read all of Echols' books... it's like a tradition. :)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
I need to reread Divergent before I read this one, which is why I haven't even though it's been out for awhile, but I'm SO EXCITED FOR IT.

The Book Thief by Markus Zuszak
This is another must read that I've failed to pick up. But I own it, so it's on the list for this summer! :)

Review: The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.” 

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems. 

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny. 

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves. Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

___________________________________

I've been a fan of Shana Abe's adult romance novels for years, so when I discovered she was writing a Young Adult novel along the lines of her Drakon books, I was intrigued. So far, every YA novel I've read written by a adult romance novelist has been fantastic. I've noticed that many of these authors are able to tone down the sexiness enough so that it's appropriate for younger audiences, while still smoldering. In addition, many of these crossover authors write romance with a plot, so they're actually able to write a good story, despite the lack of sex. Abe is no exception and I'm definitely a fan.


Abe's Drakon novels feature characters that look like humans, but have the ability to shift into the shape of dragons. Fans of Sophie Jordan know that she is also a crossover adult romance author that writes YA novels featuring dragon shapeshifters. While these two sets of novels feature distinct similarities, the history and paranormal aspects definitely different. Abe's Drakon lore is firmly established due to her adult Drakon novels, so I doubt that readers will find the similarities troubling. Instead, I hope that fans of other shapeshifter novels, like Jordan's, will embrace The Sweetest Dark.


I will admit, The Sweetest Dark is a bit slow, but, since I genuinely enjoyed the characters, I didn't mind that the action was a bit lacking. Plus, this is only the first book and I fully anticipate the next to take things to the next level, especially after the intensity of this installment's ending. And, while Abe only touched on the paranormal aspects and the powers of the Drakon in this first book, having read her adult series dealing with the Drakon, I know that we can expect some pretty amazing things in the upcoming books.


Another aspect that I wasn't a huge fan of was the love triangle... primarily due to the fact that I wasn't a fan of one of Lora's possible matches. Armand is not my type of guy, but, with any luck, readers will see another side of him in book two. I feel like this is a very likely scenario and I look forward to seeing how Abe spins his sour disposition from book one.


Part of me wants to recommend that those of you are interested in reading The Sweetest Dark when it releases in August check out Abe's three adult novels that focus on the Drakon. Though I did enjoy this novel and I'll definitely reading any subsequent books, I don't know if it showcases just how strong Abe's writing can be. And, if you're interested in more of the history regarding the Drakon, you can find it in The Smoke Thief, The Dream Thief, and Queen of Dragons.


I'm glad to see another romance novelist try her hand at the YA genre... I think readers will enjoy this latest shapeshifter novel with it's historical elements and romance.

Random House Publishing Group, August 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780345531704, 352 pages.

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another. 

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.” 

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself? 

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

___________________________________

Beach reads can be great, but they imply a certain amount of fluffiness that simply doesn't come to mind when I think about Huntley Fitzpatrick's My Life Next Door. Not that you'd know that just from a quick glance at the cover art and brief description... so I was surprised when I quickly discovered that My Life Next Door is most definitely not a turn off your brain and settle in for a comfy, sedate ride kind of book. Instead, it was filled with angst, painful decisions, and intense romance and friendship and family drama. 


The characters of My Life Next Door are one of the best aspects of the novel. Each has a very distinct personality (even the littlest of the Garrett's) so, despite there being quite a few children running around in various passages, each character was easily identified. I honestly felt like I knew these characters. Like maybe I lived on the other side of the Garrett's growing up and we all happened to be neighbors. I found myself tightly wrapped in the emotional ups and downs of these characters. 


The main character, Samantha, is not perfect, though she's spent much of her life trying to fit the image her mother so carefully cultivates. I cheered each of Sam's rebel moments, proud of her for doing something for herself rather than her mother. And I appreciated the fact that Sam really didn't do anything that would be harmful to herself. Her rebellion wasn't full of drugs, alcohol, and sex, but rather the bravery to accept the sometimes messy, but rewarding parts of life outside of one's comfort zone.


Huntley Fitzpatrick is a talented writer and I can easily imagine her novels gaining a healthy following, much like Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti's novels. I, for one, am anxiously awaiting news of her next project!

Dial Books for Young Readers, June 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780803736993, 395 pages.

Review: Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner. 

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus. 

But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran. 

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. 

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

____________________________________

Emmy Laybourne's Monument 14 blew me away. I devoured this debut novel and, when I finished, I found myself in a satisfied stupor wondering where the past few hours had gone.

I sometimes have difficulty connecting to male main characters, so, when I opened Monument 14 and discovered that the narrator was one of the boys trapped in the superstore, I paused for a moment. I was entirely too interested in the premise to ever put down the novel, but I wondered if Dean would detract from my reading experience... I very much wanted to put myself in the position of the main character and I didn't know if I could make myself think like a teenage boy. I can't guarantee that Dean's thinking and actions were entirely true to life, but he felt realistic enough to me that I never forgot the fact that he was a boy, but I could still understand his emotions and motivations. In the end, I grew to like Dean a lot and I was happy that he, rather than one of the girls trapped in the superstore, was the narrator.

One of the most interesting aspects of this novel was the presence of small children as well as teens. I think having small children trapped as well added another dimension and sense of urgency to the situation. I found the differences between the reactions of each age group really put things into perspective... for both the characters themselves and the reader. It's already crazy that these teens are trapped and had to learn to trust one another and work together, but then to throw in small children that are alternately panicked or wanting to play and do something fun... the situation was terrifyingly real.

The giant hailstorm, the chemical weapons spill, the bus crashes, and the other events that lead to the fourteen kids being trapped inside the superstore all seemed carefully thought out and contained just enough detail to create a realistic picture within the reader's mind. The entire novel felt very cinematic. I actually found myself matching characters from the novel to people I knew in real life. Each character felt so impossibly real that my mind needed a three-dimensional body to go along with the personality Laybourne created.

Monument 14 has landed a spot on my Best of 2012 list. I'm already anxious for the next installment, as the novel ended on a cliffhanger... I seriously get shivers just thinking about the intensity of the final scenes!

Feiwel & Friends, June 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780312569037, 294 pages.

Fantastic Five: Upcoming Middle Grade Titles

Fantastic Five is a new-ish feature at The Hiding Spot! These posts will always feature five of something - whether it be forthcoming novels, favorite authors, books with a common theme, or newly released covers. Whatever the topic, there will always be five items featured and they will always be fantastic!

________________________________

The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann 
Greenwillow Books/9.18.2012 

Bartholomew Kettle won't live long. Changelings never do. The child of a human mother and a faery father, Bartholomew is a secret, despised by both his races. If the English don't hang him for witchcraft, the faerys will do something worse. So his mother keeps him locked away, hidden from the world in the faery slums of Bath. 

But one day Bartholomew witnesses a mysterious lady kidnap another changeling through a shadowy portal, and he realizes the danger is closer than ever before. Changelings are surfacing in the rivers, their bodies empty of blood and bone and their skin covered in red markings. A powerful figure sits in the shadows, pushing the pieces in place for some terrible victory. When a sinister faery in a top-hat begins to stalk Bartholomew's steps, he knows it's his turn. Something is coming for him. Something needs him. But when you're a changeling there's no where to run...

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Aladdin/10.2.12

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She's a Telepath--someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It's a talent she's never known how to explain. 

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there's a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known. 

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie's memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for. 

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

The Spy Princess by Sherwood Smith
Viking Juvenile/8.2.12

When twelve-year-old Lady Lilah decides to disguise herself and sneak out of the palace one night, she has more of an adventure than she expected--for she learns very quickly that the country is on the edge of revolution. When she sneaks back in, she learns something even more surprising: her older brother Peitar is one of the forces behind it all. The revolution happens before all of his plans are in place, and brings unexpected chaos and violence. Lilah and her friends, leaving their old lives behind, are determined to help however they can. But what can four kids do? Become spies, of course!

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver
HarperCollins/10.2.12

When Liza’s younger brother Patrick’s soul is stolen by the evil Spindlers, spider-like creatures who live underground, she knows she must set out on a heroic quest to the world Below to rescue it.

The Wednesdays by Julie Bourbeau
Random House Children's Books/8.14.12

Max’s village is absolutely normal in every single way and on every single day—except Wednesday. Most of the townsfolk shutter their windows and lock their doors to hide away from the many peculiar things that happen—things like cats getting stuck in the vacuum cleaner and birthday cakes meeting fiery and horrific ends. But Max is too curious for that, and so, breaking every rule in the village, he searches out the cause of all the Wednesday weirdness. What he uncovers is a secret so devious—so dastardly and mischievous—that life as he knows it will never be the same. Max himself is not the same. Suddenly the mysterious little accidents so common on Wednesdays are happening to him on Thursdays, Fridays—even Saturdays! What’s come over Max? And more importantly, is there any cure for a case of the Wednesdays? Mystery, magic, mischief and monsters abound in this slightly fantastical story of a human kid who wants to stay that way.

_________________________________

Which upcoming MG books are you looking forward to? Are there any particularly good ones that you've read recently? 

Review: This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. 

Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

____________________________________

I'm in awe of Courtney Summers. I've come to the conclusion that she can't write anything I won't end up in love with. 


I'm completely freaked out my zombies in realistic settings - because I seriously believe that the zombie apocalypse will happen someday and I am so, so screwed - but I couldn't pass up a book by Summers. Honestly, I've become dependent on the fact that she releases a new novel every year, and I couldn't not read This Is Not a Test just because zombies and gore make me a bit nauseous. And, though I can't say that any of Summers' novels are particularly happy, I find them oddly comforting. These are the novels that people refer to when they say reading makes them feel understood and less alone.


The best thing about This Is Not a Test is that yes, it's a zombie book, but it is so much more than that. For me, it was everything I loved about Summers' past novels, including the intense emotion, flawed characters, and desperate situations PLUS zombies. I mean, Summers' novels always crackle with intensity, so much so that I didn't believe she could turn it any higher, but she definitely proved me wrong.


I've yet to stop myself from falling in love with all of characters in Summers' books. It's a bit ridiculous really. I've even gone so far as to name pets after them. (Okay, one pet. My cat, Milo, is named after a character from Fall for Anything.) Like Summers' past novels, the characters in This Is Not a Test each have a distinct personality. I always feel that I truly understand what motivates each character's actions and emotions, whether they're the main character or small, seemingly unimportant character.


I can't stress enough how much I adore each and every novel Summers' has written and, though This Is Not a Test is in some ways a departure from her previous novels, it is, at it's core, what readers have come to expect from  her. Plus zombies. And while this book may sound horribly bleak, I've come to find that Summers' always leaves her characters, and her readers, with a shimmering ray of hope. Even during the zombie apocalypse.

St. Martin's Griffin, June 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780312656744, 320 pages.

Review: The Little Woods by McCormick Templeman

Are the woods behind St. Bede's Academy really haunted, or does bad stuff just happen there? When Calista Wood, a new student, arrives midway through her junior year, St. Bede's feels like a normal school . . . until she discovers that a girl had disappeared a couple of months earlier. Some kids think she ran away, others think she was murdered, but it's only when Cally starts digging around that she finds the startling truth. 

Watch as Cally enters a world of privilege, weekend-long parties, high school romances, and ... well-kept secrets. This page-turner will appeal to teens looking for a fast-paced thriller. Written in a voice at once gripping and crystal clear, debut novelist, McCormick Templeman, will take readers on a twisting and turning journey as only a "new girl" can experience.

____________________________________

I like well-written mysteries like The Little Woods... and I especially like when the author successfully incorporates creepy characters and a foreboding atmosphere.


I'll be honest, there's some predictability within the plot of The Little Woods, but this novel is both beautifully written and engaging, so I didn't mind that some things didn't feel very surprising. In fact, Templeman may have done this purposely because when I was surprised by a twist, I was really surprised. Enough so that I literally had to verbalize my normal internal "whoa."


There was one aspect of The Little Woods that rang false to me... and I just couldn't get past it. Cally isn't very girly. In fact, she doesn't seem to care about her appearance much at all. Which would have been totally fine, if she didn't have two boys chasing after her. Sure, some boys wouldn't mind the lack of care Cally exhibits for her appearance, but neither of Cally's love interests seem like the type to overlook her blatant disregard. In addition, I didn't think she was all that wonderful personality-wise either. I liked her as a main character - her point of view was interesting - but I never felt particularly attached to her and I couldn't understand why any of the characters were so enthralled by her.


Since I didn't really understand the allure of Cally, I wasn't a huge fan of the romance elements within the novel. They weren't badly done or anything like that, I just was much more interested in the mystery and which characters were lying and why.


Overall, I very much enjoyed Templeman's debut. I've read that her next novel, The Glass Casket, is a retelling of Snow White and I cannot wait to read it. I've fallen in love with Templeman's writing and can only imagine greatness from this retelling!

Random House Children's Books, July 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780375869433, 336 pages.

Fantastic Five: Upcoming Contemporary Titles

Fantastic Five is a new-ish feature at The Hiding Spot! These posts will always feature five of something - whether it be forthcoming novels, favorite authors, books with a common theme, or newly released covers. Whatever the topic, there will always be five items featured and they will always be fantastic!

________________________________

Blink Once by Cylin Busby 
Bloomsbury/11.4.2012 

West is a high school senior who has everything going for him until an accident leaves him paralyzed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, slipping in and out of consciousness, West is terrified and alone. Until he meets Olivia. She’s the girl next door—sort of. A patient in the room next to his, only Olivia can tell what West is thinking, and only Olivia seems to know that the terrible dreams he’s been having are not just a result of his medication. Yet as West comes to rely on Olivia—to love her, even—certain questions pull at him: Why has Olivia been in the hospital for so long? And what does it mean that she is at the center of his nightmares? But the biggest question of all comes when West begins to recover and learns that the mysterious girl he’s fallen in love with has a secret he could never have seen coming.

Then You Were Gone by Lauren Strasnick
Simon Pulse/1.8.13

Two years ago, Adrienne’s best friend, Dakota, walked out of her life. One week ago, she left Adrienne a desperate, muffled voicemail. Adrienne never called back. 

Now Dakota is missing, and all that remains is a string of broken hearts, a flurry of rumors, and a suicide note. 

Adrienne can’t stop obsessing over what might have happened if she’d answered Dakota’s call. And she’s growing more convinced each day that Dakota is still alive. 

Maybe finding and saving Dakota is the only way Adrienne can save herself. Or maybe it’s too late for them both.

The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook
Simon Pulse/12.4.12

Sadie can’t wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised…even though leaving those things behind also means leaving Brendan. Sadie wants a better life, and she has been working steadily toward it, one con at a time.


But when Sadie’s mother wipes out Sadie’s savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash—and fast—or she’ll be stuck in this town forever.


With Brendan’s help, she devises a plan—the ultimate con—to get the money. But the more lies Sadie spins, the more she starts falling for her own hoax…and perhaps for the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn't prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own deception. With her future at stake and her heart on the line, suddenly it seems like she has a lot more than just money to lose....

Small Damages by Beth Kephart
Philomel/7.19.12

It’s senior year, and while Kenzie should be looking forward to prom and starting college in the fall, she is mourning the loss of her father. She finds solace in the one person she trusts, her boyfriend, and she soon finds herself pregnant. Kenzie’s boyfriend and mother do not understand her determination to keep the baby. She is sent to southern Spain for the summer, where she will live out her pregnancy as a cook’s assistant on a bull ranch, and her baby will be adopted by a Spanish couple. 


Alone and resentful in a foreign country, Kenzie is at first sullen and difficult. She begins to open her eyes and her heart to the beauty that is all around her and inside of her.

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
Sourcebooks Fire/10.1.12

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.


Now Parker wants a new life.


So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?


But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

Review: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head. 

But all that changes when the Lynburns return. 

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

____________________________________

I haven't a clue why I've never read anything by Sarah Rees Brennan before Unspoken. From the first pages I was hooked on this newest offering from Brennan, causing me to wonder just what I've been missing all this time!


Kami quickly shaped up to be a  fantastic main characters... and perhaps a new favorite. Right from the start it was obvious she was a funny and whip smart... and she only grew on me as the story progressed. Even though she often takes risks, I never saw Kami as irresponsible or naive. Instead, she sees what needs to be done then goes out and does it.


Readers know from the description that Kami's long time "imaginary friend," that she's talked to in her head for years, turns out to be a real flesh and blood boy, but uncovering why Kami and Jared can communicate telepathically - and all the complications their bond causes - turns out to be a rather delicious treat. I seriously loved that things aren't easy for Kami and Jared, even though they've, in a way, talked and known each other for years. Having your imaginary friend end up being a real person might not be realistic, but the feelings and challenges these two characters experience ring true.


Another aspect of Unspoken that I particularly enjoyed was the relationship between Kami and her best friend. Too often, I find the best friend to be either a pain in the ass or a horrible influence, but Kami has a really kickass best friend. Actually, all Kami's friends are really supportive and awesome. It is so, so nice to see a main character get the support she deserves. *happy dance*


I feel that I can't go into much of a discussion of the actual plot without becoming spoilery, but I loved every twist and turn and, honestly, didn't find Unspoken to be at all predictable. The mystery is pretty neatly wrapped up by the end of the novel, but there were enough loose ends left that there's reason for a next book... which is awesome because I'm rather attached to these characters! 

Random House BFYR, September 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780375870415, 370 pages.

____________________________________

I was able to meet and chat with Sarah Rees Brennan (and Jennifer Lynn Barnes) at this year's RT Convention in Chicago!

Review: A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix

You’d think being a privileged Prince in a vast intergalactic Empire would be about as good as it gets. But it isn’t as great as it sounds. For one thing, Princes are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Khemri discovers that the moment he is proclaimed a Prince. 

He also discovers mysteries within the hidden workings of the Empire. Dispatched on a secret mission, Khemri comes across the ruins of a space battle. In the midst of it all he meets a young woman named Raine, who will challenge his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself.

____________________________________

I've always been a huge fan of Garth Nix and his writing, counting all three books in his Abhorsen trilogy among my top fantasy novels, but A Confusion of Princes left me unimpressed. I really liked the idea of A Confusion of Princes. The competitive nature of all the princes, the plotting and assassination attempts, and the secrets were all interesting, but everything seemed so vague and shallow. I never felt like the reader was given any in depth descriptions or explanations, which made it too easy to forget what I'd just read... something that isn't good in any novel, let alone a science fiction novel. 


My biggest complaint regarding A Confusion of Princes is the main character and narrator, Prince Khemri. I felt no connection to him at all. In fact, I found him to be quite whiny and annoying. As the novel progressed, he did improve slightly, for which I was grateful, but I still never found myself actually liking him. Instead, I sometimes wished he would die and stop being reborn so I could somehow have a different main character. Harsh? Maybe, but Khemri and I didn't see eye to eye on much. And, even when I thought that I might be able to connect with him (once he grew up a bit), Nix seemed to rush through situations where I might have come to build a bond with Khemri. This was very disappointing. 


The writing, however, is wonderful. I expect nothing less from Nix. 


Unfortunately, A Confusion of Princes fell short for me, but I wouldn't discourage you from giving this book a chance if you're a big Nix fan or a devoted lover of science fiction. Personally, I prefer Nix's fantasy novels... and if you're reading this review and are reconsidering picking up this book up, PLEASE consider reading any of Nix's other novels, especially Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen! They're excellent!

HarperCollins, May 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780060096946, 352 pages.