Top Ten Tuesday-Books I Want in My Beach Bag-5/26/15

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to summer, which means that The Broke and the Bookish want to know what books we plan to have in our beach bags. I actually got a new beach bag for my birthday, so now I just need to load it up with books! Here are my top contenders:

1. Kissing in America by Margo Rabb.

2. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir.

3. Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins.

4. The World Forgot by Martin Leicht.

5. A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab.

6. The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick.

7. Alex + Ada, vol. 2 by Sarah Vaughn.

8. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. (a reread for book club)

9. The Devil You Know by Trish Doller.

10. Pretending to Be Erica by Michelle Painchaud.

I will also be rereading Harry Potter and The Spellman Files and finishing the Skulduggery Pleasant series…only 2 more books to go.

Happy Reading!

~Megan

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson Review 8/28/14

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
September 16, 2014
Dial Books for Young Readers
Hardcover, 384 pgs

What it’s about:

Jude and her twin brother Noah have always been close, but the year they are thirteen changes everything. A shy misfit, Noah immerses himself in art as he falls in love with the charismatic boy next door. Meanwhile, Jude strikes out on her own seeking thrills with the popular kids. By the time the twins are sixteen they are shells of their former selves and practically strangers to each other. When an eccentric and reclusive sculptor agrees to mentor Jude, pieces of the past resurface and Jude and Noah slowly realize that they each only know half of the truth about the events that destroyed them.

Why You Might Like it:

I’ll Give You the Sun is a stunningly beautiful story. Noah and Jude are vibrant, complex, and flawed characters. They leap off the page and come alive. The dual narrative provides readers with bits and pieces of the whole story, creating a powerful picture of love and betrayal, secrets and heartaches. While the twins’ journey is painful, there are spots of humor to lighten the mood, a budding romance that inspires hope, and the magic of art to soothe the raw edges of emotions. I truly do not have adequate words to describe this book. It is powerful, magical, and amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed the e-galley provided by Netgalley.com, but I can’t wait to see a finished copy. I am hopeful that is will be filled with Noah’s and Jude’s art. This is one of the best books I have read all year!

Want More Like This?

For more gorgeous writing and powerful stories, try Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, Ask the Passengers by A.S. King, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extent.

 

Roomies by Sarah Zarr and Tara Altebrando Review

Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando
December 24, 2013
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Hardcover, 288 pgs.

What it’s about:

All Lauren wanted out of college was a single. A room to herself. A little privacy, a luxury she rarely gets in her house full of kids. So when she receives the e-mail from UC Berkeley notifying her of her roommate assignments she is disappointed. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Elizabeth receives the same information and excitedly zips off an e-mail to Lauren, setting into motion a summer of electronic communications. Both young women are excited and nervous about leaving home. While they each try to juggle new relationships while managing old ones, they find themselves turning to each other, virtual strangers, for support. As the summer progresses and their lives become more complicated they are forced to ask themselves if they have what it takes to share a dorm room.

Why you might like it:

Are you curious about what it will be like to leave home? Worried about heading off to college? Well, you may be able to relate to Lauren and Elizabeth. Do you enjoy a little romance in your books? You’ll find that here too! Do you like novels that are written in the form of letters or journal entries? I do! And of course, if you are a fan of Sara Zarr and/or Tara Altebrando, you won’t want to miss this one. I really enjoyed getting to know each of these characters. Each had complex and challenging situations to work through. Their hopes, fears, and excitement about college felt genuine. I felt that the authors managed to work in a number if “issues” in without being heavy-handed. They touch on issues of sex, infidelity, inter-racial relationships, and homosexuality. This is definitely a book for a more mature reader. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the reader looking for books about post-graduation.

Want more like this?

For the new to college experience check out Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Just One Day by Gayle Forman,  The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle, and the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty. I am still pretty new to the whole New Adult category, but I think this fits nicely. I would love to see more books with college bound characters.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays With Megan 1/27/14

Happy Monday! I took a long weekend and am back to work nice and refreshed and thank goodness, because there is a lot to be done! First and foremost, decorating the teen room for Valentine’s Day. Because, why not? And because my awesome coworker pointed me in the direction of these cute and nerdy library-themed candy heart decorations. I also need to spend some time mulling over this year’s ALA Youth Media Award Winners. And of course, I also need to get busy on my Monday Reading List!

 

 

Finished:

• Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando was quite fun. Through an exchange of emails, two young women assigned to be college roommates get to know each other. Full of the worry and excitement of leaving home for the first time, this was a charming story. This will inevitably be compared to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, which is fair enough.
• Sabriel by Garth Nix was a little confusing and slow to start. Sabriel is the daughter of the Abhorsen, the powerful necromancer charged with keeping the dead where they belong. When he goes missing Sabriel must leave the comfort of her boarding school and venture into the Old Kingdom to find him. This is the first is a trilogy and I did not love it, but Nix is a compelling storyteller and I am confident things will pick up. I will certainly give Lirael a shot.
• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer follows a group of people who meet at an art camp in 1974. The six teens forge a bond that lasts a lifetime. This one slowly drew me in and I ended up really liking it.
• Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg is due out in February, so I will have a review up later, but I will say it was wonderful! I loved the alternating POV and banter between Levi and Macallan.

Current Audio:

• I am so excited to have Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen in my car. Her books are so dreamy and magical.
• On Playaway I have The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. I am a little late to the party and romances seem to be the theme…just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Currently Reading:

 

• Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis has lots going for it-it’s a dystopian book, written by a fellow Ohioan and there is a blurb on the (totally awesome) front cover by Michael Grant. I just started and hopefully I can tear myself away from The West Wing long enough to get into my book.
• The House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini. This book is HUGE and the house is pretty creepy.
• Finally, I just downloaded an ARC of This One Summer, a new graphic novel by cousins Jillian and Mariko Tamaki.

On Deck:

  

Another blast of Arctic cold is heading my way. Maybe tomorrow will find me snuggled up with a book instead of at work?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books of 2013…So Far. 6/25/13

This Top Ten Tuesday list, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish is a Best Of list. This is both a genius idea and a nearly impossible task all in one. My end of year lists are going to be insane. As of today I have read 92 books and I gave 5 stars to 26 of them! What to do, what to do?

So far this year has delivered some AWESOME sequels:

1. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor. This sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone is dark, brutal, and devastating. Holy wow!

2. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. Another brilliant sequel. Even better than Cinder? I think so! I can’t wait to get two more points of view layered on and see it is all going to come together.

3. Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-More. Not familiar with the Goodnight family? You’re going to want to fix that! Witches, ghosts, sassy girls and swoonie guys. Everybody wins! The first in the series is Texas Gothic, but they do a great job of standing alone as well. This book could be the love child of Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson and The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan

4. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. Epic. Clever and satisfying resolution to some of my biggest concerns.

5. Game by Barry Lyga. Jasper Dent is the new Dexter! I really enjoyed I Hunt Killers, but Game creeped the hell out of me.

6.The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy. My new favorite middle grade series.

I have also read some phenomenal standalones and debuts!

7. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I had a ridiculously good time with this one. Wil Wheaton narrating the audio is bonus genius.

8. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley. How about this for variety? Nonfiction, graphic novel. So lovely. You will want it for yourself and to give it as a gift to all your foodie friends.

9. What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton. I was totally impressed by this debut novel. I can’t wait to have the author speak at my library in September!

10. In Darkness by Nick Lane. I totally get why it won the Prinz. I am also surprised by how much I loved this one. I still rattles around in my brain more than a month later.

11. Winger by Andrew Smith. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and devastatingly heart-breaking all wrapped up in one. I just finished this last week and knew it had to be on this list.

Eleven is a reasonable place to stop the list, but I just have to say that I also loved Light by Michael Grant, Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter, Prodigy by Marie Lu, Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley and Doll Bones by Holly Black. Now I am kind of dreading trying to make an end of the year Top Ten list.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

 

Poison by Bridget Zinn Review

Poison by Bridget Zinn
Disney Hyperion
March 12, 2013
288 pgs

Sixteen-year-old Kyra is a potions master, a would-be assassin, and a fugitive. She had to abandon her practice and flee after her failed attempt to kill her best friend, Princess Ariana. She’s not crazy, she had to do it for the good of the kingdom. Now, the king’s army is hot on her trail and the fate of the kingdom rests on Kyra’s ability to locate the princess and finish what she started. With nothing but a pack full of potions and poisons and a tiny tracking pig, she sets out in search of her target. Along the way she meets Fred, a happy-go-lucky adventurer and his dog, Langley. The rag-tag band of travelers encounter goblins and a wicked witch before Kyra can ditch Fred and get down to business. But Fred has an uncanny ability to reappear and the most opportune moments and Kyra can’t help but start to like him. But they both have secrets that threaten any chance that they have of being together. And there is still a princess to find and kill.

This debut novel, published two years after the author’s death, is a quick, fun read. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded in a non-linear way, slowly revealing bits and pieces and the secrets revealed at the end were such a treat. The poisons and potions are quite intriguing and I found myself wishing for some of Kyra’s handiwork (the fun, harmless potions of course!). Readers will be charmed by the cast of characters: Kyra is a woman on a mission, Fred is a goof-ball, Ari is about as anti-princess as they come and Rosie is a real cutie. A delightful blend of humor, adventure, and magic, Poison is a winner.

You may also enjoy The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman and A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

This book was provided by the publisher and NetGalley.com for review.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday-My Spring 2013 TBR List

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is all about Spring. And books, of course. I am sure most of you have overwhelmingly enormous TBR lists, so you understand how difficult it is to pick just ten(ish). I am hoping, with the help of a few readathons, to make a huge dent in my reading lists this spring. Here a few coming soon and already published books that I hope to enjoy while I watch my dog tear up all the muddy grass and new plants the flowers bloom.

Coming Soon:

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare 3/19/13
2. OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn 3/21/13
3. Taken by Erin Bowman 4/16/13
4. The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy 4/30/13
5. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen 6/4/13

Already Out:

6. Mind Games by Kiersten White
7. The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
8. The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepard
9. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Non YA Books:

10+. The Dinner by Herman Koch, Pure by Julianna Baggott, and The Map of Time by Felix Palma.

I am looking forward to my spring reading! What is on your list?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Monday’s With Megan-Meanie Moms Edition and What Are You Reading?

With Hurricane Sandy wreaking havoc on weather everywhere (even in Ohio!) my Friday off turned out to be the perfect reading day. I was excited to pack up a bag and head to my favorite reading spot for an afternoon of tasty treats and reading. Curled up in a cozy, curved seat with a bowl of soup and a latte I managed to zip through a book and a half! I finished Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate and dove right into My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (I ended up finishing this 400 page book around midnight. Could. Not. Stop.) As I drove home, listening to Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, I realized that these three very different books had one thing in common: meanie moms! Meanie Mom #1 from Eve and Adam is Terra Spiker, a billionaire mad scientist who totally hates her daughter’s BFF and has no problem voicing her dislike. Meanie Mom #2 from My Life Next Door is Senator Grace Reed, a trust fund baby who, from her high horse, refers to the boisterous Garrett family next door as “those people.” Her daughters both know that they are not to fraternize with the Garretts. Meanie Mom #3 from Along For the Ride is Victoria West, a genius scholar and author who frowns upon her daughter’s decision to spend the summer at the beach with her father. Mommy West also frowns upon the new wife, the new baby, the color pink…the list goes on. Thankfully Evening Spiker, Samantha Reed, and Auden West do not blindly obey mommy dearest. What’s the fun in that?! I know I enjoyed watching everyone butt heads.

That is just the beginning of my current reading adventures. Let’s check in with Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for this week’s It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

I finished a ton of books last week!

Finished:

I am a little off my pace with my reading goal this year *shake fist at George R.R. Martin and amazing and looooong books* So I am trying to boost my numbers with graphic novels. Chi’s Sweet Home is totally adorable. I really loved the illustrations in Hope Larson’s adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time.

I managed to get a few walks in last week and so I finally finished my Playaway. This book was a surprise. It’s charming and lazy and then…BAM…crazytown.

I also finished three novels. Loved them all, especially My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. Fast, fun reads!

Currently Reading/Listening to:

I LOVED Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride and I am excited to have the sequel, Necromancing the Stone, but it might be slow going because I am going to start A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin and it might take over all my reading time!

That’s all for me! Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Along for the Ride

started

necromancing the stone

Mondays with Megan: Talking about meeting Carrie Ryan

It’s true what they say about teaching an old dog new tricks-Lexi refused to learn how to drive for my trip to Cincinnati. Before jumping to her defense with the whole opposable thumbs argument, I would like to remind you all that I have the world’s most stubborn dog and I think she won’t drive out of spite. But you are not here to read about my canine conundrums. You want to know about meeting Carrie Ryan. So, without further ado (or dog related insanity) I present to you my afternoon with Carrie Ryan and 40 other fans.

Here is the lovely display of Carrie Ryan’s books. Looking at the picture now I realize that there is not a copy of The Dead-Tossed Waves standing up for you to see. It’s a shame, because it’s a creepy cool cover. Also, check out the new cover for the paperback of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Personally, I am not a fan. I like the original cover better. But that’s neither here nor there. What’s between the covers is the same zombie-licious story.

Here’s the lovely Carrie Ryan herself, signing away! She was kind enough to sign a book for me and a book for me to give away for summer reading. I also picked up some cool swag-bookmarks and a couple of buttons.

Given what I know about Ms. Ryan and her fearless ability to make terrible things happen to her beloved characters, I must confess that I am scared to read this. But….

….maybe it will be okay? Maybe it will be a Tinkerbell situation. Maybe if I believe in hope enough it will be okay? Maybe? Please? *sigh* It’s not going to be okay, is it? I CAN’T WAIT!

Carrie Ryan is a brilliant storyteller, both in print and in person, so I don’t want to ruin anything for those of you who may see her. BUT, I will say that she filled us in on the origins of her zombie obsession. She swears she’s a romantic (you wouldn’t really think so from her books) and maybe she is. She did marry the man who took her to her first zombie flick after all. That’s kind of sweet. I personally had a moment of silent bonding with her when she described a childhood trauma involving a teenaged babysitter and a horror movie. Carrie, my dad let me watch Amityville Horror when I was six or seven. I feel your pain. She talked about her journey to becoming a writer-and a New York Times Bestselling author at that-with her Ten Year Plan (she could have called it a Five Year Plan, because that’s all the time she needed to make it big). She talked about her writing process and told stories about her grandma and husband and cat. She talked about zombies. She talked about making her characters do more than just surviving. She talked about hope. She was amazing.

What she didn’t talk about is her next book. That’s right, there is a next book! She said the next book is done and awaiting a title. It will be available next summer and it is dark, paranormal, gothic, and there is kissing. Friend, fellow author and writing partner, Saundra Mitchell, was on hand to confirm that the next book is awesome. BTW, I have only heard fantastic things about Saundra Mitchell’s new book, The Vespertine. It is currently in my house just waiting for me to read it. Hopefully the upcoming Read-a-thon will help.

In the meantime, you can find more zombie stories by Carrie Ryan in a number of new anthologies. Find her in Zombies vs Unicorns, Kiss Me Deadly, and Enthralled.

I will leave you with this final thought. While she did not give anything away about The Dark and Hollow Places, Carrie Ryan described the book like this:

She decided to take “seven million zombies, throw them at the world and see what happens.” I should find out this week.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Judging Books by Their Covers

We all do it, and I for one, think it’s ok to do. I am talking about judging a book by its cover. Of course, as a professional I also rely on reviews, but I certainly enjoy a gorgeous cover. Today two awesome covers were revealed and in case you haven’t already seen them…ta da! Cover Love.

Here is the cover for Supernaturally by Kiersten White! Check out Evie in that smokin’ dress! In addition to being a totally bada** demon hunter, she is quite the fashionista. I can’t wait to find out what is in store for Evie and her hottie, Lend. I can’t believe we have to wait until August!! On the bright side, there is plenty of time for you to read Paranormalcy. Hmm, I just discovered that I don’t have a review to link to. Time to remedy that!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

When you work for the International Paranormal Containment Agency the idea of normal is all relative. For Evie it’s perfectly normal to see through glamours, have a mermaid best friend, and a faerie ex-boyfriend. It’s after a hot, young shape-shifter breaks into IPCA headquarters that things really start to get weird. Paranormals around the world are dying, and Evie is having nightmares about a frightening prophecy that seems to link her and her special ability to the deaths. Oh, and she is totally crushing on the new guy. 

Paranormalcy is start-to-finish fun. Evie is tough, yet girlie, and hilarious. I loved the action, intrigue, romance, and laugh-out-loud moments (love the locker scene so much!). Plot twists and turns left me guess until the end and I loved that the paranormals when beyond the usual fare of werewolves and vampires. Hello mermaids and hags! I did not want this book to end. Fortunately there is more to Evies story.

If you loved this one, you will want to read Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey, and the Maggie Quinn series by Rosemary Clement-Moore. I would also recommend Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series. There’s no paranormals, but these girls, like Evie totally kick butt!

Next cover. I find this reveal to be especially cruel since I have to wait until 2012 for this book! That may as well be forever, I swear. Anyway, here it is:

Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey is the sequel to Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side. I imagine in picks up where her internet story leaves off. If you do not want any spoilers, DO NOT click here. If you have already Jessica’s Guide, you will want to click on the above link and get yourself all caught up for book 2. I know I need to do that!

Again, I realized that I have no review for Jessica’s Guide, so here goes.

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica Packwood’s quiet world gets turned upside down with the arrival of Lucius Vladescu, a Romanian foreign exchange student. It turns out that no one is who they appear to be. Lucius is not a student. He is a vampire claiming to be Jessica’s long-lost fiance. And if that isn’t crazy enough, he is telling that she is actually a Romanian princess named Anastasia Dragomir. This is all a lot to handle, so it’s only natural that Jessica is a bit overwhelmed by her on-again, off-again romance with Lucius. Just when things start to heat up a perky cheerleader weasels her way into Lucius’ favor. Can Jessica win back her undead man and prevent an all-out vampire war all before graduation day? Life would be so much simpler if she found herself a mortal guy.

In the era of Twilight, it’s sometimes hard to find a unique vampire romance story. This one is a winner. Lucius is polite, patient, and kind and sparks that fly between the two is guaranteed to satisfy romance lover. I am particularly fond of the book that Lucius gives to Jessica: Growing Up Undead: A Teen’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions. Hilarious. So, if you are looking for a charming story with dreamy vampire romance, insecure teens, and an obnoxious cheerleader, this is the book for you. I loved it and can’t wait for more of Jessica and Lucius.

Pair this with any of the books mentioned above. Ok, that’s all for me today. Have a great weekend!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan