Review for Steaming by Vanessa Barger

Steaming

Author: Vanessa Barger

Publisher: Decadent

Source: PDF from author (thanks!)

Challenges: For The Love of YA

133 pages

"My name is Cornelius Latimer, and I have fallen in love.

The object of my affection isn’t tall and blonde with all the right curves. It isn’t even human. My love belches steam and breathes fire. My world runs on steam and hard metal, and I am a master of both. My Uncle, Rufus Harrison, has funded my expeditions. He’s gifted me with a lab containing all the parts and space I could possibly need. For weeks I have been toiling over my journals, crafting my biggest and best creation yet. It’s heady, this feeling of power. But I made a fatal error. I told a friend about my machine. And now someone who should not know, does. I should tear everything apart, but I can’t.

Love does strange things to people." - Goodreads

    I want to start off by just saying thank you to Miss Barger for giving me a copy of Steaming! Great book!

  Now, on to the review. Normally, this is not a book that I would pick up and read. This book was unique - not weird - but unique. I have never read something quite like it ever before, it is not one of my usual books. But I loved it and I'm so glad I had the chance to read it! In my opinion the goodreads description doesn't do it justice, it barely tells anything about the story!

  Cornelius (how awesome is that name?!) is a Tinker- an inventor. He is nineteen years of age and is obessed with machines. Until he meets Temperance. The woman of his dreams, or so he thought. All goes wrong after a rigged set up, and Cornelius is dragged into a bad situation. He is threatened into making his invention, but soon realizes that his captor may have other plans for him. Bad plans. So, with the help of a young lady, he and her escape. But what will they do when Cornelius's former captor frames them for treason and murder? Well, they hide out in a secret underworld and make a plan. A plan to clear their names, and to give the credit back to Cornelius for his invention. Well, there you have it, that's my best attempt to give a description for an awesome book.

  The characters were so real. I loved Cornelius, he was so smart and had a lot of drive in him. I also liked the other characters because some of them it was like 'hey wait a minute.... are they telling the truth?' and I loved that because it kept me on the edge of my seat! The setting was good too. I just am not sure exactly what period of time this book was centered at. This takes place in London by the way.

Miss Barger's writing style was so clear and easy to follow that I didn't go back tracking trying to figure out what just happened. I really appreciated that. Overall, I enjoyed this book from front to back. By the middle I was hooked and just so excited to see what was going to happen.

  In conclusion, this book has it all. It has: action, romance, mystery, thrills, witty converstations and even  mythology (I enjoyed that part very very much :p) I highly recommend this book to everyone. So, don't hesitate to grab this one up if you see it!! My hat is tipped to the author!

Excerpt:

Lord Stevens laughed."You don't believe that anymore than I do. We both know that machine will revolutionize industry, transportation, everything about life as we know it."
"What exactly do you want, Lord Stevens? I must confess, I have never been good at social interaction. My uncle has always been better at that than I."
"Ah, you prefer the blunt truth?" His nod was almost to himself. "I can respect that. No use beating around the bush then."
He leaned forward and the two hulks next to me shifted, became more aware.
"You have two ways of leaving my house, Cornelius. As the Time Keeper, the thing you hold in your hand will secure my position in the world for the rest of my lifetime. It may even help my children secure their power. Because of this, I can‟t allow your genius to work for anyone but for me. Your choice is simple. You will make this machine for me, or I will make you disappear."

Waiting On Wednesday (9)

Instructions for a Broken Heart

By Kim Culbertson

Release Date: May 1, 2011

 "Three days before her drama club's trip to Italy, Jessa Gardner discovers her boyfriend in the costume barn with another girl. Jessa is left with a care package from her best friend titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," instructing her to do one un-Jessa-like thing each day of the trip. At turns hilarious and heartwrenching, Instructions for a Broken Heart paints a magical Italy in which Jessa learns she must figure out life-and romance-for herself."- Goodreads

Why am I waiting for it?

  Well, it sounds like a great book! It has adventure, foriegn country, boys, best friends,, humor, and romance! Everything I like in a book :) I think it looks awesome! Can't wait for May!

What are you waiting for?

Thanks for reading & have a great day!

Review for Always Watching by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins

Always Watching (The Rayne Tour #1)

Author: Brandilyn Collins and Amberly Collins

Publisher: Zonderkidz

Source: Public Library

Challenges: Libary, For the Love of YA, I'd Wish I'd Read That

221 pages

"This daughter of a rock star has it all until murder crashes her world.
The exciting and suspenseful Rayne Tour series features sixteen-year-old Shaley OConnor, on tour with her mothers popular band. Shaley lives in a whirlwind of backstage secrets, hotels, and limos. With beauty and fame of her own, Shaley wants for nothing except the one thing she cant have.
During a concert, sixteen-year-old Shaley OConnor stumbles upon the body of a friend backstage. Is Tom Hutchens death connected to her?
Frightening messages arrive. Paparazzi stalk Shaley. Her private nightmare is displayed for all to see. Where is God at a time like this?
As the clock runs out, Shaley must find Toms killerbefore he strikes again." - Goodreads

  This is the first book in The Rayne Tour series. I have reviewed, book two and three. So check out those if you'd like!

 I think this series is awesome. It's a thrilling fast paced (but not short of writing skill) story which follows Shaley and her mom along with many other characters as they go on tour. But things start going wrong. Soon, Shaley finds her friends body backstage- dead of course, then she gets creepy messages, paparazzi are everywhere she turns and on top of it there are mysteries about her father. All happening in a time span of I think three days. It's crazy thrilling!!

  The characters are strong in this book as well as the series. The only problem I had for this book was that Shaley comes off as sort of a cry-baby. No doubt that she went through dramatic stuff but still it seems she's always crying. Pull yourself together girl! Be strong! Other than that, lots of action, twists and turns, suspense and just down right edge of your seat type of plot.The events keep rolling, so there's never a dull moment!

 I would highly recommend this to people who like these types of books. I am so happy I read these because I thought all three were rocking awesome! Great work Brandilyn and Amberly!!

Excerpt:
The screams of twenty thousand people sizzled in my ears.

“Rayne, you reign! Rayne, you reign! Rayne, you reign! …”

At the sold-out HP Pavilion in San Jose, California the crowd chanted and clapped and stomped for my mom’s group, Rayne—named after her—to do one more song as they left the stage. As usual I stood backstage with Tom Hutchens, my mom’s twenty-five-year-old hair dresser and makeup artist, and my closest friend on tour. Tom was short and slim, with thick black hair and an intense-looking face that didn’t match his crazy personality at all.

Tom feigned the pucker of a hip-hop artist and splayed his fingers in front of his red T-shirt. “Yo, she reign, they go insane!” He had to shout at me, his Vans-clad feet dancing. Tom always wore these wild-looking sneakers with blue, white, and red checks and a red racing stripe on the sides. “Ain’t nothin’ plain about rockin’ Rayne!”

I punched him in the arm, laughing. His silly rap rhymes were getting worse by the day.

Blonde hair bouncing, Mom came flying down the steps on the way to her private dressing room for the two-minute break. Sweat shone on her forehead as she passed by. She flashed her red-lipped grin at me and raised a palm. We high-fived as she sped past.

“They love us, Shaley!”

“’Course, Mom, they always do!”

Review for The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1)

Author: Jenny Han

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Source: Public Library

Challenges: For the Love of YA, Library, I'd Wish I'd Read That
288 pages

"Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along" - Goodreads

    Have you read this book? Seen it around? Have it in your TBR? Well, GET IT OFF YOUR SHELF AND READ IT! It's a great book to get your right into the mood of summer. Jenny Han did an incredible job with character building and setting description.

  Lets talk characters. I loved Belly as a character (btw that's not her real name-it's Isabel). She loves summer and one summer everything changes. She loses the glasses (and I think braces) and turns pretty. That's when the other two main charactes come in. They notice that Belly isn't that sweet little brother's sister anymore...she's a young lady.  I loved both boys! On one side you have Jeremiah, the funny, sweet, always open upbeat one... and then Conrad the quite, strong, mysterious one. (Really who can choose?) Throw in another boy, the chance of loosing someone to cancer, family troubles, and perhaps the last summer ever; then you've got yourself a great story.

  Jenny Han's writing sytle is easy to follow, clear, and beautiful. The characters aren't contradicting, what they say flows, so.... Thumbs up from me. When reading I could easily hear the ocean and smell the saltiness. It was amazing to read this book.

  The setting is was grabbed me up. Who wouldn't be interested in a summer romance? I kept this review short so that I didn't give anything away. All, I can say now is GRAB IT AND READ IT!! I highly recommend this book to everyone!!

Excerpt:

 I say, "I can't believe you're really here."

He sounds almost shy when he says, "Me neither."

And then he hesitates. "Are you still coming with me?"

I can't believe he even has to ask. I would go anywhere. "Yes," I tell him. It feels like nothing else exists outside of that word, this moment. There's just us. Everything that happened this past summer, and every summer before it, has led up to this. To now.

Review for A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

A Northern Light

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Publisher: Harcourt

Source: Public Library

Challenge: For the Love of YA, Library, and 350 page

"Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey has big dreams but little hope of seeing them come true. Desperate for money, she takes a job at the Glenmore, where hotel guest Grace Brown asks her to burn a bundle of secret letters. But when Grace's drowned body is fished from the lake, Mattie discovers the letters reveal the grim truth behind a murder.

Set in 1906 against a backdrop of the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, this astonishing novel weaves romance, history, and a murder mystery into something moving, real, and wholly original" - Goodreads

   I am now officially a fan of historical fiction. Especially if the writer is Jennifer Donnelly. In this description of the book, you would assume that the main event is the murder. Right? Well, no. In the chapters it alternates between her life before the Glenmore and after. It focuses on Mattie's life mostly. But the mystery (even though I had figured it out at the first mentioning) is intriguing and based on a true murder.

Mattie dreams of being a writer and collects all the words she can. But that dream of hers soon gets out of reach when events start to unfold. From her mother dying to her getting engaged.... she's struggling to find out what to do. I really enjoyed the character of Mattie. You can feel how much she loves words and books (see how I can relate??) and how much she misses her mother. How she has conflicting feelings for Royal (the boy who's handsome but, erm, well kinda dull, shallow, boring, only cares about farming. Catch my drift?), and especially when she keeps on trying to make it to her goal. It's inspiring. The other characters play out well too. Sometimes I got lost because they were just so many names! But after awhile you get to understand.

The murder itself is tragic and well it added something to the story. I do not like to include spoilers but this one I just can't hold back (hightlight if you want to read--just saying it's not 'really a spoiler'): Mattie ends up reading the letters (big surprise right?), and through them we get a sense of Grace Brown's character. I loved how Mattie connected the dots, the solver in me was pleased. If you like solving and mysteries, try this one on for size.

The writing style was simply beautiful. The descriptions put you right in the scenes. The North Woods are just beautiful! Overall, Jennifer Donnelly did and amazing job again. I do recommend this book, it's a fine read!

Excerpt:

When summer comes to the North Woods, time slows down. And some days it stops altogether. The sky, gray and lowering for much of the year, becomes an ocean of blue, so vast and brilliant you can't help but stop what you're doing—pinning wet sheets to the line maybe, or shucking a bushel of corn on the back steps—to stare up at it. Locusts whir in the birches, coaxing you out of the sun and under the boughs, and the heat stills the air, heavy and sweet with the scent of balsam.

As I stand here on the porch of the Glenmore, the finest hotel on all of Big Moose Lake, I tell myself that today—Thursday, July 12, 1906—is such a day. Time has stopped, and the beauty and calm of this perfect afternoon will never end. The guests up from New York, all in their summer whites, will play croquet on the lawn forever. Old Mrs. Ellis will stay on the porch until the end of time, rapping her cane on the railing for more lemonade. The children of doctors and lawyers from Utica, Rome, and Syracuse will always run through the woods, laughing and shrieking, giddy from too much ice cream.

I believe these things. With all my heart. For I am good at telling myself lies.

Waiting On Wednesday (8)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase unreleased novels that we're waiting for. What am I waiting for?

My Life Undecided
By Jessica Brody
Release Date: June 7, 2011

"PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I’m gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life." - Goodreads

Here is also the video MUST SEE--so funny!!:

Why am I waiting for it?

  It looks hilarious!! Did you watch the trailor? You didn't?! Well, do it now... I'll wait. Ok, your back? Now you see why? Get this, the author directed that video! Anyhoo, this premise looks unique and totally funny. Plus, I always like a good romanic comedy :) Lastly,  I really enjoy this cover! What do you think?

What was your WoW pick? Leave links :)

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Teaser Tuesday (6)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules:
•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

A Northern Light

By Jennifer Donnelly

"I ran to the warming oven, skidded on a slice of tomato, and just managed to right myself before I smashed into Henry, the new underchef, who had arrived at the Glenmore the day before, same as me, and was carrying a basket of lobsters."

"I wished I was as strong as Weaver was. I wished I was as fearless. But I was not."

What were your teasers for this week?

I did finish this book today, so the review will be posted on Thursday. I hope you enjoyed another teaser from this book!

Book Blogger Hop (18) and Follow Friday (13)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen@Crazy-for-books. Click on the link for details :)

"Do you read one book at a time or have several going at once?"

For me it's like watching two movies at once. If I try and watch one than jump into the other one I get confused and both movies are ruined. So, I only watch one movie -- I only read one book at a time. It's less confusing for me. Oh and have you heard??? Book Blogger Hop has been going on for 1 whole year now!! Woo-hooo *claps and throws confetti* Way to go everyone! It's so exciting!

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View. Click on the link for details.

"How did you come up with your blog name?"

Hmm, I"m not really sure. I guess I thought of bookworms and since I"m a bookworm I'm here. Yah, I'll stick with that. It's my lame attempt at answering :/ Great question though!

Sorry this was a day late! I couldn't get to a computor and mine wasn't working so yah. Sorry! Better late than never? Anyways, I just wanted to do a shout out to Japan, I'm thinking about you! It's horrible what happened...and now with the nuclear threat -- has gotten way worse. So, my thoughts and prayers are with all of you!

Thanks for reading everyone!

Waiting On Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase unreleased novels that we're waiting for. What am I waiting for?

Crossed (Matched #2)
By Ally Condie
Release Date: November 1, 2011

"In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever." -Goodreads

Why am I waiting for it?

 Duh, because Matched left me hanging!! Did that happen to anyone else? I just want to know what happens next! What happens to Cassia? Ky? Xander? Who is the double-crosser? Does Cassia decide who she loves? So many questions that need answers.

Let's talk cover. Now this was released awhile ago (I apologize for not posting about it). What I don't like is how she looks animated, not real (yes I know the model is not real but it would be nice if it looked better). In the first book she looked real-er. And what happened to the 'plainclothes' they wear? How did she get that outfit? Other than than,  I love the colour choice, I love how she's breaking out of the bubble - breaking out of society, and the fact that they kept with the same idea for both books. Now I know that they are related :)

Do you like this cover? Don't? I'd love to hear your opinion! What was your WoW pick? Leave links!!

Thanks for reading!

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules:
•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

A Northern Light

By Jennifer Donnelly

"I'd seen the crimson glory of a stand of sugar maples in autumn and the unspeakable stillness of a mountain lake at dawn."

"If spring has a taste, it tastes like fiddleheads."

What were your teasers this Tuesday? Leave links! :)

Thanks for reading and have a great day everyone!

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where we get to post about the books we recieve each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests, and libraries.
What's in my mailbox?

Currently Reading....



Still need to read (I'll get to these soon I hope!)...




New.....

For Review:

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

The Last Little Blue Envelope

What was in your Mailbox? I hope everyone had a great weekend!!
Thanks for reading it means a lot :)

Book Blogger Hop (17) and Follow Friday (12)

Book Blogger  Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books, click link for details :)

This week's question is:

"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"

" LOVE <3 this question!! Eeek (do we get the money..jk) This is what I would get:

-Just One Wish, My Unfair Godmother and My Double Life by Janette Rallison
      

-False Princess by Eilis O'Neal


-Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder



-Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren



-Wither by Lauren DeStefano



Just to get started with! I want so many others but those are off the top of my head. Great questions!

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's Views, click link for more details.

This week's question is:

  Just like Ashley said (love it) "Ashley the girl..." who are You the Boy/Girl, instead of You the Blogger?

I'm Lulu the girl who loves music and sports. Am a current highschool student trying to get by living in a small town. I'm an aunt to seven wonderful neices/nephews. The youngest sister. A daughter. An animal lover to the extreme, inlcuding wildlife :) The one who will listen no matter what. A hopeless romantic...Wait what was the question?

What were your answers to these awesome questions? If your hopping or following by be sure to leave a link!! I'll check it out :)

Thanks for reading, have a great day!

Review for Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Viking Juvenille

Source: Public Library

Challenges: For the Love of YA, 350 page, Library

371 pages

"Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything"—at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help,maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends."-Goodreads

  Sarah Dessen is a wonderful writer. All her books leave you feeling profoundly changed becaue there is a message underneath each story. And the beautiful thing is that that message can differ from person to person.

I really enjoyed this book. Annabel the main character, has everything, well actually that's only true in the commercial she was in. In reality Annabel is struggling. Her mom is fighting depression, her sister has an eating disorder, her best friend (which I hate for good reason) isn't talking with her, and she has to bottle up all her feelings for fear of disappointing her family. Well, at lest until she meets Owen who is always honest (seriously). I really liked his character. Everyone thinks of him as a bad boy, mysterious, freak. But really he's a kind and caring guy who does have his own struggles. And for Annabel he's her escape, she can tell him how she really feels. He turns out to be a great friend for her (and more in the end--of course). All the characters were believable and real. The plot and setting was excellent too!

The only problem I had was that the reader was almost constantly getting sent back to events of Annabel's past life. It was hard to keep track of the present because sometimes the accounts would go on for almost a whole chapter. Also, there was the teeny issue of swearing. Sophie was terrible. Gosh, that girl was so cruel, I couldn't help but dislike her (but I think that was the point). Other than that I really enjoyed this read. I do suggest trying it out because the writing is great, the plot is good, and Sarah Dessen always leaves you feeling 'filled' so to speak.

Excerpt:

   One open, one closed. It was no wonder that the first image that came to mind when I thought of either of my sisters was a door. With Kirsten, it was the front one to our house, through which she was always coming in or out, usually in mid-sentence, a gaggle of friends trailing behind her. Whitney’s was the one to her bedroom, which she preferred to keep shut between her and the rest of us, always. As for me, I fell somewhere between my sisters and their strong personalities, the very personification of the vast gray area that separated them. I was not bold and outspoken, or silent and calculating. I had no idea how anyone would describe me, or what would come to mind at the sound of my name. I was just Annabel.

Waiting On Wednesday (6)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase unreleased novels that we're waiting for. What am I waiting for?

 

The Last Little Blue Envelope (13 Little Blue Envelopes #2)
By Maureen Johnson
Release Date: April 26, 2011

 "Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions."-Goodreads

Why am I waiting for it?

I actually have this as an ebook in NetGalley, so I'm really excited to read it when I finish my other books. I reviewed 13 Little Blue Envelopes a while back, and I really liked it. But it did leave me wanting more, that's why when I heard this second book was coming out, I was thrilled that the story would continue! So, what do you think? I hope there will be a little more adventure in this book than the first one :) I can't wait!

What was your WoW pick? Leave links cause I love to check 'em out :)

Thanks for reading!

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules:
•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

Just Listen

By Sarah Dessen

 

 "Who knew the truth could be so hard for Owen Armstrong, the most honest boy in the world."

 

"Ten thousand songs could fill a lot of slience."

 

 

 

What were your teasers this Tuesday? Leave links! I love to stop by :)

Thanks for reading & have a great day!

Review for Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Publisher: Delacorte Books

Source: Personal Copy

Challenges: 350 page, For the Love of YA, I'd Wish I'd Read That

472 pages

"BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.
 PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.


Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present. "-Goodreads

    This was my first historical fiction read. . . what did I think? Well, lets just say this book has made it to my favorites along with Jennifer Donnelly as a favorite author. 
 Doesn't that last sentence of the summary just send chills up your spine? Me too! I love it! The premise for this book is amazing. The plot is well thought out before-hand so that everything falls into place. Not perfectly but at least your questions get answers. Don't you hate it when your left with questions? I do. This is a beautiful story that blends two girls accounts together, two centuries apart into a stunning read.

The characters were exciting because they were so real. Andi. . . in the beginning of this book I was nervous with her because she was always entertaining the thought of suicide but then as the book progressed I began to pity her then by the middle of the book I felt her. I felt her pain, why she was doing/saying what she did, I understood her. I could feel how much music meant to her, it was all she had. Same with Alex. I felt what she was feeling as I read, I felt the love of Louis-Charles. The other characters like Andi's mom (I felt terrible for her), Andi's dad, G, Lili, Jules, and even Vijay (Andi's best friend) were all well developed too. They were real characters not one sided. I can't forget about Virgil, I loved his character. He had a great story and I really enjoyed when Andi and him interacted.

Jennifer did an ah-mazing job with the writing style. It's so beautiful to read. It was like poetry when reading about how Andi looked to music. I was just awed at how the book conveyed each feeling. This book sucked me into the story, I was literally glued to it! It was awesome. Also, a huge part was how much I learned! There was so much history in here--not too overwhelming but enough that I knew what it was like in that century. I really enjoyed how she found the diary too, I thought that was the neatest thing! Not to mention when she goes back to that century, can you say on-the-edge-of-your-seat excitement?

This story with have you gushing when your done. It is a beautiful, compelling read that will have you turning pages until the last one. Unputdownalbe!! I strongly recommend this book to everyone!

Excerpt:
I put the guitar into its case and head for an exit. Front door. Back door. Window. Anything. When I'm halfway across the living room, I feel a hand close on my arm.
"Come on. It's eight-fifteen."
It's Vijay Gupta. President of the Honor Society, the debate team, the Chess Club, and the Model United Nations. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, a literacy center, and the ASPCA. Davidson Fellow, Presidential Scholar candidate, winner of a Princeton University poetry prize, but, alas, not a cancer survivor.
Orla McBride is a cancer survivor, and she wrote about it for her college apps and got into Harvard early admission. Chemo and hair loss and throwing up pieces of your stomach beat the usual extracurriculars hands down. Vijay only got wait-listed, so he still has to go to class.
"I'm not going," I tell him. "Why not?"
I shake my head.
"What is it?"
Vijay is my best friend. My only friend, at this stage. I have no idea why he's still around. I think he sees me as some kind of rehabilitation project, like the loser dogs he cares for at the shelter.
"Andi, come on," he says. "You've got to. You've got to get your outline in. Beezie'll throw you out if you don't. She threw two seniors out last year for not turning it in."
"I know. But I'm not."
Vijay gives me a worried look. "You take your meds today?" he asks. "I did."
He sighs. "Catch you later."
"Yeah, V. Later."
I head out of the Castle van Epp, down to the Promenade. It's snowing. I take a seat high above the BQE, stare at Manhattan for a bit, and then I play. For hours. I play until my fingertips are raw. Until I rip a nail and bleed on the strings. Until my hands hurt so bad I forget my heart does.