REVIEW: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

Description

No one wants to be this teacher’s pet . . .

Everyone else is talking about Eastlake High’s gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck, but Kaylee Cavanaugh has bigger things on her mind. Kaylee’s a banshee—her scream is a portent of death.

But the next scream might hit too close to home. Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline has almost run out.

Yeah—it’s a shock to her, too. So to distract herself from her own problems, Kaylee is determined to defend her school against the latest supernatural threat. That hot new teacher is really an incubus, who feeds from the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend’s delinquent ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human either.

But Kaylee’s running out of time, and those who love her will do anything to save her life.

Anything.

Soul Screamers: The last thing you hear before you die

About the Author

Rachel Vincent's urban fantasy novels have been causing a buzz in the US, with her fresh, hip and compelling style. Rachel also runs an active blog at urbanfantasy.blogspot.com.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (September 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373210329
• ISBN-13: 978-0373210329

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

***spoilers might be present ***

So, Kaylee is trying to fix another supernatural entity from invading her world and this one attacks right at school.  Mr Beck is the math teacher and is also an incubus.  He doesn't outright kills people, but some of his actions are starting to have that effect.  Kaylee enlists Sabine to help her get to the bottom of this evil, like being a math teacher isn't evil enough.  Tod gets some information on Kaylee that will have you spinning and well, Nash, isn't quite himself again.  This one is my absolute favorite of the series.  All of the snarky sarcasm, plot twists and turns and wonderful characters are here and so believable that I can die happy now.  Everything happened just as I wanted it too, well, almost.

Kaylee further develops the back bone that started to grow in My Soul to Steal.  It is nice to see her take charge and grow.  There is a bit more to Tod than meets the eye and more of his back story starts to come out including one revelation that really explains a lot about Nash and their relationship.  I had always thought Nash was not quite right for Kaylee and there was something about him that really bugged me, now I know why.   I really hope that the story continues since I can see a whole new direction for Kaylee.  When I first heard the rumors about Kaylee and the way this one ended, I though, well, that's the end of the series, but now I think it is just the start.

REVIEW: Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Product Description

Pearl is your typical sixteen-year-old vampire—until the night a unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops. Now she’s experiencing a number of alarming symptoms: noticing her own reflection, feeling sympathy for a human victim, and being able to withstand the sun. Pearl’s immunity to sunlight thrills her family, who enroll her in high school so she can lure home tasty friends. Pearl quickly discovers that high school is very similar to vampire culture with its rigid rules, clear social hierarchy, and a might-makes-right attitude. But having a conscience makes it hard to cope with an evil plot the Vampire King has in store for the local humans. Will Pearl overcome her bloodsucking instincts in favor of her newly acquired conscience? This acerbic antidote to other vampire romances is rife with gorgeous vampires, handsome were-unicorns, high school drama, and lots of action!

About the Author

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of the young adult novels Enchanted Ivy and Ice, as well as the middle grade novels Into the Wild and Out of the Wild. She has twice been a finalist for SWFA's Andre Norton Award, for both Ice and Into the Wild. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (September 13, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442423730
• ISBN-13: 978-1442423732

SOURCE:  Simon and Schuster Galley Grab

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Rose is more concerned with beating the heck out of her boyfriend Jadrien, getting her food high by sucking down the blood from the guy who works at an ice cream shop and doing whatever her "parents" tell her to do.  One day, she is attacked by a beast and left to die and since Pearl is a vampire, she is pretty much toast (literally!), if left in the sun.   Something strange has happened and Pearl wakes up in the sun on her doorstep.  I would say hilarity ensues, but not so much, since she thinks her life is pretty much over, especially when her parents decide that she should attend the local high school.  As Pearl tries to uncover the beast who has ruined her life, she finds more than she bargained for and finds that humans aren't just a food source.

The beast turns out to be a unicorn and unicorns are one of the few creatures that can kill a vampire, so what went wrong or right in this case?  Well, I can't tell you that because then I would have to kill you.  The story really comes together while her family is planning a Fealty Ceremony for the Vampire King where they plan to feast on the local students.  As the plot unfurls, Pearl finds she is gaining a conscious and doesn't want to see her new friends harmed.  Pearl is probably one of the snarkiest characters to grace a page in my recent memory.  She has a sharp tongue as well as teeth. 


Finally, an author brought together some of my favorite things in one story.  After reading Unicorns VS Zombies, I was really in the mood for more unicorns, so when I was lurking around Amazon and this popped up, I was beyond thrilled!  Sarah Beth Durst has taken a vampire story to a whole new snarky level.  I was reminded a bit of MaryJanice Davidson's Queen Betsy, but with less shoes.  I really hope that this will be a series since I would love to read more about Pearl.

10 Questions with SARAH BETH DURST author of DRINK SLAY LOVE

PLEASE WELCOME SARAH BETH DURST!  

Sarah's debut DRINK SLAY LOVE will be released tomorrow, September 13, 2011.  This one takes vampires and unicorns to a whole new snarky level.  I bet that got your attention. 

1.         Bookmarks or dog ears?

Bookmarks!!!  Dog ears are sacrilege.  Even worse is what my mom does:  She flattens a book open to save her spot, thus breaking the spine.  The horror!  The horror!

2.         Dust jacket on or off when reading a hard back?

On.  I like books to look their prettiest.  It helps their self-esteem.

3.         What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?

Hmm... not sure.  It could have been the Lorax by Dr. Suess.  I loved those Truffula trees.  They're what everyone needs.

4.         What are you reading right now?

Heartless by Gail Carriger.  It's Victorian England with vampires and werewolves, and it features a brass parasol-wielding heroine who kicks butt.  I am a sucker for stories about women/girls who kick butt.

5.         Do you have a favorite author?

Tamora Pierce.  At any given point in her books, the next scene will always be the coolest thing that could happen next.

6.         Was there a book that inspired you to write?

Alanna by Tamora Pierce, Deep Wizardry by Diane Duane, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley...  I read those books in fifth grade and thought to myself, "I want to do this!"

7.         Do you have a favorite place to write?

My desk.  I'd love to be all artsy and say "at my local cafe" or "on a mountaintop," but truthfully I write best at my ordinary desk with a bag of Raisinets beside me.

8.         How does your garden grow?

Badly.  I planted about a hundred seeds in a corner of my backward this spring.  It is the only part of the yard that didn't grow.

9.         What is the last thing you Googled?

"Social Security baby names."  The Social Security website is one of my favorite places to look for character names.  It lists out all the popular names by year of birth so you can look at likely names based on your character's age.

10.       What makes you cringe?

The squeak of Styrofoam.  Cannot stand it.

Thanks so much for interviewing me!

Description

Pearl is your typical sixteen-year-old vampire—until the night a unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops. Now she’s experiencing a number of alarming symptoms: noticing her own reflection, feeling sympathy for a human victim, and being able to withstand the sun. Pearl’s immunity to sunlight thrills her family, who enroll her in high school so she can lure home tasty friends. Pearl quickly discovers that high school is very similar to vampire culture with its rigid rules, clear social hierarchy, and a might-makes-right attitude. But having a conscience makes it hard to cope with an evil plot the Vampire King has in store for the local humans. Will Pearl overcome her bloodsucking instincts in favor of her newly acquired conscience? This acerbic antidote to other vampire romances is rife with gorgeous vampires, handsome were-unicorns, high school drama, and lots of action!

About the Author

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of the young adult novels Enchanted Ivy and Ice, as well as the middle grade novels Into the Wild and Out of the Wild. She has twice been a finalist for SWFA's Andre Norton Award, for both Ice and Into the Wild. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (September 13, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442423730
• ISBN-13: 978-1442423732

Where to find Sarah Beth Durst
WEBSITE http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/
BLOG:  http://sarahbethdurst.blogspot.com/
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/#!/sarahbethdurst
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Beth-Durst/70244665813

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Journal of a Schoolyard Bully by Farley Katz

Description

In the tradition of the mega successful DIARY OF A WIMPY KID and DORK DIARIES comes Niko Taylor, a school bully who must keep a journal to right all the wrongs he has done, but Niko, being a habitual trouble-maker, has other ideas. 

Niko Kaylor, the terror of his middle school, doles out wedgies and collects money he doesn’t need. When he is forced to begin keeping a journal of his activities to curb his bullying ways, he secretly turns his diary into a how-to guide for bullies.  Now, against the wishes of his peers, Niko plans to conquer his middle school and teach everyone a lesson in bullying, including his teachers.  

About the Author

At 26, Farley Katz is the youngest staff cartoonist for The New Yorker, where he's published over fifty cartoons. Last year he wrote and edited the New Yorker's comedy blog, The Cartoon Lounge. He's written jokes and drawn cartoons for Mad Magazine, Saturday Night Live, and The Harvard Lampoon, where he was an editor in college. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles where he developed a comedy pilot for Endemol, and wrote and directed for Budweiser’s Bud T.V. His work has appeared on Eater.com and in Narrative magazine. He lives in New York City where he writes and draws the webcomic Kids Are Dumb (kidsaredumb.com).   

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (September 13, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312681585
• ISBN-13: 978-0312681586

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

Farley Katz has written and illustrated a wonderful book about bullying from the bully's point of view.  This one should provoke a lot of discussions for children, their parents and teachers.  I didn't know that you could actually feel sorry for a bully, but Niko Kaylor with all his bravado and intelligence is actually a confused and angry boy.  Niko is forced to write a journal by his mother, his therapist and the school.  He illustrates it with all the hatred and anger he can muster and writes what he thinks the "unholy trinity" wants to read.  He still continues to bully and ignore the threats placed on him by the school.   Until he takes it all too far one day.  He is sent to a reform school and becomes the victim instead of victor.

I think most adults will know Katz's work from Mad Magazine and a lot of the humor present there is carried over.  There are situations in the story that would never be allowed to occur at any school in the United States but are illustrated to the extreme to make his point.  Bullies have issues of their own and should be dealt with accordingly and quickly.  I really enjoyed this one and if you enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you will like this opposing point of view. 


WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK?

 Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable  mailing address (PO Boxes OK!)
This ends 9.23.11 midnight Pacific Time and the winner will be chosen by Random.org on 9.24.11.
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen
This giveaway is sponsored by St Martin's Griffin and ME for ONE WINNER of an ARC.


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AND THE WINNER IS: Forever by Maggie Stiefvator (ARC)

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An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks to all who entered.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

AND THE WINNER IS: Back to Books Giveaway Hop!

LINDSEY  lindseyaylward

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An email has been sent to the lucky person named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks to all who entered.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

 Description


Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (February 21, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 144240907X
• ISBN-13: 978-1442409071

I really NEED this book!