WOW: Awaken by Meg Cabot @megcabot @this_is_teen

"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:

Book Description

Release date: July 2, 2013 | Series: Abandon

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth comes to a thrilling conclusion.

Death has her in his clutches. She doesn't want him to let go.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she'd be forced to live forever in the one place she's always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.

But now her happiness -- and safety -- are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.

If the balance between life and death isn't fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce's home back on earth will be wiped away. But there's only one way to restore order. Someone has to die.

About the Author
MEG CABOT'S many series and books for adults, teens, and tweens have included multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers and have sold more than fifteen million copies worldwide. Her Princess Diaries series has been published in more than thirty-eight countries and was made into two hit films by Disney. Meg also wrote the New York Times bestselling Mediator, Airhead, Insatiable, and Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series, as well as the award-winning novels All-American Girl and Avalon High. Meg lives in Key West with her husband and two cats. Visit Meg online at www.megcabot.com.

REVIEW: Underworld by Meg Cabot (Abandon Trilogy #2) @scholastic @thisisteen

Book Description
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth begun in ABANDON continues ... into the Underworld.


Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.


Not this time.


But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.


Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.


But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.


And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

About the Author

Librarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.

She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.

Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.

Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him. 


SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS


MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


John Hayden has taken Pierce back to the Underworld to keep her safe from her crazy grandmother who it turns out has been taken over by a Fury and wants to kill her.  If you remember the story of Persephone and Hades, you know the girl should have never eaten there since that is what kept her in hell with Hades - maybe.  Yes, she ate since she was famished but Pierce feels there is more to this myth than John is letting on.  She is settling into her life in the Underworld, deciding that if she is stuck there she might as well make the best of a bad situation. 


That is all well and good until she finds her cell phone and sees a mysterious video from her cousin Alex.  She begs John to take her back home so she can rescue him from certain death.  There are several murky little details that make up this mystery in the latest installment of Abandon.  I like the characters and thought this was a fun read but parts of the plot seemed a bit predictable and convenient to carry the story forward.  Even though the storyline depends on Alex, he doesn't really make an appearance until the last part of the book.


Which brings me to Kayla - my favorite - and is only briefly brought out.  I missed her snarky little comments so much.  This one left me with a few questions that beg answers.  I wonder if Pierce figures out exactly how she can exist in both worlds, if she finds herself still in love with John, even though I find him a bit creepy and if her grandmother is ever released from the Furies.  Overall, this is a fun little series and a quick read.  The minor characters are very fun in a pirate kind of way.  Yes, you have to read the book to get those details and the exact plot.  

Details Reading level: Ages 14 and up Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Point (May 8, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 0545284112 ISBN-13: 978-0545284110

Waiting on Wednesday: Underworld by Meg Cabot @megcabot @Scholastic

"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:

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 2012 | Series: Abandon (Book 2)

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth begun in ABANDON continues ... into the Underworld.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

Totally adored Abandon, which it seems like I read ages ago. I really want this one, so if the internet gods are listening to me, PLEASE?  

AND THE WINNER IS: Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

DONNAS -- bacchus76

Be sure to stop by DONNA'S HOME BLOG HERE

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!

Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:

REVIEW: Runway (Airhead #3) by Meg Cabot

Description

Where can you hide When everyone knows your name?

The third and final book the NYT bestselling trilogy.
Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself.
With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope. . .what's the point of even going on?
But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to.

Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself.
With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope. . .what's the point of even going on?
But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to.
Will Christopher be able to put aside his personal feelings and help her expose her employer to the world? Is it even fair to get Christopher involved--since if he agrees, there's every chance that Stark Enterprises will try to have them both killed--this time, permanently?
Maybe it would be better for Em to just keep on running.

About the Author

Meg Cabot Meg Cabot is the author of the New York Times bestselling series The Princess Diaries, which was made into two wildly popular Disney films of the same name. Other books include Airhead, Being Nikki, All-American Girl, Ready or Not, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How To Be Popular, Pants on Fire, and the Allie Finkle, Mediator, and 1-800-Where-R-You series. Meg divides her time between New York City and Key West, Florida, and can be visited online at www.megcabot.com.

 Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; 1 edition (April 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545040604
• ISBN-13: 978-0545040600

SOURCE:  BORROWED

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


This is an excellent conclusion to the Airhead series and I am going to miss these characters. Without getting into too much detail about the plot, Em follows through where the story ended in the second book, Being Nikki. I found myself reading this one straight through in just a few hours. I think this series would be great for reluctant teen readers. It is appropriate even for the younger ones since there is not much violence, some kissing and shows that it is important to stay in school.

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Being Nikki (Airhead #2) by Meg Cabot

 Description

It's not easy being Nikki.  Ever since former tomboy Emerson Watts' accident at the SoHo Stark Megastore--and subsequent brain transplant into the body of teen supermodel Nikki Howard--her life has changed dramatically. Em's trying to handle the demands of school, modeling, fending off Nikki's creepy ex-boyfriends, and living with celebutante Lulu Collins.

Will this former tomboy be able to make it in the world of high fashion? What will happen if she can't?

How can Em balance all her new, crazy life demands of her with school, runway shows, and weekend jaunts to St. Johns--especially when she's got ex-boyfriends crawling out of the woodwork who want more than just a photo op; a sister who is headed to the high school cheerleading championships; a company she represents that seems to be turning to the dark side. . .

Not to mention trying to convince the love of her life that models aren't really airheads after all. . .especially one model in particular.

But then, nobody said it was going to be easy being Nikki.

About the Author

Meg Cabot is the author of the New York Times bestselling series The Princess Diaries, which was made into two wildly popular Disney films of the same name. Other books include All-American Girl, Ready or Not, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, and the Airhead, Allie Finkle, Mediator, and 1-800-Where-R-You series. Meg divides her time between New York City and Key West, Florida.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Point; Reprint edition (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545040582
• ISBN-13: 978-0545040587

SOURCE:  PURCHASED

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

No one does teenage angst better than Meg Cabot. I loved the first Nikki book and really looked forward to this one as well. This left me with even more questions than the first one. I really enjoyed this quick read and now can't wait for the third (and I hope, not final) book in this series.


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Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 3.23.11
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is sponsored by ME and one book is available.


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