Book Review Maniac

I am alive!

2010-05-11T22:48:00.002-04:00

It has been almost two years since my last post. I feel really bad about how I just dropped this blog, because I got really wrapped up in my school work. I think I am going to start it up again. I really have missed being able to read all the time. I am only a month away from getting out of high school and facing the real world. Which means that I will have more time to read. In the Fall I will be attending college, to start working on my nursing degree.

I am going to start this off slow and see how it goes. I really hope it works out. Even though I doubt any of my old readers still look at this blog. But if you do please! let me know.

kyle.

Diamond Of Darkhold

2008-10-01T20:39:00.002-04:00

written by: Jeanne DuPrau

pages: 304

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars

(cover picture to come later, computer is acting werid)

It's been several months since Lina and Doon escaped the dying city of Ember and, along with the rest of their people, joined the town of Sparks. Now, struggling through the rest of the winter aboveground, they find an unusual book. Torn up and missing most of its pages, it alludes to a mysterious device from before the Disaster, which they believe is still in Ember. Together Lina and Doon must go back under ground to retrieve what was lost and bring light to a dark world...

This was another wonderful book in the Ember series. Ms. DuPrau had me holding on to every single page of this book. it was a great story of hope and courage. It had some unexpected surprises that I did not see coming and over all it was a great ending to the story of Lina and Doon. I recommend this book and all the other books in the series to every child and adult out there who loves adventure novels.

More Information on The City of Ember Movie.

2008-09-30T17:56:00.003-04:00

So I am super excited for The City of Ember movie. It releases October 10th which is just a little bit longer than 1 week away! I am probably going to go the day it releases with a couple of my friends. But if you are wondering "What the heck is this movie/book about?". Well just play the video on this post to watch the super amazing trailer of the movie.

Wow that is one of the best trailers I have seen in my life span. I also wanted to point out that Marianne Jean-Baptiste from Without A Trace, a show about the FBI's missing persons division (CBS), is in the movie and she is one awesome actress. I love her in Without a Trace and I just know since she will be in the movie it is going to be great!
Here are some questions I would like you to answer in your comment:
Are you excited for the movie?

What are your feelings about the actors/actresses?

Anything Else you would like to add please do so!

*P.S in case you are wondering, I do not have a copy to give away of The Diamond of Darkhold. But you can go to the other sites listed at the end of yesterday's post and check to see which ones are giving a copy away.

An Awesome Author: Jeanne DuPrau

2008-09-29T16:11:00.002-04:00

How does it fell not only to be a very successful published author, but also to have your book The City of Ember being brought to theaters as a major motion picture?

Feels great. It's something I never expected when I wrote The City of Ember. I'd always been a writer, and I'd had books published, but Ember was my first novel. I was delighted just to have it accepted by a publisher--in fact, by several publishers, who bid against each other for it. I did not have a clue that it would be the success that it's been.

How did you first come up with the whole story about The City of Ember?

I grew up in the 1950s, when many people were worried that there might be a nuclear war. Some of them were building bomb shelters in their back yards. I think this influenced my idea for Ember—a city built to protect the human race from a terrible threat. But I was also just interested in the idea of a city that had no light other than electricity. What would it be like to live in such darkness, and to know that light and food and supplies were all running out? And not to know about weather or trees or animals (except for a few rats and insects) or any other places? All this grabbed my imagination. And once I'd written The City of Ember, I hoped it would make people think about our world—about the sun and the moon, the forests and the ocean, the wind and the rain—and how precious it all is.

Is the movie of The City of Ember becoming how you pictured it to be while you wrote the book?

I've seen only a few scenes of the movie, but I know that the director's vision is different from mine. His is quite fascinating and weirdly beautiful--it's just not the same as what I saw in my mind as I was writing. That's all right. All readers see in their own way, and filmmakers especially have very distinct visual ideas.

What is something that you can tell us that not everyone knows about the movie? What about the books?

The movie's director, Gil Kenan, told me that in one scene they were going to show a wall with portraits of Ember's former mayors. He wanted a picture of me to include as one of them! I don't know if the picture of me as a mayor made it into the final film; it might have ended up on the cutting room floor. But just in case--look carefully when you see the movie and you might spot me.

As for the books--not everyone knows that I meant for the name Lina to be pronounced with a long i--Lie-na, not Lee-na. I put a clue about that in the book: Poppy calls her sister Wyna. I thought that would let people know how I meant the name to be said. But hardly anyone notices the clue. In the movie, Lina's name will be pronounced Lee-na. So I guess I have to give up on that one and let people say it however they want.

Are you planing on writing another series? If so what will it be about?

I don't know yet what I'll write next. I have the beginnings of an idea--but I don't think in terms of series. (I never planned for The City of Ember to be the first of a series.) I'll write what I'm interested in, and if it leads to a sequel, that's fine.

Is there anything you would like to tell your fans and readers?

It's wonderful to hear from my readers. I've heard from people of many different ages (from 7 to 80) and from many different countries (including Brazil, Japan, Ireland, the Philippines, and Yemen). I try to answer every single e-mail.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Look around at the world! Isn't it amazing? Be good to it!

Thank you Ms. DuPrau for letting me ask you some questions. I am very excited for the movie because I know it will be as great as the books.

For all of you wondering about how I felt about Ms. DuPrau's upcoming book, the fourth book in the City Ember, stop by the Book Review Maniac tomorrow.

Hear what others are saying about Ms. DuPrau's books and the new movie coming out:

01 Charger, the 160acrewoods, A Childhood of Dreams, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, And Another Book Read, Becky’s Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, Cafe of Dreams, Comox Valley Kids, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, Looking Glass Reviews, Never Jam Today

An Awesome Author: Stephanie Kuehnert

2008-09-13T19:02:00.002-04:00

Why did you decide to title the book, I Wanna Be You Joey Ramone?

IWBYJR went through a few different titles. When I sold it to MTV Books it was called “All Roads Lead to Rock ‘n’ Roll,” but the marketing department didn’t think that was a catchy enough title. That’s one of the dirty little secrets of publishing, marketing has the final say-so over stuff like title and cover. So they asked me to come up with a new title and suggested I name it after a song or a musician or something like that. I turned to my iPod for inspiration, just put it on shuffle and started writing down ideas as they came to me. When the song “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone” by Sleater-Kinney, I thought it was perfect on so many levels. First of all, I would be paying tribute to one of the bands that really inspired me during my teen years and inspired me to write this book. Secondly, Emily wants to be the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll like the lyrics of the song describe and she also wants to be her mother’s Joey Ramone since she’s always thought her mother went off to follow punk musicians like Joey. And it fit that whole reference a song and musician thing that marketing wanted, so we could all be happy.

Do you have any personal connections with any of the characters or places in I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone?

I have personal connections with them all. None of the characters are me or are based on anyone I know, but I spent so much time with them they became like friends. Emily is the girl I always wanted to be, but didn’t have the musical talent. Louisa is the woman I could have become if I’d chosen to run from my problems instead of facing them. Regan reminds me a lot of my best friend and Michael reminds me a lot of a friend of mine that passed away recently. I’m from Chicago, so I connect very well with all the real Chicago places in the book. Carlisle, Wisconsin is a made-up place but I spent a couple years living in Southern Wisconsin and I loved the landscape so the book is a tribute to it in many ways. It makes me nostalgic for Wisconsin.

How did you come up with the idea of River’s Edge?

Well, I grew up going to a weird punk venue, a place called the Fireside Bowl, which was a bowling alley that hosted punk shows. One of things I think is coolest about the spirit of punk music is the way it inspires people to basically create a scene out of what they have. I took the idea of the Fireside and brought it to Wisconsin. What would they have there? An abandoned warehouse. And then I took it further and made it a collective-run kind of place. Basically River’s Edge is the fantasy place I dreamed about having as a kid.

When did you first start writing, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone?

I wrote what became the first chapter of IWBYJR in Summer 2002. I was working on another novel at the time, but I quickly realized that that first chapter had potential to create a whole world, a whole book. The idea developed fast and the characters of Emily and Louisa wouldn’t leave me alone, so I put aside my other stuff and worked on the book for three years.

How would you describe the writing process and the editing process?

Difficult at times, but ultimately really rewarding. I got writer’s block at one point when I was about 2/3rds done with the first draft, but then I met my agent at a writing festival and she read the first chapter and wanted to know when I could give her a full manuscript. So that kicked my butt into gear. I spent the next six months writing and rewriting. I really like the revising process best because that is when I get to shape the book into exactly what I want it to be. IWBYJR went through about 8 drafts. 3 or 4 before my agent ever saw it. A couple more for her before she started to shop it and then one revision for my editor at MTV Books.

I have heard that you have another book coming out next summer, is this true? If so what is the title of the book?

Yes, it’s called BALLADS OF SUBURBIA and it will be out in July, I believe. Dates shift around, so until it’s absolutely solid, I’m still just saying summer 2009.

What will it be about?

It’s about a teenage girl named Kara who never really fit in in her suburban town. Then right when life seems to be at it’s worst—her best friend moves and her parents’ marriage is falling apart—she makes a new friend who brings her to hang out at this park in the middle of town where all the punks and misfits and skaters and freaks and geeks hang out. She’s finally found her place. But she and her friends have a lot of personal problems and secret pain and life begins to spiral out of control for them…. That isn’t really the best description ‘cause I kinda suck at writing those descriptions. You can read the first chapter at www.stephaniekuehnert.com/backstage.html though!

When did you decide that you wanted to become an author?

When I was 5. Seriously. I got super addicted to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books at that age and I wanted to be Laura. Eventually I realized that my life wasn’t interesting enough to write autobiographies like Laura did, but that I could write fiction about the time period I grew up in instead. So I’ve been doing that since high school. I tried to study other things that would lead to a more stable job, like sociology, but alas, writing is my blood just as much as music is Emily’s blood and I’ve gotta write. I can’t do anything else.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

Nope, I just want to thank you for having me on your blog!!!

if you haven't got a chance to check out or buy I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert, please do it now! It is a wonderful book. That I loved! If you want to hear more about what I have to say on the book click here.

The Strand Prophecy

2008-09-10T19:12:00.002-04:00

"Protect the Innocent"

written by: JBB Winner

pages: 312

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 Stars!

On the steps of the White House, a reluctant superhero delivers evidence of an ominous scientific discovery to the President... and the world. If the Strand's findings are true, the very nature of life on Earth is about to change, and humanity's fate hangs in the balance.
Strand must now race against time and battle powerful forces, to protect the innocent from rapidly evolving predatory creatures... before it is too late.

This book was absolutely wonderful! I don't like sci-fi books that much but I really enjoyed this one. It was full of fighting scences with furtristic weapons and technology, which is one of the many reasons why I got hooked on this amazingly written novel. What I found truely amazing about this book is that the authors is a trio of two twin teens and thier dad. But that is not the most astonishing part but the fact that the girls both have dislexia is. They both over came that obsticle by writing this book. One thing I did not like about the book is that it ENDED! Now I have to wait untill the sequal comes out. I deffenitaly recommend this book to everyone, especialy guys but I know that girls will like it just the same.

Severed Ties Volume 1

2008-09-04T19:13:00.003-04:00

written by: Kevin Krohn

pages: 1178

my rating 1-5 stars:

4 stars!

Severed Ties tells the story of Nyne Harper, a college freshman living with er widowed father. At the tender age of two, she lost her mother tragically in a house fire, believed to have been retaliation against her father for blowing the whistle on a large corporate cover-up. The tow have bee trying to piece together some semblance of a normal life while constantly lokoing over their shoulders.
Now an adult, Nyne is ready to quench her thirst for revenge and protect the one family she has left. The question will be, is she prepared for what her life is about to become??

This book caught me way off guard. At first i was really scared because it seemed like a book that I was not going to like but Kevin Krohn led the story in the right direction. With a huge twist that has Nyne and you both surprised and stunned. I really liked Nyne. She is a great character with great potential in the next books of the series. I liked the fact that she is independent and very strong physically and morally. Plus she comes upon hardships and over comes them because she is a strong independent person. Kevin Krohn did an amazingly awesome job of creating her. So if you are thinking of buying this book and reading it I strongly recommend it. And at first you don't like it I beg you to keep reading because there is a huge twist among other great things that make this book so wonderful.

Thanks Kevin for giving me a chance to read your book.

~*~ Due to content in this book I do not recommend it for anyone below the age of 15.~*~

An Awesome Author: Cluadia Gray

2008-08-28T16:58:00.003-04:00

Claudia Gray is the author of Evernight. Her second book out of the four books in the Evernight series, Stargazer will come out is the spring of 2009. She is one awesome author. I am really glad I got the chance to purchase her book from Amazon and then after I thoroughly enjoyed it she agreed to an interview.

My review.

Claudia Gray's Website.

How did you come about picking Evernight as the title of the book and the school?

I actually came up with the title EVERNIGHT a long time ago, and for another book altogether -- the first novel I ever tried to write. It was a fairly ambitious science fiction idea, set on a world so industrialized and built-up that all the social strata depended on how far you lived from the dark, crowded and filthy ground. Daybreak was the best place to be; Evernight was the earth itself. That novel died on the vine; I still like the idea and am fond of the characters, but science fiction may not be my strong suit. But the word Evernight stuck with me. While I was trying to come up with something sufficiently spooky and romantic for the name of the school, I realized I already had a good title handy.

Which character in Evernight are you most like? Least like?

I am a little like all of them, in different ways: I love books as much as Bianca does, get as broody as Balthazar does and worry about my manicure almost as much as Patrice does -- if not quite. But honestly, the one I think has the most of my personality is probably Vic.

Just out of curiosity, if given the choice would you rather be a vampire or a member of the Black Cross?

My first impulse is to say that I'd rather be a member of Black Cross, because then at least you're alive -- in these books, being alive is much, much better than being dead. But a lot of people in Black Cross are zealots, and they've let good intentions turn them into monsters as dangerous as the evil vampires they hunt. So if I could be sure that I'd be a good vampire, maybe I'd have to choose that. Definitely the vampires have more fun, I think.

Can you give any hints as to what will happen in Stargazer, the sequel to Evernight?

Let's see:

Lucas hasn't given up on his dream of being with Bianca.

Neither has Balthazar.

Evernight Academy will turn out to be haunted, and this affects Bianca most of all.

Vic, Raquel, Courtney and Ranulf all get a lot more to do.

What is the best thing about writing about vampires for YA?

The fans, definitely. So many people are so knowledgeable and enthusiastic -- it's just terrific.

Are you going to be writing any books that don't deal with vampires?

I hope so! I am currently working on a couple of proposals that are both definitely supernatural and romantic, but no vampires -- one involved witchcraft, and the other -- hmmm -- let's call them reincarnated time-travelers. It's a lot of fun. Not that I don't love vampires, but variety is the spice of life.

What are your favorite vampire books?

My all-time favorite is THE SILVER KISS by Annette Curtis Klause.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I love hearing from readers, so feel free to get in touch via my website or livejournal anytime.

Ms. Gray,

Thank you for answering my questions. And I cannot wait untill Stargazer comes out!

Evernight

2008-08-26T17:02:00.003-04:00

“Don’t you ever feel like there’s something at this school that’s… evil?”

Written by Claudia Gray

Pages: 327

My rating 1-5 stars:
5 stars

Bianca wants to escape. She’s been uprooted from her small home town and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn’t fit in.
Then she meets Lucas. He’s not the “Evernight type” either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands u to the snobs, and wants Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.
“I couldn’t stand it if they took it out on you,” he tells Bianca, “and eventually they would.”
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can’t be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart… and to make Bianca question everything she’s ever believed.

Evernight is tied with Twilight for number one on my list of my favorite vampire books; they are both great vampire books that have great plots, and awesome characters. Until about half way through Evernight I was wondering who was going to turn out to be the vampire, Lucas or Bianca. But when I found out I was sort of surprised. But that was not the beginning of major surprises/twists in the book. I really want to say a lot about the twist towards the end of the book, but I don’t want to ruin it for all of you who haven’t read it. I will say that I was like WHAT and I reread the same paragraph over like 5 times to make sure I wasn’t imagining anything. But yeah I was completely taken of guard, which is great I love when books do that. Thank you very much Ms. Gray for putting that awesome twist in the book! I could go on and on ranting about how great this book is but then there would go my week…

~*~ Due to content in this book I do not recommend it to anyone below the age of 14. ~*~

Two Way Street

2008-08-22T10:30:00.002-04:00

“A road trip with her ex? Danger ahead…”

Written by: Lauren Barnholdt

Pages: 288

My rating 1-5 stars:
5 stars

Jordan and Courtney were in love. Ever since Jordan asked Courtney to go for breakfast at one o’clock in the morning Courtney liked him. They are even going to go to the same college, so they decided to go on a three-day road trip together to the college's opening orientation. Courtney and Jordan were in love, until Jordan suddenly dumps Courtney for this mystery girl he met on myspace.

However, the road trip is still on due to the fact that it is too late to get plane tickets. So Courtney decides to hide the fact that she is still in love with Jordan and tries to make Jordan think she is dating another guy.

But what Courtney doesn’t know is that Jordan still likes her too. And that he isn’t telling her the truth about the girl he met on myspace. But that isn’t the only thing that he is keeping from her. He wants to tell her but he is afraid that she will become more upset with him than she already is.

The reason I liked this book so much is because it changed from Jordan’s to Courtney’s point of view. If it weren’t for that I probably wouldn’t of liked it as much as I did, unless it was written from Jordan’s point of view. But then it still wouldn’t be as good as it is. I also liked that there were flashbacks to before the trip, which explained most of the reason why Courtney and Jordan broke up, the real reason they broke up. The character I liked the most was Jordan, even though he wasn’t telling the truth about the myspace girl, it was for a good reason. He was trying to look out for Courtney and he didn’t want her to be hurt.

Spoilers ALERT
The one character I hated was Courtney’s dad. I cannot believe that he would try to keep Jordan away from Courtney. Sure he was scared that Jordan would tell Courtney that he was having an affair with Jordan’s mom but still didn’t he realize that Courtney would be more hurt since Jordan broke up with her and that her dad was having an affair?!?!
^End of Spoilers^

~*~ Due to content in this book, I do not recommend anyone under the age of 15 read it. Content includes drugs, language, and sexual content~*~

An Awesome Author: Nancy Viau

2008-08-21T10:19:00.002-04:00

Nancy Viau is the awesome author of Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head, a book about a 10 year old girl who ab-so-lutely loves rocks and science. I read and reviewed it and it is one of my favorite middle grade books. It was released yesterday so what are you waiting for? Go and buy it at the closest book store or online!

My Review

Nancy Viau's Website

And now for the interview...

Samantha Hansen is a total mad scientist. Have you ever been or are you as interested in science as she is?

Yes! But don’t get me near test tubes, microscopes, or complicated equations. Keep me out of the science lab, please. I want to roam the great outdoors--investigate how a mountain range forms, feel the winds of a hurricane, sit near a volcano, find out what causes animals to do the things they do, see what’s up with global warming, and discover how scientists are finding new ways to look at the universe. I guess what I’m saying is that what interests me most is what goes on in the natural world, outside.

What do you like most about the Grand Canyon, one of the several Natural Wonders of the World?

Seriously, what’s NOT to like? That whole place is just awesome. It almost looks like another planet. Before I visited the canyon, I had seen dozens of pictures of it. I thought that upon actually seeing it, it would be cool, but I’d be unaffected. Wrong. My favorite part ended up being my first impression. My family and I traveled up that long road en route to the overlook. Evergreens grow in a dense forest heading toward the South Rim, so it’s easy to get used to seeing lots of green. But then, I pulled up, parked, and walked to the railing…and honestly…the entire Earth just opened at my feet. I will never forget that. I just couldn’t believe that what I was seeing was real.

Did your kids influence any part[s] of Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head?
My grown sons have a huge appreciation for hiking, traveling, and adventure. They’ve seen more of the U.S. than I have, and have a constant desire to experience nature in all its glory. Although I’ve beaten them to the Grand Canyon, they influence how I see the world on a daily basis. It’s a thirst-for-adventure-life-is-too-short kind of thing. I also have two daughters, five years apart, and let’s just say that without them, Sam and Jen would be pretty dull. My daughters’ daily exchanges keep me on my toes, and give me plenty to write about.

Are you planning on writing any more books?
Yes! I’m fairly addicted to writing, and not sure I can stop.

Will Samantha Hansen appear in one of your future books?
I certainly hope so. She’s a kick. And because she is obsessed with science there is so much more she can get into. Her obsession could change from rocks to bugs or space or the weather. ; )

Will they all be Middle Grade books?
Perhaps. I love to write for the middle grades. Kids between 8-12 keep their sense of wonder close to their hearts. They haven’t gotten totally jaded by what their peers think is cool or what they should think. They form their own opinions, enjoy humor, understand sarcasm, and are full of endless energy. And although I’m much older, I feel the same.

Have you always had such a wonderful talent for writing?
Hmm…thoughtful question. When I was very young, I created picture books with illustrations and text, and (by hand) made copies for my neighbors. I distributed them in my wagon, and charged ten cents per copy. The writing should have been on the wall, yes? In school, I aced my writing projects, research papers, essays, etc., but not once did anyone say I had a “talent” for writing and suggest I should pursue writing as a career. Weird, I know. In college, I became a teacher because I loved kids, and it seemed a terrific way to release my creative energy. (Don’t even ask about the day I turned my classroom into a complete restaurant for a math lesson or how I pleaded with the principal daily until he ordered 37 Bunsen burners for a science experiment.)

What is the one thing that you love most about being a published author?
I love picturing my readers, sitting (like I used to) in a comfy chair, turning pages, smiling, and giggling.

Jimmy's Stars Book Tour Day 3

2008-08-20T10:42:00.003-04:00

So today is it the last day of the Jimmy's Stars Book Tour. For the past two days I was one of the few lucky bloggers that have gotten a chance to read Jimmy's Stars by Mary Ann Rodman and get an interview with the author. But what I haven't told you yet is that the other bloggers that read Jimmy's Stars are liking it as much as I did! So basically in this post I am going to be quoting bloggers on why they think you should buy the book.
But first if you missed Day 1 or Day 2 of the blog tour I sugest you go to those first:

Day 1 (Review of Jimmy's Stars)
Day 2 (Interview with Mary Ann Rodman)

And now for what others are saying about Jimmy's Stars:

"Not only do I give Jimmy's Stars my highest recommendation, I also believe that this would be a perfect book for a book club pick. Such a perfect book for young people (and adults alike) to read and discuss together. Mary Ann Rodman brings forth an engrossing story, with Jimmy's Stars, and displays a true talent to engulf young people in the treasure of reading." A Childhood of Dreams

"Although Jimmy’s Stars is intended for the middle school crowd, I was hooked immediately. I instantly felt like a member of the neighborhood and cried along with the characters when Jimmy was drafted. Ellie does a lot of growing up through the book and is a character even I could identify with. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a middle school aged child and also to any adult." A Mom Speaks

"Jimmy’s Stars was the first book that I have read in a long time that has brought me close to tears! Mary Ann Rodman does an incredible job conveying the feelings of a nation in the midst of war. You’ll feel like you are being transported back in time when you pick up this book! " By The Book Reviews

And those are just some of the great reviews for Jimmy's Stars. So what are you waiting for?? head on over to Amazon and purchase this heart captivatiting story!

Others that are Talking about Jimmy's Stars:

Charger
A Childhood of Dreams
A Christian Worldview of Fiction
A Mom Speaks
All About Children's Books
Becky's Book Reviews
By The Book Reviews
Dolce Bellezza
Fireside Musings
Homeschool Reviews
Looking Glass Reviews
Maggie Reads
Maw Books Blog
SmallWorld Reads
The Friendly Book Nook
The Hidden Sign of of a Leaf

An Awesome Author: Mary Ann Rodman (Book Tour Day 2)

2008-08-19T08:25:00.000-04:00

Bio:
MARY ANN RODMAN’s debut novel,Yankee Girl, was chosen as a VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers and an NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. She lives with her family in Alpharetta, Georgia.

How did you come up with the story of Jimmy’s Stars?
This book has been through a couple of incarnations. It began as the first book I ever COMPLETED, twenty-five years ago. It was terrible, but I held on to it because the characters were based on family stories and letters from WWII…and I had done all that research. Then I recycled one of the chapters into a picture book. That didn’t work either, but an editor who saw it said, “I love these characters. Why don’t you turn this into a middle grade novel?” This time I found a story for them that worked. I guess it was bubbling on the back burner of my mental stove for the last twenty -five years.

Do you have any personal connections with the story?
As I mentioned above, what got me thinking about WWII (a time period that has always fascinated me) was a cache of letters my mother, her siblings, and her mother wrote each other during WWII. My mother came from a family of eight, and she and her three brothers all served in WWII. (My mom was a WAVE, one brother was a Marine in the Pacific, and the other two were in the Merchant Marine.) Each sibling wrote each other and their mother each week (sometimes more often) and in turn, their mother wrote each of them. That was a lot of letters. In addition, one of my uncles kept a shipboard diary. What struck me about these letters was that while what I think of as History was included, so were the more mundane events of life. So one of my aunts wrote “I guess the war is over. Lots of people carrying on in Times Square. I went home and washed my hair.” Or, “There are German subs following us. I am reading Steinbeck’s THE MOON IS DOWN.” They didn’t think about it being History or themselves as being special. It was just what you did when your country went to war. Nor did they think about the possible negative effects of the war on their families. (“The Greatest Generation”…having spent the Depression just trying to survive…were not big on introspection or analysis. They were people of action.)

About how long did it take to complete the writing process of Jimmy’s Stars?

The actual writing took 18 months, but I have been thinking about it and researching it off and on for over twenty-five years (as you probably gathered from the previous questions.) What is your ideal writing environment? I have an office, (which used to be the living room, except no one ever “lived” in it!) and when I am in it, I try to keep it conducive to writing. I turn off the phone, light a candle and turn on the music. If I am writing the first draft of a historical novel, I only listen to music of the time period I am writing about. For JIMMY’S STARS I listened to a lot of big band music (especially Glenn Miller and early Sinatra) as well as a compilation of “propaganda music” by the Smithsonian (funny stuff like Spike Jones’ “Der Fuehrer’s Face” and really blatant stuff like “You’re a Sap, Mr. Jap). On a perfect first draft day, I fall into my time period (1943-44 in this case) in my own personal time machine, so that when I finish writing for the day, I have to turn on something like CNN to reorient myself to the “real world.” If I am not writing a first draft, I can take my laptop anywhere. Most often I am writing in the den, revising in front of what used to be called Court TV (I am a big true crime fan) or at the skating rink (my daughter is a figure skater who skates hours every day). I have learned to write in five-minute spurts, while being interrupted…but not during a first draft. How does it feel to be a published author? I still have my “I-can’t-believe-I’ve-published-a-book” days…especially when I get fan mail from other countries, or I spot a book in a library. I have never wanted to be anything other than a children’s writer (OK, there was that stretch in college when I thought I was going to be on Broadway) and if I never publish another book I feel like I have achieved one of my life goals. My other goal is to keep writing (and hopefully, published) until I drop in my tracks. Writing is a compulsion, and even on my most discouraged days, when I said “OK, I quit,” I found myself writing endlessly in my journal about …being discouraged!

What are the other books that you have written other than Jimmy’s Stars? What are they about?

I have published another middle grade fiction, YANKEE GIRL, and two picture books, MY BEST FRIEND and FIRST GRADE STINKS. I have two more picture books, A TREE FOR EMMY and SURPRISE SOUP coming out in March and April, respectively, 2009. There are two more picture books under contract, THE ROLLERCOASTER KID (Viking) and CAMP K-9 (Peachtree…which I sold just this past week!) whose publications are yet to be announced but you can count on them being sometime after 2010.

YANKEE GIRL (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004) was based on my childhood as the daughter of an FBI agent in Civil Rights Era Mississippi. It was named a Best Book by the Chicago, Cincinatti and Baltimore Public Libraries, as well as a Best Book by the National Association of Social Studies Teachers, and the University of Wisconsin CCBC, Voice of Youth Advocates “Top Shelf Fiction” and nominated for 9 state book awards, including the Illinois Rebecca Caudill Award.

MY BEST FRIEND (Viking, 2005) came from an event in my daughter’s life, and is about the nature of friendship. It won the Ezra Jack Keats’ Best New Picture Book Writer (from the New York Public Library), the Charlotte Zolotow Award for Best Picture Book Text (from the University of Wisconsin), was a CCBC Choice, a Bank Street College Best Book, a School Library Journal Best Book, and was nominated for the Kentucky Bluegrass Award.

FIRST GRADE STINKS (Peachtree, 2006) was again, based on my daughter’s troubles
adjusting to the increased demands of first grade, after a lovely, if undemanding, year in kindergarten. It was named a Bank Street College Best Book.

A TREE FOR EMMY (Peachtree, March 2009) was based on something that happened to a friend of my daughter. All five-year-old Emmy wants for her birthday is a mimosa tree, which if you live in the South, you will recognize as a “nuisance” tree…it sheds big pink fluffy blossoms and large seed pods, and usually grows wild. But if you are a five-year-old, it is a magic sort of tree. (The Northern equivalent is the cottonwood tree. I’ve had both in my yard at one time or the other…and lots of complaints from the neighbors!)

SURPRISE SOUP (Viking, April 2009) is illustrated by G. Brian Karas. This book came from a combination of things…my dad’s very labor intensive vegetable soup recipe, the hours I’ve spent watching him make it…and my husband’s childhood as the very LITTLE brother in a family of three.

Are you currently writing another book?

Yes…I’m always writing at least one novel, and one picture book, and researching another novel.
If so what is it going to be about?

The novel, which is more toward the YA audience, is based on the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925. My father and his family were actually in the middle of the greatest tornado disaster in American history. In the space of 2 hours, the tornado hit three states, killed 1200 people (one of which was my great-grandmother) and completely changed the lives of not only my family, but entire towns. The question I hope to answer is “What happens when your whole life disappears in an afternoon?” I’m also writing a picture book that involves a gerbil…but the story keeps changing.

When will it be published?

Well, finishing them would help!

Is there anything else you would like to share about Jimmy’s Stars?
I would like to tell writers, both young and “experienced” to never throw out anything you write. You can never tell when you may have a revelation that can help you “find the real story” in something that you have had rejected, or that you don’t personally think is any good. As for whether or not you “learn a lesson” from JIMMY’S STARS, I trust the reader to come to his or her own conclusion about that. A book will mean a hundred different things to a hundred different people. In general, I would encourage people to pay attention to those “boring old family stories” your older relatives like to replay over and over. I was an unusual kid who actually enjoyed those stories, remembered them, and am now using them in my work. Even if you don’t write for a living, the stories need to be remembered for another generation. (My father is 85, and HE now wishes he had paid attention to those “boring stories” his aunt told!)

Buy Jimmy's Stars!

Other Blogs that are hosting the Jimmy's Stars tour:

Charger
A Childhood of Dreams
A Christian Worldview of Fiction
A Mom Speaks
All About Children's Books
Becky's Book Reviews
By The Book Reviews
Dolce Bellezza
Fireside Musings
Homeschool Reviews
Looking Glass Reviews
Maggie Reads
Maw Books Blog
SmallWorld Reads
The Friendly Book Nook
The Hidden Sign of of a Leaf

Jimmy's Stars (Book Tour Day 1)

2008-08-18T06:12:00.000-04:00

Written by: Mary Ann Rodman

Pages: 257

My rating 1-5 Stars:
5 Stars

It's September 1943, and eleven-year-old Ellie McKelvey is used to making sacrifices for the war effort--sacrifices like eating soy extender instead of meat and giving her roller skates up to a scrap-metal drive. Then Ellie's older brother, Jimmy, is drafted. Jimmy has a joyful heart and a kind word for everyone, and he's the only person who thinks Ellie's smart and funny and as beautiful as Lana Turner, the movie star. Ellie can barely stand to see him go. People shouldn't be sacrifices.
With Jimmy gone Aunt Toots moves into their house and his bedroom, Ellie's mother takes a war job at a factory, and everything in Ellie's life seems upside down. The war drags on and on, and so much changes because of it. But no matter what happens, there's one thing Ellie refuses to give up. Even as families in the neighborhood begin to receive telegrams informing them that their boys are wounded or worse, Ellie never stops believing in Jimmy.

Jimmy's Stars is a story that I will always remember in my heart. Mary Ann Rodman did a superb job of making me feel like I was there during the war and that I felt that sadness when families in Ellie's neighborhood found out that their sons were hurt or killed in the war. On top of that, I could not depart from this book; it was so good I had to bring it with me everywhere, just in case I had a second to read. And after I had finished reading it I wished that it hadn't ended it was so good. I also got to know more about World War II, which I have studied before but after reading this book I got a unique perspective of the war from Ellie, an eleven year old girl whose brother goes to fight in the war. I recommend this book to every one. Who doesn't enjoy a story that makes you laugh, cry, has a great main character and a story you will never forget.

Buy this book!

Other Blogs that are hosting the Jimmy's Stars tour:

Charger
A Childhood of Dreams
A Christian Worldview of Fiction
A Mom Speaks
All About Children's Books
Becky's Book Reviews
By The Book Reviews
Dolce Bellezza
Fireside Musings
Homeschool Reviews
Looking Glass Reviews
Maggie Reads
Maw Books Blog
SmallWorld Reads
The Friendly Book Nook
The Hidden Sign of of a Leaf

Contest Winner

2008-08-16T09:55:00.002-04:00

After looking at the cool banners I received for the Farworld contest I have chosen the one that I liked the most! So I am please to announce that the winner of the contest is

Kelsey from Just Blinded Book Reviews!!

Kelsey,
I will be in contact with you some time today. I am leaving for a wedding so it may not be until tonight.

Thank to all that entered in the contest!

Movie Information- Harry Potter And Twilight

2008-08-15T22:40:00.004-04:00

Harry Potter: The half Blood Prince is unfortunately going to be released 8 months later than the original release date. The official release date (as of now) is July 17, 2009. I was really bumbed about this. Until I found out that someone made a smart move by moving the release date for Twilight forward to take Harry Potter's spot on the 21st November! I am super excited that it is going to be realeased sooner than expected! Click here for more information on this.

Do you think that this will help Twilight sell more tickets?

Rogelia's House of Magic

2008-08-15T13:52:00.003-04:00

“Three very different girls. One Wise Teacher. A Summer they’ll never forget.”

Written by: Jamie Martinez Wood

Pages: 300

My rating 1-5 stars:
4 Stars

Meet the three apprentices of Rogelia Garcia, a wise old woman who holds the key to the magic of their ancestors:

Marina, the sweet yet spoiled Latina princess –she can hear the voices of dead people, and one of them is talking in Spanish. Marina knows she must interpret an important message from beyond, but how can she do that when she doesn’t even speak the language?

Fern, the feisty free spirit—she sees colorful auras, especially around Tristan, a cute boy from the barrio. Fern is certain that the grayish cloud hanging over Tristan is bad news, but how can she ignore him when he’s so gorgeous?

Xochitl (So-chee), the wallflower—she has the ability to turn invisible whenever she doesn’t want to deal. And considering that she’s mourning the untimely death of her twin sister, it’s a wonder that anyone can see her at all.

When Xochitl’s grandmother Rogelia becomes a maid at Marina’s house, she agrees to teach the girls the ways of the curandera (spiritual healer). Even though marina and Fern are thrilled to have the chance to understand and use their powers, Xochitl isn’t happy about sharing such a sacred pratice with anyone but her sister. Besides, maic has let Xochitl down before—why wouldn’t it now?

But as she and her new friends eventually discover, at Rogelia’s House of Magic, anything is possible.

I enjoyed this excellent story. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. While reading it I felt as though I was with them learning the ways of the curandera. I feel that getting to know the characters is one important part of a story, and Mrs. Wood does a great job of making the characters so realistic. And the plot was good too. Which is just another reason that made me like the book. I am looking forward to reading some more of Mrs. Wood’s books, especially if they are as good as this one. I defiantly recommend this magical book to all teens out there, especially if you like fantasy books.

An Awesome Author: P.J. Bracegirdle

2008-08-14T15:32:00.004-04:00

Mr. Bracegirdle is the awesome author of Fiendish Deeds which is the first of three books in The Joy of Spooking Trilogy. I got chance to read and review the book and I enjoyed it a lot.

The number one question that has been on mind since I started reading Fiendish Deeds is did you purposely make Joy’s favorite author’s (E.A Peugeot) initials to be the same as Edgar Alan Poe or is that just a coincidence?

There’s no such thing as a coincidence, at least that’s what people say. I should point out that the lives and histories of these two great masters differ vastly however. They also wrote in different eras, with Peugeot at least 60 years more modern if my quick mental math is correct. They do share much in spirit though, as well as a penchant for wild hair and dark stares.

Are you as big of a fan of horror as Joy is?

I don’t think anyone is as big a fan as Joy Wells, but yes, I do consider myself a fan. That said, as the years add on I have become even more a fan of a good night’s sleep, and so find myself consuming less and less of the stuff these days. This is especially true of the icky type of horror now being produced, whose one-word titles always seem to reference either a woodworking tool or rest-stop. Why is that? It seems like these people won’t be satisfied until they’ve ruined even such innocent pleasures as chisels and bed-and-breakfasts for everyone…

What is you favorite horror book? Movie?

There are too many books to pick out a favorite, but I think my favorite horror movie might be “Tremors”—it not only has an amazingly creepy premise (not being able to walk on the ground—what could be better?), but is also jam-packed with rollicking action and hilarity. Exactly my cup of tea.
How did you come up with the idea of Fiendish Deeds?
Gosh, I’m really not sure. As a writer you always have a whole slew of ideas sloshing around your head. Eventually, when a few start sticking together, you suddenly become aware of having an actual story worth exploring.

What is your writing environment like?

I wrote most of Fiendish Deeds from a prone position in bed actually. Not because I was so confined with tuberculosis or anything, but rather because no one tends to bother me there. It is also a very expedient place to fit in a sly nap, which is very creatively stimulating, I find.
Unfortunately all that awkward craning forward over the keyboard whilst reclined eventually injured a muscle in my side, and those wonderful days appear to be over. I now write these very words from a desk like every other unhappy sap, sitting on a rather uncomfortable old wooden chair, I might add.

What are Joy and Byron going to be up to on the sequel to Fiendish Deeds? And can you tell us what the title might be?

In the next installment which I have currently down as “INSERT COOL TITLE HERE”, Joy and Byron get swept up in some awful goings-on over at Spooking Asylum, the mysterious mental institution that hides behind tall walls nearby. New villains are revealed, old secrets begin to unravel, and Mr. Octavio Phipps is back again with a brand-new scheme to obliterate Spooking.

Will you be writing any other books that do not deal with Joy? If so, what will they be about?

I have an upcoming picture book called THE DEAD FAMILY DIAZ, wherein a little skeleton boy dreads walking among all the hot and squishy living people during Day of the Dead festivities. It will be out in a year or two from Dial Books for Young Readers. I’ve also got another novel in the works that skews towards an older YA readership that I plan to start on as soon as Joy’s adventures are complete, but I want to keep the details a secret for now.

Any advice on how to write a spooky/gothic themed book?

I think the most important advice is to keep developing your characters until they feel completely real. It’s impossible to make anyone afraid of what might happen to an imaginary person until they first forget that very fact. Then, once you’ve done that, remember to say ‘boo’ at precisely the right moment.

Anything you would like to add?

I’ve said it before but I will say it again: please buy my book—I am no longer fit for proper work.

-Thank you so much Mr. Bracegirdle for stopping by. It was a pleasure interviewing you and reading your wonderful book. -

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone

2008-08-13T11:34:00.002-04:00

Written by: Stephanie Kuehnert

Pages: 340

My rating 1-5 Stars:
5 Stars

When Emily Black was just four months old her mother left her and her dad to follow punk rock. Now Emily is in High School and she is starting a punk rock band of her own with her best friend Regan. She sings and writes the songs with Regan, who is the drummer, and Tom the bass player. They finally get to play at River’s Edge, the place where punk rock lovers hang out while watching small town bands rock the stage and also the same stage that Louisa, Emily’s mom, saw Emily’s dad play for the first time. Everyone loves her lyrics and sound but they don’t know the real reason that is behind the word that Emily sings. She hopes that one day her mother will follow the music right back to her and her dad.

This was one cool book. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone is probably on of the most down-to-earth books I have ever read. It isn’t full of fairytales and other. Stephanie did a great job of making the book very realistic. The plot was also great, sometimes something would happen that I never suspected but then there were times when something would happen that I knew was going to happen. Which in some books I don’t’ like figuring out what is going to happen but I didn’t mind it at all in this book. The characters in this book were stupendous; they all had their flaws, which is great because in life everyone has flaws. I also enjoyed how big of a part music plays in the story. Which is probably because I am a big fan of rock but I think every one who reads this book will be able to envision Emily rocking out on the stage, like I did. I also introduced to some great rock bands while reading the wonderful story. I recommend this book to every teen out there, especially if you like listening to rock bands. Also some adults might enjoy the story too.

~*~ I do not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 15 due to drugs, language, and other themes in the book. ~*~

A Fun Little Survey Thing

2008-08-11T10:51:00.002-04:00

I was tagged by Kelsey over at Just Blinded Book Reviews. So here is that fun little Survey

What was I doing ten years ago?

I was probably getting really excited for school to start. Which is the same thing I am doing now.

What are five things on my to-do-list today?

Post my review for I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone.

Write some questions for an author interview.

Set up all the technical stuff, like fonts, for another author interview.

Bike 15 miles.

Finish reading Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt.

Places I have Lived?

Virginia (two places)

North Carolina (Three, technically four, I lived in a beach house for a month while my parents found my current house)

Things I would do if I were a millionaire:

Buy me a saweet house in Malibu. Buy houses for the rest of my family (Grandparents etc.) in Malibu.

Buy a Jeep.

Save for College.

So now I am supposed to tag someone. Well I am not sure who has been tagged and who hasn't, so if you haven't consider this as me tagging you!

Why Do You Read?, August 2008 Edition

2008-08-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

First Name: Breanna (pronounced like bre-aw-nuh)

Age: 20

Gender: Female (woot go females! No offense Kyle.)

Blog URL: http://bisforbooks-bre.blogspot.com/

What do you do when you are not reading?
I do a lot of things when I'm not reading actually. Most of what I'm doing consists of taking care of my 18-month-old identical twin girls or working at the local movie theater.

How old were you when you first became interested in reading books?
I'm told that I liked reading when I was a baby which makes sense because my girls love to look at books. So I guess I'm saying I became interested in with books when I was probably a year or so old. I remember liking books when I was older too, around 5-10 years old. I lost some interest after that. But about two years ago I picked up the reading bug again. Yeah, that's a wordy answer to a simple question, lol.

What is your most favorite book? Why?
Totally hard question. I've read so many great books that it's hard to choose which one is my favorite. I think I'll have to go with Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. It was absolutely amazing. I remember I was enthralled in the storyline so much that even when my boyfriend came over I couldn't put it down. And I rarely got to see him so I know I loved that book. I want to read it again now, lol.

What is your favorite Series? Why?
I think my favorite series would have to be The Mediator series by Meg Cabot. I read it two years ago I think. I just remember being so in love with the characters and the story line. It was just so amazing. I remember being pretty much breathless the whole time I was reading the last book in the series. I was so sad when it ended but happy that I had just finished an incredibly amazing series that I'll always remember.

Who is you favorite author? Why?
That's a really hard question. I know everyone says that but that's because it's true. With all the different authors out there it's so incredibly hard to choose. But I think I have to go with Meg Cabot. I've read most every single one of her books and have loved them all. They're all such fun reads

What is you favorite genre of books? Why?
I guess I'd either have to say Vampire books (that counts as a genre, right? lol) or just basic Contemporary. Vampires because they're always so full of forbidden love and action. I love all the excitement. And Contemporary because I like reading about basic almost everyday things. I just love reading all the different stories that authors can come up with. I find it so amazing how many books there are in this world.
How many books, in average, do you read a week?
Well it varies because I'm a mom to twins and all. For a while last month I was reading maybe 2 to 3 books a week. But now it's 1 book a week if I'm lucky because I have a job now (at my local AMC theater) that requires me to work at night a lot which is when I get most of my reading done. So that sucks but I'm definitely liking my new job. So that makes up for it.

Describe your favorite place to sit down and read a great book?
I like sitting on the purple couch in the living room at my mom's house where I'm living right now. It's pretty comfy and it's just a nice spot to sit and read when I actually have a few minutes to myself. I also love sitting outside in the backyard on my mom's lawn swing. It's definitely really comfy to sit out there when it's warm, especially when I can actually get the swing to recline like it's supposed to.

What bookstore do you go to the most?
I go to Borders and Half Priced Books. Basically because they're the only two bookstores that are even remotely close to me. There aren't a whole lot of independent bookstores around Tacoma which is really sad. But I like Half Priced Books and Borders. They have books, what's not to like? Although I'm starting to just order off of Amazon more because it's getting harder to find the books that I want at the stores.
Which character (in any book) are you most like? Why?
Hmm tough question. Umm I think I'm a lot like Scarlett in Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen. No I've never had a boyfriend die in a motorcycle accident and then find out I'm having his baby. But I did end up knocked up when I was 18 and my girls' father is as good as dead to me. But like Scarlett I really needed a friend to rely on during the past 2 or so years when my life completely changed. Just most everything about Scarlett seems like me. At least what I can remember anyway, (the last time I read Someone Like You was like 3 years ago) which isn't much. I just feel like that out of all the books that I've read I'm the most like Scarlett.

If you could bring only one book with you to a deserted island, what would you choose? Why?
I'd probably have to say Twilight by Stephenie Meyer because well it's Twilight, lol. I've only read it once. But I know I'll be able to read it over and over again. It's just so great. And it's also a great length. I definitely like longer books. Especially when they're amazing like Twilight is.
_________________________________________________________________

Thank you so much Breanna for answering my questions! You have a great blog and I hope all my viewers will check it out.

Book Vault’s Birthday Contest Riddle

2008-08-08T10:25:00.000-04:00

This is the next leg of The Book Vault’s birthday book riddle contest! For more information on the contest, go here: http://the-book-vault.blogspot.com/2008/08/birthday-contest.html
Each correct answer counts as an entry into the drawing on August 29th!

Riddle:
Vitrified for 10 years, the main character has trouble adjusting to her new life—especially since her formerly younger sister is now older—and married with a kid of her own. But her crush from 10 years ago, who was also vitrified, is about to rediscover the world with her.
What book is this?

Know the answer? Send Dominique an email at bookvault@yahoo.com with:

“BDAY CONTEST” in the subject line
and:
Name:

The Riddle: Vitrified for 10 years, the main character has trouble adjusting to her new life—especially since her formerly younger sister is now older—and married with a kid of her own. But her crush from 10 years ago, who was also vitrified, is about to rediscover the world with her.
What book is this?

Answer: (full book title + author)

The name of the site where you found the riddle: Book Review Maniac

Your site’s URL: (if you have one)

Please send a separate email for each riddle you answer!

Good luck!!

An Awesome Author: PJ Hoover

2008-08-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

In July I read and reviewed The Emerald Tablet, which is PJ Hoover's debut Middle Grade Novel. I enjoyed the book so much that I got my younger sister to read the book who loved it just as well. And I got to ask her a few questions for a segment of AN AWESOME AUTHOR. The Emerald Tablet releases on October 21st but you can pre-order it on Amazon right now.

My Review
My sister's review

PJ Hoover's Website

How did you come up with the idea to write about lost continents and telegens, a superior race of humans that have Telekinesis?

There was this TV show back in the early 80’s (yes, I realize you’re too young) called The Powers of Matthew Star. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Powers_of_Matthew_Star) Matthew Star was basically this ordinary kid who had special powers like telepathy and telekinesis. He could pop popcorn with his mind so fast, the other kids thought he was magic—which I guess he kind of was. He was good looking and cool and oh so 80s. The show was on air for about six months, but I loved it, and it always stuck with me. How cool would it be to have powers like that and to have to pretend to be a normal kid? And so Benjamin Holt and telegens were born. As for the lost continents, I’ve always loved ancient civilizations, and I’ve wanted Atlantis to be real. So I knew Atlantis would have to be in the storyline. But while researching, I came across the sister continent of Lemuria and knew immediately my main story would be set here.

Why did you decide to tie in the ancient gods (Greek, Roman, etc.) into the book as just telegens from Atlantis trying to control humans?

OK, when I answer this, it will seem like TV is the basis for everything. But the sad fact is I spent much of my childhood watching science fiction and fantasy stuff. I’d say the time was wasted and I should have been writing, but then where would all these ideas come from? There was this Star Trek episode (Who Mourns for Adonis) about how the ancient Greek gods were real and lived among the humans. Adonis and the other gods had been super beings on Earth, but, as people stopped believing in the Greek gods, they went away. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Mourns_for_Adonis) But even more so than the Star Trek episode, when we look at mythology, there are strong beliefs (mine included) that the mythological figures were actually based on factual people from long ago. I believe the gods were real and influential historical figures. And if there were good ones in the past, then certainly there were bad.

How do you feel about the fact that the release date of The Emerald Tablet is getting closer everyday?

Super excited. It’s kind of hard to believe there are people I don’t even know reading my book. Hard to believe and exciting all at the same time. As a writer, I sit alone just writing most of the time. So now to realize there’s this other side of writing is pretty cool. Not to mention rewarding!

Approximately how long did it take you to write The Emerald Tablet?

First draft about three months. First revisions another six months. But, trust me, there were still plenty of revisions ahead. I started The Emerald Tablet in December of 2004 and signed with my editor in March 2007 (though we’d been courting for about a year). I’m all about getting a first draft done quickly and then spending time as needed on revisions.

Are you writing any books at the moment that aren’t a part of The Forgotten Worlds series? If so, can you tell us what they will be about?

Yes! I’m working on a middle grade/young adult urban fantasy series with an Egyptian slant. So far I have one book completed and another in the post-first draft stage. As far as fun factor goes, they’re huge. If you thought the Greek gods were cool, wait for the Egyptian ones. I’ve also just started working on a standalone young adult urban fantasy rooted in Greek Mythology.

What are some authors that have inspired you?

I’d be lying if I didn’t say J. K. Rowling. But I have to say, my favorite kid’s author these days is Rick Riordan. Before writing for kids, lots of the reading I did was adult fantasy and science fiction. Authors like Tad Williams (love the Otherland books), David Eddings, Terry Brooks, George R. R. Martin, and Robert Jordan (just to name a few).

What is your writing environment like?

So I may not be the cleanest person in the world, but I’m one of the neatest. The only things allowed on my desk (beside a computer) are my to-do stack and items which provide inspiration for my current project. Oh, and of course, my kids draw pictures which I tape to the wall. I have an Ammonite to make me think of how old the earth is, a whiteboard with key writing reminders so I don’t forget, and a wordle of my current project (http://www.wordle.net). I never used to have an office. Instead we had this fancy two story entryway with a huge chandelier hanging above. But when I started looking for space around the house, we had the second floor extended over the entryway, and my office was born. It’s small (about 8x8) but it works for me).

What are your favorite books that you have read?

The Lightning Thief is my current favorite book. The greatest thing about the Percy Jackson books is how strong the beginnings are. In my best dreams, this is how I write ☺ As for other kid’s books, I loved Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (super great plot), Madapple by Christina Meldrum (needed to know how it ended), How not to be Popular by Jennifer Zeigler (laugh out loud funny), and A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (such great writing). I don’t love everything I read by any stretch, and I’ve gotten a lot more picky since time is so limited.

What is something about the making of The Emerald Tablet that not everybody knows and you would like to share with readers?

One of my favorite Emerald Tablet bits of trivia is word count. When I finished my first draft, it weighed in around 115,000 words. Yikes! Especially considering how much of it was backstory. With tons of help from my editor, I managed to pare it down to somewhere around 60,000.

Model: A Memoir

2008-08-06T19:07:00.001-04:00

“Pretty girl. Ugly Business”

Written by: Cheryl Diamond

Pages: 357

My rating 1-5 stars:
4 stars

It is the year 2001 and Cheryl Diamond is a model for a top modeling company in New York City at the young age of 14. She returns home to North Carolina waiting and hoping to be called back to New York for a photo shoot or runway when a catastrophic event occurs. This event causes the modeling company that Cheryl was working for to go out of business.
When she is sixteen, she returns to New York City for a few days to see if she can sign with another modeling company. She gets what she wants, a three year contract with Prima. She rents and moves into an apartment in New Jersey, just 15 minutes away from Manhattan, with her cat Tigger. She goes to the City almost everyday for photo shoots, auditions for runways, and even to go clubbing with some other Prima models. Cheryl learns that modeling is a dirty business; bookers try to get money from your photo shoots any way possible. But Cheryl finds ways to avoid those hidden price. Everything is going as wonderful as it could get and Cheryl loves every minute of it. That is until an incident occurs and Cheryl’s dreams are ruined. But Cheryl manages to stay strong and make a brilliant come back into the world of modeling.

I got this book from Pulse IT and at first I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it because of the whole modeling theme of it and me being a guy. But shockingly I did like it. The reason I liked it is because of the humor in it. Which surprised me because I didn’t expect humor to be in a memoir and a non-fiction book. And I thought that Cheryl must have been very brave and mature to live in Jersey for a whole summer while commuting to New York City almost every day for photo shoots or runway shows at age 16. All the while her parents were at home all the way in North Carolina! This book made me open my eyes and realize that not all models have millions of dollars and live in penthouses.
Something else I want to mention about this book is that I normally detest non-fiction books. I don’t know why, maybe because they are usually full of facts and dates, which can be a drag for me. I fully enjoyed this non-fiction book because it was about someone following their dreams, while overcoming some obstacles. Also the fact that it is written like a fiction book helped too.
The ideal audience for this book is probably high school girls, who would probably enjoy it more than I and any other guy who reads it. But if you are a guy that loves to read and you like books that will make you laugh then I definitely do recommend it to you.

~*~ Due to content in this book I do not recommend it to any one under the age of 14. ~*~

*Also reviewed for Simon and Schuster’s Pulse IT.

Contest Deadline and Other News

2008-08-06T18:55:00.004-04:00

I have just decided that the contest for the ARC of Farworld: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage will be August 15th which is not this Friday but next Friday. So get in those banners! Click here for more details.
Also in the next few days there will be an interview with an author and an interview with a fellow book reviewer. So keep checking in. And send me your feedback on my site! I would love to hear what you think about my site and what I can do to make it better!

happy readings,

The Big Game of Everything

2008-08-04T09:08:00.001-04:00

Written by: Chris Lynch

Pages: 288

Releases to the public:
September 2nd, 2008

My rating 1-5 stars:
3 stars

Jock is a regular, well-adjusted guy, except for one thing: His family is a bunch of freaks. They’re lovable freaks, but freaks all the same, and he’s spending the whole summer with them at his grandfather’s golf course. Although Jock’s devil of a younger brother, Egon, is plotting his early demise, his grandfather has lost more than just a few of his marbles, and the town’s biggest bullies are out to pound him, Jock’s summer is still planning out to be two sweet long months of freedom. That is, of course, until some trouble making visitors arrive with the Big Game of Everything and leave Jock to figure out all the rules.

I was somewhat disappointed with this book. It is supposed to be humorous, but for some reason it isn’t. It could have been made a funnier book. And in the first 150 pages I wasn’t sure where it was leading too and what the story was about. And the ending was a disappointment, it seem rushed. That was the bad parts about it. The good parts were that it had a great moral to it. The moral was that happiness doesn’t come from things you own but from your family. I also liked the fact that the main character’s family was sort of on the weird side but they love each other all the same. I would recommend this book to some teens, which would like to read it and get the moral out of the book, not for the ‘humor’ in it.

Who? Me? Nominated?

2008-08-03T10:55:00.005-04:00

I was very excited to hear that I was nominated for the Brillante Weblog Award by Kelsey from Just Blinded Book Reviews! Thank you very much Kelsey! Here are the rules fr what to do when you are nominated:

The Rules:1) Put the logo on your blog.

2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3) Nominate at least seven other blogs.

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.

5) Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

And now for the fellow bloggers that I am nominating:

Tasha from And Another Book Read because she writes really good reviews that have made me buy some really good books!

Carol from Book-Luver Carol's Reviews. She has a great book review site and she has got me in a really cool book club called Readers United.

Mrs. Magoo from Mrs. Magoo Reads has a really great site! She has even been on TV because of her blog, I mean how cool is that?

The Book Muncher because I really like the way she ties everything in with her blog name, like she has 'books to be muched', 'munchers current diet.

Book Worm Readers because this reader is a book worm and a great reviewer.

Reviewer X because she writes amazing reviews and she is a fellow Twilight fan.

Last but not least Reading Junky from Reading Junky's Reading Roost. She is another great review plus she teaches 8th grade!

Contest: Farworld (Water Keep) by J. Scott Savage ARC

2008-08-01T19:41:00.006-04:00

[EDIT]

CONTEST DEADLINE IS AUGUST 15TH.

Have you been hearing great things about Farworld by J. Scott Savage, a fantasy adventure book that releases in September? Well if you have I know that you cannot wait to get you hands on it when it releases. That is why I am holding a contest to get an ARC of Farworld! That way you get to receive the book before it even releases!

I enjoyed the book so much I gave it a 5 star rating! To read about what I liked about it so much, head on over to my review.

This contest is going to be different from my first contest, which I held at the beginning of June. You are not going to comment on this post to get an entry in the contest.
One thing that I really want changed with my blog is the title bar(at the top where it says Book Review Maniac. Great book reviews on teen, blah, blah, blah). I have been looking at some of my favorite book review blogs and I noticed that they have really cool banners on there sites. And since I have no creative ability that is what inspired this contest.

How Do I Enter?
Make me a cool banner and email it to me with the subject, Farworld Contest (email at bottom of post)! I will pick my favorite banner out of all the entries and who ever made that banner will get the ARC.

Not Sure What Type of Banner I Would Like?
Well one thing that I really want on it is my alias, Book Review Maniac. And in case you are wondering, the banner does not have to match the current colors of my blog. I will change the colors of blog once I pick the winning banner. Another thing is that since I am a guy, please do not make the banner with pink and purple flowers. If there is a little pink or purple in the banner, that is okay.

What If You Don't Pick My Banner?
I will delete the banner that you send in.

What If You Do Pick My Banner?
Then you will win the ARC and I will mention at the bottom bar of my blog that it was made by you and I will link your blog there.

Since it is me that will be picking the banner that I like the most, and I won't be drawing a name out of a hat like the last contest, I will not be giving away extra entries. Sorry. But if you would like to link to this contest on yourside bar or through a post on your blog, you can. And I will very much appreciate your thoughtfullness.

Oh yeah, if you have any questions/comments about this contest or about my blog, just comment on this post please. I love recieving feed back! But please remember that if you comment that does not get you a chance at winning the ARC.

Thank you and Good Luck,

Kyle

P.S I am not sure when I will be ending this contest, it could be in one week or in two weeks but I will post when I decide on a deadline. So, get those banners in! And to enter you have to be from the United States or Canada, Mr. Savage can only send the book to those countries right now. Thanks!

bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com

An Awesome Author: Kimberly Pauley

2008-07-31T12:33:00.000-04:00

I am pleased to say that this segment of An Awesome Author is an exclusive interview with Kimberly Pauley. Kimberly Pauley is the fantastic author of a new vampire themed book, Sucks To Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton Teen Vampire (maybe). Which is a hilarious story about a girl who has to decide to 'turn' (become a vampire), just like her parents, or to stay human. Which turns out to be a very difficult choice when she finds out if she turns she won't be able to see her best friend ever again and that if she stays a human she might end up loosing her family. Sucks To Be Me arrives in bookstores on August 26th.

My Review of Sucks To Be Me

Kimberly Pauley's Website
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How did you come up with the idea for writing a book on a girl with vampire parents and the whole idea of her having to decide to become a vampire or not?
I was lying awake one night thinking about how most vampire novels all seem to kind of have a similar plot (keep in mind that this was back in 2005) where the vampires are evil and everything is really serious and creepy. I thought it would be fun to turn all of that on it’s head and do something funny and silly instead. And I thought it would be even more fun, given how most teens feel about their parents, if they were the “boring” vampires.

Why did you choose to write about Vampires?

I wouldn’t say I actually chose to write about them in a way…I actually have lots of little ideas at night and I usually just jot them down and forget about them until later. But once I started writing, Mina just kind of took over and the story kept going. I actually put aside some other books I was working on because her voice was so strong in my head.

Which character in the book do you have most in common with?
I’d probably say Serena, other than that I never tried the Goth thing. And I do actually like Siouxsie and the Banshees. And I’m way shorter. And I’ve got a bit of Uncle Mortie’s sense of humor…but I don’t want to have a whole lot in common with him, so I’m gonna go with Serena. Hey, wait, maybe George! I like George a lot. Can you tell I’ve never thought about this before? Okay, I’m going to go with George. Even though he is a guy.

If you had to decide to become a vampire like your parent or stay human, what would you choose?
If the loved ones in my life were vampires already, I think I’d turn too (assuming they are vampires like I wrote about in Sucks to Be Me where they can go outside during the day…I’m a bit of a night owl, but I’d hate to be melted down to a puddle just by stepping out into the sun.) It would definitely be important to me to have my family with me. What’s the good of living forever if you’re all alone?

Why did you choose to write a Young Adult book?
Mostly because I love YA literature. It’s awesome stuff. Some of the best books out there today are written for teens and tweens.

Are you going to write any more books?
I’m working on a sequel to Sucks To Be Me now and I’ve got a number of other partly completely projects. Not sure at this point what will make it to print, but I’ll definitely write more books!

[If so] will they be as humorous as Sucks To Be Me?
I tend to write “funny” when I write for teens & tweens, so I can pretty much say “Yes!” or “Heck, yeah!” It’s like I can’t help it, honestly. I’ve tried to write serious sometimes, but it usually winds up switching itself to funny no matter what I do. That’s not a bad thing though…I like a good laugh.

What advice can you give young readers on writing a humorous novel?
Make yourself laugh. Or, at the very least, giggle. If you don’t think it is funny, no one else will either. And, especially with dialog, try reading it out loud.

Is there anything you would like to add?
Just that I’d like to thank everyone that has read the book so far (and all the people that will read it too) – without readers there’d be no authors and without authors this world would be a boring place. Readers rock!

The Brothers Torres

2008-07-30T14:23:00.004-04:00

"So there's this guy, right? And he's known this girl forever..."

Written by: Coert Voorhees

Pages: 316

My rating 1-5 stars:

4 Stars

Frankie Towers has known for Rebecca Sanchez a long time. They have grown up together taking swimming lessons and just hanging out in their small home town 20 miles from Albuquerque, New Mexico. But something changed in High School; Frankie can't stop hoping that one day they would be more than friends. But that stirs up some trouble when John Dalton beets him in asking Rebecca to Homecoming. John Dalton is on the soccer team with Frankie's older brother Steve and he is the son of the two richest people in their small town. Frankie gets into a fight with John, which opens him up to the world of Steve. Steve hangs out a lot with the cholos, who start talking and letting Frankie hang out with them after the fight. But when another incident happens with John, Steve wants revenge. Which brings Frankie to wonder if Steve will do too much to keep his reputation with the cholos...

This book was great. It opened my eyes to a different culture and I got to practice my Spanish reading on the Spanish words that are somtimes used. I really enjoyed hearing the story from Frankie's point of view. I really felt like I knew him and that I had known him for a long time. I also could just visualize the town that the characters live in. Coert did an amazing job of bringing this book to life with every word. After reading the book I have added New Mexico to one of the places that I want to visit in the future to actually get to see all of the culture that is adresed in THE BROTHERS TORRES.I recommend this book to every high-schooler out there because I know that you will live reading about what people do to get a good rep. And if you are looking for a good discussion book this would be great for that reason.

~*~ Due to content in this book, I do not recommend this book to any one below the age of 15.~*~

Click Here to buy the book.

Farworld: Water Keep

2008-07-28T21:01:00.004-04:00

"By ourselves maybe we can't do much. But together..."

Written by: J. Scott Savage

Releases to public:

September 12th, 2008
Preorder

Pages: 432

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!

Farworld is the one place 13-year-old orphan Marcus Kanenas feels normal. Farworld is a place where everyone can use magic. The animals talk, and some even tell jokes. He even has a friend there, a girl whose name he is not sure of because Farworld is just a dream. This is the only way that he can escape from reality. Farworld drowns out the bullies trying to beat him up, and being treated like an outsider because he has to live in a wheelchair.
That is until one day a mysterious man who claims to be a lawyer for his parents comes to the school saying that Marcus needs to go with him to see his eagerly waiting parents. Sensing that this lawyer is a fake he tries to get away from the school. Which ends up with him somehow landing in a river in a strange land where he meets the girl in his dreams, Kyja. He finds out that he is in Farworld, which isn't just in his dreams but actually exists! Kyja is sort of an outsider just like him; she is the only one in this magical world that cannot use magic. She has been trying to learn how to use magic with the help of Master Therapass, a great wizard. It turns out that Master Therapass knows who Marcus is, but how can that be when Marcus has never been to Farworld before?
Marcus discovers more about who he is when him and Kyja embark on a journey to save Farworld from the evil wrath of the Dark Circle. The Dark Circle is an army of evil creatures such as Summoners, Thrathkin S'Bae (wizards who use dark magic), the undead, and Unmakers. To do this they must consult the elementals of water, land, air and fire to open up a drift between Earth and Farworld.

Farworld: Water Keep is a magical book that not only has a great plot, genius characters, and has awesome action scenes but it also has a very strong moral to it. I really enjoyed the plot because it kept me hanging onto the book and wondering what could happen on the next page. Marcus and Kyja really have a great bond in the book, which makes them 'magical' characters (pun intended). In the book they realize that even though by themselves they can't do much, together they can be unstoppable. At first when Master Therapass tells Kyja that "The real power of magic lies within you. Who you are, what you do, and... what you may become." she doesn't believe him but as the story goes on she starts to realize that he is right. I believe that the moral doesn't just apply to her but to everyone. That everyone has their own 'magic' in them, if they realize it or not. Let’s not forget those action scenes, which were great. They kept the book going at a nice pace.
I recommend this book to students from middle school all the way up to high school and that enjoy books about believing in yourself, and that deals with magic.

Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head

2008-07-27T11:47:00.004-04:00

“Move over Ramona Quimby… Samantha Hansen is ready to ROCK!”

Written by Nancy Viau

Releases to the public:
August 20th, 2008

Pages: 192

My rating 1-5 stars:
4 stars

Samantha Hansen is just a 10 year old and is still in elementary school, but don’t let that fool you she probably knows more about science and rocks than you do. Which is probably why most of all the kids in her class make fun of her whenever she goes ranting on about rocks. Samantha gets very excited when her mom tells Samantha and Jennifer (Samantha’s older sister) that they are going to go to the Grand Canyon for a whole weekend. But Samantha might run in to some trouble because of her lacking of the ability to control her anger. She has to try really hard not to loose her temper and yell at her sister when she messes with her rock collection or when a fellow student picks on her because of her love for rocks. Getting to go to the Grand Canyon isn’t the only reason she is trying so hard to be calm. She also wants to try and get her mom to tell her why her dad died and why her mom doesn’t mention him that much to her.

I ab-so-lutely enjoyed this book. It was well written and the plot was great. It had me thinking what Samantha was thinking and wondering what she was wondering. And I even got a little bit mad when she was. Which brings me to say that Samantha was an astonishing character. Nancy Viau made her so realistic that at the end of the book I felt I was with Samantha the whole time and had known her for a long time. Samantha’s older sister, Jennifer was very realistic too. In fact, she even reminded me of my younger sister because even though she does something it is usually Samantha who gets in trouble. But Samantha and Jen do have times where they get along, even if it is for a few seconds. Which is the same with my sister and I. I picked up a moral in this story and that is even if someone did something that may bug you, be the better person and ignore it. Don’t get upset about it, just count to ten in your head. Samantha’s story deals with friendship, family, sibling love, and relationships, which is all packed in with a lot of humor. I would recommend this book to 3rd graders and up. It is definitely going to be on the top with Junie B. Jones and Ramona Quimby.

To preorder this book click here.

The Joy of Spooking: Fiendish Deeds

2008-07-25T19:45:00.003-04:00

"It's the terrible town on the hideous hill..."

written by: P.J Bracegirdle

releases to public:
August 5th, 2008

pages: 215

my rating 1-5 stars:

4 stars

Joy Wells is a huge fan of the renowned author Ethan Alvin Peugeot. She can't help but think that E. A. Peugeot might of wrote one of his famous scary stories, "The Bawl of the Bog Fiend", about the bog that is right next to where she lives in Spooking.
Spooking is a small and way older town compared to it's neighboring town, Darlington. Darlington is where Joy goes to school, due to there being no school in Spooking. Joy hates going to school there, almost all the kids from Darlington joke and make fun of Joy, and her brother Byron just because they come from Spooking. The kids aren't the only ones in Darlington that want to get rid of Spooking and the bog. After a school assembly about the future of Darlington, Joy and her brother uncover a plan to get rid of the bog, that may possibly be the home of the Bog Fiend in Peugeot's story, and eventually Spooking itself!

Fiendish Deeds is an awesomely spooky gothic themed book. I really like the gothic theme of it, it is sort of like Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events but it has a different feel to it. Which makes it all the more spellbinding. Joy Wells is also a wonderfully created character, very believable. As I read the book, I wanted to step right into it and help Joy save the bog. And her brother, Byron, is just as wonderfull.
The plot was great. I was always wondering what was going to happen next and right when I wasn't expecting it BAM there was a surprising twist that caught me toataly off guard.
I recommend this book to any one around the ages from 8-16. Some adults might like it too, if you think it mght be good then odds are you will.

To preorder/order this book click here.

Today's Cool Release!

2008-07-22T09:05:00.002-04:00

Undone by Brooke Taylor is now in stores, so what are you waiting for? Go and buy it!

My review
My interview with Brooke

Serena Moore isn’t the most popular or most beautiful girl at the school. Kori Kitzler on the other hand is, that is until that day in eighth grade when Kori tells Serena that they have more in common then she might think. That short meeting in the bathroom brought Kori and Serena to be best of friends. There are so many rumors going around about Kori that Serena isn’t sure what to believe.
Serena’s mom and her friends don’t seem thrilled that she is hanging out with Kori the “dark angel”, who gets Serena involved in smoking, drugs and other stuff that Serena normally wouldn’t do. One day in Serena’s favorite class they are asked to write a list of five things that they hope might happen during the school term, “Their five ways to tempt fate.” Serena takes this assignment as a joke, her five things that she writes down aren’t that important.
When something immensely catastrophic happens to Kori, Serena finds out that Kori took the assignment far more seriously then her. Serena feels as though she has been left alone on this earth, and all she has are the list of five things that Kori wanted to complete. Serena is faced by many challenges that she normally wouldn’t complete, and that Kori would, while she struggles to make sure that Kori’s list isn’t left undone…
(My Summary)

New Moon

2008-07-21T16:36:00.004-04:00

“I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole.”

written by: Stephenie Meyer

pages: 563

my rating 1-5 blood drops (a.k.a stars):
4~5

Summary(from Barnes and Noble)

I FELT LIKE I WAS TRAPPED IN ONE OF THOSE TERRIFYING NIGHTMARES…
For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella ever could have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning. . . .

I loved this book, it wasn’t as good as Twilight but it was still amazing. The reason I didn’t like it as much was because it had a spot that was very slow. But since I had gotten some warnings about the slow spot before I didn’t stop reading. Before I knew it was back up to pace again.

~*~ Due to content in this book I do not recommend for anyone under the age of 14 read it. ~*~

I apologize that this review was so sort and for the fact that the summary was borrowed from Barnes and Noble. The reason this is so, is because I am very busy traveling and packing until Thursday, which is when I will arrive at my home! I promise that when I get home there will be more reviews and interviews more frequently!

UNDONE: RELEASES JULY 22nd!!!

2008-07-19T10:38:00.002-04:00

So Undone by Brooke Taylor is going to be released this Tuesday and I have got to say it is one of my FAVORITE books this year. So to celebrate the release I am posting a video advertising Undone. I have to say that it is one of the coolest videos ever!

To read my review of Undone click here.

AN AWESOME AUTHOR: Daniel Waters (Day 2)

2008-07-17T08:33:00.000-04:00

Here is Day 2 with Daniel Waters. Today he will be giving young writers some great advice and you will get to learn more about who Daniel Waters is.
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Author’s Advice

What is some advice you can give teens on creating a plot that is complete with out any “loose ends”?
Ha! I’m probably one of the worst people in the world to answer this question, because I like loose ends, both as a reader and a writer. I also like red herrings, macguffins, the unknown, the unexpected, the unexplained, and the unresolved. And ambiguity! I like putting a book down and be left thinking about the “off-camera” aspects of the story. What was that character thinking? Why were there so many birds in that book? What happened to Holden after he told his story? Etc. Life is messy and doesn’t usually wrap things up with a pretty bow. Most endings look like beginnings to me.

Is there any other advice you would like to give to them?
Write and read every day. Learn to take criticism without being crushed or elated by it, but if you need to lean to one side, be elated. Learn to take a punch and learn not to throw one.

About the Author

What type of music do you listen to?
Just about everything, but I’m an unreformed and unrepentant metalhead at heart. I go through phases. Right now I’ve been listening to a great deal of psychedelic music from the sixties.

What are two things that not everyone knows about you?
I used to shout in a heavy metal band. I have a nasty crossover dribble.

What is your writing environment like?
Usually, a cluttered sunroom office. My record collection lines the walls, incense is burning. I wrote most of Generation Dead in a library and a local Papa Gino’s, so I still go to those places to write when I need a change of venue.

What made you want to become a YA author?
I didn’t set out to be a YA author initially, just an author. That said, I’m thrilled to be an author of YA books.
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Click here to read Day 1.

AN AWESOME AUTHOR: Daniel Waters (Day 1)

2008-07-16T11:59:00.001-04:00

So you may have heard that this week the author that is stopping by for an interview will be here for not just one day but TWO. The interview is split in to 2 parts (Day 1 and Day 2). So as you know that today is part 1!

The author that is stopping by is none other than the brilliant Daniel Waters. Daniel Water's book Generation Dead was released this past spring. I read the book and absolutely loved it(click here to read my review). Generation Dead deals with teens in America dying, but they come back. They are called many names like 'dead kids', 'zombies', and 'living impaired'. As you can imagine they have trouble fitting into society. If you haven't read the book I suggest you buy it right now.

Purchase the book at:
Barnes and Noble $12.23
Amazon $11.55

Visit Daniel Waters Blog
Visit Tommy Williams' (character in Generation Dead) Blog
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Dealing With the Book

1. How is it to be a published author?
It is great. A lifelong goal achieved.

2. Generation Dead is a very unique story, I haven’t heard of any other book like it, how did you come up with the wonderful story?
Thank you. The initial idea for Generation Dead came from some news magazine show I’d seen on violence in schools. According to the program, it was becoming all the rage in schools across America to video tape planned fights or random acts of violence and put them up on YouTube for the entire world to enjoy. The show ran a number of the actual clips of young people hurting other young people. One of the clips featured a little boy in a coat that was too big for him waiting for the bus to arrive. A much larger boy ran into the frame and punched the smaller boy in the face, dropping him to the pavement. The little boy sat, alone and crying, bleeding from his nose and mouth. I think the zombies were my brains’ (my braaaaaiiiiiins’!) way of coping with what, to me, was a truly horrific subject.

3. In Generation Dead Phoebe is a goth, have you ever gone goth and worn all black like her?
Not goth exactly. I went to a Catholic high school with a dress code so it was hard to “go” anything, although I did wear a lot of black.
After I graduated, though, I grew my hair long. I guess I looked pretty scary and metal, but I really wanted to look like Robin Zander from Cheap Trick.

4. Are you more of a Tommy or Adam? Why?
Hmmm. I don’t think I’m polarized either way although I share personality traits with each. With Phoebe, too.

5. Did you ever play football in High School? Why did you make football be the sport that Tommy and Adam play?
I didn’t. I wrestled one season but was awful—no drive, I just wanted to get in shape. The book is set during the fall, so I needed a fall sport and of course having Homecoming, both the dance and the game, loom so large in the book (as it seemed to when I was still in school) made football the obvious choice. My personal sport of choice is basketball—although, like Adam and Phoebe, I love Frisbee.

6. I have heard rumors that you are writing a sequel to Generation Dead. What is the title? And when will we be able to buy it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble?
Kiss of Life. I don’t know when it will be released, probably next spring or summer.

7. How many books are you going to write about Phoebe and the rest of the Generation Dead characters?
I’m not sure, but there are definitely more stories I want to tell in the “world” of Generation Dead.

8. What is Phoebe up to in Kiss of Life?
She’s trying to make good on the promise she made to herself at the end of Generation Dead.

9. Are you planning on writing another book that doesn’t deal with Generation Dead?
Yes. I typically work on two or three projects at once, switching when I start to feel stale on whatever I’m working on. I find this tends to feed me creatively in the process.

Click here to go to Day 2.

WE HAVE A WINNER!!

2008-07-16T10:24:00.004-04:00

The winner of the Signed copy of THE ELITE by Jennifer Banash is....

BREANNA!!

Breanna,
I will be in contact with you shortly.

Stop by later on today because I will have an awesome author stop by!

Teen Tuesday

2008-07-15T21:02:00.003-04:00

This Post Was originally posted on Teen Tuesday
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The Past week I got to read some great books and I got to post an interview with an awesome author! First, lets talk genres, in the past week I started reading books from the genre Vampires which so far is a great genre and I am loving the books in it. I also read a middle grade novel by a 2k8 author which was great.

First I want talk about Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Before this month I really had no idea the book and series ever existed (I had seen it in stores though; I never really looked at what it was about). I finally took the time to find out what the book was about and I watched some clips from the movie. And after hearing great things about the book around the blogging world, I decided to read it. So I went to borders and bought the first two in the series, Twilight and New Moon. I wanted to get Eclipse but unfortunately the wallet was saying otherwise. So once I started reading Twilight, I was hooked. It was way better than any Harry Potter book. I couldn't wait to read New Moon.

But before I read Twilight I read The Emerald Tablet by P.J Hoover, which comes to stores October 21st. TET is a book made for older middle grade students but it was still wonderful. It was fast paced but that didn't phase me due to the wonderful twists in the book. I did not expect the ending at all, which is something I love in a book.

I also read yet another vampire book. This one is called Sucks To Be Me by Kimberly Pauley. It releases on August 26th. This wasn't one of those scary more serious vampire books. It was very humorous. It is about a girl who has to decide to become a vampire like her parents or to stay human. Which turns out to be a difficult choice due to what would happen if she chose not to and she absolutely hates the thought of drinking blood.

Lets talk interviews. This past week I got to post my interview with Brooke Taylor, author of Undone which will be released July 22nd. Brooke is a really nice person and I was very glad I got the time to interview her. I got to find out a lot about her, including that she has traveled the world! How cool is that?!?! This week I will be posting an interview with an author again but it will be split up into 2 days, part 1 will be posted on Wednesday and part 2 will be posted Thursday. And in the interview a rumor will be found false or true about this author's book that everyone has been wondering.
This coming up week I am planning on reading and reviewing Puddlejumpers and Eclipse.

Sucks To Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton Teen Vampire (Maybe)

2008-07-15T18:17:00.003-04:00

written by: Kimberly Pauley

releases to public: August 26th, 2008

pages: 304

my rating 1-5 blood drops (a.k.a stars):

4 blood drops

Mina Hamilton has odd parents that are way different than every teen's odd parents; they are vampires. Mina's best friend is Serena, who knows nothing about Mina's parent's secret. Mina and Serena do everything together, they hangout, go shopping, and do sleepovers. When the Northwest Regional Vampire Council finds out that her parents have been keeping Mina a secret for all these years they give Mina a choice.

Mina has to decide whether to become a vampire like her parents or to stay human. If she chooses to become a vampire, she won't be able to see her friend Serena anymore. And if she chooses to stay human, she might end up loosing her family.

Mina Hamilton is the perfect character for this story. She is funny, sarcastic, and she speaks her mind. I really enjoyed reading this book because it was written in Mina's point of view and you get to hear all her thoughts. I laughed out loud at least two times per each page. Kimberly Pauley did a great job of telling this amusing story. I hope that she continues writing stories that are as humorous as this was.
I recommend this book to all teens that like funny and relaxing reads. It is a great book to read during a rainy day or a day at the beach. So make sure you pick this book up when it comes to a bookstore near you.

~*~ Due to content in this book, I do not recommend that anyone under the age of 13 read this book.~*~

To preorder/purchase this book:
Amazon $10.17
Barnes and Noble $11.21

A Junior Book Review: The Emerald Tablet

2008-07-11T19:35:00.002-04:00

After I read The Emerald Tablet by P.J Hoover I gave it to my 10 year old sister to read because I thought she would like it. After the summary (written by me) is my sister's review of The Emerald Tablet. If you want to read my review of The Emerald Tablet then click here.
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Benjamin Holt is used to having a normal life; that is if normal is defined by having the ability to use Telekinesis to fly a dead frog on a girl’s head in science class. He hangs around his best friend Andy, and his family, who can all use telekinesis too. He goes to a regular middle school, with regular teachers, in regular Virginia. That is until he sees his mom disappear by the ugly hanging picture in the hallway out his bedroom and is told by his mirror that he has to go to summer school for eight weeks. But he isn’t going to be spending summer school at his middle school in Virginia. He will be going to a school in a hidden country that the only way to get to it is by a teleportation device.

There he finds out that he isn’t human but a more superior species called telegens. At this school his powers aren’t special or something he has to hide, they are normal day-to-day things that everyone uses there. So now he is the normal kid, that is until he is unexpectedly chosen by the mystifying Emerald Tablet to be it’s champion. So now not only is he on a continent no human knows of but now the fate of the new continent is in his hands…

I liked The Emerald Tablet because this book comes to life in my mind. Mythical creatures pop out of the pages.Once you come to the end of this book you will not want to stop. I can not wait till the second book,The Navel of the World comes out!

Twilight

2008-07-11T18:10:00.004-04:00

written by: Stephenie Meyer

pages: 498

my rating 1-5 blood drops (a.k.a stars):

5 blood drops!!

Isabella Swan is moving from her mom’s city apartment in Phoenix; to her dad’s little house in Forks, Washington. She hates Forks but she decides it is better than traveling around with her mom and her step-dad when he tries to get signed with a major league baseball team. So now she is stuck in the small, rainy and foggy, town of Forks; where everybody knows everybody. She immediately fits into her new school, which has a lot less students than her old school, she even has some guys that seem to like her and won’t leave her alone. But for some reason Edward Cullen hates her, she can’t understand why he seems to hate her when she hasn’t even talked to him.
One day before school Edward saves her from being killed by a van; just by using his bare hands to stop the van. That is the first clue. As she gets to know Edward she comes to realize that there is a part of Edward that is thirsty for her blood.

I cannot believe that I haven’t heard about this book until now! I was definitely been missing out on a lot. The first page or so of the book I was like ehh but once I got to the third page I could not stop reading. I have been hearing that a lot of guys won’t read this book because it is sort of a love story, but hey, it has VAMPIRES in it, how cool is that. This book was way better than any of the Harry Potter books, which I think the reason I am saying that is because Twilight is more of a book for High school students and Harry Potter is more for eighth graders. The ending of Twilight was great too, I can’t wait to get the answer to that HUGE question that is on my mind right now when I read New Moon.

~*~ Due to content in this book I recommend that no one over the age of 14 read it.~*~

For all you readers out there that enjoyed Twilight, I suggest you head over to Genre of The Month because July’s genre is Vampire books. Also, head over to The Compulsive Reader because she is doing a special on Vampires too.

The Emerald Tablet

2008-07-10T15:05:00.001-04:00

written by: P.J Hoover

pages: 288

releases to public: October 21st 2008

my rating 1-5 stars:

4~5 stars

Benjamin Holt is used to having a normal life; that is if normal is defined by having the ability to use Telekinesis to fly a dead frog on a girl’s head in science class. He hangs around his best friend Andy, and his family, who can all use telekinesis too. He goes to a regular middle school, with regular teachers, in regular Virginia. That is until he sees his mom disappear by the ugly hanging picture in the hallway out his bedroom and is told by his mirror that he has to go to summer school for eight weeks. But he isn’t going to be spending summer school at his middle school in Virginia. He will be going to a school in a hidden country that the only way to get to it is by a teleportation device.
There he finds out that he isn’t human but a more superior species called telegens. At this school his powers aren’t special or something he has to hide, they are normal day-to-day things that everyone uses there. So now he is the normal kid, that is until he is unexpectedly chosen by the mystifying Emerald Tablet to be it’s champion. So now not only is he on a continent no human knows of but now the fate of the new continent is in his hands…

P.J Hoover has written a breathtaking adventure that will capture young student’s minds as they read about Benjamin’s remarkable journey in this new world. This book is destined to climb the charts when it releases in the fall. The book is full of likeable characters, mysteries and unexpected twist that will make you not able to wait for the sequel, The Navel of the World. This book is fast paced but do not let that stop you from reading it. You will surely not be disappointed. Even though this book is more for 4th graders through 7th grade, I know that teens out there will love the book just the same (I sure did). Do NOT hesitate to pre-order this book on Amazon or buy it when it comes out October 21st. 2008!

To view a review written by my ten year old sister click here.
To pre-order The Emerald Tablet on Amazon click here.

AN AWESOME AUTHOR: BROOKE TAYLOR

2008-07-09T13:44:00.010-04:00

Earlier on this month I had the privilege to review Undone by Brooke Taylor, which will come to stores July 22nd. Undone is Brooke's first book and let me tell you that it was truly remarkable.
Brooke Taylor is a part of the Class of 2K8 , which is a group of writers whose first book (either in the Young Adult or Middle Grade age groups) came or is coming out in the year 2008. When Brooke isn't writing or reading books she goes horseback riding and spends time at the lake . She also enjoys traveling to places such as New Zealand and a Mara game reserve in Africa.

To read my review of Undone click here.

To purchase/pre-order Undone:
Amazon $11.55
Target $11.55
Barnes and Noble $12.74

To find out more about Brooke Taylor visit these sites:
Brooke Taylor Book s
Brooke Taylor's Blog
Brooke Taylor's Myspace

I now present to you the marvelous Brooke Taylor:
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What inspired you to write Undone?

My initial inspiration for Undone was a license plate that read CCCCF8 (aka seize fate). I’ve always liked exploring the concept of fate and what control, if any, we have over it. But I think where Undone really came to life was once the two lead characters really started talking to each other. Then it kind of took on a life of its own.

Can you relate any of the events in Undone to your life?

While not very many of the actual experiences happened to me, the snap shot of high school and friendships and parties was very similar to my own high school experience.

And the whole idea for the list came from a work function I had to go to. It was this motivational speaker and I’m way too sarcastic to be motivated by a motivational speaker. But I gave it a shot and did the whole write down your impossible goals thing—and sure enough they all came true. It’s kind of amazing.

Are you more like Kori Kitzler or Serena Moore?

Serena definitely. I’m sarcastic and pretend to not take things seriously (see above) but really take them to heart. And like her, if one of my friends left anything in life undone, I’d be there to finish it for them.

Which character do you have least in common with?

At first glance, probably Kori—but I’ve lived life to the fullest, so we’re not completely different. And I’ve gone scuba diving with sharks, but I’m scared of fish—so I’m kind of complicated like Kori is.

I guess I’d have to say I have the least in common with Cole. She’s too sure of herself to ever be me.

Which of the characters do you like the most? Dislike?

I love Kori and Becks. I even like Parker for all his faults. The only character I don’t like is Chelsea, but look at her family—who could like anyone who came from that group.

Do you have any advice for young writers that aspire to become an author?

Don’t get too caught up in all the rules. First, just write and develop your own voice. Books with original voices are far more interesting than books that follow the rules.

What is your writing environment like? Do you listen to music while writing?

I do a lot of “writing” while driving. Unfortunately since I can’t actually write it down while driving I tend to forget some of my better dialog sequences..

Music helps the writing process. But only if the lyrics or tone really fit the characters.

Are you planning on writing another novel? If so, what will this one be like?

I am in the process of writing one, can’t share the specifics, but it will have a little bit of a thriller vibe to it. I’ve been sleeping with one eye open.

What is one thing that not many people know about you?

I think that most people are surprised to learn that I’ve traveled around the world. Not too many expect a couch potato to be that industrious .If I didn’t have photographic evidence, I probably wouldn’t believe it either.

Is there anything that you wanted me to ask and I didn’t?

Can’t think of anything! Thanks so much for the great interview!!

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Thank you Ms. Taylor for answering my questions and giving me a chance to read Undone, which was wonderful. i suggest to all you readers out there to go and pre-order Undone right now because if you don't you will most definitely regret it when all your friends have it on the 22nd and you don't!

Teen Tuesday- Kyle's First Post

2008-07-08T17:17:00.002-04:00

The folowing post was originally posted on Teentuesday.blogspot.com.
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Hi. This is my very first post for Teen Tuesday you probably know me as the
Book Review Maniac. If not then go to bookreviewmaniac.blogspot.com which is my blog for author interviews, book reviews and much more.

First I want to talk about THE KITE RUNNER. I posted the review yesterday on my blog, so check it. I really enjoyed the book, but it wasn't a book that I could not put down. The story of it was excellent. The book was about friendship, love, family and mistakes that you wish you could take back.

I also got to read The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong, which came out to stores last Tuesday. Here is a quote from my review:
"I loved this book! It reminded me a little bit of Harry Potter except that Chole isn't a wizard, she doesn't go to a wizard school... overall it was a great book that did keep me hanging on to every page... I recommend this book to every teen out there! ... buy it today!"

To read the rest of my review click here!

I also posted my inter view with Jennifer Banash, the genius behind her newest book THE ELITE. Which can be viewed here!

Coming up:

I am currently reading The Emerald Tablet by P.J Hoover; which is great so far.
I am also planning on reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and New Moon, which are the first two books to the Twilight Series. The last and forth book in the Series comes out August 2nd. I am planning on reading the first three before it comes out. Their is also going to be a movie for the first book, it comes out in December.

happy reading,
Kyle

The Kite Runner

2008-07-07T18:17:00.004-04:00

written by: Khaled Hosseni

pages:372

my rating 1- 5 stars:

4 stars!!

Amir grew up in the middle east. His mother died giving birth to him. He strives to make his father happy and for him to get a pat on the back from his father. He has one true friend, Hassan, who would do something for him a thousand times over, who protects him and makes his bed. That's right his best friend is the son of his father's servant.
Everything changes when he sees and does nothing to stop the town bully from doing something horrible to Hassan. He doesn't talk to Hassan anymore he even lans his day so he doesn't run into Hassan setting the kitchen table for breakfast. Then he does something that leads up to Amir and his father moving to America. He likes it in America, he has even found a girl that he likes. One day he recieves a phone call from one of his father's old friends in the middle east who is dying and wants Amir to go see him. When he gets there he realizes that his father's friend doesn't just want to say goodbye...

This is a great book. It was not a book that made me not let go of it until I finished it. that was because it was kind of slow, but it did have a powerfull and astonishing story that I will never forget. This book is mainly for adults, due to language, violence and adult topics. But I still think it is a good book for teens 15 years old and up. I recommend this book to everyone in that age group.

To All Generation Dead Fans

2008-07-05T18:39:00.004-04:00

If you are reading this you have probably read Generation Dead by Daniel Waters. I have read and reviewed the book (click here to read my review). I thought it was a great book, well anyways, if you have read the book keep reading, but if you haven't read the book and plan on reading it don't read the rest of the post, due to slight spoilers.

*Slight Spoiler Warning*

Do you remember that in the book Tommy had a blog titled My So-Called Undeath, which was about his life as a zombie? Well I just found out that the blog actually exists!! How cool is that! I have read some of it and I plan to read more! It is really cool because it gives you some more information that is not in the book.
I know that some of you probably have already figured that it exists already, but oh well, this is for all you that don't.

Click here to view Tommy's blog!

"Why do you read?", July Edition

2008-07-04T11:00:00.002-04:00

WOW this week is a lot of firsts for me! I have posted my very first author interview with none other than Jennifer Banash and my very first contest, which ends July 15 at midnight (EST). And now here is the very first edition of WHY DO YOU READ?, which is a series of interviews with reader/bloggers. If you would like me to interview you please read the note at the end of the interview.
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First Name: Carolina
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Blog URL: http://bookluver-carol.blogspot.com

How old were you when you first became interested in reading books?

I first became interested in reading books when I learned how to read. I was 3 years old and books opened a whole new world to me. I loved that I was able to “transport” into the book and
live as the main character.

What is your most favorite book? Why?

Umm… I don’t really have a favorite book, I have many.

What is your favorite Series? Why?

Umm… again I don’t really have a favorite series I have many. Some of my favorite series are Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Evernight by Claudia Gray, Fearless FBI by Francine Pascal, The Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine, The House of Night series by P.C & Kristin Cast, The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith, Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead, and The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.

Who is you favorite author? Why?

I don’t have a favorite author, I have many. I just can’t choose one. Ok some of my favorite authors are Meg Cabot, Rachel Caine, Richelle Mead, Cassandra Clare, Francine Pascal, Jane Austen, John Green, Scott Westerfeld, Tina Ferraro, and many more.

What is you favorite genre of books? Why?

Well, I have to favorite genres, fiction and urban fantasy.

How many books, in average, do you read a week?

I can read up to 20 books a week. It depends on how many books I get from the library. The average is 15 books.

Describe your favorite place to sit down and read a great book?

My favorite place to sit down and read a book is on my black mushroom chair by my window. I like to open up the blinds and let the sun through. My room is on the second floor so I have a pretty good view.

What bookstore do you go to the most?

I don’t really buy books because I’m always broke but when I do buy books I like to go to Half Price books or Barnes and Noble.

Which character (in any book) are you most like? Why?

Hmm… I think I’m more like… wow this is hard, I would say I’m more like Nicolette from Top Ten Uses of an Unworn Prom Dress. We’re both headstrong, funny, and would do anything to help our families. We are also very loyal to our friends, even if they sometimes don’t deserve it.

If you could bring only one book with you to a deserted island, what would you choose? Why?

Oh, this isn’t fair. Can’t I just bring all my books? I can’t choose one.

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Thank you very much Carol for stopping by and answering a few questions! Now, if you are a frequent reader and you would like me to interview you for next month (August) please email me at bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com! And remember to drop by Carol's blog to read her amazing reviews and comment!

Kyle

bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com

Oh and a Happy Independence day to every one!!! I hope you all have a great day with friends, family and whoever else you may be spending the wonderful day with. And I hope you get to see some great fireworks, I know I will be!!

CONTEST: THE ELITE by Jennifer Banash

2008-07-01T19:41:00.009-04:00

Today is not just the day that I posted my first interview but it is also the day that I am going to hold my very first contest!!!!! Jennifer Banash has lavishly donated not just a regular copy of her book, THE ELITE but she has donated a signed copy of it!!! So to enter this contest all you have to do is comment on this post with your email address. To earn an extra entry in the drawing, just link this contest on your side bar (posting about this contest will not count, sorry) and tell me that you did so when you comment. The contest will end on July 15th MIDNIGHT (EST).
To view my review of THE ELITE click here.

To view my interview with Jennifer Banash click here.

The Summoning

2008-07-01T09:45:00.005-04:00

written by: Kelley Armstrong

pages: 400

my rating 1-5 stars:

4~5 stars!!

Chole Saunders woke up to a dream, about her as a little girl seeing people that wasn't really there, in a house with a basement. Even though she know that she has never lived in a house with a basement, the dream seems very familiar.
She goes to school still thinking about that untypical dream, when a janitor asks her for her help. Chole has never seen this janitor before, she runs from him and when teachers try to calm her down he is there still asking for help. All the teachers say that there was never a janitor there, Chole was imagining it, or was she?
Because of this she is sent to Lyle House, which is a house for perturbed teens. While she is there she meets some other teens that don't belong there just like her but also seem a lot different then they seem. She also finds out that the house may have a mysterious and very strange past.
Chole starts on a incredible journey to discover the answer to all the questions about the Lyle House in this first book in Kelley Armstrong's newest trilogy Darkest Powers.

I loved this book! It reminded me a little bit of Harry Potter except that Chole isn't a wizard, she doesn't go to a wizard school and The Summoning is strictly a young adult book. The reason this book didn't get a solid five stars is because the beginning of the book is kind of slow. And the only part that has a lot of action is the very ending. But overall it was a great book that did keep me hanging on to every page. I cannot wait until the second book in the trilogy comes out!

I have really enjoyed reading books that are sort of fantasy and also reality teen book, like The Summoning and Generation Dead. It is a great new genre and the next book I plan on reading like those, is Evernight (once I purchase it off amazon). I recommend this book to every teen out there! So stop reading this review and go to the nearest bookstore or go to amazon.com and buy it today!

~*~ Due to content in this book I do not recommend this to any one under the age of 13.~*~

AN AWESOME AUTHOR: Jennifer Banash

2008-07-01T08:00:00.007-04:00

This is my very first author interview! I am very pleased to tell you that I had the privilege to interview the brilliant Jennifer Banash, who just came out with her newest novel THE ELITE at the beginning of June. THE ELITE is the first book in her new series. The second book in the series IN TOO DEEP will be coming to a bookstore near you in January.

To read my review on THE ELITE click here.

To find out more about Jennifer or THE ELITE check out these websites:
Jennifer’s Myspace
THE ELITE’s Official Website

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What influenced you to write THE ELITE?
I went to high school on the Upper East Side, and I always wanted to write about that world—but from an outsider’s perspective, which is how I first came up with the character of Casey McCloy, who moves to Manhattan from Normal, Illinois, and really struggles to fit in. Even though I lived in NYC for my entire childhood, I always felt a bit uneasy in the exclusive social system of the Upper East Side, so I wanted to bring that perspective to the series.

Why of all places why did you choose Amsterdam for the vacationing spot for Drew to go to in the summer?
That’s a really good question . . . I felt that it just fit his personality. Drew’s kind of artsy and creative, and a bit moody as a character, and Amsterdam just seemed like the right choice as a base location for his summer vacation. It’s European, but not as crowded as other more widely visited tourist destinations during the summer months--I think Drew would want to go off the beaten path a bit, and not just visit the same old places as his peers at Meadowlark.

In THE ELITE, Sophie doesn't like the band Fall Out Boy. Is there any reason you chose Sophie to dislike this particular band?
Probably because I kind of detest Fallout Boy! They just exemplify the kind of whiny, over-produced, pseudo rock n’ roll that I despise. The fact that Sophie’s brother, Jared listens to them clearly speaks volumes about him as well.

What are some of your favorite singers/bands?
Actually, I made an iMix that everyone can download over at iTunes of the music that inspired me while writing THE ELITE. You can download, then listen as you read, which I think is pretty cool! Some of the bands featured on the ELITE soundtrack are The Radio Department, Elliot Smith, M-83, Daft Punk, The Teenagers, New Order, and the Mary Onettes—among others. The mix can be found at: here

What is some advice that you would give to a young writer on developing characters?
Just write what you know—that’s the easiest and most effective way to begin crafting believable characters. Also, read your dialogue out loud—if it rings false, you’ll hear it.

Out of all the characters in THE ELITE, which one are you most like?
They’re all based on little parts of me to some extent. On a bad day I’m a lot like Madison—bitchy and selfish. On a good day, I hope I’m more like Phoebe or Casey! The only characters I don’t have anything in common with are the parents of the series—but in some ways that’s why they’re so fun to write.

Is there any particular character in the book that you didn't like that much?
I guess if I HAD to pick someone to dislike, it would probably be Madeline Reynaud, Phoebe’s mom. She’s just incredibly emotionally selfish in terms of supporting and protecting her daughter, and extremely competitive with her as well in terms of her physical appearance—which is probably not the best recipe for a great mother/daughter relationship . . .

Which one is your favorite?
I try not to play favorites, but again, if I HAD to pick, it would probably be Drew or Phoebe ‘s little sister, Bijoux. I love writing Bijoux because she such a total bratlet. And Drew because it’s always fun to get into a guy’s head and get to walk around in his perspective for the day.

So, I have heard some rumors about you writing another book. Is this true? And if so, what is this one going to be about?
Yes, it’s true ☺ It’s about two identical twin sisters, Mina and Lucy Vanderbilt, whose parent’s buy Dracula’s castle in the midst of a mid-life crisis, and promptly ship the family off from NYC to Romania. It’s called BITTEN.

When do you think BITTEN will be published?
I'm not sure yet when it will be published--it's still in the process of being sold :)

Is there any hints you want to give your readers as to what is going to occur in the sequel to THE ELITE, IN TOO DEEP?
I can’t give away too much . . . or you guys won’t buy it! All I WILL say is that Casey and Drew are headed for tough times, and that the plot of IN TOO DEEP has something to do with reality television and an unbelievably fabulous sixteenth birthday party.

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I want to give a huge thank you to Jennifer Banash for letting me interview her.

THANK YOU!!

NEW BOOK COMES OUT TO STORES!!

2008-07-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

THE SUMMONING by Kelley Armstrong was released in to stores today!!

I have read this book and I fully enjoyed it, and I recommend everyone to buy it!

My review for it will be up hopefully tonight!

Kyle

Generation Dead

2008-06-29T08:30:00.003-04:00

"Phoebe is just your typical goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent... and DEAD."

written by: Daniel Waters

pages: 400

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!

Because I really liked the summary on the back of the book, I am not going to make my own. The summary you see below is on the back cover of Generation Dead by Daniel Waters.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occuring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. Termed "Living impaired" or "differently biotic", they are doing their best to fit into a society that doesn't want them.
Fitting in is hard enough when you don't have the look or attitude, but when almost everyone else is alive and you're not, it's close to impossible. The kids at Oakvale High don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws to protect the differently biotic from the people who want them to disappear- for good.
With her pale skin and goth wardrobe, Phoebe has never run with the popular crowd. But no one can believe it when she falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids. Not her best friend, Margi, whose fear of the differently biotic is deeply rooted in guilt over the past. And especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Recently, Adam has realized that his feelings for Phoebe run much deeper than friendship. He would do anything for her, but what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

This book is a great fusion of zombies and high school life. Daniel Waters made it so true as to what would happen if teenagers came back from the dead, will they? The characters in the book were created very well, at the end of the book I actually felt that I had knew Pheobe and all the other characters all my life or death... I really don't have a favorite character in this book, I loved them all. But if I had to choose I would probably pick Adam or Pheobe or Margi or Tommy or Karen or every other character in the book. I would keep going on about this book, but I would probably end up giving away some main parts in the book. My last words: GO BUY IT NOW!

~*~ This book is for 12 year olds and up. ~*~

I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU

2008-06-28T09:20:00.004-04:00

written by: Ally Carter

pages: 284

my rating 1-5 stars-
3~4 stars

Cammie Morgan isn’t what meets the eye. If you saw her on the street you wouldn’t think that much of her. But that is her talent being a “pavement artist”, which is one of the many things taught at Gallagher Academy For Exceptional Young Women. Which isn’t a normal boarding school, it is a boarding school that teaches daughters of spies from the United States, with a few exceptions. They still have classes that a normal teenager would, like PE and foreign languages. But there is a twist to their curriculum, seeing that a normal teenager wouldn’t learn to kill a man seven ways with just using their two hands. And they wouldn’t be taught 14 different languages, which they have to speak a different one at every meal.
There is just one important language that Cammie wishes that they would teach there, how to talk to a boy. When out side of the campus practicing how to follow a spy with out being caught, Cammie runs into a normal boy, who actually noticed her! No one ever notices Cammie, especially when she doesn’t want to be. After that she starts sneaking off the highly secured campus, to meet with him. But all the time she is wondering how she can keep up the relationship with out telling him about who she really is.

This book was pretty good. Not as good as the Alex Rider books though. And that’s because it wasn’t as action packed. Thought on the bright side it was funny and Ally Carter did keep me hooked to the pages. One thing I really liked is how cool the school is with all the technology and security. I would love to go to a school like the one in the book (except for it would have to be coed because I am a guy and I wouldn’t be able to go there if it was only for girls). I now know that I am going to purchase the second book in the series (once my wallet lets me). I recommend this book to any one that likes spy books or books about teens. It is also an easy read for the beach or a long trip.

Undone

2008-06-25T21:40:00.004-04:00

“You think people leave this earth when they die, but they don’t. Nothing is finished. Not really.” (Quote from book)

written by: Brooke Taylor

pages: 320 (approx.)

releases to a bookstore near you:
July 22nd. 2008

my rating:
5 stars!!!!!

Serena Moore isn’t the most popular or most beautiful girl at the school. Kori Kitzler on the other hand is, that is until that day in eighth grade when Kori tells Serena that they have more in common then she might think. That short meeting in the bathroom brought Kori and Serena to be best of friends. There are so many rumors going around about Kori that Serena isn’t sure what to believe.
Serena’s mom and her friends don’t seem thrilled that she is hanging out with Kori the “dark angel”, who gets Serena involved in smoking, drugs and other stuff that Serena normally wouldn’t do. One day in Serena’s favorite class they are asked to write a list of five things that they hope might happen during the school term, “Their five ways to tempt fate.” Serena takes this assignment as a joke, her five things that she writes down aren’t that important.
When something immensely catastrophic happens to Kori, Serena finds out that Kori took the assignment far more seriously then her. Serena feels as though she has been left alone on this earth, and all she has are the list of five things that Kori wanted to complete. Serena is faced by many challenges that she normally wouldn’t complete, and that Kori would, while she struggles to make sure that Kori’s list isn’t left undone…

This book and I were inseparable! It was amazing, staggering, and very much so tremendous! At the beginning of the book I was thinking “this is a good book” but after the 4th chapter I was thinking “This isn’t just a good book it’s a wonderful book”. It was full of funny, and disconsolate [drink] moments. One thing I especially liked about this book is that Brooke Taylor wrote about the high school life as it truly is. My most favorite character in this sensational book would have to be Kori. She was herself she didn’t have the fear to do something. If you dared her to do something, she would do it right then, that second.
I would recommend this book to every teen out there, it is not one of those books that are “girly”. Actually I would recommend this book to adults too. One lesson I learned out of this book is to live everyday like it could be your last. So go on Amazon or any other book site and reserve your copy of Undone, this absolutely wonderful book will not disappoint you.

~*~ Due to content in this book I do not recommend that anyone under the age of 14 read this book.~*~

P.S For those who do not know why I put [drink] in my review, you need to read the book to find out!

THE ELITE

2008-06-20T16:13:00.007-04:00

"From the top you can seee everything... except yourself."

written by: Jenniafer Banash

pages: 237

my rating 1-5 stars:

4 stars!!!!

Casey McCloy is moving to New York to live with her grandmother while her mom goes to England to work on her book. When Casey steps into The Bramford, one of the most luxurious apartment buildings in New York, she is in shock, she can't believe how different this is compared to her old home, Normal, Illinios.

Right away she meets the most popular and beautiful girl in town, Madison Macallister. At first she thinks that Madison and her friends are very hounding. But then after talking to madison she thinks that there might be a slight cahnce that they could become friends. Madison invites Casey to hang out with her in the park, Central Park that is. When she finds madison at the park with her friends, Sophie and Phoebe, who seem a lot friendlier than Madison. It seems like Casey is going to become great friends with Madison. That is until Drew, the guy that was/is involved with Madison, shows up at the park unexpectedly. Now it seems that Drew might even have feelings for Casey! Before school starts, Casey goes shopping with her new frenemy Madison. When she gets to the store she realizes that every thing costs way too much for her. She alos starts thinking that there will be no way she will be able to fit in at her new school...

Okay, so at first I was very skeptical about reading this book because it is more for a girl audience. But I decided to read it anyways because "What is the harm in reading a book?" So the day I got it in the mail I started it and by the very first page, no sentence, I was hooked! This book wasn't as 'girly' as I thought t would be, even though there were some girly parts. What really got me so hooked into this amazing book was how the characters were so wonderfullycreated. My favorite character was Drew. Banash did an exceptionally wonderful job of creating him. I could really relate to what he was going through and why he seemed so confused. I could keep talking about why I liked Drew but then I would end up giving the book away...

So the only thing I thought was bad about this book is that I have to wait a few months to get IN TOO DEEP, the sequal to THE ELITE. I just know that I will fully enjoy it as much as I did reading THE ELITE. I would recommend this book to any teen, girl or guy, who likes a calming read that will make you laugh and relate your life to waht the characters are going through.

I want to give a HUGE thank you to the wonderfull Jennifer Banash for giving me the chance to read this amazing book!

~*~ Due to content in this book, I do not recommend it t any one under the age of 14.~*~

Shift

2008-06-19T08:10:00.005-04:00

"Some friends fade away....Others disappear."

written by: Jennifer Bradbury

pages: 242

my rating 1-5 stars:

4 stars

Christopher Collins just graduated from High School. His mom wants him to get a summer job just like everyone else but Chris has bigger plans for the summer. Him and his best friend, Win, are going to ride their bikes all the way from West Virginia to Seattle, where Win's uncle lives. When their parents somewhat say yes, they get packed to leave right after they graduate.

The trip starts off great. When they can't find a legal campground they scamp. Which is when they camp on someone's property with out permission. They even start a game where they have to swim in the next body of water they pass, and it doesn't matter if it's a clean lake or sewage. Everything is going goo until, Win abandons Chris when he gets a flat. Chris is pissed off.

Chris starts college, no word form Win yet. Win's parents don't even know where he is. Chris's world shifts as the FBI starts asking questions, and Win's dad starts blaming Chris for the disappearance of his son.

This was a great book. Jennifer Bradbury kept me attached to every page until the last one. I really like the way she wrote the book with every other chapter a flash back to the trip. I kept trying to guess the ending but I never got it right. I really liked the ending, it answered all my questions and it doesn't leave you hanging.

This book is full of laughter, but it also has a lot of serious situations. Shift deals with friends, love, and self-discovery. Shift is an amazing book and I recommend it to every one!

Snakehead

2008-06-16T14:51:00.004-04:00

"He was also the last person to see your parents alive," Brooke went on. "He was actually with them the morning they died." (quote from book)

written by: Anthony Horowitz

pages: 388

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!!!!!

~*~ Warning: This review may contain spoilers for other books in the Alex Rider Series that come before Snakehead.~*~

After blowing up the space hotel Ark Angel , Alex Rider crashes back down to Earth. After recovering his muscles from the shock of being in zero gravity, he is asked to go on another mission. But this time it isn't MI6 Special Operations that is asking him, it is the Australian Secret Intelligence Service department known as Covert Action. At first Alex is cautious about accepting the mission until he is told that he will be working with an agent named Ash. Alex's guardian, Jack, tells Alex that Ash is his godfather. And that he was the last one to see Alex's parents, alive. Thinking that he will be able to learn more about his parents and his past, Alex accepts his most challenging mission yet.

When Alex meets up with Ash in Bangkok they are transformed into an Afghan father and son trying to be smuggled in to Australia by a snakehead, a dangerous group whose leader is Major Yu. Major Yu is also one of the leaders of Scorpia, a group of ex-spies from all over the world. What Alex doesn't know is that Major Yu knows that Alex is 'undercover' and he is toying with him as he puts Alex into many life-threatening situations.

Anthony Horowitz has created another non stop action mission for Alex Rider. It is full of cool gadgets, awesome fighting scenes, and many unexpected surprises. This book, in my opinion, is tied with Scorpia for being the best book in the Alex Rider Series. This is because I really liked all the twists in this book. When I thought everything was going good for Alex, something totally unexpected would pop up and then i was back to biting (figure of speech) my nails wondering if Alex would get out of another sticky situation, alive.

Now that I have finished the book i am wondering if Anthony will write about another mission Alex takes on?

I have also heard a rumor that there will be another Alex Rider movie, and that Anthony Horowitz plans on having all 7 books made into movies. Hopefully this is true.

CONTEST: THE ELITE BY JENNIFER BANASH

2008-06-15T10:54:00.004-04:00

Jennifer Banash is giving away a copy of her newest book, THE ELITE. To enter the contest to get a chance to read this book go to Jennifer's myspace.

I have not read or reviewed this book, yet, I will be getting a copy soon. I have heard great things about it though. I hope to have the book read and the review (which will be in a different perspective than other reviews for this book because I am a guy) later on this month.

To find out more about THE ELITE go to the book's website.

~*~ I am not hosting this contest so do not comment on this post to get you name in the contest. Go to Jennifer's myspace (link above) to enter the contest.~*~

Flush

2008-06-11T16:58:00.008-04:00

"That's all you've got to do," I said. "Flush and flush often."

written by: Carl Hiaasen

pages: 263

my rating 1-5 stars:

4 stars

Noah Underwood's dad is known for over reacting. This time his over reacting has landed himself in jail. Even though he was trying to stop the Coral Queen, a local and very profitable casino yacht, from dumping it's waste illegally into local waters. But instead of calling the coast guard, he decided to sink the boat. This did nothing to stop the casino, the boat was repaired the next day. It only landed him in jail. No one but his family and a few friends will believe Paine Underwood.

Noah decides to follow his dad's footsteps with his sisters help and stop the illegal dumping into the local swimming waters that causes local beaches to be closed and could kill off the fish and turtles. Along the way he finds out that he is up against, the local bullies, 400 pound bouncers, the coast guard, and the media.

Hiaasen has written another great book about how one person can truly make a difference. This book is slightly related to his other book Hoot, which was made into a motion picture.

This book was a good book that made me laugh here and there, even though it is written for elementary and middle school students. This is a book that you are able to put down for a little bit and come back to it.

I suggest this book to anyone that would like a very easy, and calm read. It is a great book to read at the pool or beach because it doesn't require much thought.

Will Noah come up with a plan that will prove that the owner of the Coral Queen is the one that should be in jail?

Get Well Soon

2008-06-10T07:32:00.005-04:00

written by: Julie Halpern

pages: 193

my rating 1-5 stars:

4 stars!

Anna Bloom's parents drop her off at the closest mental hospital, just because Anna is depressed. At the loony bin Anna meets a lot of teens that are insane, unlike her. But she also makes friends with a guy that might not even get out of the loony bin till he dies, a guy that is shy who might like her, and a girl that becomes her roommate and best friend.

Sorry for the summary being so short. But since it was a short book (only 193 pages) I couldn't write more because I would give the book away. This book made me laugh continuously! Anna finds humor in everything that is done in the hospital.
Julie Halpern did a great job of creating Anna Bloom. I felt like I knew Anna the second I started reading the book.
I recommend this book to any teen that wants a fun easy read (which is great because it is the summer). And to teens that love a book that will make them laugh non-stop.

~Due to content in the book I do not recommend anyone under the age 14 read this book.~

Jellicoe Road

2008-06-08T16:37:00.005-04:00

written by: Melina Marcheta

releases to the public: August 26th 2008

pages: 432

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!!!!

Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother at a gas station on Jellicoe Road when she was only eleven years old. And the only thing she remembers about her father is being carried on his shoulders.
Now, Taylor is seventeen years old and a senior at the boarding school that is on Jellicoe Road and she still knows nothing about her past or her parents. On her spare time she tries to figure out more about her past while trying to deal with the territory war going on between her boarding school the "Cadets" and the "Townies". She starts getting clues about her mysterious past when a supervisor at the school, who knew Taylor's mother goes missing. At every clue she becomes closer to discovering more about herself.

Wow, Melina Marchetta grabbed me at the first page and I was fully immersed into the eventful life of Taylor Markham. This book was a great book to read, it gave you a touch of everything, love, family, mystery and faith.
This book is one of my favorite books in the world. I could not put it down or part with it. It has parts that will make you laugh, mad, cry and smile. This book is a must read for every teen out there. This is not a book specifically written for a certain gender audience, it is for guys and girls.

This book is written for teens and adults. Due to content in the book I would not suggest anyone under the age of 14 read this book.

A quick look into the Summer!!

2008-06-06T20:22:00.004-04:00

This is a post about what I plan on posting about this summer, remember anything that I say here is subject to change.
Here are some pre-realese books I will review on:
~Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (in stores on the 26th of August)
~Undone by Brooke Taylor (in stores on July 22nd)

Other books I will be reivewing (there will be more than these):

~Flush by Carl Hiaasen
~ Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern
~Chasing Vermeera by Blue Balliett
~ The Elite by Jennifer Banash
* I look forward to writting a review for this book because it is a book for girls and since I am a guy my review will have a whole different perspective on the book, so keep checking in for this review.*

I am also hoping on posting two exclusive author interviews. I will post more information on these interviews later on during the summer.

I am still working on the "why do you read?" interview for this month. Also, I am still looking for a reader to interview for July. So email me at bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com if you wouldn't mind me interviewing you.

Thanks and keep coming back to look at more great book reviews!

Kyle

[edit]
July is now taken, but August is still availible

Prince Caspian

2008-06-05T19:28:00.002-04:00

written by: C.S Lewis

pages: 223

my rating 1-5 stars:

3 stars

fiction

Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie are all packed and ready to go away to separate boarding schools. Peter and Edmund will be going to a boys boarding school. While the girls will be going to a girl's boarding school. That is until they all take a unexpected detour at the train station. Magic from Susan's horn calls them back to Narnia. They soon find out that time has past quickly and that hundreds of years have past since they left the magical country. Now the country is ruled by King Miraz a ruler of the Telmariens, which are humans that came and conquered the Old Narnia form Telmar.
However, the rightful king of Narnia is Prince Caspian, Miraz's nephew. Caspian has been in hiding from the malevolent King and the army of Telmariens. He has started a small rebellion with dwarfs, centaurs, giants, and even talking mice, who all are decedents of the Old Narnians. So as the Pevensies try to travel through forest to Caspian's aid, the King becomes stronger. Will the Pevensies be able to help Caspian gain his righteous throne?

This was a good relaxing read. It was a very quick read too. However, it was a little bit boring. There is very little conversation and action. I mean, there are parts where there are a lot of action and talking but that only happens like once or twice. The reason I read it was because I plan on seeing the movie soon and I wanted to read the book beforehand so I can compare the two.
You can tell that this book was written a while back, just from the way the characters talk. There are words used in this book that have a very different meaning nowadays. So I recommend that if you read this remember that the words had a different meaning back then.
This was a good book to read once. A elementary student probably would get bored of reading it. It is a book that is made more for young adults.

Summer!!!!

2008-06-05T11:25:00.004-04:00

Summer is finally here! I just got out of school! I feel so relieved!

Now I can read all the time. This summer I will be going to Massachusetts, but no worries I will be blogging regularly! So keep coming to my blog to learn about great books!!

My goal is to post at least once every other day! but I know I will probably bloging more than that! So keep checking in and email me!

I am looking for a reader to interview for the month of July! If you are interested please email me a.s.a.p,

Thanks and happy readings!

kyle

Dial-A-Ghost

2008-06-04T18:54:00.003-04:00

written by: Eva Ibbotson

pages: 195

my rating 1-5 stars:

3.75 stars

fiction

Fulton and Frieda Snoddle-Brittle have just got great news, they inherited Helton, a mansion, from their distant cousin Donald Snoddle-Brittle. That is until their lawyer tells them that the true heir of Helton has been found at an orphanage. Furious that they don't get the mansion they look after Oliver in Helton while his guardian is off exploring in another country. While going to the mansion after picking Oliver up from the orphanage, Fulton sees a store with the sign labeled Adopt-A-Ghost. He suddenly gets a peccant plan. A plan to get rid of Oliver and become the owner of the mansion. He "adopts" the nastiest pair of ghosts the agency will give him, the Shriekers. Just looking at their abhorrent clothes, stained with blood would give anyone a scare. And that is just what Fulton wants, to "scare" Oliver to death. But thankfully a mix-up at the agency causes a much more friendlier group of ghosts to arrive. The Wilkinsons bond with Oliver immediately, now he doesn't feel lonely and afraid anymore. But unfortunately this doesn't put a stop to the Snoddle-Brittle's schemes.

This book is all about how powerful friends and families can be. I had this book sitting on my bookshelf, untouched for the longest time and since I read other books by Eva Ibbotson, I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed at any time when reading this book.

The reason I rated it a 3.75 is because this book is more for middle schoolers and younger but I do believe that every reader should read it. Just because of the morals and lessons you can get out of it. I recommend it to you because it is a book you can read in a few hours or so and you will not regret picking it up.

To: Authors and Publishers

2008-06-03T19:20:00.003-04:00

Do you want to promote your book on my blog? If you would like to promote your book in any of these ways email me and I will work with you to promote you book!

bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com

Reviews

Do you have a book that you would like me to review? If you do then I will gladly review it for you! And in the review I will put a link to your website. All you have to do is email me and I will reply with my address (so you can send me the book), and when I get the book I will put it on the top of my to read list!

Interviews

I will appreciated it very much if you would let me do an interview with you! I know that readers love to learn more about the authors that write their favorite books. And again I will put a link to your website on the interview. All you have to do is send me an quick and easy email! I would really like to start putting up a monthly interview with an author, so please email me right away. One note on this, I do do interviews with authors whose book I haven't read but you have to acknowledge that I probably won't be able to ask that many questions about your book in particular in the interview.

Advertisement

Would you like me to advertise you or your book on my blog? Do you have a countdown for your soon-to-be-released books? I will gladly do this for you! But due to space reasons, I might have to say no because I don't want my blog to be over filled. But don't hesitate to email me! I also volunteer at my local library, so if you have book marks or posters that you would like me to put up in the library. I would be most grateful to do so.

Contests!

I will gladly host a contest for your book or prize bag! I know that readers like myself love to win books! All you have to is email me and I will give you my address, so you can send me the book or whatever you would like me to put in the contest! I will also put a link to your website of the contest! Just email me and we can work out the details.

Kyle
bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com

P.S Do you have another idea for me to promote your book? If you do, please email me!

The Battle Of The Labyrinth

2008-06-03T17:45:00.006-04:00

written by: Rick Riordan

pages: 361

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!!!

fiction

*~*Warning this contains slight spoilers for the books, The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters and The Titan's Curse*~*

Percy is going to yet another school orientation. Even though the school knows about his pasts school records, Goode High School accepted him. All because of his mom's boy friend, Paul Blofis, who is an English teacher at the school. When he gets dropped off at the school he notices a familiar mortal face. Avoiding her he goes onto the side way, where he meets two cheerleaders welcoming the new freshman. Percy senses that something was strange about one of them. The orientation ends with a BANG as the band room explodes due to Percy battling some empousai , vampire -like creatures. Running away from the confusion Percy runs into his half-blood friend, Annabeth. He tells her what happened and they immediately go to Camp Half-Blood. At camp they find out that Mr. D is on leave and he has been replaced by a mysterious hero that has a hell hound as a pet.
In this penultimate book of the series Percy and his friends must embark on the most dangerous quest, through the Labyrinth. They need to stop Luke from rebuilding Kronos, the evil Titan Lord, and from marching Kronos's army right into Camp Half-Blood. Along the way they battle more monsters and search for the lost Pan.

This is the best book in the series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, yet! It is an easy read that is full of non-stop action and suspense. It is probably the most funniest book in this series. I can't wait until the last book comes out!
Even though this series might be more for middle schoolers, it is great for every one.

The Titan's Curse

2008-06-02T20:02:00.004-04:00

"... my mom packed me an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took me to a new boarding school."

written by: Rick Riordan

pages: 311

my rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!!

*~*Warning this contains spoilers for the books The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson has received an urgent call from Groover. He immediately contacts Thalia (daughter of Zeus) and Annabeth (daughter of Athena) , and asks them to go to Westover Hall, the boarding school Groover is stationed at. When the agree he tells them to pack their weapons and for them to be prepared for a battle.
When they arrive at Westover Hall Groover tells them that he has found not one but two fellow demigods that are very powerful. Percy realizes that they it is essential that they get them to Camp Half-Blood immediately. But there is just one problem, there is an extremely dangerous monster keeping an extremely close eye on the two half-bloods. When they return to camp, they learn that Luke is hunting a monster that, if he catches it, will enable him to take down the gods. On this adventure Percy travels to the Hoover dam, befriends an aquatic animal that looks like a pet, and has to face the Titans Curse.

Harry Potter is no match for Percy Jackson!

These books keep getting better and better! This book was so far the best in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Once I finished this book I couldn't wait to start reading the next book in the series, The Battle of the Labyrinth, which is the penultimate book in the series. Oh! By the way I was doing some researching and I found out that The Lightning Thief is going to start filming for the big screen in 2009!! I can't wait until that movie comes out!

My First Time being Tagged!!!

2008-06-02T17:58:00.003-04:00

I was tagged by Midnight Twilight.

Rules: Link to the person that tagged you, post the rules somewhere in your meme, answer the questions, tag six people in your post, let the tagees know they’ve been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog, let the tagger know your entry is posted.

1. Who’s your all-time favorite author, and why?

I would have to say Mary Higgins Clark because not one of her books (mysteries) have bored me. They keep me reading until I finish the book. She is a great author.

2. Who was your first favorite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favorites?

That would have to be J.K Rowling because once I read the first Harry Potter book I was hooked! I had to get every single one of them the day it came out! Yes i do still consider her one of my favorites.

3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?

Rick Riordan, because I just feel in love with the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He is a great writer and I am definitively going to read his other books in the future.

4. If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth? Are there any you’d add on a moment of further reflection?

I would say Rick Riordan and Mary Higgins Clark. No there isn't, these two authors are by far tow of the best.

I am tagging:

Book Worm
Mrs. Magoo
The Compulsive Reader
The Story Siren
Squeaky Books
The Wind is Free

Tag You are it!

The Sea of Monsters

2008-06-01T20:34:00.003-04:00

Written by: Rick Riordan

Pages:279

My rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!!

fiction

*~*Warning this review may have very slight spoilers for the book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan*~*

In the sequel to The Lightning Thief, we meet Percy once again in a different school. His seventh grade year has been tranquil. There have been no life threatening encounters with monsters. He has met yet another best friend, Tyson.
Every thing is going great... until the last day of school. The day was exam day. his teachers had some interesting exams planed. He had to survive a whole class on the playground and in science he blew up his chemicals in under 30 seconds. Then came gym class, the teacher told them they were going to play dodge ball and assigned Percy and the school bully, Matt Sloan. Percy noticed something was strange about the new group of kids that were hanging out with Sloan, but he didn't know what. That is until one of them calls him Perseus, the name that only his friends from Camp Half-Blood and his enemies knew...

If you liked The Lightning Thief then you will surely love the sequel. This book has parts that will make you laugh out loud, cry and shock you. Rick Riordan has created a lot of parts in this book that will have a lasting impact on Percy's life. In this book you will discover more about Percy's family, and his future.
The series Percy Jackson and The Olympians is a great read for all ages. You will not be disappointed if you read this series.

Another Challenge!!

2008-06-01T13:08:00.004-04:00

So I was looking at different challenges because I wanted to do another one and I found this one! To complete this challenge you must read 12 young adult books by the end of December 2008! I can't wait to start reading! I am not sure yet what books I will read but I will start a list ASAP.

1. Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
2. Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt
3. Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz
4. The Witch Trade by Michael Molly
5. If I should Die Before I Wake by Han Nolan
6. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

To join this contest click here.

If you have any suggestions on books please email me or comment this post.

Thanks!

Kyle

bookreveiwmaniac@gmail.com

The Lightning Thief

2008-05-31T17:56:00.007-04:00

Written by: Rick Riordan

Pages: 375

My rating 1-5 stars:

5 stars!!!

fiction

Percy Jackson is not a normal 12 year old. He is dyslexic, he has ADHD and he has never stayed at a school for more than a year. He is in the sixth grade at Yancy Academy, a school for misbehaving students. Other than him being on probation, every thing is okay. Mr. Brunner, his Latin teacher has shown great interest in Percy and his knowledge of Greek mythology. Percy has also met a true friend, Grover Underwood.
On a school field trip everything goes wrong. Nancy Bobofit won't stop throwing food at Grover, and it has pushed Percy over the edge. He tries to do what every guidance counselor has told him "Count to ten, get control of your temper" (quote from book). As rage fills him he notices that Nancy had fallen backwards into a water fountain. When his strange math teacher Mrs. Dobbs asks what happens, Nancy tells her that Percy has pushed her. Percy is confused, he doesn't remember pushing Nancy or did he?
A notice is sent to his mother stating that he will not be able to return to the school next year because of his behavior. When he returns home he is rudely welcomed home by his malodorous step-dad. He keeps his calm because he doesn't want his step-dad to reconsider letting him and his mom go to the beach for a few days. But what he doesn't know is that he is about to discover a whole new world.

Even though this book is a book mainly for pre-teens, I loved it. Reading this book made me wish I was Percy. The book is so descriptive that you can picture every thing that is happening perfectly. It was a quick and easy read, that kept my eyes adhered to every word on every page. This is a must read for every reader that loves adventure, suspense, funny, and even mystery books. Be warned you will not be able to stop reading this book, so make sure you have batteries in that flashlight by your bed.

My Challenge for the year 2008!

2008-05-30T18:58:00.004-04:00

I just started this challenge! I decided to start this so I can get a feel for more series that are out there. Here are the books I plan on reading for this challenge:

1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2. The Capture by Kathryn Lasky
3. Amoung the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
4. Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
5. The Divide by Elizabeth Kay
6. Ravens Gate by Anthony Horowitz
7. The Witch Trade by Michael Molly
8.?
9.?
10.?
11.?
12.?

The last six I am not sure of what books to read. Please email me with suggestions!

To join this challenge click here.

Kyle

The Appeal

2008-05-29T20:13:00.007-04:00

"Politics has always been a dirty game. Now Justice is, too."

Written by: John Grisham

Pages: 355

My rating 1-5 stars:

4.75 stars

fiction

The jury returns from deliberation with the surprising verdict. 41 million dollars is what the chemical company has to pay Jeannette Baker. This chemical company has turned a small county into the the worst "cancer cluster" in the history of the United States by illegally dumping toxic chemicals into a nearby river. Eventually the chemicals got in the county's water filter. Many people have died just like Jeannette's son and husband.
When the case is reassigned to the supreme court of Mississippi the owner of the chemical company notices that the Supreme Court Justices are too friendly. So he decides to buy a seat in the court. With a few million dollars he gets a contact to persuade a small town lawyer to run. As the campaign goes on they sculpt him to do what they want. They see him as a great Supreme Court Justice. Their personal Supreme Court Justice.

This book is a great read for everyone that enjoys law. Also if you like books that keep you wondering what will happen next then this is a great book to read. Every page you read will make you wonder "Could this be happening in our Justice system?".

I read this book for my Civics and Economics class and I absolutely loved it. I actually felt bad for some of the characters in this book. For a second here and there I actually thought this was a real trial that was occurring now. John Grisham keeps you hooked on to every page of this brilliantly written novel about the judicial system turning into a mayhem of politics.

SORRY

2008-05-27T09:37:00.004-04:00

I am so sorry that I haven't been posting that often. I have had a lot of school work and I just haven't had the time to work on this blog. I will start posting more often starting next week after my exams. Ugg I can't wait to get them over with. I am currently reading The Appeal by John Grisham. And I will have a review on it this weekend. I am loving the book and I have found it very interesting. I first heard about the book from my cousin, who also bought me this book last Friday. The reason I am reading it is for extra credit in my English and Civics class.

Kyle

bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com

Escape From Slavery

2008-04-10T20:06:00.002-04:00

"The true story of my ten years in captivity- and my journey to freedom in America."

-Francis Bok

Written by: Francis Bok with Edward Tivnan

Pages: 278

My Rating 1-5 Stars:

4 stars

non-fiction

This is a book full of struggles, slavery, genocide, faith, hope, and many more

things in Francis Bok's escape to slavery. It was a normal day in 1986,

Francis was told by his mother to go to the market to sell eggs and peanuts.

What he didn't know was that day would also be the day he became a slave. This book is a captivating

story about how he became a free man. Today, Francis lives in Boston and has made many speeches

in American for the American Anti-Slavery Group.

I had to read this book for a summer assignment for my Civics class and I am very gratefull to my

teacher who assigned it. It has got me to participate in the student S.T.A.N.D organization. It has

also got me to go on freerice.com, which is a vocabulary learning website that donates rice to Sudan.

The book is a great read for every young adult out there. They need to know what is happening in Sudan

and they need to know more about genocide.

The Book Thief

2008-04-10T19:06:00.004-04:00

Written by: Markus Zusak

My Ratting 1-5 stars:

4.75 stars

fiction

Leisel is an orphan living with her foster parents, the Hubermann in the time of the Holocaust. Her younger brother was supposed to be with her but he sadly died on the train traveling to the Hubermann's home. While living with the Hubermanns she becomes friends with many people including a boy who loves Jesse Jackson and would die to get a kiss from Leisel. She starts up a habit of stealing... books! She steals the first book from her brothers burial ceremony, even though she can't read. As the war goes on Death is becoming over worked and the Hubermanns take in another foster child ( I guess you could call him that), the only problem is that he has to hide in the basement because he's Jewish. This story is full of love, friendship, tears, and laughs.

This book was definitely a different type of book. It's written in a unordinary way that challenges your mind to see the world and humans in Death's view point. It was a little confusing in the beginning but it became less confusing as you read.

I read this book during a 12 hour trip and I couldn't direct my attention from the book to the portable DVD player in the car. It is a great book that gives you a great outlook on the Holocaust and the people that hid Jews to keep the Nazis from taking them to Auschwitz.

Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker (The Movie)

2008-04-10T18:06:00.001-04:00

Staring: Ewan McGregor, Alex Pettyfer, Alicia Silverstone, and Mickey Rouke

Alex Rider is not your average fourteen year old. After his uncle dies he becomes a MI6 Special Operations Agent. After going through intense training he is immediatelyassigned to go undercover. He is to finish the work of another agent that was killed by the infamous contract-killer Yassen Gregorovich. While staying at Sayle Enterprises in Cornwall, England he discovers that the generous donation of thousands of the newest hi-tech computers to schools all through out England might be a disguise for something far more horrific. Can Alex stop this from happening or will he arrive a second too late??

I'm more into writing reviews for books than movies. But since I have seen this movie and I thought that you will enjoy watching it as much as you did reading the book, I thought to tell you about it. The movie is not as good as the book, naturally. However, it is very good and is probably one of my favorites. The movie has changed the story a little but it didn't change it so much that the story was ruined. It does keep your attention and it has a lot of action including some suspense. I loved the movie and I definitely recommend this movie to everyone that is an Alex Rider fan.

Stormbreaker (The novel)

2008-04-10T17:26:00.001-04:00

Written by: Anthony Horowitz

Pages:192

My Rating 1-5 Stars:

5 Stars

fiction

Alex Rider is not your average fourteen year old. After his uncle dies he becomes a MI6 Special Operations Agent. After going through intense training he is immediately assigned to go undercover. He is to finish the work of another agent that was killed by the infamous contract-killer Yassen Gregorovich. While staying at Sayle Enterprises in Cornwall, England he discovers that the generous donation of thousands of the newest hi-tech computers to schools all through out England might be a disguise for something far more horrific. Can Alex stop this from happening or will he arrive a second too late??

I could read this book forever. It is such a great book that you will never want the story to end. (But you don't have to worry the story continues in the sequel Point Blanc). All I have got to stay about this book is that James Bond better watch out because Alex Rider is the new double'0 seven.

If I said any more I would have to give away too much of the story. But if you read it and would like to discuss it with me please email me at bookreviewmaniac@gmail.com.

Ana's Story

2008-04-10T08:29:00.003-04:00

Written by Jenna Bush

Photos by Mia Baxter

Pages: 243

My rating 1-5 Stars:

4 stars

non-fiction

This book is about a seventeen year old girl, Ana. Ana has had a rough life she been abused, her mother died so long ago that Ana could only remember her mother's face by looking at an old photo. Did I mention that she is HIV positive? That is one of a few secrets that she doesn't tell her friends, because she is afraid that they will not want to be friends. Later on in her life she meets a boy, Berto. He is one of the few that Ana told her secrets to. Telling Berto her secrets was a step toward a new beginning and a new life.

"This book is based on the story of Ana's childhood and adolescence as she told it to me. It is a mosaic of her life, using words instead of broken tile to create an image of her past and a framework for her future."

- Jenna Bush

I thought this was an amazing book about hope. It really gave me another perspective on HIV/AIDS. It was a very short great read. I read it in under an hour. I am really glad that I chose this book for my world novel english assignment.

One thing that did upset me is that when I told my teacher that I was going to read this book, so many people were like isn't Jenna Bush, the Presidents daughter. Then I heard them say that the book would be the worst in the world. I was appalled that they decided in their head that just because they didn't like President Bush that Jenna Bush is just as bad. Well I give President Bush a lot of credit for running the country. Just like I give Jenna a lot of credit for writing this wonderful book about love, pursuit of happiness and courage. I recommend this book to everyone, who wants to see the world through the eyes of a HIV positive seventeen year old girl and learn more about the work of UNICEF.

I Am The Messenger

2008-04-10T00:21:00.001-04:00

Written by: Markus Zusak

Pages: 357

My Rating 1-5 stars:

4.5 stars

fiction

Ed Kennedy is not the type of guy that you would notice right away in a crowd. Ed's living a normal life, he's in love with a girl that thinks of him as just a good friend, and he works as an underage cabdriver. His life is full of routine and is very ordinary, untill he stops a bank robbery.

Everyone who reads the newspaper now knows him as Ed Kennedy, the guy who stopped the bank robbery. Thats when he gets the first ace in his mail box. On the ace there are three addresses and times.

This is when Ed starts thinking of himself as the messenger. He carries "messages" to people that need his help. As he is delivering these "messages" he can't help but wonder who is the person that orders him to give these "messages" to people in need.

I couldn't put this book down. It is full of adventure, love and parts where you can't help to laugh out loud. I rated this book a 4.5 because of how Markus Zusak grabed my attention at the very first sentence. The reason I didn't rate it a 5 was because in my opinion a 5 is a book that you could read over and over again without getting bored of the book. I would recremend this book to anyone who loves an easy read that covers all sorts of genres like adventure, mystery, comedy and even romance.

A warning to any one who is going to read the book:

Make sure you have the time to finish it when you start because at the first sentence you will be fully immersed in the life of Ed Kennedy.