In My Mailbox (10)

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In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie.

Not many books this week, but that's okay because they're both ones I've been dying to read. And they both have gorgeous covers! ♥

For Review:

· Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu
· Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (ARC) -- I don't do happy dances, but when I actually got this one and held it in my hands, I think I stared at it for a bit in awe. I've heard so many bloggers say it's amazing, and I can't wait to find out for myself! :D

That's all I got this week. What's in your mailbox? Leave a link, and I'll be sure to check it out!

The Saturday Network (4)

**Please, please don't comment if you are NOT participating. If you have questions or comment, feel free to email me!**

Thank you, all, for the positive responses from last week! I try to comment on everyone's blogs that participate, and I hope you found some awesome blogs as well! :)

For Bloggers:

1. Comment with a link to your blog and a one or two-sentence description.
2. Head on over to the blog of the blogger that commented right before you; if you're the first commenter, you don't need to do anything.
3. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
4. That's it! If you'd like, feel free to comment again and repeat the process (including the link to your  blog). You do not need to give a description again, and please wait until at least one person comments after you to comment again.

For Non-bloggers:
1. Don't worry, you can still participate! Just look for any blog that you like and head on over.
2. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
3. Come back and look for another great blog!

Commenting will be closed on Sunday at 9:00PM EST. I hope you discover some awesome blogs in the process and, most importantly, have fun! :D

And if you'd like to grab and post the button anywhere, (spread the word! thanks) here it is:

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The Return of "Double-Trouble Mondays?" -- Opinions?

I'm sorry to boot out the last post so quickly, but scroll below to see my post about guest posting and whether YOU, yes you, want to guest blog here at Books At Midnight! :)

Anyways, a quickie post because I've seen a minute but there increase of short reviews in the blogosphere. Old followers, if you recall, back in November-ish I had a meme called "Double-Trouble Monday." It's basically where I posted short reviews of two books I'd read in the past week and showed what I was currently reading. It's hard to describe exactly, so you can check out my few Double-Trouble posts over here. I was wondering what do you feel about these posts? Should I bring them back (not necessarily on a weekly basis), bring the feature back with revisions, you're interested in participating, etc.?

Guest Post at I Swim for Oceans! - Want to Guest Blog?

Melissa from I Swim for Oceans is awesome, and let me do my first guest post for her Friday Fix. It's a weekly feature where bloggers literally get to take over her blog and post about anything they want, though my favorite part was the funny questions she sent me to answer! Thank you, Melissa, and if you're a blogger that's interested in participating, head on over to her blog to check it out.

As for the guest post, you can read it here. The topic is The Top 10 Traits of Gorgeous YA Covers. Shallow, I know, and I think I sound like the extremely superficial, girly teenager I am. It's also a bit on the short side, but err, what can I say? I'm not very creative. On the other hand, it was fun typing it up and I got some more time to stare at gorgeous covers, haha! *drools*

Moving on from me, I *probably* won't be making it a weekly feature but would any bloggers be interested in guest blogging here, on my blog? You can post about anything, really, or I can send you some questions. If you're interested, just comment here with your email address and I'll shoot you an email regarding a post. I don't know if I'm being presumptuous by assuming  more than one person will want to guest blog, but it's pretty much first-come-first serve. Thanks! :)

The Weekly Debate (4): The Invasion of the Book Series

Interested in more questions? Check out Eleni's weekly Monday's Question of the Day!

This week's question: Do you feel that there's currently a dominance of series, companion novels included, or stand alone novels in YA literature? And if so, what opnions do you have about it (ie. you like reading series)?

I've been reading a vast amount of paranormal romance these past months, and I really can't remember the last time I read a stand alone novel in the paranormal area. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Frantaskey, which is actually fairly ironic considering I didn't feel entirely satisfied with the ending. As for non-paranormal reads, what I immediately think of is Hate List by Jennifer Brown. Other than a couple others, I draw a complete blank. - eek! My perspective might be skewed, but I really can't think of many single novels. Do any stand alone novels from 2009 immediately pop into your mind?

As for my opinion about this perceived increase in series, it's hard for me to decide because series and stand alone novels each have their own flaws and successes. I like series, because who doesn't like to be immersed in a world they love for a few books longer? There have definitely been times I've been sad putting down a stand alone novel because I know that once I finish it, there's no going back. However, all the time between releases in a series turns me off more often than not. Even in a thoroughly-developed, interesting series such as Harry Potter, I found myself losing interest towards the end and had to almost force myself to read the last one (though it turned out to be quite good). That brings me to my second and last annoyance with series: when they just drag on and on and on... and on. It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I have an extremely short attention span and don't retain information that well. Fortunately, I don't see this stretched-out aspect in most series, but when I get to book 7... what happened in book 1 again? Hm, let me just think back to 5 years ago... Or, even worse, the middle books just feel like fillers; something to tide the readers over until the next major book and make a little bit of additional money.

On the other hand, stand alone novels are just that; they stand alone. Like I mentioned above, I don't want to leave a beautifully, skillfully-crafted world and single books can only last so long. On the other hand, for books like Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, I was content with the story and ending and didn't really expect or even want a second book. That doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to Linger, but I'm definitely scared that something will happen in book 2 that ruins Sam and Grace's beautiful relationship in Shiver. And let's face the facts: it's cheaper and easier to just get one book versus five. But what just really makes me love some stand alone novels is the strong effect they have on me. It's hard to capture that when you're releasing books at one year increments, though certainly not impossible.

My final stance: I definitely feel there's a greater number of series than stand alone novels (at least in what I read), and I wish there were more single novels. I'm fairly evenly split between enjoying series and single novels, but I still slightly lean towards stand alone novels because they often have a greater emotional impact on me. I love series as much as the next person, but it's nice for me to occasionally be able to read a book and have closure instead of ones that end with an open cliffhanger. :)

Though that leads me to wonder whether single novels will start dying out, considering the poor economy and the following that's promised with a good series...

It's your turn to voice your opinions! What do you think?

Review: The Mark by Jen Nadol

The Mark by Jen Nadol

Jen Nadol's website here // $11.55 from {amazon}

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (January 19, 2010)

Hardcover: 240 pages
Summary: from {goodreads}

Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

Rating: View my rating system.

My Thoughts: I really wanted to like this one more. Really. But though The Mark was enjoyable to some extent, it just didn't suck me in the way I was hoping it would. However, The Mark does pose a very interesting question: if you know someone's going to die within 24 hours, what do you do? And as a side note, don't go in expecting an action-filled or even a fast-paced read because you won't be able to appreciate The Mark for the gradually developing and thought-probing story it is.

I'm going to divert from the norm here and start off with the positive. I really liked Jen Nadol's concept, though I do find it a bit ironic that a death is foreshadowed by light. It's nothing extremely weird, and in fact, it sort of makes me feel happier about the idea of death - it's not darkness, it's light. I clearly saw Cassie's internal debate between tell and don't-tell, and though I had my own opinion from the very beginning, I could understand her struggle and cheered when she reached her "larger insight." Lucas definitely played devil's advocate for Cassie, and I groaned every time she succumbed to what I knew, knew!, wouldn't yield pleasant results. That being said, Cassie isn't an extremely weak character, she's just naive (which can get annoying, though not majorly so) and a teenage girl with some believable flaws.

I mentioned Lucas, and I never, ever liked him. *wants to bash him a few times with a rock pebble*
...
Okay, so maybe I had a minor crush on him the first time he was described as the intellectual-coffee-shop-cute type, but my mind was waving player alert; I swear! Once I started getting around that, I found Lucas had an annoyingly strong sense of morality and mistrust and that, to put it simply, made him a jerk. I think he was mainly placed as an obstacle for Cassie, though, ugh, he was just so predictable and unlikable. As for the other characters, with the exclusion of Cassie, I had neutral feelings for. Cassie was brought to the forefront in The Mark, and the secondary characters faded into the background. There were mentions here-and-there, but the other characters would basically come in for some time, play their part when convenient, then leave. Like Lucas, they were more like obstacles and aids rather than characters with clearly defined personalities and motivations. The brief appearances were bad in that I didn't feel like there was enough support, but good because it set-up for a sequel.

Overall, I think what really determines how much you'll like The Mark is how much you like the focus of the book, which is ALL on Cassie. On the plus side, I really got an in-depth view of her, and I liked the varying philosophies Jen Nadol brought up. On the other hand, there were some very predictable parts and the middle section got monotonous; there was the introduction, a lull, then multiple surprising revelations at the end. My final verdict: interesting, but nothing in particular stood out or really captured my attention.

Romance: PG with a bit of emotional exploration. Into an apartment at night... then it skips to the morning. There's more focus on what relationships mean to Cassie and relatively little in the romance area.
Cover: 4.0 -Love the cover, though the blurbs don't really come into play until much, much later in the book.
Writing: 3.5
Characters: 2.5
Plot: 3.0

Bottom Line: The Mark was an enjoyable book, though there was never an extremely exciting or loveable part that made me feel fully invested in the story. It wasn't extremely thought provoking, but it was definitely thought probing and had an interesting mix of depth and simple teenage issues. In general, a good start for debut author Jen Nadol, and I'll be looking forward to where she takes this unique premise that will hopefully only improve from here on out. If you're looking for something that's light yet will keep your mind on its figurative toes, I recommend trying out The Mark.

Source: Bloomsbury Chilren's Books

Interview: Julie Kagawa

I'm extremely excited today to welcome Julie Kagawa, who's debuting with her novel The Iron King on February 1st (though, shh, there have already been sightings of it out in the wild). She was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions I threw at her about The Iron King and the writing process, and Julie's answers are adorable! I loved interviewing her, and I hope you enjoy reading. :)

Very click-able links: {website}, {blog}, {goodreads}, {amazon}

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1. Can you describe your book in three words?

Dark, romantic fairytale

2. One of the main things that I was wondering about when reading The Iron King's premise was the setting. Can you elaborate a bit more about what exactly the faerie-filled world of The Iron King is like?

The faeries in The Iron King live in both in the mortal world, and also in a parallel world called the Nevernever, or Faeryland.  The Nevernever is the land of magic and dreams, fueled by imagination.  You can meet anything in the Nevernever, from a talking cat to a fire-breathing dragon to the monster that hides in your closet or under your bed.  The fey were born from the dreams and fears of humans, and their world reflects that.

3. What inspired you to write The Iron King? 

I’ve always loved faery tales, the old, creepy faery tales, where the fey were primal and wicked and dangerous, not flower flitting sprites.  But when I first began writing a faery story, I got to thinking: what are the fey afraid of?  In myth, the answer is iron, so what if there was a type of faery that was immune to iron, that had evolved with progress and technology?  How would that affect the more traditional fey?  And then I remembered we already have “creatures” lurking in machines: gremlins and bugs and worms and such, and from that thought, the Iron Fey were born.

4. What was the writing process like? Any specific hard, funny, or simply memorable event that happened while writing The Iron King?  

Frantic.  I did the second half of The Iron King for NaNo, which is to write 50,000 words in a month.  It was a hectic thirty days, and I consumed more Mt. Dew then was definitely healthy, but I did finish a 90,000 word novel in a little under two months.  -- Can you say "wow?"

5. Would you say Meghan, the main girl, is like a reflection of you? Who you are or who you wish you could be? 

Oh, goodness no, lol.  We are somewhat alike in that we were both loners in school; I know what it was like to be ignored, to feel invisible, to never fit in.  But Meghan is more patient than I was at that age.  Her response to being teased is to ignore it; mine would’ve been to meet that person after school and punch them in the nose.  I was a rather angry teenager.

6. Favorites time!

· Book: Are you kidding? Just one?  Okay, okay, ONE of my favorite books is Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder.  Ahhh, Valek. (!!! ♥) 
· Song: Again with the too many to choose from. Ummm ... at the moment I really like Ain't No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant. Favorite songs are always subject to change, though.

· Food: Sushi and Mt. Dew (though not at the same time, bleh.)

· Hobby (other than writing): Video games and reading

· Place to write: My writing table, surrounded by books and empty Mt. Dew cans.

· Way to annoy people: Making a ticklish person shriek is always good for a laugh. :P 

7. And what's the one thing you absolutely, absolutely cannot live without when writing?   

Um ... *looks around at the empty Mt. Dew cans* 

8. Any heads up on books you're working on now?   

At the moment, I'm finishing up edits to the third book of the trilogy, The Iron Queen. 

9. Anything else you'd like to share?   

Just thanks for the interview!

Thank you, Julie, for joining us!  

Not to be biased or anything, but I've already gotten my copy of The Iron King ordered, and I can't wait to read it! The last thing I'm going to share is the trailer, just because it's so stunning and... sparkly. *o*

Review: Captivate by Carrie Jones

Captivate (Need #2) by Carrie Jones

Carrie Jone's website here // $9.93 from {amazon}

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (January 5, 2010)

Hardcover: 288 pages

Summary: from {goodreads}

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his. 

Rating: View my rating system.

** Note: This review does contain some spoilers if you have NOT read Need. If that is the case, I recommend skipping to the "Bottom Line" section.

My Thoughts: I read and liked Need, and Captivate certainly did not fail to meet my expectations. Captivate picks up soon after Need ends; Zara and her group of friends have been capturing more pixies and forcing them into their pixie house. All-in-all, not exactly smooth sailing, especially when some new pixie kings get in the picture.

I didn't have any big problems with Captivate, but the main reason I didn't love it more can be summed up in one word: Zara. I wasn't annoyed by her per se, but I also didn't find myself sympathizing with her very much. Yes, I can understand that she's in a difficult dilemma, but at times I just felt like screaming "can't you see you're a pixie too?!" So while I wasn't annoyed with Zara herself (I do like her personality), I did get irritated by her fixation on the negative aspects of pixies. It's not only Zara though; both Zara and Nick have this open disgust of pixies, and I felt that detracted from their characters. Who is Zara? A teenage girl that really, really, REALLY does not want to become a pixie. Who is Nick? A macho, protective sweetie that abhors pixies, even if that pixie is his girlfriend. Their disgust is understandable, but it was like their defining characteristic; without all the complaints and denial, a sixth of this book could probably be taken out. I still saw glimpses of the Zara I love, I just wish I could have seen more outside of the pixie-obsessed Zara.

Another minor issue was how mushy the romance was. *shiver* Take for instance, Zara and Nick constantly used "baby" in sentences such as "I love you, baby." Maybe I'm a bit out of the loop here, but it sounded cheesy on paper and made me cringe everytime I read it... though that might partly be because I wasn't exactly cheering for Nick here. Actually, I was glad when Nick wasn't there. I always seem to fall for the sweet but under-appreciated guy that I know won't get his affections returned any time soon, and Captivate was no exception. It's like an adorable little puppy that keeps on trying to please its owner but keeps on getting put down. *sigh* It doesn't help that he's gorgeous and swoon-worthy and has an unique name that's spelled "A-S-T-L-E-Y." In contrast to Nick, Astley is subtley strong and brave, and he has an unapostrophed way of speaking that sounds awkward in concept but endearing in Captivate; it's who he is. As for Nick, he shows up quite a bit, but he lost his attractive spark for me. I admit that Nick is extremely sweet and protective, but I didn't see anything other than those qualities. He's like a jawbreaker that only has many levels of sweet, but, ultimately, nothing inside. In case you couldn't tell: sorry, Nick, but I love Astley and can't wait to find out more about him. In fact, I would read Captivate for Astley alone.

Despite the so-so characters, I still couldn't put Captivate down. Why? I loved the well-paced, fast-moving plot with just enough action. Overall, the characters were just "fine," and the plot swept me up and allowed me to overlook any flaws. There were so many secrets being unveiled that I felt like I had to know more, especially because there were so many new mysteries introduced that I never saw coming! Some of them aren't even hinted at in Need, and I was definitely pleasantly surprised. There were a couple times that I could sort of predict what would happen, but mostly it was just new information that I'd never have expected and kept me guessing throughout the book. There's a little feeling of "where did that come from?" but everything ties in, so nothing unreasonable. Carrie Jones ends with a conclusion that definitely leaves you hanging and with many, many mysteries unsolved, but it also has some semblance of closure. All I know for sure right now is that it left me wanting to read book 3 - soon.

Romance: ... I don't know. *cries* Astley. The romance is definitely there though.
Cover: 4.0 - Very pretty, though it really doesn't tell much about the book.
Writing: 3.5 + .25 for the phobias! If that's what you loved about Need, there are a few mentions here and there.
Characters: 3.5
Plot: 4.5

Bottom Line: Captivate was a solid sequel to Need that while a bit lacking in the character section (excuse my ranting), more than made up for it in the fast-paced plot. And need I bring up Astley again? Captivate is definitely a light, fun read that you should look into if you're wanting try something with a bit of romance, faeries, and lore. As a side note, I would strongly recommend reading Need before beginning Captivate; I personally feel like it could get a little complex and confusing if you don't.

Source: Anna from Bloomsbury Children's Books

In My Mailbox (9)

Notice: The Weekly Debate will now be held on THURSDAYS instead of Mondays. I hope that's okay for everyone! If you prefer I change it back, please tell me.

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In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie.

Whew, this was my first time actually getting a few books to review, and I'm super excited to read them! I'm also feeling a bit overwhelmed right now, lol. The books for review all came this week, though some of the books under the "Bought" section were purchased last week, since I didn't do an IMM post last weekend.

(Links to goodreads.) 

For Review: 

· Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor

· A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

· Captivate (Need #2) by Carrie Jones

· The Mark by Jen Nadol

· In a Heartbeat by Lauretta Ellsworth

· A Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen

· Albatross by Josie Bloss

Bought:

· Deadly Little Secret (Touch Series #1) by Laurie Faria Stolarz

· Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - {review}

· Firespell by Chloe Neill

· Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Gifted: (late Christmas gift from my friend)

· Meridian by Amber Kizer

I'll be reviewing Captivate and The Mark later this week as well as posting an interview with Julie Kagawa, author of The Iron King. And, yep, that's basically it. What did you get this week? Leave me a link, and I'll be sure to check it out. :D

The Saturday Network (3)

**Please, please don't comment if you're not a participating blogger. If you have questions or comment, feel free to email me!**


For Bloggers:

1. Comment with a link to your blog and a one or two-sentence description.

2. Head on over to the blog of the blogger that commented right before you; if you're the first commenter, you don't need to do anything.

3. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
4. That's it! If you'd like, feel free to comment again and repeat the process (including the link to your  blog). You do not need to give a description again, and please wait until at least one person comments after you to comment again.

For Non-bloggers:
1. Don't worry, you can still participate! Just look for any blog that you like and head on over.
2. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
3. Come back and look for another great blog!

Commenting will be closed on Sunday at 9:00PM EST. I hope you discover some awesome blogs in the process and, most importantly, have fun! :D

And if you'd like to grab and post the button anywhere, (spread the word! thanks) here it is:

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Contest: Win a copy of Some Girls Are!

I just read and reviewed Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers yesterday, and I loved it. In fact, I loved it so much I've decided to give it away! I purchased the copy myself, and please be aware that the book's back cover is creased (that's what you get when you put it in your backpack). Other than that, it's in perfect condition. It's a free book, right? (Sorry for the lame excuse.) This is also sort of a way to say thank you to my 400 followers! :D

For my review of Some Girls Are, go here.

Summary: from {goodreads}

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.

Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

Rules:

· US only, sorry!

· Ends Friday, February 11th

· You do NOT have to be a follower, but I would love it if you were

· +1 entry for every time you participate in The Saturday Network or The Weekly Debate from now to February 11th

To enter, please fill out the form here.

If you're not sure whether or not you've entered, please feel free to check out the list here. I'll be updating it almost daily, but you won't see your name up there immediately after you submit a form.

Contest Winner: Any of Mari Mancusi's Books

Thank you everyone who entered, and all the positive responses to Mari Mancusi's books. And thank you again, Mari, for stopping by and answering some questions! :)

I used random.org, and the winner is:

Wendy

Congrats, girl, and email me within 48 hours with your mailing address and your pick of book. If you didn't win, don't be sad, because I'm thinking of giving away my copy of Some Girls Are soon... *hint hint*

Review: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Courtney Summer's website here // $9.99 from {amazon}

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (January 5, 2010)
Paperback: 256 pages
Summary: from {goodreads}

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.

Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

Rating:

View my rating system.

My Thoughts: Let me begin by finishing the title: Some Girls Are... absolute cold-hearted, backstabbing bitches. And, man, I like it that way. ;)

Regina is a former member of The Fearsome Fivesome, a group both revered and feared at her high school. But when she gets accused of sleeping with her best friend Anna, their group leader's boyfriend, Regina quickly gets booted out and publicly humiliated. But is Regina the type of girl to back down and admit defeat? N-o. That rumor just marks the beginning of a vicious cycle of spite and revenge, and I was surprised at how deep their hatred ran. These girls aren't just cunning, they're mean in every sense of the word. In their world, a prank isn't a victory unless it involves pain and fear. And Courtney Summers doesn't spare Regina from stopping to such lows; Regina would pull a horrible stunt and laugh in a second - ouch.

But as despicable as that might sound, I actually liked Regina and not in the love-to-hate way. I could definitely see her progression from egotistic and self-centered to not exactly a nice girl, but one that also places others into consideration. What I really love is how Courtney Summers manages to make Regina's devlopment believable by preserving her defining mean streak. Not exactly an endearing quality, but everyone has flaws and no one, not even Regina, can do a 360 on his/her personality in a couple weeks. I'm not going to lie, at times I was frustrated and annoyed with Regina, but that all felt like part of the experience. Without all the confusion, occasional malevolence, and little peeks of warmth and yearning, it just wouldn't be Regina.

I know I'm probably sounding like a complete hypocrite with my review, but it's hard to put exactly how I felt about this book into words. I constantly questioned Regina throughout the book; there are times where I want to strangle her and times I want to cheer for her - all that makes this book good. And I didn't even hate her or any of her supposed "friends" for all the crap they pulled. In a way, I could understand it. How? I don't know, but Courtney Summers manages to pull it off.  Yes, though Some Girls Are is a stretch of the high school heirarchy, there is teasing and bullying but (at least in my experience) not to the level in the book, it was still completely riveting.

Parting with a nugget of not-so-awesome wisdom to remember: "bitch" should not be only considered as a noun; it can't fully describe a person. It's simply an adjective to describe what some. girls. are.

Romance: A rocky road, but sweet. There's some kissing, and it plays a major part in Regina's development. The guy is sensitive and adorable, and I'm going to leave it at it's hard being a boyfriend for someone like Regina...
Cover: 3.5 - While it's bold and actually quite reflective of the book (you'll get the red locker when you read), it didn't automatically catch my eye and make me yearn to read it; some other bloggers' awesome reviews did.
Writing: 4.5
Characters: 5.0
Plot: 4.0  (I felt that it reached a bit of a standstill at times.) 

Bottom Line: I thought Cracked Up to Be was good, but Some Girls Are was awesome; it left me with a larger feeling of "wow" when I was finished reading. Looking for read that explores the down-and-dirty side of high school and the complexity of teenage emotions? Read Some Girls Are, and I'm pretty sure you won't be dissapointed. I'll never look at the "popular group" the same again, that's for sure.

Review: Explorer X-Alpha by L.M. Preston

Explorer X-Alpha by L.M. Preston
L.M. Preston's website here // $14.99 from {amazon}

Publisher: Phenomenal One Press (February 7, 2010)
Paperback: 368 pages
Summary: from {goodreads}

For most kids, a trip to space camp is the trip of a lifetime for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. He realizes what is happening too late for a change of fate. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. This turn of events forces him to grow up quickly, accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do dominate it. His power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides a decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left.

Rating:




My Thoughts: Explorer X-Alpha is another middle grade book, though I find myself questioning that grouping with all the violence that took place. A lot of blood, punching, torturing, and simply fighting overall though, thankfully, no guts. Because of that, I'd recommend this book to either preteens or mostly boys that fall into the claimed range of ages 9-12.

Anyways, I always start off with negatives, and what irritated me the most while reading was the writing, mainly the dialogue. I have to give props for LM Preston for trying to write like a teenager, but due to the lack of apostrophes and strange wording, the dialogue came off awkward and forced; it's the kind of dialogue where it feels like the character is saying a certain line because he should as a (blank) stuck in (blank) situation. It felt weird to say the least. However, the dialogue didn't completely turn me off the book, but it did make me feel a disconnect when reading, especially a disconnect with the characters. The characters were an area of not exactly annoyance but definitely disappointment. The girls were always characterized as ready to kick some male butt, but beyond that? Nothing. Technically, most of the characters had different defining characteristics, like headstrong vs. egotistic, but I really didn't see a "personality," as in any difference internally. I felt like the characters were a blend of "teenager essence" (whatever that is) with a sprinkling of different spices for each one. Mix it all up, and what do you get? A spunky teenager! That being said, the characters were, without a doubt, independent and strong, just the way I like them.

Last negative point, though not a strong one, was that sometimes everything seemed to work out too perfectly. Just when something bad was going to happen - wa-lah! Extremely lucky coincidence combined with a bit of skill, and Aadi makes it out smoothly; in fact, I don't recall any situation where I seriously doubted Aadi was going to come out alive and usually the better from his experience.

Now, moving on to the positives and what really redeemed this book for me: the plot and setting. It's been a very long time since I've read some science fiction, and I forgot how vivid and unique the settings can be. The first 2/3 seemed like a lot of set-up and development and, frankly, left me a little bored. However, the last third really kicked some major, major alien butt. It was a lot of new information to take in, but it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters change drastically, there's a completely new setting, and the pieces finally snapped together to help me understand the bigger picture. I only wish that the realization could have come sooner, and I could read more about their adventure rather than wait for the sequel. 

Romance: Sort of there. Err, there's a little bit of romance, some envious looks and sly glares.
Cover: 2.0 -- Personally I don't like it very much; it's a little too colorful for my taste. It has cool drawings though. 
Writing: 2.5
Characters: 2.0
Plot: 3.5  

Bottom Line: I like Explorer X-Alpha's idea and where LM Preston is going with it, though I'm not a huge fan of the characters or writing. I'm very picky about writing and characters though, practically my two most important aspects when reading a book, and I'm not the huge fan of science fiction, so if you like sci-fi and aren't quite as picky as me, I would still give this book a go. Overall, Explorer X-Alpha was a solid debut book, and congratulations to LM Preston on her first published work! :)

Source: L.M. Preston, author

** Comment on this review for an extra entry to the Explorer X-Alpha Contest here.

Guestpost: LM Preston & Giveaway!

Today I'd like to welcome today L.M. Preston who's debuting with her MG science fiction book, Explorer X-Alpha, on February 7th this year. *hint hint, 2010 Debut Author Challenge* I'm including some very, very clickable links, then turning it over to LM Preston, who had a great answer to the question I posed for her. Be sure to read to the bottom for your chance to win a copy of Explorer X-Alpha and a poster, and enjoy!

· Links: {website}, {blog}, {amazon}, {goodreads}

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are people pre-destined? Or manipulated by a greater force?

In writing EXPLORER X – Alpha I touched on this subject, but for a moment. Aadi is faced with a terrible situation; one he really doesn’t know how to fix. He can’t even fight it with the surety that he will be successful, so he takes a moment and prays. Daniel replied to his actions with disgust, but Scott supported him. His call for help didn’t appear to be answered, because things just went from bad to worst. However, he chose to stay true to what he knew about himself. In that final hour of trouble, whether he won, or lost – he was to stand true and not allow the bad things that happened to him to change him for the worst, but to change him for the better.

When I look back at my life, I am like, “Wow!” I used to ask myself time and time again, why did I have the parents I had? Why did I have so many struggles growing up when I was defenseless? However, I always believed in a higher being. I believed in a God that allowed me to make choices, and was conditioning me to be stronger. Who loved me, but made me into a compassionate, survivor, and determined woman I am today.. I needed that, because my life as a young person was full of turmoil. A product of teenaged parents, who were still learning about themselves, is a tough way to grow up.

I don’t believe that your life is pre-destined. I believe that when you are faced with problems, circumstances that are horrible and out of your control, you still have power of choice. No one can change or harm your inner most self. That part of you that lays hidden within, unless you allow them too. I believe we have choices. The choice to learn from your difficult circumstances, become stronger, and to fight against the temptation to turn into those that tormented you. You know how I know this is possible, because I am a product of this, and so many other people I knew succeeded in spite of circumstances so difficult that most people could never imagine surviving.

Explorer X – Alpha shows the difficult journey of Aadi’s realizing that he has control over one major thing in his life – himself. Although he was created to be a conqueror of worlds, he gets to decide if that is what he will become. Just as we all have a choice in what we become. We can let difficulties make us bitter, sad, hurt ourselves, or we can fight to make those circumstances turn us into heros – that learn from the pain, and help someone else in their difficult journey.

Thank you, L.M., for the inspirational post! :) 

L.M. also kindly provided you the chance to win Explorer X-Alpha in addition to a poster! Remember to follow her blog, and fill out the below form. This contest is international and ends February 5th, 11:59 EST.

The Weekly Debate (3): Optimum Posting Time?

If you would like to start your own "The Weekly Debate," just please make sure you credit and link back to me. It's a way to pose any questions and encourage you to comment every Monday, though you can do it anytime you want! :)

The Weekly Debate is here again! Before I get started, I just want to mention two quick changes:
1) From now on, I'm going to be alternating between blogging-related and book-related questions.
2) I've seen a ton of awesome discussion posts around, so I've included a Mister Linky at the the bottom. (If you'd prefer I do a round-up instead, tell me!) Feel free to post your own discussion post, and it does not have to address the same problem as I do. Obviously, I would love if you joined in and did your own "The Weekly Debate" *shameless self-promoting* but it's definitely not necessary; any kind of discussion will do! 

This week's question: Bloggers, when do you think is the best time to post: morning, noon, evening? Readers, when do you like to see a blogger post?


The topic of an optimum time for posting has been in my mind for a long time... or is there an optimum time for posting? My definition:

optimum posting time - noun. the time a blogger should post to get the most views and logically, though not necessarily, the most comments 

Hm, is there such a thing? What I've been debating is between the morning, evening, and noon. In the evening, I usually post anywhere from 6-11pm because I assume: 1) people living in my time zone will either have just gotten home and will check their email or 2) later at night because they'll have some free time. On the other hand, if I post first thing in the morning, the post will be up there all day for people of all different time zones to comment on. And by "first thing in the morning," I mean scheduling a post so it'll be up around 6-7am. As for posting at noon, 12pm, both principles apply in that people can comment in the evening and some take lunch breaks.

From my experience: At first, I thought I'd post in the morning since most of my readers are in North America. Therefore, I would be able to get an increasing amount of views during the day, right? In a way, yes. I found that I usually received one or two comments per every hour or two. However, when I posted at night, I found that there were about the same number of comments, half between the time I posted and midnight and half the next day. My reasoning behind these comments are that there are simply more people are on in the evening, when the post pops up on a feed such as Google Reader. Somewhere between posting in the morning and the evening, I briefly tried posting around noon, and surprise! Around the same number of comments again.

My final stance: In the end, I think posting in the evening, at noon, and in the morning is about the same comment-wise. However, I don't know if readers have a preference between seeing a post from the day they check a blog versus reading a missed post from the night before. And I think that's what determines the "optimum posting time," though if there really is such a time is open to interpretation.

It's your turn to voice your opinions! What do you think?

Mister Linky:
· Your Name: Discussion topic (ie. Optimum Posting Time)
· URL: direct link to your discussion post (ie. http://blogname.com/discussion-post)

The Body Finder Trailer

I know everyone's been posting about the trailer, and probably for two reasons: 1) Kimberly Derting's amazing contest here and 2) it's pure awesome. I almost never post trailers, but not only were all the pictures and videos taken by Vania (even the gun shoot?!), I also want a copy of The Body Finder so badly. I admit it. *o*

Contest Winners: 200 Followers Contest!

Before I begin, I just want to say that I'm skipping the In My Mailbox post for this week since I'm not at home. I'll post them next week though, and feel free to still leave a link to your mailbox for me to check out! :)

Moving on to my 200 Followers Contest, there were 205 total entrants, though only 25 were international. Still many more than I expected though, and it took forever to count up all the extra entries. Thank you for making my contest a success! Without further ado, here are the winners (picked by random.org and buzzmyblog.com):

PART ONE:
One book - Justine (3rd top commentator)
Two books -  Tynga
Three books - Faye

PART TWO:
Eva

Part one winners, please email me with your top 5 choices with at least one book per section; the books available can be found here. Eva, please double-check that The Book Depository ships to your country, then email me with your choice of book under $15. I've emailed the winners, and you have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Congrats to all the winners, and for those that didn't, please check back in the future for more awesome contests!

The Saturday Network (2)

**Please, please don't comment if you're not a participating blogger. If you have questions or comment, feel free to email me!**

Second time around! I've taken off the link in an attempt to make the process a little easier. However, that also means there will be no spreading the word, so I would love if you posted the button somewhere! Thanks, and enjoy. :)

For Bloggers:

1. Comment with a link to your blog and a one or two-sentence description.

2. Head on over to the blog of the blogger that commented right before you; if you're the first commenter, you don't need to do anything.

3. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
4. That's it! If you'd like, feel free to comment again and repeat the process (including the link). You do not need to give a description again, and please wait until at least one person comments after you to comment again.

For Non-bloggers:
1. Don't worry, you can still participate! Just look for any blog that you like and head on over.
2. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
3. Come back and look for another great blog!

Commenting will be closed on Sunday at 9:00PM EST. I hope you discover some awesome blogs in the process and, most importantly, have fun! :D

And if you'd like to grab and post the button anywhere, (spread the word! thanks) here it is:

<a href="http://booksatmidnight.blogspot.com/2010/01

/saturday-network-1.html"target="_blank"><img alt

="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i38.photobucket.

com/albums/e109/rmangel12/TheSaturdayNetwork.gif" /></a>

Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Simone Elkele's website here // $9.99 from {amazon}.

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (December 23, 2008)

Paperback: 368 pages

Summary: from {goodreads}

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Rating:

My Thoughts: My new religion? Worshiping Simone Elkeles. Perfect Chemistry is the traditional story of love on two sides of the track: the rich girl, Brittany Ellis, and the guy from the slums, Alex Fuentes, but Simone Elkeles retells the classic tales with a riveting voice that kept me from putting this book down. I wanted a love story, and I got one. Perfect Chemistry caught me right of the bat with its real characters, heartbreak, and, yes, intense chemistry.

What really set apart Perfect Chemistry was the authenticity of the narration and characters. Technically, Brittany and Alex are "ideals" in that they represent the extremely caring but gorgeous girl and the poor guy striving to make something of his life. However, Simone Elkeles develops them into two unique people - distinct voices, perspectives, desires, and dreams; the greatness comes not in the originality, but in the modern approach to this age-old plot. If anything, my financial situation is a lot like Brittany's, but I immediately found myself drawn to Alex. I sympathized with his evident conflict between duty to his family and personal aspirations and loved his cocky, sexy front - though that's exactly what it was, a front. Alex does have that raw, bitter edge, but he could also make the sweetest boyfriend ever. But what I really want to convey more than anything is the fact that the characters were real. The dialogue is spot-on, complete with innuendos and endearing love confessions, the characters' thoughts seem entirely plausible, and there is a clear progression from fear and contempt to true love. I still can't fully express how much I loved the characters, but what I can express is how amazing it is to not read another story where the characters fall in love so quickly to the extent that it feels like they "pretend" to hate each other.

But love's not always a smooth road, and Brittany and Alex prove that. Perfect Chemistry is just that, the perfect chemistry you can have with that one special person, and the two both struggle to reconcile themselves to their new, intense feelings. I loved how much Brittany and Alex changed each other, and Simone Elkeles knows how to throw in some comic relief at just the right time. The bathroom scene with Paco? Priceless; it still cracks me up everytime I read it. The only concern I have with this total character immersion is what other readers thought about the smatterings of Spanish. I take Spanish classes, so I know what Alex and his relatives were saying, but I wonder if it'll come easily to others that aren't acquaintanced with Spanish. There's context, but not much. The only other possible complaint I have is that the ending seemed rushed and wrapped up a bit too quickly, though that's partly because I didn't want Perfect Chemistry to end. Overall, the final scene was cute and left me with a smile on my face.

Romance: Sweet, flirtatious, and intense. Sensitive, gorgeous girl + Struggling, hot guy = perfect chemistry.
Cover: 4.0 -- Simple but I like the contrast, and it helped me envision Brittany and Alex. :)
Writing: 5.0
Characters: 5.0
Plot: 4.5

Bottom Line: If you still do not grasp how much I loved Perfect Chemistry by now, let me say it again: I LOVED PERFECT CHEMISTRY. The chemistry was truly perfect, and it came with all the delicious boys conflict of first real love. The plot's not very original, but the amazing characters and Simone Elkeles manages to tailor it, iron it, and make it hers. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a sweet romance minus all the tears. As for the sequel, Rules of Attraction, coming in April, I'm definitely pre-ordering it! :D

Contest Reminder: 200 Followers Contest!

Just a quick reminder to everyone that my contest ends tomorrow at midnight; enter if you haven’t already! Just head on over here and fill out the form. I’ve also reached 382 followers (woah?!), so thank you!! You guys are awesome. I’ll be updating the prize list a little bit, though not drastically. And I know these things are hard to keep track off, so feel free to email me if you’re not sure whether or not you entered. :)

And just a random picture I found somewhere, because I’m feeling extremely stressed right now. So cute and happy! Quite the opposite of how I feel right now, lol. That's it, and thanks to everyone who already entered. Good luck!