Armchair BEA Day 5: Keeping It Real & Children's/YA Fiction

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters.

Keeping it real. Now that's a throwback phrase if I've heard one. All it means is keeping yourself up to date, active, & attractive. I've had Tattooed Books since July of 2009 and the most important tool I've used to keep myself motivated & encouraged to continue writing is break time. I have taken a few breaks from blogging: when I just didn't have time, when my heart and mind weren't really in it, and when my personal life needed some attention. Making your blog your be-all-end-all works for some people, but for the majority of us we realize that with such a large commitment, you'll need some breathing room.

What I believe keeps people coming back for more is the honesty that I put in my reviews. I don't tell you everything is peachy & a do a fairly comprehensive review of content, quality, and appropriateness. While I started by aiming my blog at my teen readers from work, I soon realized that the majority of readers were fellow bloggers and (of all people) teenagers' parents. The former is mostly co-bloggers that I worked with or have interacted with in some fashion. The latter was a shock to me, but they find my reviews most helpful in keeping up to date on the types of things their teens are reading.

I haven't spent a lot of time growing my readership intentionally, but it has definitely grown since I started. The best asset I've found has been Twitter. By tweeting my reviews to publishers & authors, I get more exposure if they favorite, retweet, or respond to my posting. I tried hooking up with different social networks (aimed specifically at bloggers) and with the follow-me-I-follow-you memes, but they were more work than I had time for since I wanted to focus my time on reading and my content.

The easiest part about continuing the fun is in making new friends and learning new things. I am constantly in awe of our community. We've got some incredibly imaginative thinkers and some wonderfully engaging bloggers. If it weren't for them, I don't know how much fun this would still be. If you're still reading this, thank you. You, dear reader, along with the myriad of bloggers, are why I still love this blog.

The genre topic today is my favorite (naturally) as I read mostly Young Adult books. But instead of me continuing to talk about why I love Young Adult books, I would rather talk about children's books. I really want to give you my "top five books I think every child should read" list. As a former public library assistant, I know a lot about helping people look for the right book. Sometimes though, you don't have to look for the most current thing; sometimes you have to look back a bit to find the best books. :D My suggestions are:

1. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
2. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
3. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by C.S. Lewis
4. Matilda by Roald Dahl
5. Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch

These are just some of the books that I absolutely ADORED as a kid. I know that most of them are for older children, but Love You Forever and even The Lorax are very toddler-friendly. That doesn't mean that they will necessarily grasp the concepts and fully understand them, but at the very least the rhythmic lyrics in Love You Forever will be a cadence that they are familiar with. There are so many great books to choose from that it was difficult to narrow them down so much, but these are some of the core books that I read/had read to me. 

My parents (and sister) really stretched my imagination with The Princess Bride and Alice... because while the ideas and images presented therein are fairly commonplace (talking animals, larger than life creatures, etc) the scenarios that these images are found in are fantastical. I firmly believe that I developed a love of the fantasy & paranormal genres from these types of readings.

What do you think of my list? What would you add or take away? And most importantly, what was a formative reading for you as a child?

Armchair BEA Day 2: Blogger Developments & Genre Fiction

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters.

Today we're focusing on how we develop ourselves as bloggers. Having blogged since July of 2009, I'd like to say I've seen a lot of things change over the years. I got into blogging right before it became the new way to advertise. I honestly have to say that my style & personality haven't changed much since I started.

This isn't a way for me to make additional income (at the moment) and it's not the most stress-reducing thing I do to relax. My blog is my outlet for my bookish thoughts. While I've tried participating in readalongs & reading challenges, for some reason my brain just felt like it was back in school being forced to read something; it took the joy out of the activity. So over the last four years I have come to figure out that I should read what's calling me at the moment & just express myself as openly as possible.

Once I was fairly well established, I started requesting ARCs and really trying to stay ahead of the game on what were the newest & greatest books. That started to feel like too much work and effort for so little return. I'm not saying I'm not grateful for those wonderful publishers who did send me books and for the struggling new authors who have sought me out as a venue. Words do not describe how incredibly humbled I have been to have people seek me out and choose me as a reader and reviewer. But at the same time there are so many larger bloggers and media outlets to choose from that I didn't feel like I could compete because, to be quite honest, I didn't really want to compete. Now I simply let the public library, Goodreads, & Twitter keep me up to date on what's coming up and currently available.

Another thing that hasn't changed is my stance on e-books & e-readers. I know that a lot of people nowadays work at a computer all day. I am one of those folks. As a cataloger I look from print to screen all day to do my job. At the end of the day my eyes are so tired from looking at a screen that I just want to focus on paper right in front of me. I have a NetGalley account & am participating in the NetGalley Wellness Challenge, aimed at helping some of us struggling users to optimize our accounts, but it still will be a very select few books that I choose to request electronically. One day in the nearish future I'll make the switch, but for right now, I am hooked on what I still call "real" books. ;)

Today's bookish focus is on genre fiction. As you can tell, this is a primarily Young Adult book review site, but that doesn't mean I don't read outside my preferred venue. As I continue to grow as a reader, I am finding myself pulled in multiple directions. Occasionally I will post "What Else Have I Been Reading" posts featuring the outside-my-reading-comfort-zone books that I've read (or at least attempted to read). For the most part though I stick to urban fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary fiction, & issues books. My preference for realistic, believable characters is my driving force. If I can't get in with the characters or feel anything for them, it doesn't matter what genre they're in. I do love good recommendations both within & outside of the Young Adult parameters, so be sure to sound off in the comments with your recommendations.

Overnight Sensation by Hal Eisenberg review

Fifteen year-old Jonah Levine is practically invisible at Applecrest High. His Facebook page is pathetic, his baseball skills are mediocre at best, and his IQ seems to drop 50 points when talking to girls. But everything changes when his rock band, Hitstreak, becomes the hottest teen sensation in the country. And now they’re about to perform in front of 15,000 screaming fans.

So why isn’t he jumping for joy?

Well, for starters, that hit on the radio wasn’t really recorded by his band. In fact, six months ago, he and his friends could barely play a note between them. And now they’re about to perform in front of 15,000 screaming fans. What begins as a mindless prank quickly spins out of control, involving his father’s secret past as a 70’s rocker, a high school bully who wants in on the action, and a powerful, ruthless, media mogul who will stop at nothing to claim the band as his own. Will Jonah prevail? Or will he and his band go down in flames and become the biggest farce in pop music history?

From Goodreads

Jonah has always loved music. His friends share his love as well and together they formed a band. The fact that none of them really play and mostly just want to be in a "band" for the girls is a moot point. He never expected that his own dad had a rock 'n roll past or that it would so greatly affect Jonah's band's future.

Through a series of missteps, miscommunication, and teenage hubris, Jonah and his friends find themselves pretending the be the band behind the hot new song on the radio. The truth? The song was recorded by Jonah's father's real band. It may start out small, but when a big wig producer sinks his hooks into these young guys, there is no time to stop what they started.

I'm gonna shoot this one completely straight. I loved the story behind this book. I did not love the writing.

Jonah, his friends, and his family are such great characters that I enjoy watching fumble through this impossible scenario. Their humor and history allow for quirky and fun exchanges to develop the story. The musical references are just nostalgic enough to still be relate-able. Even better was the story idea itself. I can see most of this story happening up to a point. The boys' hubris makes perfect sense for the ages and personalities they represent.

I had a really hard time overlooking the writing in this book. The content was good, but the execution was not quite as polished as it could have been. I think a more severe editing brush was needed to clean up the dialogue that seemed to have a "and then he said..." feel to it. Punctuation and paragraph structure were also off, but not so often that it detracted too much from the story.

So...if you like music and like teenage boy shenanigans (especially those embarrassing first date scenes) then be sure to pick this book up. I tore through it despite the writing flaws. I have a feeling that since this a relatively new addition to the YA writing scene, that the author will definitely learn as he goes. Overall though, a fun, light read for all!

What else have I been reading?

If the blog has seemed a little emptier than usual, I apologize. A lag in my ability to obtain YA books from my library has led me to read in other sections of the library & wade my way through the books I picked up when Borders was going out of business. GASP! While I may have enjoyed some of the titles I dabbled in, these are some of the lesser successes. Not many of them were complete failures mind you, but none of them really hit the mark with me.

First Kill by Heather Brewer
I resisted trying the Vlad Tod series because I just couldn't stand another vampire book. I go through spells where they're all I'm into, but this just never satisfied my need. When First Kill appeared as a book from the slayer's point of view I thought that it might bring me around. Alas it just didn't suit me. I found myself unable to really connect with the characters. Maybe I should have read the Vlad Tod series first... Who knows.




Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I've heard a lot of people say that this book was amazing. It looked a little iffy to me since it's about a horribly blessed woman going through a rough patch in her life and how she decides to travel the world in search of something to believe in. While I loved Frances Mayes's Under the Tuscan Sun, Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love felt trite in comparison. I know it's her "memoir" so it should be self-centered, but I just couldn't stomach her belly-aching. After a while I just wanted to scream at her. While the settings were incredible and the people were fascinating, I just couldn't deal with this woman.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Having worked in a public library when this book came out and was ridiculously popular, most people are surprised I haven't read it. I'm that way about most popular books; either I read them before they are popular (like The Help) or I shy away until the hype dies down. Many people warned me that this book took a while to get into, but I just never did. I read the whole thing to the end just to see if there would be something to catch me & it just never happened. Maybe it's because I'm not much of a mystery (in the traditional sense of the genre) reader or maybe it was the utter confusion I felt about some of the more graphic/violent scenes. Either way, I can at least say that this was not my cup of tea.

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
I know that viewers often have issues adjusting their perception from film/tv to book format of something they love, but I was hoping that wouldn't be the case for me. I really admire Kathy Reichs for her work (since the books are based on her own experiences as a forensic anthropologist) and love the tv shows Bones, but I just couldn't get into this book. I only read about 1/3 of the book, so I may give it another shot at a later date, but it's painfully obvious that this is a new writer still working out her rhythm. I was even more surprised at how different the characters were. I was expecting replicas, but it's now obvious just how many liberties have been taken in the creation of the show.




Have you ever experienced this? What are some books you just couldn't get into? Sound off in the comments!

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent review

Naturally as this book is the 6th in a series, major spoilers abound. Enjoy at your own risk!

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it.

The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….

From Goodreads

Kaylee is having a difficult time adjusting to her afterlife. As if being a bean sidhe teenager with a hellion out for her soul wasn't awkward enough, after slaying her incubus math teacher (and dying the process) Kaylee has been restored. No she hasn't been brought back to life, she is a restored soul who will spend the rest of her perfectly preserved at 16 and immortal afterlife chasing down bad guys.

Her personal life (beyond the obvious transition) is anything but cleared up. Would you think death would allow most people to forgive & forget, but setting up your ex-boyfriend for your murder while simultaneously hooking up with his reaper brother can put quite a crimp in anyone's social life.

With a serial soul thief on the loose, drama in all of her relationships, and a few new friends, Kaylee is out to finish off what started just short of one year ago. But how many people is she willing to lose in the name of taking down a hellion?

I must admit. I've read all the book in this series. There was a bit around book four I think where I kind of lost interest and that may have been due to the relationship building/not much action dynamic, but Rachel has me back on board in this sixth installment. The next to last book in a delicious series, Before I Wake doesn't stop to even let you catch your breath. We're dropped right back into the story from the ending of If I Die and move full steam ahead into Kaylee's new life. 

Friendships are strained, her triangle with the scrumptious Nash (the ex) & his brother Tod (the reaper) is escalating, and her family is becoming increasing determined to bar her from self-destructing. Death does not really suit Kaylee and while her adjustment can be considered normal, we really get a look at what holds her relationship together. There is a lot of soul-searching taking place & some deep, emotional fragility being displayed throughout the entire book by all the players. This peak behind the curtain puts a lot of past incidents into perspective in a way that begins the process of closure.

One last thought...I want to warn fans. I found myself completely unprepared for some of the heartbreak that takes place in this book. Have tissues on standby if you tend to get attached to characters. Rachel is pulling no punches when it comes to what happens. One might even compare her to Joss Whedon in some ways... I had to send Rachel a tweet about one particular scene and that was when it dawned on me..."Sometimes I forget that as hard as it can be to read it, that it must have been infinitely harder to write it."

So I just want to take a minute to say thank you to all the writers who do what they have to, no matter the pain or the cost, to stay true to the story.

I am truly looking forward to the final installment of the Soul Screamers series in March 2013. As sad as I will be to see the series end, I have a feeling that she has something else coming up in the near future.

Waiting on Wednesday: Perfect (Impulse #2) & Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

It's a Waiting on Wednesday double-header celebrating the ever-awesome Ellen Hopkins! She's actually got two books coming out in the next two months & I can't wait to get them both! Perfect (Impulse #2) is releasing on 9/13 & Triangles (an adult book) is releasing 10/18. I think I'm really going to enjoy Perfect because it sounds like one of the best books to put forward in my library for my YASaves display I'm planning. :D

Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they’d rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there.

Cara’s parents’ unrealistic expectations have already sent her twin brother Conner spiraling toward suicide. For her, perfect means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body—no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run—on the field and off—Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes that to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he’ll be living a life his ancestors would never have understood.

Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would you give up to be perfect?

From Goodreads

In this emotionally powerful novel, three women face the age-old midlife question: If I’m halfway to death, is this all I’ve got to show for it? Holly, filled with regret for being a stay-at-home mom, sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Andrea, a single mom and avowed celibate, watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband? Then there’s Marissa. She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts. As one woman’s marriage unravels, another one’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s is reconfigured into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all three of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness before it is through.

From Goodreads

How AMAZING do both of those sound?! It looks like her adult novel is going to have the same style as her teen novels & deal with the same kind of pull & tug that I have come to relish in her characters. And Perfect promises to have the same roller coaster of emotions & experiences that make her books so unique. What are you waiting on this week?

If I Die by Rachel Vincent review

While Kaylee Cavanaugh has been fighting hellions & saving people's lives for the last six months, she never knew that she was running on seriously borrowed time. Just when things are starting to settle back into a normal rhythm she's dealt two blows: her dreamy new math teacher is actually a lust-sucking incubus hell-bent on having a son & Kaylee's soul extension is up, her death date is in less than a week.

With the clock ticking, loudly, Kaylee starts to focus on what few things she wants to do before she dies. At the top of that list is spending some quality alone time with hunky boyfriend (and fellow bean sidhe) Nash. Unfortunately his ex & almost everyone else in their lives seem to be conspiring to keep them from taking their relationship to the next level. Tod, Nash's grim reaper big brother, is the number one offender because he can blink in at any time he chooses. But as the clock ticks down, Kaylee gets more deeply embroiled in the nasty mess that her incubus teacher is leaving behind. While on a mission to out the incubus, Kaylee makes a decision that changes everyone's life, permanently.

Rachel Vincent has done a fabulous job with the Soul Screamers series... up until this book. Now before anyone gets upset with me, I'll give you the quick & dirty sum up: yes I still enjoyed this installment in the series, yes the characters are still as endearing & unique as they have been, I just feel like the content of this book strayed from where it's been headed all along. Now for the details:

The flow & content of If I Die felt very different from what I have come to expect from her work. The 5 books take place over just 6 months which is not an issue in and of itself, but the fact that Kaylee is trying to lose her virginity to her boyfriend of just 6 months (despite that just a few months earlier he was addicted to a deadly Netherworld drug & hasn't fully recovered yet) & the new bad guy in the story is a lust-sucking demon who is sleeping with (and potentially killing) young women in the hopes of having a son was just too much for what has actually been a very tame storyline thus far. I'm not opposed to sexual situations in YA, I just feel that these situations felt forced. They didn't seem to really mesh well with everything else that we've seen in the series. The baddies are bad, but they've never crossed the inappropriate line, until now.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I can move on to what was AWESOME about this book. Kaylee is as self-sacrificing as ever & really does make me feel like there are still really good character role models. Granted she seems to bring about as much trouble as she tries to negate, but I think that's part of the territory. Despite the tone of the storyline, I was surprised to see less of Nash & Kaylee's dad than I would have expected, but let me assure, there is a very good reason that we don't see much of them. While Kaylee is out to stop the incubus, another character is plotting a different ending to the love story. I can't tell you any more than that without ruining a very well-planned surprise, but let me assure you that you won't be disappointed. :)

Overall, the writing still oozed the sarcasm & wit that I adore from these characters. There's nothing like teenage angst mixed with otherworldly tempers to make things interesting. So go ahead & read this enticing installment in the fabulously popular Soul Screamers series. And be sure to let me know what you think about the book in the comments. Think I'm being overly sensitive or do you think it is just the natural progression for the storyline or something else entirely? Sound off below!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World Tours

My Take on the Wall Street Journal Article craziness

I usually reserve my opinion until things cool down, but I must admit that I kept an eye on the Wall Street Journal article situation. In case you've missed out on all the fun, Meghan Cox Gurdon wrote an inflammatory opinion piece about YA book content in the Wall Street Journal. This launched a reaction from the YA community (including the #YAsaves on Twitter) & several authors writing in to voice their opinions on their works' importance & validity. Well Ms. Gurdon is at it again writing in response to the reaction her piece drew. You can read that response here. And now it's my turn.

While I do understand Ms. Gurdon’s opinion, I can’t believe that she was so naive to think that the YA community would not be upset by her generalizations of a very diverse genre. It is very true that right now the more popular books do include sensitive subject material. Ms Gurdon maintains that, "It is true that so-called problem novels may be helpful to children in anguished circumstances. The larger question is whether books about rape, incest, eating disorders and 'cutting' (self-mutilation) help to normalize such behaviors for the vast majority of children who are merely living through the routine ordeals of adolescence.”

I would have to state that (in my opinion) these books are not normalizing these experiences, but rather validating the experiences that young adults are facing today. An easier way to say that is that the books are NOT causing these issues, the issues are giving rise to the books.Young adults are narcissistic & they want to read about people like themselves. That being said, with the age of the first sexual encounter getting younger & younger & with teens experimenting with a variety of “activities” (for lack of a better word), these books shed some realism on these taboo subjects. There are not always happy endings in these books & sometimes the reality that everything won’t be okay is enough to get through to these young adults.

Another thing to note here is that Young Adult DOES NOT only include teens. Young Adult books are meant for high school through probably mid-twenties. Granted, the majority of the readership is about 14, but I honestly can’t think of a better age to approach these subjects because I think they also serve as cautionary tales. They provide a glimpse into what could be, not what should be. Also, I don’t think there is anything worse in these books than a young adult could read in the newspaper or see on the evening news.

My main complaint would be, where does it end? If these subjects are too touchy for teen books, where do they belong? What are you going to take out of video games & music? When do I need to line up for the chip implantation? Seriously, just because the books are not as “innocent” & “pure” as some would like them to be does not mean they are not valid & worthwhile. They have an audience & a place & that place is on the shelf. There are still a plethora of books for more sensitive readers & I’ll be the first to show them to you in my library, but don’t generalize YA books in such a negative light.

And now I will leave you with a favorite quote of mine. It's from the movie American President with Michael Douglas:
“You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.”

Sound off below. What do you think of Ms. Gurdon's opinion? What do you think of my opinion? What are your thoughts on the situation?

Special Annoucement: Invincible: Book 2 of the Chronicles of Nick

A special sneak, peek for my bookish friends. Invincible is the next book in the Chronicles of Nick series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. For fans of her adult Dark Hunters series, this will sound familiar because this is Nick Gautier's actual life story, it's just marketed to teens. I really like this series & feel like a dork that I haven't reviewed the first book (Infinity) yet, but I promise to rectify that situation post haste! Without further adieu, I give you the sneak peek!

"Nick Gautier's day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.

His new principal thinks he?s even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can?t even mention and the girl he?s not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.

But more than that, he?s being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn't learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them..."

The New York Times-bestselling with over 19 million books in print, Sherrilyn Kenyon is renowned the world over as "the reigning queen of the paranormal genre that she pioneered long before the world had heard of Twilight."

Waiting on Wednesday: Claire de Lune

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's selection is Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson and is set to be released May 18, 2010.

Christine Johnson’s CLAIRE DE LUNE, in which a teenager learns that she is a werewolf, descended from a long line of female werewolves, and must balance her human and werewolf lives, while tracking down the rogue werewolf preying upon the people of her town.
-From Goodreads

I am a fan of werewolves more so than vampires and I love female leads. The fact that this book combines both of those (and an amazing song title as the book title) leads me to have high hopes for this book. Also, I am interested to see what kind of werewolves these are. There are different mythologies that exist depending on where the story "originates" from and when. Shiver for example threw us a curve ball with its mythology, while Never Cry Werewolf was more of the traditional mythology. Here's hoping!

If you read YA, you should read this rant by Maggie Stiefvater

On her blog, Maggie defends the YA genre and those who read it. Check it out!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Line

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Line by Teri Hall is set to be released on March 4, 2010.

An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right? From Goodreads

How awesome does that sound?! It's got some serious mystery to it that I find ridiculously appealing and a unique plot. Quartered off sections of the country that left those on the other side to fend for themselves? Sign me up for reading that book! Anyway, I am hoping that Rachel will be a strong, female heroine because those are my favorite types. Maybe she can go all "superhero"-ish and saves those on the other side. Who knows? Can't wait to read it!

Envy by Anna Godbersen

This is book number three in a four part historical fiction series. Naturally, if you have not read the first or second books, then spoilers may lie ahead for you. Check out my review of the first novel, The Luxe, the second novel, Rumors, and then come back to catch up on the new gossip!

What's a girl to do? Diana just can't stomach the fact that Penelope muscled her way back into Henry's life in one of the most important social positions in town, Mrs. Henry Schoonmaker. Now that's not to say that Henry has given up on being with Diana, it just means that it is now more tricky than ever and one false move could set the whole house of cards tumbling down on their heads: leaving Diana in ruins, her reputation forever tarnished, Henry would be left looking like a fool, and Penelope would wind up looking like the saint that she most certainly was not.

Elizabeth is desolate at the loss of her beloved husband Will Keller. A worse atrocity is the fact that she cannot publicly recognize him as what he truly was to her and the whole town believes that he had kidnapped her. With the family on the brink of financial ruin, Elizabeth is running out of options to help her family survive. That is until her father's mining partner comes into the picture, and not a moment too soon because Elizabeth is hiding more than just the truth about Will, she's also hiding a part of him.

Carolina Broad, the former Holland attendant Lina Broud, is being to really understand what it takes to get along in this catty world. While she has learned to talk and act like the women she once looked up to, and can now dress like one thanks to her benefactor Carey Lewis Longhorn, Carolina is still on the outskirts. Though if she manages to capture her love interest, fortune may favor her after all.

To escape the horrible winter of New York, our little caravan of fun travels to the Royal Ponciana Hotel in sunny Palm Beach, Florida. There are parties, distractions, and every scandal one can imagine. Sadly not even the sun can keep them from their societal duties when they are all forced to return home for Carey Lewis Longhorn's untimely funeral. Where does this leave our quarry?

As well written as the first two, Envy continues to wow with tales of fantastic balls, daring plans, and romance to make even the hardest hearts swoon. Turn of the century Manhattan, and even Palm Beach, come into staggering view in this opulent world. The accuracy is incredible and denotes a well-researched subject.

The girls continue to captivate the boys' attentions in every manner, both appropriate and not, imaginable. Penelope remains the shallow gold-digger while Carolina begins to prove her worth. The Holland sisters just stay steady in this novel, doing their very best to struggle through their heart-aches and financial difficulties. I found them slightly less appealing in this novel I think due in large part to the heavy focus that is always centered on them. This time I immensely enjoyed getting to know Carolina and the boys more than we usually do.

Really this book was kind of like a bridge to me. Not a whole lot happened in the novel until the very end and it felt like filler to get to the end of the series. The characters behaved according and the story progressed towards the ending, but not in any big way. Overall it was still a wonderful book, it just felt a little lacking in action.

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

Welcome to the last day of Soul Screamers' Week! Just a reminder that today is the last day to enter the giveaway!

This is the sequel to My Soul to Take so obviously there maybe some spoilerish stuff below. Just an FYI.

Who knew being a bean sidhe could be so dangerous? After narrowly escaping a rogue grim reaper, Kaylee was hoping her world would return to normal or as normal as her life can get. Unfortunately that is not in the cards. Even though her newly-returned dad has her on a pretty short leash, Kaylee manages to go to a concert with hunky boyfriend Nash and his grim reaper brother Tod. Naturally, nothing goes according to plan as teen sensation Eden takes the stage and collapses. Kaylee freezes and knows what's coming: her soul song. Clenching against it she realizes that there's no pull to wail. That's when she knows something about this is all wrong.

Every time someone near Kaylee is about to die, she gets an uncontrollable urge to wail for their soul. Well, it's only uncontrollable if Nash isn't around. As a male bean sidhe he can help her control her wail so that the humans don't try to lock her up for being crazy. Only this time neither of them had to do anything and that's because Eden didn't have a soul. She had Demon's Breath as a substitute. The only way to have that is if you have sold your soul to a demon and they had to give you something to keep your living until your regularly scheduled expiration date. Unfortunately, Libby (the special reaper who deals with Demon's Breath) informs the trio that she will be back in a few days, for Tod's former girl friend Addison Page

In a race against the clock, Tod, Nash, and Kaylee must dodge observant and restrictive parents, the grim reaper hierarchy, and Dekker Media who doesn't want them interfering with their deals or their stars.

My Soul to Save furthers the trials and tribulations of being a teen bean sidhe. Kaylee, Nash, & Tod grow as characters gaining depth that was only beginning to form at the close of the first book. While Kaylee becomes more comfortable in her new found species, even taking lessons from Nash's mom and expanding her powers, Nash doesn't change a while lot. He becomes more authentic to his wholesome, helpful self. Tod on the other hand, allows the reader to delve deeper into his past and his present when he exposes his feelings for a former flame and the secretive regulations surrounding reaper business.

While I was not nearly as big a fan of this book as the first one, I think it serves its purpose by allowing us a closer look at the characters themselves. The storyline (a multi-billion dollar media mogul is controlling teen boppers in evil ways) was a little far reaching for my tastes, but along the same lines as Airhead. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here and what trouble the kids get into in the next round.

If you would like a chance to win this book, Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie is giving one away , The Book Muncher is giving 3 away , and Tales of a Ravenous Reader is giving one away as well! Also you have the chance to win both books over at The Story Siren's site.

Soul Screamers Playlist

Welcome back to Soul Screamers Week here at Tattooed Books! Don't forget about the giveaway! Enjoy this nifty little treat.


While scouring the net for ideas for Teen Tech Week I came across a GREAT website: playlist.com. It is completely free and so much fun. You simply sign up for an account and then you can select songs to add to playlists that you get to create! They have a great selection of songs and it's super-easy to use. Check out the playlist I made for My Soul To Take below. I think it's pretty good.

For a first-timer, I think I did pretty well. I hope you enjoyed my little foray into the music department. Stay tuned for more great stuff coming at you every day this week!

Waiting on Wednesday: My Soul to Keep

Welcome to Day 3 of Soul Screamers' Week! If you haven't entered already, go enter the giveaway! Enjoy!

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Today's book is My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent and is set to be released in June of 2010. There isn't much out about this book yet except:

1. It will continue the incredible story of Kaylee Cavanaugh, teen bean sidhe, as she makes her way through the perils of teenhood & comes to terms with her special talent.
2. The Netherworld isn't done with her yet and will make an appearance in her school!
3. The cover will be purple. (Sweet, that's my favorite color!!)

In light of all this news and the fact that there is no cover out yet, I decided to try my hand at making a cover. Please be kind.

So there you have it. What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Welcome to Day 2 of Soul Screamers' Week! Don't forget about the giveaway! Enjoy!

Kaylee Cavanaugh just wants to be a normal teen. Like it isn't bad enough that she got dumped with her Aunt Val, Uncle Brendan & spoiled cousin Sophie when her mom died and her dad ran away to Ireland, but she's crazy too? She doesn't believe it, but those close to her have no other choice.

After having a "panic attack" in a mall by screaming her head off, and being unable to control herself, Kaylee wound up locked in the mental ward at the local hospital and taking heavy medications. She's been out for a while now and hasn't had an incidents, so she's starting to think that life is returning to normal. Until she goes to a local club with her best friend Emma. While there, and hanging out with uber-hunky athlete Nash Hudson, she sees a girl shrouded in shadows and gets the familiar urge to scream. Fighting it away, with the help of both Emma and Nash, Kayless manages to recover her composure. That is until the next day when she finds out that the shadowed girl wound up dead in the bathroom of the night club.

Now totally freaking out, Kaylee continues her quest for normalcy. Sadly, that is not to be what she finds. When Emma is unreachable due to being grounded, there is only one person left to turn to. Nash isn't running for the hills and soon tells Kaylee why that's the case. He is just like her; she's not crazy, she's a bean sidhe. As he unfolds the truth of her heritage, they become more than just friends because he has a natural gift to help her control her wail, which is actually music to his ears. And help her he does and more teenage girls continue to die around them. Only something is off about their deaths. Healthy, teenage girls don't just collapse into death from no cause. Something is causing this and it will take everything Nash and Kaylee can muster to put a stop to it before someone closer to home becomes the next victim.

If you are tired of the furry, pointed-teeth paranormal that is currently very popular, than look no further. This new angle into the paranormal field is entrenched in a rich history that gives a whole new meaning to "difficult teenage years." Kaylee Cavanaugh is a pretty solid female lead who I'm sure many younger girls can relate to; she is not the star of the show, but she's comfortably in the middle ground. Her insecurity is one of her most pulling attributes. That's not to say that she is scared out of her mind and unsure of anything, but she exhibits normal teen fears of acceptance and self-worth along with confusion of what she really is. Bean sidhes or banshees are an interesting choice for a teen series as usually these women are portrayed as old hags or gorgeous young women. The thought that they had to have a youth, and to set that youth in the modern age, shows a great insight.

The storyline was well thought out given that there was a "rational" explanation for her "panic attacks" and that her family tried to protect her by hiding the truth. This was especially true of her absentee father, which given what is revealed about why he is absent, made quite a bit of sense. The timeline of events felt a little rushed as I don't think anyone, even a resilient person, could handle as much as Kaylee did in a short amount of time, but that tends to be a genre norm. I also enjoyed the way the characters interacted with one another, there was a lot of emotion conveyed with very few words and I could really feel what was happening to the characters. I don't always get that kind of reaction.

Honestly, this is now one of my personal favorites for this genre. It has just enough of all the right stuff (action, intrigue, mystery, romance) to really keep me on my toes and keep me guessing as to what's going to happen next. Pick it up if you get a chance and don't forget to check out the next installment that will be featured later this week, My Soul to Save.

You have the chance to win both books over at The Story Siren's site.

Interview with Soul Screamers author Rachel Vincent!

Welcome to Soul Screamers' Week! As a celebration of all that Rachel Vincent has accomplished with her teen series, I will be holding a week-long celebration of Soul Screamers. During this week there will be my reviews of the books, Soul Screamers related posts, an interview with Rachel and (what would a celebratory week be without...) a giveaway! Enjoy!

Let's give a warm welcome to Rachel Vincent who is here to kick off the Soul Screamers' Week with her interview.

1. What made you choose paranormal as your main genre?

Actually, I chose urban fantasy. At least, that's what I thought I was choosing. But I'm typically shelved in Paranormal Romance, which means my readers are a cross-section of romance and fantasy readers, which is awesome! As for how I chose urban fantasy, I just write the kinds of books I like to read. ;)

2. How much research did you actually have to log on bean sidhes for the Soul Screamers series?

Um... I read what I could find, but there wasn't exactly a ton out there. Which is why I chose bean sidhes. There was plenty of room for me to make stuff up, without disturbing the existing lore too badly. So my bean sidhes are a good mix of existing lore and my own imagination.

3. Your books are coming out in quick succession, did you write them all at one and then divide the stories up or have you been writing the whole time?

I've been writing the whole time, but not just on the Soul Screamers series. I also write an adult series (Shifters) for MIRA Books. I had the first three Soul Screamers books written before the first one came out.

4. What is your favorite aspect of your series? (Certain characters, the mythology, the romance, etc)

My favorite aspect of the Soul Screamers series is the world building. After writing the Shifters series for so long, in which I'm limited to three different breeds of shape shifters, I felt like my hands were really untied with Kaylee and her world. There's nothing I can't do there, and I've really let my imagination go, and that means that there's an infinite number of plots and characters I could write.

5. Any hints about your third installment My Soul to Keep that’s due out this June?

Yes! MSTKeep is all about the consequences, and in the Soul Screamers world, consequences are real, and they're permanent. These books each stand alone, but the events in MSTKeep are--in large part--aftermath of what happened in MSTSave (though you don't have to have read it first), and Kaylee's relationships in this one are changed forever. Its a very emotional story, and devastating in many ways. A couple of the scenes actually made me uncomfortable to write.

6. Anything else you want to tell your readers and fans?

Kaylee's a strong character, and her strength is mostly on the inside. She's loyal, and brave, and caring to a fault. But she's not afraid to do what needs to be done. I love this series and these characters, and I'm so grateful to everyone who's decided to give them a try!

Thank you so much Rachel for that little peak into your world(s)! That's some exciting news on the MSTKeep front. Check out her website for more information on both her series and for a list of appearances.