Teen Tuesday on a Snow Day!

cross posted at teentuesday.blogspot.com... please see button in sidebar =D

So it's late on a Monday night, I had to work today so I'm really tired... and right now the only thing I want to do is curl up into a ball and fall asleep... But for the sake of Teen Tuesday, I must post!

Plus, I read a lot this week.

I finished Untamed. I have very strong feelings on Zoey, the MC, which barely ever happens to me (as far as being picky about the characters). She was just... ugh, so annoying. Here is a link to my review, in case you're interested.

I also finished Legacy by Kate Brian, which is the sixth book in the Private series, which I absolutely adore. I had forgotten how much I love this series... I read the first five a year ago and then when Legacy came out I didn't have the energy to get into it again; but I decided to come back to it again and I am so. glad. I. did. Legacy was soo good... I don't have a formal review for my blog (I don't like to review books in series, because I've come to find that for most books in a longer series, there is consistency and reviews get to be boring... except in the case of Untamed, which the review was anything but boring to write) but if you're interested in a review, just mention it and I will link you to my Amazon page and you can read it on there. Or something.

After that, I read House of Dance by Beth Kephart. I read it so quickly on Sunday night, and I was just... awed. The book was so good; I am still thinking about it, so I don't have a review written just yet. But I know I will soon, because I have a lot of thoughts about it. Either way, a general summary: this book is ah-mazing, and highly recommended. Especially if you're looking for a quick, but very heart-lifting, book.

And now it's Monday night, and I am reading Jars of Glass by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler. I'm a big fan of these author's books, and so I'm hoping Jars of Glass turns out well. I'm not extremely far into it, though, so I can't say too much yet. But if you wanna know more... come back next week :)

Now, I'm off to bed... and I'll be hoping for a snow day tomorrow... *looks at huge piles of snow and flying snowflakes* It's highly possible.

EDIT: Yep, it's a snow day!!!!

<3 Chelsie

Untamed by P.C. and Kristen Cast

Title: Untamed (House of Night book 4)

Author: PC and Kristen Cast

Summary:

Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

Rating: 3/5

Good:

The House of Night series is one of my favorite series', simply because they are fast-paced, sarcastic, and extremely exciting. This book was not an exception to that pattern.

Bad:

Okay. Here I go. This is probably the first time that I have a serious complaint about a main character.

I am not usually a person who focuses on the personality of the main characters. There are books that I've read and loved that other people could not even finish because they seriously disliked the main characters (Jessica Darling from Sloppy Firsts and Bella Swan from Twilight being prime examples of my favorite books that I often hear complaints about the main characters). I have never been one of those people.

However, Untamed just may be an exception.

Zoey isn't a bad character... she's realistic and brave, which is great. But my problem with her is her attitude. She has power that other fledglings, and even grown vampyres would KILL for, and yet all she does is complain about her powers and the complications they bring, and about all the guys in her life. I understand the fact that she is a teenager and that entitles her to a bit of angst and complaining, but come ON! Halfway through the book I wanted to just close it and throw it across the room... Zoey pissed me off so much. Instead of doing something about most of her problems, she just complained and complained...

I have a thing for strong female leads. Zoey is not one of them... and I don't mind a little weakness, but she really started to annoy me. She needs to grow up.

I also had another problem with this book... the convient coincidences. I know that events in a book have to lead up to other events, but it seemed just too obvious. Fantasy books should be a little believable... and this book was hardly that. Even if the events are unbelievable, the book should at least have a decent flow of events. But it just seemed like the authors threw Zoey in stupid situations just because they could, or to prove a point about something that's almost irrelevent.

Worst out of the series so far... but I am still hoping for better from Hunted, the fifth book in the series.

Inte(Re)view with Melissa Walker!

So, today is the day... for another Inte(Re)view!

This time, I Inte(Re)viewed someone extremely awesome... Melissa Walker! Melissa is the author of the highly fabulous Violet series (Violet on the Runway, Violet by Design, and Violet in Private-- click the links for my reviews of all three). She is also an extremely amazing person, and I feel extremely privileged to have done an Inte(Re)view with her.

Melissa's Website
Melissa's Blog
Melissa's Facebook
Melissa's MySpace

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Chelsie: Hi Melissa! It's so cool that you agreed to do an Inte(Re)view with me!

MW: I'm really glad to do it!

Chelsie: So, mind telling readers what we'll be discussing today?

MW: We're talking about Stephanie Kuehnert's I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE, which my book club is also reading this month (conveniently...)

Chelsie: That is convenient, since you've already read it. So, how about a brief summary for those who may not know much about the book?

MW: Sure. The book is the story of Emily Black, an aspiring rock star who's into the punk scene. Emily's mother left her when she was a baby, so she was raised by her dad. Emily always believed the myth that her mom left them to "follow the music." She and her two best friends are in a successful band, and she dreams that playing music will somehow lead her Mom back to her.

Chelsie: So what initially made you want to read this book? Was it the summary? The book cover (so perfect, by the way)? Or was it Stephanie herself, who happens to be a very very cool person?

MW: It was a combination of all three of those things. I had read some of Stephanie's blog before the book came out, and I realized that she really loves music, which made me all the more intrigued to read a book that it seemed like came from her heart.

The cover didn't hurt--it's so gorgeous!

Chelsie: And so, would you say that it met your expectations?

MW: It did. The thing that I really loved was the way Emily felt about the music. You could feel her emotions through the way she talked about playing in her band, and those descriptions were really powerful.

Chelsie: Would you say you connected with Emily and her passion for music: either as a musician or a music-lover? Or did you connect to her or any of the other characters in different ways?

MW: I'm a music lover and I have always admired hardcore girls like Emily from afar. The girls I thought were coolest in high school weren't the bubbly popular girls, they were the fringe girls like Emily, who seem to walk in their own, secure world. They seem wise somehow. And that rockstar style always gets me.

But in terms of connecting to characters, I really liked being able to see behind that facade I'd always admired and into Emily's real pain. It all made sense, and her highs and lows were so intense I really enjoyed taking the ride with her.

Chelsie: How did you like the way the book was written?

MW: I really liked it! I thought there was a real angst that came through on the page. And Stephanie wasn't afraid to linger on an uncomfortable moment. Sometimes things move too quickly in books, but I appreciated the time we got to spend with Emily--it made the scenes more powerful.

Chelsie: Having read the book before, I know exactly what you mean. There really was something so real and uncensored about it. Do you think that this honesty, that you don't see much in YA fiction anymore, will draw in unexpected readers? Or, rather, do you think that someone who may not like to read as much as you or I, would relate to this book more than they would any other book? (Side note: I hope that makes sense...)

MW: Interesting question. I remember reading that Stephanie wasn't thinking "YA" when she wrote it--and it's sometimes shelved with adult books. I bet that gave her some freedom that let her be uncensored, as you say. As a writer, I'll say that I sometimes hold back because I'm unsure whether the reader wants the intensity of certain emotions. But if Stephanie's an example, then she's a great argument for not holding back. I think the right readers will come to you--and love your work--if you write honestly. And she certainly did!

Chelsie: So, in this case, honesty is the best policy Speaking of honesty, how would you rate this novel on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best?

MW: I would say a 9. I truly loooved it. I'm only subtracting a point because I wanted more time with Luisa, Emily's mom. But that's a personal thing. Can I ask you for your input on that? How would you rate it and did you want anything more from the book?

Chelsie: Well, I rated it 4.9999 on a scale of 1-5, so on a scale of 1-10 that would be a 9.999999. And the reason I couldn't give it a perfect 10 (on the 10 point scale) is because of the beginning... I have personal issues with the first chapter, and how it gave a lot of backstory instead of building it up as the novel progressed. I would also agree with you about wanting more from Luisa, but that didn't affect my rating much.

MW: I hear you. I don't want to be putting words in Stephanie's mouth (again) but I remember her saying it used to have the POVs of a ton of different characters, and then she revised it so it was really Emily's story, and partly Luisa's, so I'm sure that affected things. In the end though, they were the two I wanted to see most, so I think that revise was wise. I also loved Emily's dad and their relationship.

Chelsie: I agree that the revision was a very good idea. Did you think that it might have helped her with character development in the final product to have initially written it with different POVs?

MW: Yes! I was thinking about that, and how JK Rowling knew all of her characters' full lives--even the very minor ones. Stephanie's characters also seemed really developed. That's really important for a successful book. Cardboard characters are so blah. *thinking I need to revise some characters in the book I'm working on! make them deeper!*

Chelsie: So, you loved the book... and you're definitely not alone! Is there anything else you'd like to share, about your opinion or about the book itself?

MW: Just that I've been impressed at Stephanie's ability to connect with readers of all ages. I know VENUS ZINE just named her book #2 (after David Sedaris) on its annual Hottt List, and that is amazingly cool. VENUS ZINE connects with 20- and 30-something DIY rocker type girls, and that audience can be really picky! So IWBYJR obviously speaks to people in various stages of life.

Oh, and I also love Stephanie's blog because she really puts herself out there in a way other authors tend not to do. That's a personal choice, but I love that she's somewhat raw in moments on her blog--it feels right, and reading it I feel like I know her a little.

(Hoping I don't sound like a stalker)

Chelsie: No, you don't sound like a stalker at all... I understand what you mean. As readers, it's good to really get to know an author on a deeper level. And I think that part of the reason I really liked Stephanie's novel is because I could imagine her writing it, and connecting with it.

MW: Exactly. In a way it felt like HER story, at least on some intangible level (not that her mom left her and all that!). I think that happens a lot with debut authors--that you can see them in their work--and it really worked for Stephanie.

Chelsie: Agreed. And anyone who has not read her blog or visited her MySpace page, I'll post links on the bottom of this blog post.

(Note: her blog is highly recommended.)

MW: Yes! A great blog with awesome features like "Women Who Rock Wednesday!"

Chelsie: So, anything else to add before I call this interview to a close?

MW: Just thanks for having me--this was really fun, and I feel more prepared for my book club now!

Chelsie: No problem! It was a pleasure doing an Inte(Re)view with a real published author. It gives me a tingly feeling inside!

MW: I'm sure more will want to join you soon--it's such a fun feature. Thanks, Chelsie!

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Needless to say... Melissa was awesome!

And, for more info on Stephanie Kuehnert:

Stephanie's Website

Stephanie's MySpace

Stephanie's Facebook

Stephanie's Blog

Buy I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone on Amazon

My Review of IWBYJR

Also, look for Stephanie's new novel, Ballads of Suburbia, to be released in July of '09!

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If you're interested in participating in an Inte(Re)view, please email me at bookluverreviews@hotmail.com

<3>

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Title: Tantalize

Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith

Summary:

Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf boyfriend is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever.Then as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their newly hired chef into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses - or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who's playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? Tantalize marks Cynthia Leitich Smith's delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.

Rating: 3.5/5

This review is taking me awhile to really form... most likely because I've already analyzed the death out of it for a book report for my English class. Either way, there's not much for me to really say.

Good:

This take on werewolves and vampires is entirely new to me... and I thought it was an interesting point of view. I wouldn't call it my favorite viewpoint, but there's kudos to be given for a decent novel with a new idea (the new idea not being the werewolf/vampire idea, but the way they were presented).

I also want to point out how incredibly fast this novel went by. It wouldn't feel like I was reading that much, but suddenly I was halfway through and then I just breezed to the end. There are some 300 page books I really struggle to finish; this was not one of them. I was done quickly.

Bad:

Yes, I was done quickly. But with very little real impact. The book was entertaining, but it didn't stick with me. I closed it at the end and looked at it, then promptly put it aside so I could finish my book report and move onto my next book. I didn't hover, like I do with the books that I really like. I was sort of indifferent when it came to a close.

In fact, I am kind of disappointed with the ending. The beginning was great; it was a fantastic introduction to an interesting story and one hell of a page-turner. But the ending came too fast, and it was too rushed. Somewhere between the beginning and the end, it turned from a semi-normal fantasy novel, to something that was just a bit too bizarre and creepy for my tastes.

Although, it wasn't so bizarre that I'm not going to read the sequel, Eternal, when it comes out in February.

Sovay by Celia Rees

Title: Sovay

Author: Celia Rees

Summary:

It’s England, 1783. When the rich and beautiful Sovay isn’t sitting for portraits, she’s donning a man’s cloak and robbing travelers—in broad daylight. But in a time when political allegiances between France and England are strained, a rogue bandit is not the only thing travelers fear. Spies abound, and rumors of sedition can quickly lead to disappearances. So when Sovay lifts the wallet of one of England’s most powerful and dangerous men, it’s not just her own identity she must hide, but that of her father. A dazzling historical saga in which the roles of thieves and gentry, good and bad, and men and women are interchanged to riveting effect.

Rating: 3/5

Review:

I am one of those people who is drawn to a book by it's cover. So, if I had never read anything by Celia Rees, I still would have wanted to read this book.

As it is, I am a big fan of hers, and so I wanted to read this book even more.

Sovay started out fairly decently. There's this girl named Sovay who is basically getting revenge on her fiance... so she dresses as a guy, pretends to be a highwayman, and steals all of his money. Which is good... an interesting and intriguing start to a novel. Right away I realized something about Celia Rees and why I like her books so much: she always has a strong female main character. At least out of all of her books I've read. And so I instantly liked Sovay: she was strong, and fascinating to learn about.

As the story progressed, I found myself... somewhat less drawn to it. Don't get me wrong, it was still good. But it was all over the place for me. One second it's about the revolution, the next it's about this guy or that guy, then it's about the revolution again, then it's about Sovay's most recent cross-dressing and robbing adventure. All of that in one book doesn't bother me, but it seemed like there was no decent transition. The point of the novel was lost on me... was it to emphasis the horrors of the French Revolution? Or was it a story about Sovay and a brief period of her life?

It didn't make much sense to me. It wasn't a bad book, by any means... and who knows, maybe I'm just being picky and judgemental. The book just didn't do it for me, sorry to say. So, if you're looking for a Celia Rees book to read, the one I would recommend would be Pirates!. It's definitely way better than Sovay.

Websites?

So, recently I've been thinking about finding a new addiction.

And what better to get addicted to than a new-to-me website?

(the answer to that is a book, but for the sake of this blog post we're just going to say that there's nothing better than finding new, interesting websites)

My problem, of course, is that I'm not sure where to look. So here is my question: what is your favorite website? Please, no Facebook or MySpace... I'm looking for something I maybe haven't heard of or tried out. And if you don't have any interesting websites in general, feel free to leave a link to another blog that you like or that you think is interesting.

So... we'll see if I get any responses :)

Soon-to-be-addicted,
Chelsie

Waiting on Wednesday- First Edition!

Willow
Julia Hoban
April 2, 2009

Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy —one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down. Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her.

Yikes! I am jealous of all the lucky people who have ARCs... this book looks really, really good... and the reviews have all been good, so I am pumped up and ready for a book that I will absolutely love. I cannot wait for April 2nd so I can buy it :)

Teen Tuesday

teentuesday.blogspot.com

I am going to make a list... it will keep this post from getting too long.

1. Sovay by Celia Rees
2. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
3. Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth by Xiaolu Guo
4. 1/3 of Untamed by P.C. and Kristen Cast

Those are the 3.3333333 books I've read this past week, and I am very happy because that's practically more than I read the entire month of September.

Sovay was good; not amazing, but not bad at all.

Tantalize was definitely interesting; I am glad I read it, because it was a different take on the whole vampire/werewolf thing. It was good; not great, but good.

Twenty Fragments... was a short book that I've had since summer that I hadn't gotten to yet, until this past week. And it was actually good. Everyone once in awhile I need something different than my usual, and this was definitely a good kind of different. For one thing, it was set in Beijing, and for another there were actual pictures in this book... not an abundance of them, but every so often there would be a picture thrown in among the text.

My favorite picture was the picture of the Chinese McDonald's. I work at McDonald's, and I also happened to be in McDonald's when I read that part... so I was mildly amused =D

Anyways, that was my reading week. I hope I'm not the only person who posts this week =(

<3 Chelsie

not bookish, but still awesome

My girl Hope playing Face Down on the piano:



She's so awesome =D

<3 Chelsie

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I'm just going to take a free moment to say HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

=P How funny.

Anyways, Happy Thanksgiving, I am thankful this year to everyone who reads this post, and everyone who has viewed my blog, and especially the people who leave comments... I love you all!

What's everyone else thankful for this Thanksgiving?

<3 Chelsie