Review: Misfit by Jon Skovron

Misfit by Jon Skovron

Publication Date: August 1st, 2011

Published By: Amulet Books

Hardcover, 384 Pages

Source: ARC Tour- Blog Tour

Summary:

"Jael has always felt like a freak. She’s never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad’s always been superstrict—but that’s probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family’s dangerous history and Jael’s untapped potential. What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality. Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths.

Author Jon Skovron takes on the dark side of human nature with his signature funny, heartfelt prose."

Review: **** = 4 Stars

I believe this is going to be a book people either really like, or just don't care for. Lucky for me, I thouroughly enjoyed it. Jael is the main character and I both love and hate certain things about her. Overall, she is pretty badass(I mean, come on she IS half-demon), but she's also pretty reckless(doesn't think about consequences before she acts). Then again a lot of teenagers act before they think so I guess I can't really dislike her for that reason. Rob is introduced and becomes the love interest. He's one of my favorite characters from the book. 1) He's a skateboarder(I wish I could skateboard) and 2)He likes math/science(ME TOO!).

One thing that I could have gone without is all the religion stuff. I'm not religious in any way so it didn't offend me, but I don't care to read about it either. I can see how it was essential for the story though so I just read through it.

I really enjoyed how the author was able to add so much comedic relief into the story. It really made the whole novel much more rounded. It pretty much had it all, comedy, romance, action. It was light and dark and it also makes the reader think(always a plus)!

Another major plus for me was the parent's backstory. I'm a huge fan of backstories, and Skovron does not dissappoint. I love reading a story and going back in that story to see how things were or what happened.

Overall, this was a great story that will have readers engaged from the beginning to the end. A definite recommend for any YA fans out there!

*Make sure to stop by on August 4th to check out Jon Skovron's Ten's List for Misfits Blog Tour!*

Sherry<3

Epic Fail- Elise's Playlist & Giveaway!

Today I bring you Elise Benton's playlist. Elise is the main character from the upcoming Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik, which is to be released on August 2nd from HarperTeen. This story is a retelling of Pride & Prejudice and I absolutely LOVED it! Take a look at the songs Elise listed below (the choices make me love this this character even more!).

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Elise Benton’s “favorites” playlist on her iPod:

These are the songs I like to crank up when I actually get the house or the car to myself—which doesn’t happen nearly often enough, as far as I’m concerned. They all make me happy, even the sad songs, which I know sounds weird but there’s just something about every one of these songs that gets to me in a good way. I’ve added a note to each one to explain why I love it. -- Elise.

1. Adele, Rolling in the Deep (Adele’s a goddess. Period.)

2. Mumford and Sons, After the Storm (Spare, quiet, moving.)

3. Simon and Garfunkel, Scarborough Fair (Yes, it’s old. But sometimes you want to listen to a classic. Especially one that gives you chills like this one.)

4. Arctic Monkeys, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor (I was torn between this and Fluorescent Adolescent but this edged out for the win.)

5. Amy Winehouse, Valerie (Makes me happy.)

6. Weezer, Island in the Sun (Ditto.)

7. Vampire Weekend, Oxford Comma (Not to be played if Mom, Dad, or Kayla is within earshot—liberal use of the F-word—but smart and funny, and come on, a rock song about an obscure punctuation rule? It’s so nerdy it’s cool.)

8. Regina Spektor, Hero (“I’m the hero of this story, I don’t need to be saved”—every girl needs to repeat that to herself about ten million times, especially one of my sisters who shall go nameless)

9. Florence and the Machine, Between Two Lungs (Flo rocks it out like no one else.)

10. The Shins, Australia (Fun, bouncy, virtually impossible to sing along to.)

Also, fell free to check out Elise Benton's Playlist on Itunes! Just click the link below:

http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/elise-bentons-best-songs-ever/id449946670

*****

GIVEAWAY!

As part of the blog tour, there is also a giveaway for a copy of Epic Fail & a stress ball!

This is a US ONLY contest and you have 7 days to enter.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment in the comment section (there are no requirements other than the winner must have a US mailing address!)

Good luck!

*****

Thanks to Teen Book Scene for organizing this blog tour and to Claire for supplying Elise's Playlist!

Sherry<3

Author Interview: Jennifer Estep (Touch of Frost)

As part of the blog tour for the upcoming Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep, I got to ask Jennifer a few questions for the blog.

Please welcome Jennifer!

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Greetings and salutations! First of all, I want to thank Sherry for having me on the blog today. Thanks so much, Sherry!

Flipping Pages for All Ages: Describe yourself in five words OR Use the letters of your first name to describe yourself.

Jennifer Estep: Sassy, sarcastic, sugar-addict, bookaholic, geek

FPfAA: How does writing for young adults differ from writing for adults?

Jennifer: It’s definitely been a fun challenge for me to write a young adult series with my Mythos Academy books. My adult books are pretty dark and gritty so it was nice to write something a little lighter, but that still has a lot of action, magic, and danger in it.

Plus, there are so many elements that go into writing YA – capturing your heroine’s journey, finding her voice, showing her growing up, world building, even developing a romance. It’s a tough balancing act to juggle all of those things, but you always want to stretch and grow as a writer, and I thought writing a YA series would be one way to do that. So far, I’m having a blast writing YA.

Hopefully, folks will have as much fun reading Touch of Frost and the other books in the series as I did writing them.

FPfAA: Favorite social network(or the one you spend the most time on)?

Jennifer: I probably spend the most time seeing what folks are buzzing about on Twitter, but I also really like Goodreads. It’s great for finding new authors and books, and it’s a cool way to keep up with the books that I’ve read. Plus, I’m always surfing book blogs to see what new books are coming out and to find new authors to read. Can you tell that I spend way too much time online? LOL.

FPfAA: What items do you never leave the house without? (i.e pen, paper, nail polish..)

Jennifer: Lip balm, tissues, sunglasses, and a book or two to read

FPfAA: You have a time machine. Do you travel to the past or future (why)?

Jennifer: I think I would go to the past. I love reading stories about the American West, and I think it would be cool to travel back in time and see it for myself.

*****

Jennifer Estep writes the Mythos Acad¬emy young adult urban fan¬tasy series for Kens¬ing¬ton. The books focus on Gwen Frost, a 17-year-old Gypsy girl who has the gift of psy¬chom¬e¬try, or the abil¬ity to know an object’s his¬tory just by touch¬ing it. After a seri¬ous freak-out with her magic, Gwen is shipped off to Mythos Acad¬emy, a school for the descen¬dants of ancient war-riors like Spar¬tans, Valkyries, Ama¬zons, and more.

Touch of Frost, the first book in the series, will be published on July 26. First Frost, a prequel e-story to the series, is available now as a 99-cent download. Kiss of Frost, the second book, will hit shelves on Nov. 29. Visit www.jenniferestep.com for excerpts and more information.

For contests, extra content and more information about Kensington’s Kteen Academy, please visit: www.facebook.com/kteenbooks

*****

Thanks to Teen Book Scene for the blog tour and to Jennifer for answering my questions!!

Look out for my review on August 10th!

Sherry<3

Early Buzz Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: November 15th, 2011

Published By: HarperTeen

Hardcover, 352 Pages

Source: Received from publisher for an honest review

Summary:

"Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel."

My Review: ***** = 5 Stars

(Spoiler-FREE review)

This has to be one of the toughest reviews I have ever written. Whether I write it now, a month before it comes out, or a month after, there is so much I cannot include if I don't want to spoil all of you out there that have not had the pleasure of reading it yet, and I REALLY don't want to spoil it for you. I will do my best to get my feelings across, and I will certainly not spoil anything for you.

I'll start with how I feel about the book overall. This truly is a beautiful book. With beautiful writing and characterization and words that will make you fall in love<3. It is so well written.. I couldn't have been happier with what I was reading, and how it was written, and that it was living up to my expections, even exceeding them.

Juliette is a complicated character. She is not the weakling girl that everyone has to take care of, nor is she the strong amazing never fail girl that can do it all. She has flaws, but she handles them with grace. Her main flaw or gift (to be deterimined while you read the book), is the power to kill with her touch, and this is very much what makes her so complicated. Her story is very much a heartbreaking one, but she grows and allows her heartbreak to also heal her.

The introduction of Adam, who you will learn all about when you read the book, is quite genius. The chemistry between Juliette and Adam is off the charts. Unfortunately, that is all I will say on this subject. ;)

Throughout the novel, there are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. The character relationships and backstories were some of my very favorite parts of this novel. Probably some of my favorites from any novel (especially the backstories, Tahereh Mafi YOU'RE BRILLIANT!)...

Now I'll talk about what I didn't like. It's not enough to change my overall feelings, which is that this book is stunning and amazing, but I did feel that there were some things that if done differently could have made this book a masterpiece and not just close to perfect. The first half of the book, and the second half, had a very different feel to them. In the first half, the focus is on Juliette. Her story, backstory, how she has changed, what is going on with her internally etc. I really loved her internal stuggle, and how Mafi conveys that to us in the writing. It was definitely the most interesting and intriguing writing in the entire book. Near the halfway point though, the internal thoughts kind of fade away. Juliette's side thoughts are taken out. I know the book is moving forward and as the character changes, so must the story, but I really wish that part of Juliette stayed throughout the entire novel. Also, near the end of the book there is a huge twist. It definitely isn't bad so don't get all worried. But part of me feels that with this twist, it took Shatter Me and turned it from an amazingly unique one of a kind novel, into something we have seen before. It's very hard to explain without being able to tell you why I feel that way, but there you have it.

 Now please don't let this deduct from all of what I have previously said.
 THIS IS STILL AN AMAZING BOOK! I love it, and I have no doubts that most everybody will too.

One of the best of the year by far and without a doubt.

I definitely recommend this to any fan of anything. This isn't something you want to miss.

On a side note... let's talk about the cover^^^! I have waited to post this review until the cover was released, which was earlier today. This cover is just as stunning as the book itself, and it fits it perfectly. Mad props to HarperTeen on an outstanding job with this one!

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Shatter Me is now available for Pre-Order. Check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders to pre-order yours now!

Want to learn more about debut author Tahereh Mafi? Check out her blog, tumblr or twitter page!

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Sherry<3

Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Publication Date: June 7th, 2011

Published By: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Hardcover, 288 Pages

Source: Review Copy received from Big Honcho Media for honest review

Summary:

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies."

Review: *** 1/2 Stars

Forgotten was a great debut from author Cat Patrick. It deals with a girl named London that has a unique problem. She can't remember anything from her past, but she can remember things from her future. It makes for an interesting storyline, albeit a confusing one. Until you really understand what is going on, you have to think about what it means to forget your past, and remember your future (see are you confused yet??).

London was a memorable main character that you can't help but feel symphathy for with her unique problem/condition/whatever you want to call it. I enjoyed how the author wrote about London's life, how the character lived with her problem. However I don't think it is very possible. The only people that knew of London's problem was London, her best friend Jamie, and her mother. I can understand her writing notes about what happened every night, but to be able to pull off everyday that you remember everyone and everything that has happened is just... unrealistic in my opinion. Interesting and entertaining definitely though.

Throw in a cute guy with whom she doesn't remember (she remembers her future, and she sees him at school and has no recolletion of him from her future) and that adds some mystery and intrigue to the story (even more so than before), not to mention some great chemistry between Luke and London.

Overall, a good book, that keeps you interested from the start. Also, plenty of twists to keep you wanting more.

Learn more about debut author Cat Patrick at her webpage.

Sherry<3

I have a computer... finally!

So for the past three and a half weeks I haven't had a computer to use. I've been tweeting and keeping up with the blogging world (or trying to) from my phone and iPad (which has potential but you certainly can't do posts and such on it, and if you can someone please teach me!).

Anywho, I haven't had access to posting reviews or anything. I have some stuff planned to go up pronto, that should have been posted in the past two weeks, and I apologize to the those that were supposed to have reviews go up (certain blog tours and special giveaways and such). I will be getting the up asap and I won't have to worry about lack of a computer anymore because I just got a new laptop (thank the lord!!!).

Once again, I apologize for the inconvience.

Please check back on Wednesday for a review of Forgotten by Cat Patrick and a Forgotten Prize Pack Giveaway!

Sherry<3