Book Gorge: The Goodbye Season & Other Upcoming Books

Book Gorge is a list of "to-be released" books I'm looking forward to reading. This is a great opportunity to grab a pen and jot down these books! Till next week, wish big and happy reading...

This week I'm really, really looking forward to reading My Boyfriend's Dogs, The Other Side of Blue, and The Goodbye Season! Do you see anything YOU like?

The Goodbye Season by Marian Hale

(Oct. 13)

The Indigo Notebook by Laura Resau

(Oct. 13)

The Other Side of Blue by Valerie O. Patterson

(Oct. 19)

Blessing's Beads by Debby D. Edwardson

Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham

Green by Laura Petyton Roberts

My Boyfriend's Dogs by Dandi Daley Mackall

Ruined: A Ghost Story by Paula Morris + GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

When Rebecca Brown goes to New Orleans to stay with her voodoo-obsessed aunt, she finds the beautiful city haunted by the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Rebecca is also startled to discover a haunting of a different kind: near a graveyard one night, amid the Spanish moss and beneath the moonlight, she meets a ghost girl named Lisette, who has been dead for 150 years. Lisette helps Rebecca unearth an ancient mystery in her aunt’s house, along with some troubling historical truths. Meanwhile, Rebecca must juggle adjusting to her snooty new prep school, developing a serious crush on a handsome boy, and dealing with an elite group of popular girls who may be linked to the ghostly mystery themselves. - from book jacket

******

Ruined is a great book. I can’t remember the last I actually loved, no wait....LOVED this book!! Why did I enjoy it so much? First all it takes place in New Orleans. I’ve “heard” of New Orleans for as long as I can remember. To me it’s a place of mystery, history, and dark secrets. New Orleans is the capitol of authentic vood-doo (besides Haiti), grave-yards, and parties. What could be more forbidden and dark? Remember The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (Nancy Drew)? Spooky.

New Orleans been “ruined” several times in the past and since Madri-Gra is held there every year, some say it’s the evilest city in the Americas since the days of Port Royal.* [Arrr, ahoy there mateys!]

Second of all, this book is a “ghost story”. I mean, who could resist, right?

The characters of Ruined are just as mysterious and exciting as the story itself. Rebecca is a great character and reminded me of myself. Okay so, maybe I wouldn’t go snooping around in the cemetery at night, but hey, I love adventure.

The “old-line” or elite families of New Orleans is another mysterious addition to the book. I don’t doubt at all that there is a really are clicks like these in New Orleans or even the “krewes” who participate in the Madi-Gra parades. On top of the all neat characters and ghosts of New Orleans, there’s a curse. Feel the excitement yet?

The only thing I am unhappy with about Ruined is that it ended way too fast! I wanted to know what happened to Rebecca after-oops, can’t say. You get the picture though.

Overall, Ruined is a breathtaking story of a wronged murder in the dark, magical city of New Orleans. I highly recommend to any teen looking for adventure with a dash of romance and, of course, ghosts. Just one question. When Morris’s next book out?!

* Port Royal was a city located on Jamaica. It was a popular hang-out with pirates and served as a major trading and slave port for the British Empire. In 1692, shortly after Henry Morgan’s reign as governor, Port Royal was destroyed by a huge hurricane/storm and was never re-built.

Paula Morris is orginally from New Zealand and has lived in various different cities around the world, including New Orleans. She teaches creative writing at Tulane University in New Orleans. Paula has written several YA novels and short stories; Queen of Beauty was her first novel.

|Pages: 315|Year Published: Aug. 2009|Publisher: Point|

|Genre: Ghost story, suspense, mystery, teen romance|

|Age Group: YA, ages 12+|Content: None|

|Enjoyed It: 5/5|Content Rating: 5/5|Cover: 5/5| (NEW!)

|Overall Rating|

Special thanks to Dina at Point with Big Honcho Media!

Contest for Ruined

Not sure about Ruined ? Don't take my word for it, read it yourself! Here's your chance to win a copy of Ruined!

The What - 5 copies of Ruined

The Who - US residents ONLY

The When - Ends October 12th, 12pm EST.

The How - Since Ruined takes place in the famous city of New Orleans, to enter, leave a comment telling me about what your hometown is "famous" for.

Extra Entries - +2) if you start following

+1) post about this contest elsewhere (leave link for proof)

+2) add me to your blogroll

WINNERS of The Stone Child

The 3 winners for The Stone Child by Dan Poblicki are:

Girl With the Braids

Katie

Roxie

Congrats guys! You should get an email from me shortly. For those of you who entered this contest, I request that you leave a comment telling me about a spooky local legend or inspiration for a sleep-over ghost story.

Here's what the winners had to say:

Girl With the Braids - "My favorite ghost stories come from Scary Stories and More Scary Stories. They creep me out! Especially when my friend reads them in an old lady voice."

Katie - "My favorite ghost story is one I actually heard in a class. In Spanish, they told us the story of the Chupacabra, a blood-sucking creature that is of an unknown breed. It's not really scary for me now but it was when the story was first told!"

Hey Kaite! People have found supposed Chupacabras very near where I live! In fact, one was just shot a few months back. They call them "Chupacabras" because the ranchers don't know what they are! The animals really only look like hairless coyotes but it's sooo weird!

Roxie - "This is actually a fact. In the building I now work in which is the Public Library here in a small town of New Mexico. There’s a saying that in our children’s department (this is located downstairs) you can hear voices, voices of children. I once myself heard kids talking and I was the only one downstairs covering a shift for a coworker. Also we have a Young Primary shelf and you can display the books, when I was there working on a craft one of the books fell and I was completely alone (this shelf in next to the circulation desk) If you take a look at the shelf someone has to knock the book down. So finally I went to pick it up and put it back on the shelf as I was sitting down it fell again. It makes you think and believe."

Here's a book trail or for The Stone Child I made a few weeks ago.

Breathless by Jessica Warman

When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school by her distant father and overbearing mother, it doesn’t take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She’s smart, she’s cute, and she’s an Olympic-bound swimmer who has a first class ticket to any Ivy League school of her choice. But what her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don’t know is that Katie is swimming away from her past, and from her schizophrenic older brother, Will, who won’t let her go. And when he does the unthinkable, it’s all Katie can do to keep her head above water. - book jacket

****

Breathless is an extremely emotional, edgy memoir-like story about a girl who's brother is mentally ill and frankly, it's a not worth the eye strain. If the topic doesn't make you sick, then the characters will. Katie is filled with anger for her parents and is deeply embarrassed by her brother. All katie wanted was attention and since her parents were never around, her brother should have been there. But he wasn't. Will is a complete mess and constantly finds ways to try to kill himself. After Katie is sent away to a prestigious boarding school, she experiences even more messes.

The entire book covers Katie's last three years of high school where she manages to become the swim captain, cheats on her boyfriend, and finally forgives her parents.

Breathless is all over the place and there is no definite plot. I really disliked how Warman referred to drinking, smoking pot, etc. as "normal teenage stuff". Define normal again for me please?

I can't figure out why you would want to go and publish a book about nothing but junk for teenagers! We have to deal with this kinda of stuff in everyday life and you want us to go and read about it too? No thanks.

All in all, Breathless may sounds like a "good" read, but it is not. It's full of sad, depressing things and I would not recommend to teenagers or even adults.

Read: 311 Year Published: August 2009 Publisher: Walker

Genre: Contemporary, teen romance, drama

Content: Teen drinking, drug references,some sexual situations, and

language

Enjoyed It:1/5 Rating: 1/5

The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher

Alice and Jewel have been best friends since grade school. Together, they don’t need anyone else, and together they blend into the background of high school. Invisible. To Alice, Jewel is the opposite of invisible. Jewel is her best friend who goes to Indie concerts and art shows with her. Jewel scoffs at school dances with her. Alice is so comfortable around Jewel that she can talk to him about almost anything. But she can’t tell him that she likes the cool, popular Simon. And then Simon asks her to the school dance the same day that Jewel kisses her for the first time. Still, she can’t say no to Simon. He seems like the easy choice, the one she’s attracted to, the one she’s ready for. But will it mean losing Jewel? In a bright debut novel set against the lively backdrop of Seattle, Alice must learn the difference between love and a crush, and what it means to be yourself when you’re not sure who that is yet. - book jacket

*******

The Opposite of Invisible started out pretty much like any other romance novel. I really liked the scenery of Seattle and I LOVED the part where Jewel (Julian) and Alice visit the troll of Seattle. Alice's parents and Jewel were all such whimsical characters, I hated when the story had to change. When Alice falls head-over-heels for the quarterback, everything deflated. Alice hooks-up with Simon she goes from being a smart, artsy girl to playing brainless head games. She thinks constantly about how she hurt Jewel [gasp] and is never satisfied. Alice's character kind of “turned me off” for the rest of the book, so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.

Another downside to this book was that is was predictable. With romance novels, I want to be kept guessing and not know how the story is going to end. I also got the constant feeling everything was being rushed; especially toward the end.

Despite it's flaws, I could see many teens relating to Alice and her dream of becoming noticed. The Opposite of Invisible contains a message of friendship and explores the difference between true love and a simple crush. There is also something "magical" about the way Gallagher displayed her characters and backdrops, so I will give a her thumbs-up on that. Just make us keep guessing next time.

Overall, The Opposite of Invisible is nothing unique and I don't think I'd go out of my way just to read it.

Pages: 160 Year Published: 2008 Publisher: Wendy Lamb

Genre: Contemporary, teen romance Age Group: YA, ages 15+

Content: Several sexual situations and teen drinking

Enjoyed It: 3/5 Rating: (based on content)

In My Mailbox (8)

For Review

Ruined by Paula Morris

Sliding on the Edge by C. Lee McKenzie

Borrowed

Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life. - book jacket

******

Hate List is probably one of the most complex and compelling stories ever written about pain and how simple words, thoughts, or gestures can turn into a unthinkable disaster. There's not many books that explore the power of hate and what it can do if you don't understand what you're dealing with. Take a disaster event for example. People become inhuman, and sadly, we test that everyday. If something terrible were to happen in your community, people start to blame. Blame turns into anger, anger turns into hate, etc.

This is perfect example of that, and cuts even deeper with a message not only of consequences, but how family life can also shape a situation, or a persons thoughts and decisions.

I can't say Hate List was an enjoyable book to read since it was about a shooting and other gloomy topics, but I definitely think teens should give it a try. This book contains a valuable message to teens about knowing what the difference between hating someone or thinking they hate someone. Things like that are dangerous, as Valerie learns the hard way. Don't let yourself use words like hate in a jk manner. Read Hate List and you'll see why.

Overall, Brown did a stunning job on presenting an tough topic and following the main character through her family drama, pain, and extraordinary recovery.

Hat List is now available in bookstores near you!

Pages: 405 Year Published: Sept. 2009 Publisher: Little Brown

Genre: Contemporary, tragedy, family drama

Age Group: YA, ages 14+

Content: Graphic descriptions of shooting, some language,

and other depressing situations

Enjoyed It: 4/5 Rating: (based on content)

Special thanks to Jennifer and Little Brown for sending me this book.

Guest Post on the Word Ninjas!

Several weeks ago, C. Lee McKenzie, the author of Sliding on the Edge, asked me to do a guest post with the Ninjas. I was so excited and I had fun writing about the theme: "Back to School". You can check out my guest post Here.

Also, I am being a very naughty blogger and I have post a review in like a week! Uh, oh. :(

The reason I've been slacking is because #1 school work and #2 I'm starting a book club. Yes, my very own book club. Our first meeting is tomorrow. I'll be sure to post something about it later this week!

The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki

What if the monsters from your favorite horror books were real? Eddie Fennicks has always been a loner, content to lose himself in a mystery novel by his favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead. That’s why moving to the small town of Gatesweed becomes a dream come true when Eddie discovers that Olmstead lived there before mysteriously disappearing thirteen years ago. Even better, Eddie finds a handwritten, never-before-seen Nathaniel Olmstead book printed in code and befriends Harris, who’s as much an Olmsteady as he is. But then the frightening creatures of Olmstead’s books begin to show up in real life, and Eddie’s dream turns into a nightmare. Eddie, Harris, and their new friend, Maggie, must break Olmstead’s code, banish all gremlins and monster lake-dogs from the town of Gatesweed, and solve the mystery of the missing author, all before Eddie’s mom finishes writing her own tale of terror and brings to life the scariest creature of all. - book jacket

.........

From angry trolls, a missing author, and a curse as old as time, The Stone Child is a magical read filled with terrifying creatures and amazingly scary fun.

I really enjoyed reading The Stone Child because, though it was scary enough to make your skin crawl, it has a good vs. evil plot and a creative “book within a book” style. This book is perfect for anyone who, like myself, enjoys horror stories that give you a good adrenaline rush, but doesn’t keep you up at night.

The Stone Child keeps you on your toes with brave, but curious characters; secret codes and myths about ancient times; and an eerie eye-view of the haunts of Gatesweed. It was a lot of fun to read, and even though the red-eyed dogs really gave me the creeps, they were by far my favorite “monster”.

With it’s magical, detailed narrative and stunning ending, I think readers will never forget The Stone Child. (I know I’ll never forget that troll!) Poblocki has such a neat imagination, I am really looking forward to reading more of his books!

All in all, from the very first sentence to the last paragraph, The Stone Child will capture your attention with frightful adventure and a world of monsters than will only go away if you can discover the key to the stone child. Just make sure you stay away from the lake....trust me.

Dan Poblocki has always loved telling frightening stories and scaring his friends. So much in fact, that his mother began receiving phone calls from angry parents. He decided to write the stories instead. Dan and his magical imagination live in Brooklyn, NY. This is his first novel.

For more info on The Stone Child, go it's Shelfari page, where I have updated it with the first sentence, a short summery, and a list of characters.

See my book trailer for The Stone Child!

Pages: 274 Year Published: August 2009 Publisher: Random House

Genre: Thriller, suspense, mystery, horror Age Group: YA, ages 12+

Content: Monsters and horror Enjoyed It: 4/5 Rating: 4/5

Special thank-you to Casey at Random House for sending me this book!

Book Gorge - Blades of Snow

Book Gorge is an original creation by BLT.

Book Gorge is a list of "to-be released" books I'm looking forward to reading. This is a great opportunity to grab a pen and jot down these books! Till next week, wish big and happy reading...

I'm really excited about this week's books. I am dying to read both The Red Necklace and it's sequel. I also can't wait to read Suite Scarlet's sequel and Year of the Horse.

The Silver Blade (sequel to The Red Necklace) by Sally Gardener

Sept. 17

Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown

Sept. 17

Year of the Horse by Justin Allen

Oct. 1

Bad Apple by Laura Ruby

Oct. 6

Snow Queen by Emma Harrison (aka Kieran Scott)

Nov. 24

The Mark by Jen Nadol

Jan. 19, 2010

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Feb. 1, 2010

In the Path of Falling Objects by Andrew Smith

Sept. 29

Blog Tour: Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

What really happened to Anastasia Romanov? Anastasia Romanov thought she would never feel more alone than when the gunfire started and her family began to fall around her. Surely the bullets would come for her next. But they didn't. Instead, two gnarled old hands reached for her. When she wakes up she discovers that she is in the ancient hut of the witch Baba Yaga, and that some things are worse than being dead. In modern-day Chicago, Anne doesn't know much about Russian history. She is more concerned about getting into a good college—until the dreams start. She is somewhere else. She is someone else. And she is sharing a small room with a very old woman. The vivid dreams startle her, but not until a handsome stranger offers to explain them does she realize her life is going to change forever. She is the only one who can save Anastasia. But, Anastasia is having her own dreams… - book jacket

.......

With a mixture of paranormal fantasy, contemporary and historical fiction, Dreaming Anastasia is a magical tale of dreams, folklore, and of course, Anastasia.

I enjoyed Dreaming Anastasia not just for the unique build on the mysterious disappearance of Anastasia Romanov, but for the stunning writing and backdrops of this book. From the streets of Chicago to the forest of Baba Yaga, Preble did a fantastic job on her debut novel!

The characters were well created and I really loved reading what three different people were thinking: Anne, Ethan, and Anastasia. I'm glad Preble scattered tiny tid bits of history throughout the book for those who aren't too familiar with the Romanov family; it was fun too see a different take rather than the well-worn tales of finding the real Anastasia still alive.

When the story of Baba Yaga (a Russian tale similar to Cinderella) was introduced in the book, I was a bit unsure it wold work in the story. Although the idea was still a bit odd at times, it still fits the plot because of it's magical effect on Anne and Anastasia's curse. It just wouldn't be Dreaming Anastasia without a dash of Russian folklore. Besides the Baba Yaga, the secret Brotherhood, and the spell, Preble also added lots of action that brought the book to a whole different level.

Overall, Dreaming Anastasia is a novel filled with magic, love, and dreams that will enchant readers long after the last page. I look forward to reading more by Preble!

See guest post with Preble

Joy Preble grew up in Chicago. She has an English degree from NU and teaches English to high school students in Texas. This is her first novel. Visit joypreble.com

Pages: 302 Year Published: Sept. 2009 Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical fiction Age Group: YA, ages 14+

Content: Some graphic violence and sexual references

Enjoyed It: 4/5 Rating: (based on content)

Special thanks to Paul at Sourcebooks for sending me this book!