HUGE Back-To-School ARC Giveaway right here!

What better way to get into the swing of things than with an awesome back-to-school giveaway filled to the brim with ARCs (some signed!) of books I'm sure everyone's been dying to read about?

Something wicked this way comes

Well, those awesome people over at Reading Teen is doing exactly that (and making the transition back to school a whole lot easier for me)! You have 'til September 24 to enter and you can even be eligible for more entries if you tweet a whole lot 'til then.

Seriously, what have you got to lose? I know I'm eyeing The DUFF in that pile (though it certainly is hard to pick just one!).

So come on, go enter! You know you want to.

At First Sight by Catherine Hapka (Simon Romantic Comedies)

Description from Goodreads:

In At First Sight, when Lauren meets the perfect guy at the planetarium, she feels like the stars have finally aligned in her favor. The only problem is she met him in the dark and they never got a good look at each other… or got each other’s names.

Now, Lauren must take matters into her own hands and find the mystery guy before she loses him forever.

I was in the mood for one of those lighthearted, delightful little books with a cutesy premise and a swoon-worthy romance. Suffice to say, I didn't get exactly what I wanted.

At First Sight definitely has the cutesy premise down to pat. There's Lauren, the girl who constantly plays it safe, the one who perpetually lives in her effervescent best friend Britt's flirtatious shadow.

Then there's the mysterious cuter-than-cute guy wearing a Maybe There is a Beast shirt she spies across from her during the planetarium trip. During said trip, they have an insane connection and both of them know that this is the promise of something really special.

But oh my good gosh, they don't know each other's names! How will they find each other in that sea of fish? Simple! Facebook. Duh.

This came across as fresh at first. It came with some realistic teen dialogue, though some of the slang used got me a bit confused since I'm not exactly 'hip with the cool kids'. There were a couple of awkward bits but that's just a minor complaint.

The thing is, it got a bit tedious because of Lauren's internal conflict with the constant "No, I need to play it safe. Oh, but at the same time, I just want to break loose!" going on. Don't get me wrong, I'm cautious too, but I just thought this went on for far too long, the constant back and forth.

And what was the deal with Riley? I mean, I liked him, but I didn't really feel this supposed special connection. I was told about it, but it didn't make me feel it. And that twist at the end seemed very out of character--and very thickheaded of him too. By the end, I wasn't convinced; it was just too little, too late.

This book did have some redeeming qualities to it: I loved Lauren's parents, and I wish they could have been fleshed out a bit more. Britt, while typically boy-crazy, was a pretty nice character. And some of Riley's friends stood out because of their personalities.

Overall, I suppose it was a cute read at first that quickly turned tedious. Not exactly my type of romantic comedy, but there you go.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather.

When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest, and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize, Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare. . . .

Shrinking Violet was a pretty darn cute book--and very nicely written, considering that it was Danielle Joseph's debut novel.

Really, it was quite lovely, especially the ending (which I just swooned over) and a realistic and poignant plot. Yet in hindsight, I'd have to give it a 3.5. Let me explain.

For starters, the tantalizing summary at the back got me thinking that this was going to be a fast-paced book; on the contrary, it takes a while for Tere to muster up enough confidence to talk (with more than one-word answers) to becoming a DJ for The SLAM. At the time, I really wanted a light book with a fast plot, so I suppose all it takes for that kink to straighten itself out is the proper mood.

Being a shy person myself, I was able to relate to Tere on a number of levels--and her character got me flipping the pages to see how the author was going cure her extreme shyness. While I thought her development was a little choppy and could've used a bit more smoothing out, it was fun to watch Tere (or Sweet T) finally gain some confidence. She was such an underdog that I really wanted to see her speak her rather self-deprecatingly humourous, intelligent mind.

That said, the supporting characters and antagonists fell a little flat for me. I had problems particularly Tere's mother (whom I definitely could not sympathize with) and Stacy, mean girl extraordinaire. Though the reason for her mother's callous treatment is given, I didn't think there was enough build-up in the book to actually make the sentiment stick. And personally, I just didn't get why popular girl Stacy would want to pick on shy Tere.

I really wish that Audrey, Tere's best friend, got more screen time. She was a character who had potential and could've made the reading experience richer. And I definitely wanted more Gavin, who was Tere's utterly sweet, cute love interest! Theirs was a very cutely done romance and I wanted more interaction between them.

Joseph's writing style was solid laced with some poetic imagery and shots of humour. And the themes of image, identity and confidence are explored adequately in this novel, so I'd recommend giving it a try.

Overall, I would say that Shrinking Violet is a pretty good debut novel; it just needed a little bit of tweaking with the characters, is all.. I'd totally give Danielle Joseph another try--Indigo Blues sounds awesome!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (added .5 for the predictable but sweet, sweet ending!)

Yay Or, I found another giveaway!

Woopdeedoo, so I'm guessing you were either intrigued by my title, or you just really want some new books, or both. Whatever, you found your way here. Enough with the dilly-dallying; here's the latest giveaway I happened to stumble upon.




Yep, that's right. These two beauties are being given away at Jade Hears Voices until August 30th internationally. Isn't that just wonderful?

And oh my gosh, check THIS one out for size!



No, your eyes are not deceiving you. A sweet-looking hardcover of Mockingjay is being given away at P. J. Hoover's blog ROOTS IN MYTH until September 3, 2010 (which is the last Friday of summer, boo hoo!). Internationally too, I'd like to add.

So go ahead and enter both of these awesome giveaways--you know you want to!

Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones

It takes just a moment for fifteen-year-old Branwen's life to change forever. In the blink of an eye the Saxons attack and her brother is killed. Almost as quickly, she is sent away from her home to a neighboring stronghold where she'll be safe from harm. Now Branwen lives as a princess should—surrounded by exquisite things and lavish quarters. But deep down remains the soul of a warrior.

Just when Branwen is sure she has been pushed to her limits, a chance encounter with a mystical woman in white forces her to question everything—and everyone—around her. With no time to lose, Branwen must make a choice: continue in the path her parents intended for her . . . or step into the role of true Warrior Princess.

Beautiful. That was the first word I thought of as soon as I finished this book. I'm serious. Warrior Princess is one of those finely-crafted fantasy novels where nothing feels forced and everything just flows.

Jones has an impeccable writing style--descriptive and quite delicious. It simply involves you into the story; it gets your imagination going, your heart racing and your mind hurrying to catch up.

This was the book that set me onto my brief I-am-going-to-read-everything-about-historical-Europe phase. It's just that good.

I mean, sure, the pace sometimes bogs down a bit. There was quite a bit of description at times; I can only take so much exposition, you know? There were also some times when I got irritated with the main character, Branwen, but maybe that was just me. But the way her character developed was done so smoothly that it soothed all those flare-ups of frustration like a balm. Pardon the purple prose.

And the plot? Ah, but it was magical; literally. Here's hoping I don't sound too redundant: ancient magic, prophecies, a dash of romance, heart-pounding action--need I say more? Add in some rousing ballads, strong characters whom you genuinely want to get to know (and can definitely relate to), and a fascinating, detailed look into historical Europe and you've got yourself a winner.

The cover's a nice bonus too. It's what drew me into picking up the book in the first place.

I am so looking forward to picking up the next in the series, Destiny's Path. Now if I can just get through all 50 of these books before their due dates...

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends -- her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.

Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

Wow. Just wow. Reading this novel was truly a heart-wrenching experience. If you need more convincing on that point, how's about I tell you that it took me three weeks to read this book?

And this isn't because it was mind-numbingly boring, nor were there any slips in the writing (more on this later). It was simply because the story tore into me so much that, at one point, even though I was only 50 pages away from the end I just had to stop.

I didn't pick up the book until two weeks later, when I thought I would be able to handle it.

This was an uncharacteristic move on my part. Living Dead Girl, at that point, couldn't have me flipping the pages fast enough. The writing is stark in that it simply cuts through you kind of way, and the way Elizabeth Scott paints pictures and scenes without resorting to overly descriptive or gruesome language is remarkable.

Again, it just slices through you. The emotions are presented to you right there with no pretense. The narrative flows with brutal elegance. And with the way it was written, it could easily have been a novel in verse; it was broken poetry, pieced together in a fragile, sharp fashion.

Our protagonist, Alice, was human. She evolved. She made you feel. Her character was painted so frankly, with skill; she didn't ask you to like her, she had her faults. Just read it; you'll know what I mean.

And the antagonist, Ray, was a terror. He gave me the chills, he was that horrifying.

I just thought that maybe the other characters should have been a bit more developed. But really, that's just a minor quibble compared to how much I liked the book.

Reading Living Dead Girl was one of those dark, visceral experiences that I'll never forget. Even after two weeks of staying away from the story, I couldn't let go. Every scene had been branded into my mind and no matter how hard I tried to distract myself, there it stayed at the back of my head. It's shocking, it's harrowing and it's important. It must be read.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Note: Due to some graphic content, I'd recommend this book for the older end of the YA spectrum: ages 15 and up.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Ellen is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

I picked up Princess of Glass purely because I am a) a seriously obsessed lover of fairytales b) I loved Poppy in Princess of the Midnight Ball and c) I was looking for a light read injected with substance, lovable characters, and some delicious fluttery buttery romance. Jessica Day George seemed like the author to deliver, and the blurb was sweet and spunky so I thought to myself, Hey, why not give it a spin?

And well, I suppose you could say I got exactly what I wanted. Partially.

Princess of Glass is an inventive, imaginative spin on the Cinderella story featuring a sinister fairy godmother (slash witch), a hapless, clumsy Ella, a strong, quick-witted princess and the requisite handsome prince. Needless to say, I love the angle that George retold the story from: in a land embellished with European flavour, where magic shimmers just beneath the surface, where fairytales can be lived out—but so can wars and battles. That’s where the story picks up: after the Westfalian-Analousian war, an uneasy, almost fragile peace looms. King Rupert takes advantage of this peace by arranging an international diplomacy exchange program, where the princesses and princes of each nation travel to each kingdom to get a feel of the culture and strengthens ties. But it’s actually a little more complicated than that: one of the (so-called) secret goals of this program is the potential of inter-kingdom marriage, and from there you can practically see the romance unfold. Prince Christian of Danelaw has been sent to Breton, and there he meets Princess Poppy of Westfalin. The classic boy-meets-girl, both are confused about their feelings for each other (but of course, it’s love) and then Cinderella, ahem, Lady Ella arrives to throw a monkey wrench into everything.

Honestly, with that much potential, it could have been a rollicking, awesome read. And for a while, that’s what I was reading: Poppy was fully-realized (still fresh, definitely), the rest of the characters were nicely developed, the prose was alright, splashes of humour brightened the place, and well, it was all fine and dandy. The thing is, though, I wasn’t buying Prince Christian—he seemed a bit dim and a little too one-dimensional for my taste—and when I don’t think the hero is worth the heroine, then I don’t quite buy the romance. And when that romance is put squarely in the centre of the book, I wouldn’t really say I was satisfied. I actually thought another character was more suitable for Poppy and I was rooting for the two of them to get together instead—alas, it couldn’t be. Another character, Lady Ella rang a bit flat as well. So when the revelations hit, I wasn’t particularly interested, or affected by any of them. I wasn’t convinced or sold by any of her actions.

There’s also the whole problem of the big climax. It got a bit too convoluted for my taste, and I was very, very confused. I’m still not entirely sure how the Big Bad Guy was defeated nor did I think the heroes laboured and sacrificed enough for it. I am by no means a bloodthirsty person, nor do I want buckets of violence in my fairytale retellings, but the end just seemed to ring a bit flat to me. I was really looking forward to this book and I was really liking it but that lacklustre ending was enough to leave me with a blank expression on my face and a “What? What?” clamouring to be answered. I did love enough of the book so I’m going to rate this a 3.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.

Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.

This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her. Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery, and her growing feelings for Sonny.

Wondrous Strange is one heck of a debut novel. I mean, holy heck, when I say that, I mean it. Lesley Livingston undoubtedly has a gift for writing; she has the uncanny ability of juggling multiple themes, characters (and their respective developments), settings and managing to draw them up as effortlessly as if she had plucked them out of thin air. Though most of the books I’ve read so far this summer are debuts, I think this is one of the better ones that deal with fantasy.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting so much out of this book. I have to be honest with you; certainly, similar to a lot of people out there, I’m inclined to be prejudiced towards today’s paranormal/supernatural books. I mean, I’ve always loved the genre, always cherished Faeries and the like but with the recent surge in interest, it seems that correspondingly there’s been a recent surge in published duds. Like pfffft duds. And I have no interest in wasting my time on reading those things. But after hearing a positive, albeit offhanded, comment about Wondrous Strange from a hard-to-please member of my school’s book club (“How was it?” “Oh, it was good.”), I thought that perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. It didn’t hurt when she mentioned that there was a horse in the bathtub in the book (!), which pretty much piqued my interest to voluminous heights.

So anyway, I put a hold on the book in my library and once I found a quiet little place where my cousin couldn’t disturb me, I started reading. And again, to be honest with you, the first chapter didn’t impress me much. Maybe it was the fact that I was half-asleep/half-awake, maybe it was because I was going through a bit of a “I-am-teenager-hear-me-angst” phase but I thought that the writing was a bit cliché in that first chapter. The preface was what kept me invested so I pushed through and wow-wee-wow. Splendido, I’d say. For me, the second chapter (and onwards) pretty much glued me to my seat and got me seriously, seriously awed at the author. She definitely has a way with words. She brings the settings alive, and while at times her descriptions sound hackneyed, I’ll tell you, she doesn’t slip often. The mood, the ambience...so delicious. And my, my, she’s not afraid to mince words. Characters will mention the plot holes and problems that may be left forgotten in the excitement--and they always work through them realistically (no deus-ex-machina in sight). Dialogue is also realistic; the characters sound like teenagers do and they also swear but never gratuitously.

And my, my, what lovely characters she sketches. Kelley Winslow, the lead actress of this fine, fine play is refreshingly independent, passionate, fiery but at the same time remarkably vulnerable. She’s your typical teenage girl: one with hopes, dreams, doubts and her own set of what seem to be overwhelming problems. Through it all she manages to stay true to herself and find strength to overcome obstacles. Sonny Flannery is appropriately mysterious and handsome, but unlike many YA heroes today, one who isn’t afraid to show his confusion and his devotion (both to Auberon, Unseelie Faerie King and father figure and to you-probably-know-who). I didn’t really catch any abusive behaviour on his part so there’s another plus (coughEdwardCullencough).

Supporting characters and villains also shine here; they ain’t just flat cutouts, they grow. Bob, in particular, is an absolute gem. He’s probably my favourite character (I won’t spoil any more). For the most part, characters are given fascinating backstories that flesh them out more fully (though I thought Herne’s could’ve been shortened just the tiniest bit). I also thought that Aunt Emma (perhaps even Queen Mabh) needed a bit more screen time to really make her shine.

There’s plot and there are twists so I won’t mention any more on the subject, except to say that I found them clever and satisfying. I’d say artistic too, but maybe I’m just becoming a fangirl. The conclusion is definitely set up for a sequel and you can bet I’ll be reaching for that. In short, Wondrous Strange is a delightful novel, one that shines so much brighter and deserves more attention.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

So I used to be one of those so-called Twihards. Yes, once upon a time I read the whole Twilight saga (I have all four books, three in hardcover, sitting on my bookshelf to prove it) and I was addicted. Edward Cullen obsession, chapter title memorization, quotations from the books slipping into casual conversation--you name it. I'm not sorry for this obsession, mainly because it rekindled my lust for reading.

And that is precisely why that addiction died down; I read a lot of great, great, AWESOMELY great books, got into in-depth theme analysis, tried to re-read Twilight which was an awful, severe failure, started craving strong heroines... Still, it doesn't change the fact that I'm still curious about what other yarns Stephenie Meyer can spin. So when I spied this sitting on the Best Bets section at my local library, I made a grab for it (I'm going to try to say I did it slowly, but what the heck).

Here's the product description (don't I sound totally clinical now and detached?):

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Holy moly when I read that the regular price of this slim volume was $13.99 (indubitably much higher in fair Canada), my eyes literally bugged out of my sockets. Because to be honest, I didn't think this novella was worth the price.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner as I read it rang pretty much as fanfiction (and some rather fanciful fanfiction at that). While I thought it was rather nicely written, I didn't think it deserved to be published at all. A while back I heard that this was released online for free--in my opinion, it should have stayed that way.

For starters, the numbers that Meyer came up with were pretty unbelievable. Knowing that around twenty newborn vampires ravaged the city of Seattle nightly and drained probably three or more humans each per night seemed too much to, well, believe. It was hard to get past that.

The eponymous character, Bree, while easy to relate to, also seemed to be a bit bland. Sure, she's alright. She's got a few skills up her sleeve and soon she has a bit of a dynamic going on with a fellow newborn Diego--but there was little about her that was truly compelling. I suppose it was Diego that I liked more; he seemed to show more personality. The two of them share some childish banter that appeared inconsistent with Bree's character and too immature for Diego's age.

What bothered me a lot though were Riley's speeches. They were... I guess the word that comes closest is inconsistent. Meyer would describe his words as persuasive but, as a reader, they fell flat. They were mishmashes of some abrasive words (I recall that he used the word 'stupid' a number of times) and junky vocabulary (superfluous, anyone?) that combined with a jumbled effect, almost as if they were hastily written but would not be said in a hasty, heated speech.

I suppose the writing was good enough, though I found myself staring at a page with glazed eyes more than once (that could be my fault, however). If further explored and consistently layered, the book could have more satisfying. There were many fascinating parts in this narrative--Seattle's menacing streets, gang life in the old vampire basement, the longer-yet-not-dandy first life of Bree Tanner--that could've have given us readers more food for thought, thereby resonating deeper... Meyer was given the opportunity and it's disappointing that she didn't use it to its full potential.

Sure, there were a few redeeming qualities: Meyer mentions a few realistic things (albeit in passing) such as teenage prostitution, homelessness, and a bit of gang life (out of the basement and in it). The streets of Seattle were palpably menacing; emotions ran high and some tension was developed pretty well. But it could have been much more.

All in all, it was tragic enough--both in Bree Tanner's end and Meyer's squandered opportunity.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Haven't been blogging for the past few days; lots of things going on (not a surprise since it's summer!). But you know, I still have been reading so, without further ado, here's a review!

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.


I’ve just finished reading Hate List by the talented Jennifer Brown and... oh my. It’s hard to find words to describe a book that at the same time is heart-wrenching, filled with hope, emotional and sometimes so full of angst and helpless, angry searching that it’s hard to pick it back up. Valerie’s journey of recovery, her questions about who she is, what she truly is and her courageousness makes for an unbelievable reading experience. It is a journey that is ultimately about love and loss, reality and isolation--themes that are just as relatable to any teenager going through rocky adolescence, even if they haven’t experienced exactly what Valerie struggles through.

You see, Valerie Leftman was the girlfriend of Nick Levil, Garvin High’s notorious high school shooter. While she ultimately stops the shooting and is praised by the school with something of an award for her heroism, she still has to deal with the fallout of the event and, let me tell you, it is a heck of a fallout. From dealing with her guilt, her parents’ constant fighting, her changing perceptions of the victims, to being struck down by obstacles that can make you choke back tears... it’s an emotional journey, let me tell you. Valerie’s voice is real. She could be someone you know of but don’t really talk to, that quiet girl in class who sits there doodling in her notebook. Her struggle is a testament to the resilience and hope that is needed to truly navigate those painful, turbulent waters of adolescence.

As you can see, I’m struggling to find the words to write this review. Honestly, this narrative is something else. You just get into Valerie’s head and everything she goes through is what you go through--her confusion, her heartbreak, her deep sadness, her angst. With so serious a subject matter, Jennifer Brown could easily have written ham-handedly, focusing too much on sentimentality. But she writes deftly, with layers and layers of events that converge into something whole, something real and something painful but so mesmerizingly filled with hope.

I know I’m starting to sound like some endlessly gushing fangirl but wow, the impact this novel had on me. Valerie deals with many events, some that could easily have swept her away from her path--instead, she finds inner strength and digs deep. She seeks help and she uses it when she has it. Valerie aside, the characters were fully developed, even those who had bit parts--especially Dr. Hieler and Valerie’s mother. While Mrs. Leftman teetered on the edge of severe melodrama and hysteria at the beginning, her character was one who grew along with Valerie. Her love for Valerie wavers unsurprisingly but it remains throughout the trials. Dr. Hieler was Valerie’s beacon of hope; through his direct but gentle prodding, Valerie finds a willing listener and is able to realize a few things about herself that she isn’t entirely averse to.

Now this is where I hastily summarize everything else I liked about the book. The events in the book and its dialogue were dealt realistically. Jennifer Brown’s straightforward but poignant prose leaves an impact without bogging down. While we see the events through Valerie’s eyes, we also see it through bits and pieces of reports about the aftermath of the shooting. The ending of the book will have you tearing up. All in all, Hate List is well put together and leaves the reader with a heavy heart filled with hope, one that is, as Valerie says, heavy not because of the past but because of the future.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor; With Illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo

Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls:

Goblin Fruit: In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling: Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

Hey! If it isn't another gorgeous, gorgeous cover. Thank the stars for Jim Di Bartolo for this enticing art. This is another one of them catch-my-eye-gotta-click Amazon finds for me. Of course, I get all of my books from the library so I get to experience the impulsiveness without the consequences (unless you think having to check out 26 books as once is a bad thing).

But I digress. This was a simply delicious read, a well-written anthology simmering with longing and sumptuous emotions. Ms. Taylor has a poet's gift for words; the flow of her language seemed natural but at the same time evocative, without any pretense that some books today exhibit. The illustrations by Mr. Di Bartolo are as wondrous as the stories, each providing a glimpse at a secondary character's backstory that renders the unfolding of each tale even more special.

Goblin Fruit, featuring the longing-filled Kizzy and her extremely eccentric (and I don't exaggerate when I say extremely) family, is the story out of the three that made me feel the most. I related to the protagonist right away. Kizzy is sarcastic, the ubiquitous girl-in-the-background, sparkling with the promise of beauty (but never noticing it herself). Her desire to be someone else, someone she'd admire, someone mysterious and wanted came across as palpable and sharp; she made me feel her rollicking emotions as she coped with the attractive new boy's attentions, finally grasping that maybe for once, just this once, someone noticed her because she was herself, Kizzy. Supernatural elements (the story is titled Goblin Fruit) throw a monkey wrench into things and that's when the suspense peaks and heartbeats race, leading to what I think is a rather abrupt conclusion. A beautiful, well-crafted story nonetheless.

Spicy Little Curses Such as These for me was the forgettable one for me, though it still contained intriguing elements. Set in India during the British Raj, the story is a sort of retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice, only with demons, curses, and some bargaining thrown in the mix. I enjoyed the story's focus on the supernatural the best; when the focus was shifted instead onto an English girl condemned with a curse and her subsequent romance though, that was when things got a bit bogged down for me. The ending was just a little bit too pat for my taste.

Hatchling is the longest of the three, a novella, and it was an imaginative and creative one at that. It starts with a girl, Esme, who notices that one of her brown eyes changes into a blue one several days before her fourteenth birthday--and from that, she is exposed to a whole new world filled with wonders of different kinds and involves quite a bit of her mother too. To say more would spoil the fantastical twists in plot that Ms. Taylor takes and what a waste that would be! She has a vast imagination and is definitely an author to watch. For now, her Dreamdark books will have to suffice.

Quite simply, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Great art and beautiful language? Where do I sign up?

Rating: 4 out of 5

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (Theatre Illuminata #1)

All her world’s a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.

She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.

That is, until now.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Well, I must say, wouldn't you think that a gorgeous cover? To be honest, it's what drew me to the book in the first place. There I was, innocently scrolling through Amazon, checking out recommendations, when out of nowhere, this gem of a cover grabbed hold of my eyes and forced me to click. And that's when the summary enticed me further. But I digress. Let's skip to the nitty gritty.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is a strong, feisty female character--not teeth-grindingly feisty but a good mixture of vulnerability and strength all rolled into one. She's assertive; she swears, she smokes, and she's not afraid to use physical force if that's what it takes to get her point across. In my reading experience, she's also a pretty rare find. Throughout the book, you'll be wanting to follow her increasingly tangled, entertaining adventures--especially once you meet her trusty winged companions Peaseblossom, Mustardseed, Moth and Cobweb, the fairies from a Midsummer Night's Dream. The banter these four exchange, their jokes and their quirky, bawdy sense of humour will make you crack a smile at the very least--or have you full-out chuckling (ask the people I've been sitting beside on the bus).

There's also plenty of inside jokes that people familiar with the old Bard will appreciate, as well as those with an insatiable appetite for theatre. Ms. Mantchev also manages to pile on impressive imagery ("They spoke in silk-hisses of the desperate need roiling under the surface of his skin, and their whispers stole the breath from her lungs") and clever wordplay. Not to mention the love triangle between Bertie, the dashing pirate Nate, from The Little Mermaid, and the provoking (in more ways than one) air spirit Ariel, from The Tempest. I haven't seen it before but the author manages not to lean a particular side; it's truly up to the reader to pick. I myself don't have anyone in mind, which is strange since I usually go crazy-all-or-nothing on a love interest in these types of books. Nevertheless, it makes for entertainment, and sends the plot cracking along.

The novel was also written in a lively pace; you'll never want to put the book down unless it's absolutely necessary. There was never a dull moment. It was just this insane romp throughout a fully realized magical world that I found wholly original. The humour came across as sparkling and natural; Ms. Mantchev writes with precise comic-timing and her fondness for the performing arts just spills over the page (in a good way). You never knew what was going to happen next; it came across as a perfectly improvised script. It was just that original.

In short, I loved it. The conclusion was satisfying but will still have you clamouring for the sequel. Absolutely delicious.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

To Be Read and Reviewed Pile (This Summer, At Least)

So, it's summer. You know what that means, right? Reading. All. Day. Long. Ah, the luxuries of a completely free day. First things first: I picked up a couple of books from my local library and it seems that I've amassed quite a collection. Here's a peak:

1. Jet Set - Carrie Karasyov and Jill Kargman
2. Daughter of the Flames - Zoe Marriott
3. Ice - Sarah Beth Durst
4. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
5. Eyes Like Stars - Lisa Mantchev
6. Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
7. Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George
8. The Swan Kingdom - Zoe Marriott
9. Lips Touch: Three Times - Laini Taylor, illustrated by Jim Di Bartolo

...and of course there's much, much more. As you can see, all of these books are YA; many of them have fairytale elements and some have touches of the supernatural. I'm currently binging on them this summer after a rather tumultuous school year--they're practically crack! I'll be posting reviews of them soon; hopefully, I'll remember the key details. I'll try my best to be spoiler-free.