Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner’s Curse

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Publisher: FSG

Publication Date: 3.11.2014

Pages: 355

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Series: The Winner’s Curse #1

Source: ARC from publiisher

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Review:

THE WINNER’S CURSE may go down as one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. Marie Rutkoski is flawlessly brilliant, piecing words and sentence fragments together in a masterful display of word art at its finest.

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding this book. Typically I’m the black sheep of the hype craze. A lot of super hyped books just fall flat for me (maybe I expect too much?), but THE WINNER’S CURSE shattered that streak for me. I knew from the first page this novel, this story, was unlike anything I had ever read. And I was a total fool for not reading it sooner.

Kestrel is everything a reader could want in a heroine—strong, brave, at times naïve, but her heart is in the right place. She messes up frequently, but fights to get back. She’s got this intensity and personality that is flat out mesmerizing.  Arin is so complex. There are layers upon layers to him, and even after finishing this book, I know we’ve barely scratched the surface of him.

This is absolutely Rutkoski’s book to shine. The world building and narration is brilliant (yes, I already used that word, but it’s so fitting, I may need to use it a few more times, so deal with it).  I was absolutely blown away by this book, and I am anxiously awaiting the next book.

Buy: Amazon

Blog Tour: Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Welcome, welcome to the first stop on the ELUSION blog tour. I could not be more excited to share with book with you guys. Written by the dynamic duo of Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam (both of whom I have met and adore), this book is a stunning book that I loved immersing myself in.

About the Book:

Title: ELUSION

Author: Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 400

Pub. Date: March 18, 2014

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Soon, Elusion® will change the world and life as we know it.

A new technology called Elusion is sweeping the country. An app, visor and wristband will virtually transport you to an exotic destination where adventure can be pursued without the complications—or consequences—of real life.

Regan is an Elusion insider. Or at least she used to be. Her father invented the program, and her best friend, Patrick, heir to the tech giant Orexis, is about to release it nationwide. But ever since her father’s unexpected death, Regan can’t bear to Escape, especially since waking up from the dream means crashing back to her grim reality.

Still, when there are rumors of trouble in Elusion—accusations that it’s addictive and dangerous— Regan is determined to defend it. But the critics of Elusion come from surprising sources, including Josh, the handsome skeptic with his own personal stakes. As Regan investigates the claims, she discovers a disturbing web of secrets. She will soon have to choose between love and loyalty…a decision that will affect the lives of millions.

Suspense, thrills, and romance fuel this near-future story about the seductive nature of a perfect virtual world, and how far one girl will go to uncover the truth behind the illusions.

Review:

I first heard about ELUSION back in September of 2012 when I heard Claudia Gabel speak at the Baltimore Book Festival. I remember jotting down her book and making a mental note to research it later on because 1) the book sounded cool and 2) Claudia was a total sweetie. Having met Cheryl Klam a few months ago, I can honestly say awesomeness attracts awesomeness and that's why this pairing works well as a writing team. 

Let's first talk about our narrator, Regan, who is strong, spunky, and fun in all the right ways. She knows her mind and goes for what she wants. Sometimes to her detriment, but it makes her such a great character to sink into and follow. She is the heart and soul of this story, working tirelessly to unravel the mysteries surrounding Elusion®.

The world building is mind-blowing. I am SciFi stupid, people. Even with a diagram, I am usually hopelessly lost, but Gabel and Klam brought out a vivid, exciting world where anything was possible. Admittedly it took me a few chapters to understand some of the futuristic jargon, which made me desperate for a glossary, but after awhile I became acclimated with the words and if I can do it, anyone can.

ELUSION is a great read for science fiction fans. Gabel and Klam definitely left me craving more with that ending (that ending!). I cannot wait to see what these two come up with next!

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

About Claudia and Cheryl:

Claudia Gabel was born in Roanoke, VA, raised in Binghamton, NY, and moved to Manhattan after studying abroad in London during her senior year in college. She received her Masters of Arts degree in English and American Literature from Hofstra University, and planned to pursue her doctorate, until a side-job as an editorial assistant at a large book publisher permanently redirected her career course. Claudia worked as an editor in the adult divisions of several major publishing houses, then made the move to children's books, where she hoped to inspire, educate, and entertain young readers. Along the way, she began writing novels of her own. Her first series, IN OR OUT, was based on her experiences as a freshman in high school. She wrote her mash-up novel, ROMEO & JULIET & VAMPIRES, for readers who were looking to indulge in a fun twist on William Shakespeare. And her latest novel, ELUSION, co-written with fellow author Cheryl Klam, is a glimpse into the near-future, where a girl discovers that a popular alternate reality app is not exactly what it seems. Claudia lives in New York City with her husband Ben.

To contact Claudia, try:  
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  | Tumblr   

Cheryl Klam is the author (along with Claudia Gabel) of the young adult futuristic thriller, ELUSION. She is also the bestselling author of several other novels for adults and teens, including THE PRETTY ONE, which was nominated for an Isinglass Teen Read Award. Her work has been published in more than a dozen different languages. She grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan. When she was a teenager she starred in Sam Raimi's first short horror movie, later appearing as a "fake shemp" in Raimi's cult classic: THE EVIL DEAD.

To contact Cheryl, try:  
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  

Giveaway Details:

5 Prize Packs of a hardcover copy of the book along with an "Equip" (wristband, earbuds and Visor/sunglasses.) - US Only

1 finished copy of ELUSION - US Only

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Tour Schedule

Week One:

3/10/2014- The Irish Banana Review- Review

3/11/2014- Fiktshun- Guest Post

3/12/2014- Jenna Does Books- Review

3/13/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

3/14/2014- Fire and Ice- Interview

Week Two:

3/17/2014- Supernatural Snark- Review

3/18/2014- Bookish- Review

3/19/2014- The Book Cellar- Guest Post

3/20/2014- Parajunkee's View- Interview

3/21/2014- Fangirlish - Interview

Blog Tour: Sing Sweet Nightingale by Erica Cameron

Welcome to the SING SWEET NIGHTINGALE tour! If you're just joining us, I am so very happy to welcome Erica Cameron onto the blog to show off her new debut novel! Look at that cover! Anyone recognize the model? Huh? I'll give you a hint: she's a blogger. ;)

But Erica is actually here to talk about her writing and the inspiration for it.

     It’s probably one of the most commonly asked questions once people find out you’re a writer: Where do you get your ideas?
     It’s like people think we have access to some huge database of amazing concepts that no one else is allowed to see. I wish! It’s not that easy and, at the same time, it kind of is. The idea database is called the universe and everyone can see exactly what authors see, all we do is ask more questions.
     The way that I create my stories is by questioning things. Song lyrics, situations I’m in, photographs I find, random things I see while I’m driving—any and all of it could create a story. Sing Sweet Nightingale, for example, came from two questions I asked after listening to “Creation Lake” by Silversun Pickups and “Mariella” by Kate Nash:
     What happens in the 25^th hour of the day?What would make someone swear a vow of silence?Combine the two answers and I get a silent girl with access to another universe.
     Another time, I was driving home from work and passed a hotel. Sitting outside of the hotel was an ambulance with its flashing lights on but no sirens. Two paramedics were standing near the hotel’s pool talking, just talking. Immediately, the snarky voice in my head goes, “Well, I guess it’s not that much of an emergency, huh?” That question spawned another, much more obvious, question: “What happened?” Understandably, I had no way of getting a real answer to that question without tracking down one of the EMTs and tossing a bunch of questions they probably wouldn’t legally be able to answer. So I made it up! My story was likely a lot more gruesome than the truth, but it was also really interesting and the birth of a complicated thriller.Another entire world was born out of a conversation I had with a friend of mine. The conversation itself is irrelevant. What’s important is the question that came out of it: What would happen if aggression was so normal within a society that mercy seemed completely alien? What would that kind of a society look like and how would it function? From that question came another and another and then, a world! That world actually had very little to do with the concept of an aggressive society except for the fact that one existed in the book. But whatever. The question still gave birth to a story.I love questions. Most of them anyway. They help me process things and stir up ideas. They’re fun and they help me find inspiration in that wonderful database called the universe.
     But then there’s actually writing. This is another really common question I’ve seen writers get during panels and workshops: What is your process like?
Like the question on inspiration, the people asking the question seem to believe that there’s an answer, some method or outline or habit that will instantly make them able to write 10,000 words a day and produce a novel that will catapult to the top of the bestseller list the day it’s printed.
     Yeah. It doesn’t work like that.
     Even between novels within a series, my process isn’t the same. Sometimes I write chronologically, sometimes I jump and skip and go back and flash forward. Sometimes the world comes first, sometimes a character, sometimes a moment in time. The closest thing to a process I have is that I usually go with whatever pops into my head first (world/character/moment) and write it down, then keep writing until I hit a wall. Once I’m drawing a blank on what comes next, I either put it away to come back to later or, if I know the characters well enough to predict what they’ll do if I put them in random situations, I start outlining. If I get a good flow going, I can draft really fast. Take Sing, for example. The first draft of the novel was written in six weeks. 106,000 words in six weeks. Other novels take a bit longer. The second book in The Dream War Saga took me a few months to get through because I kept getting stuck. Some books have been written in bits and pieces over the span of years. It depends. On many different factors.
     The important part of all of this relatively useless information is this: just keep writing. Try different things and use what works for you. Take notes and document everything in Excel sheets if that helps. Don’t outline a single scene if you hate the thought of planning. What matters is that you’re writing. Even if your first draft of something is all over the place and generally a disaster area, at least you have a whole book. You can’t fix something that doesn’t exist, so get it down on paper or on a screen. Get the words out and then fine-tune them. That right there? The fine-tuning? That is the ONLY part of the process that’s guaranteed. There will be editing. Lots and lots of editing. Learn to love it. 

About SING SWEET NIGHTINGALE:

Mariella Teagen hasn't spoken a word in four years.

She pledged her voice to Orane, the man she loves—someone she only sees in her dreams. Each night, she escapes to Paradise, the world Orane created for her, and she sings for him. Mariella never believed she could stay in Paradise longer than a night, but two weeks before her eighteenth birthday, Orane hints that she may be able to stay forever.

Hudson Vincent made a pledge to never fight again.

Calease, the creature who created his dream world, swore that giving up violence would protect Hudson. But when his vow caused the death of his little brother, Hudson turned his grief on Calease and destroyed the dream world. The battle left him with new abilities and disturbing visions of a silent girl in grave danger—Mariella.

Now, Hudson is fighting to save Mariella's life while she fights to give it away. And he must find a way to show her Orane’s true intentions before she is lost to Paradise forever.

Release Date: March 4, 2014

Pages: 320

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

About Erica Cameron:

Erica Cameron knew that writing was her passion when she turned a picture book into a mystery novella as a teen. That piece wasn’t her best work, but it got her an A. After college, she used her degree in Psychology and Creative Writing to shape a story about a dreamworld. Then a chance encounter at a rooftop party in Tribeca made her dream career a reality.

Erica is many things but most notably the following: writer, reader, editor, dancer, choreographer, singer, lover of musical theater, movie obsessed, sucker for romance, Florida resident, and quasi-recluse. She loves the beach but hates the heat, has equal passion for the art of Salvador Dali and Venetian Carnival masks, has a penchant for unique jewelry and sun/moon décor pieces, and a desire to travel the entire world on a cruise ship. Or a private yacht. You know, whatever works.

Her debut novel Sing Sweet Nightingale releases March 4, 2014 from Spencer Hill Press. It is the first book in The Dream War Saga.

Erica is represented by Danielle Chiotti at Upstart Crow Literary. However, for subrights inquiries on Sing Sweet Nightingale, contact Rebecca Mancini at Rights Mix. Regarding publicity for The Dream War Saga, contact Cindy Thomas at cthomas {@} spencerhillcontemporary {.} com.

To contact Erica, try:  
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads
Tumblr  |  Pinterest  |  Google+  |  The Mystical Demystified

 Photo by Lani Woodland

Giveaway:

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The Tour:

Week One:

3/3/2014- Bookish Things & more- Review

3/3/2014- Bibliophilia, Please- Interview

3/4/2014- Lola's Reviews- Review

3/4/2014- A Backwards Story- Guest Post

3/5/2014- YaReads- Review

3/5/2014- Addicted Readers- Interview

3/6/2014- Once Upon A Twilight- Review

3/6/2014- The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club- Guest Post

3/7/2014- Seeing Night Reviews - Review

3/7/2014- The Irish Banana Review- Guest Post

Week Two:

3/10/2014- Chasm of Books- Review

3/10/2014- Lost in Ever After- Interview

3/11/2014- The Demon Librarian- Review

3/11/2014- Paulette's Papers- Guest Post

3/12/2014- Poisoned Rationality- Review

3/12/2014- The Best Books Ever- Interview

3/13/2014- Spiced Latte Reads- Review

3/13/2014- Dark Novella- Guest Post

3/14/2014- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

3/14/2014- Parajunkee's View- Interview

Giveaway: Half Bad by Sally Green

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his sixteenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

About Sally Green:

Sally Green lives in Warrington, England with her husband and son. Having decided not to return to her successful career in finance, she is currently studying for a BA in Literature with Creative Writing with the Open University. Her spare time is spent hill walking in Wales and drinking too much coffee.

Sounds great, right? So who wants a finished copy? Enter below!

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Review: Sweet by Erin McCarthy

Title: Sweet

Author: Erin McCarthy

Publisher: Berkeley

Publication Date: 10.15.2013

Pages: Unknown - ebook

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Series: True Believers #2

Source: eARC from publisher

Rating: 4 ½ Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally make her free of her parents’ constant judgments and insistence she play chastity club role model for their church events, but if anything, the freedom has made her realize she can’t go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann’s house. 

Sarcastic, cocky, and full of opinions, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working as a roofer all day. Not the right guy for her even if Jessica was looking for a relationship, which she is definitely not. But Jessica knows that Riley hides the burden of having to raise his younger brothers behind that grin and as she helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall hard for each other, and she is forced to question what she’s hiding herself. 

Jessica has never had a problem getting naked with a guy, but when it comes to showing Riley how she truly feels inside, her fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing—the best guy—to ever happen to her…

Review:

Erin McCarthy made a fan of me with her first book in this electric New Adult series, True. She returns in a haze of serious steam with Sweet. This book practically sizzled in my fingertips it was so hot. And I devoured every second of it.

We met Jessica and Riley in True, getting a fun, charged meeting with them that ended in glares and undeniable chemistry. Sweet finds them as hesitant roomies due to a whole slew of circumstances, the biggest of which is Jessica hiding from her uber Christian family who she knows will disown her unless she bends to their version of perfect.

And Jessica is anything but.

The romance between Jessica and Riley is hot and tangible. They have this amazing chemistry that leaps off the pages. I loved everything from their snark to their banter to their … ahem. You know.

I did feel like the actual plot got lost a little along the way, though. Jessica is dealing with her family and Riley is dealing with custody issues over his youngest two brothers—both make for compelling drama that seemed to get misplaced in the favor of another sultry scene.

While both plots were wrapped up, it felt too simple and neat for me. While I do think there more to these two than surface level lust attraction, I can’t help but wish that they had been developed more as individuals outside of them as a couple.

Over all this is a great new adult find for readers who want a new series to get lost in.

Buy: Amazon

Review: Some Like It Wild by M. Leighton

Title: Some Like It Wild

Author: M. Leighton

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: 3.4.2014

Pages: 384

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Series: The Wild Ones #2

Source: Finished copy from publisher

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

First was The Wild Ones. Now, the next book in M. Leighton's Wild Ones series...

How far will a good girl go for the bad boy she loves?

Laney Holt is a preacher’s daughter. A good girl. Her only goal was to get married, have babies, and live happily ever after, just like her parents. Only that didn’t happen. The two people closest to her betrayed her, and Laney’s dreams came crashing down. Now she’s left with an empty space she doesn’t know how to fill. Until she meets Jake Theopolis, a daredevil with a death wish who has heartbreaker written all over him.

Jake has no interest in thinking beyond the here and now. All he wants out of life is the next rush, the next “feel-good” thing to keep his mind off the pain of his past. His latest rush? Showing Laney there’s more to life than being a good girl—and that going bad can be so much fun. Her only concern now is how she can ever hope to satisfy the wild side of a boy like Jake. She’s looking forward to trying. And so is Jake.

Review:

I love an M. Leighton book. I love picking it up and cracking open the first page. I know whatever she's writing will be fun. Something that will entertain me for several hours and let me escape whatever real life issues are currently tugging at me. SOME LIKE IT WILD was no exception to this rule.

I liked Laney. She was complex and emotional and lovable, and as someone who grew up in the church, I empathized with a lot of her feelings. Especially involving Jake. And how deliciously tempting he is.

Fans of the new adult genre are undoubtedly going to swoon for this book. It has heat and steam and can illicit shivers in all the right place, but more than that, it has a heart of two new adults finding their way in the world. But fans of Leighton's already know this and probably had it pre-ordered. If you haven't read her books, this is a great series to jump into.

Buy: Amazon

Blog Tour: Take a Chance by Abbi Glines

Book Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines comes the story of Grant, the sexy playboy who first captured readers’ hearts in Fallen Too Far.

When Harlow Manning’s rocker father goes on tour, he sends her to Rosemary Beach, Florida, to live with her half-sister, Nan. The problem: Nan despises her. Harlow has to keep her head down if she wants to get through the next nine months, which seems easy enough. Until gorgeous Grant Carter walks out of Nan’s room in nothing but his boxer briefs.

Grant made a huge mistake getting involved with a girl with venom in her veins. He’d known about Nan’s reputation, but still he couldn’t resist her. Nothing makes him regret the fling more than meeting Harlow, who sends his pulse racing. Yet Harlow wants nothing to do with a guy who could fall for her wicked half-sister—even if there are no strings between Grant and Nan. Grant is desperate to redeem himself in Harlow’s eyes, but did he ruin his chances before he even met her?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1c8ap3r

Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/1l1XnW0

B&N: http://bit.ly/1etLFGb

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1drSHpu

Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/1fMm8Fj

Atria Books | 288 pages | ISBN 9781476756547 | eBook ISBN: 9781476756561| February 25, 2014

Review:

I have been waiting for Grant's story since Abbi Glines introduced him Fallen Too Far. He has been a faithful friend and sidekick, but there was always something simmering just below the surface I really wanted to uncover. In TAKE A CHANCE we finally get to know the real Grant, and I couldn't be happier.

Grant is a complex character. There is so much more going on with him than I ever thought possible and this book makes a lot of his decisions a lot clearer. Like Nan. I sort of understand him and Nan.

Sort of. Because Nan is still a vapid twit, but now she has stopped being comic relief with her rants and screeches. Instead I legit need her to go away. I can't remember the last time I detested a character as much I do her (maybe that's the point, though...).

Glines split the focus between Grant and Harlow (probably based on my Grant-gushing you thought this book was entirely about him), which both worked ... and didn't. I just didn't connect well with Harlow. I don't know why - she seemed sweet enough, but sometimes a little too aloof and naive in ways that I found irritating. As a whole I was able to overlook her flaws and she grew on me by the end of the book, but I still loved being in Grant's head more.

Fan of Glines will not be disappointed. Her latest foray into the Rosemary Beach series is full of steamy scenes and intriguing characters that kept my attention. Overall this was a fun, quick read that entertained me.

Rating: 4 Stars

More About the Rosemary Beach series: http://books.simonandschuster.biz/Take-a-Chance/Abbi-Glines/The-Rosemary-Beach-Series/9781476756547

Giveaway & Blog Tour: http://pages.simonandschuster.com/abbiglines/takeachance

Review: Alienated by Melissa Landers

Title: Alienated

Author: Melissa Landers

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publication Date: 2.4.2014

Pages: 304

Genre: SciFi

Series: Alienated #1

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. 

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. 

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Review:

Y’all know I love a good alien book, but a good alien book is so hard to find. Until now. For those of you looking for an intense, thrilling, breathless read with hot aliens and a heroine you can root for, look no further than ALIENATED by Melissa Landers. This book absolutely blew me away. I had high expectations and Landers exceeded each one of them.

I love that Cara isn’t your typical heroine. She doesn’t blindly jump into situations and she has serious reservations (as any sane, normal person would). I love that she behaved and reacted like I feel most people would in her situation.

Well, as normally as one can behave when a hot alien moves in with you.

Perhaps my favorite part, though, is the relationship between Aelyx and Cara. Yes, there are some steamy moments, but Landers doesn’t take the easy way out. She doesn’t have them collide in a combination of insta-love attraction and smoldering gazes that seem to bog down so many YA romances. What works is that she makes us invest in both characters individually before we can rally behind them as a couple. We watch them stumble and fumble and mature into a friendship that naturally goes deeper.

I cannot wait to see what Landers has in store for the rest of this series. Be assured that I will be devouring each book I can get my hands on as they come out because this is one series no one should miss.

 Buy: Amazon

Review: The Fallout by S.A. Bodeen

Title: The Fallout

Author: S.A. Bodeen

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: 9.24.2013

Pages: 336

Genre: Dystopian

Series: The Compound #2

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

In this long-awaited sequel to The Compound, Eli and his family can run but they can't hide.

After barely escaping from the compound where Eli’s dad kept his family for six years, they’re learning to acclimate to “normal” life—whatever that is for them. It seems like the entire world wants to know what happened to this high profile family.

Slowly they begin to make their way back into the world, but Eli can’t escape the creeping feeling that they’re being watched everywhere they go. But by who?

Eli’s anxiety is heightened as unnerving information continually surfaces about Eli’s dad’s company. Not to mention the sketchy new friend his twin brother Eddy has. Nothing seems to be “normal” anymore. New people are entering their lives—but who can Eli and his family trust?

Review:

Have you ever had a twin? Well, after reading this I certainly felt like I did. I'm pretty sure Bodeen might have had a twin in a previous life because the interaction between Eli and Eddy.

I love how Bodeen captured the emotions of Eli so well. He became so apprehensive of everything, so cautious. The way she portrayed him made you want to sit in your own house and never venture out. In contrast with Eddy's outgoing nature because he wasn't in the compound created so much tension you could feel it. Not only their relationship but the entire families demeanor was so strong that you could breathe it in. She did an amazing job throwing the concerns of a mother, antsy-ness of the kids, and sibling rivalry at you that you felt like you were part of their family.

The island.  Wow. The images of the flora, the technology, and the house have to be real, somewhere. I cannot believe that the amount of imagery formed for this island came out of her head. I can only imagine the amount of research I would have to do I achieve this. I wanted to go to this island just to see it, I wanted to smell the flowers there.  The research facilities were out of a sci-fi movie. I cannot get over the detail that she put in to this place, yet at the same time I am terrified of it.

I loved this book. It went so well after The Compound. It was a perfect sequel that really told and made you feel the fear and apprehensiveness of the family after that ordeal. The one thing I was a little disappointed in was the ending. It was a great ending, though, it felt a little rushed. What unfolded in the last few pages could have been played out a little more. Given you that "oh no" feeling for a little longer to really drive home that final scene.

Buy: Amazon

Calling all Janet Gurtler Fans!

FANTASTIC NEWS!  We have a fabulous pre-order campaign for Janet Gurtler’s 16 THINGS I THOUGHT WERE TRUE running from now until 11:59pm (ET) on March 3!

The Big Giveaway: A personal Skype session OR phone call with Janet, autographed copies of ALL her previous books, and a special prize pack with a very-rare “Authors are My Rock Stars” t-shirt  and magnet and a Book Tipsy tote bag. PLUS A $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO BARNES & NOBLE!

You’ll have to email your final order to teenfire@sourcebooks.com. You can forward an email, take a screenshot of the order page, attach a picture or pdf of the order.  And you can order from anyone – online, your local bookstore, your local chain store, any retailer who sells books!  The winning entry will be chosen by random drawing.

You can find out all the details on Janet’s Wattpad page where you can also read an excerpt to her breathtaking new novel!http://www.wattpad.com/39368519-16-things-i-thought-were-true-pre-order-16-things

Already a Junior Library Guild pick, critics love the story of a teen searching for family, learning that friendship can come from the most unlikely places, and discovering that you can’t live your life behind a keyboard forever in 16 THINGS I THOUGHT WERE TRUE:

·        “[A] poignant and heartbreaking story of love, loss, regret, and viral videos.”—School Library Journal

·        “Well done, sensitive and real.”—Kirkus Reviews

·        “Peppering her prose with tweets and texts, Gurtler contrasts the quick appeal of casual online friendships with the lasting satisfaction of giving the same attention to real relationships.”—Booklist