Review: How It Feels To Fly by Kathryn Holmes

How It Feels To Fly by Kathryn Holmes
Release Date - June 14th, 2016
Publisher - HarperTeen
Purchase - Amazon / B&N

The movement is all that matters.

For as long as Samantha can remember, she’s wanted to be a professional ballerina. She’s lived for perfect pirouettes, sky-high extensions, and soaring leaps across the stage. Then her body betrayed her.

The change was gradual. Stealthy.

Failed diets. Disapproving looks. Whispers behind her back. The result: crippling anxiety about her appearance, which threatens to crush her dancing dreams entirely. On her dance teacher’s recommendation, Sam is sent to a summer treatment camp for teen artists and athletes who are struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. If she can make progress, she’ll be allowed to attend a crucial ballet intensive. But when asked to open up about her deepest insecurities, secret behaviors, and paralyzing fears to complete strangers, Sam can’t cope.

What I really need is a whole new body.

Sam forms an unlikely bond with Andrew, a former college football player who’s one of her camp counselors. As they grow closer, Andrew helps Sam see herself as he does—beautiful. But just as she starts to believe that there’s more between them than friendship, disappointing news from home sends her into a tailspin. With her future uncertain and her body against her, will Sam give in to the anxiety that imprisons her?

My thoughts:

 Hmm... I liked this book, but at the same time, I kept feeling like something was missing, that something that would have made me fall in love with it. Kathryn Holmes writes well, the characters are engaging and the book deals with serious issues, and though it wasn't love for me, I highly recommend this YA contemporary perfect for the summer!

Samantha has dreamed of becoming a professional ballet dancer ever since she was a kid - her mother was one, so it feels just logical for her to become one too. And she was good - really good! But then puberty hit, and her body started to change gradually. Unlike the other dancers in her group, he started to fill up - her chest got bigger, her hips got bigger, her weight went up. For a ballerina, that it probably one of the worst things that could happen. Diet after diet, Samantha fails to get back to her old shape. There is nothing she can do to get rid of the body shape she has grown into. When the whispers and stares of other dancers start to surround Samantha, she develops a crippling anxiety that makes everything she has dreamed of even more difficult.

On the recommendation of her dance teacher, Samantha is sent to a summer camp for teen athletes and artists who are struggling with mental and emotional obstacles that are stopping them from performing 100 %. At the camp she meets a gymnast afraid of performing after an accident; a football player who doesn't do well under pressure; a perfectionist figure skater who stops at nothing when it comes to perfecting her routine; an actor suffering from stage-fright; a tennis player whose motives for being at the camp are unknown; and the camp counselors. Though at first, Sam is very hesitant to share anything with the group, as time goes on, she realizes that they all are embarrassed of something, that they all have something that burdens them, keeps them from doing something they love.

At the beginning of the camp, Samantha forms a bond with one of the counselors. Andrew, an ex-football player seems to get Samantha and see her in a way she herself cannot. As they spend time together, Samantha starts to think that there might be more between them than just friendship. But can Andrew help her with her anxiety, or is he just a distraction on her way to ballet come-back?

As I wrote before, I liked this one, but I didn't love it! I think that was mostly because it wasn't really what I was expecting it to be. I was hoping for an influential and powerful YA read WITH romance. This certainly was influential and powerful - the dealing with anxiety was done well, and I think it is extremely important that books like this exist. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I wish there would have been books like this when I was a teenager, so I would have realized that what I am feeling is something other people are feeling as well. But surprisingly to me, this one didn't actually have that much romance, which was a disappointment for me, because when I picked this one up, I was expecting romance. Now that I look back, I wish that I would have picked this one up at another moment, because I think my rating would have been a bit higher. But since romance was what I was looking for and was left short, I will keep my rating in what I marked to Goodreads right after finishing with this.

As I mentioned, the way the book deals with anxiety and all of the other problems these teens are struggling with, is written well and I appreciate the fact that the author takes her time to really establish what these characters are going through. If you are looking for a really action-packed read, this one might not be your best pick, but if you are a fan of well-done character development, I definitely recommend picking this one up!

So, if you are looking for swoonworthy romance, this one isn't you pick, but otherwise, How It Feels To Fly is a solid, well-written YA contemporary that deals with very important issues definitely worth writing and reading about!

3 snowflakes

Interview: Kate Karyus Quinn

It's been an amazing month and we are in the homestretch!  Today we have our last author interview before our Author Fright Fest and this author is the queen of creepy!  I have loved Kate Karyus Quinn ever since I read Another Little Piece and I am so excited to have her on the blog today!  

1. Welcome Kate! So excited to have you join us today!! I really enjoyed Another Little Piece and (Don't You) Forget About Me. They both had an amazing creepy factor that totally grabbed me. Have you always been drawn to write creepish books?
Thank you so much for having me! So here's the funny thing about me... I don't really like creepy books. Or scary books. Or scary anything really. And I never really intended to write books that were scary or creepy. It's just sorta how they came out.

2. Your newest book Down With the Shine sounds amazing. Where did you come up with this idea?
Aw, thank you! So DOWN WITH THE SHINE is about a girl whose Uncles make moonshine. She takes some to a high school party and passes it out while doing her Uncles' toast that asks drinkers to "make a wish". The next day she finds out that her uncles use the moonshine to grant real actual wishes, and she just granted a whole bunch of drunken ones. Wackiness ensues. :)

So this idea actually started out as an adult urban fantasy novel about a woman whose uncles made moonshine. Not magical moonshine, just the regular kind. That book ultimately didn't work and was retired to the book graveyard folder on my computer. But there were so many parts of that book that I loved - including the main character. So I revived her and a few more characters, recast the rest of the details, and voila! Out come DOWN WITH THE SHINE.

3. Out of all the book events you have attended which one has been your favorite and why?
Last year I attended the Las Vegas Book Festival and that was so much fun (it was also my first time in Vegas!). A few months ago I did a YA Book Fest in Pickerington, Ohio that was also really amazing and so much fun. Really any event that allows me to connect with readers - especially young adult ones - is something to get excited about.

4. Now for a few fun Halloween questions! What book would you want to keep you company during a zombie apocalypse?
Oooh. Hmm... Well I think a zombie apocalypse would be super stressful and during stressful times I also go to my comfort reads, which are romance novels. So I would definitely want a fat stack of romance to escape into while the zombies are banging on the doors.

5. Which authors would you chose to go with you to a seance and why?
Oh definitely Mindy McGinnis (author of NOT A DROP TO DRINK, IN A HANDFUL OF DUST, and A MADNESS SO DISCREET) and Demitria Lunetta (author of IN THE AFTER and IN THE END)! Mostly because we always have fun together. But also because Mindy is super tough and would make sure that no scary spirits did anything bad to me.

I second Mindy McGinnis!  I just finished her novel A Madness so Discreet and I think this would definitely know how to handle a seance!  I also find it extremely interesting that you don't like creepy, but write it so brilliantly!  Love it!

Thanks Kate so much I really appreciate you taking the time to join in our Halloween month!

Thank you and Happy Halloween!!

Find the Author

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Down with the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: April 26th, 2016

Purchase: Amazon 

There's a reason they say "be careful what you wish for." Just ask the girl who wished to be thinner and ended up smaller than Thumbelina, or the boy who asked for "balls of steel" and got them-literally. And never wish for your party to go on forever. Not unless you want your guests to be struck down by debilitating pain if they try to leave.


These are things Lennie only learns when it's too late-after she brings some of her uncles' moonshine to a party and toasts to dozens of wishes, including a big wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was abducted and murdered six months ago.

Lennie didn't mean to cause so much chaos. She always thought her uncles' moonshine toast was just a tradition. And when they talked about carrying on their "important family legacy," she thought they meant good old-fashioned bootlegging.

As it turns out, they meant granting wishes. And Lennie has just granted more in one night than her uncles would grant in a year.

Now she has to find a way to undo the damage. But once granted, a wish can't be unmade...

Teaser Tuesday #96

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

The HEIR by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #4
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Summery:

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.
But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.
Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.


TEASER ebook page 10:

 "Alas, Mom and Dad couldn't stand to watch their firstborn stripped of a title by an unfortunate but rather lovely set of breasts."

TEASER ebook page 146:

"I can do more in ten minutes wearing this dress than most men can do all day wearing pants."


*PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Publisher: Harperteen

Release Date: February 10, 2015

ARC via Edelweiss

Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard’s sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the King’s palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?
Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood—those with common Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own. To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

My Thoughts

Well I have not read Graceling or The Selection ( blasphemy I know) so I can't tell you anything about that but, what I can tell you is that Victoria Aveyard has started off the year with a rock solid fantasy debut. Go #FearlessFifteeners! She has created a fantastic story about prejudice due to color of blood and doing whatever it takes to survive the cards your dealt. The best part of the whole shebang is "anyone can betray anyone" and do they ever!

I knew I was in like with this book from the second I saw that gorgeous cover! Then, I heard it was about a court divided by the color of blood and my hopes skyrocketed. I am happy to announce they were met and exceeded ten fold. This plot driven story is so rich in it's creation that it is hard not to fall in love. The silvers are a race of humans, whom after the the fall of the world as we know it, evolved and gained certain abilities. Here is a list just to name a few (or all)...

Whispers- mind control

Nymphs - Water manipulation

Swifts - super fast 

Shadow bender - manipulate light

Singers - can make the person bend to their will with eye contact and voice

Animos - controls animals

Magnetron - controls metal

Burners - fire manipulator

Oblivion - Blow things up with a touch

Telkies - Telekinetic

Strong Arms - self explanatory

Stone skin - skin that becomes hard as rock

Windweavers - self explanatory

Eyes- can see immediate future

Silencer - ability to shut off abilities in other Silvers

They get there name from their trademark silver blood. They are viewed as Gods among men and of course are just as heartless and cruel.

Mare barrow is a Red from a poor town called the Stilts. She does what she can to get by, mostly stealing and picking pockets. When her best friend Kilborn gets conscripted in a Silver war that the Reds are forced to fight, Mare hatches a hair brain scheme to smuggle them both out of the country but things go horribly awry. After a chance encounter , Mare finds herself wh a job as a servant in none other than the Silver Royals summer home. It is there, as she plummets to her death that she realizes she is in way over her head. Instead of becoming a Mare-pizza, she discovers she has abilities that rival the Silvers powers and the whole court has witnessed it. This makes it impossible for her to be disposed of by the king and queen. Mare must hide in plain sight as she is forced to masquerade as a long lost Silver princess until the queen no doubt arranges an accident to silence her story forever. When a revolutionary named Farley shows up Mare knows that this could be her only chance to change the world for her people or for her family at the very least. As I said before, anyone can betray anyone and Mare has now become the pawn in dangerous game that she doesn't even realize she is playing.

I really loved Mare's character. She was bold and no matter what alway had a sense of pride about her, like when she wouldn't kneel before the king. She has a quick tongue and doesn't let anyone push her around regardless of the color of their blood. I also became really enamored with the Silver Princes, Cal & Maven. Cal, the future king who teaches Mare and how dance and saved her life more than once and his little brother Maven, who always seems to be stuck in his older brothers shadow. I really felt both of their plights, to a point anyway. I truly believed that all the players felt that the path they had forged would make the country a better place and end this war that has spilled so much red and silver blood. I also was fascinated with the power that the Silvers held. It reminded me of a strange hybrid between The Hunger Games (the capital vs. the districts as the red vs. the silvers) and X-Men (super crazy awesome powers).

As I read more and more fantasy novels, I have the ability to vaguely see where the plot is leading me however, with Red Queen, I was kept blind until the precise moment of reckoning. I also had thought the big reveal at the end would happen but, was lead to toss my predictions away. Way to cover your tracks Mrs. Aveyard. If you love epic fantasy with some crazy super powers on the side then, this book is definitely for you. It has enough angst, betrayal, and survival at all costs to sate even the most inscrutable fantasy lovers palate.   

5 Snowflakes

Teaser Tuesday #81 Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publishing Date: January 24, 2012

Blurb:

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she’s desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there’s no way she’s going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she’s been having or the creepy warnings that she’s in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn’t factored Claire into his plans. . . .

Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire’s unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

Teaser

"At the very least, I imagine they'd sever all ties between us and send me away. At the worst..." His eyes lifted to hers again, fiercely determined. "Let's not think about the worst. I believe that anything worth having is worth fighting for. Don't you?"

Teaser 64%

"All right, prepare yourself, Claire Brennan."

  She looked up at him curiously. "Prepare myself for what?"

He gazed at her affectionately. "Repeat your mantra, or whatever it is you do. Because I'm about to kiss you."

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks! 

Review: Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick

Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 9th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and noble

Madeleine Kuderick’s gripping debut is a darkly beautiful and lyrical novel in verse, perfect for fans of Sonya Sones and Laurie Halse Anderson. Kiss of Broken Glass pulses with emotion and lingers long after the last page.

In the next seventy-two hours, Kenna may lose everything—her friends, her freedom, and maybe even herself. One kiss of the blade was all it took to get her sent to the psych ward for seventy-two hours. There she will face her addiction to cutting, though the outcome is far from certain.

When fifteen-year-old Kenna is found cutting herself in the school bathroom, she is sent to a facility for mandatory psychiatric watch. There, Kenna meets other kids like her—her roommate, Donya, who’s there for her fifth time; the birdlike Skylar; and Jag, a boy cute enough to make her forget her problems . . . for a moment.

My Thoughts:
First thing I want to say is that I love books in verse.  There is just something about them that is so much more powerful than your typical books in my opinion.  Maybe its because since you only have so many words every one has to count or maybe its just that this type of book speaks to me differently.  Whatever it is I know I need more of these in my life.

Okay moving on...Kiss of Broken Glass tells the tale of Kenna and what happens when peer pressure turns dangerous.  To fit in Kenna has to cut herself and since she doesn't want to be a nobody she decides this is the only alternative.  Kenna already feels like the outcast at home so when Rennie tells her this is what she has to do to make friends Kenna doesn't even hesitate because she knows she isn't a cutter and she can quit at any time right?  When she is caught at school she is sent to a 72 hour psych eval facility and thus begins her journey.

This wasn't the toughest read I have ever read, but it was powerful in its own way.  I felt connected to Kenna and I felt like she needed a hug.  I think her story is not the norm since her destructive behavior didn't stem from any type of abusive.  She just wanted to fit in and then got trapped in this horrible circle of friends.  I sometimes forget how hard it is in high school.  I didn't have the easiest time, but I know these days things are much harder for kids and it just breaks my heart.  Reading this story makes me think about the future of our kiddos and it sure terrifies me.

I really enjoyed the authors writing as well.  She really captured Kenna's voice and made her someone that we have all had in our class at one point or another.  I definitely want to keep a watch on this authors future books.

I wish these types of books were required reading for kids in high school and middle school.  They aren't pretty and they aren't hopeful sometimes but they are true life and eye opening.  I was moved by this story and I really think given to the right people it could make a difference.

The part I wasn't too interested in was the romanceishthing.  It wasn't developed but it was there and it just felt weird.  I don't think it was needed and I would have preferred to focus on Kenna's other friends in the facility.  Or rather just make the boy a friend and nothing more.

My favorite part was the butterfly part.  It was such a great symbol and I know I'll be on the lookout for butterflies the next time I go out in the hope that someone is keeping theirs alive.

3.5 snowflakes

Review: The Jewel by Amy Ewing

The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Purchase: Amazon

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

My Thoughts:
When I read the description for The Jewel, I immediately added it to my TBR list. I liked this book, but not loved it. The idea of the Surrogates was intriguing itself. The idea of using Surrogates into the plot seemed unique and I wanted to know more.

The Lone City is divided into five circles, each separated by a wall, and all of them but the Marsh have nicknames based on their industry. The Marsh is the outer circle, the poorest. The 4th circle is the Farm, where all the good is grown. Then the Smoke, where the factories are. The 2nd circle is the Bank, because that’s where all the merchants have their shops. And then there’s the inner circle, the Jewel. The heart of the city. Where the royalty lives and where, Violet and her friend Raven live after being auctioned off to the wealthy as their Surrogates.

 Southgate Holding Facility. There are three Augury’s the Surrogates are tested on.

“Once to see it as it is. Twice to see it in your mind. Thrice to bend it to your will.” 

I guess I really didn’t get the Augury thing. The doctors test all the girls and if diagnosed, they move into a Holding Facility and practice with these Augury’s. They can turn objects into different colors, shapes and make plant life grow quicker etc. I suppose it’s a bit like magic. Eventually the girls go into Auction and are bid on like prized possessions. While in these Holding Facilities they want for nothing. But a few have figured out it’s more like a prison, a place to contain them before they are shipped off to become a human incubator for a woman they’ve never met. And when they are auctioned off, they live a life most would dream of. With the exception of freedom.

Depending on their testing, they get ranked. The highest number would be the most sought after Surrogate. To some girls, it’s the best thing that could happen to them. For others, well, not so much.

Ladies-in-waiting are more than just the highest of servents—they’re confidantes and advisors to their mistresses. They are selected and trained from a young age, and some of them are men, castrated so they can be considered “safe” to work so closely with royal woman. Violet gets Lucian, who (reminds me of the scene in The Hunger Games when they dress the contenders up for the parade) fixes Violet up for the Auction.

After the Auction, Violet begins understanding the history and the evil behind some of the Royalty. She wants out. She wants to escape and get away from carrying another woman’s child, who has no issue physically putting her in her place if she doesn’t obey her. They are more like puppets! It was sickening!

Violet meets a special friend Ash who has captured her attention. But she can’t have feelings for him as it would be forbidden. I’m so glad she went with what her heart told her, because I think Violet and Ash are perfect for one another. The story is filled with betrayal, sex, and lies. The end of the story reminds me a little of Romeo and Juliet. I won’t get into details, but it did.

I was relieved when Lucian came to Violet and offered her an escape. And along the way, some unexpected people are involved.

Overall, I liked the story and I will definitely read the next book.

*Quotes taken from an unedited ARC*

4 snowflakes

Teaser Tuesday, #67 The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Publisher: HarperTeen

Expected Publication Date: September 2, 2014

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

*Teasers are from an Advanced Readers Copy. They are subject to change.*

Teasers are from ebook page: 11

"I never quite understood those girls, the ones who bought into all the caretakers' lines about how important we are, how we are fulfilling a long and noble tradition."

"Did you get your lot number?" I ask.

The spoon tinkles against Raven's cup, her hand trembling for the briefest moment. "Yeah." It's a stupid question--we all got our lot numbers last night. But I wanted to know what Raven's is. I want to know how much longer I'll be able to see my best friend. 

"And?"

"Lot 192. You?"

I exhale. "197."

Raven grins. "Looks like we're hot commodities."

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks! 

Teaser Tuesday, #60 On the Fence by Kasie West

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

On The Fence by Kasie West

Publisher: HarperTeen
Expected Publication Date: July 1, 2014
*Teasers are from an advanced readers copy.






Teasers from ebook page 168
"So what, then? What were you going to tell me today?"
"The timing is wrong now. I'll tell you later."
"No. Please. I want to know now. I'm tired of secrets."
He stared at me for a long time, as if trying to read my sincerity. His breath touched my lips. It took everything in me not to close the distance between us. When his lips brushed against mine, I let out an involuntary gasp. Had I done that?
"Am I reading you wrong?" he asked.
I shook my head no. I couldn't find my voice, couldn't dare to believe this meant what I thought it meant.
He let out a slow breath of air that smelled so familiar. "I was going to tell you that."
"You were going to tell me that you wanted to kiss me?"
He nodded. "Is this going to change everything?"
"I sure hope so."


PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Mind Games by Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 19, 2013
Pre order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways… or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

My thoughts:
This book is absolutely amazing. Mind Games is simply that a perfect mind game that will leave you begging for more. I honestly have no clue how I am going to write this review but I am going to try.

The POV in this story alternates between Annie and Fia, two sisters each with very unique abilities. The time setting also changes from present time to the past making things even more complicated, but still in my opinion unique and amazing. The overall storyline is not simple either. It involves lots of espionage, murder, calculating, and deception. Annie and Fia are both being used for their abilities but Fia is the one that everyone wants. It isn’t really clear what her ability actually is until later in the story but believe me it is one of the best creations I have ever read. When Fia can’t take things anymore she starts to take things into her own hands, but with all eyes on her and her sister to protect she doesn’t have many options. This story is really just the beginning, we get to see the background and the why of everything but I think the true story will start in the next one since Fia made a HUGE decision at the end of Mind Games and it is really a game changer for everybody.

The writing style I will admit may turn some people off. I personally loved it but I can see where it could be a little bit much at times. Fia has a habit of repeating certain things three times and tapping her leg three times, this is proven and shown throughout the book and to me it just showed me how broken she really was. I felt her being broken down and with the writing the way it is it just fit her mind perfectly.

I honestly just want to squee from the roof tops about this book. I know my review is all over the place but I just can’t seem to find the words to do this book justice. Mind games is unique, amazing, interesting, and so so much more. I was so shocked at so many things that happened throughout, that by the end of the story I was exhausted emotionally and in shock over what is to come. I don’t know how I am going to wait for the next book!

5 AMAZING Snowflakes

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Pivot Point by Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Pre order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

 
My thoughts:
Oh my where do I even begin!  Pivot Point is such a head spin!  I can honestly say that I have never read anything like it before!  I am in awe over this book, it has murder, mystery, romance, and a very intricate storyline twist that I never saw coming.

What would you do if you could search your future and see which paths are the best for you to take?  Addie has this ability.  If given a choice she can look into her own future and see how things will play out for both paths.  Everyone at her school has some kind of ability and this is all kept under wraps by the community they live in.  When she is faced with her parents decision to divorce Addie searches to see which parent she should live with and neither choice will be easy.

This story is told in alternating chapters with Addie choosing to live with her mother in one and then her father in the other.  If both of her parents had decided to stay inside the community Addie's life wouldn't have been turned that upside down, but her father chose to leave and live in the "norm" world.  I have to say that I loved seeing both sides of her life play out.  It was so much fun seeing things overlap, like for instance in one chapter we get to see Addie going to eat at a local restaurant with her friends  and then in the other since she lives outside the community we see that just her friends went to eat.  So things still happened just with a twist.  I have to give the author major credit for keeping it all straight. 

I'm still in shock over the story.  Both paths are filled with heartache in one way or another and I am so proud of Addie for being selfless when it came down to it in the end.  Every character played an important part as well.  Addie was strong and didn't back down from the impossible.  Duke and Trevor each were there and played their part well.  I can't say much more than that but just remember you don't know everything until you finish the last chapter.  There is a lot going on in this story and it has more than one actual storyline but it all fit perfectly together.  I am very excited to see where the sequel will take us!

4 Snowflakes

*ARC provided by publisher*