Reading Rainbow: Vampire Crush by A. M. Robinson

I have a fun book to share this week! Leigh took a vacation recently and actually read books! (She's been busy on her WIP lately so hasn't had much time for reading. Poor girl!) So when she sent me a while she was on a cruise to tell me to read Vampire Crush by A. M. Robinson, I downloaded it immediately.




From Goodreads:

I swear, my life was always totally normal.

Normal house, normal family, normal school. My looks are average, I don't have any superpowers, no one's showing up to tell me I'm a princess—you get the picture. But when my junior year started, something not normal happened. There were new kids at school . . . new kids with a wardrobe straight out of a 19th-century romance novel, and an inexplicable desire to stay at school until sundown.

And on top of that, James Hallowell showed up. James, who stole my sandwiches in fourth grade and teased me mercilessly through middle school. James, who now seems to have the power to make my heart race any time he comes near.

But something weird is going on. Because James rarely goes out during the day. And he seems stronger than your typical guy. And he knows the new kids, all of whom seem to be harboring some kind of deep secret. .

Leigh knows me very well. I loved this book and it was perfect for my mood at the time. I wanted something light but not boring, and funny, but not overdone. When I first heard the word, "vampire," I was a bit skeptical. I'm a little bit over vampire books these days. (Not over, really, just taking a break...) I was even more nervous when the main character first notices a group of new kids... in the cafeteria. Yeah. But, BUT, everything shifts from there and Vampire Crush proved itself to be a fun, and definitely not redundant, vampire book!

My favorite thing about this book was the voice of the main character, Sophie. She's extremely driven, but has a great sense of humor alongside of her intense personality. She's a jeans and tee-shirt kind of girl, and makes no apologies for it, even with her stepsister constantly berating her for her lack of style. And, of course, there is James. He's dreamy, but Sophie's not the type to swoon over him, or any of the new kids, for that matter. She's logical, and I love that she did not just run into dangerous situations without showing a normal amount of fear. (It's kind of a pet peeve of mine when MCs do that, if you haven't noticed.)

So, if you're looking for a great little book to start your summer reading off, definitely pick up Vampire Crush! I promise it's a fun read!

Reading Rainbow: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Oh my goodness, y'all. Okay, first, I apologize for the late-week edition of Reading Rainbow. I had another post started for a great book (soon to be posted!), but I was distracted this week by my reading of Divergent by Veronica Roth. This is not only an ignore-your-blog kind of book, but it's also an ignore-your-children/husband/dogs/life kind of book. So, yes, I loved it.

From Goodreads:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

I'm going to be honest: When I first heard about Divergent, I yawned a little and thought, "Another dystopian book... can it really surprise me?" Uh... YES! It can. It did. I know I'm a dystopian-lover, so maybe I'm biased, but this is definitely an amazing book.

The main character, Tris (or Beatrice) is so great. Yes, I'm gushing, but she is one seriously bad-ass Chick Who Can Kick Your Ass. She doesn't start out that way, but she does start very brave. Her courage and heart are what make her great, and those are central to the book as a whole.

And then there is the love story within (of course!). It's so well done and quite beautiful, in my opinion. I can't even talk about the first kissy-scene without wanting to go back and read it again. It's that good. And that is all I'm going to say about that for fear of revealing too much. Or maybe I just want to go back and read it again RIGHT NOW....

So, if you're wondering if you should tackle yet another dystopian YA novel, wonder no more. Just read it. And then come back and tell me what you think... and if you loved the kissy-scene too. *winks*

Reading Rainbow: White Cat & Red Glove by Holly Black

If you're like me, you've picked up White Cat about 100 times and thought about buying it, but for some insane reason, didn't. I was WRONG not to have read Holly Black's amazing books sooner! Thankfully, Sophie and Ashley talked me into it, and I am now fully in love with Cassel and cannot wait for the next book to come out!






From Goodreads (on White Cat):

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.
Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.
Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

Honestly, I think it was the mobster/con artist thing that turned me off in the past. I was worried I'd have a hard time liking a character who conned people, but that turned out to be one of the more interesting aspects of the books. Cassel's ability to con and the descriptions of how it all works out are fascinating.


And, as far as finding a likeable character? Well, I love Cassel so much that I, along with Sophie, have made a new word: Casselishness. Trust me, you will love Cassel and all of his Casselishness as well. He has secured his place on my list of favorite book-boyfriends, to be sure. Also, I love finding books written from the male point of view that are done well, and these books are exceptional in that regard.

In addition to all of the Casselishness are the great stories at the heart of these books. Holly Black is an amazing writer, and reminds me of Cassandra Clare in the way she likes to toy with our emotions through her main character. I suffered from a major heart-ache during my reading (not saying where or why!), and definitely had a book-hangover after I finished. Nothing else could compare.

So, if you've thought about reading these books and haven't yet - do so! And then come back and let me know what you think!

Lazy Book Club: You Pick!

Hi Everyone! After our last Lazy Book Club, I promised we would read something a bit more fun. Delirium was a heavy read so I think we should follow it up with one of my favorite writers - John Green. His books are hilarious, but also meaningful and thought-provoking. But, here's the thing: I cannot decide which book! I love them all too much, so I'm leaving it up to you.

I've put a handy little poll at the top of the sidebra (see it over there?) and am hoping that you'll help me pick next month's LBC book. Just to be honest, I think Looking for Alaska is the one I would not pick, but only because it's a bit more heavy, and maybe even depressing. It's brilliant, but not the happiest book ever. But, it's up to you all! So go on, vote and let your LBC voice be heard! And thanks for helping me pick!

You can check out John Green's books here: www.johngreenbooks.com

How High the Cliff?

So, today Stacie and I thought we'd discuss something we've been seeing a lot of lately and get your thoughts on it: the cliffhanger ending.

Many of the books we read are actually series. And that's great! Because it means more of the characters we love! But what we love MORE is feeling the need to read the next book BECAUSE WE LOVE THE CHARACTER, not because we feel tricked into it because of the cliffhanger.


So very true. I like for things to be wrapped up, at least a little bit, while waiting for the next book. It's not like a sitcom where we only have to wait a week - we usually have to wait at least a year!




Exactly. I think the biggest problem with a cliffhanger ending isn't so much the wait as it is that I end up feeling like I paid for half of a book. The story needs to have SOME resolution.




Agreed. I'm all for a little cliffhanger action, so long as the major action in the book I've read has a resolution of some sort.





So, Acceptable Cliffhangers: Will the hot boy kiss her AGAIN? Does the big bad guy come back? Will the OTHER hot boy kiss her at all? Will her parents find out she snuck out to see hot boy? NOT ACCEPTABLE CLIFFHANGERS: MC's destiny will forever be shaped by this ONE EVENT THAT… you don't get to find out about until next book.



Timeless by Alexandra Monir actually did it well because there was resolution and I thought everything was finished, wrapped up with a pretty bow, and then WHAM. Cliffhanger. So, there was SOME resolution, but she set up the next book in a dramatic fashion.




I think Harry Potter did a great job of not leaving giant cliffhangers, and yet there was an incredible draw to always read the next book. I don't feel like the author has to beat me over the head with the drama to get me to read.




HP is an excellent example. Of course, those books followed a formula, so the reader knew there would be resolution. I think formulaic series (is that a term? it is now) are better at avoiding the cliffhanger.

And what do you think about The Hunger Games series? I remember my jaw dropping at the end of the first book - I had no idea I was reading a series. I immediately got up and checked to see when the next book would be coming out. But, I wasn't mad about the way the book was finished, just dying for more.


I actually think each book in The Hunger Games followed it's own arc and so it was okay. The main conflict was the particular set of games and those were resolved, for the most part. The cliffhangers were about the more emotional and political aspects of the books.



I agree. Leaving some things 'undone' is completely understandable and I actually like that, but when EVERYTHING is left to question - that is when I want to throw the book.




Ah, well, I guess we expect SOME cliffhangery-ness. Our beef is with the height of the cliff.





That's perfect! I'm okay with a short cliff, and even still with a medium sized cliff. But looming cliffs that have no view of the ground? That's when I want to throw the book.... off the cliff.

What about you all? How his is too high for your cliffhangery-ness? Do you love them, hate them, want to throw books too? Do tell!

Reading Rainbow: Deception and Betrayal by Lee Nichols

Anyone in the mood for a good ghost story? Okay, truth be told, I'm usually not in the mood for a ghost story. I'm a wimp, remember? But these ghost stories are so good, and such a different take on ghosts! I started reading Deception by Lee Nichols after Sophie recommended it, and you know I love Sophie's recs. Upon finishing, I immediately downloaded Betrayal, the second book in the Haunting Emma series. There is just so much to love about these books!


From Goodreads:

When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.

After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

One thing that really drew me into these books was Emma's voice. She is funny, and honest, and real. I found myself laughing even in desperate situations because of the way Emma handled things. As main characters go, she is one of my favorites. She's not afraid to admit her insecurities and her fears, but she also doesn't let them hold her back. She's very impressive.

I also loved the twist on the mythology of the traditional ghost-story in these books. Maybe I haven't read enough books about ghosts, but this was new to me and I really liked learning about it. I 'm being vague about what was new to me in the story because I don't want to give anything away. You all know I hate spoilers and I think these books are best read not knowing exactly what Emma discovers about herself.

So, if you're in the mood for an only-slightly-scary ghost story with more than a touch of snark, definitely pick up these books! I know you'll end up loving Emma and her friends as much as I do. I can hardly wait for the third book, Surrender, which is due out in December, 2011.

Informal Lazy Book Club: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Anyone up for a little book talk? Instead of a rec this week, I was thinking we could discuss (in the comments) the fourth book in The Mortal Instruments series: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. Our informal LBC on Mockingjay was so much fun, I thought we'd do it again!




So, while this post does not have spoilers - THE COMMENTS WILL HAVE SPOILERS! MANY, MANY SPOILERS! If you've finished the book, click on the comments and add your thoughts (you know we love to hear them!). If you haven't finished - what are you waiting for? Get to reading! It's so very good! (I think it may be my favorite of the series. Maybe.)