Author Spotlight: Drowning Is Inevitable by Shalanda Stanley (Interview)

Hey everyone! I’m really excited to have Shalanda Stanley, author of Drowning Is Inevitable (September 8th 2015, Knopf Books for Young Readers), here for an interview. First, here’s more about the book:

Olivia has spent her whole life struggling to escape her dead mother’s shadow. But when her father can’t even look at her because Olivia reminds him of her mother, and her grandmother mistakenly calls her “Lillian,” shaking a reputation she didn’t ask for is next to impossible. Olivia is used to leaning on her best friend, Jamie; her handsome but hot-tempered boyfriend, Max; and their wild-child friend, Maggie, for the reality check that her small Louisiana town can’t provide. But when a terrible fight between Jamie and his father turns deadly, all Olivia can think to do is grab her friends and run.

In a flash, Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie become fugitives on the back roads of Louisiana. They’re headed to New Orleans, where they hope to find a solution to an unfixable problem. But with their faces displayed on all the news stations, their journey becomes a harrowing game of hide-and-seek from the police—and so-called allies, who just might be the real enemy.

Shalanda Stanley’s breathtaking debut novel explores the deep ties between legacy, loyalty, and love, even as it asks the question: How far would you go to save a friend?

Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

And now here’s the interview! Enjoy!

Question: Congratulations! Your debut novel, Drowning is Inevitable, will be out in the world soon! What have you been doing the last few weeks/months to prepare for release?
Answer: I’ve been eating a lot. And having weird dreams where only three people come to the launch party and one of them is Randy Travis. I’ve also been doing a lot of author talks and blog interviews. School visits have been my favorite promotional activity.

Question: Drowning is Inevitable touches on several sensitive topics, such as suicide and what it means for those left behind – as well as the topics of family, friendship and loyalty. What inspired you to write about these things? What do you hope your readers will take away from it?
Answer: My own grief inspired me to write about the heavy topics in Drowning is Inevitable. I lost my brother to a car accident ten years ago and for a very long time I didn’t know how to find a new normal. When someone you love dies, the love doesn’t. The hardest part for me, in moving forward, was finding a place to put that love that only belonged to him. While I didn’t lose him to suicide, I did lose him and myself for a while. We were very close. Being left behind is hard. There’s a hole there. This book helped me explore those feelings and put words to it.

The biggest take away I want for readers is that the emotions and topics in the book feel real. I want the reader to be left feeling loved and gutted and ultimately hopeful for the main character, Olivia.

Question: Craziest thing you had to Google while writing/researching for this book?
Answer: I had to Google cases of Patricide and lots of things related to Louisiana law. Olivia and her best friend Jamie are involved in the death of Jamie’s father and this is the catalyst that sends them on the run. Louisiana is still under Napoleonic Law, which means things are a little different down here. (Okay, a lot different.) Our laws are very lenient in some regards, but not when it comes to death. If you’re going to kill someone, don’t do it in Louisiana. The conviction rate is extremely high, and even a second degree murder conviction carries a life sentence. In Louisiana, a life sentence is not twenty-five years, but the rest of your life. We have a lot of old, dying men in our state prison.

Question: Any fun plans for release day? What do you think you’ll do the first time you see your book in stores?
Answer: My launch party was on my release day (Thank goodness more than three people came and none of them were Randy Travis), so I spent the day mentally preparing for the big event. This entailed eating cupcakes and trying to write a speech, but that made me more nervous, so ultimately I winged it. The party was amazing. Debuting in a small town is such a great experience, because the entire community came out to support me. It was a cup runneth over experience for me

The first time I saw my book in a bookstore, I did a little dance, and there might’ve been some squeeing. Also, my friends have been great in sending me pics of the book at their bookstores. I dance and squee when I see those, too.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I am! I’m working on new novel that’s Romeo and Juliet meets Bonnie and Clyde. It’s tentatively titled, It Didn’t Have To End This Way and I’m having so much fun writing it

~*~*~*~

About the Author:

Shalanda Stanley grew up in Louisiana and earned her BA in creative writing at Florida State University. She has an MEd in special education from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a PhD from LSU in curriculum and instruction, with a focus in reading and literacy education. She’s an assistant professor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where she also lives with her family.

She is represented by literary agent, Kate Mckean at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.

Website | Twitter

Blog Tour: The Detour by S.A. Bodeen (Interview)

Sep30

Hey everyone! I’m really excited to be on the blog tour for The Detour by S.A. Bodeen (October 6th 2015, Feiwel & Friends) and to have Stephanie here for an interview! First, here’s more about the book:

On her way to a writer’s conference, a bestselling teenage author takes a detour that has been deliberately set up by her biggest fans—a mother and daughter who kidnap her.

Livvy Flynn is a big deal—she’s a New York Times-bestselling author whose YA fiction has sold all over the world. She’s rich, she’s famous, she’s gorgeous, and she’s full of herself.

When she’s invited to an A-list writer’s conference, she decides to accept so she can have some time to herself. She’s on a tight deadline for her next book, and she has no intention of socializing with the other industry people at the conference.

And then she hits the detour. Before she knows it, her brand new car is wrecked, she’s hurt, and she’s tied to a bed in a nondescript shack in the middle of nowhere. A woman and her apparently manic daughter have kidnapped her. And they have no intention of letting her go.

Goodreads | Amazon
Book Depository | IndieBound | Kobo

And now for the interview! Enjoy!

Question: Congratulations! The Detour will be out in the world soon! How does it feel?
Answer: Thank you! Like with every book, it feels a little surreal. And terrifying. But mostly, I’m just happy because it means the book is done and I don’t have to work on it any more.

Question: The Detour sounds creeptastic! Where did the idea for the story come from?
Answer: The initial inspiration struck when we dropped my youngest off at college in Eugene and were driving home on a two-lane highway lined by trees and houses. We passed a girl, standing on a log, playing a flute. For several months, I walked around with that image in my mind before I figured out how to use that in a story…

Question: Your main character is a bestselling teenage author. As an author yourself, did you find it easier or harder to create this character and this world?
Answer: Livvy had a much easier road, publishing-wise, than I did. It was a bit of a fantasy for me to write that part of it, how she got the huge deal and tour, etc. She experienced some things as an author that I still only dream about, so that part was fun to imagine.

Question: Can you discuss the similarities and differences from this book to your others?
Answer: Like so many of my others, this one has a twist or two, which I won’t reveal here. And this one definitely has some unhinged characters, like some of my others. Differences? This one is much more contemporary, in terms of dealing with social networking and the dangers there. My other books were a bit more isolated, and didn’t deal with modern realities so much.

Question: In The Detour, Livvy is dealing with a manic mother and daughter. Have you ever had any crazy reader experiences?
Answer: I was in a town, doing a keynote event at a young reader festival. A retired professor on the committee was tasked with driving me to the after party and took a very circuitous route, shall we say. We ended up back at his house, where his wife was fairly surprised to have an unannounced guest, and it was quite awkward. I was very glad when we finally arrived at the party.

Question: If you were placed in Livvy’s position, what would you do? How would you escape?
Answer: I don’t even like to think about it. Let’s just say that I try not to take road trips on my own.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a WIP?
Answer: It’s in a future book, so I don’t want to say :)

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: Yes, another YA thriller, more middle grade adventures, and even a YA contemporary or two…

~*~*~*~

About the Author:

S.A. Bodeen grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. She graduated from UW-River Falls with a degree in Secondary Ed., then joined the Peace Corps with her husband and went to Tanzania, East Africa. Her first picture book, Elizabeti’s Doll (written as Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen) was published in 1998, followed by six other picture books.Her first YA novel written as S.A. Bodeen, the award-winning The Compound, came out from Feiwel and Friends in 2008. The novel count is up to five, with two more releasing in 2015. She has lived in eight states, two African countries, and an insular possession. Currently, she lives in the Midwest with her husband and two daughters.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Blog Tour: Brazen by Christina Farley (Dream Cast + Giveaway)

Sep30

Hey everyone! I’m really excited to be on the blog tour for Brazen by Christina Farley (September 29th 2015, Skyscape) and to have Christina here with her Dream Cast for the Gilded series!

To learn more about this series, visit the Gilded Series website. Watch GILDED’s book trailer here!

Be sure to pick up the letter for this stop at the end of this post to earn extra points in the Kindle Fire & $50 Amazon gift card giveaway! Collect all the letters during the blog tour to spell out the secret message to earn more points.

So, before we get into the Dream Cast portion, here’s more about the book:

Sworn to an ancient god of darkness, Jae Hwa fights to gain her freedom and restore the balance of Korea… but first she must gain back the trust of her loved ones.

Jae Hwa Lee spent her sixteenth year in Seoul, trying to destroy the evil immortals who had been torturing her family for centuries. The last thing she expected was to be forced to become their assassin. Trapped in the darkest part of the Spirit World as a servant to the Korean god Kud, fighting to keep her humanity, and unable to contact her loved ones, Jae Hwa is slowly losing hope. Kud, god of darkness, will do anything to keep her as a pawn in his quest for power over all of Korea, her entire family thinks she’s dead, and Jae’s true love, Marc, believes she is lost to him forever.

When Kud sends Jae to find and steal the powerful Black Turtle orb, Jae sees an opportunity to break free and defeat Kud once and for all…but first she needs to regain Marc’s trust and work with him to vanquish the darkness that threatens to overwhelm Korea. There’s much to lose as Jae struggles to save the land she’s come to call home.

Goodreads | Amazon
Book Depository | IndieBound

And now here’s the Gilded Series’ Dream Cast!! Enjoy!

Hey guys! This is Christina! GILDED as a TV series or movie would be completely amazing, don’t you think? For a complete listing of all the characters and a chance for you to show your support is to go to The Imagine Film List here.

So you’re wondering what my dream cast would be? Here it is!

For Jae Hwa Lee:
Alise Quyh
Follow her YouTube channel or on Twitter

Or Megan Lee
Follow her on YouTube channel and website

For Marc Grayson:
Douglas Booth
Follow him on Twitter or his website

For Haemosu:
Seung-ho Yoo
Follow him on Twitter.

For Michell Myong:
Jessica Jung
Follow her on Twitter.

For Lily Sweetman:
McKaley Miller
Follow her on Twitter.

For Kumar Singh:
Avan Jogia
Follow him on Twitter and website.

For Jung:
Kim Soo Hyun
Follow him on his website.

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To celebrate the release of BRAZEN, Christina is giving away a Kindle Fire (US only) and a $50 Amazon gift card (international).

The letter for this stop is I. Collect all the letters from the blog tour to earn more points!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter here!

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About Christina

CHRISTINA FARLEY is the author of the Gilded series, a YA contemporary fantasy series set in Korea. GILDED was nominated for Korea’s 2014 Morning Calm, Ohio’s 2015 Buckeye award, and the Tome’s It List. As a child, she loved to explore, which later inspired her to jump on a plane and travel the world. Christina’s adventures sparked her to write stories, infusing the real world with fantasy. Currently she writes from home in Clermont, FL with her husband and two sons—that is until the travel itch whisks her off to a new unknown.

Website | Twitter | Facebook
Goodreads | YouTube | Tumblr | Instagram

Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Sep28

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #3
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 17, 2014
Pages: 422
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

Warning: This is a hard book to review without spoilers, because it’s the last book in a trilogy and so much happened. I tried not to out-right spoil anything, but I definitely alluded to certain spoilers. So if you haven’t read all three books, I suggest waiting to read this review!

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Ruin and Rising was one giant rollercoaster of emotions! There were so many revelations and plot twists, I actually feel exhausted from reading this book. After the cliffhanger in Siege and Storm, I was anxious to see what happened next. Though I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending, this book was definitely INSANE and this trilogy is still one of my absolute favorites of all time!

It was very frustrating to see Alina so weak in the beginning of Ruin and Rising, whether it be real or exaggerated, for the eyes of the Apparat. I’m so used to her being strong, bad-ass and take-charge – it was SO hard to see her with her tail between her legs, putting on sweet smiles and motherly tones to appease him and make him think she was his good little lap dog saint. It made me want to throw up a little, actually. The weakness act didn’t last long, thank goodness, and Alina really put the Apparat in his place!

Alina was her usual bad-ass self for the remainder of the book. She didn’t have much character growth in Ruin and Rising, but she’s grown so much throughout the entire trilogy, I don’t mind that the level of growth dropped a bit in the final book. Looking back to where she started in Shadow and Bone and where she ended in Ruin and Rising, Alina has kind of gone full circle. I’m not sure how I feel about the way her story ended, though. I don’t like what she lost and I was hoping she would end up with someone else. But I’m satisfied with her overall journey from beginning to end.

I still think Mal is completely in the friend zone. I still only mildly like him. I grudgingly admit he was slightly better in this book than he was in the last two. I also think he was completely robbed of an epic ending. He sacrificed SO MUCH and then it felt like his sacrifice was.. For nothing. Taken away. I think his sacrifice should have been permanent and honored. I’m not saying I didn’t want him in Alina’s life, but what he did was noble and then it was, essentially, dismissed. And it made his willingness to sacrifice so much feel.. cheap (for lack of a better word).

I still can’t wrap my head around the idea of shipping Alina and the Darkling. The Darkling was the villain, the bad guy. He did HORRIBLE things. But at the same time, I saw a different side of him in this book. He genuinely believes what he’s doing is for the greater good. He truly wants to bring peace. In his own way, he really does love Alina and truly wants to rule beside her. His desires might be borne of evil and power hungry-ness, but he does want these things and wholeheartedly believes he’s doing what’s best to achieve his goals. That made him an incredibly frightening villain and an epically intriguing character. I was BEYOND SHOCKED by the way his story ended. Also, shockingly, I was very saddened by the way his story ended. I didn’t expect it and it felt like such a… human way for his story to end, when he was much greater than a simple human. He was an ancient, immortal man who deserved to go out like a firework, not a firecracker.

Nikolai definitely got the short end of the stick in this book. He was my absolute favorite of the guys and my heart broke for him. I wanted so much more for him and his story and it just didn’t happen. Plus there wasn’t nearly enough of him in the second half of the book for my satisfaction! I can’t say much without spoilers, though, so… Moving on!

There were so many epic, wonderful characters in this book – and throughout the entire trilogy. It’s impossible to discuss them all, but major hearts and feels go out to Genya, Tamar, Tolya, Zoya, Nadia, David, Baghra, Ruby, Fedyor, Botkin and anyone else I’m forgetting. These characters are so real and beloved, they’re like family at this point. I’m happy when they’re happy and I’m sad when they’re hurting. I rooted for all of them, even the ones I didn’t like or the ones who didn’t deserve to be rooted for.

There were also many, many shocking deaths in this book and many of them broke my heart. I can’t discuss them without spoilers, obviously, so I’ll just silently mourn them all.

As far as pacing goes, the first 119 pages were a bit cumbersome and filler-ish. There were some important revelations and things that had to be taken care of/dealt with, so I get it. The rest of the book flew by fairly quickly with a more even pacing. There were a few points when the pacing lulled a bit, but it always picked up again fairly quickly. The middle of the book (from roughly 237-338, depending on what edition of the book you have) was epic, intense and insane. The number of revelations, plot twists and feels in this section made my heart hurt! I actually had to put the book down and stop reading for the night, to give myself a chance to recover.

But then those last 79 pages? JUST AS FEELS-INDUCING! Seriously, I don’t think I can discuss anything that happened in those last 79 pages AT ALL because SO MANY SPOILERS. And honestly, I don’t even know if I could find the words to describe the epic and awesome and heartbreak and feels. So I’m just not even going to try. Just read this book! Read this trilogy! See for yourself how crazy it is! Then you’ll get why I can’t put it into words.

I’ve never been more conflicted over a book’s ending – or a trilogy’s ending – than I am with Ruin and Rising. I’m a little disappointed, but at the same time, it feels…. Right. Like it couldn’t have ended any other way, though I certainly have ideas/thoughts of how I wish it had ended. For better or worse, though, this is definitely an ending I’ll remember for a long time and ponder over for a long time.

Overall, this trilogy was amazing and one of my absolute favorites of all time! Leigh Bardugo is an epic writer and storyteller. Her world, her characters – they’re all so real and so beloved. I felt like I went on this incredible journey right along with them. Now, when people ask what my favorite fictional world is, I’ll have to say “Hogwarts… And Ravka!”

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Sep24

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #2
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 4, 2013
Pages: 435
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

If you’re looking to create a list of books that suffer from Second Book Syndrome, then you need to look elsewhere because you’ll find none of that in Siege and Storm. If anything, Siege and Storm is even better than Shadow and Bone! The first chapter started off a little bit slow, but once the action began, it never let up. This sequel is incredible and intense, with amazing characters and epic plot twists – the stakes are high and the characters have so much more to lose.

Alina has changed SO MUCH since the beginning of Shadow and Bone! Her character growth was a bit stagnant throughout the beginning and middle of Siege and Storm, but then really picked up speed again during the last 100 pages. Honestly, I have a bit of a girl crush on Alina. She’s just completely epic and she’s come so far! Her revelations and plot twists at the end were insane! I’m BEYOND excited to see what happens next for her, especially after that EVIL cliffhanger!!!!

In Shadow and Bone, I didn’t ship Mal and Alina because he was a bit of a jerk to Alina. I also felt like he was completely in the friend zone. But in Siege and Storm, I just really couldn’t stand him at all. My deepest apologies to those who love him and who ship him and Alina, but he was SUCH a whiny brat, I seriously just wanted to slap him silly! He moped and got angry with Alina for not telling him things, but then when she tried to, he stalked off like a sullen kid. He had some okay moments in the beginning of the book, but the closer it got to the end, the more annoying he became. And then he did something that put him beyond redemption for me – though I’ve been told he DOES redeem himself in Ruin and Rising, so I guess I’ll see what happens…

I still don’t understand how anyone can ship the Darkling. He’s the villain! He’s evil! He’s the bad guy Alina has to defeat. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve fallen hard for the bad guys who seem beyond redemption before (*Cough*Damon*Cough*) But… I just don’t see any redemption in the Darkling’s future. He’s done a lot of terrible, heartless things and he’s incredibly power hungry. He’s in so deep, I just can’t see him giving up all of that and changing his ways. I have to admit, though, I love the way his story ended in Siege and Storm and I’m very intrigued to see what happens next for him in Ruin and Rising!

And then there’s Sturmhond…. Major heart-eye emoji! He’s so cocky and full of himself and his big reveal was epic beyond words! He’s charming and hilarious and not only do I adore him, but I 100% ship him and Alina! But the way his story ended… My heart is breaking with worry for him and I’m desperate to see how things go for him in Ruin and Rising! (Sorry for the vagueness and shortness.. Trying to avoid spoilers here!).

At some point, roughly 150-pages from the end, I started to feel like the pace was slowing down. But then I started to wonder if I was just anxious to see how it ended and to get to Ruin and Rising. And almost as soon as I thought the pacing was slowing, things picked up speed and became so intense, my heart was in my throat! There were some character deaths that shocked and saddened me – some more than others – and some revelations and plot twists that left me reeling!

As I’ve mentioned, the cliffhanger at the end of this book was super evil and super intense! I can’t even imagine how the people who read this right when it originally released felt – They finished it and had to wait an entire year to read Ruin and Rising! I finished Siege and Storm last night and I’m starting Ruin and Rising later today and I’m like O___O – and I’m only going a few hours without reading! I can’t imagine having to wait a year to see what happens next!

Seriously, Leigh Bardugo is a goddess and officially on my auto-buy list. She took her incredible world and her beloved characters and made them even more incredible and beloved. I regret that it took me so long to read this series and I’m loving it so much! I’m super pumped for Ruin and Rising – though I’m conflicted because, while I desperately want to see how it ends, I DO NOT want it to end! I’m already anticipating a major bookish hangover after Ruin and Rising! But it will be SO WORTH IT to see how this epic series ends!

If you couldn’t tell from my all my fangirling, this book was BEYOND epic and a MUST-READ! I HIGHLY recommend this trilogy (and I’m not even finished reading it)!

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Sep22

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #1
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 5, 2012
Pages: 358
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

Everyone I know who has read this book/trilogy, loves it! I had no interest in reading it until the third book, Ruin and Rising, released. At that point, I figured I could add them to my TBR and then binge read all three. Still, it’s taken me another year since then to get to them – And I’m SO sorry I didn’t read this brilliant, wonderful series sooner! Shadow and Bone was epic beyond words! The world/world-building was beautiful and full of depth, the characters were realistic and likable and Leigh Bardugo’s writing was rich and gorgeous.

I love Alina. She’s so real and relatable and awesome. I love how she’s not perfect and her gift doesn’t come easy to her. I love how she defends herself and speaks her mind, even to people who could kill her with a snap of their fingers – even to the Darkling. I love how she’s both brave and vulnerable. I also loved her progress throughout the book. She struggled, slowly learning how to master her gift, getting a little bit better, day by day. I loved that it didn’t come easy to her. She had to work hard and fall a few times, but she got right back up each time.

She actually reminded me of Celaena from Throne of Glass. Both are strong, fierce, badass women. Both have identities/gifts they kept hidden. Both have the potential to change the world. The big difference is that Celaena was raised to be a badass assassin and, up until now, Alina was a regular girl who didn’t know she was special. But both are two of my all-time favorite female MC’s now!

I know Mal is the major love interest in this book, but I really just got the friend vibe from him. Also, he acted like a major jerk and I wanted to smack him for the way he spoke to Alina and the way he treated her. As much as I hate to admit it, though, he really redeemed himself as the book went on. By the end, I really liked him, but he still never felt like a potential love interest. I always felt like he and Alina were great friends and that’s all they should be. Maybe that will change as I get into the second book. But for now, I’m not convinced of their ship.

In the beginning, I was wary of the Darkling. He’s the bad guy you can’t help but swoon over, the one you hope ends up on the side of good, who realizes the error of his ways. Overall, the Darkling was an epic villain. He’s a master manipulator and it’s hard to tell when he’s being deceitful in order to get his way and when he’s being sincere – something that makes it easy to fall into his trap, to believe his lies and doubt his truths. It makes him very, very scary. The revelations regarding him and his background were insanely epic and completely blew my mind. But keeping them in mind, I can’t help but wonder how anyone could ship him and Alina – no offense to anyone who does! I still have two books to convince me otherwise! But his actions at the end of Shadow and Bone left much to be desired…

I really liked Genya in the beginning. She was kind and more authentic than most of the other characters we met. But her actions near the end had me doubting her authenticity. I hope we see more of her in the second book and I hope she redeems herself. The Apparat was creepy and I don’t trust him, but I have a feeling there’s more to him than we know.

There were a LOT of secondary and tertiary characters in this book. While I couldn’t possibly talk about them all, I want to say that I did really like a lot of them, even when they were getting on my nerves! They just made this whole world feel that much more real and authentic. Really, I just loved everything about this world – the magic, the rules, the history, all of it. The whole thing was breath-taking and wonderful. Ravka is definitely in my Top Ten Favorite Fictional Worlds!

The ending was epic and intense. I’m very excited to pick up the next book and see what happens next for our beloved characters. Leigh Bardugp is a gorgeous writer who will pull you into her world and make you fall for her characters. I highly, highly recommend this book for fans of fantasy and magic. If you loved Throne of Glass (and books like it), you’ll love Shadow and Bone!

Review: Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell by Toni Gallagher

Sep21

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell by Toni Gallagher

Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell by Toni Gallagher
Series: Twist My Charm #1
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on September 22, 2015
Pages: 272
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Magic and a little twist of mayhem will charm fans of Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Wendy Mass in this fresh, contemporary debut!

When a package arrives in the mail for Cleo Nelson, she can’t wait to open it. The birthday present is seven months late, but it’s from Uncle Arnie and that can only mean one thing: magic! Inside is a voodoo doll complete with instructions for making happy, wonderful things happen to Cleo and her friends—err, friend. Just one, really. But maybe the doll can change that. . . .

Cleo can’t wait to try out the magic with her friend, Samantha. They start small by wishing for treats (surprise pizza!), but then their spells start to grow. And when they wish for popularity, they accidentally get the popular girl in school in major trouble with the principal. Can happy spells be twisted into bad magic?

I don’t read much middle grade – Okay, I never read middle grade. But when this book was pitched to me, it sounded like a really fun, intriguing read. Plus, the author was a TV producer for Disney’s Bug Juice. So.. Umm.. I had no choice but to read it!!! And I ended up really enjoying it!

The characters in this book were extremely relatable and yet extremely hard to relate to. I know, those two statements are completely at odds. But let me explain – I’m used to reading books with older characters. And at times, it was really hard to remember that the characters in this book were only around eleven and twelve years old. Sometimes, I caught myself thinking, “Wow, that was REALLY childish and immature,” only to stop and remind myself that they ARE children, so of course they’re going to react and behave to certain things in certain ways.

That being said, Cleo was a fun, relatable character. She was the awkward new girl who didn’t have the right hair or clothes and who was bullied by the mean girl – things that anyone, at any age, can relate to. She’s dealing with living in a new place and going to a new school, along with the realization that her dad is starting to seriously date someone. That’s a lot for anyone to handle! I admired Cleo’s ability to realize she was in over her head and needed help a few times. She realized when things had gone too far and knew she had to put a stop to them. Overall, I loved her character and personality.

Samantha’s a tough character to talk about because I really didn’t like her, but the reasons why I didn’t like her.. Well, again, some of the things she did were really childish and mean. But, like I said earlier, I have to remember that she IS a child. On the other hand, her age is no excuse for the way she treated Cleo. She was a bad friend, plain and simple. I understand why she was upset and I understand why she did a lot of what she did, but still. I’m happy with where her story ended, though, and excited to see what happens with her and Cleo in the second book.

Madison’s another tough character to talk about. I very strongly disliked her in the beginning. She reminded me of every mean girl I’ve ever encountered – and tried to forget – in my life. Couple that with the things she did to Cleo and Sam and you can see why she wasn’t likable. Once we got to know her better, though, I understand her actions and where she was coming from. Her personality did a major 180, roughly half-way through the book and I started to feel sorry for her and like her more. I REALLY like how her story ended and can’t wait to see more of her in book two!

I really liked Terri. She tried so hard to be kind to Cleo, to get on her good side without overstepping her boundaries. But Cleo was very stubborn and unkind to Terri. I understand why – to a certain extent – but it still made me sad. I loved Cleo’s dad and Terri together – they were such a fun, cute couple! I was shocked by the way Terri’s story ended and I’m crossing my fingers that something will change for her and her story in book two.

The middle/end of this book was pretty crazy and intense. I was shocked and saddened by some of the things that happened. But, overall, I really liked the way it ended and I’m very excited to get my hands on book two and see what happens next for Cleo, Sam and Maddy, as well as Cleo’s dad and Terri. If you’re a fan of middle grade and magic, then you’re going to love this one!

Blog Tour: The Girl at the Center of the World by Austin Aslan (Interview)

Sep18

Hey everyone! I’m really excited to have Austin Aslan , author of The Girl at the Center of the World (August 4th 2015, Wendy Lamb Books), here for an interview. First, here’s more about the book:

As sixteen-year-old Leilani and her family learn to live without electronics, farming the land as her ancestors did, she finds strength in her relatives, her friendships, and her strange connection to the Emerald Orchid–the force whose presence caused global devastation–but suffers regret over what she must do to survive.

An exciting and satisfying sequel that continues the thrilling ideas and adventure of THE ISLANDS AT THE END OF THE WORLD.

Native Hawaiian mythology and history is beautifully intertwined in the story.

An eco-thriller by an expert: great choice for dystopian fans who want a new spin. The author has a masters in tropical conservation biology from the University of Hawaii-Hilo.

Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

And now here’s the interview! Enjoy!

Question: Congratulations! The Girl at the Center of the World released a little over a month ago! What has the response been like?
Answer: Thank you! I’ve been very pleased with reader reaction to the second book in the ISLANDS series. A number of folks genuinely like Book Two even more than they enjoyed Book One. I’m flattered that so many readers are caught up in the series. Two things I keep hearing over and over that thrill me to no end are that readers love my main character, Leilani, and deeply appreciate the strong bond she shares with her family. Boom. Mic drop. Mission accomplished. This past month has been a very wild and satisfying ride!

Question: The Islands at the End of the World was your debut novel. How was the process of writing the sequel similar? How was it different?
Answer: You’d think one of the most significant differences between a debut novel and its sequel would be the fact that one of them was written before knowing the book would ever get published and the other was written as a contractual obligation. But I’ve found that this hasn’t impacted my writing landscape at all. The process for each book remained largely the same. Both novels were extremely fun and satisfying to write, and somehow I was able to sit down with The Girl at the Center of the World and focus on Leilani and her story rather than pesky peripheral things like deadlines and industry reviews and Goodreads noise, etc.

Question: The concept for this series is absolutely fascinating! Where did the idea for the plot come from?
Answer: I lived in Hilo (pronounced HEE-lo), on the Big Island, when I was getting my masters degree in Tropical Conservation Biology. My field sites were high up on the forested slopes of Mauna Loa Volcano. I was coming home from a rainy day of doing pollination experiments with rare Hawaiian flowers and I drove down through the clouds and suddenly had a great, clear view of the ocean surrounding the island. I was struck by how alone and isolated the Hawaiian Islands were (this is something that people in Hawaii think about frequently, and it wasn’t a new thought for me, either).

At that time, I happened to be thinking about a haunting post-apocalyptic book by Cormac McCarthy called The Road. The idea popped into my head that it would be really interesting to set a post-apocalyptic story on the isolated Hawaiian Islands, and the story and characters just started flowing out of me like lava! I thought to myself, Everybody know what happens at the end of the world in New York and LA, but what would a global disaster mean for Islanders? 95% of Hawaii’s food is imported every day. The islands are home to 1.5 million people. If things got tough there, where would all those people go? There are no mountain ranges or Great Plains to escape to. Everyone is stuck. Hungry. No way to escape. When I arrived home at the end of my drive, I started writing the book immediately, that night, and I had my first draft finished 83 days later—all while going to class and doing field work for my degree!

Question: What do you hope readers take away/learn from reading your books?
Answer: Well, first and foremost, I aim to entertain and provide readers with an exciting story and memorable characters. But writing for me goes deeper than that. I do hope to leave my readers with some food for thought, and ultimately my dream goal is for this series to inform conversations among Islanders and community leaders and everyone everywhere about how we should treat and care for ourselves long term. My masters program and my background in science helped me immensely in the writing of the series, mostly in terms of identifying the powerful themes of interdependency and sustainability, which undergird the entire story. We live in a fragile world, and the way that we plan for our future will have consequential impacts.

After writing the novel, I begin to hear a new phrase bandied about: “Cli-Fi.” Climate fiction. The ISLANDS series has often been lumped into this category. Climate and weather and global warming and climate change have nothing to do with this story. However, at its heart, my series is a cautionary tale about human hubris and too much reliance on technology and globalization to make our world work, and it begs for a new vision for a Hawai`i that is much more self-sustaining and locally-operated than it currently is.

But it’s worth repeating: this is a story about a girl struggling to define herself in a crazy, messed up world, and to the extent that I’m able to touch readers on that level alone, I’ve succeeded.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for one or both of these books?
Answer: This is a super fun question. I imagine it comes out of having many conversations with authors who worry that the NSA has taken an interest in their Internet search patterns! It’s amazing and hilarious to think about how crazy book research can get! Wouldn’t it be funny if government secret agents have flagged my Google results for research related to these books? (Hi, Uncle Sam!) I’ve done extensive research on how nuclear power plants operate, and more concerning, mapped out the location of each nuclear power plant throughout the U.S. and around the world! I’ve never been to the Marine Corps Base on O’ahu, but thanks to Google Earth, I’ve been able to explore it with enough resolution to write about it with plausible expertise. Combine those searches! Am I on a government watchlist now? Probably not. I’m not remotely paranoid in that way. Nor am I important enough or interesting enough to actually garner that kind of attention. But it’s fun to speculate, yeah? The NSA has probably been less concerned with my inquiries about the native Hawaiian names for exotic fruits and fish.

Question: According to your bio, you’ve done a LOT of amazing things – You were in two movies, you were in the Peace Corps, you were an EMT and a campaign manager, and you’ve traveled the world, from Arizona to Hawaii and Honduras, to name a few. How have all these things shaped your life? How have they affected your writing and the stories you want to tell?
Answer: Setting is put forth as an important character in all of my novels. I’m even sitting on a high fantasy epic that basically takes place not in medieval Europe, but in varied landscapes of colonial Central America. The places and the cultures and the cuisine and the climate all very much mirror my experiences as a Peace Corp Volunteer living in an isolated, high-elevation Honduran cloud forest from 2001-2004. The natural world really does come alive in all of my projects, and while this pattern was never intentional or deliberate, it doesn’t surprise me one bit that it has become a constant thread in my writing.

And my various crazy adventures definitely inform my plot lines! I’ve done so many of the things my characters do! I’d end up boring you with a list, but as an example, one of my favorite scenes in The Girl at the Center of the World takes place along Hilo’s two-mile long breakwater, in which Lei and her friends dive for lobsters. Ninety-nine percent of the sensory details and experiences in that scene (minus the eventual gunfire!) mirror my real-life encounters while lobster diving in those very spots.

Question: Of everything you’ve done, what was your favorite and why?
Answer: My three years as a Peace Corps volunteer located in a cloud forest in Honduras shaped me profoundly and has inspired so much of my writing. I’m super excited about my latest upcoming adventure, too, which I anticipate will touch my life in many substantial ways. Starting in just a couple weeks I’m going to thru-hike the entire Arizona Trail, all 800 miles of it, from the Utah border to the Mexico border. I’ll be setting out on my own, though my wife is making it all possible. She will be my trail manager and will resupply me throughout the adventure. I expect the journey to take around six or seven weeks, and I’ll be posting pics and updates as often as reception allows. So please be sure to follow me on twitter: @Laustinspace, and on Facebook at /Laustinspace!

Question: Working on anything new?
Answer: As a matter of fact, yes! Several projects. Different genres. I mentioned my fantasy project earlier. I recently finished a draft of a new disaster adventure set later in the 21st century. I’m very fond of that project. I’m also developing a series of chapter books with an environmental theme. I have a second fantasy project in the works, as well. In this industry, the key is to keep writing, and I plan to continue doing just that for the foreseeable future.

~*~*~*~

About the Author:

I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2000 with a degree in Wildlife (seriously…Wildlife Biology). Later that year I successfully appealed my only parking ticket. David Copperfield once disappeared me in front of 2,000 people at Caesar’s Palace, but I found my way back. I have appeared in two movies: The Getaway with Alec Baldwin and The Postman with Kevin Costner (Huzzah!). After college, I briefly drove ambulances way to fast as an EMT. Starting in 2001, I served a three-year stint in the Peace Corps in Honduras. While saving the world, I freaked out way too much about colorful birds and made lots of hideous tortillas. Upon returning to the States in 2004, I served as the campaign manager for a U.S. Congressional bid in Oregon.

From 2004 – 2011 I worked as a professional community organizer in Sacramento, California. I spearheaded several comprehensive strategies to reduce youth violence in the Sacramento region. Out of many worthwhile accomplishments, I’m particularly proud of a successful campaign to remove the name of a sordid Sacramento eugenicist from a county park and a middle school (the school was renamed Rosa Parks). There’s a great Wall Street Journal article about that campaign here. Once my wife completed her PhD in Ecology at UC Davis, we quickly vacated to the Hawaiian Islands, where we set up shop in the rainy town of Hilo on the Big Island.

In Hawaii, I completed a master’s degree in Tropical Conservation Biology. In the spring of 2012, I received a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship for my research on rare Hawaiian plants. While in Hawaii, I penned a YA disaster/survival novel with sci-fi elements and slowly polished the book to a nice glossy sheen.

Then came 12.12.12. The day I got “the call.” ISLANDS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, sold, to Wendy Lamb of Random House, in a two book deal.

These days, I spend my time between Tucson, Arizona, deep in the Sonoran Desert, where I pet scorpions and hug saguaro cacti with my high-school-sweetheart wife and our two young children, and exploring the wilds of northern Arizona while camping in a tent on a punctured air mattress and taking complicated photos of sunsets and the stars.

My writing journey toward publication was tough. I know how heartbreaking the quest for publication is, and in addition to promoting my works, one of my principal aims with this blog is to be a guiding light for other prospective authors out there. I made a lot of mistakes that unnecessarily lengthened my time in the wilderness, and I’ve learned so much along the way. I hope I can pay this knowledge forward as I enter this exciting new phase of my writing career.

Website
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Author Spotlight: Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell by Toni Gallagher

Sep17

Hey everyone! I’m really, really, REALLY excited to have Toni Gallagher, author of Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell (September 22nd 2015), here for an interview. Not only was this book a really fun read, but Toni was a producer for Disney’s Bug Juice, which… Guys.. I was OBSESSED with that show! In fact, I found some episodes on YouTube and I ended up watching 3 of them before I even started this post – whoops (Sorry, not sorry!)!! First, here’s more about the book:

Magic and a little twist of mayhem will charm fans of Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Wendy Mass in this fresh, contemporary debut!

When a package arrives in the mail for Cleo Nelson, she can’t wait to open it. The birthday present is seven months late, but it’s from Uncle Arnie and that can only mean one thing: magic! Inside is a voodoo doll complete with instructions for making happy, wonderful things happen to Cleo and her friends—err, friend. Just one, really. But maybe the doll can change that. . . .

Cleo can’t wait to try out the magic with her friend, Samantha. They start small by wishing for treats (surprise pizza!), but then their spells start to grow. And when they wish for popularity, they accidentally get the popular girl in school in major trouble with the principal. Can happy spells be twisted into bad magic?

Goodreads
Amazon | Book Depository | Kobo | IndieBound

And now here’s the interview! Enjoy!

Question: Congratulations! Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell will be out in the world very soon! How does it feel?
Answer: It feels incredible! Like you, I’ve been writing since I was old enough to write, so it’s really a dream come true. On my website there are samples from “books” I wrote in fourth, sixth and seventh grades, articles from my junior high and high school newspapers (and a college internship), plus responses to fan letters I wrote as a kid to Steven Spielberg an John Irving. It’s awe-inspiring to think that John Irving said that I “sound like a writer” over 30 years ago and now I AM!

Question: Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell sounds amazing! Where did you get the idea for the plot?
Answer: My dad traveled a lot in the Air Force, and would sometimes bring me interesting presents from around the world. He once gave me a voodoo doll, but a joke one, with things written on it like ‘weak chin’ and ‘bad breath.’ Well, fast forward to just a couple years ago, and an 11-year-old daughter of a friend saw this doll residing on one of my bookshelves and said, “I’d like to use this on some kids at school!” Being a semi-wise adult I responded, “Well, you shouldn’t do that…” but that’s when I thought, this could be a really good story! And since I’ve worked in the entertainment business a long time, it wasn’t that hard to come up with drama, humor, and action. It was the writing that was hard!

Question: You’ve been a story editor, producer and co-executive producer on several reality shows (including Disney’s “Bug Juice,” which I need to fangirl about for a second because that show was my childhood!!!). What made you decide to take the leap to writing books? And middle grade books, specifically?
Answer: Oh my gosh, first of all, I am thrilled that you’re a “Bug Juice” fan. It’s probably the favorite of all the shows I’ve ever worked on. (And if there’s a third Twist My Charm book, it may feature the summer camp experience!) Throughout my loooooong career in reality TV, I’ve always written on the side – screenplays, TV scripts, stand-up comedy routines, journals, even a book for grown-ups. So I never really took a “leap” into writing. The difference with Twist My Charm is that it clicked with an agent and then a publisher, and that’s why I’m talking to you today!

I never intended specifically to write middle grade books. This was just the story that jumped out at me, the story I really wanted to tell. Now I’ve been told I have a really good middle grade voice… but that doesn’t mean I won’t try YA or other types of books one day.

Question: You received your journalism degree from Northwestern University. How did a journalism degree turn into a career in reality TV?
Answer: Though I studied journalism at Northwestern, I always knew I wanted to write in a more creative way – specifically for TV or films. I thought journalism was a more reputable thing to study, though, as it gave me the option of a “real” job if the entertainment business didn’t work out. As soon as I graduated, I moved to Hollywood, paying back my student loan and telling my parents I’d never ask for money. (And, I’m proud to report, I haven’t!)

Reality TV didn’t even exist then. But when “The Real World” began on MTV, I was intrigued. I’d always liked documentaries and soap operas – and “The Real World” was a cool combination of both. I wasn’t quite sure HOW it was put together, but I wrote Bunim-Murray Productions a letter, and they called me. At first I wasn’t sure whether I was interviewing to be ON the show or work for it. Luckily they hired me as a story editor and here I am today, an executive producer on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” having worked on many types of reality shows in between.

I still love working in reality TV. It’s a different type of storytelling. It’s not writing in the sense that we create plots or dialogue (at least not on “Housewives”), but we have to take the things that happen in real life and figure out a way to construct them in a satisfying and entertaining way. It’s more like writing a script out of puzzle pieces.

Question: Aside from working on the sequel to Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell, are you working on anything new?
Answer: Exciting news! The sequel, Twist My Charm: Love Potion #11, is already done! I think Random House is releasing it next summer (2016), though I’m not sure. Right now I don’t know if they’ll want a third Twist My Charm book or not, but I’m working on an outline just in case. I’d also love to revisit a book my cousin and I started writing when we were kids, about two girls who consider themselves detectives. Then they stumble across a real mystery on a cross-country train trip. The first page of it is on my website. It was called (The Case of) Harry Keebler, Where Are You? That title will probably change, but who knows? Maybe something I started in seventh grade will be online and in bookstores one day!

~*~*~*~*~

About the Author:

I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I loved writing from the time I could write, so I’ve been doing it most of my life! For more about my experiences in writing, click here.

At 15, I moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio (which is why Cleo is from there). I was sad to leave PA but ended up meeting some of my best friends ever while I was in high school in Ohio.

For college, I went to Northwestern University outside Chicago, Illinois. I majored in journalism (writing for newspapers specifically), but moved to Los Angeles right after graduation to pursue a career writing for TV and movies.

Right now, my main career is being a producer for reality television. It’s a different type of storytelling — you have to make the story out of the real-life moments that actually happen on camera. It’s definitely challenging, but fun too!

I started in reality TV a long time ago, on the MTV show The Real World, season 2. After that I worked on Road Rules, where young people hit the road and had adventures. I loved the Disney Channel show Bug Juice, about real kids at summer camp… and I even liked Dr. 90210, though I had to watch a lot of plastic surgery!

Right now, I’m Executive Producer of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on Bravo TV. It certainly keeps me busy, and there’s never a dull moment.

If you want to know more about my TV career, check out check out my IMDb page.

When I have time between TV shows, I love to travel. If you want to read more about that (and see a lot of fun pictures), click here.

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Review: A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

Sep16

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano
Series: Pram #1
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on September 1, 2015
Pages: 240
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Pram Bellamy is special--she can talk to ghosts. She doesn't have too many friends amongst the living, but that's all right. She has her books, she has her aunts, and she has her best friend, the ghostly Felix.

Then Pram meets Clarence, a boy from school who has also lost a parent and is looking for answers. Together they arrive at the door of the mysterious Lady Savant, who promises to help. But this spiritualist knows the true nature of Pram's power, and what she has planned is more terrifying than any ghost.

New York Times bestselling author Lauren DeStefano is beloved by critics and readers alike, and her middle grade debut is lyrical, evocative and not to be missed.

I don’t normally read middle grade novels, but I’m a huge fan of Lauren DeStefano’s YA books, so I knew I had to give A Curious Tale of the In-Between a chance! To my (slight) surprise, I really enjoyed it! I loved Pram, the world and the plot.

Pram was an awesome character. She’s described (through the eyes of her aunts) as being eccentric and imaginative. She knows she’s strange, but she doesn’t really let it bother her. She worries what others will think of her, but she doesn’t change herself to make them happy. She’d rather be invisible than be noticed, which I can completely relate to! She’s also very loyal to her friends and a very strong, brave person. She endures a LOT at the end of this book – both mentally and emotionally and even physically (a little bit) – and I’m very excited to see what happens next for her! Also, I know this is weird, since she’s so young, but I couldn’t help but picture her as Jennifer Love Hewitt in her Ghost Whisperer role – Like, this whole book just reminded me of a Middle Grade version of Ghost Whisperer!

Felix was an intriguing character. It’s a bit odd, because he’s young and he has the mentality of someone who’s young, but he’s also been a ghost for a long time, so he has a bit of maturity and wisdom that seems beyond his years. He has moments where he acts mature and wise, where he had enough sense to know when something was wrong and when he couldn’t handle something alone. But other times, he very much acted like the age he was when he died – like when he felt Clarence was taking Pram from him and she had to choose between her dead friend and living one. Someone older would know that you can have many friends and that you can have different interests and hobbies with each friend. But, despite his many years as a ghost, Felix couldn’t completely comprehend this. I felt bad for him because, at times, he seemed so sad.

Speaking of Clarence, I really liked him. Though his actions were a bit selfish sometimes and though his one-track mind got Pram into a lot of the trouble she found herself in, he was really good for Pram. Someday, if and when Felix DOES decide to move on, Pram will need a friend and Clarence is a good friend. He understands a lot of what Pram is going through and he’s very fierce and loyal to her. His actions at the end of the book – coupled with Felix’s help – really saved the day.

I loved Aunt Dee and Aunt Nan. They were pretty content to let Pram be herself, even when she was being eccentric, speaking to people who weren’t there and telling them about “imaginary” friends. For the most part, they did everything they could to keep her safe. I think they should have been more honest with her at times, but I understand that they felt they were protecting her by not telling her certain things. Also, this might be as odd as my Ghost Whisperer comment, but they completely reminded me of Aunt Hilda and Aunt Zelda from Sabrina the Teenage Witch – sans magic and slightly less quirky, though!

Lady Savant.. Ugh, it’s really hard to talk about her because I absolutely hated her for the majority of the book, but then something happened near the middle/end and I felt really bad for her. So even though I want to hate her for what she did… I really can’t now. There’s no excuse for the things she did, but the things that happened to her weren’t fair, either. I don’t want to justify her actions, but it’s hard not to want to defend her a little bit.

I loved the world and rules in this book, as well, though DeStefano is amazing at world-building, so that doesn’t surprise me. I loved the different approach she took to the ghostly world and the whole story with memories and objects – I know that’s vague, but I don’t want to spoil it for you guys! You’ll just have to read it to find out what I’m talking about!

My only complaint was that the writing felt a little bit awkward and stilted, which surprised me because I never had that problem with DeStefano’s YA books. But then I started to wonder if maybe it was just me and getting used to reading a book with a younger protagonist and, therefore, a different voice. Of course the book’s tone would be different. Once I got into that mentality, the writing didn’t bother me as much and I actually forgot it had bothered me at all by the time I got roughly half-way through the book!

The ending was pretty intense and I didn’t expect a lot of what happened, to happen! I also thought this was a stand-alone and apparently there’s going to be a second book! So that makes me really excited, especially given how it ended.

I highly recommend this for fans of Lauren DeStefano – and, of course, fans of MG novels and ghosts/paranormal plots. DeStefano is an amazing writer and she creates amazing worlds, characters that you care about and plots that keep you reading until the very last page.