Sunday, August 31, 2014

Shout Out to Indies - Esperanza: A Latino Story by Sandra Lopez AND Six Strings by Jennifer Sanya Willliamson



We here at The Paperback Princesses often receive emails from Indie authors requesting reviews and are blessed with free book copies. Often we are unable to get to so many titles before our mass market published books take over our TBR shelves. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of great reads though! We want to give back to those Indie authors and are declaring EVERY SECOND SUNDAY our SHOUT OUT TO INDIES MEME. For those of fellow bloggers, please feel free to add our meme to your regular schedule. We only ask that you quote and link back to us as a courtesy. For all of you Indie authors, we invite you to contact us at the contact link to your top left. We will select 1 - 3 titles (each time we post) that sound interesting. Lastly, for you readers, this is a bit of a test so please do comment and let us know what you think. We will also be offering up giveaway copies whenever we can! So without further ado, here are this week's pick:

Displaying esperanza_cover.jpg

Fourteen-year old Esperanza Ignacio could only think of a few words to sum up her life: crap, crap, crap! She was born into a poor Latino family living in a small crummy apartment in the barrio side of town, 
where the graffiti chiseled more the souls and character of the residents than it impacted the exterior 
looks of the buildings. Her father was a drunken, gambler, and wife-beater who, one cold night, got 
arrested after a violent intrusion. Her entire circle of relatives consisted of nothing but formers-former 
drug-addicts, former gangsters and gang-bangers, former alcoholics, former everything. Yep, her life was 
nothing but a huge load of crap. And she hadn't even started high school yet. After surviving a scorching 
summer heat, Esperanza enters the unfamiliar world of high-school with a tight knot in her stomach. On 
the very first day, she is sucked into a blunder of catastrophic events beginning with accidentally running 
into the world's BIGGEST bully. Now, she has made herself the prime target for a main course. And, to 
top it all off, she has to see this girl everyday in P.E! P.E.-the one class Esperanza truly despises the most. 
Could life be any worse for her? Well, her family could take in a relative hopped up on drugs, a probable 
shooting can take place right in front of her, and Esperanza could also sit and listen to the crazed ranting 
of her loud psychotic mother. Oh, wait, all that does happen. To make things even easier, her best friend, 
Carla, won't stop trying to marry her off to her twin brother, Carlos. And she has these two puny siblings 
constantly vying for her attention. God, it's a wonder she doesn't strap herself in a straight jacket and 
pretend to be Elvis. Nonetheless, Esperanza attempts to get through it all. She is a smart and ambitious 
young kid struggling to survive her life while fighting to make her mark on the world. Her story is filled 
with pain, strength, and too much loud bickering. It carries a voice enriched with barrio slang and 
sarcastic humor. Esperanza illustrates what persistent Latino youth can achieve when they get back up 
after a fall and keep on walking straight into college.

Why I chose to write YA

I started writing Esperanza right after graduating high school when I still possessed that “raw, teenage voice” that my publisher loved so much. I remember thinking how I never read anything with a Latino theme. Heck, at that time, I never heard of Latino writers such as Sandra Cisneros or Luis Rodriguez. And so that is why I decided to create a character named Esperanza—one who was not an illegal immigrant or a gang member, but just somebody who wanted to go to school, learn everything humanly possible, and learn to survive in this heart-breaking world. I merely wanted to create a character that was just like me: shy, quiet, smart, and a fervent reader. 

Growing up in a poor barrio with a single mother and two young siblings, it was tough avoiding the influential behaviors of the other kids. I didn’t want to end up pregnant or succumb to alcohol and drugs; I wanted to make something of my life. And that’s what Esperanza wants to do. Since the publication, many readers have been inspired by Esperanza’s tenacity and resilience. She has become a magnificent role model for YA audiences. But why do I write YA? Well, I simply wrote the novel that I, myself, would’ve LOVED to have read when I was young—a story with a strong Latina that 
fought against the odds.

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Born and raised in Hawaiian Gardens, CA, Sandra C. López is one of today's influential Latina authors in Young Adult literature. Her first novel, Esperanza: A Latina Story, was published in March 2008 WHILEshe was still in college. Shortly after that, she wrote the follow up title, Beyond the Gardens, starring her inspirational heroine. Now, this young writer is a full graduate of Cal State University Fullerton with a BFA in the arts. She was named as one of "2011 Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch" by Latino Stories. For more information, log on to www.sandra-lopez.comLike her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandra-Lopez/173657042664609

And our second book this week is: 

Displaying six strings.jpg

Riley Witt is running out of time.

Battling Alzheimer’s disease, Riley’s grandmother Mary suffers from memory loss, mood swings, and a tendency to wander off. When she moves in the summer before senior year, Riley has to face the reality that the one person she depends on most is slowly fading. Making matters worse, when Mary does remember the past, she tells tales of time travel and visions. As Mary’s version of the past gets more confused, Riley knows they are running out of time together.

But when Riley discovers a guitar belonging to a famous rock star in the back of her grandmother’s closet, the truth behind Mary’s tales finally comes out.
First, Riley learns that her dad is not her real dad. Her real father is the late music legend, Jonah Wolff. This revelation is almost more than Riley can handle. But then an even bigger secret is revealed.

Riley is also a sixth generation time traveler. She has the power to open six portals to the past, lines to her own life, which will answer questions she never thought to ask, and influence her future in the most unexpected ways.

SIX STRINGS tells the story of Riley’s first leap—the leap back to 1973—where she enters a world of music, long-lost family, and first love. Her adventure is all about discovering her past, understanding her present, and figuring out how to step into her future.

Why I Write for Young Adults
By Jen Sanya Williamson

            When I tell people what I do for my day job—teach English to junior high students—I am usually greeted with a look of sympathy or a joke about what I must have done in a former life to receive such a punishment. I take it in stride; in fact, I often feel I’m in on an inside joke. See, what a lot of people don’t know is junior high kids are awesome.
            Sure, they are emotional basket cases at times. Hormones are raging. They often see things in black and white, so trying to reason with them can be a task. They’re immature, they have short attention spans, and getting them to read for pleasure is often my biggest challenge each year.
            But, the positives of hanging out with teenagers all day outweigh any negatives. What I’ve learned from being a teacher is that junior high students are funny, thoughtful, and when they believe in something they often do so earnestly. I’ve had amazing conversations with my students, conversations that have changed my perceptions and helped me understand why this is such an important time in their lives.
            Before becoming a teacher seven years ago, I never thought I would write young adult literature. In fact, I imagined myself as a 21st Century Raymond Carver, perfecting the art of the short story, uncovering the quiet moments in life through my writing. But spending time with my students—reading what they read, trying to understand what they need from literature—has changed me. It has changed my writing. I now write for them.
            I believe that every student can find a book to love while in my class. Not just a book that’s “all right,” but a book that affects them, a book they’ll remember years from now. There’s a lot working against us: Facebook, Instagram, texting, reality TV, boy drama, girl drama, chores, babysitting, sports. These kids are busy. I know that reading is something they should fit into their schedules. I know that reading literature will help them do better in all of their classes. I know that a book will teach them about things they can barely imagine, take them places they only dream of, and help them see that they are not alone in this world, that what they feel are the same things teens have been feeling for the last hundred years. But, convincing them of this isn’t always so easy. Matching kids with books has become my mission.
            I write for young adults because I want as many books as possible available to my students and all teenagers. I want them to read about characters who are like them; kids who try to fit the world into their black and white views, kids who worry about their families and friends, kids who try hard to be good even when they don’t know how to be. I strive to write about the world my students live in as realistically as possible, even when my heroine Riley is traveling back in time. I want her relationships to be real, the conversations she has to be authentic, and her reactions to the events in her life to make the reader think, “Yeah, that’s what I would do.” I know my kids deserve good literature.
            This is such an exciting time for young adult fiction. Amazing writers like Walter Dean Myers, John Green, Sharon Draper, Sarah Dessen, and Ellen Hopkins have challenged young readers to think and care about books. There’s so much good writing out there, and there’s good librarians and teachers helping students get their hands on it. I want to contribute any way I can. I write for young minds, young voices. I write for my students.

Author Bio:

Jen Sanya Williamson is a graduate of the University of Arizona where she received a BA in creative writing. She spends most of her time with her junior high students, teaching and talking books. When not in a classroom, Jen is writing, watching TV shows from the ‘90s, or cheering on the Wildcats with her husband and children in her adopted hometown of Tucson, Arizona.

Author Links:


Find the Book:

Friday, August 29, 2014

Follow Friday



Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we will answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 
This week’s question –

Tell us about a book character you’d trade places with – Suggested by Escaping Within Pages

You know, I would like to be super smart like Sydney Sage with a hot boyfriend like Adrian from the Bloodlines series.  I'm not sure how I would feel about being chased by Strigoi though....I would definitely be investing in a few more martial arts lessons...and perhaps some heavy duty weapons and ninja training...
- Christinabean

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike


Published: April 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 320
Copy Provided by: Library
Summary: Goodreads

Summary:
Kimberlee’s dead. Has been for a while, actually. Stuck haunting the halls of her high school, she’s doomed to an afterlife of boredom. That is until the new kid shows up.

The first thing Jeff spots is Kimberlee lying on the floor as other students walk right through her. Pretty soon she’s harangued him into helping her escape to the afterlife.

Kimberlee guesses that once Jeff rights her mean girl wrongs she’ll be able to move on. But nothing is simple in life after death...

Review:
To be honest, I knew nothing about this title until I read the novella One More Day.  I added it to my TBR list because I am a fan of Aprilynne Pike's Wings series.  It was a good twist on a modern day thief trying to redeem herself in the afterlife by convincing someone to help her return the good she has stolen.  It reminded me of a made for TV movie and lacked the depth I am used to from this author but it was still a fun read!

Jeff goes through the usual peer pressure of trying to fit in at a new school while being coached by the ever popular Kimberlee only to realize that he is better off being himself to attract the girl he likes.  We also discover a few things about Kimberlee that are not so likeable.  Towards the end of the book, I felt like I wanted to punch this girl out.  There are definitely themes you could draw out for an ISU assignment - shop-lifting, peer pressure, dating, bullying.  Tons to analyze for a stand-alone title.  Overall I would recommend it to a pre-teen audience just heading into high school.

On a side-note, the beginning of Chapter 30 is like an updated version of Say Anything...without the boombox (for those of you old enough to know what a boombox is and can quote "Say Anything")....

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is


Deliverance (Defiance, #3)




Everything hangs in the balance, and nothing is certain: Rachel has been kidnapped by enemy forces and is being taken to Rowansmark while Logan, imprisoned and awaiting trial, is unable to leave Lankenshire. Separated from each other and their Baalboden comrades, each must find a way to achieve what they desperately want: to rid their world once and for all of the Commander and the tech that controls the deadly Cursed One.

Fighting through her pain and embracing the warrior she’s become, Rachel will do whatever it takes to escape her enemies’ clutches and join Logan in his fight. But when she learns a secret that changes everything, she realizes that escaping Ian and his tracker friends is no longer an option if she wants to save the people she loves. Instead, she’ll have to destroy Rowansmark from the inside out—if she can survive the journey through the Wasteland.

Logan needs allies if he wants to thwart Rowansmark’s power grab and rescue Rachel. But securing allies will mean betraying his beliefs and enlisting the help of the man he hates more than anyone: Commander Jason Chase. Driven by his fierce love for Rachel and his determination to make their world safe, Logan may be just the weapon the city-states need to defeat the Cursed One.

But as Rowansmark bears down and uneasy alliances are tested, will Rachel and Logan’s love for each other be enough to surmount the unbelievable odds against them?(less)

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Musings - Library Cards


I love libraries. I really really love them. 
I could spend hours and hours in a library.  I have probably logged more hours than I have working.
I have even visited libraries when I've been on vacation...have you?



I came across an interesting article this week about library cards. (Click on the link and take a look at different library cards from different states.  Have you ever given thought to how different each card is?  Some of them are even key fobs now.  The last time I renewed my library card, I was able to choose betwee 4 - 5 different designs.  The librarian mentioned that patrons find them easier to locate in a bag or purse and because kids get a choice as well, it helps them remember to use it.  GREAT IDEA!!  Librarians, school representatives and technicians take note - Wouldn't it be great to see libraries hold a drawing contest for children and let patrons vote on a design to place on their library card??

Here is a picture of my current library card.  When I first signed up for our local library, I asked the librarian about the cards because she gave me a choice of 4 or 5 different designs.  She explained that researched showed that giving a patron a choice helped them remember to use the card and helped them FIND it in a purse or wallet.  Here's what my card looks like


It gets used a lot...and I also contribute in other ways...like my fines... :)



(this was me as a child...now most of my books go on the micro SD card on my phone and I just don't have the same muscle tone in my arms...)

- Christinabean

Monday, August 25, 2014

Stacking the Shelves


Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received.


This week I received a copy of Unbreakable via NetGalley.  Kami Garcia is 1/2 of the super duo who wrote Beautiful Creatures.  Loved it! I'm sure I'm going to love this one as well!

- Christinabean


Sunday, August 24, 2014

Shout Out to Indies - The Universe Builders by Steve LeBel




We here at The Paperback Princesses often receive emails from Indie authors requesting reviews and are blessed with free book copies. Often we are unable to get to so many titles before our mass market published books take over our TBR shelves. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of great reads though! We want to give back to those Indie authors and  are declaring EVERY SECOND SUNDAY our SHOUT OUT TO INDIES MEME. For those of fellow bloggers, please feel free to add our meme to your regular schedule. We only ask that you quote and link back to us as a courtesy. For all of you Indie authors, we invite you to contact us at the contact link to your top left. We will select 1 - 3 titles (each time we post) that sound interesting. Lastly, for you readers, this is a bit of a test so please do comment and let us know what you think. We will also be offering up giveaway copies whenever we can! So without further ado, here is this week's pick:



We have all heard of the fabled perfect being, the Greek God.

Well, how about a geek god? Named Bernie, yet.


Fresh with his diploma from God School, determined but unsure, bright but without confidence, Bernie faces the challenge of building his own universe. If only it were that easy...


An old school rival will do whatever it takes to ensure Bernie's failure, even if it means destroying his world.

It’s god vs. god, guile vs. goodness, where only one of them plays by the rules. Bernie must find a way to outwit his evil foe. If he fails, it will cost him everything. 

A fascinating tale of good vs. evil and a young hero on a journey of self-discovery in an original, humorous, fantastic wrapper.


We asked Steve:

Why do I write for Young Adult?
First of all, I love fantasy and science fiction.  When I started writing my book, I had the pleasure of 25 people volunteers who read the early drafts.  When I talked with them about their reactions, I was surprised that half of them thought the book was for young adult while the other thought it was for adults.  When I started, I didn’t have a particular group in mind.  I just had a story I wanted to tell.
My writing style, shaped from years of business writing, was focused on communicating simply and effectively. Descriptions and embellishments were not a part of business writing.  When I wrote The Universe Builders, I had to learn a more descriptive style of writing and even describe the feelings and emotions of the characters.  But I still did it as simply as I could.  The outcome is a book that is easy to read.  The major themes are adolescent and young adult, although some have called it a coming of age book because of everything the young god experiences during the book.


Saturday, August 23, 2014

Same Book, Second Look - Anna and the French Kiss


Published: December 2010
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 372
Copy Provided by: Library
Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

Review:

If you follow our blog regularly, you know that I'm not a big fan of contemporary YA but I do read it every now and again for a break from the supernatural and because there are some books that receive so much buzz that I have to find out what the hulabaloo is all about.  Anna and the French Kiss is one of these books.  I have been waiting nearly 4 years to read it and found it to be incredibly refreshing.  Stephanie Perkins captures the very essence of falling in love for the first time.  I had this book finished in two days and it takes a lot for me to read that quickly.  Or rather to find the time needed to read that quickly.  

Anna was not thrilled to go to Paris for school and was totally against it.  She has to cope with making new friends, culture shock, adjusting to language barriers.  She's got a lot on her plate.  Normally I don't like it when books make modern day references but I love how Anna compares her board in school to Hogwarts without everything cool.

Not to mention, Anna starts to fall for a friend.  A guy friend who has a girlfriend.  And a friend who has another secret admirer.  It is all very confusing but somewhere along the way, Anna and St Clair develop a bond that makes sense and works for the time being.

Anna's journey takes her through a lot of personal development and she bends the rules a little bit.  She is a good girl who makes some really good decisions.  I loved this book.  It felt real and the environment in Paris made me want to spread my wings and try something new.  Read Anna and the French Kiss if you want to reminisce about falling in love, going outside of your comfortable boundaries and exploring the limitations of your heart.    

Friday, August 22, 2014

Follow Friday



Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we will answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 
This week’s question –

What book/series do you think would make a better TV show than a movie?

Good question!  I would have liked to have seen I am Number Four as a television show.  The movie was OK but there were so many things about Four's background and about the other kids that could have been explored. Plus, you can never get enough of Alex Pettyfer....unless you watch Magic Mike (but then you'd just get distracted by Mr. Tatum...ahem...)
:D
- Christinabean

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Guest Post - Eduardo Luengo author of Corvus

Today, The Paperback Princesses are happy to introduce Eduardo Luengo and his new book Corvus.  


From the Press Release:

Paris, 1337, is a dangerous and terrifying place to live. Every night, countless citizens are found dead, either killed by blade or by beast. When the King and the nobles flee the city with no concern for those they are leaving behind, the townspeople begin their march toward exile. The only hope for their salvation lies with the Order of the Knights, a group of young elite soldiers assembled to defend the land, who go to Notre Dame to investigate the mysterious happenings. Only one knight returns and what he has uncovered is chilling: what is terrorizing the streets of Paris is not human at all, but are called “Harbingers”, mysterious creatures who seem to exist only to kill. 

Brave and fiercely independent, Alice Houdin is one of the few female Knights of the Order. During the catastrophic events that occur in Notre Dame, Alice becomes separated from her company and finds 
herself in the Underworld. She is forced to atone for her sins and must face a series of tests to save her 
soul. It is in the Underworld that Alice makes new friends and enemies and must do anything she can to 
return to her world. Meanwhile, her best friend fellow Knight, Arthur, has survived the attacks but is 
determined to hunt down every last Harbinger in his quest to rid the land of their kin, even if it means 
sacrificing his own life.


The Incentive to Write

By Eduardo Luengo

For some time, I had the idea for a story forming in my mind. And by that I mean a whole year before I actually wrote anything down. Partly, the reason why I only ruminated on it was because I was writing a different project, which in the end, I decided to drop. However, that didn’t stop me from developing the characters and starting my rounds of  After canning a couple of drafts from my first project, I decided to finally start working on Corvus. It was a new story, a new world, and new people, and my excitement was limitless. So much so that I wrote over forty pages in one week, while at the same time keeping my high school homework in check. I had a good reason to write. It was passion what drove me to perform such feat in a tight schedule. Passion for something is what propels many people to follow certain paths or look for certain jobs. I know for a fact that writing is my passion, and new projects are always exciting. Passion for writing is the best incentive I know to undertake in a huge journey such as writing a novel.

Whenever I start working on a new story, there’s this rush of excitement and imagination that is almost palpable. I tend to take out my notebook in the middle of class and begin scribbling little notes for names and events that would take place. I write short bios of the main characters. I also start conducting lengthy research on topics, in this case, ranging from the Monarchy and Feudalism, to the story of France up to the point Talking specifically about my novel, I knew I wanted the story to occur in Paris,  century. I was convinced that the Gothic architecture of the time and place were perfect for the events yet to happen. Also, the setting ties in smoothly with the dark fantasy elements that I introduce later in the story.

Corvus deals with themes that range from loyalty and friendship, to life and death. Death plays a huge part in Corvus. It is the reason why the main conflict starts. It is also the beginning of a new journey. Death plays a huge role as to how the characters deal with it, both the living and the departed. Death is the ultimate force of nature that we are Loyalty, friendship, courage and honor are some of the other prevalent themes in Corvus. They are inherent traits in every human being and also some of the hardest to maintain. They are what make any human truly admirable. These traits are what real heroes are made of. They are what compose those whom we admire and follow. And personally, they provide a good incentive to write.Commitment and passion for writing keep me from giving up. But important themes such as life, death, friendship, honor, and many others are part of the unlimited chest of ideas from where I can keep writing until the end of days.

Thank you Eduardo for sharing your passion with our readers

From the Press Release: Eduardo Luengo was only fourteen-years-old when he was given a writing assignment in school to write a short story. Although the teacher required the story to be a mere two pages long, Luengo took it upon himself to write forty pages. Instead of being impressed by his initiative, he was accused of stealing the story from the internet. Over the past four years, Corvus was completed. 

This enthralling debut novel from Eduardo Luengo takes readers on a dark journey through Renaissance-
era France and questions the true meanings of friendship, loyalty and bravery. Corvus is truly a tale for 
the ages and an unforgettable story of friendship and survival in a world where nothing is black and white and everything is gray. 

About the author: Nineteen-year-old Eduardo Luengo was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and moved to 
Houston, Texas as teenager. Corvus is Luengo’s first novel, having started out as a high school English 
assignment. He is currently attending college in Orlando, Florida. Corvus by Eduardo Luengo (published 
by Clink Street Publishing, RRP $11.99, ebook RRP $4.99) is available online at retailers including 

Amazon.com and can be ordered from all good bookstores.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday - Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is:



Michael Grant, author of the New York Times bestselling Gone series, has created a powerful and brilliant narrative that examines the nature of good and evil in every human.

Mara wakes in a field of dead grass, a heavy mist pressing down on her. She is terrified, afraid that she is dead. Then a beautiful young man dressed in black appears. He calls himself Messenger of Fear.

This boy is able to move effortlessly through space and time. He also sees the darkness in human hearts. He sees the evils done: the destructive lies, the cruelty, the bullying, the violence. And if the world does not bring justice to those who do evil, he will. He offers the wicked a game. If they win, they go free. If they lose, they will live their greatest fear. Either way, their sanity will be challenged.

It is a world of fair but harsh justice. Of retribution and redemption. And mystery. Why was Mara chosen to be the Messenger’s apprentice? What has she done to deserve this terrible fate? She won’t find out until three of the wicked receive justice. And when she does, she will be shattered

Monday, August 18, 2014

Stacking the Shelves


Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received.

This week Christinabean received:


A big thank you to Harlequin for sending this ARC to me!




Sunday, August 17, 2014

Shout Out to Indies - Kissed by Kimberly Loth




 We here at The Paperback Princesses often receive emails from Indie authors requesting reviews and are blessed with free book copies. Often we are unable to get to so many titles before our mass market published books take over our TBR shelves. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of great reads though! We want to give back to those Indie authors and are declaring EVERY SECOND SUNDAY our SHOUT OUT TO INDIES MEME. For those of fellow bloggers, please feel free to add our meme to your regular schedule. We only ask that you quote and link back to us as a courtesy. For all of you Indie authors, we invite you to contact us at the contact link to your top left. We will select 1 - 3 titles (each time we post) that sound interesting. Lastly, for you readers, this is a bit of a test so please do comment and let us know what you think. We will also be offering up giveaway copies whenever we can! So without further ado, here are this week's pick:

Kissed by Kimberly Loth





Summary:
Trapped in a dark cult, sixteen-year-old Naomi Aren has lived a quiet, albeit unhappy, life nestled deep in the hills of the Ozarks.  With uncut hair, denim skirts, and only roses for friends, Naomi seldom questions why her life is different from other kids at school. Until the day her abusive father, who is also the cult’s leader, announces her wedding. Naomi must marry Dwayne Yerdin, a bully who reeks of sweat and manure and is the only one person who scares her worse than her father.
Then she meets Kai, the mysterious boy who brings her exotic new roses and stolen midnight kisses. Kisses that bring her a supernatural strength she never knew she had.  As the big day approaches, Naomi unearths more secrets of about her father’s cult. She learns she has power of her own and while Kai may have awakened that power, Naomi must find a way to use it to escape Dwayne and her father—without destroying herself.

We asked Kimberley she writes for a YA audience:

"There are so many reasons I write YA. The first is that I only read YA. As I writer I think it is important to read what you write. I have a hard time reading adult books. They move a little too slowly for me. Also, I’m a high school teacher and I love that age. I think it would fun to go back and do high school all over again (but only knowing what I know now.)  
Another reason I write YA is that I get to fall in love over and over and over again. Those feelings, the butterflies, the heartache, the emotional roller coaster is something that I enjoy experiencing. When I write YA love stories I get to have those (and many other) feelings."




Saturday, August 16, 2014

Forget Me by K. A. Harrington


Published: August 7th, 2014
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 288
Copy: Publisher via Edelweiss
Summary: Goodreads

An edge-of-your seat psychological thriller with a romantic twist

On the three-month anniversary of her boyfriend Flynn’s death, Morgan uploads her only photo of him to FriendShare to get some closure—but she’s shocked when the facial recognition software suggests she tag him as "Evan Murphy." She’s never heard of Evan, but a quick search tells her that he lives in a nearby town and looks exactly like Flynn. Only this boy is very much alive.

Digging through layers of secrets and lies, Morgan is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her boyfriend, her town, and even her parents' involvement in this massive web of lies.


I've said it before and I'll no doubt say it again, but I love it when a book surprises me.  When I started 'Forget Me', I had no recollection of the blurb I'd read when I requested an ARC of the book and I had no cover pic on my arc - so no hints, I was going in blind.  What I got was a tight, engrossing thriller with great characters and and a beautifully executed denouement that took me completely by surprise.

Best friends Morgan and Toni are completely realistic and their snippy banter was never over-the-top.  Evan was at time a little difficult to puzzle out - his reactions not quite following the expected.  Which of course adds to his air of mystery, but all is very satisfactorily explained.  Reece's character makeover was so sweet, it was just lovely - not overdone or unbelievable.  His lapses back to annoying jock are very funny.  We all know someone like him.

There are layers and layers of mystery withing the story that add more and more suspense for the reader and muddy the water beautifully.  I'll be honest, my brain was edging towards cloning or some such thing - but I was sooooo wrong.  At one point I even thought we'd need a 2nd book to sort it all out, but no.  Thank Goodness! Everything wraps up nicely and all the clues click into place, giving a very satisfying conclusion. An absolute must read for thriller/mystery fans.