Book Review (148): The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back - Sariah Wilson

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

by Sariah Wilson 

Publcation: 15th August 2012

Publisher: Fire & Ice Books

Pages: 194

Genre: Contemporary

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.

But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?

Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.

Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.

Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.

And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her.

My Thoughts...

I've long been a fan of re-tellings of fairy tales, especially when they're done well and this book was no exception.
I loved the idea of hearing the side of the so-called 'ugly stepsister' it gave a new dimension to the Cinderella fairy tale.
Wilson has taken a classic, flipped it around to a character most people never liked in the story and made her an extremely likable character, it definitely works that the book is based in the present and it's a contemporary romance version.
The story is based on Mattie (Ugly Stepsister) who has a list of grievances against her stepsister Ella (Cinderella), the biggest one being that Ella's boyfriend Jake has long been Mattie's crush ever since she was nine years old and she's jealous that not only is Ella perfect in every way and has everything she wants, but she also has the one thing that Mattie really wants.
With her father whom is a famous painter and who spends more time painting than spending time with her and a mother who she only speaks to on Skype and not very often I might add, she feels the world is against her until one day she is in detention with Jake and he expects her to lie so he can leave and she refuses, shocked that a girl has finally denied him something that has never happened before, he verbally abuses her and Mattie feels that she's lost her chance of ever being with him until the day that they are partnered together for an english assignment and realise that they both have more in common than they ever would have guessed.
She also decides to compete against Jake for class president with the help of Ella, who Mattie realises isn't as bad as she once thought she was.
This book has it all romance, crush-worthy male leads, bitchy girls and a lot of fun all wrapped up into one story.
I was excited to read that there will be a second book based on Ella's character set four years later after this book and I'm excited to see where Mattie is at and what she's up to.
I give this a well deserved 4/5.
A Big Thanks To The Author Sariah for A Copy Of Her Book To Review. 

Cover Reveal: Invisibility - Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

Invisibility

by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

Stephen has been invisible for practically his whole life — because of a curse his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, bestowed on Stephen’s mother before Stephen was born. So when Elizabeth moves to Stephen’s NYC apartment building from Minnesota, no one is more surprised than he is that she can see him. A budding romance ensues, and when Stephen confides in Elizabeth about his predicament, the two of them decide to dive headfirst into the secret world of cursecasters and spellseekers to figure out a way to break the curse. But things don’t go as planned, especially when Stephen’s grandfather arrives in town, taking his anger out on everyone he sees. In the end, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how big of a sacrifice they’re willing to make for Stephen to become visible — because the answer could mean the difference between life and death. At least for Elizabeth.

Expected publication: May 2013 by Philomel/Penguin

Blog Tour: Guest Post: Anew - Chelsea Fine, Book Review (147).

Anew (The Archers of Avalon #1)

by Chelsea Fine

Publication: 7th December 2011

Publisher: Acacia Publishing

Pages: 385

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice. 

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer. 

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.

(Playlist for ANEW available at http://ow.ly/8vpU2)

My Thoughts...

OMG! How have I not read this book before now?

This book has been on my wishlist for a very long time, so when I found out that there was going to be a blog tour I jumped at the chance, and I was not disappointed!.

There's nothing that I disliked about this book it was absolutely brilliant, my only complaint, that cliffhanger at the end, I honestly wanted to cry, I desperately need to get my hands on the next book Awry, like A.S.A.P!

And so the story goes that two years ago Scarlet awoke in a forest with amnesia, flash forward two years and she is living with a guardian Laura, with still no memory of her previous life.

One day she is at her town Avalon's annual Kissing Festival (where strangers will just come up and kiss you), with her best friend Heather (who is extremely fashion conscious and is all the more hilarious because of it) when she spots a boy more than once standing at a distance staring at her, not being able to see his face she is distracted by Gabriel a new boy in town, but there is something very familiar about his voice and she instantly feels at ease in his prescence, they soon start dating but Scarlet feels that Gabriel is hiding something, and when she turns up unexpectedly at his cabin she soon finds out what that is, an identical twin brother Tristan.

 Tristan also seems very familiar to Scarlet but she doesn't know why, but there is a very good reason for that and I loved the surprise of finding out what that was.

This has one of the most original storylines in the paranormal genre that I've ever read and it just added to the fantastic storyline which Chelsea has written.

And don't get me started on the Archer brothers, um yum!

Tristan is just as Elvis Presley would put it 'a hunk, a hunk of burnin' love', I love him and I'm definitely hoping that there is a happily ever after in the end for him and Scarlet, I know that Gabriel is her boyfriend but in my opinion Tristan should win hands down.

I love this series so much, definitely up there with my favourites, and I stongly urge everybody to pick up a copy of this book.

I give this a huge 5/5.

Guest Post..

High School Head Rush

By Chelsea Fine

I’m one of those rare nerds who actually liked high school. I know. SO lame. But I didn’t like high school because of my classes, or teachers, or my ability to drive legally. ;) No. I liked high school because of the books and bands that rocked my world during those pivotal years of my adolescence.

The Books

·         The Harry Potter Series WHOA. Harry Potter blew my mind. I used to walk the halls of my high school sighing to myself as I thought, “I wish this was Hogwarts. I would kick butt with a wand.”

·         The Vampire Diaries Series I read these books long before they were televised and loved them. You can imagine my complete and utter glee when TVD was made into a TV show. #TeamDamon, baby!

·         Fahrenheit 451 I had to read this for English and wow. This book freaked me out in the best kind of way. To this day, I’ll catch myself shushing someone who’s speaking to me while I’m watching TV, and think to myself. “Oh crap. It’s happening. The world is coming to an end and someone’s going to come burn all my books.” Haha. *shifts eyes from side to side* But seriously.

·         Babysitting Is A Dangerous Job This book is about a babysitter who gets kidnapped along with the kids she’s in charge of. I’m sure if I read this now I’d laugh at myself, but at the time I was like, “Oh snap. I’m never babysitting again.”

·         The Notebook Aw…who didn’t love this book? I read the whole thing in one day, cried my eyes out, and immediately started rereading it. It was the best heartbreak of my life. And actually, The Notebook was the book that made me want to be a writer. True story.

The Music

·         Letters to Cleo I loved this band! In high school, I taught myself how to play guitar just so I could play Alouette And Me. Ahhh! :) Big time fangirl.

·         Matchbox 20 Is it just me or was every single song on the Yourself or Someone Like You album amazing? I have them all memorized.

·         Sheryl Crow I loved her in high school and still love her today. Why? Because she’s a real rock star. No pretences, no showy nonsense, just good music. *love*

·         Third Eye Blind This was my painting music. I was really into art in high school (still am) and I used to lock myself in my room and paint for hours while listening to Narcolepsy.

·         Jewel I think every girl in the 90s would listen to Jewel and think, “Wow. She’s so deep and dark. I want to be just like her.” Haha. Jewel’s music really helped me tap into my poetic side. I was a guitar-playing, poem-writing artist. *rolls eyes* So typical. Haha.

That pretty much sums up my high school experience. Good books. Good music. Good head rush from it all. ;) 

Author Bio:

Chelsea lives in Phoenix, AZ where she spends most of her time writing young adult fiction, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs.  Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks.  She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen.

Links:

Goodreads ANEW: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12875436-anew
Goodreads Chelsea Fine: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4984399.Chelsea_Fine
Chelsea Fine’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChelseaFineBooks
Chelsea Fine’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/chelseafine
Chelsea Fine’s Website: http://www.chelseafinebooks.com/
Archers of Avalon Series Website: http://www.thearchersofavalon.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Anew-Archers-Avalon-Book-ebook/dp/B006IX77S6/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1343767834&sr=1-3
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anew-chelsea-fine/1107693940?ean=2940013813731

Book Review (146): Intangible - J, Meyers

Intangible (Intangible #1)

by J. Meyers 

Publication: 31st January 2012
Publisher: J. Meyers 
Pages: 264
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.

Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.

My Thoughts...

I was very eager to start reading this book after how much I enjoyed reading the prequel Intuition.
After the ending from the prequel I couldn't wait to see how it was resolved, and I definitely wasn't disappointed!
We start off the story with twins Luke and Sera, they are both gifted with different powers, Luke is able to see the future and Sera can heal people with her touch.
Luke has had a vision of Sera's death and as yet he has never yet been able to stop anything he sees from coming true, and so he is extremely worried about how he will enable it from coming true.
He keeps the vision from Sera who notices that something is bothering him and while they usually tell each other everything this he can't.
Sera starts being followed by a man named Jonas he seems to be there one moment and then has disappeared the next, there is also a new boy in town Marcus whom Sera is attracted to but unbeknown to her he is hiding a secret that puts her and Luke's lives in danger.
Unknown to Luke and Sera is that they are the prophesied in the Children Of The Prophecy.
There are quite a few different paranormal entities in this story which I loved and also the fact that the story is told from the pov from not only the lead characters but the supporting characters too which gave us a glimpse into what they were thinking and why they did the things that they did.
This book was full of action, adventure and the bond between twins who would do anything for each other even sacrifice their lives for one other.
I'm highly anticipating the next book in the series, fingers crossed that there is one because I really want to read more about Luke and Sera's world.
I highly recommend this book, a great addition to the paranormal genre.
I give this 4/5.

A Big Thanks To J. Meyers For The Copy Of This Book To Review.

Mailbox Friday.

Friday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week    

Brought...

The Curse (Belador #3) - Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love

Feature And Follow Friday (43).

Q: What is the BIGGEST word you’ve seen used in a book lately – that made you stop and look it up? Might as well leave the definition & book too.

I can't recall any big words in any books that I've read lately and when I do find them I never bother looking it up in the dictionary anyway.

Mailbox Thursday.

Thursday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week    

Review...

The Hydrogen Sonata (Culture #10) - Iain M. Banks  (Hachette Australia)
This book doesn't interest me in the slightest, it might also be that it's the 10th book in the series and I haven't read any before that.

Rebellion (The Tainted Realm #2) - Ian Irvine (Hachette Australia)
Same as above!

Mailbox Wednesday.

Wednesday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week   

Review...

(ARC) Promised (Birthmarked #3) - Caragh M. O'Brien (Roaring Brook Press)

Brought...

Burn For Burn (Burn For Burn #1) - Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Incarnation - Emma Cornwall

Because It Is My Blood (Bloodright #2) - Gabrielle Zevin

The Diviners (Diviners #1) - Libba Bray

Waiting On Wednesday.

iting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

Defy the Dark

by Saundra Mitchell (Editor), Malinda Lo, Myra McEntire, Sarah Ockler, Jackson Pearce, Dia Reeves, Jon Skovron, Courtney Summers, Aprilynne Pike, Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan,Rachel Hawkins, Sarah Rees Brennan, Tessa Gratton, Christine Johnson, Valerie Kemp 

Defy the Dark, an all-new anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell. Coming Summer 2013 from HarperTeen!

It features 16 stories by critically-acclaimed and bestselling YA authors as they explore things that can only happen in the dark. Authors include Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Hawkins, Carrie Ryan, Aprilynne Pike, Malinda Lo, Courtney Summers, Beth Revis, Sarah Ockler, and more.

Contemporary, genre, these stories will explore every corner of our world- and so many others. What will be the final story that defies the dark? Who will the author be?

Expected publication: June 2013 by HarperTeen

Belle Epoque

by Elizabeth Ross

When Maude Pichon runs away from provincial Brittany to Paris, her romantic dreams vanish as quickly as her savings. Desperate for work, she answers an unusual ad. The Durandeau Agency provides its clients with a unique service—the beauty foil. Hire a plain friend and become instantly more attractive. 

Monsieur Durandeau has made a fortune from wealthy socialites, and when the Countess Dubern needs a companion for her headstrong daughter, Isabelle, Maude is deemed the perfect foil.

But Isabelle has no idea her new "friend" is the hired help, and Maude's very existence among the aristocracy hinges on her keeping the truth a secret. Yet the more she learns about Isabelle, the more her loyalty is tested. And the longer her deception continues, the more she has to lose.

Expected publication: June 11th 2013 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Doll Bones

by Holly Black 

Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . .

Expected publication: May 7th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

If He Had Been With Me

by Laura Nowlin 

If He Had Been With Me tells the romantic history of a teen girl and her childhood best friend leading up to his tragic car accident in which the passenger seat was occupied by another girl.

Expected publication: April 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire

Ghost Orchid

by J.D. Stroube 

The people around me are terrified of opening their eyes, they keep them to the ground and whisper prayers beneath their breath. 
Hawthorne Manor was meant to be my salvation, a way to heal and reintroduce me to society. The countryside was my minds playground, until a darkness began to reveal itself within the walls of the mansion. 
Forbidden to ask questions, I watch as my charge, a seven year old boy hides from a fear he won't voice. The servants ignore the disappearances happening at Hawthorne. The child I have promised to protect won't talk to me, which leaves me. 
I'm desperate to find the answers to the haunting of Hawthorne Manor before I disappear too. I learn that a story from the past may be the key to the truth of the horrors around me. How will I stop an evil that is focused on consuming the one child, I have come to love?
Worry, panic, chaos... The walls have control and their sole purpose is to trap me; to enslave me in delusions of nightmares that don't exist; couldn't exist. I can't focus, weighted down by a broken mind that has singled out each terror and worry, to build walls that are inescapable. It's not real. I'm crazy. Insomnia and depression have created hallucinations that make holding on to the living impossible. 
Each day, I grow closer to the abomination, the paranoia, the past that refuses to release me. I came here to find peace, to learn to live again, and now I am faced with a fate far worse than I imagined. 
My nightmares are no longer roaming my mind; they are directly in front of me.

Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by Euphoric Publishing & Design

Blog Tour: Transcend - Christine Fonesca, Book Review (145).

Transcend

by Christine Fonseca

Publication: 18th September 2012

Publisher: Compass Press

Pages: 200

Genre: Historical Romance

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

"so powerful, so deep, and dark. It took me on an amazing journey into places most people fear to go...leaving me breathless."
~Heather McCorkle, Author of To Ride A Puca 

"This Phantom of the Opera-inspired tale is hauntingly dark and achingly beautiful. A story of love, loss and obsession set against the decadent backdrop of historic New York that sucked me in and wouldn't let go, from the first page until long after I'd finished. Ien still haunts my dreams..." 
~ Michelle McLean, Author of Treasured Lies (Entangled, 2012)


All seventeen-year-old composer Ien Montgomery desires is an escape from his family's rigid expectations for his life; someone to inspire his music. When he meets a beautiful violin-prodigy, Kiera McDougal, his life music takes on new life. With her, he imagines a future outside of his parents’ control. That is, until a horrible accident tears them apart. 

Sent to die in a sanatorium, Ien’s obsession for Kiera grows unbearable. Tortured by thoughts he can’t escape and the truth of his monstrous disfigurement, he flees, desperate to exact revenge on the people that ruined his life – his parents. But, vengeance is empty. Betrayed by those closest to him, Ien discovers that the price for his happiness may be his sanity.

Set amidst the landscape of New York's Gilded Age, and inspired by Phantom of the Opera, TRANSCEND exposes the fine line between love and madness.

My Thoughts...

This book was absolutely amazing, I have long been a fan of the story of The Phantom Of The Opera, I saw the movie thirteen times at the cinema, so when I found out that this book was inspired by the story I hurriedly signed up for the blog tour, and boy I was not disappointed!

The twists and turns throughout this book had me sitting there at the end with my jaw dropped, I didn't expect the end and it was certainly a surprise.

Ien comes from a rich family, he's expected to take over the family business after the death of his older brother, he is in love with a girl Kiera whom her family especially his mother forbids him from seeing or marrying, but against his mother's wishes he proposes and she accepts, but on the walk home he is involved in a terrible accident which leaves most of his face, arms, legs and torso disfigured from burns.

Not expected to live he manages to hold on and the thought of Kiera keeps him going, after his parents fake his death he is sent away to die in a sanitarium, but he eventually escapes to take revenge on the people whom he blames for his accident and injuries and to find Kiera so that they can be together again.

But what happens if the one person he trusted to love him no matter, what is terrified by his appearance?

I highly recommend this book, the suspense in not knowing what will occur next and the journey to the shocking climax will have you on the edge of your seat.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Christine Fonesca writes next.

I give this a huge 5/5.

Deleted Scene – Part #2

Yesterday you were introduced to a deleted scene in which Kiera tells of the horrible accident that deforms Ien.  You can read part 1 here. Today, we continue the scene from Kiera’s POV:

            Chaos surround me. People dcrowding the burning building, shouting. Words, unintelligible and raw, swim around me.  “…a boy…trapped...too late…”             They bounce around in my mind before I can grasp their meaning. Everything slows and realization crests over me.

            My pulse speeds.

            The world spins.

            A hand reaches out for me, but I back away. I follow the hand to an arm, a chest, a face.

            James.

            His normally tan pants are caked in ash and mud. His face is blackened with soot. Water fills his eyes and I know.

            IknowIknowIknow.

            The oxygen leaves my lungs. My heartbeat roars in my ears.

            For a split second I think I’m dreaming, that everything around me, the chaos and the fire, the smell of burning flesh in the air, all of it is a lie.

            But then I look at James and the truth present in his eyes.

            I look over his shoulder to the flames still licking the walls of the building. I push past James, screaming.

            Help me, I hear in the recesses of my thoughts.

I walk forward yelling, “Ien. I’m coming Ien.”

Firm hands grab me. I scream and pull, unable to free myself. The heat of the flames teases my senses.

“Let me go,” I snarl. “I have to find him. Ien!”

“It’s too late,” James whispers in my ears. “We’re too late.”

He pulls me backbackback and the dream, the nightmare, takes over again. Everything is happening too fast. Too slow. Nothing makes sense. All I know, all I can feel, is that my sole reason for existing is somehow gone. Impossibly gone.

My body shakes and the reality of my thoughts take hold. A scream forms deep inside my belly. My legs wobble and I scream, “Ien!”

Over and over the word repeats until my voice is raw. I choke and sputter, his name finally dying on my lips.

My legs wobble, my knees quiver and in a moment I am on the ground, my dress covered in soot and mud.

James holds on to me, softening my landing. But he can’t soften the reality crashing around me. He can’t bring back my Ien. He can’t heal me

And maybe I don’t want him to.

Tears stream freely down my face as I imagine a world without my Ien, my muse, my love.

You can get the last part of this scene tomorrow at Night Owl Reads.

About Christine...

School psychologist by day, critically acclaimed YA and nonfiction author by night, Christine Fonseca believes that writing is a great way to explore humanity. Her many titles include TRANSCEND, DIES IRAE, LACRIMOSA, MEA CULPA, and in nonfiction: 101 SUCCESS SECRETS FOR GIFTED KIDS and EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS.

When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can be sipping too many skinny vanilla lattes at her favorite coffee house or playing around on Facebook and Twitter. Catch her daily thoughts about writing and life on her blog.

For more information about Christine Fonseca or the series, visit her website – http://christinefonseca.com or her blog http://christinefonseca.blogspot.com.

Availability:

Publisher: COMPASS PRESS

ISBN: 9780985180478

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13559187-transcend

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-ebook/dp/B009940DFA

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/transcend-christine-fonseca/1112839753

SPECIAL EDITION Signed and numbered Hardback available for preorder NOW (ships in Decemeber) – for a limited time only, and only form the author. - http://christinefonseca.blogspot.com/p/get-your-hardback-of-transcend-here.html