Young Adult Books

Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere Mon, 2013-05-20 ShareThis Image Size Standard (157px wide) Don't display book covers Do not show publication date May 2013 Along the Mississippi River, in a Depression-era stadium, young prospects from all over the world compete for a chance to move up through the baseball ranks to the major leagues. Award-winning essayist Lucas Mann turns his eye on the players, the coaches, the fans, the radio announcer, the town, and finally on himself, a young man raised on baseball, driven to know what still draws him to the stadium.

Book If I Should Die Contributors Harman K. Reviewer (text) Harman K. As the fight for good versus evil (bardia versus numa) continues, Kate will be forced to face her fears --- losing more of the people she loves. Amy Plum continues Kate’s amazing journey right where she left off in the second book and has us fall in love with the characters all over again, just as we did in DIE FOR ME. "IF I SHOULD DIE is a riveting read, with the characters and plotline becoming more and more tense as the book goes on." Teaser Kate is devastated. Her boyfriend Vincent is a revenant who waited lifetimes to find her. But once he did, they were betrayed by a trusted ally who killed Vincent and destroyed his body so that he could not be reanimated. Now Vincent is doomed to roam the earth as a spirit. But Kate will risk anything to save him, even as their friend-turned-enemy begins to wage a war to rule over France's immortals. Promo Kate is devastated. Her boyfriend Vincent is a revenant who waited lifetimes to find her. But once he did, they were betrayed by a trusted ally who killed Vincent and destroyed his body so that he could not be reanimated. Now Vincent is doomed to roam the earth as a spirit. But Kate will risk anything to save him, even as their friend-turned-enemy begins to wage a war to rule over France's immortals. About the Book IF I SHOULD DIE delivers a stunning, deeply satisfying conclusion to the international bestselling Die for Me trilogy by Amy Plum. Kate is devastated. Her boyfriend Vincent is a revenant who waited lifetimes to find her. But once he did, their future together was shattered almost immediately. They were betrayed by a trusted ally who killed Vincent and destroyed his body so that he could not be reanimated. Now Vincent is doomed to roam the earth as a spirit. But Kate isn't willing to accept life without her true love. She'll risk anything to save him, even as their friend-turned-enemy begins to wage a war to rule over France's immortals. Amy Plum created an intricate, original mythology for her YA paranormal series. The books, set in Paris, the City of Lights, introduce readers to revenants, undead beings who must sacrifice themselves again and again to save the lives of strangers. read more

Amy Plum ShareThis Paranormal Romance Fiction HarperTeen 0062004034 9780062004031 416 Tue, 2013-05-07 Hardcover Amazon URL http://www.amazon.com/If-I-Should-Die-Revenants/dp/0062004034%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJ2PCDIRRY6BU4NFA%26tag%3Dthebookreport01%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0062004034 Guide Kindle Link http://www.amazon.com/If-Should-Die-Revenants-ebook/dp/B009NG328E%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJ2PCDIRRY6BU4NFA%26tag%3Dthebookreport01%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB009NG328E Show Indiebound link Show Indiebound buy link Show Amazon link Show Amazon buy link Show B&N link Show Barnes & Noble buy link

Book Nantucket Blue Contributors Jennifer B. Reviewer (text) Jennifer B. Seventeen-year-old Cricket appears to have a pretty fabulous life. She’s a talented athlete, has a great best friend and may possibly be the love interest of one of the cutest boys in the school. Cricket becomes even more lucky when her best friend, Jules, asks her to come to Nantucket with her for the summer. Cricket is thrilled because she won’t be subjected to another boring summer of babysitting. Plus, her crush, Jay, will be on the island, too. Teaser For Cricket Thompson, a summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, will change everything. When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy, Jules becomes a stranger to Cricket. And instead of lying on the beach, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms. But it's the things Cricket hadn't counted on --- most of all, falling hard for someone who should be off-limits --- that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality. Promo For Cricket Thompson, a summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, will change everything. When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy, Jules becomes a stranger to Cricket. And instead of lying on the beach, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms. But it's the things Cricket hadn't counted on --- most of all, falling hard for someone who should be off-limits --- that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality. About the Book For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she'll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams. Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn't. When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer. But it's the things Cricket hadn't counted on --- most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits --- that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality. read more

Book Parallel Contributors Samantha E. Reviewer (text) Samantha E. Is it fate or choice that guides the decisions we make in our life? Is it a mix of both? For Abbey Barnes, this question is essential because every day she has to struggle with finding the balance between what she has chosen and where fate has brought her. "PARALLEL is truly a thrilling read...It is the kind of book that you want to start reading and then not put down until hours later when you have read the last word. It's just that good." Teaser Abby Barnes had a plan. She'd go to Northwestern and major in journalism. But one tiny choice --- taking a drama class her senior year --- changed all that. Now Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten. Promo Abby Barnes had a plan. She'd go to Northwestern and major in journalism. But one tiny choice --- taking a drama class her senior year --- changed all that. Now Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten. About the Book Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned 22. But one tiny choice --- taking a drama class her senior year of high school --- changed all that. Now, on the eve of her 18 birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten. With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met. As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach. read more

Guys. My seventh book review this year, first in 3 months. I'm so good at this blogging thing, eh?Summary (goodreads)After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.**My Expectations: kind of okay? I went into it with a "hoping for the best" mentality, but I wasn't counting on the hype.Delivery: definitely exceeded my expectationsPut-down-ability: 2/10, low. I mean, bought this book, paid full price and everything.**My ThoughtsI haven't read a book I really loved in months, and I've been picking up and putting down countless books recently. Until this one. And I loved that as I was reading it, I was realizing that it was going to be a new favourite of mine and let me tell you, I was never so disappointed to see the Acknowledgements page after that last chapter.Two quotes:That's not how it ends at all.It ends with us killing each other behind rows of empty beer coolers in the dying light of a late-summer day.I went up to him before the last of the light was gone. Not to see if he was dead. I knew he was dead. I wanted to see what he was holding in his bloody hand.It was a crucifix.That passage near the beginning made me sit up and take note, it made my brain scream that this was not a book that was to be ignored."It's hopeless. And it's stupid. It's suicidal. But love is a weapon they have no answer for. They know how you think, but they can't know what you feel." Damn, Rick Yancey, I like your book a lot.---This one took me by surprise, I'm usually one to ignore the hype and I've done my fair share of wandering around bookstores and reading 50 or so pages, then leaving. However, I took this baby home with me ;)Before we get to the brilliance of the writing, can we just talk about the freaking plot? It's so well crafted and builds a solid foundation for the series. Everything from the 1st wave to the Arrival, from Camp Ashpit to Camp Haven, I loved the way Yancey really thought through the Others' plan of attack. It allowed for much better rapport between the protagonist and the actions of the antagonist instead of one directional volleys.Okay, but if plots aren't your thing, maybe writing is. It really is gorgeous, I especially noticed some of the colour imagery (because it was reminiscent of The Book Thief), as well certain distinct features/images like the Eye and the Mothership (reminiscent of the District 9 movie). Some passages were breathtaking and haunting, and definitely made my mind turn over on itself; he fleshes out the complications and pain of war, loss, family, and love, yet still maintains an action-packed atmosphere and a tense feeling of impending doom.So then there are the characters, where I loved the whole bunch. Another thing I didn't expect-- the switching POVs (okay, okay, maybe I didn't thoroughly research this book before reading it) but it was such a pleasant surprise. There was a point where Yancey switched between 1st and 3rd POV which I found interesting and enjoyable. I had a small issue with the central romance, which I thought was lacking... I mean, okay, hopeless devotion is only romantic to an extent. After that it's dull. I much more enjoyed Cassie throwing meat at his head. Yancey leaves an aura of mystery around many of the characters that leaves me eager to find out more.I found one or two of the POVs slowed down the story and

If you "like" the Just One Day Facebook page, you might have seen the article posted a couple of days ago about the new cover for the paperback edition of Just One Day by Gayle Forman. When I heard the news, I was a little hesitant...I really, really love the original cover of Just One Day, and the matching cover for the upcoming sequel Just One Year, which was released earlier this year. Here they are:There is so much I like about these covers--the colors, the lighting, and reflections, and romantic quality that really make their seem so magnetic.Here is the new cover for Just One Day:What I like about this cover: the silhouettes, the setting sun, the clasped hands, and city street. I think that this cover does a great job at hinting at Paris without sticking in any obvious landmarks, and I love that. This cover is effortlessly romantic and it does a great job at drawing you in.My only complaint is the same complaint I have whenever series undergo cover changes, and that is the question of whether or not my book covers will match. So far I haven't seen a new Just One Year cover that matches the new paperback, but we'll see.The paperback edition of this book will be released August 20th, 2013, and Just One Year will be out on October 15th, 2013. I can hardly wait to read it!What do you all think of the new cover?

Last week one of my sons was sick. Not terribly sick, but what he has was contagious and he got ordered to stay home all week. So I stayed home with him for a day and a half. And I finally, finally got some books finished. My Currently Reading list is down to five!I finished: You, Maybe by Rachel Vail; The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale (review coming tomorrow); Fat Kid Rules the World by KL Going (review on Wednesday) and The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (which I reviewed last week after I finished it). I also checked the first season of Deadwood out from my public library and am very caught up in that. I tried watching it when it was first on but the swearing and dirtiness kind of got to me. I got over it and am now loving it!Right now I am reading The House of the Scorpion, one I have been wanting to read forever. It is completely engrossing!What are you reading today?

In the past year or so I've read many, many.....many Indie books. Mostly these have been New Adult titles. I might have an addiction :) I'm very much behind on these reviews but I still wanted to mention them in a special feature. For the next week, I'm going to post mini-reviews for these titles. I plan to have about 5-8 books per post. Today I wanted to talk about the ones that have received 5 stars from me. Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole Add to Goodreads This was such a cute story! The characters are wonderful and there's no doubt Dante is swoon-worthy. We get to explore another country and follow the main character as she tries to navigate in an environment she is very unfamiliar with. Dante's world is so different from her own but their connection and romance is adorable. Highly recommended if you want something cute, funny, and perfect for summer. Unlikely Allies by Tiffany King Add it to Goodreads This book was nothing like I expected. Kimberly finds out that her father is alive and she spends the summer with him and some kids at a summer camp for foster kids. I assumed this book was about her just falling for a guy but it was so much more than that. There is a whole, big, huge catastrophe in there that they are faced with. Kim and Mason don't start out on good terms but by the end, they are forced to get along for survival. This book is much more intense than it may seem. It was the first story I read from Tiffany and it is still my favorite of hers. Crush by Lacey Weatherford Add to Goodreads I can't help it, I'm a sucker for bad boys and good girls. And Hunter Wilder? Oh yeah, totally loved him! There is a big, huge mystery in this book and Hunter is at the center of it. We get both POVs in this story and I can't tell you how happy I was to find out there would be a second book! I believe Smitten, book 2, is coming out very soon and I will be buying it asap. If you love a good romance with a bad boy, grab up this one. You won't be disappointed in the plot twist! With the Band by Jean Haus Add to Goodreads I purchased this one randomly because I was in the mood for more band boy books. I honestly never expected to love it as much as I did. Riley is the main character and she loves music. She decides to join a band but one of the band members does not like this idea. Romeo is a jerk to Riley at first but she honestly can't figure out why. Eventually their sparks turn more passionate. I adored this entire book and especially the other side characters. They all had a little dysfunctional family but I felt the story was told in a way that was very realistic for college life. I have this one on my "re-read" list! If you love stories with hot musical males, get this! I know the cover may be a bit lacking but it really packs a punch. The Truths About Dating and Mating by Jaycee Delorenzo Add to Goodreads Don't you love discovering a book randomly and finding out it rocks? This was another of those cases for me. I hadn't heard anything about this story but the blurb really grabbed me. Often, we read books where main characters have just met. But in this case, the characters had a long-standing friendship. Ivy and Ian are the perfect match. Ian is a bit of a bad boy (yes, like I said, I love them!), but he has a soft spot for Ivy. They even do a love radio show together which is hilarious! Their friendship soon turns into more and neither of them know how to handle it. If you enjoy friends-to-lovers type of books, this one is for you. Plus, it's freakin' hilarious! Falling for the Ghost of You by Nicole Christie Add to Goodreads This is one of those cases where you can't judge a book by its cover. This story starts with a bang and doesn't let up. I know we've heard this type of story a lot; girl meets

This is a weekly post to spotlight some YA/MG books that will be releasing during this week. All content © by Sab H of YA Bliss