GIVEAWAY: BLOODSPELL ARC and Book Tote!

CONTEST IS CLOSED!


Read Amy's review of BLOODSPELL by Amalie Howard!

Contest ends 8-15-11
Open Internationally
Must me a follower of this blog
Tweet once a day for extra entry +1

~Thank you

Book Review: BLOODSPELL by Amalie Howard

*I am giving away my Bloodspell ARC along with a Bloodspell book tote>>>> HERE!

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Langdon Street Press (a division of Hillcrest Publishing Group, Inc.) (June 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1936782111
ISBN-13: 978-1936782116
Buy the book: Amazon
Visit the site: BloodspellBook.com

The spell was simple... ''Cruentus Protectum'' (''Defend the Blood'')

But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?

Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds--much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.

What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?

I know most of you have read the Twilight series, well I haven't. I have a pretty good idea of the storyline though, and I know the writing was amazing because I have read The Host (which is one of my favorites) both by Stephanie Meyer.

So with that being said, I have a feeling for Twilight fans, this book is going to sound similar.

 Boy meets girl at school

 Girl sees boy at school

 Instant attraction

 Boy can smell girls blood (obviously, he is a vampire)

Girl's blood smells so different than everyone else

 Girl is a Witch (relationship is doomed)

 Boy is mean to girl, because relationship is forbidden between Witch & Vamp

 Boy is nice to girl because she is pretty & intoxicating

 Boy is mean to girl...again

 Boy is nice to girl again... she keeps falling for it!

 Boy is mean to her... once more

Then boy gives up and swoops girl off feet!

Boy would now give life for girl

Girl would have died for boy at first site

Boy is very wealthy

Girl is not even close to wealth

Boy goes before Council in distant land to save relationship

ALL hell breaks lose!

At first I thought this book was pretty much just a copy cat of so many vampire books out there and I prepared for the cheese. It never came! Bloodspell ended up being a great read. Tori was a great strong female character and  Christian was a great lead guy role. The romance between Christian and Tori was a nice touch to this somewhat violent book. The ending was not what I expected, it was a great surprise. The violence in this book was wonderful and tons of it. Vampire books must have fight scenes, am I right? This book could be a stand alone, no cliffhanger to speak of.

If you are a fan of Vampire, Witch or even romance books, you will most likely enjoy this book!

PBR:

Sexual: Moderate

Profanity: Mild

Violence: Very Heavy
*underage drinking

For full content of BLOODSPELL go to Parental Book Reviews.

This-n-That: Quirk Books

So we at Reading Teen thought it would be cool to give a little credit to books and other stuff that are not necessarily in the teen genre.

WHAT???? Seriously? Not Teen?   Yeah, yeah, yeah I hear you. However, there are so many cool and interesting books I want to share with you, our lovely followers. So from time to time we will show you some not so teen this-n-that. 

Today I will be sharing with you some of my favorites from Quirk Books: Seekers of all Things Awesome!

Every young lady dreams of a life spent exchanging witty asides with a dashing Mr. Darcy, but how should you let him know your intentions? Seek counsel from this charming guide to Jane Austen’s world. Its step-by-step instructions reveal the practicalities of life in Regency England, including sensible advice on:



By Margaret C. Sullivan



• How to behave at your first ball

• How to ride sidesaddle

• How to decline an unwanted marriage proposal

• How to improve your estate

• How to throw a dinner party

—and much more. Offering readers a glimpse into day-to-day life in Jane Austen’s time, The Jane Austen Handbook is the perfect companion for fans of her novels and their film adaptations, complete with detailed information on love among the social classes, currency, dress, and nuances of graceful living.   

This book looks cute and fun. It is a quick read with only 200 pages, but worth it. If you are a Jane Austen fan you will love this small but pretty heavy book. 



By Denise Kiernan



In the summer of 1776, fifty-six men risked their lives and livelihood to defy King George III and sign the Declaration of Independence—yet how many of them do we actually remember? Signing Their Lives Away introduces readers to the eclectic group of statesmen, soldiers, slaveholders, and scoundrels who signed this historic document—and the many strange fates that awaited them. Some prospered and rose to the highest levels of United States government, while others had their homes and farms seized by British soldiers. Signer George Wythe was poisoned by his nephew; Button Gwinnett was killed in a duel; Robert Morris went to prison; Thomas Lynch was lost at sea; and of course Sam Adams achieved fame as a patriot/brewer. Complete with portraits of the signers as well as a facsimile of the Declaration of Independence, Signing Their Lives Away provides an entertaining and enlightening narrative for history buffs of all ages.

I REALLY love these books! So much Information about the brave men who signed both documents. The best thing is that the jacket flaps unfold into the actual document. Well maybe not actual, but looks pretty darn close.

These books would be a great gift for that history buff in your life!



By Denise Keirnan



With their book Signing Their Lives Away, Denise Kiernan and Joseph D’Agnese introduced readers to the 56 statesmen (and occasional scoundrels!) who signed the Declaration of Independence. Now they’ve turned their attention to the 39 men who met in the summer of 1787 and put their names to the U.S. Constitution. Signing Their Rights Away chronicles a moment in American history when our elected officials knew how to compromise—and put aside personal gain for the greater good of the nation. These men were just as quirky and flawed as the elected officials we have today: Hugh Williamson believed in aliens, Robert Morris went to prison, Jonathan Dayton stole $18,000 from Congress, and Thomas Mifflin was ruined by alcohol. Yet somehow these imperfect men managed to craft the world’s most perfect Constitution. With 39 mini-biographies and a reversible dust jacket that unfolds into a poster of the original document, Signing Their Rights Away offers an entertaining and enlightening narrative for history buffs of all ages.

By Sam Stall

Austin's Review

In 1897, Archibald Constable & Company published Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the most famous horror novel of all time. For reasons still debated by scholars, the first chapter of Dracula was cut from the book just weeks before publication. Here, it becomes the central clue in a spine-tingling original interactive mystery.

Dracula’s Heir begins 10 years after the horrific events described in the original novel. Jonathan and Mina Harker are happily married and enjoying life in Bixby, England. Meanwhile, their friend Dr. John Seward is tracking a string of crimes that seems eerily familiar: A 14-year-old girl sleepwalks out of her parents’ house and disappears into the night. Two “accident victims” are found drained of their blood, yet there is no crime scene evidence to explain its loss.

When Seward shares his discoveries with the famous vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, all the evidence points to Jonathan Harker. After all, Harker spent weeks imprisoned in Castle Dracula as a guest of the Count—was he infected without anyone realizing it? Has the mild-mannered English solicitor spent the last decade lurking in the shadows as a nosferatu? Or is someone (or something) else getting away with murder?
This chilling mystery novella features 8 removable clues, including a newspaper, a death certificate, Renfield’s private journal, and the original first chapter of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. When you think you’ve solved the crime, you can open the final signature (sealed at the printer) to test your powers of deduction.



By Ransom Riggs





A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

 

This has to be one of my favorite books so far this year... As Andye says... "It's creepy fantastic!"

 

Amy's Review

 

 So You can see QUIRK BOOKS has a diverse selection of books. Check them out!

 

 

 

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (May 10, 2011)
Buy the Book:  Amazon

When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate . . . someone who truly loves and understands her.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.

As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself.

Alex Bradford is the middle daughter in her family and lives at home with her younger sister and her father. Her older sister is away at college and her mother died when Alex was very small. Even though Alex was too young to even remember her mother, the facts about her death have always played a huge role in Alex's life. She cannot understand why her mother left in the first place and why she was in the car accident that killed her. Alex's father refuses to discuss his wife and chooses to disconnect from his 3 daughters. Her sisters seem to have been able to move ahead and only Alex feels the great void of not having a mother. The main support for Alex comes from her two best friends, Bethany and Zack. The three of them do everything together and they know all about Alex. When Alex meets a new guy at school her life changes dramatically. Cole thinks that she is smart and funny and beautiful. He wants to spend time with her and makes her feel loved and protected.....something that she has longed for all her life. As Alex says, she "finally felt as if...for the first time in my life...someone loved me." At first, the only negative in their relationship is that Bethany and Zack don't like him and the feeling is mutual. More and more Alex is forced to choose between Cole and her best friends, and Cole always wins. The relationship between Alex and Cole takes a tragic turn when he begins to abuse her physically. It started slowly with him grabbing her knee or arm and squeezing tightly and escalated from there. Ironically, they also became closer romantically during this time. Alex struggles with her love for Cole and her mounting fear of him. She has lost her closeness with her best friends, her father is not interested and she is afraid and embarrassed to talk to anyone about what is going on. Alex's internal battle is epic and she questions and doubts every decision she makes. Does she deserve the things Cole says and does? Why can't she be the girlfriend he wants? If she breaks up with him will she ever find someone else to love her?

My review:

This was a very sad story and, unfortunately, is all too common among teens today. Alex is a nice, hardworking girl who has a great yearning for love in her life. She fears that her mother didn't love her enough to stay with her. Her father is cold and distant, refusing to get involved with his daughters lives in any way other than providing a home and food. Her sisters do not seem to have the same void that she has and have no sympathy for her. She even shares her best friend with another best friend. Then when a good looking guy comes along and gives her everything she has longed for she falls like a rock. This story helps us to see how someone can get sucked into a relationship that becomes verbally and physically abusive. It also helps to answer the questions that we all like to ask: Why doesn't she break up with him? Why does she keep going back to him? Why didn't she tell someone? How can she still love him? I hope that teens and parents will read this and use it to open up a discussion about verbal and physical abuse.

There is quite a bit of language and the violence is not muted. I highly recommend this book for what it can bring to the discussion of teen violence.

Sexual Content:  Heavy
Profanity:  Very Heavy
Violence:  Heavy
Other Notables:  Underage drinking

For more details, check out Bitter End on Parental Book Reviews.

Book Review: Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse (August 30, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442422246
ISBN-13: 978-1442422247
Buy the book: Amazon

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

I have several good things to say about Fury and several bad. This book for me was just okay. Sometimes I felt like I was just reading a soap opera rather than a novel for a teen. Cheating, back-stabbing, attempted suicide, more cheating, so-and-so likes so-and-so, fist fighting between guys over a girl, keg parties.... drama, drama, drama.

The Good:

Emily Winters was a great character, she was smart and overall fun to read about. My second choice for favorites was Chase, he was cool calm and collected. Overall, all the characters were written well, E. Miles did a wonderful job writing the book and developing the characters well.

Emily had a crush on her best friends boyfriend, which made for an interesting storyline. And after finding out that one of her friends just tried to commit suicide, Em starts thinking about her life and how should could hurt the most important person in her life, her best friend Gabby. On the other side of town, Chase is also thinking about the attempted suicide and how he use to be good friends with the girl, until he embarrassed her in front of the whole school. Of course now Chase feels bad and tries to make up for his mistakes. Chase is starting to see the light... Being the coolest guy in school is not necessarily the best thing ever and it comes with a price.

The storyline was good, the back and forth between Em's perspective and then Chase's perspective was pretty cool. The Fury's were mentioned and they seemed a little odd at times, but all-in-all not really scary or they didn't seem like a real threat. The girl on the cover was the main fury and she was quite manipulative, Chase fell for her... Hard!

Bottom line is that Em and Chase both felt sorry for the things they had done in the past and the present. They were trying to fix things when the Furys showed up... it is good to be sorry for your poor choices and mistakes but, this book shows you that sometimes it's a little too late for sorry.

The Bad:

The book was a little slow, and like I said, I felt like I was reading a soap opera. The drama was a little overwhelming at times, and the book got a little shallow for me from time to time. You really didn't realize who all the Fury's were until the end, although I had a good guess, it was just not really apparent.

Overall:

It was an okay read. If it is on your TBR list, then you should read it. It will only take a few days and maybe worth the while. The end actually was gripping and pretty cool!



http://www.elizabethmilesbooks.com/

PBR:

Sexual: Very Heavy

Profanity: Extreme

Violence: Moderate

Other: Moderate

For full content of Fury GO to Parental Book Reviews.

Review: Settling by Shelley Workinger

Paperback: 250 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace
Series or Stand Alone: Series (Solid #2)
Author's Website: http://solidnovel.com/
Buy the Book: Amazon

Summary:
At the beginning of the summer, Clio Kaid was one of a hundred teens brought to a secret Army installation. But it was no ordinary camp and they weren’t ordinary kids… Soon after learning they were the products of a secret genetic experiment, the teens began developing super-abilities ranging from bounding lightness to blocking heaviness; blinding brilliance and the ability to vanish. These same gifts made them targets of a psychopath in officer’s clothing, and they found themselves fighting for their lives. Picking up where “Solid” left off, Clio and her friends realize that they aren’t ready to go home; they’re determined to stay on campus and continue their journey of self- discovery. But someone doesn’t feel the same way and will do anything to drive them away – even kill. Friendships will be tested, abilities will evolve, and more secrets will come out as the teens race to stop the killer before he sets his sights on one of them…

My Review:
     It's been a while since I read Solid, but I definitely picked up right where I left of.  I fell in love with the characters and setting of Solid and I loved being able to reconnect with them in Settling.  I devoured the first bit of the book.  I read it in no time and couldn't get enough.  I felt like Clio was so down-to-earth and relate-able that I dove into the book easily and loved living in her life.  After a little while into it though, I felt like Clio sort of let me down.  And I understand that they were all under a lot of stress and, at some points, they were scared for their lives, but I ended up with negative feelings towards Clio, which left me kind of dissatisfied.

     I love Jack.  I mean, of course I love him because he's practically perfect.  But seriously, I couldn't get enough of him.  I did miss him a little because he didn't seem to be in Settling as much as he was in Solid, but "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Right?  He may be the only one that I LOVE just as much at the end of Solid, as I did at the beginning...

     Which brings me to Clio's other friends, Alexis, Miranda, Garrett and Bliss.  They were all just as lovable as ever.  All of them being so close really adds something great to these books, and their relationship is probably my favorite aspect of Settling.

     I definitely don't want to give anything away, so it's a little difficult to explain, but I adored Alexis, Miranda, Garrett and Bliss so much that their actions at the end of Settling made me sort of mad at them.  I thought they reacted to a situation very dramaticly.  They definitely had a reason to react, but I hoped that they would be a bit more understanding.

     Even so, I, without a doubt, will  be reading the next book in this series.  And, although I was a little dissapointed with some characters, I really did enjoy Settling, and would definitely reccomend that you read Solid!

Book Review: Dracula's Heir by Sam Stall

Hardcover: 88 pages
Publisher: Quirk Books (August 1, 2008)
Buy the Book:  Amazon


In 1897, Archibald Constable & Company published Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the most famous horror novel of all time. For reasons still debated by scholars, the first chapter of Dracula was cut from the book just weeks before publication. Here, it becomes the central clue in a spine-tingling original interactive mystery.

Dracula’s Heir begins 10 years after the horrificevents described in the original novel. Jonathan and Mina Harker are happily marriedand enjoying life in Bixby, England. Meanwhile, their friend Dr. John Seward is tracking a string of crimes that seems eerily familiar: A 14-year-old girl sleepwalks out of her parents’ house and disappears into the night. Two “accident victims” are found drained of their blood, yet there is no crime scene evidence to explain its loss.

When Seward shares his discoveries with the famous vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, all the evidence points to Jonathan Harker. After all, Harker spent weeks imprisoned in Castle Dracula as a guest of the Count—was he infected without anyone realizing it? Has the mild-mannered English solicitor spent the last decade lurking in the shadows as a Nosferatu? Or is someone (or something) else getting away with murder?

This chilling mystery novella features 8 removable clues, including a newspaper, a death certificate, Renfield’s private journal, and the original first chapter of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. When you think you’ve solved the crime, you can open the final signature (sealed at the printer) to test your powers of dedunction.

My Review

Normally, I'm not very interested in vampire books. I read Twilight and hated it. I read The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd and loved it. That's about all of my range in vampire novels. But Dracula's Heir just seemed so original and fun with all of the notes and pictures added to it: I simply couldn't resist.

Dracula's Heir isn't the best book I've ever read; nor is it my favorite. But it was one of the most genius mysteries I have ever read. By the end of the book my jaw had literally dropped in shock of the events that had taken place in this story. It wasn't all that captivating, but keeps you interested until the next twist in the plot. And when you see all of the twists finally coming together, you realize the cleverness of the story.

Dracula's Heir kinda brought me out of my usual reading zone: vampire books and mystery novels aren't things I usually read. But I must say I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I've never read The original Dracula by Bram Stoker, but I know the story (who doesn't?) well enough to understand Dracula's Heir. Anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries would love this book. It's set ten years after the famous events of Dracula so anyone who's a fan of the legend would enjoy this sequel. Although, I must warn you: It is not for the faint of heart.

Dun, dun, duuuunnnnn!

Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 318 pages
Publisher: Razorbill; Original edition (June 9, 2011)
Buy the Book:  Amazon

Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control.

My Summary:

Willow Grey and her mother, a single 33 year old parent, have recently moved from Las Vegas, Nevada back to their home town of Worthington, Georgia. They had lived in Worthington until Willow was 9 years old but then relocated to Vegas. Willow's mom is a professional hypnotist who had her own show in Vegas until she decided that Willow needed a more normal home life. Willow is very excited to be reunited with her grandparents and also her life-long best friend, Max. Willow has discovered that her feelings for Max have changed from that of a friend to feelings of love. Now she is hoping to find out that he is feeling the same about her. Unfortunately, Willow soon discovers that while Max is happy to have her back, he has a steady girlfriend named Minnie. In what started out as a way to make Max jealous, Willow decides to use her knowledge of hypnosis to stand out to her new classmates. She is asked to help a popular cheerleader overcome her fear of tumbling and a very cute football player asks for help to stop his sleepwalking. While Willow has Quinton hypnotized she implants a suggestion that would make him attracted to her romantically. She also implants all the things that she thinks would make him a wonderful boyfriend.....treating her special, pampering and showering her with romance, see her as sexy and alluring but chivalrous and never pressuring her in any way, treating her like a goddess of love. The results are dramatic and as their relationship grows it takes unexpected twists and turns. Willow is left to decide if having the "best boyfriend" is better than having someone who truly cares for you. She also discovers that actions can have dramatic and perhaps tragic results. In the end she must decide who she really is and what she really wants from her life.

My thoughts:

If you are someone who enjoys movies like 27 Dresses, The Proposal, etc where people go to ridiculous lengths to do what they are doing then you will enjoy this book. I found it to be rather silly but I could definitely see it as one of these fluffy romantic comedies. The relationship between Willow, her mom and her grandmother was very reminiscent of the Gilmore Girls. A high society grandmother is disapproving of her daughter's life style after she gives birth at 16 but she tries to influence the granddaughter as she gets older. The things that Willow does to try to get attention are pretty juvenile. I didn't like the way some activities like having a party with parents out of town and drinking going on seemed to be taken for granted. I found it somewhat unbelievable that having grown up with hypnosis, Willow was so willing to use it with no thought to the consequences.

Into the Past with Victoria Schwab, Author of The Near Witch

YAY!!  Today we have the amazingly adorable and ridiculously talented author (and baker of cupcakes and cookies), Victoria Schwab with us to talk about books!

Into the past. What books would current V recommend to younger, cuter, and only slightly more immature V at 5, 11, 16, and 20?A strange disclaimer: This is perhaps the hardest guest post I've had to write.

It seems like it should be the easiest, especially what with the wealth of incredible books. But the difficulty is two-fold. 1. I wasn't a big reader. Honestly. I started in poetry, and aside from the classics I read for school, and a string of overly ambitious adult tomes, I was awful about actually reading for pleasure. 2. My teen years lined up almost perfectly with Harry Potter. This meant that while I devoured the magic of HP, I still fell before the big YA craze. Not to say there wasn't amazing YA, but it didn't have anything like the level of exposure today, and thus it simply wasn't on my radar.
SO. With those two things in mind...

At 5: Shel Silverstein. "If you are a dreamer, come in..." I'm actually very lucky because my parents HAD the Shel Silverstein books ready. He shaped who I am as a writer, from the whimsy to the flow of prose. Something about his rhyme and rhythm just kind of bled through my skin and into somewhere deeper.
At 11 and at 16: (Here's where the disclaimer kicks in) I went through A PHASE. Pretentious little teen that I was, HP aside, I didn't read any YA. Like, any. It never occurred to me. It is my big regret, that I missed the exposure to all the wonderful writing for teens coming onto the scene. So if I could look at the YA out NOW and give the wealth of wonderful books to myself, it would go like this.

At 11, I would have forced The Graveyard Book into my hands, along with anything written by Kate DeCamillo, to show myself that poetry could be woven right into fiction, that the two need not be mutually exclusive, and that whimsy had a place right alongside worldbuilding.

At 16, I would have told myself to binge on commercial, plot-driven books, ones that knew how to pack punches in few words, to constantly keep the book in motion (Hunger Games, Mortal Instruments, etc). My primary regret by the time I signed an agent was that I was still building a fundamental understanding of plot and pacing and structure. I think, had I gotten a foundation earlier, it would have made my first experiences with editing much less painful. I simply didn't know what I was doing. I watch my learning curve between my very first book, and my current one (my fourth) and my confidence and comprehension have come so far. I dream of how much farther I'd be had I devoured those books then.

At 20, the road splits (now mind you, by 20 I was querying, and I signed the week of my 21st birthday). I would, again, have wished myself a stronger reader (I didn't know my first book was YA until agents told me). But I would also have given myself books on "Mindfulness," or the act of being PRESENT. At 20 I was so eager, so impatient, always looking forward and grasping...I wish I had been able to slow down, to pay attention to what was happening around me as much as I did what I wanted to happen next.

I'm nearly 24 (I will be by the time this posts!) and I feel I'm making up for lost time, lost books. I've spent the last 3-4 years DEVOURING as I should have a decade ago. I still need the books on mindfulness, though.

Thanks, Victoria!  I still haven't read The Graveyard Book (*slaps wrist*), but I heard it was an awesome audiobook, so maybe I'll have to go that route!

Victoria's highly original and beautifully written debut book, The Near Witch comes out August 2!  Make sure you snag a copy!

You can find Victoria on her website here, or her blog here, but if you really want to find her...your best bet is probably here: http://twitter.com/#!/veschwab  :D

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (August 2, 2011)
Buy the Book:  Amazon

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. 

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. 

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

"Entirely original yet achingly familiar."  I seriously can't explain this book any better than that.  It is so true.  It's like every Grimm's Fairy Tale you've ever heard, yet something completely its own.   I was immediately swept up in Victoria's lyrical writing.  I love fairy tales.  And she has a way of bringing her fairy tale to life.

The town of Near is described so magically.  You can feel the thickness of the fog, and hear the wind whispering it's story.  As the children were snatched from their beds, you find yourself holding your breath, wondering if Lexi or someone she loves will be taken next.  While I was reading The Near Witch, I was sitting out on my back deck, and the wind was howling.  I seriously wondered then, about powers of Victoria Schwab.   It made chills run up and down my spine!

The cast of characters was so perfect for this type of book.  Lexi was fantastic.  Everything about her is like a blend of contemporary and traditional.  Even her name.  She is strong, fierce, independent, but also curious, mischievous, and ready to break the rules to follow her heart.  Cole is mysterious and other-worldly.  You never know whether you should completely trust him, but you know that you want to.  I also love the sisters Magda and Dreska.  They are, at the same time, creepy and comforting.  Their wisdom is delivered with snark, and you never know what to expect from them.

Beautifully crafted, fantastically written, and deliciously creepy, The Near Witch is sure to be an instant classic.

• Sexual Content: Minor
• Profanity:  None
• Violence:  Moderate

For more details, check out The Near Witch on Parental Book Reviews.

Reading Teen's Second Hand Saturday #50 FREAKIN 9!!!!!!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren

So  since we could not do an #IMM this week , GO ahead and watch the vlog again and answer this question...
What does Andye have in her hair??? Hint: It looks like licorice!

This week's winner is:

 Clara Bell A.

 Email me at ReadingTeen1 at gmail.com with your book choice!!  Please put "winner" in the subject line.  You have a week to claim your prize!

________________________________________________

What is Second Hand Saturday?

In an attempt to clear our bookshelves, and pass on great used books to our stalkers followers, Amy, Kit, Abigaile, Austin and I have decided to hold weekly giveaways of some of the books on our bookshelves! Every Saturday, we will post the books available, and the following Saturday, we will announce the winner and our next challenge. The winner will get to choose a book from the list and we will ship it to that lucky person! Each week we will have a different challenge to complete. 

YOU MUST BE A FOLLOWER TO ENTER!  

Open Internationally.  Ends at 10:00 pm EST the following Friday!

Books Available:

Middle Grade

• Middle School Confidential Series 1-3 by Annie Fox
• Eragon by Christopher Paolini (hardback)
• Eldest by Christopher Paolini (hardback)
• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
• Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (hardback no jacket)
• Mattimeo by Brian Jacques
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
• A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
• Summer Ball by Mike Lupica
• Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer
• Island Girl by Sandra Byrd
• Nothing But The Truth: A Documentary Novel by AVI
• Triss by Brian Jacques (Readwall, book 15)
• Clovermead by David Randall
• The O'Reilly Factor For Kids by Bill O'Reilly
• Nerds by Michael Buckley
• Zan Gah by Allan Richard Shickman
• The Carnival of Lost Souls by Laura Quimby
• Star Power book 1 Supernova by Catherine Hapka
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• High School Musical: The Junior Novel Disney
• High School Musical: Stories from East High #6 Disney
• Animal Ark Pets books #12 - #16
• 25 (very small thin) books fromThe Babysitters Club (paperback)
• Madison Finn #1 Only the Lonely Boy, #2 Boy, OH Boy! #3 Play it Again ( whole set)
• Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• The Top Ten Ways to Ruin the First Day of School by Ken Derby
• The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic ARC by Jennifer Trafton
  

YA books + (ARC=Advanced Reading Copy)

• Bitter End ARC by Jennifer Brown
• The Lucky Kind ARC byAlyssa B. Sheinmel
• Darkest Mercy (hardcover) by Melissa Marr 
• Darkest Mercy ARC by Melissa Marr 
• Blood and Flowers by Penny Blubaugh 
• Flash Burnout (hardcover) by L.K. Madigan 
• Tighter by Adele Grifin signed
• Paper Towns (hardcover) by John Green 
• Dark Goddess ARC by Sarwat Chadda 
• Rampant (hardcover) by Diana Peterfreund 
• One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen 
• Immortal Beloved ARC by Cate Tiernan 
• Blue Moon by Alyson Noel 
• Shadowland (hardcover) by Alyson Noel 
• Adversary by Kate Kaynak 
• Catching Fire (hardcover, no jacket) by Suzanne Collins 
• Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo (signed to Andye)
• As Easy as Falling off the Face of the Earth (hardcover) by Lynne Rae Perkins
  
• The Prisoner of Azkaban Audio CD (Library Copy)
• I Am Legend Audio CD (Library Copy)
• SLEEPLESS ARC by Cyn Balog
• WHEN I WAS JOE by Keren David
• HOLD ME CLOSER NECROMANCER ARC by Lish McBride
• HUSH ARC by Eishes Chayil
• THE IVY ARC by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur
• YOU ARC by Charles Benoit
• END OF DAYS ARC (A Nightrunner Novel) by Max Turner
• THE TREE SHEPHERD'S DAUGHTER by Gillian Summer
• VIRALS ARC by Kathy Reichs
• YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE ARC by Sean Beaudoin
• THE PAINTED BOY ARC by Charles de Lint
• THE 10 P.M. QUESTION ARC by Kate de Goldi
• BRIGHID'S QUEST by P.C. Cast
• ELPHAME'S CHOICE by P.C. Cast
• THE ETERNAL ONES ARC by Kirsten Miller
• ROMEO & JULIET & VAMPIRES by Claudia Gabel (review)
• SCARS by Cheryl Rainfeld (hardcover signed to Andye) (review)
• I am J ARC by Cris Beam
• Girl, 15, Charming But Insane by Sue Limb
• Signed copy Photo Snap Shot by Joanna Cambell Slan (Book 3)
• Signed copy Cut, Crop and Die by Joanna Cambell Slan (Book 2)
• Signed Copy  Paper, Scissors, Death  by Joanna Cambell Slan (Book 1)
• *AUDIOBOOK Will Grayson, Will Grayson by Devid Levithan and John Green
• Amigas Fifteen Candles ARC by Veronica Chambers (inspired by Jennifer Lopez)
• The Oracle of Dating by Allison Van Diepen (review)
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (hardcover) by Ann Brashares
• The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Traveling Pants 2) (hardcover) by Ann Brashares
• Girls in Pants (Traveling Pants 3) (hardcover w/out jacketflap) by Ann Brashares
• Forever in Blue (Traveling Pants 4) (harcover) by Ann Brashares
• Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar
• You Know You Love Me (Gossip Girl 2) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
• All I Want is Everything (Gossip Girl 3) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
• Because I'm Worth It (Gossip Girl 4) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
• The Gossip Girl Prequel (hardback) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith (review)
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
• The Lost Girls by Laurie Fox
• The Riddle by Alison Croggon
• The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
• Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul:  The Real Deal by Jack Canfield Mark Victor Hansen and Deborah Reber
• Excessively Diverted (The Sequel to Pride & Prejudice) by Juliette Shapiro
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• Crunch Time by Mariah Fredericks
• Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter
• A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter
• Pride and Predjudice (Paperback) by Jane Austen
• Lord of the Flies (paperback) by William Golding
• Life, The Universe and Everything: Hitchhickers Trilogy book 3 (hardback) by Douglas Adams
• So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish: Hitchhickers Trilogy book 4 (hardback) by Douglas Adams
• The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
• The World According to Narnia by Jonathan Rogers
• Monster Blood Tattoo Book One: Foundling by D.M.Cornish (hardback)
• Shadows of Doom Book Two: Iron Tower Trilogy by Dennis L. McKiernan
• Me, The Missing, and the Dead by Jenny Valentine (hardback)
• *Signed Copy Rebel King Book One: Hammer of the Scots by Charles Randolph Bruce and Carolyn Hale Bruce
• Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
• Shapeshifter by Holly Bennett
• She Thief  ARC by Daniel Finn
• The Enemy ARC by Charlie Higson
• Logic of Demons by H.A.Goodman (hardback)
• SteelTrapp 2 ARC by Ridley Pearson
• *Signed with bookmark A Girl Named Mister  ARC by Nikki Grimes
• Star Crossed ARC by Elizabeth C. Bunce
• The Tavernier Stones by Stephen Parrish
• Death at the Alma Mater by G.M.Malliet
• Livvie Owen Lived Here ARC by Sarah Dooley
• Choppy Socky Blues by Ed Briant
• Indigo Blues by Danielle Joseph
• Smudges Mark ARC by Claudia Osmond
• Exley ARC by Brock Clark

ADULT *18 and over

• Echo Park by Michael Connelly (hardback)
• The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman (hardback)
• Timeline by Michael Crichton (hardback)
• The Last Juror by John Grisham (hardback)
• It Only Takes a Moment by Mary Jane Clark (hardback)
• Foreign Body by Robin Cook (hardback)
• Green Rider by Kristen Britain (fantasy) (hardback)
• The DA Vinci Code by Dan Brown (hardback)
• The English American by Alison Larkin (hardback)
• Her Fearful Symmentry by Audrey Niffenegger (hardback)
• Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy (hardback)
• The Shack by William P. Young
• Last Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes
• Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo (signed to Andye)
• Wicked by Gregory Macguire
• Jane and the Damned ARC by Janet Mullany
• The Dutchess by Amanda Foreman
• Belinda by Anne Rice writing as Anne Rampling
• All Madden by John Madden with Dave Anderson
• The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlums (hardback)
• Robert Ludlums The Bourne Betrayal by Eric Van Lustbader
• Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy 
• Age of Misrule: Worlds End by Mark Chadbourne Book1
• Age of Misrule: Darkest Hour by Mark Chadbourne Book2
• Age of Misrule: Always Forever by Mark Chadbourne Book3