Book Riot YA Unboxing Video #1

Today my first Book Riot YA subscription box came in the mail! I've been waiting for this day since I signed up in February. As promised, here's my video....

Full disclosure: Like I say in the video, my original unboxing video (where you can see me struggling to get the box open) was made un-usable due to technical difficulties. I discovered after the fact that my microphone had been turned all the way down, so the audio didn't record. Therefore, the video below is a recreation of the original.




I have not been compensated in any way for this video. I paid for my subscription. If you are interested in getting your own subscription, you can do so here: https://quarterly.co/products/book-riot-ya

Cemetery Boys Book Birthday!

Happy Book Birthday to Heather Brewer and her new book The Cemetery Boys! I don't normally do release day (aka book birthday) posts, but this one is a big deal for me. If you've been reading me from the beginning, then you may remember that one of my earliest posts discussed why I read YA (given that I am technically outside of the target market).  I credited Heather Brewer and her Chronicles of Vladimir Tod for getting me interested in reading YA. 

Before it became more common and accepted for adults to read YA literature, I actively avoided it. I had that idea in my head that is unfortunately still held by many, that because the books were for teens then there was nothing of interest in them for me. I didn't insult YA or YA readers, I simply didn't read them. Then I saw a post on MySpace (yes this was when MySpace was the thing) about an author looking for booksellers and reviewers for her new book Eighth Grade Bites (Book 1 of the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod). 

I had never heard of Heather Brewer at this point. Well, who would have? It was a year before the first Vladimir Tod book released. But I've always loved vampire stories and this one sounded interesting. I was both a bookseller and a reviewer at the time, so I sent her a message letting her know that I was interested. 

I read Eighth Grade Bites and a new love affair with books was born. Not only did I find a new favorite author, but a new favorite genre. Without Auntie Heather, I might not have found some of my other favorites like Lisa Mantchev, Maggie Stiefvater, Mara Purnhagen, and so many more that I don't have the space to name them all. Without finding Heather Brewer and Vladimir Tod I might not have opted to specialize in Youth Services in Library School. 

So yes, this book birthday is an exciting one for me, and I CANNOT wait for my copy to arrive in my mailbox. So if you haven't already read any of Auntie Heather's books, I strongly suggest that you do. For more information, check her out her site here. 

Happy Book Birthday Auntie Heather! I know it's going to be awesome. :)

A Return...Maybe...

Well, I've been gone from this blog for a long, long time. Life and school are still really busy, so I can't guarantee that I'll be on here regularly, but I'm going to try. I'm in grad school for Library Science, so I'm doing a lot of reading for class. One thing I'm going to be trying to save myself time, is creating video reviews since I can talk faster than I can type. I've also signed up for my first subscription box so when that arrives in April, I'll be posting an unboxing video. I'm excited to see what I get. 

If you're interested, here is the information on the YA subscription box I signed up for: 

http://bookriot.com/2015/01/30/subscribe-now-book-riot-ya-quarterly-box-alive/

And now back to class for me. See you later readers!

Unexpected Hiatus and Tumblr

Hey all! Sorry I disappeared on you. Remind me to never take six classes in one semester again. I'm trying to get back into the swing of book reviewing, but it won't be on the same scale as it was before. School is too big a part of my life right now and I need to focus on it. I have started a Tumblr blog so that I can streamline both of my book review blogs into one place. The Tumblr posts are more likely to be short and sweet and not all of the books I talk about will be YA. With that said, I hope to return to active duty on this blog at a later date, but I don't know when that will be. If you want to follow me on Tumblr you can find me at http://www.bookmaedin.tumblr.com

Thanks for being such amazing readers! And thank you authors for being so supportive!

Review: The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

The Cinderella Society

by Kay Cassidy

http://www.kaycassidy.com

Egmont

ISBN: 9781606840177 (hardcover)

Release Date: April 2010

from the author's site: 

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider.  So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it’s like something out of a fairy tale.  Swept up by the Cindys’ magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she’s finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds–led by Jess’s arch-enemy–begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there’s more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside.  She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her.  Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn’t want to be seen with her in public?  And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters? 

my thoughts: 

This is a girl power handbook that every girl should read. We've all been in situations we're unsure and all we want to do is fit in with everyone else. The Cinderella Society is all about Jessica and her journey towards empowerment. As Jessica comes into her own she learns not only to stand up for herself but for others as well. Jessica becomes a role model for others to stand up for themselves against the Wickeds also. 

The Cinderella Society is pure empowerment and a must-read.  

how I acquired this book: 
I won the ARC in a contest held by the author.  

Trailer Tuesday: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo
http://www.leighbardugo.com
Henry Holt/Macmillan 
Release date: Today! June 5, 2012

Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Darker Still

by Leanna Renee Hieber

http://www.leannareneehieber.com

Sourcebooks Fire

ISBN: 9781402260520

Release Date: November 1, 2011

from the author's site: 

I was obsessed.

 It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I'd ever seen - everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable... utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike. 

There is a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury didn't commit suicide. He's alive. Trapped within his golden frame. 

I've crossed over into his world within the painting. I've seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked- bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit, cobblestone streets of Manhattan. And unless I can free him soon, things will only get darker still...

my thoughts: 

Absolutely positively love it! I was engrossed in Natalie's story immediately. The structure of the book instantly engages a reader's curiosity. The story opens with a letter from a police sergeant indicating that the contents are a diary and are part of an investigation. While I'm sure similar literary devices have been employed before, I still feel this is a unique way of grabbing and keeping your readers attention. And it worked. :) I breezed through Darker Still because I could not wait to see how the story would unfold. I anxiously await the release of book 2 in November. 

If you haven't read this one already, I strongly recommend it. Not only is Leanna a fabulous writer, but she's an all-around awesome person. You want to support an awesome person, so she keeps writing don't you? You know you do. :) If you have read it, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. 

how I acquired this book: 
I bought it.