Happy Hunger Games!!

The World Will Be Watching.

I will definitely be watching. Will you?

----

Proof I May Take This Video Game Too Seriously...

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

I've always been a fan of a good space adventure—Star Wars, Star Trek. I absolutely adored Firefly and until its run ended in 2009 Battlestar Galactica was my space opera of choice.

But after BSG ended I was left with a void in my life until one day maybe 2 years ago, in an effort to cure my boredom during a vacation and my incessant whining about it, my brother Joey introduced me to Mass Effect 2.

I'm not a gamer by any stretch of the imagination. In fact until that day I'd never used an X-Box controller and the only other game I'd ever finished (aside from the Mario games) was Zelda: The Twilight Princess. So it should be no surprise that I started out awful. I couldn't shoot worth a damn and the Husks scared the crap out of me. But never once was I discouraged from playing. The storyline of this space adventure captured my imagination immediately and intensely. I had no choice but to play if I wanted to see how it would end.

Then when I finished Mass Effect 2 and my brother informed me that my storyline would have been different had I played the original Mass Effect, I ran out, bought it, and played the entire thing again in the correct order. And when I finished, I sat back and waited anxiously for the release date of Mass Effect 3. The end, I knew.

Now that I've finished I have to admit that I've been left a little hollow. From a strict story standpoint, I get it. I understand artistic integrity and staying true to the plot, the characters, the story line, and, well, to reality. And let's not forget that I'm a huge fan of the tragic hero death. But, um, in this case, I don't care.

I wanted to save the galaxy. I wanted to save my crew. ALL of them. Even though I accepted Ashley's death as inevitable in Mass Effect, I worked hard to ensure that my entire crew made it out alive following the suicide mission in ME2. I didn't want anyone to die in ME3. I realize that is unrealistic, but I don't care. I mean, deep down I think I actually believed I'd find a cure for Kepral's Syndrome and be able to cure Thane of his terminal illness. Let's be clear right from the start, REALITY has nothing to do with my feelings.

I did not want to see Thane killed by Kai Leng. Though if I was unable to cure Kepral's Syndrome, I appreciate that he died honorably and it's much preferred to him slowly rotting to death.

I did not want Mordin to sacrifice himself so we could cure the genophage. Again, I can live with this because Mordin always regretted the genophage and would want nothing more than to rectify the situation at all costs.

I did not want Zaeed die saving the ambassador. (Though this one I could have lived with. Zaeed was kind of a douche)

I did not want Legion to die. I realize he's not technically alive, but whatever, I worked hard securing a tentative peace between him and Tali.

I did not want to sit there and listen to Anderson tell me how proud he was of me when I knew he was going to die any second.

And in the end, I didn't want to end up God knows where buried under some rubble. So what if I breathed. So? Huh? The Normandy is trapped on some jungle planet. Are they going to fix the ship and come find me? Will they be able to if the Mass Relays are broken? And who actually survived on the Normandy? I could have sworn both Garrus and Liara died when I was trying to get to the Conduit and Coates said our entire team was obliterated. Yet, Garrus stepped out of the Normandy on that planet behind Kaidan. And are the three that stepped out of the Normandy the only crew members who survived?

I'm lost and confused. And hollow. I realize I destroyed the Reapers, saved a decimated Earth, an entire galaxy, and ended a cycle that would continually wipe out advanced organic life. Yet, I feel like a giant failure.

You Bioware people made me believe I could do it. You made me believe I could defeat the Reapers and survive. I should never have been resurrected in Mass Effect 2. I should have gone down with the Normandy. I should never have been able to assault the Collector base and survive with my entire team intact.

I could have handled my Shepard dying, if I didn't feel it was in vain. If I knew the people I loved would all be okay and would go on to live long, happy lives.

The epilogue with the old man? If Bioware had wanted to give me closure that should have been a slightly aged Kaidan talking to the son he had with some woman who could give him a happiness in life my destiny wouldn't allow me to.

Don't get me wrong, you are all geniuses. The writers, producers, etc. are gods for creating such an epic story. For making the situations so real and the characters so compelling that I was so emotionally invested their survival and happiness. You revolutionized gaming. And you did it in grand fashion. I thank you and applaud you all for your work.

In time I will heal and I will be able to fully appreciate just how amazing this ending is. But right now I'm devastated. I'm hurt. I need time to process it.

In closing, I leave you with a text conversation between me and my brother Joey last night that I think best expresses how I feel...

Me: I'm going to take back Earth tonight.
Joey: Good luck

40 minutes later...

Me: Did Garrus and Liara just die on me?
Joey: Yes
Me: I don't want to live in a world where Garrus is dead.

This is Garrus...

He's Turian, and my Shepard's best friend, and I love him. And the thought of a Mass Effect world without Garrus is pretty much unbearable.

---

Vacation

Hello lovely readers!! I am taking a mini-vacation from blogging and social networking this week. I'll be around, just not as active as normal. I have lots of reading to catch up on, writing projects to finish, critiquing to do.

Not to mention, I have to catch up with Kaidan Alenko...

...um, I mean Mass Effect 3. Yeah, sure, that's what I meant.

Have a wonderful week and I will see you all once I've finished saving the galaxy!!!

---

In My Mailbox {3}

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren as a way to showcase the books we've received for review, purchased, or borrowed, and to promote interaction with other book bloggers. If you want to join IMM head on over to The Story Siren and link up.

-----

For Review:

Hanging by a Thread, Sophie Littlefield

Source: ARC from publisher
Publisher: Random House

Release Date: 9/11/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

Famous for Thirty Seconds, P.G. Kain

Source: Finised copy from author
Publisher: Aladdin M!X
Release Date: 3/6/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

Breaking Beautiful, Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Source: ARC from publisher
Publisher: Walker Children's
Release Date: 4/24/2012
Goodreads / Amazon

Unbreak My Heart, Melissa C. Walker
Source: ARC from publisher
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: 5/22/2012
Goodreads / Amazon

Something Like Normal, Trish Doller

Source: ARC from publisher

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Release Date: 6/19/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

A giant thank you to all the authors, publishers, and NetGalley!!!!

-----

Purchased:

I went on a little Kindle book buying spree and purchased the following, all of which were $2.99 or less.

The Cracked Slipper, Stephanie Alexander

Goodreads / Amazon

Betrayal, Mayandree Michel

Goodreads / Amazon

On the Fringe, Courtney King Walker

Goodreads / Amazon

Need (Need #1), Carrie Jones

Goodreads / Amazon

-----

Okay, so that's it for me this week. So, tell me, what's in your mailbox? If you leave me a link to your IMM, I'll be sure to stop by.

New Release: Spider Wars by Angela Carlie

 The second book in the Lords of Shifters series, Spider Wars, is now available!

Synopsis: What happens when a species is tired of being stomped on?

Jess' life has never been ordinary. After all, life on the road with an immortal family of gypsies is hardly predictable. Living in the small town of White Salmon, Washington has brought some normality to her life. But when her cheating, sometimes boyfriend, Nicu, gets involved with a group of arachneshifters, life gets a little sticky. Will she be able to save him from the web he's spun? More importantly, how much is she willing to risk to get him back?

This novel is meant for mature readers.

Available now on Amazon.com and Smashwords.

http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Wars-Lords-Shifters-ebook/dp/B007K3Y34O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1331783817&sr=1-1

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/141728

And for a limited time, you can get the first book in the series, Loramendi's Story for FREE on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Loramendis-Story-Lords-Shifters-ebook/dp/B005FR1D9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331785218&sr=8-1

------

Have you read Loramendi's Story? Are you excited about Spider Wars? Leave a comment and let me know. And don't forget to check out my review of Loramendi's Story!!

Waiting on Wednesday {8}: Blood Born by Jamie Manning

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

So, today I'm featuring a book I've been waiting on forever: Blood Born by Jamie Manning!!!!!

Synopsis from Goodreads:  Waking up in a coffin hungry for blood is only the beginning for sixteen-year-old Ava Blue. When Chance Caldon, the hottie who dug her up, tells her that she’s half vampire, Ava’s world really turns upside down.

Half vamp? Ava can’t believe it...she doesn't even know what that means! Not until Aldric, a thousand-year-old vampire, shows up and tells her it’s true--and that he’s the one who turned her. Then Ava truly begins to believe what she is. Now, she has to deal with a sudden and powerful bloodlust, the desire to see Aldric dead, and her growing crush for Chance. Ava knows she's a monster now, she can feel it; and her life is over.

But redemption isn’t lost. Aldric is giving her a chance to regain her humanity. The price? Kill a hundred vampires, or remain a bloodsucker forever.

So Ava sets out to get her life back. But killing vampires begins a battle that could destroy everything she is working toward. In the end, Ava's decisions will forever change her life and the lives of those she loves.

-----

The hardback of Blood Born won't be released until April 24th, but because Jamie's publisher, Pendrell Publishing, is all sorts of awesome, the ebook version will be available tomorrow on Amazon and B&N. So, um, make sure you buy it!!!

That's mine. What's your WOW pick this week? Also, if you want to participate, head on over to Breaking the Spine and link up!!

-----

Review: Famous for Thirty Seconds by P.G. Kain

Famous for Thirty Seconds (Commercial Breaks #1), P.G. Kain

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Age Group: 9-13, Tween

Publication: 3/6/2012, Aladdin

# of Pages: 224 (Paperback)

Buy It:


Source: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis from Goodreads:   Brittany Rush is the face of Gotta Have It candy bars, the hands of Write On pencils, the hair of Knot Me Not detangle spray and the voice of Mom, It’s Delicious! soups. Brittany has been appearing in commercials and print ads since her backside was the official derriere of Simply Dry Diapers. When Brittany showed up at a callback some girls would actually just get up and go home since they knew it was almost impossible to compete with her.

However, a month after her twelfth birthday, Brittany’s mother tells her that the entire family is moving to Hong Kong for a year. Brittany is forced to take a brief but agonizing break from her commercial career. After a year of being just an anonymous kid in a foreign country, Brittany is more than ready to return stateside to her steady diet of go-see’s, auditions, callbacks and bookings in NYC. Within 48 hours of landing at JFK Brittany’s agent Judith Lister of the A Lister’s Agency has three go-see’s for Brittany. When she shows up to the first go-see, she expects the spotlight to start shining on her again but instead she finds that, in the year that she has been gone, she has changed from being the cute kid to watch out for to just one of the many pretty girls waiting her turn.

Will Brittany be able to steal back her spotlight? Or will she discover there's more to life than being a commercial success?

My Review:  When Brittany Rush returns home from a year spent in stupid Hong Kong where her stupid mother was transferred for her stupid job (Brittany's words, not mine), she finds that she is no longer the commercial world's It girl. For someone like Brittany, whose life revolves around 30 second snippets of fame, this is a disaster beyond compare. Think the-sinking-of-the-Titanic disastrous.

She's losing all her coveted spots to Phoebe, a girl who previously couldn't even remember her lines, and she doesn't like it. Her solution? Cozy up to the girl's brother and good-luck charm, Liam, in an effort to distract and destroy the competition. What ensues is a hilarious and heart-warming journey as Brittany discovers there's more to life than fame.

I loved this book. Absolutely LOVED it. There are those books that take a while to get into and then there are those books where the voice appeals to you immediately and you just know you are going to adore it. Famous for Thirty Seconds falls into the latter category for me. I loved Brittany Rush from the instant I read the first sentence. She's spunky and determined, not to mention over-confident and overly dramatic to a degree only a 13-year-old girl could achieve. There was no waiting and hoping, or straining to forge a connection with the story line or the main character. This book appealed to the tween girl in me on every level. The proof is the fact that I received the book in the mail yesterday evening and I finished it this morning somewhere around 3am.

The cover is just oh-so-adorable and P.G. Kain has a pitch-perfect middle grade voice. It's smart and sassy and with it, he creates an ideal heroine for tween girls. She's not boy-crazy or willing to sacrifice who she is to please someone else. Brittany does only what is absolutely right for her. It may take a few missteps for her to realize what she really wants and what's really important, but once she figures it out, she goes for it. It's a series I can't wait to share with my niece.

In to Middle Grade fiction? Buy it. Want an example of how to write a great MG novel for tween girls? Buy it. Have a tween daughter/granddaughter/cousin/sister/niece who likes to read? Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

----

Cover Reveal: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century

I have another treat for you today from the lovely people at Entangled Publishing: the cover reveal for My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris!!!

Isn't it gorgeous?!

Synopsis:  On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

------

Rachel has also been kind enough to offer an excerpt from the novel to share with you:

Alessandra jerks back like I just suggested she prance around the square naked or something. “No! I believe I understand your meaning, and Lorenzo is certainly not my suitor. He is like a brother to me—the three of us grew up together.”

She resumes walking and I fall in step beside her, understanding there has to be more to the story. And as we near the end of the row, I finally ask, “If you’re not into the guy, then what’s the problem?”

At that same moment, a rich, deep chuckle hits my ears. My stomach involuntarily clenches and my gaze sharpens on the back of this mysterious Lorenzo.

Alessandra sighs. “That is the problem.” She places her hand on my arm and solemnly looks me in the eyes. “You must be careful. Lorenzo is beautiful, and it is not uncommon for a girl to walk away from meeting him with a piece of her heart left behind. But he is just eighteen, and not yet ready for marriage.”

I roll my eyes and laugh, then realize she’s serious. “Yeah, I assure you, there’s no danger on my end. I’m not exactly looking for marriage myself.” Because that would be crazy-town.

Alessandra wrinkles her nose as if she doesn’t believe me, but she removes her hand. We close the distance and Cipriano flashes me an open, honest to goodness, lighthearted smile.

“Lorenzo, this is the cousin I was telling you about.”

Slowly the guy turns and I fall head first into the richest chocolate-brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He blinks and long, luscious lashes feather across his bronzed cheeks. I can feel myself gawking, but I physically can’t drag my eyes away. Lorenzo doesn’t smirk or act all conceited, either. He simply stares back, his eyes casually skimming over me, causing my skin to warm and break out in a whole body tingle.

Time seems to stop, and the sounds of the market mute. Alessandra was right. This boy is beautiful.

And he’s looking at me.

------

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century will be released on September 11, 2012 and is available for pre-order on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble.

Also, be sure to add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads!

------

Be sure to connect with Rachel at:
http://www.rachelharriswrites.com/
www.twitter.com/@RachelHarrisYA
www.facebook.com/RachelHarrisYA
www.goodreads.com/RachelHarris

This Week in Books: 3/12 - 3/18

Here are the books on my TBR list that will be released sometime this week. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave me a comment letting me know which book(s) you're most looking forward to this week.

Wanderlove, Kirsten Hubbard

Release Date: 3/13/12, Delacorte BYR

Goodreads / Amazon

Pretty Crooked, Elisa Ludwig

Release Date: 3/13/12, Katherine Tegen

Goodreads / Amazon

Another Piece of My Heart, Jane Green

Release Date: 3/13/12, St. Martin's Press

Goodreads / Amazon

Cross My Heart, Sasha Gould

Release Date: 3/13/12, Random House

Goodreads / Amazon

How to Eat a Cupcake, Meg Donohue

Release Date: 3/13/12, HarperCollins

Goodreads / Amazon

Eye of the Sword (Angeleon Circle #2), Karyn Henley

Release Date: 3/13/12, WaterBrook Press

Goodreads / Amazon

Chrysanthe, Yves Meynard

Release Date: 3/13/12, Tor Books

Goodreads / Amazon

The Gilly Salt Sisters, Tiffany Baker

Release Date: 3/14/12, Grand Central Publishing

Goodreads / Amazon

Dark Eyes, William Richter

Release Date: 3/15/12, Razorbill

Goodreads / Amazon

The Difference Between You & Me, Madeleine George

Release Date: 3/15/12, Viking

Goodreads / Amazon

Time Snatchers, Richard Ungar

Release Date: 3/15/12, Putnam

Goodreads / Amazon

-----

In My Mailbox {2}

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren as a way to showcase the books we've received for review, purchased, or borrowed, and to promote interaction with other book bloggers. If you want to join IMM head on over to The Story Siren and link up.

-----

These are the books I received for review:

Lightbringer, K.D. McEntire

Source: Finished copy from publisher

Publisher: Pyr Books

Release Date: 11/15/2011

Goodreads / Amazon

Thief's Covenant, Ari Marmell

Source: Finished copy from publisher

Publisher: Pyr Books

Release Date: 2/14/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

The Hunt, Andrew Fukuda

Source: ARC from publisher

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: 5/8/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

The Age of Miracles, Karen Thompson Walker

Source: ARC from publisher

Publisher: Random House

Release Date: 6/26/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

The White Oak, Kim White

Source: eGalley from Netgalley

Publisher: Story Machine Studio

Release Date: 4/9/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

Burn, Heath Gibson

Source: eGalley from Netgalley

Publisher: Flux Books

Release Date: 8/8/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

Innocent Darkness, Suzanne Lazear

Source: eGalley from Netgalley

Publisher: Flux Books

Release Date: 8/8/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

The False Prince, Jennifer A. Nielsen

Source: ARC from publisher

Publisher: Scholastic

Release Date: 4/1/2012

Goodreads / Amazon

Big thank you to Pyr Books, St. Martin's, Random House, Flux, Scholastic,

Story Machine, and NetGalley!

-----

This next book I received during a Twitter chat with JKS Communications and authors Cheryl Rainfield and Margie Gelbwasser.

Hunted, Cheryl Rainfield

Source: eBook from author

Publisher: WestSide Books

Release Date: 12/15/2011

Goodreads / Amazon

 

-----

And these are the books I purchased this week:

Inside (Insider #1-2), Maria V. Snyder

Goodreads / Amazon

This volume includes both book #1 & book #2 of the Insider series and was on Amazon for Kindle for only $7.19.

-----

Okay, so that's it for me this week. So, tell me, what's in your mailbox? If you leave me a link to your IMM, I'll be sure to stop by.

 

--

Review: Sign Language by Amy Ackley

Sign Language, Amy Ackley

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult (12+)

Publication: 8/18/2011, Viking Juvenile

# of Pages: 336 (Hardcover)

Buy It:


Source:  Received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis from Goodreads:  Twelve-year-old Abby North's first hint that something is really wrong with her dad is how long it's taking him to recover from what she thought was routine surgery. Soon, the thing she calls "It" has a real name: cancer.

Before, her biggest concerns were her annoying brother, the crush unaware of her existence, and her changing feelings for her best friend, Spence, the boy across the street. Now, her mother cries in the shower, her father is exhausted, and nothing is normal anymore. Amy Ackley's impressive debut is wrenching, heartbreaking, and utterly true.

My Review:  I'm kicking myself because this book sat on my review list for far too long. I missed out on enjoying this story and knowing these characters for months. Maybe the subject matter sub-consciously deterred me. I recently lost my father to lung cancer and its various complications. I know what it's like to watch someone choke on death. To deteriorate to the point that they are unrecognizable as the person they once were. It's heart breaking. It's painful. And so is Amy Ackley's debut, Sign Language.

I found myself bawling halfway through, unable to control my tears. Ackley writes with such authenticity. I could feel Abby's emotions. Abby's grief was my grief. Abby's inability to accept her father’s death. Her anger at his passing. Her anger at her mother, at the world. Every emotion is detailed beautifully.

To complicate matters further, her changing relationship with her best friend Spence, leaves her confused and terrified. She wants to be with him, but she's not sure her father would have approved. And even if he would have, what if something happens to Spence? What if she somehow lost the one person who could make the pain go away? Abby's not sure she can withstand the heartache.

I have to say that I absolutely adored Spence. He's too sweet for words. He's always there for Abby, providing support, kindness, friendship, basically whatever she needs, unconditionally. And with lines like this: "I wanted to be with you today because, you know, I thought you might need someone. And if you needed someone, I wanted you to need me." How could I not love him?

I tore through this one like it was going to disappear if I quit reading, staying up almost until it was time to get up for work the next day. It's a sad story, and even though I cried (a lot), it was never depressing. It is as uplifting as it is tear jerking. This book hasn't gotten a lot of attention around the blogsphere, but it should. It's a lovely story filled with sadness and truth and hope. I would definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary YA.

---

Happy Release Day: Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser

So today is the release day for one of my favorite books so far this year, Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser. I read and reviewed this book back in January and I absolutely loved it. It's brilliant.

Anyway, if you haven't heard of this book yet, check it out below. And if you want to read my review, click here.

Synopsis from Goodreads:  Two families. Four teens. A summer full of secrets.

Every summer, hidden away in a lakeside community in upstate New York, four teens leave behind their old identities…and escape from their everyday lives.

Yet back in Philadelphia during the school year, Alex cannot suppress his anger at his father (who killed himself), his mother (whom he blames for it), and the girls who give it up too easily. His younger brother, Kyle, is angry too—at his abusive brother, and at their mother who doesn’t seem to care. Meanwhile, in suburban New Jersey, Katie plays the role of Miss Perfect while trying to forget the nightmare that changed her life. But Julie, her younger sister, sees Katie only as everything she’s not. And their mother will never let Julie forget it.

Up at the lake, they can be anything, anyone. Free. But then Katie’s secret gets out, forcing each of them to face reality—before it tears them to pieces.

Goodreads / Amazon

---

Waiting on Wednesday {7}: The Essence by Kimberly Derting

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

You all might remember my gushing review of The Pledge from last week. If you don't, you can check it out here. Anyway, yesterday I saw on Twitter that the cover and title of the 2nd book in the series had been released, so obviously, this HAD to be my WOW pick for this week.

The Essence (Pledge #2), Kimberly Derting

Release Date: 1/1/2013, Margaret K. McElderry

Goodreads

 

There's no synopsis yet, but I think the cover is absolutely gorgeous. If you haven't checked out The Pledge, I seriously suggest you do so now.

 

-----

So there's mine. What's your WOW pick this week? Also, if you want to participate, head on over to Breaking the Spine and link up!!

 

 

ARC Review: Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Where It Began, Ann Redisch Stampler

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Age Group/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Publication: 11/15/2011, Margaret K. McElderry

# of Pages: 384 (Hardcover)

Buy It:


Source: I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis from Goodreads:  Sometimes the end is just the beginning.

Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. But when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.

And Billy's nowhere to be found.

All Gabby wants is to make everything perfect again. But getting her life back isn't difficult, it's impossible. Because nothing is the same, and Gabby's beginning to realize she's missed more than a few danger signs along the way.

It's time for Gabby to face the truth, even if it means everything changes.

Especially if it means everything changes.

My Review:  Gabby Gardiner has been in a terrible car accident. It has scarred her face and broken her body. Worse than that however is the fact that she can't remember a single thing about the accident or the events leading up to it. Her life seems to be falling apart as she faces potential jail time for driving under the influence, not to mention the loss of her looks, her status, and her boyfriend.

Gabby is a incredible protagonist. She is whip-smart and snarky, lending a humor to an otherwise horrific situation. But she's just like pretty much every other teenage girl in the world. She wants to fit in, and she wants the super cute/popular boy who was her boyfriend before the accident to want to be with her again. In fact, she'll do pretty much anything to ensure he continues to want her.

We've all done it. We've lied and told ourselves whatever we had to in order to pretend things were the way we wanted them to be. We've ignored everything else. Even common sense. But Gabby seems to take this almost to the extreme and I spent a lot of the book wondering when she was going to wise up and face the truth.

Ann Redisch Stampler's writing style is superb. It's fresh, exciting, and takes a story that could have been predictable and turns it into something unique. She perfectly captures the naivety and angst of a teenager who considers herself sub-par and unworthy, living in a world populated by the arrogant and over-privileged.

And in Where It Began she delivers a compelling story and a captivating protagonist. Gabby's story will hook you from page one and will definitely appeal to fans of the contemporary genre.

---

Cover Reveal: Pretty Amy

I'm very excited to have for you today the cover reveal of Lisa Burstein's debut YA novel PRETTY AMY.

Pretty Amy, Lisa Burstein

Isn't it pretty? You all know I'm a huge fan of Entangled Publishing books and Pretty Amy sounds like it's going to be awesome:

Synopsis: Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

-----

If you want to add Pretty Amy to your goodreads shelves or pre-order a copy of the book, I've provided links below:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13375237-pretty-amy

Amazon pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Amy-Lisa-Burstein/dp/1620611198/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330534300&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble pre-order: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pretty-amy-lisa-burstein/1108930786?ean=9781620611197&itm=1&usri=pretty+amy

To learn more about the author, Lisa Burstein:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#%21/LisaBurstein
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaBursteinAuthor
Website: http://www.lisaburstein.com/

-----

In addition, Entangled Publishing will be hosting a Worst Prom Photo contest in the weeks leading up to PRETTY AMY's release on May 15. So make sure to dust off your old prom photos—the more tulle, bows, and big hair the better!—and watch Lisa's site, http://www.lisaburstein.com/, for details on how to submit/enter to win a beauty package!!!

---

This Week in Books: 3/5/2012 - 3/11/2012

Here are the books on my TBR list that will be released sometime this week. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave me a comment letting me know which book(s) you're most looking forward to this week.

Believe It or Not, Tawna Fenske (Love Tawna Fenske!!)

Release Date: 3/6/2012 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Goodreads / Amazon

Embrace (Embrace #1), Jessica Shirvington

Release Date: 3/6/2012 by Sourcebooks Fire

Goodreads / Amazon

Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1), Aimee Agresti

Release Date: 3/6/2012 by Harcourt

Goodreads / Amazon

Vampire's Kiss (The Watchers #2), Veronica Wolff

Release Date: 3/6/2012 by NAL Trade

Goodreads / Amazon

So, what new releases are you looking forward to this week?

-----