Sequel to Perfect Chemistry

Last year I read and loved Perfect Chemistry. Since then I have read three more of Ekeles' books, and I know that she is an author that I will want to get every book she writes. I recently noticed that there is going to be a sequel to Perfect Chemistry and I was not sure how that would work since it seemed like Perfect Chemistry had a pretty solid ending.

However, I just read this description for the new book, Rules of Attraction, on Ekeles' creative site, and I could not be more excited.

"When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now."

I am really glad that the book will focus on Alex's little brother. I really enjoy books that while not continuing to follow the same main characters still have common characters. It will be nice to have the familiar characters, while having new ones in the spotlight. I also love the front cover. I can't wait for the release in April 2010. I wonder if Ekeles is working on another fun rap video book trailer.

Ink Exchange Bargain Price

Earlier this summer I read Wicked Lovely, and I knew that eventually I would want to read the other two. I was just getting a couple of books off of my Amazon wishlist, and I realized that right now the Ink Exchange paperback is listed as a bargain price of only $3.60! I was so excited, and put it in my cart right away. I thought others would be excited as well.

The 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge

Just when I told myself that the 2010 Debut Author Challenge would be my only challenge this year, I saw Kay Cassidy's post about 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge co-hosted with Teen Book Blogger Jessica. The best thing is that I already have loads of books in my TBR pile that qualify, so I won't even have to spend any more money to participate in the challenge. Here is my list of possibilities, as I may alter my list as I go along or I might not be able to read all of the books in the year. I will read at least ten though. Also there are a few on my list that I am not completely sure are teen chick lit, but I will decide when I read them if they seem to fit or not.

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Twisted Sisters by Stephanie Hale
Revenge of the Homecoming Queen by Stephanie Hale
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
Rumors Anna Godbersen
Envy Anna Godbersen
How to Salsa in a Sari by Dona Sarkar
Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott
The Elite by Jennifer Banash
In Too Deep by Jennifer Banash
Violet by Design by Melissa Walker
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler
Sophomore Switch by Abby McDonald
Schooled by Anisha Lakhani
Zeta or Omega? by Kate Harmon
Violet in Private by Melissa Walker
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Rich Boys by Jenny O'Connell

Simone Elkeles also has more books coming out this year that I would love to read, so while I said I don't HAVE to spend any money to participate in the challenge, I am sure that I will be buying some more books that will fit the genre.

YA for your Inner Teen

I was just reading this post over at Class of 2k9 mentioning whether or not the authors in the class wrote with an age group in mind. I loved Cheryl Renée Herbsman's response, "I think the teen years are such an intense part of life, an era that stays with you always in some way or another. It’s a time that’s so tumultuous. It never ceases to draw me in. So I write with a mind to my inner teen. And I still love reading YA. So I don’t think of it as writing only for teens, just the teen within all of us." (emphasis mine) YA is one of my absolute favorite genres, and it was fun to see Herbsman mention why so many adults are still drawn to the genre.

Bella at Midnight

In November I started reading Bella at Midnight with a group of my students as part of a book club. I always enjoy book clubs most when I am reading the book for the first time along with my students. The novel set in the medieval world told from multiple perspectives tells the story of Isabella beginning with a little background about her parents and the events that led her father to send her to live with peasants right after her birth. She stays with the family and becomes best friends with the prince who was also coincidentally with the family as a baby. The beginning of the book foreshadows that the two will have intertwined lives and that nobody could expect just how their lives would unfold.

The story is told in three books, introducing new characters and twists to the plot in each one. I enjoyed seeing how the events all came together and the role that each of the narrators would play in the grand scheme of the story. There was also smatterings of magic to add to the plot. From beginning to end, my mind was busy predicting and guessing what was going to happen next.

Shiver

This summer I heard some buzz about Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, and I knew it was a book that I would love to read. At a recent trip to Borders I could not resist buying a copy, even though it was still only available in hard cover, and I was really trying to not spend as much money on books. I am so glad that I gave in and bought the book!

Grace has always had a fascination with the wolves that live in the woods by her house, especially her wolf, the wolf with the yellow eyes, the one who saved her from being killed by the pack of wolves in her childhood. She longs for her wolf in the summer months when he is absent. What she does not know is that he is not just an ordinary wolf. In those months he is not really gone but in human form. A change in events leads the two to meet each other as humans and she discovers not only his secrets but more about herself along the way. The two struggle to find a way to keep him as a human so they can stay together. His seasons as a human are running short. If he shifts back to being a wolf, it just may be that he never turns into a human again.

The novel had a lot of action and suspense as I was wondering just how all the events would come together. It was also fun to read the book to see how the wolves in this book would be similar to those in the Twilight saga, as well as ways that they were different. Many of my students have maintained a high interest for novels with the plots of romance between humans and vampires or werewolves with series like Vampire Academy and Vampire Kisses; however, I have not noticed any of them read Shiver yet. I am sure that they would be excited about the book.

I just realized that Stiefvater will be releasing a sequel, Linger in July of 2010. A fun summer read to look forward to! In case you want to see other thoughts on the book, here is one of the reviews I read earlier this summer that prompted me to head straight to Amazon to add it to my wishlist so that I would not forget to read the book.

Mistletoe

Last year around this time I heard about Mistletoe: Four Holiday Stories by Hailey Abbott, Melissa de la Cruz, Aimee Friedman, and Nina Malkin. I was excited that a copy came available on Book Mooch; however, I decided to save it until the holidays came around again since it was January when I received it. Last night I pulled it out to read while I was waiting for the girls to go fast asleep so that Santa could make an appearance. I had read other books where a group of authors came together to write stories, and once again, I loved the set-up. Each story was unique but fit well with the overall unifying theme of romance and discovering what is truly important during the holidays.

While I expected the book to focus on high school characters, I often found myself forgetting it was a YA book. In one story they actually were in their first year of college (Friedman). Another had an actor "It" boy who was already living on his own, and the story reminded me more of chick lit than YA (Malkin). The other two did have characters who were still high school aged and had more of traditional high school themes.

I enjoyed the holiday read. It is fun to have a change of pace and move through stories faster than novels, although I often do wish that I could read more about the characters.

Dial M For Mongoose

Last year Bruce Hale's Chet Gecko mysteries was one of the popular series that my 6th grade students would check out from the library, especially one girl in particular. I was thrilled when I was offered a copy of the latest book in the series, Dial M for Mongoose. I could not wait to finally read one of the books to see what they liked so much about the series.

From the beginning I realized what caught their attention. With the first paragraph I saw that Chet, the narrator, was hilarious. I had always been picturing Chet Gecko as an adult detective. It made sense when I found out that he is actually a fourth grader who charges 75 cents for a retainer to start working a case. Throughout I enjoyed seeing the mystery unravel from Chet's point of view. From stink bombs to missing students, collapsing buildings, and more, the book was packed with action to keep readers turning the pages. I can hardly wait to see my student who has enjoyed the series the most to let her read the book first before including it in our classroom library.

2009 Young Adult Book Challenge Wrap-Up

I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the 2009 Young Adult Book Challenge. I loved every single one of the books on my list, and was glad that the challenge inspired me to pick up the books, that in some cases may have sat in my to be read pile a bit longer. The challenge opened me up to many books by the same authors that I will be seeking out to read in the future. I would not be able to choose a favorite from the list without really thinking about it, there was so much to offer in all of the books. Sometime before the end of this month I will be choosing my favorite books of the year, and I am sure some from this group will make the list.

Just Listen

Sarah Dessen is one of those big names in YA literature that I knew eventually I would just have to read. With so many great books in my to read pile, once I pick up a book I often wonder how I could have possibly waited so long before reading it. Such was the case with Just Listen. I bought it earlier in the year since I had it on my 2009 Young Adult Book Challenge. Yesterday evening I picked it up intending to read a little bit throughout the week but then I just could not stop myself.

I loved the style of the book revealing Annabel's life bit by bit, frequently flashing back to events from various points in her life and seeing how all of those scenarios were effected her in the present. She is not only dealing with deciding who she is after a pivotal moment at a party in the summer that turned her world around, but she is also trying to let her mom know that she no longer wants to be a model, to mend old friendships, and to deal with the way her sister's eating disorder is affecting the family. While I originally started reading the book thinking it would revolve around the event at the party, I was surprised to see the depth of the other aspects of the plot. I loved seeing how the friendships between the members of her family evolved, especially those with her mom and sisters. And I haven't even mentioned the interactions between Annabel and Owen...

There was so much to love about Just Listen. I know that Dessen is one of those authors that I would probably enjoy any book she writes. I know sooner or later I will be picking up more of her books, the hard part will be deciding which one to choose next. They all look so good!

Love, Stargirl

It has been a few years since I read Stargirl, and I was intrigued when I saw that Spinelli came out with a companion novel from Stargirl's perspective. Even with curiosity, Love, Stargirl has been sitting in my to read pile for quite a while.

This month as I realized that I am cutting it very close to complete my deadline for 2009 Young Adult Book Challenge motivated me to pick it up once and for all. For some reason I was under the impression that it would be the same story, but from Stargirl's perspective. Instead it was a glimpse into her new life in Pennsylvania, still getting over Leo. Through a letter that she adds to all year long we meet Stargirl's new friends and see into her mind as she considers if it it time to move on from Leo, if a new boy Perry is exactly who she needs. A creative cast of characters, and Stargirls distinct uniqueness, makes this companion book a joy to read. All week long as I have been reading the book I keep trying to remember to reread the ending of Stargirl at school, but I always forget. My memory of the conclusion is a little hazy. Bits and pieces come back to me, but I want to experience Leo's concluding thoughts once again. I love the feeling that both books leave me with about refocusing on what is really important in life.

Right after I finished I stumbled across this YouTube trailer for the book.

The Luxe

I had heard many mentions of The Luxe novels, especially on The Reading Zone. I finally picked up the first in the series and it was easy to see what all the rage is about. To start with, I absolutely love the cover with the beautiful flowing dress. As if it was not stunning enough closed, it is even more breathtaking with the book open to see the fuller view of the dress.

The novel set in Manhattan 1899 with the wealthiest families begins with a funeral, outlining the way the most prominent guests appear. However, there is one little detail - the casket is unusually light because they have not actually found the body of Elizabeth Holland after she fell into a river. With interesting tidbit in the prologue, it is easy to entertain the possibility that maybe she is not really dead. It then flashes to chapter one backing up in time to outline Elizabeth's life prior to the funeral.

The book from a third person narrator who shadows alternating characters by chapter. Everybody has a secret, and it is fun to see how the lives weave together and the effect the decisions of one has on the others. The different twists and turns leave the reader thinking of multiple possibilities. I have always loved reading books set back in time, especially when they focus on society and balls. I look forward to eventually reading the rest of the books in the series.

Abandoning 2009 Diversity Rocks Challenge

I am officially abandoning the 2009 Diversity Rocks Challenge, at least I am not going to be reading my original challenge list of books by the end of 2009. Below is what I said in a post earlier this fall, when I realized that I would probably not meet the deadline.

"The thing is I have been reading plenty of multicultural lit over the year. I always do. I have been drawn to seeing the world through different lenses and exploring different cultures for as long as I could remember. Growing up my mom always bought us books representing a wide variety of cultures and geographic locations. I currently own all of the books on my challenge list. However, I am coming to realize that they are not necessarily on the top of my TBR pile for now."

While I will not be officially completing the challenge, I am still glad that I initially signed up. At the start of the challenge I had already owned some of the books, but there were other books that I searched for and then acquired because of the challenge. For that I am thankful to the challenge.

Road to Tater Hill

Road to Tater Hill is one of those books that I have had for a couple of months on the book shelf of my computer desk just waiting to be read. Especially with the start of the school year I had not been able to read as much middle grades/young adult novels. Yesterday I was home sick, so I did a lot of reading. I cannot believe I did not read it sooner. I loved the book from start to finish.

The book hooked me from the beginning as Annie narrated, "For months I had wished and wished the baby would be a girl, a little sister. Maybe I shouldn't have wished so hard. A boy might have lived." Annie is grieving for her baby sister Mary Kate, but it is hard to do so as her father is away to Germany in the military, her mom is barely talking or looking at anyone, and her grandparents will not have a discussion about the baby with her either. Her summer is filled with twists and turns while staying with her grandparents. She begins to cope by holding a rock that is about the same weight as a baby, and she also meets a mysterious woman that she visits in secret. In addition she is trying to navigate a friendship that has become tense since the baby died.

Hemingway wrote beautifully and I was able to visualize so much of the story. In addition she also had a map of the setting at the beginning of the book, and I have always enjoyed that. I love it when I can see glimpses of the author's real life in books, and I noticed at the beginning that the book was dedicated to her parents and in memory of her baby sister, Mary Kate. I often read the author information before starting as well, and from that I knew that she grew up in Florida and spent summers with her grandparents. They lived close to Tater Hill where they would go blackberry picking. She is also learning to play the mountain dulcimer, which also comes up in the book. It was apparent that her personal experiences and emotions were key to bringing rich details to the story, although I realize that there was probably a lot that came from her imagination as well.

This is another book that I am excited to introduce to my classroom library.