YA Sequel to Shiver: Linger

Linger
Wolves of Mercy Falls #2
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (July 20, 2010)

SUMMARY: Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn't cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend. But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it's only me who's not firmly in my own skin.

I won an ARC copy of Linger and decided to read it for my YA Week. Maggie Stiefvater is a new author to me but I had read good things about the first book in this series, Shiver. The book is written in first person POV (point of view) and alternates between four characters, with their name at the top of the chapter or section when it's their point of view. Though this was a little odd, it worked, and I had no trouble following the characters thoughts and actions.

Linger is a paranormal YA novel revolving around werewolves. The two main characters, Sam and Grace, have been through a "cure" which was part of the plot in the first book, Shiver. I found their relationship touching and romantic. Though there are sexual elements they aren't detailed. The book examines their emotions more than a physical relationship.

Cole, a new wolf who seems to have trouble staying in his wolf form, and Isabel, Grace's friend, are emotionally damaged. Cole rarely allows people to see his true self, and instead gives off a cocky, no care vibe. Isabel feels responsible for her brother's death and never truly lets her guard down, even for her closest friends. She's gruff and angry most of the time, though she is a loyal friend to Grace and Sam. She finds herself attracted to Cole, though she knows it's the worst thing she could do.

I found Linger to be an intense, rather difficult read at time. All of the main characters are damaged or dysfunctional in some way, adults and teenagers alike. Grace and Sam were my favorite characters, but even they had trouble being honest with each other in some instances. Difficult is not always bad. I have read many books in which the main characters are working through very difficult experiences. When I was reading Linger though, I felt overwhelmed at the sadness and anger of the characters. Much of the author's writing is descriptive and beautiful, yet the dialog had a tendency to be short and to the point most of the time. It didn't ring true to me that all the characters would be this way. Sam and Cole had been wolves, and yes, their dialog would perhaps be more direct and no nonsense, but would everyone else?

I found myself wondering if the characters would ever find resolution. The circumstances were so horrendous at some points I had to take a break from reading. I said something to my 15 year old son about the book as I was reading it, and he commented "Good books aren't always happy." I realized he is correct. Because I found Linger to be sad and overwhelming does not mean it's a badly written novel. It simply means that I felt the characters were so dysfunctional that it was a hard read for me personally.

I did love the relationship between Grace and Sam. I felt they truly loved each other and that their love was emotionally healing for both of them. After reading about the first book, I really think I would have enjoyed that a bit more than Linger.

Mom Notes: There was one adult in Linger that was supportive, but she was in one small scene with Sam. All other adults in the book were bitter, mean and uncaring. I am not naive and I know parents who are like that, unfortunately. I did notice there were mentions of adult werewolves that cared for Sam in the first book, Shiver, and they appeared to love him and care about him, but they were not present in Linger. There are issues with drugs and sex, but the author does handle it well, and I didn't feel it was over the top. The book's main theme seems to be about the consequences of our choices, which is something we all need to learn. I wish the author had given us a little more humor or perhaps lightness to offset the darkness of the plot.

The author plans to have three books in this series. You can keep up to date with her at these websites and social networks:

Maggie Stiefvater's Website

Author's Live Journal

Merry Fates (Group Blog)

Twitter Account

~Moonsanity

Review: Evernight Series by Claudia Gray

Evernight
Evernight Series, Book 1
Author: Claudia Gray
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen

SUMMARY: Bianca has just left the small town where she's spent her whole life. She's a new student at Evernight Academy, a creepily Gothic boarding school where her classmates are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in. Then she meets Lucas, another loner, who seems fiercely determined not to be the "Evernight type." There's a connection between Bianca and Lucas that can't be denied. She would risk anything to be with him—but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed to be true.

I bought Evernight because I kept hearing about Claudia Gray and her awesome YA vampire series. I found the first one on sale and picked it up last month. I didn't read any reviews or spoilers of the book itself and I am SO glad I waited until I had read the book. The author completely surprised me. I seriously looked around the room and was like "Oh man, I cannot believe I DID NOT see that coming!". She does such a great job giving hints, building suspense,and telling the reader JUST enough, but not too much before all is revealed.

The characters in Evernight are complex. Even the characters that appear to be superficial have things that end up making their personalities deeper than the reader first thinks. I really enjoyed reading Evernight, and will be picking up the other books in the series. The plot has mystery, romance and suspense. The characters have to face issues such as peer pressure, honesty, loyalty, independence, and doing what is right even when it's almost impossible.

Mom's Notes: For me this was an interesting look at parenting because Bianca's parents have taken overprotection to a new level. There is no doubt of their love for her, but they haven't allowed her to grow and learn on her own. My boys are 15 and 16 and we deal with this on a daily basis as they want to do more and we want them to be safe. Evernight dealt with a lot of great issues for teens, and I was really happy with the way the author presented them.

Evernight Series:
1. Evernight (2008)
2. Stargazer (2008)
3. Hourglass (2010)
4. Afterlife (2011)

The anthology Immortal (2008) has the story "Free" which tells the history of Patrice Devereaux, Bianca's friend and roommate in Evernight.

You can find the author at her website and other social networks:
Claudia Gray's Website

Her LiveJournal

Twitter

Facebook

~Moonsanity

A Year in an American High School

ridiculous/hilarious/terrible/cool:
a year in an american high school
Author: Elisha Cooper
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Dial (March 13, 2008)

ridiculous/hilarious/terrible/cool: A Year in an American High School is an interesting, nonfiction YA book. The author sent a copy to me, and I planned on doing a review from a mom's point of view, but something interesting happened. My 15 old son saw the book and asked what it was. I explained and he shrugged, of course. Next thing I know he wants to take it to school and read it. That was great. Then it got even more interesting. My son had it sitting on his desk while he finished up some work and a girl he knew grabbed it and read the first 30 pages. She gave it back and asked if she could borrow it, but apparently there was a waiting list. Another friend on the bus had already called dibs on the book. Wow, this was weird. Teenagers not only wanted to read a non-fiction book without being asked, but they are calling dibs on it. I'm thinking Mr. Cooper will love hearing about this phenomenon:)

The book follows six seniors and two juniors through the entire school year and tells their stories. The language does get rough at times, there are a few awkward guy/girl moments plus drinking and drug use. It's for mature 14 year olds or kids 15 and up. My son talked to me alot about the book as he read it and afterwards. The students in the book don't attend a public high school like he does, it's a prep school, but my son said that didn't really bother him. They were interested in things that all teens are: sports, drama, college, relationships, and family. He was really glad that the author included an epilogue at the end so he could find out what happened with each kid afterwards.

I know it's hard to let our teens read about things that are awkward like sex and drugs, but all they have to do is pick up a newspaper or watch the news to get a hard dose of reality. We can't protect them forever, so I think it's better to PREPARE them. Sitting them down out of the blue and saying "Hey, let's talk about drugs." is often an awkward and one-sided conversation. Reading a book together and chatting about the kids in it, is MUCH more relaxed and interesting for our kids.

You can visit Elisha Cooper's website here and the book can be ordered there too. ridiculous/hilarious/terrible/cool would make a great gift for any teen in your life. I'm really glad that my son and I read it and had such cool discussions. I think you will be too.

~Moonsanity

The World of Wicked Lovely

Wicked Lovely
by Melissa Marr
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 328 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins

Summary: Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale

I picked up Wicked Lovely last week, partly to read for my YA Week, but also because I've been wanting to read Melissa Marr's writing for a long time and just hadn't gotten the chance. Her book did not disappoint. It's creative, eerie, romantic, suspenseful and kept me on edge right up until the end of the story. The only character I was truly convinced was being truthful was Aislinn, or Ash as her friends call her. She is a haunting young woman who has been able to observe the fae her entire life, but was warned there were three rules she must abide by at all times:

1. Don't ever attract their attention.
2. Don't speak to invisible faeries.
3. Don't stare at invisible faeries.

Ash is a strong character, but at the same time she is young and inexperienced. Suddenly the rules she's been taught by her grandmother throughout her life are no longer holding true. She has never told anyone else that she can see the fae. She needs a friend to confide in as things change and overwhelm her. Seth, her best friend, wants more than friendship, the fae want her as well, and her grandmother wants to hide Ash until it all goes away. I loved Wicked Lovely for many reasons, including the characters, the writing, and the plot, which kept me guessing and moving forward at a quick pace just to see what would happen next.

It was really refreshing to read a YA novel without vampires for a change. Don't get me wrong, I love to read vampire fiction, but it's also nice to find a book with a unique fantasy world. Melissa Marr has created an unseen world of the fae, who can be beautiful but deadly. Appearances are almost always deceiving, and manipulation is a way of life. I don't want to give any more information about the plot because it's best to read it with no spoilers.

Mom Notes: Wicked Lovely is a mature YA Novel with mentions of drugs, drinking, sex and swearing. I would say it's for age 16 and older because of the mature themes. I thought the topic of sex was handled very well. Ash is a virgin, and her attitude and that of her boyfriend is a good one. It's realistically handled, written as I remember feeling as a teenager, which is confused, and wanting to go farther but not wanting to make a mistake. Ash's boyfriend is experienced, and lives alone, which will be uncomfortable for some parents, but I know the situation is not an uncommon one. I always recommend that parents read books along with their kids (before or after they do) so they can discuss it with them. I do this with my 16 year old son quite often.

Harper Collins has released a free electronic edition of Wicked Lovely with bonus materials. On this page you can download that, plus a two part story in the Wicked Lovely world.

Wicked Lovely Series
1. Wicked Lovely (2007)
2. Ink Exchange (2008)
3. Fragile Eternity (2009)
4. Radiant Shadows (2010)
5. Stopping Time, Part 1 & 2 (ebooks)

You can visit Melissa Marr on her website, her blog and on Twitter:

-Melissa's LiveJournal

-Melissa's Website

-Twitter Account

~Moonsanity

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Blue Bloods
Book 1
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book
Available at Indie Bound, Powell's Books, Barnes & Noble.

SUMMARY: Schuyler Van Alen has never fit in at Duchesne, her prestigious New York City private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapidated mansion. Schuyler is a loner-and happy that way. But when she turns fifteen, Schuyler's life changes dramatically. She has a mosaic of blue veins on her arms, and craves raw meat. The death of a popular girl from Duchesne is surrounded by a mystery that haunts her. And strangest off all, Jack Force, the most popular boy in school, is showing a sudden interest in her.

I picked up Blue Bloods because I had heard so much about the series and wanted to give it a try. It did take me awhile to decide to read it because it takes place at a private school where the students are extremely wealthy and live for designer clothing and the New York social scene. This is so hard for me to relate to since I grew up on a farm in a small rural community. However, within the first three pages I relaxed, as the main character, Schulyer, is described as chipping at her black nail polish, and wearing duct-taped sneakers. She buys true thrift store finds, not expensive clothing made to look aged. I like that Schulyer is her own person, despite the constant temptation to give into her peers and join the "in crowd". Not that she is isn't tempted. Blue Bloods is a slightly more mature read than some YA novels I've reviewed this week. I would say 16 and up, maybe 15 for mature kids. It will appeal to girls more than it will boys, though it isn't overly sappy as far as the romance goes.

The author's blurb in the back of the book states that she has written for Glamour, Marie Claire and other fashion magazines, as well as appearing on television as a fashion expert. This comes across in Blue Bloods in the descriptions of the clothing, shoes and the modeling scenes in the book. However, the fashion doesn't take over the plot, which has some good twists and turns. As I was reading the first few chapters I thought I knew what was coming, but I was surprised at several turns in the plot. It had the signs of a first book in a series where I could tell nothing would be wrapped up by the end, but it was a good read and ended in a spot that didn't have a horrendous cliff hanger, like some series tend to do.

I enjoyed Blue Bloods, and thought the concept of vampires coming to America on the Mayflower original and fascinating. The author provides pages of a diary throughout the book from a young woman who sailed with the ship and the pieces fall together for the reader as the end of the book nears.

Mom Notes: The sexual elements in the book aren't too detailed, but they are present, including a scene where one couple undresses to have sex but are interrupted. Another female character in the book is especially fond of young men, and "feeding". As I said before, the book is a little mature for younger teens. I thought that over all, Blue Bloods was a good read for older teens as far as lessons in learning to be yourself, not giving in to peer pressure and standing up for what is right.

You can learn more about the author and the books on her website: http://www.melissa-delacruz.com

The series includes:
1. Blue Bloods (2006)
2. Masquerade (2007)
3. Revelations (2008)
4. The Van Alen Legacy (2009)
5. Misguided Angel (2010)
6. Bloody Valentine (2011)
Keys to the Repository (2010)

~Moonsanity

We Interrupt YA Week for a Winner!

The winner of our drawing for The River Kings' Road, A Novel of Ithelas by Liane Merciel is:

Kelsey...who said:
Medieval and fantasy: two great combinations! This book sounds GOOD.

Visit Kelsey at www.thedoortowonderland.blogspot.com.

We will now continue with our YA goodness...

~Moonsanity

Bite Me! YA Interview and Review

Bite Me!
Author: Melissa Francis
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Available at Indie Bound, Powells, Barnes & Noble.

SUMMARY: AJ Ashe isn’t your typical seventeen-year-old vampire—as if there is such a thing. Her ex-boyfriend—whom she’s still totally in love with—is now her stepbrother. A former classmate—who, um, she may or may not have turned into a vampire—is stalking her. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. Whatever happened to the good old days when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

I bought Bite Me! on sale and was intrigued by the cover and the description, though I hadn't read anything about the author or the book previously. I really enjoyed the plot, the characters and the writing style. The main character A.J. is 17 and we learn in the first sentence that her mom is getting married. She likes the man who will be her stepfather, she loves her mom and she wants her mom to be happy. So what is the problem? She's been dating her brother-to-be for months and now they have to break it off. It's the right thing to do, but it's breaking A.J.s heart. Plus, their new blended family doesn't know everything about one another which makes it even more stressful. A.J., her mom and her sisters are vampires, and they can't tell anyone. Can you imagine?

I loved the main characters in Bite Me!, and the plot twists which kept me guessing. Who should A.J. trust? The reader isn't really sure until the end of the book reveals all. I thought the author captured the teen angst that makes high school a roller coaster of emotions. A.J. deals with issues such as jealousy, loyalty, friendship, love and fear. She learns that her actions have consequences, something that all of us deal with sooner or later.

Bite Me! has humor, action and romance. It's a fast, fun read for ages 14 or 15 and older. There are sexual situations, but no sex. I thought it was handled well by the author.

Mom notes: I loved the main character's mom, and their relationship. When A.J. was upset she ran straight to her mom, who as a vampire, wouldn't judge her and knew how to help her. A.J.s mom MADE the time to help, even at work. The issues A.J. has with a teacher and the consequences of NOT telling anyone about it were something that has happened to many kids, and unfortunately doesn't always have a good ending. It's an important lesson for kids to learn.

INTERVIEW WITH THE FABULOUS MEL
Melissa graciously answered my nosey questions, so I could share them with you during YA Week. Don't forget that every comment this week enters you for a chance to win Bite Me! and four other YA books.

I loved your book, especially A.J 's mother and their relationship. Why did you decide to make them so close, and not give them a "typical" teen/parents relationship?

Honestly, I hated the relationship I had with my mom growing up. No trust, always combative, etc. I don't have that relationship with my teens and decided that I can't be alone. So I put a lot of 'us' into the book.

Did you find writing YA different from writing adult fiction? Did you find yourself thinking about what you wanted teens to take away from your book?

YA isn't that different to me except the angst and melodrama is elevated a bit more. (because honestly, teens are nothing if not dramatic! LOL) I want kids to read, get lost in the story, imagine themselves as the main character, and come away satisfied. I want girls to understand that they are strong and wanted them to read a story about a heroine who, even though is very flawed and made lots of mistakes, was also strong enough to know she could rescue herself.

How the heck did you come up with the idea of a boy and girl who were dating finding out they were going to be brother and sister with almost no warning after dating so long?

Well, I always thought that could happen in real life and one day I just started really playing with the idea. And the more I thought of it, the more intrigued by it I became. How devastating would that be if you were a teen and in love for the first time? And wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am I had a story!

Thanks Mel:) Love Sucks! , Mel's next book, will be released on July 27, 2010. Be on the lookout for it this summer!

-You can visit Mel at her website here: http://www.haveyoubeenbitten.com/

-Download cell phone wallpapers in Bite Me! themes here: http://www.haveyoubeenbitten.com/downloads.html

~Moonsanity