Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Release Date: August 6, 2009
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 292

EMILY PLEASE FORGIVE ME

Those four words, scrawled in lipstick on a tray, changed Emily Carson's life. Emily was living a normal life in Pennsylvania when she found out the plane her parents were on crashed. There were no survivors, but more striking thing salvaged from the crash was the tray that held those four words.

What does that apology stand for? Emily can't imagine what her mother is saying sorry for, but if she finds out, it could unlock secrets Emily may have been better off not knowing. Should she dig for answers, or live a life in ignorance, since sometimes, ignorance is bliss?

But any answer digging (or lack thereof) needs to be put aside temporarily--Emily must now move in with her aunt, Jolie, who lives in New York. Still recovering from such a horrific loss and with the mysterious apology hanging over her head, the last thing Emily wants to do is leave everything she knows, everything comforting, behind and be forced to make new friends and a new life for herself. She not only leaves her home behind, she must leave her best friend, Georgia, behind in Pennsylvania again. She is thrust into Jolie's beautiful appartment and a private school.

Once in school, Emily struggles to control her inner turmoil, lest her new friends think her to be completely insane. Jolie has been doing everything to help her fit in, and has been very kind. But her mother's apology is still looming over her like a storm cloud. After a botched meeting to work on her chemistry project with her partner Anthony, Emily does not want any more outbursts. But her mother's apology aside, her new life does not seem too bad. She is quickly befriended by the two most popular girls at school and the hottest guy in her class, Owen, keeps catching her eye... Can she start anew? Or will she have to confront her mother's apology in order to be free from it? And where can she possibly find answers? Would ignorance really be bliss in her situation? And now that she's ruined her chemistry project, will her partner ever talk to her again? And how the heck will she pass chemistry?!

Although I enjoyed Lipstick Apology, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. It was a bit cliche to me, and it got rather predictable at many places for me. There were not as many twists and turns as I had hoped, and I did not think some of the characters were very unique. I don't want to ruin too much, but I was disappointed at how predictable a lot of the novel was; the relationships, the characters' personalities, the ending, etc. Maybe I had expections that were a notch too high to start with? The plotline definitely sounded really intriguing, but it ended up being rather disappointing.
I did love Trent, however. He was a hilarious and lively character that was really quirky, bold, and rather loveable. I really enjoyed reading about him and he definitely brought a touch of good humor in this novel, which approaches such dark, saddening topics. Lindsay was also a very sweet person--I would definitely want a supportive friend like her! I think these two characters definitely helped me enjoy the novel a bit more!

Death by Denim winners!

Thanks to everyone who entered my Death by Denim contest!

The winners are (courtosey of the random number generator at random.org):
Alexa of Hooked On YA Books
and
Katie of Katie's Bookshelf!

Congrats!!

Please send me an email at bookvault(at)yahoo.com with your mailing address so I can get a copy of DBD to you! Please email me by 7/7/09 or I'll have to pick new winners.

Thank you to Linda Gerber for donating 2 copies of her fabulous book!

--------------------------------

I'm currently hosting another giveaway for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows--check it out here!

Harry Potter Giveaway!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will hit theaters July 15th in the US, so to celebrate I'm hosting a Harry Potter-themed giveaway! But HP6 is not the only reason for this celebration, the paperback version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is also hitting bookstores this month--July 7th, in fact!

So up for grabs are 5 paperback copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! The five lucky winners will also receive a Collectors' edition gold pin!

-------

Synopsis
courtesy of B&N.com

It all comes down to this - a final face off between good and evil. You plan to pull out all the stops, but every time you solve one mystery, three more evolve. Do you stay the course you started, despite your lack of progress? Do you detour and follow a new lead that may not help? Do you listen to your instincts, or your friends?

Lord Voldemort is preparing for battle and so must Harry. With Ron and Hermione at his side, he's trying to hunt down Voldemort's Horcruxes, escape danger at every turn, and find a way to defeat evil once and for all. How does it all end?

-------

Visit Scholastic's website for more Harry Potter-related activities, information on the books, and more!

-------

Want to win one of the copies of HP7 + the collectors' gold pin?

Just comment on this post with your name, email, and which of the three deathly hallows would you want most, and why?

Want extra entries?
+1 post about this contest elsewhere (your blog, forums, etc)
+1 follow my blog
+1 comment on my Bookish Mentions post on books-to-movies, responding to the questions I ask in the post
+1 comment on THIS post telling me your favorite HP book and why
+1 comment on THIS post telling me your favorite moment in any of the HP books
+1 comment on THIS post telling me which spell you would want to master most and why

Please comment SEPARATELY for your first entry and each additional entry you earn! Sorry about that, but it makes tallying all the entries easier so I don't miss anyone's!

So all in all, if you do all of the extras in addition to your first free entry, you can get a max of 7 entries! (yes, I did do that on purpose, as there are 7 books!)

Sorry, open to US residents only--and no PO boxes, please!
Please enter by July 17th, midnight EST!

Bookish Mentions (#5)

Sorry for the belated post!

Bookish Mentions is my new weekly post where I'll be posting my thoughts on books I've read but not been able to review, upcoming books I'm looking forward to, general thoughts on genres or books I've encountered, thoughts on book-based movies, and the like. Enjoy!

------------------------------

Ever since I read Wake, I've become a fan of Lisa McMann's series! If you haven't read Wake and Fade yet, I definitely recommend you check it out!

In addition to the fabulous story Ms. McMann weaves, the covers to her books are great! They're not overly complex, generally have one color scheme and one image, but it also has this eerie feel to them. They really draw you in!

The cover for her third book, Gone, has been released:


What do you guys think??? What do you think the chair stands for?? Do you like the change in color scheme?

Daughter of the Flames by Zoë Marriott

Daughter of the Flames by Zoë Marriott

Release Date: February 10, 2009
Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 368

After losing her parents in a fire that also destroyed her nation, Zira was raised by the Ruan people in the religious establishment, House of God. Raised and soon to become a novice in the House and a fighter, Zira does not think there is anything out of the ordinary in her life. True, she is Surya's, the head or Noirin of the House, favorite, but she trains under a namoa, Deo, until her coming of age and assignment, just like anyone else at the House.

If there's anything out of the ordinary, it is Zira's past. Surya has only told Zira that her mother pulled from a destructive fire, giving up her own life to do so. The fire was caused by the current Sedorne king, Abheron, who also killed the king of the Ruan people and took over his nation. The fire has left Zira's face horribly scarred, but it has not stopped Zira from being one of the most fearsome fighters-in-training. Growing up in the House, the only mother Zira has known is Suyra. With such a sad past, Zira is working for a brighter future, but the only home she has known, and her entire life, crumbles before her as the oppressive King Abheron, orders an attack on the House.

With the destruction of her home, a new truth about her past is revealed: Zira is actually Zahira, only surviving daughter of the murdered Rei, or King, which makes her Reia, leader of her people. She was bravely rescued from the fire by her nanny and brought to the House of God. Now, with this heavy mantle of responsibility thrust upon her, the road forward will be perilous and filled with many difficult decisions. With so many depending on her, Zira will have to step up and lead her people, but when King Abheron learns of her existance, her plans may never come to fruition...

What will Zira learn about this ruthless king, who may just be related to her? What other secrets from her past will she uncover? Her only hope is to choose the right allies and match her wits against Abheron--she is the last chance for peace between the Ruan and Sedorne people. Without her, the sacrifices made by her loved ones will have been in vain. Can anyone fufill such a tall task?

I loved Daughter of the Flames! It was well paced and captivating! I was instantly hooked and honestly could not put this book down! Zira is a strong character (it's good to see a strong female lead!) but her character, and the novel in general, was not overdone at all! Zoë Marriott weaves an intruging coming-of-age story filled with a quest to find and fufill one's quest and role, love, and redemption. The characters learn, among other things, that sometimes, a smaller action can lead to far greater consequences than anyone can dream! I loved the flow of this book! The characters progress nicely and Daughter of the Flames neither rushes nor drags on!

Zira's character is believeable, humble, strong-willed, and brave. Nothing is over the top or over done (some authors get a bit over zealous sometimes, and their characters end up being a bit much), so Daughter of the Flames is a highly enjoyable book!
The only small, minor complaint I have is that Zira and Sorin's relationship was rushed and developed abruptly. Other than that, Daughter of the Flames is a fantastic book that I would definitely recommend--especially to fantasy lovers!

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Release Date: September 7, 2009
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Pages: 256

Aurora is starting her life again at a new school after her mother died. Lucius has also moved, but he was forced to do so after intentionally causing an explosion that cost his parents their house and him, his arms. With their paths destined to cross, are either of them ready for it?

Lucius purposely blew his parents house up--and both his arms--in an explosion he concocted. Instead of getting prosthetic arms and hands, Lucius got hooks. His hooks are cheaper, harder to out grow...and scarier. He no longer wants to be the mild-manner guy that everyone picks on, but wants to be the one that everyone is scared of and stays away from. But when he meets Aurora, he feels something awakening in him. He feels a connection to the beautiful, sincerely kind girl, but has no idea how to get close to her. Has he become too much a beast inside now?

Aurora is kind-hearted, beautiful, and the new 'it' girl when she arrives at her new school. Everyone wants to be her friend, including Jessup, a cute guy. Aurora feels like she's looking for more and something 'real,' since most of her new friends seem rather superficial. But her new group has no such qualms about her, and Jessup is quick to pursue Aurora. But Aurora senses a lack of true honesty and sincerity from Jessup, and feels drawn to Lucius instead. But why is it so hard to approach the one guy who Aurora actually wants to get to know?

A modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Crazy Beautiful tells the story of Lucius and Aurora as they try to find themselves and each other. But with his seclusion, dark past, and hooks, has Lucius become too much of a beast to change? Is he truly crazy? Or can Aurora bring out the best in him again?

I only wish more of Lucius' back story was given, and more about the two main characters in general. It would have been really interesting to read their stories and better understand their motives and characters. It seemed like things wrapped up a little too nicely at the end, but was still relatively realistic. Crazy Beautiful is a tale of compassion, finding forgiveness, and love. I think YA readers will be able to connect to the two main characters as they are struggling with dilemmas similar to those that teens face today--finding acceptance, issues at home, trouble with friends, and past grievances. Nothing is entirely perfect, and Lucius and Aurora's relationship certainly is not, but sometimes it is the struggle that makes the rewarded even sweeter.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Release Date: August 1, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 400

Can any boundaries limit love? Ever since Grace was attacked by wolves in her backyard as a child, she has always looked for the wolf that saved her. She feels drawn to him, and knows there's more to him than his outside, wolf appearance.

But her wolf may be in danger--a boy from her school has died, and people believe that her wolf and his pack have killed him. As the local police force and some of the men of the town grab their guns and head to the woods to eliminate the wolves, Grace races against time to get there, hoping she is not too late to save her wolf.

Although her attempt to call off the police and men does not end in vain, her search for her wolf does. That is, until she heads home: her wolf is on her back porch--but in human form. Injured with a bullet wound to his neck, Grace races him to the hospital. Despite her speedy rescue, she has to sneak out Sam out before they notice that he heals much faster than human standards.
Quickly taking him in, Grace learns that her wolf is actually a werewolf named Sam.

Grace's unobservant parents have no idea about their guest and over the next few weeks, Grace and Sam get to know each better. But their happy time together may just be cut short, as Sam only has a few months--the warmer ones--being human each year, and for some reason, despite his youth, it looks like this is his last year to make the switch to his human form. With the weather getting colder each day, the star-crossed lovers' days together are limited...

Is there any way to prevent Sam from being wolf forever? Or will this be their last time together, with the rest of their lives doomed to watching each other in separate forms?

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Shiver from BEA (I actually met Maggie Stiefvater there and she even signed my ARC for me!) and I'm really glad I did! It is a very well written book--I love the imagery and descriptive language Ms. Stiefvater uses! The details really add to the story and paints vivid scenes. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this to all fantasy lovers! Shiver was great and I could hardly put it down! I love the alternating viewpoints between Sam and Grace--it really helps readers get a better sense of who the two characters are. Definitely keep you eyes out for Shiver, which should hit bookstores in August!