In My Mailbox #3

I have had such an awesome haul of books this week that I haven't put all the summaries up - the links will take you to Amazon where you can *hopefully* read the synopsis and get it if you want it:)

Hex Hall by Racheal Hawkins

Dark Touch: Shadows by Amy Meredith

The Secret Circle: The Initiation & Captive Vol 1 by LJ Smith

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

Marked (House of Night) by PC & Kristin Cast

Bloom By Elizabeth Scott

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

I won these from @orbitbooks - thanks guys *mwah*

Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong

The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan

The Prodigal Mage by Karen Miller

Changes: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

The Ambassador's Mission by Trudi Canavan

Orphaned Worlds by Michael Cobley

Blonde Bombshell by Tom Holt

Following reading Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz I immediately ordered the rest of the series so far from Amazon. I was out of the house when the delivery man came so my neighbours kindly took them in for me - the only problem is they went away for 2 days - I was practically camped out on their doorstep when they came back :)

Masquerade by Mellisa de la Cruz

Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

(I have the other books on pre-order - can you tell I like this series :0)

 

Parasite Positive by Scott Westerfeld (aka Peeps)

Devoured by Amanda Marrone

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

And as I won Frostbitten I thought I had better pick up the rest of the series:)

Stolen by Kelley Armstrong

Bitten By Kelley Armstrong

See what I mean about a lot of books through my door this week:0) Now where do I start:)

Review: Split by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja

Synopsis: From Amazon
Jo has just moved to America with her mum. She's always been a fairly average girl - not a nerd but certainly never one of the popular kids. But on her first day in her new school, she seems to be adopted by the It girls - and is invited to one of their parties. There, she meets Jake Matthews, officially the hottest boy in school, and when they begin to play the kissing-in-the-closet game, Seven Minutes in Heaven, amazingly Jake picks Jo join him in the closet! She can't believe her luck. But the reality of being kissed and groped by Jake is not quite as great as the fantasy...Jo has a choice to make: should she carry on, kiss Jake and secure her position in the It crowd - or should she tell him where to get off and risk relegation back to the land of the ordinary ...? At this moment - Jo splits. She's Josie the Cool - girlfriend of Jake, member of the It crowd. She's also Jo the Nerd - rejected by the It crowd, single ...Will her two halves ever come back together again? Is Jake the guy she's meant to be with or could some of the other people she meets along her journey - Rachel the scary goth, David the misfit or Albie the rocker - be the answer? A fabulously inventive, heartwarming and funny take on the Sliding Doors idea, for teen readers.

Review:

Wow, I loved this book. A light hearted read that was so easy to relate to. Along the lines of Sliding Doors whereby a significant decision/occurrence can alter the course of your life. The main difference I felt with Split by a Kiss and Sliding Doors was that Jo seemed to be aware of both directions her life took.

Written in 1st person narrative from Jo's perspective, a bit geeky, Buffy obsessed 16 year old (reminded me of a certain 23 year old Buffy obsessed blogger ;) although I wouldn't class her as geeky). I instantly liked Jo from the very 1st page, her Buffy quotes to her charity shop wardrobe, she was somebody I could complete relate to.

When Jo's computer genius mother is offered a job in America for 12 months Jo thinks this is her chance to be the person she thinks she wants to be (if you understand me) someone completely different to the person she is in the UK. The phrase 'the grass always looks greener on the other side' certainly applies to this story. However, with the fateful kiss Jo is able to experience both sides of the grass *giggles*

Having lived in America myself for a year I found the reference to the differences in culture and terminology highly amusing. I giggled aloud and thought 'been there, done that', the narrative was so realistic in both cultures it was amazing. I really felt as if I was there with Jo. I could clearly picture all the places she went & the people she met.

All the characters in the story are superbly well developed, their personalities were like caricatures of the stereotypical roles/cliques within society (the goth, the jock, the biatch) no matter what age you are these stereotypes exist everywhere and are therefore, very easy to conjure up in your imagination. The interactions of all the characters within both sides of the split were totally believable. I did find Jo a bit naive where people were concerned and actually found myself cringing at Jo's mistakes with David.

I really liked the fact that although the story split into two very different paths, the threads of similarity throughout both sides converge at the end bringing about a single conclusion. To bring the story together from all angles was truly genius.

I think we all feel at some time or another that if we could just start over where no-one knows us then life would be different. This story shows that no matter where we are we are still the same person and that is the one thing we cannot escape, ourselves. Throughout the story Jo finds herself, realises who are her real friends and finds the perfect guy for her. Oh, I do love happy endings.

I think this book should be a summer must-read :) A book of self-discovery, friendship, loyalty, love and growing up told in a humorous, light-hearted manner. Truly awesome :0)

Review: Paper Towns by John Green

Synopsis: From Amazon

Who is the real Margo? Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. She has disappeared. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance ...and they are for him. Trailing Margo's disconnected path across the USA, the closer Q gets, the less sure he is of who he is looking for.

Review:

This is my first foray into the awesomeness that is John Green. I have heard/seen so many bloggers talking about him that I just had to read this book as soon as I saw it in the library :) I must say I finished it last night and my head is still reeling.

The story has so many layers it was like peeling the layers from an onion only to discover more layers underneath.

Written in 1st person narrative, from Quentin's (Q's) perspective. Q was surprisingly easy to relate to even in my female dominated household. Q epitomises the boy next door stereotype. A good student and all round nice guy. John Green makes geek/nerd sexy, both J & I wish that it had been sexy to be a geek when we were teenagers :0)

Margo & Q are tied together by a traumatic incident in their childhood. Although no longer friends, Q has had a crush on Margo from an early age.  Following their night of adventure and Margo's subsequent disappearance, Q has to analyse how well he knows/doesn't know Margo.

The notion that we are different versions of ourselves with different people really comes under scrutiny within the narrative. How well do we really know someone when we only see a single side of them. In the same context how well do we know ourselves, when we are different with different people. There are a complex set of psychological theories beautifully entwined in the plot. I think that is why my friend Clover is a huge John Green fan (she is studying psychology).

Making Q's parents psychiatrists in the story adds an extra dimension to the analysis. Elements of the nature versus nurture debate especially with the contrasts between Q's parents and Margo's.

The use of Walter Whitman's poem Leaves of Grass within the plot adds another layer to the story (see what I mean about peeling the layers of an onion). The analysis of the poem parallels the analysis of people within the plot.

Q evolves tremendously throughout the book. At the start he has always been on the periphery of his own life. Through his search for Margo, he discovers who he really is. I think that is why finding Margo became a compulsion for him, as he was also finding himself.

I adored John Green's writing style, the use of metaphors & similes were fantastic. Decay never sounded so good :0)

A story about growing-up, self discovery, endings & beginnings. The realisation that the world is a big place and we are just a small part of the whole. A highly recommended read :0)

In My Mailbox #2

Thank you Goldstone Books

Jo has just moved to America with her mum. She's always been a fairly average girl - not a nerd but certainly never one of the popular kids. But on her first day in her new school, she seems to be adopted by the It girls - and is invited to one of their parties. There, she meets Jake Matthews, officially the hottest boy in school, and when they begin to play the kissing-in-the-closet game, Seven Minutes in Heaven, amazingly Jake picks Jo join him in the closet! She can't believe her luck. But the reality of being kissed and groped by Jake is not quite as great as the fantasy...Jo has a choice to make: should she carry on, kiss Jake and secure her position in the It crowd - or should she tell him where to get off and risk relegation back to the land of the ordinary ...? At this moment - Jo splits. She's Josie the Cool - girlfriend of Jake, member of the It crowd. She's also Jo the Nerd - rejected by the It crowd, single ...Will her two halves ever come back together again? Is Jake the guy she's meant to be with or could some of the other people she meets along her journey - Rachel the scary goth, David the misfit or Albie the rocker - be the answer?

Synopsis: From Amazon

Thank you Julie's Bookshop

Carlota and Bethany are best friends. Bethany is the sensible one with a long-term boyfriend, Carlota is the crazy one with a wild past and rebellious nature. All is fine in their world - apart from Carlota hating her stepdad and longing for a old flame. And apart from Bethany thinking her boyfriend is about to dump her and that her period is late...Carlota comes up with a plan to put all their troubles behind them and go on a girls-only wild day out, with only their favourite magazine to guide them through the day. If they open it on a fashion page they have to get hold of a fabulous new outfit and pretend to be models. If they open it to a page on snogging, they have to find a boy to snog. The magazine will take them everywhere they need to go - but will it help them to reveal the secrets they are keeping from each other?

Synopsis: From Amazon

Brie is in love with Lancome Juicy Tubes, Louis Vuitton accessories and Charlie, her gay best friend.But Charlie is in love with 1960's pop art, 1980s teen movies ...and serial heartbreaker, Walker. Walker has only ever been in love with his VW Bug, until he meets Daisy. And Daisy is far too busy hating everyone to know what love is...

This is a story about kissing people you shouldn't, falling in love and off your heels, and breaking hearts because there'e nothing to watch on telly.

Synopsis: From Amazon

Picked up in Marie Curie Charity Shop :)

 

 

Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down. He is forced to deal with his brother's illness and his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece. Salted with humor and peppered with devastating realities, DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE is a heartwarming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.

Synopsis: From Good Reads

Picked up in Marie Curie Charity Shop :)



Happy reading :)

Review: Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Synopsis: From Good Reads

When seventeen-year-old Lucy discovers her family is under an ancient curse by an evil Elfin Knight, she realizes to break the curse she must perform three impossible tasks before her daughter is born in order to save them both.

 
 
 
 
Review:
 
The omniscient 3rd person narrator gives insight into all the characters within the story. All of the characters are well developed and their interactions realistic and believable. A real fairytale feel about the plot with the use of the Ballad Scarborough Fair as the basis for the impossible tasks. I really liked the different versions of the song and how the song could be altered to suit the plot.
 
The female protagonist, Luce/Lucy/Lucinda had a wonderful inner strength and determination that helped her cope with the machinations of the Elfin Knight. The best solution to problems is to deal with them in a logical manner seemed to be epitomised within the narrative.
 
The strength of the bond between Lucy and Zach is something to be envied even at their young age. The ideal that love can conquer all was magical and added to the fairytale feel of the story.
 
I loved the way that the family and friends all bonded together and supported each other (even if it is something I personally cannot relate to with my dysfunctional family). The story really does show that anything can be achieved if you have the love and support of people backing you and believing in you :)
 
Some sensitive issues touched upon within the plot (rape, teen pregnancy and madness) but they were not dealt with in any depth and were used as a way of enhancing the plot rather than as a discussion of these issues.
 
For me this was a good read, a piece of escapism that I enjoyed even if I couldn't relate to having a non-dysfunctional family unit.
 

;

Review: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Synopsis: From Amazon

They're Young, Fabulous and Fanged...And they rule Manhattan from the trendy uptown clubs to the downtown boutiques. Fifteen-year-old Schuyler Van Alen has never quite fit in at her exclusive prep school ? she's more of a vintage than a Versace girl ? but all that's about to change...Because Schuyler has just found out she's a Blue Blood. The Blue Bloods are the city's glamorous ? and secret ? vampire elite. They're young, beautiful and powerful. But now they're being murdered. And Schuyler must find out who ? or what ? is behind it before she's next.

Review:

OK so here we go *gush,gush,gush*. I was not expecting this book to be this fabulous. I have read a few reviews and thought, yep lets read it, it will just be another vampire story. Boy, how wrong I was.
The whole take on vampire mythology was unique. I would never have associated vampires with fallen angels. Not only that, there are good and evil vampires. Ones that adhere to the vampire code and ones that want to rule the world, for want of better terminology.

The story encompasses the rebirth/reincarnation of vampires (aka blue bloods) from a single drop of blood containing all their memories and DNA. Science versus myth with the use of IVF. The formation of true friendships and allegiances. The soul-mate principle (or is it?), the 'ick' factor with the idea that twins are bound by blood (you need to read it, I am not giving away spoilers). With a bit of murder/mystery thrown in to keep you on your toes :0)

The female protagonist, Schyler, was so easy to relate to, on the surface an outsider that has the strength of character to deal with whatever is thrown her way.  Luckily she has the perfect friend in Oliver, that covers her back and protects her when ever he can (but is that all there is too it?!!!!) I adored the addition of Bliss and Dylan to their group and could completely understand their friendship and alliegance.
Unbelievably clever plot twists and turns that leave you reeling, the teasers are there for you to pick up on if you can ;)

For someone that thought this was just going to be another vampire book, I absolutely loved it. As soon as I finished it, I had to order the rest of the series and pre-order the other books :) I am now sitting by my mailbox waiting to continue this thrilling series.

Slow Dance - A poem

I received one of those chain emails that goes around but after reading Before I Fall I thought it would be quite poignant to share it with you after the review of Before I Fall was posted.

This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a New York Hospital.
It was sent by doctor -

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever

watched

kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to

the

rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a

butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the

fading night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day

On the fly?

When you ask How are you?

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call and say,'Hi'

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last..

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

This was the closing statement in the email please feel free to copy it and share it if you wish.

Dear All:

PLEASE pass this on to everyone you know - even to those you don't know! It is the request of a special girl who will soon leave this world due to cancer.
This young girl has 6 months left to live, and as her dying wish, she wanted to send a letter telling everyone to
live their life to the fullest, since she never will.
She'll never make it to prom, graduate from high school, or get married and have a family of her own.
By you sending this to as many people as possible, you can give her and her family a little hope, because with every name that this is sent to, The American Cancer Society will donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery plan. PLEASE PASS ON AS A LAST REQUEST.

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis: From Amazon
They say that when you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me
Sam Kingston is dead. Except she isn't.
On a rainy February night, eighteen-year-old Sam is killed in a horrific car crash. But then the impossible happens: she wakes up in her own bed, on the morning of the day that she died.
Forced to live over and over the last day of her life the drive to school, skipping class, the fateful party she desperately struggles to alter the outcome, but every morning she wakes up on the day of the crash.
This is a story of a girl who dies young, but in the process learns how to live. And who falls in love... a little too late.

Review:
At the beginning of this book I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. Written in 1st person narrative, Sam starts of as unlikeable; popular by association basing her actions and preferences on being accepted by the 'in' crowd. Peer pressure is an incredibly powerful thing and shown in all its *glory* in this story, the I felt as if Sam had no personality of her own, for all intents and purposes she was a sheep. And then she died.

Initially, I thought it was like an emotional Groundhog day (which is even mentioned within the narrative). However, as I relived each last day with Sam I really felt for her. Sam's fear of dying was palpable within the narrative. Very, very powerful writing. I felt as if I was there with her every step of the way. Imagine reliving the day you die over and over again, knowing that it is inevitable; that here is nothing you can do to stop it from happening. Knowing the exact time, place and circumstance of your own death. How frightened would you be as the minutes ticked away.

As Sam relives the same day over and over, we are exposed to the 5 stages of grief, (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and finally Acceptance). Sam is grieving for herself not only for the life that she has yet to live but for the mistakes she has made so far.

Getting the opportunity to repeat the same day gives Sam a chance to rectify some of the mistakes she has made. The opportunity to see people in a different light, to say the things she always wanted to say but never felt it was the right time and to be the person she really wanted to be rather than conforming. Sam gains a whole new perspective and discovers true love in the process.

All the characters were well developed and almost 3 dimensional, there personalities and interactions were so real to me I felt I was there right along with Sam. I could relate to all of them in one way or another. The narrative incorporates a lot of sensitive issues such as substance abuse, sex and eating disorders; issues although not dealt with in depth reflect the inner turmoil people suffer while projecting a very different outward image. The saying 'never judge a book by it's cover' strongly applies to the characters within this book.

I finished reading this book very late in the night; I went to sleep thinking about it and woke up the next morning still thinking about it. Is is one of those haunting stories that stays with you. For me it was an emotional roller-coaster. I felt as if I had been swallowed whole, chewed up into one big gloppy mess and then spat back out. I have to admit to absolutely sobbing my heart out while reading this one (not the usual silent tears but the gasping, sniffing type of sobbing). It really is an amazing book, you will need a lot of tissues.

Mental Health Awareness plus Giveaways

After reading Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac and it's references to depression, there were messages all over Twitter on Friday 14th May about mental health issues.
I thought I would include them on the blog as it is a subject close to my heart. As you already know my oldest daughter has dyspraxia, she was diagnosed when she was 3 (mainly because she kept falling over). Her physical abilities have improved significantly with the help she received in the form of Occupational and Physical Therapy when she was younger. However, we were told that one of the problems with dyspraxia is low self-esteem and confidence which can result in depression, etc as she gets older. At 9 the awful teenage hormones are starting to kick in and you can really see the body image issues start to surface.

Thanks to the post by Keren David at Almost True I am now aware that there is a charity dealing with the emotional well-being of children and young adults called Young Minds. It is brilliant  to know there is some where to turn for advice and support. Congratulations to Keren on being long-listed on the Young Minds Book Awards 2010.

The books selected for the long list are:

■Dear Dylan by Siobhan Curham (AuthorHouse)
Synopsis: From Amazon
Fourteen year old Georgie Harris feels as if the summer holidays are over before they have even begun. Banned from going to the local drama workshop by her bully of a step-dad and her increasingly fragile mum, she is consigned to six long weeks of looking after her tooth-fairy obsessed kid sister. Sick of feeling like the outsider at home and at school, she starts emailing the one person she thinks might understand; Dylan Curtland, star of the popular soap opera Jessop Close. And when Dylan starts emailing back, Georgie finally feels a tiny spark of hope. At last she has someone who really gets her, someone who really wants to help. But in the faceless world of email all is not as it seems...

■Desperate Measures by Laura Summers (Piccadilly)
Synopsis: From GoodReads
Vicky and Rhianna are twins but they couldn't’t be more different. For their fourteenth birthday, Vicky wants a card from the hottest boy in school. Rhianna, brain-damaged at birth, wants a Furby. Instead they get a nasty shock – their foster parents can’t cope and it looks as if Vicky and Rhianna and their younger brother Jamie will have to be split up. How can they stay together? Desperate times call for desperate measures… Exciting, fast-moving and deeply affecting, this innovative story is Laura Summers’ first novel.

■Ember Fury by Cathy Brett (Headline)
Synopsis: From Amazon
Pyromania: A mental derangement, excitement or excessive enthusiasm for fire.
Having celebrity parents isn’t as hot as it sounds. Yes, there’s money to burn, fame and some totally smoking guys...But when your dad’s more interested in blazing a trail to the top of the charts than why you got kicked out of school, again, it can make you seriously angry. And if there’s one thing Ember knows, it’s that the smallest spark of anger can ignite a whole heap of trouble...

■Ice Lolly by Jean Ure (Harper Collins Children’s Books)
Synopsis: From Amazon
A heart-warming gem of a novel about a very special girl who suddenly finds herself all alone in the world! Laurel is only twelve when her mum dies and she is shipped off to stay with relatives she hardly knows. Her new family don't seem to care about anything Laurel loves, including books and Mr Pooter, her old marmalade-coloured cat. So Laurel decides that she won't feel anything: she'll become Ice Lolly, the girl with the frozen heart. But a special friend and a mysterious letter open up new possibilities for Ice Lolly, and for Mr Pooter!

■Inside by J A Jarman (Andersen press)
Synopsis: From Amazon
Aged seventeen, Lee is inside for a crime he has committed. And he soon finds out that prison is not the holiday camp he's heard about. Warned to 'play by the rules' he has to decide whose rules - the screws' or the other cons'. Life in a Young Offenders Institution is about survival. But the real struggle is inside Lee himself. Is he destined to be a 'career con' or can he choose to change his life?

■Lottie Biggs is not desperate by Hayley Long (Macmillan Children’s Books)
Synopsis: From Amazon
Lottie Biggs is recovering from her mental disorder of a reasonably significant nature with the help of her counsellor, who rather helpfully looks like Johnny Depp. Things are looking up - her hair is an excellent shade of black, she has a Saturday job in a hairdresser and Gareth Stingecombe and his manly thighs are still the love of her life. When Gareth undoes his trousers to show Lottie a fetching bruise on one of the aforementioned thighs, she comes to the realisation that, unlike everyone else she knows, she is A TOTAL UTTER VIRGIN. But how can she get any sort of experience when her boyfriend is doggedly, stubbornly and infuriatingly determined to preserve his energies for the rugby field?

■No Way To Go by Bernard Ashley, (Hachette)
Synopsis: From Amazon
Amber is shocked when her brother falls to his death from a tower block. She's convinced it wasn't an accident, and so begins her journey to discover the truth and bring some kind of justice for Connor. With twists, turns and a fabulous multi-layered plot, Bernard Ashley has created a thrilling and engrossing tale. Set in south east London, this is a incredibly gritty and absorbing novel.

■Running on the cracks by Julia Donaldson (Egmont)
Synopsis: From Amazon
14-year-old Leo runs away from her aunt and uncle's home, where she has been living since the sudden death of her musician parents. Leo is driven away by the disturbing behaviour of her uncle. But she is not just wanting to escape her life: she wants to discover the secret behind the feud between her father and his Chinese family.Leo's journey is peopled with a cast of fabulous characters: 12-year-old Finlay, who can never get anything right and is always in trouble; Mary the manic depressive, who provides a hideaway for Leo; Rab, the grumpy corner-shop owner and Marina the no-nonsense doughnut lady, both of whom give Finlay work - and plenty of unsolicited advice! Julia Donaldson has crafted a funny, moving, heart-stopping thriller with characters that will stay in your heart long after you have turned the final uplifting page.

■Them and Us by Bali Rai (Barrington Stoke)
No synopsis available

■The Truth about Leo by David Yelland (Penguin)
Synopsis: From Amazon
It had happened again. Dad had shouted and yelled, thrown things and smashed things up. And then he had quietly cleaned everything away.’ Leo’s dad has changed. Since Mum died, his drinking is worse and now he’s a different person, someone Leo doesn’t recognize. The truth is that Leo is covering up for him and when things get bad Leo escapes into his own head, pretending everything’s OK. Things need to change, but what can Leo do? No one understands, except maybe his friend Flora. Leo wants his old dad back so they can be happy again – because Dad is all he has left . . .

■When I was Joe by Keren Daivd (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)
Synopsis: From Amazon
When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he’s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image – life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can’t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe’s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent. To follow Keren David's When I Was Joe blog, please click here

■Zellah Green by Vanessa Curtis (Egmont)
Synopsis: From Amazon
My name is Zelah Green and I am a Cleanaholic. I spend most of my life on Germ Alert. Or Dirt Alert. It's a miracle I ever get to school.My life was going OK despite that - you know, school, best friend, bad hair days - until four weeks ago. That's when Dad vanished.Now my stepmother has packed me off to a place with some crazy people. So I'm stuck with the Doc and Alice, Lib, Caro and Sol.Sol, who doesn't speak. Sol, who has brown eyes and olive skin. Sol, who I actually want to touch. Now I'm on Flirt Alert!Maybe, just maybe, something good could happen...This is a moving story of one girl's attempt to come to terms with her grief, told with humour and real insight.
 
From a personal point of view I am grateful that there are books like these available to help young people (& adults like me). It is sometimes easier to read about topics that affect you personally than it is to discuss them, it helps put them into perspective and insight. Well done to everyone one the list :)
 
Giveaway also happening at Keren's blog Almost True click the link to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Swapped by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja. I have almost finished reading Split by a Kiss it is so funny and easy to relate to :)
 

Synopsis: From Amazon
Rachel hates her life and everyone in it - she even has suspicions that her on/off boyfriend David might not be entirely trustworthy. However, when David invites her to a music festival in England featuring their friend's band, she jumps at the chance for an overseas adventure. Hoping to surprise David, Rachel arrives at the festival early, where she runs into a nasty surprise of her own - she sees David kissing their friend Jo. Distraught, Rachel runs off, wishing she could leave her life behind...the next thing she knows, she's back with David. But not as herself...She's now in Jo's body! Can she keep the swap a secret from David until she can work out exactly what's going on and get her revenge? Over the course of a very weird weekend, Rachel puts herself in someone else's shoes and finds that her own maybe weren't as uncomfortable as she'd always thought. But can she ever be herself again?
 
Lastly in this mega post :)Pledge | Stamp Out Stigma

Review: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Synopsis: From Amazon

When Naomi tries to piece back the fragments of the last three and a half years of her life, she discovers a lot. She has a boyfriend but can't remember him, her mother and father are divorced, and she has forgotten that she is supposed to hate her mother. She also has a group of friends which simply doesn't seem that attractive any more and, despite having meticulously kept a diary, she only mentioned what she ate every day in it! But it's not all bad, because when a girl loses three and a half years she gets a chance to reinvent herself. After all, who is to say that everything has to be the same?


Review:
As you would expect from the title, it is written in 1st person narrative dropping us straight into Naomi's life following an accident where she gets a nasty head injury wiping out her memory of the past few years. Only certain aspects like all her personal life yet she can still remember things like maths & science. Funny how the brain works :)

The book is written in 3 sections. The 1st section is called I was. It deals with Naomi trying to piece together the type of person she was before the accident. It gives her new insight into events that have occurred within the years the is unable to remember.  She is also able to look back at her previous reactions objectively which helps give her a different perspective.

The 2ND section is called I Am. Where although Naomi is still unable to remember the last few years she takes the opportunity to redefine herself into the person she feels like on the inside rather than the person everyone but herself can remember. She cuts her hair, dumps her boyfriend, drops a few things at school and starts a new relationship with James, the boy who was at the accident, finds some new friends and takes a part in the drama production. Gabrielle Zevin does a wonderful job of depicting the horror that is depression within the narrative. Although we as a reader can see that the romance between Naomi and James is doomed, you can also appreciate the qualities that draw Naomi to James. At points I literally wanted to scream at Naomi to leave James as she couldn't help him and was only hurting herself. Powerful writing to inspire that sort of reaction don't you think?

The 3rd section is called I Will. Although Naomi regains her memory she doesn't tell anyone for awhile afraid to fit the 2 halves of herself together, the Naomi before the accident and the Naomi she created in order  to redefine herself. The narrative gives wonderful insight into the difference between how we feel about ourselves and how other people see us. As Naomi comes to terms with all the events in her life she puts into practice the new perspective she has gained and discovers true love in the process.

A beautifully written book dealing with some sensitive subjects one of which is depression. Terrific music references again. A really good read :)

Library Loot #2

I am on a roll :) Library Loot is hosted by The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader :)

This weeks bounty:

All synopsis taken from Amazon :)

Synopsis:
They're Young, Fabulous and Fanged...And they rule Manhattan from the trendy uptown clubs to the downtown boutiques. Fifteen-year-old Schuyler Van Alen has never quite fit in at her exclusive prep school ? she's more of a vintage than a Versace girl ? but all that's about to change...Because Schuyler has just found out she's a Blue Blood. The Blue Bloods are the city's glamorous ? and secret ? vampire elite. They're young, beautiful and powerful. But now they're being murdered. And Schuyler must find out who ? or what ? is behind it before she's next.

Synopsis:
Taking their anti-social edge one step further, seventeen year old Gem and her friends Mira and Lo have decided to go 'underground'. Their activities will be 'extreme', 'anti-establishment', 'avant-garde' and 'debauched'. While Gem makes an underground film and Mira sets about pursuing 'boys-without-barcodes' no one knows what it is that Lo - the most subversive of the three - has planned. But in the back of her mind, Gem's worried. She feels the balance of the trio's friendship is always weighted against her. And as the weeks draw closer to Christmas, appearances start to deceive and relationships flounder. For all the promise of the group, Underground seems a dark place to be. It will take great films, bad poetry and a pantheon of inspirational guides - from Andy Warhol to Germaine Greer - to help Gem work out the true meaning of friendship, where family fits in, and that the best parts of life aren't always underground.

Synopsis:
'It's hard to concentrate on a movie when the boy who possesses your heart is sitting mere inches away. I feel hyperaware of all my senses, like I never really knew my own body until this very moment. I wish he would hold my hand. I wish I could hold his hand. But I'm afraid.' Annemarie 'Shug' Wilcox has been best friends with Mark for as long as she can remember. Now, for no particular reason, she's fallen in love with him - and every moment they spend together (but not 'together') is torture. Shug knows that there's nothing special about her. She's freckled and gawky, with a ridiculously flat chest. Is it any wonder that Mark spends all his time gawping over her curvacious older sister? Or that she's the butt of constant ridicule at school? And it's not even as if Shug can turn to her parents for help - her mother's always tipsy and her father's never home. Shug's fiery temper and honest voice make for a charged, moving story about growing up, fast.

Synopsis:
Who is the real Margo? Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. She has disappeared. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance ...and they are for him. Trailing Margo's disconnected path across the USA, the closer Q gets, the less sure he is of who he is looking for.

Synopsis:
How do you describe "Elsewhere"? This is a novel so astoundingly original and carefully crafted that its complexities become common place and the common place resounds with poetry. In this delightful novel death is a beginning, a new start. Liz is killed in a hit a run accident and her 'life' takes a very unexpected turn. At nearly sixteen she knows she will never get married, never have children, and perhaps never fall in love. But in "Elsewhere" all things carry on almost as they did on earth except that the inhabitants get younger, dogs and humans can communicate (at last) new relationships are formed and old ones sadly interrupted on earth are renewed. Full of the most ingenious detail and woven around the most touching and charming relationships this is a novel of hope, of redemption and re-birth. It is a novel that tells of sadness with heart-breaking honesty and of love and happiness with uplifting brilliance.

Now doing happy dance :)