The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

[description from goodreads]

A steamy Southern beauty makes one fatal mistake

Natalie Hargrove would kill to be her high school’s Palmetto Princess. But her boyfriend Mike King doesn’t share her dream and risks losing the honor of Palmetto Prince to Natalie’s nemesis, Justin Balmer. So she convinces Mike to help play a prank on Justin. . . one that goes terribly wrong. They tie him to the front of the church after a party—when they arrive the next morning, Justin is dead.

From blackmail to buried desire, dark secrets to darker deeds, Natalie unravels. She never should’ve messed with fate. Fate is the one thing more twisted than Natalie Hargrove.

Cruel Intentions meets Macbeth in this seductive, riveting tale of conscience and consequence.

Review:

Lauren Kate is also the author of the upcoming Fallen, which has been getting a ton of buzz, and everyone thinks it will be a hit. Because of that, I'm sure The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove will get somewhat lost among all the Fallen talk, even though this book is Lauren's debut, and from what I gather, it's whole lot better than Fallen. (I still haven't read Fallen, but from what I've heard...eh.) The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is by no means spectacular, but I did enjoy really it and would be sad to see it get lost in the shuffle.

Going in to the book, I really didn't know what it was about because the summary I read was definitely not as detailed as the one above. Because I was so uninformed, the twists and events were that much surprising. Many of the more twisted events, such as the one mentioned in the summary came as a surprise, while other things were insanely predictable, such as the result of Natalie running for Palmetto Princess. But the predictable things were minor compared to the unexpected ones- especially the twist at the end. The ending was completely shocking and unlike anything I have read before. The ending did leave many things unresolved, but I was too busy making a ":o" face to be concerned with the loose ends.

Natalie was a very interesting character- I got sick of her never-ending Palmetto Princess talk early on but was fascinated by her actions. She is horribly selfish and her actions are insane, but the way she explains her motivation makes it seem like her awful actions were right, that they were the best things she could have done in her situation. Unfortunately, I was less satisfied with the other characters. Justin was gone before I even knew much about him, Natalie's boyfriend, Mike, seemed to be more of a sidekick, and other characters just came and went as needed. Natalie's dad and old friend in particular seem like they are only plot catalysts instead of characters. They show up, move the plot along, and then they are only mentioned a few more times.

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove does have many undeveloped parts and unresolved ends, but it's still a delightfully twisted and shocking read.

Links: Lauren's website/blog/twitter

Book details: Razorbill/Paperback/$9.99

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. (:

All descriptions from goodreads.

From the library:

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical down to the dimple. As daughters of a district-court judge father and a politician mother, they are an all-American family -- on the surface. Behind the facade each sister has her own dark secret, and that's where their differences begin.

For Kaeleigh, she's the misplaced focus of Daddy's love, intended for a mother whose presence on the campaign trail means absence at home. All that Raeanne sees is Daddy playing a game of favorites -- and she is losing. If she has to lose, she will do it on her own terms, so she chooses drugs, alcohol, and sex.

Secrets like the ones the twins are harboring are not meant to be kept -- from each other or anyone else. Pretty soon it's obvious that neither sister can handle it alone, and one sister must step up to save the other, but the question is -- who?

---I lovelovelove Ellen Hopkins, so I can't wait to start this one.

Undercover by Beth Kephart

Like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, Elisa ghostwrites love notes for the boys in her school. But when Elisa falls for Theo Moses, things change fast. Theo asks for verses to court the lovely Lila—a girl known for her beauty, her popularity, and a cutting ability to remind Elisa that she has none of these. At home, Elisa's father, the one person she feels understands her, has left on an extended business trip. As the days grow shorter, Elisa worries that the increasingly urgent letters she sends her father won't bring him home. Like the undercover agent she feels she has become, Elisa retreats to a pond in the woods, where her talent for ice-skating gives her the confidence to come out from under cover and take center stage. But when Lila becomes jealous of Theo's friendship with Elisa, her revenge nearly destroys Elisa's ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family.

---The other two Beth Kephart's books I've read (House of Dance, Nothing but Ghosts) are absolutely gorgeous, and I'm sure this one is too.

I also got Stop in the Name of Pants! by Louise Rennison from the library. Love the Georgia Nicolson series. I still need to read book 10, the final one, and if Georgia ends up with Masimo I will kill something.

Won:

Beautiful by Amy Reed

When thirteen-year-old Cassie moves to a suburb of Seattle, she is determined to leave her boring, good-girl existence behind. She chooses some dangerous new friends and is quickly caught up in their fast-paced world of drugs, sex, secrets, and cruelty.

Cassie's new existence both thrills and terrifies her. She embraces the numbness she feels from the drugs, starts sleeping with an older boy, and gets pulled into a twisted friendship triangle that is tinged with violence and abuse. Cassie is trapped in a swift downward spiral, and there's no turning back.

---This book has the stamp of approval from author Courtney Summers (who is *~*~*sparkly and lovely) so I am sure this book is great.


From the lovely awesome person at the bookstore:


The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

---I've heard great things about this one already, and it's not even out until next year. It sounds great. Cannot wait to begin!

For review:

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

---I'm too lazy to go hunt for a description of this one, but it's basically about a girl who likes her best friend's boyfriend. But who cares what it's about? It's Elizabeth Scott! Everyone should want to read it just because it's by her. Elizabeth Scott could write about frolicking unicorns and I would still want to read it.

2010 Debut Author Challenge

Next I year I am FOR SURE going to participate in Kristi/The Story Siren's 2010 Debut Author Challenge. Those of you who know of my Tenners love know that I am already ecstatic to read all the debuts coming out next year.

And if you want to know what the 2010 Debut Author Challenge IS, here is an excerpt from Kristi's post:

What is the 2010 Debut Author Challenge?

• The objective is to read a set number of YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year.* I'm going to challenge everyone to read at least 12 debut novels! I’m hoping to read at least 30! You don’t have to list your choices right away, but if you do feel free to change them throughout the year. I will also be focusing on mostly Young Adult novels.
• Anyone can join, you don’t need a blog to participate. If you don’t have a blog you can always share your views by posting a review on Amazon.com/BarnesandNoble.com/GoodReads/Shelfari, or any other bookish site.
• The challenge will run from January 1, 2010- December 31, 2010.
• You can join at anytime!

You can read the rest of the post here.

I'm supposed to list the debut books I want to read next year, but I kind of want to read all of the Tenner books. Plus the non Tenner debut books. Luckily I have already read a few I wanted to (The Naughty List, Guardian of the Dead, The Iron King, The Secret Year, The Body Finder are a few) but here are only a fraction of the others I want to read. I will add books to it until I get too lazy to add any more. And I'm not adding the ones that come out on 12/23 (Scones and Sensibility, Magic Under Glass, etc) So, in no particular order except for maybe number one *stares at Chelsea*:

1. The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell
2. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
3. Dirty Little Secrets by CJ Omololu
4. Everlasting by Angie Frazier
5. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk
6. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
7. The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
8. Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
9. Sea by Heidi R. Kling
10. The Duff by Kody Keplinger
    
11. A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
12. Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
13. Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham
    
14. Other by Karen Kincy
15. Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
    
16. Anna and the Boy Masterpiece by Stephanie Perkins
17. The Daykeeper's Grimoire by Christy Raedeke
    
18. Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes
    
19. Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
20. Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards
21. Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount-White
22. The Snowball Effect by Holly Hoxter
23. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
24. The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
25. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
26. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
27. The Mark by Jen Nadol
28. Palace Beautiful by Sarah DeFord Williams
29. Plain Kate by Erin Bow
30. A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis
31. Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
    
32. The Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff
33. Inconvenient by Margie Gelbwasser
34. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab
35. A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner
    

Alright I'm too lazy now. And you know, you can just add the rest of the books listed on the Tenner site. We'll see how many of those I will manage to read next year.

Thanksgiving at the Inn by Tim Whitney

[description from goodreads]

Ever since his mother left, life hasn't been easy for Heath Wellington III. Between his father's (Junior's) bouts with alcoholism and literary rejection, and Heath's own wrongful suspension from school, there hasn't been all that much to be thankful for.

But following the tragic death of estranged grandfather Senior, father and son alike stand to inherit a life-changing fortune . . . with one catch.

Heath and Junior must spend the next three months managing Senior's bed and breakfast, located in the same Massachusetts home Junior has spent the last eight years trying to escape.

Upended from his everyday life and relocated to a town where everyone knew and loved the grandfather he can't even remember, Heath finds an inn full of some of the strangest people he's ever met, such as:

* Winsted, the old, wise Jamaican man who used to lead the prayers in Senior s factory;

* Mrs. Farrel, an elderly woman giving away her late husband's fortune letter by letter;

* Mustang Sally, the muscle-bound, tattooed grease monkey who doubles as a children's author;

* And Carter, the silent TV news junkie and secret Harvard graduate.

And, at a nearby school is Savannah, Junior's first love, and her adorable, autistic daughter, Tori.

But most of all, there's Junior himself, vinegar to Heath's oil. As Heath adjusts to his new world, what he needs most is to start anew with his father, to understand that Junior, too, is dealing with loss, and to realize that, even in the most tragic of times, there's a lot in life to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving at the Inn is a beautiful story of family and forgiveness, and a sure holiday classic. Tim Whitney's fantastic, heartwarming debut is one you'll want to read with the whole family for years and years to come.

Review:

Even though Thanksgiving is now over this year for those of us in the US, Thanksgiving at the Inn is still a great read, especially for the holiday season. Although it does touch on some heavy topics- alcoholism, for example- it is still a mostly uplifting, feel-good story.

The characters are definitely the strongest part of the novel; there are many, but because they are all so unique it is easy to keep them all straight. The book is more on the short side, but each of the characters manage to have a well developed back story, making some of their kind of odd actions make a whole lot of sense. Junior, the protagonist, is especially well developed, because many times he makes common mistakes. He is a typical tween boy: he can be slow and stupid sometimes, but he is able to recognize the problems around him and make an effort to fix them.

The plot isn't terribly exciting in terms of action or anything, because the book mainly focuses on the relationship between Junior and his peers, especially his father. The relationships are handled well- they are not happy-happy all the time, but they aren't a complete wreck all the time either. There is a nice balance between happy and messed up, like any real relationship. In the end, the relationship between Junior and his father especially leaves off on a hopeful note, which was quite lovely.

As you might be able to gather from the description, the book focuses on themes that can definitely be preached about. However, the book doesn't get too preachy. It does teach some morals and lessons, but not in a "now we'll forget the plot and teach you a lesson" way.

Thanksgiving at the Inn is a heartwarming story, one that will be enjoyed by those older and a bit younger than the target audience.

Links: the book website

Book details: Bancroft Press/Hardcover/$21.95

What I am Thankful For

1. The usual stuff that everyone is always thankful for: family, friends, food, shelter.
2. That the first thing I think of when I think Thanksgiving is this:
3. All my lovely book blogging friends who make blogging supa FUN! *~
4. All the awesome authors who don't get upset when I fangirl them/stalk them/always twitter to them. Hee.
5. That there a ton of amazing YA books out there right now and that I get to read as many as I can.
6. All the people who read my blog- I love you all.
   
7. ...the internet.
   
8. Twitter. How else would I talk to author/bloggers/other cool book people all the time?
   
9. That I am to talk to people about books, because I never get to do that IRL.

...among other things. (:

Waiting on Wednesday (46)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. (:

Today's pick:

Everlasting by Angie Frazier

description (from author site)

Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty. On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous - and alluring - magic. The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who - and what - matters most.

---

Do I even need to explain why I want this one? I could write like a 500 word paragraph (filled with a ton of exclamation points) on why I want this book.

I lovelovelove historical fiction, and since 1855 is a year that I haven't read much about I definitely want it. Also, secrets? WHO DOESN'T LOVE SECRETS? And who doesn't love maps and rocks and Australia and sailors? THERE IS NOTHING NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THIS BOOK SUMMARY.

NEED!!!

(Also, how cute is that cover? It's so cute.)

Released in *sob* June 2010.

Interrupting regularly scheduled blog posts to say...

....YAAAAAAAY STEPH!!!


Do you remember when I made Steph a cake celebrating her getting an agent?


Well, now Steph has a book deal! CRAZY TOWN! Even though I'm pretty sure her book will only be coming out/first coming out in Australia, I'm definitely going to have to get a copy shipped to me when the book is released so that I can read it and then tell everyone I know that Steph the 15 Year Old already has a book out!

So, congrats Steph! I'm sure your book is totally awesome and I cannot wait to read it. CONGRATS!*~