Reader Rabbit : A Book Site

Hey!

2011-02-06T18:25:00.004-07:00

We haven’t been around for awhile but in the year that we haven’t been book reviewing, we’ve missed it. We’ve missed talking about books with each other (the older one goes to university in another city now). We’ve missed talking about books with others who love books as much as us. So, we’re hoping to restart our blog. But...

At another location, brokenbookcases.blogspot.com

We’re tired of the rabbit nicknames. :)

We’d be deeply honoured if anyone’s still around and wanting to read us.

-The Former Reader Rabbits.

And the winner is...

2010-01-31T12:17:00.004-07:00

The Book Vixen

PS. Finals/midterms are over now. Which means, you can expect a lot more reviews from us.

2010 Books

2010-01-10T14:03:00.002-07:00

So, it's the 10th day of 2010, and we haven't really been keeping up with our New Year's Resolution of three posts a week. But we've been trying. It's midterm/final time where we live and so we've been busy.

But not so busy that we can't covet some books.

I'm really excited for 2010 because my two favourite authors, Markus Zusak and Megan Whalen Turner are both releasing books.

Markus Zusak's novel, Bridge of Clay, is going to be released on September 2nd.

And, Megan Whalen Turner's latest book, A Conspiracy of Kings, is being released in March.

Other books that I'm looking forward to are:

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

The third book of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

The Line by Teri Hall

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

and

The Body Finder by Kimberley Derting

What books are you guys looking forward to?

Fade to Blue by Sean Beaudoin

2010-01-03T20:41:00.007-07:00

When I started this book, I had no idea what it was about. I just picked it up because it was short. (Don't judge me).

But, by page 32, I decided that the main character, Sophie Blue was my hero.

By page 83, I wanted to throw the book across the room.

Fade to Blue does not adhere to ordinary conventions of literature. Things that were true, or rather seemed true on one page are proved wrong (but only maybe) on the next. The characters are all caricatures, all distinct yet unbelievable. The plot had so many twists that this reader still isn't entirely sure what happened.

Here at Reader Rabbit: A Book Site, we have varying review standards. But, normally, we at least attempt to maintain a standard format by providing our readers with a summary of the novel. With this book, I feel like a summary would ruin the book for you. Instead let's just say that the novel includes a kickass Goth heroine, much sarcasm, a stalking, yes, stalking Popsicle Truck, and zombies. And, then there's a bizarre incident concerning the afterlife. Yes, there is much variety in this book and I say that with the best intentions possible.

The main drawback of the novel is that the plot does not make a whole lot of sense. (Which, admittedly sounds like a bit of an issue. )But all the weirdness and constant twists are made readable because Sean Beaudoin is able to take the reader into a well, virtual reality of his own. Weirdness and just plain bizarreness abounds but it's all acceptable partly because life can be weird and partly because the book is so aware (and mocking) of the utter absurdity. Just when you think you've finally figured out what's going on, something else strange happens, throwing you completely off track. The strangeness is made acceptable because it's funny. Sean Beaudoin's metaphors are particularly unique and funny. Another aspect of the novel that makes it endearing is the main character Sophie Blue. She's alternately sarcastic, confused, (possibly) out of her mind but always entertaining. Fade to Blue is unique. Having read so many YA books, it's always a surprise to read a book that so completely surprises and awes me. This also makes it completely unforgettable, and I can only hope to read more from this author.

The blurb on the back of the ARC says that Fade to Blue will keep "readers guessing until the last paragraph." That's a complete lie. Fade to Blue is the kind of novel which keeps readers guessing (and wanting to) long after the last paragraph.

Happy Reading,
RR1 + RR2

Happy New Year's AND contest

2010-01-01T12:09:00.005-07:00

Happy New Years everyone!

As you've probably noticed, we haven't been posting much lately. Or really, posting at all. So, this year, as one of our resolutions, we plan to post more often. To make this an even more epic resolution, we plan to post approximately 3 times a week!

So anyways, to mark this new year, we're going to have a giveaway! Sooo, up for giveaway are:

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

The Rule of Won by Stefan Petrucha

To enter:

Writing Tips

2009-11-23T11:01:00.005-07:00

This is old news, I know, but for anyone doing Nanowrimo, you should check out the writing advice being given out at Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld's blogs. Two excellent posts that I've read is Stealing from Chandler (in which Scott Westerfeld endorses the four-hour rule) and Breaking with Stereotypes.

Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt

2009-11-22T12:45:00.005-07:00

(We're back! And, with regular reviews, I promise.)

The accidental murder of Henry's brother shocks the town of Blythbury-by-the-Sea, especially as it was done by one of them. Chay Chouan is the accused murderer-and a Cambodian immigrant. As the already barely manageable racial tensions elevate, Henry finds himself caught between conflicting ideas. So, he decides to climb Mt. Katahdin , as he had planned with his brother before his death, hoping that it will solve his confusion. But, he's planning on going up alone. Fortunately for him, his best friend, Sanborn and the recently-adopted stray, Black Dog (in case you're wondering, yes, it's a dog, and yes, it's black-originality, right?) come along with him. What he hadn't bargained for is the company of the very same man who seems to have caused all the trouble-Chay Chouan.

Trouble is a beautiful book-in writing, in story and in characters. Gary D. Schmidt wove a truly seamless tale of growing up, and with so much skill that it all seemed effortless. The story, itself, is realistic and unsentimental yet completely captivating. Although the book covers the serious issues such as racism and loss-and does so with originality and depth- it also possesses a huge amount of humour. There were many, many moments when this book had me laughing out loud especially at the interactions between Henry and his best friend, which seemed so true of all good friendships. Schmidt easily juggles the multiple plots and characters. And, despite the complexity of the story, the characters never lose out, each of them seeming fully real. Henry's growth throughout the book, in particular, was very believable. As the story proceeds, Henry is not only forced to deal with the death of his brother but also confront the idealized image he had of him.

This was my second time rereading Trouble and yet, it remains one of the most satisfying books I have ever read.

Chloe by Lyn Cote

2009-10-06T05:19:00.000-06:00

Chloe is the first in a quartet that covers four generations of woman across Ivy Manor. This one is about (you guessed it! :0) Chloe. It spans thirty years of her life, beginning in 1900 and ending during the Great Depression.

Growing up, Chloe Kimball was subject to the political whims of her father and the social whims of her mother. But, when she turns 17, she's offered a chance to escape from her parents and the life that they planned for her. She escapes to New York City, taking on a job as a model. But her newfound freedom is short-lived as she finds herself tested by ill fortune.

I never would have picked this book up if my friend hadn't lent it to me. The blurb made the book seem all melodramatic and...well, kind of cliched. And, when I first started it, it seemed as if I was right. The book did tend to be overdramatic and Chloe seemed like a Mary Sue character; beautiful and perfect at everything with everyone falling in love with her. Chloe lost the Mary Sue-ish qualities a little throughout the book; although, most of the other characters are not well-developed.

The plot (as mentioned) covers thirty years which mostly worked. However, there were a couple moments where it would be a little confusing as to when something was going on.

Nevertheless, the historical parts of the novel were excellent. It was interesting seeing each of the characters deal with issues in that century in their own way. Both the war and the Great Depression are discussed in the book. As well, the racial issues of the time period are mentioned. Minnie, the Kimballs' black servant and my favourite character, leaves with Chloe to New York City. She decides to pursue a career as an actress and is fortunate enough to snag a modeling job with Chloe. This decision (to have a black model) is met with surprise and shock by the audience.

Despite my problems with the book, I ended up enjoying the book. So, if you're at all interested in historical fiction (especially that of the twentieth century), then you should definitely pick this book up.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2009-10-04T09:42:00.003-06:00

Nora Grey’s doesn’t want any new complications in her life, but when she’s paired up with an utter stranger for Biology, her life takes a turn for the more dramatic. Patch is everything that Nora does not need. He’s perversely attractive and has eyes that seem to bore right into her. Nora knows he’s dangerous but she can’t help but be lured to him.

Try as she might, Nora just can’t stay away from Patch and he always seems to be near her. But along with his closeness comes a series of terrifying events which cause Nora to throw everything into question. She doesn’t know who she can trust, what’s going on and she can’t figure out exactly how she feels about Patch. And how he feels about her.

And as things become clearer and clearer, it’s too late for Nora to get out of the battle she’s wound up in. A battle between the fallen immortals. A battle in which Nora herself is only a pawn.

While the synopsis of Hush, Hush seems reminiscent of Twilight, it would be unfair to write Hush, Hush off as yet another Twilight-wannabe. While it does encompass similar elements to Twilight such as the bad boy who may want to kill the heroine who meet in a science classroom, a supernatural type battle and such, Hush, Hush is more.

For one thing, the plot is significantly more twisty and warped than Twilight, and in a good way. The story, while revolving around Patch and Nora, comes with a jagged storyline that leaves you confused and bendy trying to figure everything out.
And for another, the characterization in Hush, Hush is terrific. Nora is not your simple, boring teenager. She has her own mind, her own hobbies and a bit of common sense, unlike most heroines. She knows she has to stay away from Patch and does her best to make it happen, to a point.

Patch is also three-dimensional. He’s intriguing, alluring and a jerk. It’s easy to see why he’s ohsoattractive but yet oh so bad for Nora.
I’d have to say, though, one of my favourite characters was Nora’s best friend, Vee. She’s tall, with a lot of spunk and also is one of the characters who tends to lighten the mood with her appearance.

The only thing that irked me was the pacing of Nora and Patch’s relationship. Things seemed to happen fast, too fast, at times.

On the other hand, Becca Fitzpatrick’s writing is smooth and easy to get into. Hush, Hush is a book that you can curl up with and finish within a couple of hours. For those of you who love Twilight, it’s a no brainer, you’ll adore Hush Hush. And for those of you who didn’t? Hush, Hush would still be a decent way to pass by a few hours.

Be sure to pick Hush, Hush up on Oct 12. when it's released!

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

And the Winners are....

2009-10-03T15:13:00.005-06:00

Chosen by the random number generator, the winners are..

lulubee183 (Wendy C)

Send us your addresses and we'll get the book sent out to you right away!

The Navel of the World by PJ Hoover

2009-09-21T04:46:00.001-06:00

*spoilers for the first book*

Last summer, Benjamin and his friends did what every average kid does: hung out, had fun and oh...saved the world. But, this summer, the quintet has an even more difficult challenge to tackle. They must find Benjamin's missing brothers-a task that proves to be far more difficult than they ever could have imagined. In fact, it turns out that Benjamin's brothers are not to be found in the present. Somehow, someone has hidden them in the past. The Navel of the World is a fabulous adventure filled with mythology, magic and, even, a little bit of time travel.

The great part about sequels is the reader is already acquainted with the setting and the characters. And, there's always something awesome about going back to a familiar world, especially one you liked. And, in this book, PJ Hoover didn't disappoint. The Navel of the World is one of those wonderful times where the sequel of a series is even better than the first. It was funnier, more original and faster paced. This book was just so much fun to read! One of the aspects that I love about the series (and I've mentioned it before) is the sense of humour. Just to give another example:

"What should I call you?" Andy ground his teeth together, hardly getting the words out.

The boy laughed. "Ah, my friends call me Nick."

"I'm not sure that clears it up," Benjamin heard Andy say telepathically. Heidi must have heard too as a huge smile broke out across her face.

In my review of the first book, I mentioned that the characters were quite stereotypical. But, by the end of this book, I felt that they were much less so.

And, of course, a review of this book would not be complete without a mention (or two!) of the time travelling. PJ Hoover had a really original concept about the way time travelling works in Lemuria which you may be able to guess if you've read the first book. Anyway, I'm not going to tell you it (you'll have to read the book to find out) but let's just say that it's pretty impressive.

-RR2

Giveway: Ruined!

2009-09-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today, we're hosting a giveaway for the book Ruined by Paula Morris. A link to the trailer of the book is HERE!

Summary: When Rebecca Brown goes to New Orleans to stay with her voodoo-obsessed aunt, she finds the beautiful city haunted by the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Rebecca is also startled to discover a haunting of a different kind: near a graveyard one night, amid the Spanish moss and beneath the moonlight, she meets a ghost girl named Lisette, who has been dead for 150 years. Lisette helps Rebecca unearth an ancient mystery in her aunt’s house, along with some troubling historical truths. Meanwhile, Rebecca must juggle adjusting to her snooty new prep school, developing a serious crush on a handsome boy, and dealing with an elite group of popular girls who may be linked to the ghostly mystery themselves.

How to enter:
+1 for commenting on this post
+1 for linking to this contest from your blog, facebook etc. You can have up to 3 entries for this. Please provide a link to each in your comments

Deadline: October 2, 2009

There are 5 copies up for grabs! So start entering!

Note: This contest is only open for US mailing addresses only. No PO Boxes

GOOD LUCK

Waiting on Wednesday: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

2009-09-16T07:07:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for today? Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Pub Date: March 2010
Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers. Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

So, what's your pick?

Waiting on Wednesday: Going Bovine by Libba Bray

2009-09-09T06:20:00.002-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!

Today's pick is Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Release date: September 22, 2009

Can Cameron find what he’s looking for?

All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

Sounds ridiculously intruiging to me! And it's Libba Bray so it's def. on my MUSTBUY list!
What's on yours?

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

2009-09-07T03:17:00.002-06:00

My sister and I disagree on many things* but one of the things we agree on is that the Demon's Lexicon is the best book we've read so far in 2009.

The book opens to two brothers being attacked by demons. The average person would be frightened or maybe, shocked, but for Nick and Alan, this is a regular occurrence. Their mother stole a charm from a magician that keeps her alive. It also keeps the three of them on the run as magicians constantly send demons after them. But, this time is different. This time, they can't run away as usual. Two siblings have turned up on their door, begging for help in erasing a demon's mark (the bearer of which will eventually be possessed by demons). Nick doesn't feel too inclined to help. But, when Alan receives a demon's mark, too, Nick will do anything to get rid of it....

I discovered Sarah Rees Brennan's blog two years ago and it quickly became one of my favourites. Eventually I started reading some of her fanfiction and loved that as well. So, when I finally got my hands on a copy of this book, I was a little bit worried that it wouldn't meet my expectations.

I shouldn't have worried. The Demon's Lexicon is a fantasy novel done right. The characters are frighteningly real (especially Nick who is definitely..frightening), the magic innovative but believable and the story both funny and near the end, touching.**

Sarah Rees Brennan is fantastic at building a believable, fantastical world inside our own world. The demons in the book will do anything to leave the demon world for the human world. But, here's the thing, while in the human world, they have to possess a human to survive. And humans aren't made to hold demons, so they can't stay for very long. Magicians often call up demons to make deals, offering memories filled with emotions in exchange for supernatural help. One way to summon a demon was to dance which I thought was interesting.

For all its fantastical elements, the Demon's Lexicon is also very focused on characters and the unraveling of stereotypes. Nick and Alan, the two brothers, are very different characters. Nick is callous and unfeeling and likes to fight (your typical bad boy) Alan is the weaker, really intelligent one who cares a lot about people (your typical bookish nerd). Except only kind of, because by the end, they manage not to fall into any stereotype. Anyway, most YA books tend to focus on romance, so it was nice to see a book more focused on siblings (although there is still a love triangle..).

. For all the darkness, The Demon's Lexicon never gets too creepy. Just like Sarah's blog, the book is funny. The Demon's Lexicon is darkly witty and I often got the feeling that the author was laughing while writing it. For example:

"Obviously that wasn't true," said the boy standing at her shoulder, taking a nervous step away and then back to her. "Obviously this is the place to come if you want to get murdered by lunatics. Um-we're sorry to have bothered you! Is there any chance we could just leave?
There was something a whole lot more familiar about his voice, which was light but wavered at crucial points where it was meant to be lightest and airiest. He was standing in the girl's shadow, but the light caught his earring.
Nick recognized that before he recognized the boy's worried face, the spiky blond hair that the darkness had turned into a pale crown.
"Wait," Nick said.
"O-okay. Is there any chance we could get off with a flesh wound?"

"You know him?" she asked James.
"Well, yes," said James. "He hangs around with a pretty rough crowd at school, Seb McFarlane and that lot, but they're smoking-behind-the-bike-shed rough. This is different. There were gunshots. My life was going to flash before my eyes, but it decided to hide behind my eyes and quake with terror instead. I think we should just go.
"I'm not going anywhere," the girl said. "I saw that bird turn into a man. You saw it too, Jamie. You must have."
"I don't know what I saw. It could've been a hallucination. You get those from sniffing glue."
"You've never sniffed glue!"
"I've smelled glue," Jamie said after a pause. "In art class."

After all this, is it really necessary for me to say that I desperately want the sequel? Because I do.

*who gets the washroom first, Jacob or Edward (you know, important issues like that).
**I can just feel Nick wincing at that word.

Silver Phoenix By Cindy Pon Blurb and Cover

2009-09-04T07:52:00.001-06:00

on the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. she can reach into other people's spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams...and that's just the beginning.
ai ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor's palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. she must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. and then she meets chen yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

2009-09-02T04:54:00.000-06:00

I haven't read a ghost story in, well...ever.* And, for a ghost story newbie like myself, Shadowed Summer is a good place to start-a tale that has enough thrills to be wonderfully spooky but not enough to be completely terrifying.

Iris and her friend, Collette, are prepared to spend another summer in the boring town of Ondine with only their imaginative games of make-believe to keep themselves entertained. But, then, everything changes when a mystery almost too good to be true-one that's been haunting the town for years- plummets right into their lives. More than fourteen years ago, Elijah Landry disappeared, creating possibly the biggest scandal the town has ever seen. Now, he's reappeared. As a ghost. And he wants to talk to Iris......

As mentioned, I'm not much of a ghost story reader. Luckily, Shadowed Summer is much more than just that. Oh, it has the ghost story bits (which were all very enjoyable). Witchboards, and hauntings and surprising plot twists. But, Shadowed Summer also benefits from other things, like Saundra Mitchell's expressive prose. Having lived in a small town for six years, I can say the portrayal of Ondine's small town-ness is spot-on. And not having lived in a particularly warm place, I can also say that Saundra Mitchell succeeded in making the heat of the town come alive for me.

Shadowed Summer is also, (like most YA novels), about coming of age. There's friendship, first love, and just plain old growing up. Saundra Mitchell really nailed Iris's relationship with her best friend, Collette, through all its arguments and making up and jealousy and lies.

This is definitely a tale that I'll be remembering.

*Okay, I probably have at some point read a ghost story but I can't remember it so a) it probably wasn't very good and b) who cares? Let's talk about this book instead. It's awesome.

-RR2

Prophecy of the Sisters Prize Pack Winner

2009-08-27T16:39:00.001-06:00

And the winner is...

Kristen!!

I`ll be sending an email out for your details soon!

Thanks for entering everyone!

The Emerald Tablet by PJ Hoover

2009-08-25T10:45:00.004-06:00

It's the first day of summer* and Benjamin's looking forward to two months away from school. Instead, he witnesses his mom disappear into a painting, finds a man talking to him in a mirror and gets invited to summer school on another planet.

Once he arrives to the planet (Lemuria), things just get even more complicated. Within the first week, he discovers that he's not human (he's a telegen) and also, well, he's been chosen to save the world. (No pressure, right?). He has to find three keys and he has only eight weeks to do it. Lucky for him, he has the help of his friends, the Alliance. And, unluckily, there's also someone out to stop him....

PJ Hoover's fabulous worldbuilding is both innovative and realistic. Telegens are a race that existed before humans, a race that is both intellectually and physically superior. All the telegens in the book have special skills. For example, Benjamin can levitate objects. A friend of his is extraordinarily good at reading minds. Telegens live on two planets, which would be better called continents, Lemuria and Atlantis. When the human race appeared, the telegens sunk Lemuria and put up a shield. Telegens on Atlantis decided to mix with humans, eventually trying to control the human race. So, the Lemurian telegens put a shield around Atlantis and (you guessed it) sunk it to the bottom of the ocean. Additions of characters like the Nogical (a really tiny telegen), Jack, helped add to the believability of the story.

I think PJ Hoover really nailed the voice of a 13-year old boy. Benjamin is confident and a bit rude but also a little unsure. As well, the family interactions at the beginning rang true and were also rather funny. On the other hand, the other characters in the novel tended to be a bit bland and stereotypical with the exception of the Nogical, Jack, who was probably my favourite character.

And, of course, all books are better with a little bit of humour. And, The Emerald Tablet is quite funny. For example (this is a scene at the beginning. Just as Benjamin is leaving for summer school, his younger twin brothers give him a present):

"It's a car," Derrick blurted out before Benjamin could open it.

"You're not supposed to tell him," Douglas said. "Now, it's not a surprise."

"It's still a surprise," Benjamin replied. "I don't know which car it is."

"It's our favourite black police car," Derrick told Benjamin.

Although the characterization tended to be lacking, the Emerald Tablet made up for it by being fast paced and exciting. This is a story sure to please anyone looking for an adventure.

8/10

Happy Reading,

RR2

*I wish it was actually the first day of summer.

Guest Review (by Amee): The Widow's Season by Laura Brodie

2009-08-22T07:28:00.000-06:00

The Widow's Season by Laura Brodie

The Widow's Season has a very interesting plot. Dead husband who may or may not be dead. It reminds me of Amelia Earhart (who I just happened to be reading about while I read this book as well) and how people speculated that she didn't really die but just assumed a different identity, moved to New Jersey, and lived a whole other life with a new husband, etc.

The first part (out of four) was really spooky. Sarah feels like she's being watched and is seeing her supposedly dead husband at places like the grocery store. While I knew it was her husband, it was still eerie because he's behaving like a stalker, watching and waiting for his victim at her most vulnerable. This was actually my favorite part because I enjoyed being a little scared and racing through the pages waiting to see what was happening.

My only concern is that everything isn't fully explained. Most is, but there are a couple circumstances that stand out as unexplainable. At the risk of revealing spoilers I won't discuss particulars, but I question Sarah's mental stability even after the end of the novel.

I am left both satisfied and slightly confused by the ending. I suppose it is best this way. It allows the reader to decide what the truth is, which one of the discussion questions in the readers guide actually suggests.

A recommended read.

Readability: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Originality: 8/10
Overall: 9/10
-Amee

RR: Thanks Amee for stopping by! And from what she's saying, The Widow's Season is a book you should definitely pick up! :)

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

2009-08-17T08:46:00.007-06:00

For the past year, Colt has been sneaking out, late at night, to meet Julia. And they have a reason to keep their relationship secret. For one, it's supposed to be and meaningless, no strings-attatched sort of thing. And for another, Julia has a boyfriend from someone of her own "status." Julia and Colt come from two opposite worlds (though it's not to the point where Julia and Colt mirror Romeo and Juliet). Whenever they see each other at school, they pretend that they have no idea who the other is. It is only at night when the two can truly connect. But then Julia dies. And Colt is left in confusion with how to deal with his grief for a girl who know one knows he knows.

Until he's given her journal by the one person who has figured the deception out. During a year, Colt reads through Julia's diary, (which is written to him). The Secret Year reveals the stories of Julia and Colt's past and the journey of grieving and living.

When I first picked up the novel, I was under the impression that it would be a play-out similar to that of Romeo and Juliet. And thank goodness it wasn't. The book starts off with Julia's death and a quick gloss over their relationship. The entrance is quick, startling even, and an effective lure for the reader.

The writing in The Secret Year is effective throughout. Colt has a distinctive voice and the word choice was realistic for his character (aka, male, teenage etc). The writing style was smooth as well. The story seemed to flow somewhat seemlessly from start to finish even while Colt looks backwards into his life with Julia and when he lives his life with her gone.

At first his devasation over her death seemed to be a bit overdramatic, however, at the end, all was revealed and the entire purpose of the novel came to light.

Personally, one of my favorite parts about the novel was how Julia was present throughout, through Colt's memories and, more importantly, through her journal. It helped give dimension to the relationship and to her. It made it easier to see both sides of the story and to see exactly what effect that "secret year" had on both her and Colt.

Finally, while the novel focuses on mainly Julia and Colt, the other characters in the novel played integral roles throughout. I would have liked to see more development in characters such as Colt's brother, his friend Syd and Julia's boyfriend, Austin. However, despite that, Jennifer Hubbard's cast of characters in her novel was realistic and they were vital to the novel and revealing Colt and Julia's story.

All in all, The Secret Year is an engrossing novel that many will enjoy when it comes out in January 2010.

Rating:
Readability: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Originality: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Getting In Tune by Roger L. Trott

2009-08-12T09:06:00.002-06:00

For most of the band members, being part of the Killjoys was just a way to pass time. Sure, they love music, but they've come to terms with only playing at local clubs. But for Daniel, music is his life. So when he gets a call to play at the Mai Tai Hotel, he's ecstatic-this is a gig that could launch the band into a larger audience. He convinces his band members to give it one more shot and the five of them pack up and drive to the hotel. But what occurs is nothing that the band could have expected: a manipulating older woman, argumentative band members and even some prison time. Daniel's barely holding it together, making one bad decision after another, and popping pills all the while as he tries to focus on what really matters: the music...

Getting in Tune recreates the seventies punk music scene and the author throws in plenty of musical references that are sure to make someone who lived through that era smile and give someone who didn't, an insider look into that time period. It's clear that Roger Trott knows his stuff (he's played in multiple bands), the band's interactions comes off as realistic and engaging. The main character, Daniel, is obsessed with The Who, especially with lead singer and guitarist, Pete Townshend who serves as a sort of inner critic. There are a ton of references to The Who. (In fact, when I was searching for a picture of this book for the review, I discovered that Getting in Tune is also the name of a The Who song.)

Roger Trott writes with a straightforward narrative style which makes the book easily readable. However, some of the characters were a bit stereotypical or simply forgettable (halfway through the book, I was still confusing two of the band members, Rob and Sam). But ultimately, I enjoyed the novel and Daniel's musings. By the end of the novel, I wanted to spend just a little more time with the characters, just to see what could happen to them next, if the band would stay together, if Daniel would meet Nita again ...And that, I think is one of the best compliments a book can receive.

7.5/10

Happy Reading,

the Rabbits

PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS: Why Victorian Guys Rule Contest

2009-08-06T20:13:00.008-06:00

Michelle Zink has kindly donated a prize pack in celebration of the release of her book, Prophecy of the Sisters.

And so...on to the contest!

To enter this contest, you must post a few short sentences on WHY VICTORIAN GUYS RULE. All entries pertaining to the topic will then be numbered off and a random number generator will be the judge!

And:
+1 entry if you link the contest from your blog/myspace/facebook etc :)

The winner will win: Prophecy playlist, Visa gift card, Prophecy bookmark, Prophecy magnet, signed Prophecy poster, lip gloss, candy, choice of DVD between PS I Love You or Atonement.

So enter away! Contest ends August 22th at Midnight!

Waiting on Wednesday: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2009-08-05T19:29:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!

I've been lusting after this book for centuries so it's time for it to be featured in my WoW post for this week :)

Pub Date: Spring 2010ish *anyone with updated info?*

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

Mm.. I want...

T2T-Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

2009-08-02T16:53:00.000-06:00

Shortly after twin sisters Alice and Lia become orphans, another upheaval enters their lives. With the death of their father comes the disintegration of their relationship. In short? The twins have become enemies; and have been fated to have been so from the moment of their conception. One twin represents good and the other, inevitably, represents evil and destruction. Lia is certain that she is the twin meant to keep the world safe but the journey to fufill the prophecy is a rocky one.

Lia must fufill the prophecy before her sister does and as she tries to do so, she learns about her mysterious role in the prophecy, the tragic deaths of her parents and the truth about her and her sister.

I've noticed people have been comparing Prophecy of the Sisters to a Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. Some parts of this comparison, I completely agree with. For one, Prophecy of the Sisters is set in a similar setting and in the Victoria Era, just like a Great and Terrible Beauty. Michelle Zink uses her setting to create an ambience of mystery. And, in truth, plain darn ol' creepiness is evident in the novel and the mood really helps pull the reader in to the story.

The diction in the novel is also distinct. When I first started reading the book, it felt sort of abrupt. The language is phrased so elegantly that the transition from real life to the story was slightly harsh. However, after a few pages, the words were enrapturing and led me to sit and read the entire novel in one go.

The narrator, Lia, is the sister from whom we view and learn the prophecy from. We start off with learning of her father's death and see her family and friends through her eyes. Lia's reactions to her new friends who play an integral role in the prophecy, her aunt, her vulnerable little brother and the evolution of her sister Alice from sister to enemy. The events and the way Lia reacts to them help make her a character of credibility. Lia is well fleshed out. However, I would have liked to see a bit more development of the other characters such as James and even Alice. However, Lia's love for her younger brother Henry and her now deceased father are well-conveyed and make certain moments that much more painful.

The bond between Alice and Lia is an interesting one. Most twins and sisters that I know have a stronger connection than the one between Alice and Lia. It's eerie, even, to read about their relationship. Even at the beginning it is painfully obvious that there is no way the two will be able to reconcile and work through the prophecy together.

The ending is also left in perfect manner. I hate cliff-hangers with a passion, however, Michelle Zink manages to create an open ending without leaving the reader frustrated with the lack of conclusion.

Overall? Prophecy of the Sisters is a supremely engrossing novel, one that I would never have suspected was a debut novel. I'd advise anyone, everyone, to pick it up! I'm waiting anxiously for the sequel...

Rating:
Originality: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Readability: 9.5/10
Overall: 9/10

Travelling to Teens Tour: Interview~ Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

2009-08-02T10:29:00.000-06:00

Today we're hosting a T2T tour for Prophecy of the Sisters. So, make sure you stop back later today for the review!

For now, we have an interview with Michelle Zink:

1) First things first, how does it feel like to know that Prophecy of the Sisters is officially in the hands of the general public?
Scary. And Exciting. And Nerve-wracking. And oh, yeah. Exhilarating! ;)
2) Why did you choose to set the book in the time era (not to far back, not far forward) that you did?
The Victorian era is so representative of everything Gothic. I love the old houses with creaky floors, rooms flickering in candlelight, and the sensuality of petticoats, velvet, silk, gloves... all of it! It seemed like the perfect backdrop to the very dark tale that became Prophecy. Plus, I'd never written anything in that era before and thought it would be a challenge!

3)The relationship of Lia and Alice is a pivotal one to the story. Why did you choose to have twins; as in an evil and good twin, as the main characters? (And, by chance, do you have an evil twin?!?)
I'm an only child, so sibling relationships have always held a special fascination for me. It seems like such an unbreakable bond, and the twin relationship is that much more intense. Using twins Lia and Alice adds even more conflict and sadness to the decisions each sister has to make to find their way through the ancient riddle of the Prophecy

.
4) Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Just a thank you to all the bloggers who have responded so enthusiastically to Prophecy and who have done so much to get the word out about it over the past few months!

Make sure you stop by later today for a review on Prophecy of the Sisters!

Summer is..

2009-07-28T09:34:00.000-06:00

passing by way too quickly. AND busily.

So any book recs for me?
:)

I've read so litttllllee this summer! Time to remedy that!

Post-Grad by Emily Cassel

2009-07-18T20:07:00.002-06:00

In the book version of the soon to be released movie, Post-Grad, we are introduced to a recent college graduate; Ryden Malby. Ryden has had a game plan for her life from the very beginning. The plan? Ryden was going to graduate from high school with steller marks and get a hefty scholarship to cover her college tuition. Then she was going to work super-hard and keep her scholarship. And after she finished college? Well, Ryden was going to get her dream job at one of LA's best publishing houses and prove herself to not be as crazy as her parents, the anti-graduates.

Unfortunately for Ryden, after college, her life takes an unpredictable turn. Instead of getting her dream job, she seems to be unable to get any job. In fact, she's forced to move in back with her eccentric family and get a job as a salesperson after her nemesis gets Ryden's dream job.

Ryden's only solace is hanging out with, and complaining to, her best-friend since diapers, Adam. He can sympathize as he has to face his own tough decisions. He has to pick between making music and going to law school. Of course, their relationship isn't simple either. When Adam reveals his feelings for Ryden, it increases the complexity in her already off-track life.

Eventually, Ryden has to choose the life she wants. Between her life ambitions, her best friend, her super-cute next door neighbor and her family.

Having seen the trailer to the movie of Post-grad, I was already fairly interested in what seemed to be a typical, yet cute, premise. That was precisely what I got from the novel version of Post-grad.

For one thing, Ryden's family is the typical crazy-family type that is often seen in books and movies. Generally, this type of family proves to be a lovable, yet exasperating type. Ryden's family was no exception. Though there were times where her father's ridiculous schemes and her grandmother's potty mouth, at least in the book, seemed a bit overdone, they added quirk to the novel.

Ryden's relationship with Adam was touched on a bit in the novel, however I do wish that there had been more development of the history between Adam and Ryden. More showing and less telling would have been nice. Also, I would have liked a bit more explanation between David and Ryden, maybe a bit more development into why they were so drawn to each other, something that I found just brushed upon.

Ryden's problems, in itself, will serve to be those that many can relate to. After all, who hasn't had a plan go wrong? And everyone has had trouble making life decisions, figuring out who's important to them and dealing with the everyday messes of life.

Overall? I'd say that Post-Grad would be a cute, fast read. Fans of the soon to be released movie and romantic comedy fans are sure to enjoy this one. And hey, if you're the type who likes knowing exactly what happens before a movie comes out, then Post-Grad is the one for you. I do know that I'll be looking forward to the movie's release to see that version of Ryden's story, a story with a lot of emotion and hilarity potential.

Rating:
Originality: 6/10
Characters: 6/10
Readability: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

What Would Emma Do by Eileen Cook

2009-07-10T10:01:00.002-06:00

Wheaton is your typical small town. Backwater, religious and it's the type of place where everyone knows everything about you. Emma, the protagonist, finds the town confining and feels constricted in its limits. A fact which is emphasized when she makes the mistake of kissing her best friend's boyfriend, Colin. With that kiss, Emma's life is thrown into chaos.

Emma's plan has been to win a full-tuition scholarship to Northwestern for track. Except, suddenly, that is thrown into question when her best friend, Joann, and the pastor's daughter both fall ill and the words "terrorism and satan" begin to be thrown around at everyone who is different. And Emma is most definitely not your typical Wheaten-er. But she's not the only one, Todd, one of the few Jewish people in town, is targeted and accused. Emma, who knows the reason behind the illness is pressed to come forward, at the risk of losing her scholarship to Northwestern.

And that's when Emma has to ask, "What would Emma Do?"

I picked up this book expecting a light-hearted, yet barbed, story about a small-town and a teen's desire to be free and rebel. And that is precisely what I got.

Eileen Cook creates a setting where religion is almost everything and where things almost seem to move backward, not forward. The place is at complete odds with Emma, who is quirky and longs for a place where not everyone knows her name.

Emma's conversations with God, snippets of which are at the start of each chapter, flesh out her character in full. And they're amusing to read. Some may find the tone disrespectful, but, in my opinion, the conversations are charming and they come across as a conversation that a teen would possibly consider having with God.

Overall, Emma's character was one that I could sympathize with and understand. While some of her mistakes were atrocious, I could see where she was coming from and relate to what she was feeling.

Other characters are also vital to the story such as Joann, Colin, Todd and Emma's mother, for example. However, I felt that some of the development was a bit lacking. Joann's actions were believable and explained and her character came across well. However, Colin's character felt a bit inconsistent at times. I do think a bit more dimension could have been added to the secondary characters.

However, I do like how Eileen Cook presented opinions that opposed Emma's. She didn't present a judgemental view on those who want to settle, who like familiarity. Too often, both sides of an issue are not considered fully and fairly and I like how Eileen Cook presented characters who readers can relate to who want to stay in the town.

Overall, What Would Emma do is an enjoyable read. It presents the topics of religion, growing up and the overall angsty existence of teenagers in a light and fun manner, making it a book I would whole-heartedly reccommend.

Rating:
Originality: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Readability: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

12 People Commit Suicide Over Michael Jackson's Death

2009-07-08T14:26:00.003-06:00

Unbelievable, right?

But here ya go. Linky to the article!

My reaction to this:
Wtf?!?
Am I the only one that thinks that people need to stop living vicariously through random stars/celebrities?

Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by RJ Anderson

2009-07-05T14:07:00.010-06:00

I've been lucky with fantasy novels lately, first with The Demon's Lexicon (review to come) and now with Spell Hunter by RJ Anderson. The Demon's Lexicon is the darker of the two, with Spell Hunter veering onto the fairytale-ish of sides. But, both are fully satisfying novels, with wonderful worldbuilding and strong lead characters .

In Spell Hunter, we are introduced to a young faerie, named Byrony, who is attempting to climb out the window of the Oak where a faery kingdom resides. This action is met with fright with her foster mother, Wink. Outside the Oak, is a world which few of the faeries have ever seen-dangers wait outside including crows (the faeries are only seven-inches tall) and most terrifying of all, the "monsters" or rather, the humans. However, just as Byrony glimpses one of the monsters, she is pulled back to the safety of the Oak.

But every since that day, Byrony can't help but wonder why humans are considered dangerous. So, when Byrony is given the job of Hunter, one of the only jobs that requires a faery to go outside, she takes the name Knife, becoming a fierce, knife-wielding, crow killing warrior, seizing the chance to explore and find an answer to her questions. And those answers may be needed more than ever before. Years ago, the faeries lost their magic, and along with it, their desire and understanding of friendship and creativity. And, now, the already tiny faery population is dwindling as faeries succumb to insanity.

I picked up this book up because it was blurbed by one of my favourite authors (Megan Whalen Turner) and was surprised by how much I liked it. RJ Anderson did a wonderful job of creating the faery realm. The faeries almost behave like a beehive, with faeries performing certain jobs at the request of their queen (without whom, they would be dead). The lack of conversation and constant bargaining between the faeries really shown the isolation that Knife feels.

Besides the fact that Knife is a fierce, independent (but not overly so) character, the other characters are fleshed out well, my favourite by far being Paul. Another blogger (I can't remember who exactly, sorry) commented about the uniqueness of having a cripple for the main character and how well-carried off Anderson's portrayal of Paul was-you never feel sorry for him. I thought that was a really good point. I mean, honestly, when was the last time you read a book where a primary character is a cripple? Or even the love interest? I can't remember a single one with the exception of maybe The Secret Garden and the Fearless series (Ed as one of Gaia's manymany paramours...haha).

Judging by the cover, I think the novel may be marketed to MG, but with all that RJ Anderson covers in the novel, I think older readers will enjoy it too (I did).

9/10

Happy Reading,

RR2

I'm sorry

2009-07-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

for the lack of reviews.

We have a whole bunch that should be coming up as soon as my sister and I adjust to summer school + work. And when we learn better time management skills.

So for you people who've sent us stuff for review, we'll get on it ASAP.

AND WE'RE SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!

On yesterday's topic..

2009-06-25T23:00:00.007-06:00

Yes, I realize there haven't been any reviews lately. But I've had finals. And, sadly, they take priority over reviewing.

But I thought I'd share:

Bah. Study time again. AT LEAST IT'S THE LAST ONE!!

Twilight...

2009-06-24T16:35:00.004-06:00

I was on the internet NOTSTUDYING, when I noticed THIS article which is called: 10 Ways Twilight has ruined a generation of high school girlfriends.

It's an article you definitely want to read.

Some tidbits from said article:

"It used to be hard to get a date in high school. Now, thanks to Twilight, it's got to be damn near impossible. What Mr. Darcy did for husbands, Edward Cullen is doing for boyfriends"
....
"So what makes Edward the Vampire Fantasy Boyfriend such a PR problem for real life teens who just want to get a date to take to dinner and hang out with at the prom? ..."

"9. Edward has super powers like running superfast and walking up trees, which he can perform while carrying you, making you feel very small and thin."

"3. At the beach, his skin turns into diamonds. Real boys turn red and blotchy."

Awesome, right?

Check out the ARTICLE to see number 1 and MORE!!

Waiting on Wednesday: Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson

2009-06-24T01:12:00.003-06:00

The Waiting on Wednesday meme was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for this week is:
Pub Date: August 11, 2009

Patient Name: Leigh Nolan Age: 18 years Presenting Concerns: Leigh Nolan has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards than Rorschach blots), despite reporting that she thinks, "Psychology is a load of crap." Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much. Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship? And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream? Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who thinks Patient is, in a word, nave. Preliminary treatment will include Introduction to Psychology, but may require more if she's going to answer these questions and make it through her freshman year. Diagnosis: Psych Major Syndrome

It seems like a fun, unique read.

I want! ;)

This is so sad...

2009-06-21T21:53:00.001-06:00

Have you guys read this article yet?

It's so sad, yet so touching.

And really.

Why the $^&* could they not get her a wheelchair?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REVIEWER X

2009-06-18T16:23:00.006-06:00

Okay. Thank god my sister told me that it was a month from her birthday. Because I thought it was June 17...(yes, I realize I am retarded. And potentially delusional.) HOWEVER, SINCE I NOW KNOW IT IS JUNE 18TH, I MUST PROCEED IN WISHING STEPH (REVIEWEX) A VERY AWESOME BIRTHDAY!

Reading Slump + Link on WHY you DON'T want to get published!

2009-06-18T09:31:00.002-06:00

Check out the AWESOMEFUNNYLINK: HERE

And now a message from READER RABBIT:
Finals have put me into a horrid reading slump.
I've only been rereading old favorites, and can't bear to start anything new.
So.You guys need to recommend some new stuff that will pull me out!
Please? :)

<3
Reader Rabbit

Waiting on Wednesday: Cape Storm

2009-06-17T08:49:00.003-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday originated over at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for this week is: Cape Storm by Rachel Caine
Pub date: August 4, 2009

Check the forecast for the series that’s “an addictive force of nature that will suck you in .” (News and Sentinel)Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin and her new husband, the Djinn David, are running from a malevolent hurricane bent on destroying her. Joined by an army of fellow Wardens and Djinn onboard a hijacked luxury liner, Joanne has lured the storm into furious pursuit. But even their combined magic may not be enough to stop it—nor the power-mad ex-Weather Warden controlling it...

If you're a fan of Rachel Caine's YA series, you should check out her Weather Warden series as well. :)

Contest Alert!

2009-06-15T20:38:00.000-06:00

Giving It Away For Free(the only time Momma would approve)

Serena Robar is giving it away for free the entire month of June. That’s right. A book a day, every day in honor of her latest book release Giving Up the V. All you have to do to is sign up for her newsletter and you are entered to win. Enter once and you are in the running to win a book every day the entire month of June.

-Serena Robar

Giving Up The V, June 2009, Simon Pulse release

So much drama over one little letter.

Giving It Away for Free (the only time momma would approve)The entire month of JUNE

Enter to win a book a day, every day at www.serenarobar.com

Posh And Prejudice by Grace Dent

2009-06-12T08:18:00.001-06:00

The sixth book in the Diary of a Chav series, Posh and Prejudice brings us back with Shiraz as she makes the decision to go back to school for her A-levels or not. After recieving her GSCE results, Shiraz is astounded to find out that she's not exactly thick...in fact, she may actually have some brains. After some deliberation, Shiraz decides to enter the Sixth Form and study her A-levels. In Sixth Form, Shiraz is joined by old classmates, friends and complete strangers as she tackles her AS-Levels. Shiraz begins to grow closer to her new classmates but with the newfound closeness comes a distancing from her longtime boyfriend, Wesley. But as Shiraz approaches the end to her AS-levels, she begins to wonder if school is really right for Shiraz Bailey Wood. Shiraz brings us on a mad ride as she makes witty observations, encounters interesting personas and learns who she is and what she values.

The major thing that makes Posh and Prejudice so enjoyable is Shiraz's character. Each page you read is distinctly Shiraz; she's literally spilling from every sentence in her mannerisms, speech (which tie to English surburbia slang) and her actions. Everything that she does, ridiculous or not is uniquely Shiraz even as she grows from the beginning to end.

Shiraz's changing relationships are also well portrayed. The distancing from Wesley, her growing closeness with Josh andthe ultimate reveal about one of them are all interesting and realistically shown.

The crew of characters created by Grace Dent are all fun and unique. From Shiraz's hardworking mom to her flighty best friend Carrie, the range of characters is wide. Each of them play their own little roles in the book with their interactions with Shiraz which she records in her diary. Overall, each character is integral to the book and each have their own little quirks that make them enjoyable to read about.

Overall, Posh and Prejudice is an enjoyable and fun read to pass the time. Fans of the Georgia Nicholson series will enjoy this one, so be sure to pick it up.

Rating:
Originality: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Readability: 7/10
Overall: 7.25/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

2009-06-11T10:20:00.001-06:00

When Anna is invited to spend her summer vacation with her best friend Frankie in Zanzibar Bay, California, she, of course, says yes. And when Frankie deems their 20 Days in the bay to be one of boys and romance, Anna relutantly concedes. But Anna can't tell Frankie that she isn't in the mood for a whirlwind romance. She's still hung up on Matt, Frankie's older brother who died a year ago (The book is littered with moments from before his death, flashbacks of their friendship and romance.) In Zanzibar, the girls and Frankie's family find more than they had ever hoped for. For the family, Zanzibar Bay is littered with memories of Matt. And for Anna, the secret that she has kept rises to the surface, begging to be revealed. But how do you tell your best friend that you're in love with her dead older brother?

20 Boy Summer revolves around the effects of love and loss and I particularly adored the angle it took. Ever since Matt's death, Frankie has gone through a dramatic change. She's become so different that our protagonist, Anna, knows she never would have been friends with her if they had met after Matt's death. But they are, and Anna is Frankie's hold on normality in the midst of the family turmoil that the death caused. Since Matt's demise, Anna has had to suppress her grief and give the outward impression that she's fine as she has to be there for Frankie. But in reality, Anna is fixated on Matt, she isn't able to let go of him. In her notebook she recounts things to and about Matt. Anna still feels tied to Matt, though he's dead and gone. For Anna, the summer is about getting over Matt and perhaps learning to love again.

For Frankie's family, Zanzibar Bay has a different effect. Both of Frankie's parents have been dealing with Matt's death in their own way and going to visit the setting of many fun family vacations is hard for her mother and father to deal with. Since Matt's death, the family has been shattered and broken and unable to properly grieve. The vacation gives them a chance to grieve, reconnect and pick up the pierces of their lives. The parts including the family really made the novel for me. It really showed the entire ramifications of Matt's death. Children look to their parents in crisises but sometimes even they don't have it all together.

Sarah Ockler effectively and heartrendingly portrays the family and Anna's grief through the novel, but with it she leaves behind a message of hope.

That's not to say it's 100% perfect, as there are few things in life that are. For one thing, I wish there had been more characterization on Frankie. I felt like the Frankie in the flashbacks and the present day Frankie were disconnected. I would have liked a more...fluid progression?

Also, I did not like Anna's love interest Sam. I mean, he was fine and all but I didn't feel any connection between them either. What she felt for him paled from what she'd felt for Matt. I kind of would have preferred Anna to find a way to move on without a guy but Sarah Ockler made it work so whatever.

But all in all, 20 Boy Summer was pretty darn good, and for a debut novel? It's nearing amazing. Be sure to pick it up at a bookstore near you!

Rating:
Originality: 8.5/10
Characters:8/10
Readability: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.5/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Waiting on Wednesday:Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

2009-06-10T04:44:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

My pick this week is: Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert (Pub: July 21, 2009)

Kara hasn't been back to Oak Park since the end of junior year, when a heroin overdose nearly killed her and sirens heralded her exit. Four years later, she returns to face the music. Her life changed forever back in high school: her family disintegrated, she ran around with a whole new crowd of friends, she partied a little too hard, and she fell in love with gorgeous bad-boy Adrian, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park....
Amid the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own.

Sounds good, I loved I Wanna be Your Joey Ramone....can't wait to read this one!

And stay tuned for the review of 20 Boy Summer!

Winners of a 20 Boy Summer Giveaway

2009-06-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

It's time to announce the winners of the giveaway for 20 Boy Summer

Drumroll, please....

And the *3* WINNERS ARE:

1)Michelle Kuo
2)ilonga
3) Amee

We'll be emailing you guys soon. Or if you see this first, send us your address at deadly.chocolate*at*gmaildotcom

CONGRATS, GUYS

AND EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR ENTERING!

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

2009-06-05T09:22:00.003-06:00

16 year old Dru has always been fairly independent. But when she's forced to kill her father when he comes home. zombiefied, things get out of hand for her. See, Dru has, what her grandmother calls, "the touch." But now, Dru has no one to turn to and she knows whoever attacked her father is after her.

Graves, a strangely kind Goth boy, offers Dru comfort and a place to stay. His kindness gets him bitten by a werewulf and Dru, feeling guilty for exposing him to the Reel world so harshly, is forced to let him tag along as they deal with the supernatural creatures so adamant on killing Dru.

Luckily, just as things are beginning to look hopeless, another supernatural, Christophe who is a djamphir (the child of a vampire and a human) insists that he can help them. Dru and Graves have no choice but to accept his aid, as she is now the object of a hunt and she has no idea how to deal with it.

The main things that caught my eye in regards to Strange Angels were the unique cast of characters and that Strange Angels was packed with action (something that gave me the faintest reminder of Rachel Caine's Morganville Series.)

Point being. Dru is not exactly your average teenager and yet her quirks and her emotions let you relate to her, easily. Her worry and loneliness over her father and his death are realistically depicted and the parts of Dru's past that are shown help reveal why Dru is the way she is.

Graves and Christophe are also fairly unique, though they respectively could loosely carry the stereotype of the typical boy next door and mysterious guy found in many YA books. Graves and Christophe also have their own histories and their own motivations though Christophe and his secrets are much more dangerous, especially as he may know somethings about Dru that she doesn't even know

Secrets are hinted on and revealed in Strange Angels, the plot is fast-moving, though somewhat typical and while I wish there had been more development of Graves and Christophe, I'm sure they will be further explored in the sequel to Strange Angels.

Rating:
Originality:7/10
Characters: 8/10
Readability: 7/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Waiting on Wednesday: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2009-06-03T09:25:00.008-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for today is: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Pub: Oct 13, 2009

Summary: Falling in love was never so easy . . .

or so deadly.

High school sophomore Nora Grey is irritated to find herself partnered in biology class with a "tall, dark and annoying" senior named Patch. But their barbed exchanges only showcase their undeniable chemistry, and Nora soon finds herself lured toward Patch's shadowy past, frequently enlisting her best friend Vee to help uncover his secrets.

Then, a vindictive young man from a nearby private school begins stalking Nora. He's been double-crossed, and he wants payback. Nora goes to the police, but they don't believe her. Alone and vulnerable, she turns to the only person she believes can help her - Patch. But when she discovers scars on his back, she realizes she may be in more danger than she bargained for: Patch, a fallen angel banished to Earth, has crossed centuries on a single-minded mission to get his wings back. But for his wish to come true, someone must die...and Nora may be the perfect sacrifice.

The plot sounds great and it has a swoon-worthy cover. And it's coming around my birthday, *hinthint*

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

2009-05-28T03:54:00.003-06:00

May 20, 2009

Auden is more than just your typical super-keen overachiever with divorced parents (a snobby literay prof mom and a self-absorbed father.) She has never really had fun, had a chance to be a kid and has never really been close to anyone her own age. Instead, she's strived hard to succeed the academic way, the only way that really gets her parents' attention and approval. She's gotten into a great university, that she will attend come Fall and Auden is ready for a change of scene.

So for her summer vacation, Auden decides to go visit her father with his new wife, Heidi and their recently born daughter, Thisbe in Colby. And that's what she does, along with a suitcase stuffed with textbooks for her to study over the summer.

Summer with in Colby is definitely not what Auden expected. Auden's father spends all of his time working on his novel, leaving an overwhelmed Heidi to take care of her crying newborn by herself.

And when she first gets to Colby, Auden stupidly hooks up with a guy that turns out to be the recent ex of a girl who works at her stepmother's store.

And then Auden finds herself working in Heidi's super-pink clothing store, a place that Auden's pretentious mom would scoff at. Auden follows her mother's (would-be) example, secluding herself in the backroom, completing her job alone.

But Auden's reclusive ways won't last forever. Her insomnia, dating from the time when her parents divorced, forces her to stay awake, roaming the town where she eventually bumps into Eli, a local guy who she keeps on stumbling upon. Eventually, the two form a companionship, roaming in the night together. It leads to a quest where Eli and Auden try to make up for everything that Auden missed as a child. From breaking curfew to a food fight, Eli helps Auden have a second chance at childhood. As the two grow closer, Eli's history is revealed as well and the two connect, helping each other heal from the past.

Along with her nighttime adventures with Eli, Auden slowly begins to get to know the girls who work at Heidi's store, as she learns not to judge people simply by their appearences. None of the girls turn out to be who Auden thought they were and they befriend Auden, and teach her what friendship really is.

In Sarah Dessen's latest novel, Along for the Ride, we are introduced to yet another set of characters with yet another touching story that truly will touch almost everyone who reads it.

Sarah Dessen truly has the magic touch, at least when it comes to story telling and characterization. Auden's character is well portrayed, and, at least for me, is pretty easy to relate to. I often feel socially awkward and I also go to a pretty rigorous high school and it's so different from other high schools with an assortment of people. The difference often helps give the other students and I the impression that the unsubstantial appearence of some people means an empty interior where no coherent thoughts lie. Which is wrong, of course. The same judgement even happens inside the school with the more academically-geared ones judging the rest with the same scorn that Auden's mother judged Heidi.

Everyone in the novel was integral; with their own important stories. Heidi turns out to be much more than Auden had expected her to be, Thisbe is more than just a newborn, Auden's childish older brother (Hollis)may have the potential to grow up and even Auden's parents may have more to them than Auden can see.

Honestly, it's amazing watching and reading about Auden's transformation. It affects her, her family and even her newfound friends in ways they couldn't imagine. I especially love the connection between Eli and Auden and how, together, they are able to face the past and look to the future.

Besides the reliving childhood aspect of the novel, there is so much more going on, allowing almost everyone to relate. The family issues, death, growing up and really, just living, are what makes Along for the Ride the terrific story that it is.

Sarah Dessen's writing is impressive, I swear, every new release of hers comes with a huge leap in quality. Which is amazing considering that even from the beginning, she was terrific. Now she's astounding. I never thought she'd be able to top Just Listen, which had been my favorite out of all her books, but Along for the Ride did. To be truthful, it didn't the first time I read it (I'm a huge rereader...I don't even want to count the number of times I reread Just Listen) but by the third reread, it has officially become my favorite Sarah Dessen book and definitely one of my favorite books of the year.

So yes, makes sure you pick this book up when it comes out on June 16. If you don't, you're missing out. Big time.

Rating:
Originality: 9.5/10
Characters: 10/10
Readability: 10/10
Overall: ~10/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Waiting on Wednesday: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2009-05-27T01:27:00.003-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

My pick for the week is : Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Pub date: August 1
Summary (Chapters.ca):For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf? her wolf?is a haunting presence she can?t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human?until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It?s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears and the temperature drops, Sam must fight to stay human?or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I loved Maggie Stiefvater's first novel, Lament! I can't wait till this one comes out!

Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

2009-05-26T09:50:00.000-06:00

75 days ago, Amy's life was completely different. 75 days ago, Amy still had a best friend. 75 days ago, Julia was still alive.

Amy has spent these past 75 days at Pinewood, a rehab clinic, trying to recover from her dependency on alcohol and the guilt that has hounded her ever since Julia died. When Amy is finally allowed to go home, her therapist advises her to keep a journal. Instead, Amy writes letters to her dead friend, slowly coming to terms with the past, the present and the could-be future.

The recovery after the death of someone close to you is never easy and Amy's path is littered with extra obstacles. Amy has never felt wanted or loved by her parents and as a result, she doesn't feel able to accept their support and reach out to them during her arduous journey.

Elizabeth Scott realistically portrays Amy's dependence on alcohol. Amy's longing for the substance that will make her numb again is evident through Scott's blunt and truthful words. Also, Scott does not use the opportunity to preach about the dangers of alcohol, something teens will be grateful for.

Along with Amy's recovery from her addiction to alcohol, Elizabeth Scott focuses much of the book on friendship. Amy and Julia's friendship is explored through the heartfelt letters that Amy writes to Julia expressing her resentment, her anger, her guilt and her sadness.

The story of Julia's death is revealed slowly. As it is revealed, it is easy to see why Amy feels the way she does and why she reacts to different events in a certain manner.

When Amy first begins school again, Amy is ignored by many of her peers, especially Julia's other friends who despise her. Amy does find new friends as the story progresses with both new people and old friends. Those characters are well explored as well, especially Amy's former friend, Caro as well as Mel and Patrick, someone with whom Amy already has a past with.

Overall, Elizabeth Scott has created yet another engrossing tale, this time of a vulnerable girl who cannot find it within her to forgive herself.

Rating:
Originality: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Readability: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.5/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

One Lonely Degree by CK Kelly Martin

2009-05-24T10:49:00.003-06:00

For fifteen year old Finn, the world seems like it's crashing down. For one thing, her family's falling apart. And on top of that, there's that thing with Adam Porter that happened at the Party and it continues to haunt her. Only one person knows about it and that's Audrey, Finn's best friend. But when Finn's childhood friend, Jersey, comes to town and things between him and Audrey begin to heat up, well, things begin to change.

When summer rolls around, Audrey's parents go off, with Audrey in tow, on vacation, leaving Finn to spend her summer without her confidante. But as life continues to get harder on Finn, she finds herself hanging out more and more with Jersy. Everything with him is perfect, except for one small issue. Can Finn really do something so horrible to Audrey?

Having read I Know It's Over, I had high expectations for One Lonely Degree. I have to say, One Lonely Degree panned out very differently than the way I'd expected it to be.

Finn, who wants to be a graphic designer and move to London or New York, is easy to relate to. She shares the type of dreams that many teens do, likes similar music and has a unique way of looking at things that really struck a chord with me. Watching her watch her family life disintegrate was painful to read about and her reactions were realistic. It was easy to feel her desperation and her anger.

Audrey and Finn's friendship was also portrayed very well. I hate it how in some books things like that are just stated and never really shown. In One Lonely Degree, the depth of their bond is evident and it makes Finn's horror at what happens during the summer more palpable.

Jersy, on the other hand, kind of conflicted with me. For one, he was going out seriously with Audrey and then after she was gone, he tries to get together with Finn. In my opinion, that would make him the lowest of the low. But then Jersy also had his own problems, he was never really a jerk and CK Kelly Martin did make it seem like the thing between Jersy and Audrey was basically over when Audrey went away for the summer. I guess, overall, Jersy is just like any of us. Someone who makes mistakes, just like Finn.

The way that the story is told is different from I Know It's Over. In I Know It's Over, there were clear events which marked risings and fallings of tension. In One Lonely Degree, it seemed sort of passive. Instead it was more of a recounting of a period in Finn's life. While this caused One Lonely Degree to not be as engrossing as CK Kelly Martin's first novel, One Lonely Degree is decent and entertaining read that many teens will be able to relate to.

Be sure to pick this one up when it comes out on May 26, 2009.

Rating:
Originality: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Readability: 7.5/10
Overall: 7.5/10

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Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Swoon by Nina Malkin

2009-05-21T03:52:00.002-06:00

Native New Yorker, Candice has been dumped into calm and dull, Swoon Connecticut. There, under the guidance of her popular cousin Pen (short for Penelope), Candice becomes Dice. And then things begin to really get shaken up in Swoon, beginning after a tumble from an old ash tree drastically alters Pen's personality. Dice, who's no stranger to the supernatural, is naturally suspicious of Pen's personality change. So she isn't too shocked when she finds out that her cousin's spirit has intertwined with that of a ghost, Sinclair Youngblood Powers. And the reason why he's back? Revenge, of course. Through Pen, Sin is adamant on the path he's on. He wants nothing more than absolute revenge on those (or more like the descendants) who have wronged him.

Dice is determined to stop him. Only, her efforts seem to be backfiring. An attempted exorcism of Sin's spirit from Pen, results in him gaining is own flesh and blood body. As Sin continues to cause havoc and wreck the lives of the townspeople, Dice knows that she must stop him. The thing that's stopping her, though? She loves Sin.

I'd expected great things of Swoon, especially after reading the summary. The plot intrigued me and so I was really excited when Swoon popped into my mailbox. Swoon wasn't what I expected at all, but not necessarily in a bad way.

Nina Malkin's writing is unique, and has a nice flow to it. This caused the tale to be revealed rather naturally and smoothly. Everything seemed interconnected, and the chaos that Sin was creating was effectively revealed through her writing. However, a downfall of her prose was that, at times, it was hard to distinguish between meaningless trivia and important details.

The characterization was also slightly weak. For one, Dice wasn't a very complex character. All we really knew about her was that she had psychic abilities, had a desire to save the world and was in love with Sin. I couldn't really connect with her, however, her point of view was a sufficient one to reveal the story from.

The plot of the story, in my opinion, is what really makes reading Swoon worthwhile. The Swoon from Sin's time and the Swoon from Dice's time are so similar and really showed how things haven't changed, making Sin's quest more relevant. There were also many revelations, many twists and much adventure in the novel, all of which make Swoon a worthwhile read. Swoon was released earlier this week, be sure to pick it up at a bookstore near you.

Rating:
Originality: 8/10
Characters: 6/10
Readability: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Waiting on Wednesday: Crazy Beautiful

2009-05-20T01:05:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday originated over from Jill at Breaking the Spine.
Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Pub date:Sept. 7, 2009
Summary (from Amazon):Summary from Amazon:
In an explosion of his own making, Lucius blew his arms off. Now he has hooks. He chose hooks because they were cheaper. He chose hooks because he wouldn’t outgrow them so quickly. He chose hooks so that everyone would know he was different, so he would scare even himself.
Then he meets Aurora. The hooks don’t scare her. They don’t keep her away. In fact, they don’t make any difference at all to her.
But to Lucius, they mean everything. They remind him of the beast he is inside. Perhaps Aurora is his Beauty, destined to set his soul free from its suffering.
Or maybe she’s just a girl who needs love just like he does.

Sounds interesting, doesn't it! It's going to be a long time till September!

Giveaway: 20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

2009-05-19T05:54:00.001-06:00

“Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it.”
“Okay.”
“Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?”

For Anna Reiley and Frankie Perino, the ingredients for the Absolute Best Summer Ever are simple: Two girls. Two bikinis. And twenty days in Zanzibar Bay, California. The best part? According to Frankie, if they meet one boy every day, there’s a good chance Anna will find her first summer romance.

Anna lightheartedly agrees to the fun, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie… she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death last year.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.

Sounds great, right? Well here's your chance to win!

Little Brown has kindly donated 3 copies of 20 Boy Summer for a giveaway!

So, to win...

+1 for Commenting
+1 for linking the contest elsewhere (+1 per each place, up to a maximum of +3 from this criterium)

Good Luck! The contest will remain open until June 2, 2009! US ONLY PLEASE! Start entering!

Contest Winners!

2009-05-18T18:20:00.000-06:00

Hey, guys! As you may have noticed Canadian month is over (actually was over with the very awesome Summoning features). Thank you all for commenting on our posts and just for coming to our blog. And, thanks to all the authors (Courtney Summers, CK Kelly Martin, Neesha Meminger, Jaclyn Moriarty, Kelley Armstrong and Susan Juby) for participating!

Sorry for taking to long to reveal the contest winners-there were much more entries than we expected.

Without any further ado, the winners are..

I Know It's Over winner-Barrie

The Year of Secret Assignments winner-Laina

Miss Smithers' winner-canadiangiveaways

Cracked Up to Be winner-Miss Erin

The Summoning and the Awakening winner-bridget3420

And, Laina is obviously really lucky (what are the chances?) because she also won the main giveaway!

We're about to email all the winners. Again, thanks to all of you for participating in Canadian Month

-the Rabbits

Perfect Fifths by Megan Mccafferty

2009-05-17T05:00:00.000-06:00

May 17, 2009
Taking place years after Fourth Comings, Perfect Fifths starts off with Jessica Darling rushing to catch a flight to the wedding of her good friends, Percy and Bridget. Only, instead of reaching her plane, Jessica trips over her ex, Marcus Flutie.

The collision results in a reunion of the two, who haven't seen each other in years. Both have changed but their imperfect connection remains as perfect as ever. Told in third person, Perfect Fifths takes a different approach to the series, allowing readers into Marcus Flutie's head and letting his enigma be solved in the terrific conclusion of the Jessica Darling Series.

I first picked up Sloppy Firsts when I was 14 years old, bored to death waiting for my piano lesson. I had no expectations for the book, I had picked it up on a whim. I was pleasantly shocked to find a story and a neurotic girl that was easy to relate to, amusing and most of all, engrossing.

I proceeded to read Second Helpings and after a wait, Charmed Thirds and then Fourth Comings. And since then, I've been waiting, [im]patiently, for Perfect Fifths.

For one thing, Perfect Fifths is shorter than the other books in the series with 272 pages or so. Also, Perfect Fifths is not relayed through Jessica's journals. Instead, it takes on a third person point of view, allowing us access into both Jessica and Marcus's head. (And really, seeing things from Marcus's POV was terrific...I mean, how many times have we wondered, earlier in the series, "WHAT ON EARTH IS HE THINKING??")

The book is told in dialogue and there is s section told entirely in haikus. That part, I adored as it really showed how much Jessica and Marcus connected even while communicating in such a restricted form.

Megan McCafferty shows us a matured version of Marcus and Jessica. Jessica has become less cynical and less judgemental than she was during her high school and college days. And Marcus, of course, has grown up too, something emphasized by the third person point of view.

The book revolves around Jessica and Marcus, with a few phone calls and mentions of the other characters that we've grown to love while following the series. There is one new character, Sunny, who's situation weighs heavily on Jessica and she plays a major role in the book, despite being in absentia.

I don't really know what else I can say about it, other than the conclusion really was perfect. It takes place over 18 hours, and the 18 hours change everything for Marcus and Jessica. All I can say is that, for all fans of the series, Perfect Fifths is the perfect conclusion to the series. And for those of you who haven't read the Jessica Darling series, Sloppy Firsts is required reading.

Rating:
Characters: 9.5/10
Originality: 9.5/10
Readability: 10/10
Overall: ~9.75/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

2009-05-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

May 15, 2009

City of Glass, third and final installment of the Mortal Instruments trilogy, lives up to the standards that the previous two (City of Bones and City of Ashes) have set.

The book starts with Clary on a mission, one that will require her to travel to the City of Glass, the ancesteral home of the Shadowhunters. However, entering the City without permission is a crime, one that is punishable by death. The only way for Clary to enter the City is through a portal, and the warlock Magnus has agreed to create one for Clary and the Lightwoods to enter. The only issue is, Jace doesn't want Clary to come with them because he thinks it'll be too dangerous, and so he lies to her about the departing time.

Clary eventually finds her way to the City herself, making a portal with the runes that she is able to create. When she gets there, she finds things to be in a mess. Jace still doesn't want her there, and somehow, her best friend Simon has been thrown into a Shadowhunter prison!

And Jace and Clary's relationship continues to develop despite the taboo surrounding it. But then Jocelyn makes a startling revelation, one that could make or break Jace and Clary.

And along with that, once Clary is in the City, she finds things have taken a turn for the worst, with Valentine's evil plots coming to a head causing a war that will require everyone to do their part to win.

The final book in the Mortal Instruments, City of Glass ties up everything neatly, with a satisfying conclusion.

More characters are introduced in this novel as well as further development on the ones already part of the story. For one, we get to meet Valentine's other son. He and Valentine really do make a perfect evil pair. Both are pretty terrific villans, charismatic yet completely horrible. The type with no chance of redemption. They really pushed the story forward, with the tension they caused with their horrific plans.

Simon plays his important role in the book as well. I think he really grew as a character in this novel, he's gone so far from simply just being Clary's loyal best friend. He takes his own part in saving everyone from Valentine and his nefarious plans and also takes the steps to his own happy ending.

Jocelyn finally woke up (not really much of a spoiler, since it's the end of the series...it kind of had to happen) and I really enjoyed reading about her while she was awake and learning about the things that she revealed when she woke up.

Clary and Jace continue on their up and downs together, they're still drawn to each other despite the "sibling" issue that continues to eat away at them. They have quite a few great scenes together, their longing is palpable in each scene together.

And the ending? I can't say that I'd want it any differently. Cassandra Clare did wonders with it. Not all evil can be erased and that's not what happened. But she managed to tie it all up nicely, with a satisfying conclusion. (Though I think most fans are pretty sad that we won't be reading about Jace, Clary, Simon and the rest of the gant anymore...)

Overall, City of Glass is a terrific conclusion to a great series. Be sure to pick this one up, it's at a bookstore near YOU!

Rating:
Originality: 9/10
Readability: 9/10
CharactersL 9/10
Overall: 9/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Help me!

2009-05-13T14:14:00.012-06:00

May 13, 2009

I was writing the pros and cons of the various universities that have accepted me, to help me pick a university since I need to pick a university by the end of the week (personal deadline...I'd rather get this decision done with so I can get on with my life...though my decision won't be nearly as hard to make as Jocelyn over at Teen Book Review's was.) I'm fairly sure which university I'm going to pick out of the following (note: FAIRLY. My sister will attest to the fact that I'm notoriously indecisive. And she'll also wonder why I'm posting this. But that's her problem.)

Anyways, I thought it'd be interesting to see what you guys (readers, fellow bloggers, authors, any of you!) have to say about my list. So please, tell me what you think(and I'll really appreciate it!) Info on the unis below the poll!

poll by twiigs.com

(I was considering putting the University of Toronto on here but I decided that it's completely out of the realm of possibility. And since I don't even want to go there, why include it?)

Option One: University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is the local university. Tuition would be cheap, I wouldn't have to pay more than 5-6k a year. I'd live at home, have the same friends that I've had for years and would already be familiar with the city.
Downsides...I'd live at home, meet the same people and it'd probably be a repeat of high school.
This is the one that I'm shying away from the most, but if you have any other reasons why I should go there, then do tell. :)

Option Two: University of British Columbia

This university is a province over, and not even an hour flight away. Besides the Uni of Alberta, UBC would be the cheapest of the lot coming in around 15k per year, including res. UBC is one of Canada's most known universities, and it's around 2/3 in Canada and in the top 50 of the world. So, it does have it's prestige, if that's what I'm looking for. Vancouver is a great city, the Olympics are going to be held there next year and it'd be a once in a lifetime opportunity. The weather there is great, there's tons to do in the city.
Neutral: My uncle lives in the city, so if I get tired of the residence and the crappy food, I'll have a place to go. But then, it means possible surprise drop-ins. Second biggest uni in Canada.
Downside: I won't really know many people there, if any. Huge commuter population. Won't be able to get a single room.

Option Three: McMaster University

McMaster university is located in Hamilton, Ontario, a very industrial area of Canada. McMaster would cost just a bit more than UBC, so there's not much of an advantage/disadvantage regarding costs. The school is very community-orientated. Hamilton is a bit of a university town, there aren't many commuters so this would make it easier to get to know people and enjoy the experience. McMaster is also a well-known university, though not on the UBC scale. It's also a bit smaller that UBC so it's more of a medium sized university. Most people I've asked say they love going to McMaster.
Downside: According to people I've talked to, Hamilton is a crappy city, polluted and smaller than my home city right now. There wouldn't be much to do outside of the student areas and downtown. Also, I won't know anyone. At all.

Last, but not least, McGill University:
Out of all the universities I've listed, this may be the only one you've actually heard of. (If you've heard of it at all...) McGill is located in the beautiful and bilingual city of Montreal. The upside would be that it'd help me improve my French. I've also actually visited the city last summer in part of a French immersion program and I know that I like it. The university is prestigious and attracts international students, so it'd be a very diverse student population. All the students are very bright, so I'd be competing against some of the best students in the country. Montreal has a great music scene and a really awesome downtown area. Also, it's said to be the place where North America meets Europe, and it has a terrific atmosphere. Also, going to McGill would make it easier to get into their med school or law school, if I choose to take that path. (It's very hard to get into their Med/Law schools as out of province students...)
Downside: Montreal is cold in winter, though not as cold as Edmonton. McGill would be hitting around 20k per year, the tax in Quebec is high and that bell curve will be hard to beat, with all those uber-keeners out there. Also, McGill is known to be a bit of a party school because of Quebec's drinking age (which, incidentally, is the same as Alberta's). And so, a majority of the students spend quite a bit of time hitting the clubs and such. While this might not necessarily be a bad thing, it's not a good thing either. I suppose. I don't know. It's just a random fact I decided to throw in. I'll also not know very many people. And the majority of people I know who ARE going there, aren't really my friends anyways. We're more like friendly acquaintances who don't have anything in common. But of course, I'll (hopefully) meet new people and make new friends. etc. Wherever I go...

Wow. This list has confused me all over again! AGHh!

So yes. That was my list. Please tell me what you think! And RR2, stop complaining. Thanks guys! :)

ETA: And contest winners will be announced tomorrow! Sorry for the delay.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

2009-05-12T03:48:00.003-06:00

May 12, 2009
Laurel has lived her entire life in a small and sheltered town. Then, one day, her parents decide it is time for them to move and her to quit homeschooling and enroll in a regular high school. Ironically enough, it is when Laurel's parents try to assimilate her into having a normal life, that Laurel find out that she really isn't like anyone else at all.

For one thing, she has a wing blossoming on her back. And for another, her first best friend from her school, David, has looked at her cells under a microscope. Only thing is, they have a eerie resemblance to plant cells. Laurel, who was discovered in a basket when she was three, may not even be human. In fact, she may just be a faerie.

Laurel learns that she was sent to her parents in order to protect the land that they lived on, the land that they have moved away from to send Laurel to a regular high school. However, nothing will be simple for Laurel again. Firstly, she her feelings for her classmate David and Tam, a mysterious faerie boy, that continue to confuse her. And on top of that, Laurel must find a way to protect the land, which serves as a gate to Avalon, protect her secret and get along in a brand new high school.

With faeries being one of the latest popular topics of the YA genre, Wings brings something unique to the table. The type of faeries portrayed in the novel are vastly different, yet similarly charming, than others that I've read. For one, there's that whole scientific thing about it, with the whole cell examining thing and hints that point to the nature of the faeries being. That maybe they're more green that human, if that makes sense.

The characters, despite not being as well-developed as they could have been, were interesting and unique. Laurel's history made her unique and she is a character that you can sympathize with and root for. However, at times, she did seem to make the weirdest decisions. I realize that a lot of the story revolved around Laurel trying to keep her "blossom" a secret, however, I don't understand why she would not have told her parents even though she thought it was a life-threartening disease or something...

David, on the other hand, seemed fairly consistent as a character, however, he remains unexplored, in my opinion. I hope that in further books, David's character is delved into more.

The same can be said about Tamani, he was there but his character seemed a bit rushed. His character is something that I'll look forward to reading about more in future books.

However, the character issues did not detract too much from the book. The plot is unique and debut author Aprilynne Pike's storytelling is entrancing. She has a way with words and despite some faults, it is clear that the story only has potential to grow as she (hopefully!) continues to write about Laurel's world.

Wings is not a novel that you want to miss, while it is slow to start, the action and intruige that the book provides later, will more than makeup for it.

Wings was released on May 5! Make sure you pick it up at a store near you! To browse inside click HERE!

Rating:
Originality: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Readability: 7/10
Overall: 8/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Retrospective

2009-05-10T11:15:00.002-06:00

May 10, 2009
Steph, over at Reviewer X, thought it'd be a good idea to have a recap meme, since so many people read so many different blogs and it's so easy to get behind. So head on over to her blog and join in on the fun!

First, we had a bit of a scheduling blooper and instead of a Canadian Month post...out popped up a review of Peace, Love and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle.

And then we got back on track with the Canada Month thing, with a review of the Summoning by Kelley Armstrong.

After, a really awesome guestpost on how authors should "Play Fair," by Kelley Armstrong!

Which was followed by (THANKS KELLEY!), a giveaway of the Summoning AND the Awakening!.

And finally, we reviewed the Ashbury-Brookfield Series by Jaclyn Moriarty! !

How did your week go?
Put a link over at the post at Steph's blog!

The Ashbury-Brookfield series by Jaclyn Moriarty

2009-05-09T15:16:00.002-06:00

15 year-old Elizabeth Clarry has been having a tough time of it lately. Her dad's returned from Australia and wants to reacquaint himself with his daughter. Her best friend's run away to join the circus. Her mother's mostly out of the picture (their main correspondence is through sticky notes on the fridge). And, her English teacher is insisting on rekindling the "Joy of the Envelope"-Elizabeth's found herself writing to someone from a rival school (Brookfield).

The entire novel is told in the form of letters written to Elizabeth or by Elizabeth. (One part I especially loved are Elizabeth's letters to herself from associations like The Society of People Who are Definitely Going to Fail High School And Probably Life as Well which is an amusing way of getting across the self-doubt Elizabeth is feeling).

In fact, the entire novel is incredibly funny. The characters are well-developed and I loved reading about Elizabeth's growth as a character. Just as a side note, in a particularly well-done interview at teenreads.com, Jaclyn Moriarty discussed her intent of including characters of differing maturity levels. That was something I really liked in the novel because I thought it was very realistic of high school (I can definitely relate that explanation to my friends and I, at any rate). Anyway, she is far more articulate than me, so I highly recommend checking out that interview.

The Year of Secret Assignments is the second novel (and incidentally, also my favourite) , featuring yet another year of rekindling "the Joy of the Envelope." This time the book features three best friends, Lydia, Emily, and Cassie, all of which are distinct voices. Their correspondence with the dreaded Brooker Kids is hilarious although soon what began as simple letter-writing transforms into a series of pranks, finally escalating into a full-out war.

Okay, I dare you to read the first 10 pages of this novel and not laugh or want to read the book. (It's impossible). The novel's one of funniest I've read and definitely one of my favourite books. It's just pure fun and pretty much every other page had me laughing. Annnd...the characters are all really well-developed.

PS. We're giving away a copy of this book here.

The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie. To be honest, I prefer the title Becoming Bindy Mackenzie (which is the UK title). The murder plot doesn't come up until the last 100ish pages and while it's quite awesome, the novel is mostly about Bindy's change in perspective and growing up.

Anyway, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie is about the most unpopular girl in school. And for the first half of the book, you discover why. First, you might find Bindy annoying and then halfway through, you'll find yourself understanding and sympathizing with Bindy. Like her other books, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie is funny-even if the first bit is a bit hard to get through. It's definitely worth reading.

By the way...The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie is part of our main giveaway (which is open for another couple days) so if you haven't already enter I highly suggest you do!

(Comment for +1 in the Year of Secret Assignments giveaway)

Giveaway: THE SUMMONING AND THE AWAKENING By KELLEY ARMSTRONG (CLOSED)

2009-05-04T19:04:00.006-06:00

Hey guys, we'll be giving away a copy of The Summoning and its recently released (squee!) sequel, The Awakening. These books are AMAZING so definitely, definitely, enter.

To enter:
+1 Comment here (with a contact email)
+1 Post about this giveaway
+1 Relevant comments on any Kelley Armstrong posts (the guest blog and review)

Contest ends in two weeks.

Check out Kelley Armstrong's exciting guest blog here!

Check out a review of the Summoning.

Good Luck!

Kelly Armstrong Guest Post: "Playing Fair"

2009-05-03T18:01:00.002-06:00

At the end of the month, The Awakening comes out, and when it does, I’ll finally be able to stop apologizing for the cliffhanger ending of The Summoning. I hope.

I have been apologizing to readers, sincerely, because I realized, too late, that I hadn’t played fair with them. It seemed like a good idea at the time, when I was envisioning the future, after all three books in the trilogy are out, and readers would hit that cliffhanger and race to the library to get the next one. That’s cool. What’s not so cool is the nine months between the release of the first and the second…nine months where readers couldn’t rush out and read the next book.

At a convention last month, I listened to an author panel called “What do we owe our readers?” The short answer? Everything. At least as far as our careers are concerned. It’s the readers who allow us to have this dream job.

On the panel, though, there was some blurring of the distinction between “catering to readers” and “playing fair.” Catering to readers means giving them what they want, regardless of what we want or what’s best for the story. That’s a fool’s gambit. It’s impossible to write something that every reader will love. It’s an insult to readers, too, assuming they’re clones with identical tastes. As I writer, I pay attention to what readers tell me, which gives me a good sense of the general direction they’d like a series to go. If that works for me and for the books, then I’ll listen. But what’s more important to me is playing fair.

Playing fair means respecting readers. If the book is a mystery, you don’t introduce a new character in the last chapter and make him the killer. If the book is a fantasy, you don’t have the character discover new powers in the last chapter and save the day. If the book is a romance, you don’t get to the last chapter and kill off the love interest.

That doesn’t mean you can’t add a twist—just that the twist shouldn’t interfere with a satisfying resolution. Satisfying doesn’t necessarily mean happy either. It means that the reader puts the book down and feels that, good or bad, it made sense—it satisfied the promise of the book and the expectations it set up.

So, as much fun as it was to write a cliffhanger ending, I’ve promised readers that I won’t do it again. And I’ll keep my promise because that’s playing fair.

Hey guys, The Awakening's out now so be sure to check it out!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

2009-05-01T17:27:00.008-06:00

When Chloe was younger, she lived in a house with a ghost in her basement. And they liked to scare her. Chloe's parents moved her away from the scary ghosts and now Chloe knows better. There are no such things as ghosts. And now, teenage Chloe Sauders has a dream.To live a perfectly normal life. One with friends, school and maybe even a special guy. Unfortunately, that is not going to be the case for Chloe. Instead, she starts seeing ghosts and knows that things will never be perfectly normal again.

The ghosts plaugue Chloe; begging for her attention and driving her crazy. And as soon as she breaks down,. she's admitted to a special house for disturbed kids where she's diagnosed with schizophrenia and is forced to take medication for her disorder Lyle House.At first, Lyle House seems just like any loony bin. But soon, Chloe starts to understand that things are not what they seem to be. As she grows closer to Simon and his intimdating brother Dereck and Tori, a girl who happens to have an affinity for "fire," she finds that she's not mad...but maybe..actually psychic?

The first book in a supernatural YA triology by Kelley Armstrong, the Summoning is Kelley Armstrong's first venture in the teen genre. And she makes the leap gracefully.Having read only one of her books, Bitten, the Summoning has convinced me to read more, at least after I worked my way through the rather unremarkable beginning.

Chloe is a likable character; it is easy to relate to her and to sympathize with her. What I really liked about her is that we weren't just told things about her, we were also showed them. For example, Chloe has an ambition to direct and write movies. Instead of just stating this, the whole book seems as if Chloe is comparing it to a movie with the good takes and the bad takes. That was one of my favorite bits of the novel.

The other characters in the novel are also interesting, especially because, at first, you think that every single person at Lyle House are all wackos too. The way that their respective relationships grow with each other and Chloe was fun to read about. Especially as more and more secrets were uncovered.

The plot is fairly unique and pretty engrossing, especially action picks up near the end. And then it leaves us with a horrible and painful cliff-hanger. Luckily, the Awakening is now out in stores so you can get your hands on it as soon as you finish The Summoning.

Overall, The Summoning is a fun supernatural read that many readers, YA and otherwise will enjoy. Be sure to pick this up next time you're at the bookstore.

Rating:
*Under this feature of Canada Month, every single of the books we post about deserves an 8-10 rating, in our opinions. AND on top of that, we're recommending these books to you. So be assured that we're only recommending our favorite books by Canadian authors...

ETA: whoops

2009-05-01T16:49:00.002-06:00

That was a scheduled post that my sister forgot to remove :) And we forgot to mention that Canadian Month has been extended for another week and all the giveaways are still open!

Peace, Love and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

2009-05-01T09:25:00.005-06:00

May 1, 2009
After spending her summer getting in touch with nature, 15 year old Carly decides to put aside her materialistic life and focus on the things that really matter. As in, things that are not related to money, clothes or appearances.

But when Carly comes home suffused in her new outlook on life, she is shocked to find out that her little sister, Anna has morphed into a barbie doll! As in, her former companion and dorky sister has turned into the sexy girl that all the guys lust after. Including the object of Carly's affections...

Along with her sister's transformation, Carly has to deal with a lack of acceptance from her best friend. Carly's new views of life set her apart from the main crowd, a fact only emphasized by her sister's complete transformation into a "Barbie."

Anna's change really shakes Carly and Anna herself, up. For one thing, Carly can't help but feel inferior to her newly hot sister, causing the two to grow apart. And on another, Carly can't seem to realize what her sister is going through and that the grass on the other side isn't always greener...

Eventually Carly whips her life back into shape with new and old friends who actually appreciate her for who she is. People who are real.

But when Anna's struck by a problem that only her sister can solve, both realize the true meaning of sisterhood.

I adore Lauren Myracle's TTYL series which has been one of my favorite YA rereads ever since...well...the first one came out! So obviously, I had some pretty high expectations from Peace, Love and Baby Ducks. And, she didn't disappoint me.

Being a sister myself, reading about Carly and Anna's relationship was really intruiging. Their relationship versus the one between my sister and I.

While it was fairly different from the ones my sisters and I have, the sisterly banter and their fights were all too realistic. In fact, pretty much everything was on target relaying to the characters in the novel. The parents, Cole (the "sexy, bad boy", Roger (who may or may not be Carly's ironic love boodle, the snobby girls at the Christian private school that Anna and Carly go to and Anna and Carly themselves.

It was really easy to picture the characters, and relate to them...or hate them, depending on who they were.

The only thing that kind of irked me was how blind Carly could be at times. There were some moments where I just wanted to dive into the book and shake her till she regained some common sense...

Anyways, the storyline was pretty good, I have to say. It was unique yet typical all at the same time. As in, it could have just been a generic storyline about a girl getting to know and accept herself as well as others. But instead, it was a heartwarming and HILARIOUS story about a wacky teenager and her sister and the way they dealt with the problems that were thrown at them.

Oh, and did I mention that it was really funny? I love the way that Lauren Myracle managed to tackle important problems while keeping the mood light and fun. It made for a really enjoyable read.

Anyways, so what was I saying?

Right.

So basically, on May 14th, you're going to want to head over to the bookstore to get yourself a copy. Because if you don't, you're really missing out on a great book!

Rating:
Originality: 9/10
Readability: 8/10
Characters: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.5/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Jaclyn Moriarty interview

2009-04-28T05:41:00.000-06:00

Jaclyn Moriarty the Australian/Canadian author of books such as Feeling Sorry for Celia, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie and the more recently released, Spell Book of Listen Taylor.

You can check out her blog here.

Have you always known you were going to be writer? Did anyone/thing inspire you to write and what is your favorite part of writing.

I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. My older sister used to write stories and at first I thought that was what everybody did in their spare time. (My sister’s name is Liane Moriarty and she’s now a very succesful author herself.)
I have two favourite parts of writing. One is when I’m working on a new idea for a book and I go out to cafes, eat chocolate and scribble ideas into notebooks. At that point, it feels like anything is possible, and I love the freedom and excitement of that. The other favourite part is getting letters from readers. That always makes me very, very happy.

What made you decide to write your novels in epistolary format? Did you ever have a pen pal and if so, how did they affect you? Do you think that the "Joy of the Envelope" is being lost?

When I was in high school, a friend of mine changed schools. So we decided to write letters to each other – even though she had switched to a school just down the road from mine. I loved getting letters from her, and we told each other all our secrets in our letters, and we became close friends as a result. So, when I wrote my first book, Feeling Sorry for Celia, I liked the idea of making it about a letter-writing exchange between two nearby schools. I didn’t mean the whole thing to be epistolary—but I found that I was adding so many letters and notes that eventually I thought, why not cut out the conventional narrative altogether?
And the Joy of the Envelope is definitely being lost. I just checked my mail and the envelopes were all bills. It’s the same every day.

Which of your characters do you think you were most like as a teenager? If you had to meet one of your characters which one would it be?

I think I was probably most like Elizabeth Clarry as a teenager. I don’t want to admit this, but I might have been a bit like Bindy Mackenzie too—I got too worried about schoolwork, and took things too seriously a lot of the time.
If I could meet one of my characters, I think I might choose Lydia because I can’t imagine meeting her without also meeting Emily, Cassie, Seb and Charlie. So, I’d get five characters for the price of one, which would be a bargain. I’d like to listen in to their conversations and make notes, which would be helfpul for future books.

The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie is different from the rest of your books, as the character isn't instantly likeable (though she does grow on one by the end of the novel), how did you expect the readers to react to the novel?

I liked the idea of writing a book about the least popular girl in the school, making the readers hate her as much as everyone at the school did, and then gradually making the readers (and the school) grow fond of her. Even though I did this on purpose, I still feel protective of poor Bindy Mackenzie when I hear people saying they don’t like her. I liked her all along, even with all her flaws.

I read on your blog recently that your next novel is going to be a ghost story. Any chance that you'll expand on that topic?

I’ve just finished writing my next novel, and it’s another Ashbury-Brookfield book. It’s about two mysterious, beautiful new strangers who start at Ashbury in the midst of a thunderstrom – a boy and a girl named Riley and Amelia. The other main characters are Lydia and Emily from The Year of Secret Assignments, and Toby from Bindy Mackenzie. And you are right, it’s a ghost story.

Now, In accordance with our theme, what does it mean to you to be Canadian? And, having lived in both Canada and Australia, do you find any significant differences between the two countries?

I think Canada and Australia are both big, beautiful countries with strong identities that somehow emerge from behind a cross-over of American and English influences. I think Australians and Canadians are both self-deprecating and proud at the same time, and both have a finely-tuned sense of irony. The main difference is that Australia doesn’t have a French-Australia, and Canada gets way too cold. (But actually I love Canadian winters. I love snow and ice.

Contest: The Year of Secret Assignments (CLOSED)

2009-04-26T14:13:00.006-06:00

(from Amazon)

In The Year of Secret Assignments, a tenth grade English teacher attempts to unite feuding schools by launching a pen-pal project. Best friends Cassie, Emily and Lydia initiate the correspondence, and are answered by Matthew, Charlie and Seb. Emily and Lydia are more than pleased with their matches, but quiet Cassie has a frightening experience with Matthew. When Lydia and Emily discover that Matthew has threatened their fragile friend, the Ashbury girls close ranks, declaring an all-out war on the Brookfield boys. Soon, the couples are caught up in everything from car-jacking and lock-picking, to undercover spying and identity theft.

This is one of my favourite books so I'm excited to be giving a copy away (and there'll be a review up tomorrow). US/Canadian residents only!
+1 Comment here (with a contact email)
+1 Post about this giveaway
+1 Relevant comments on any Jaclyn Moriarty related posts coming up
Contest ends in two weeks

Just a short clip (or two) to tide you over..

2009-04-26T09:36:00.003-06:00

April 26, 2009

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

2009-04-23T02:41:00.001-06:00

April 22, 2009
Anne of Green Gables is a Canadian classic! Or, really, it's pretty much just a classic. So if you haven't read it...go and pick it up. Or I won't talk with you anymore!

Today we have Amee, the former Ravenous Reader (and the current owner of Abe Book Reviews), with us. She kindly agreed to join us for Canadian Month to give her opinion on Anne of Green Gables for Canadian Month. She's super awesome, is she not? THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, AMEE!

If I were Stephen Harper, I'd totally give you honorary Canadian status. But you'll just have to settle with us thinking you're awesomewer than CARROTS.

And now, to her review of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. Remember, comments=entries to our prize back. So make sure you tell us what YOU think.
Anne of Green Gables by the awesome Canadian author L. M. Montgomery is one of my favorite books from when I was young. I didn’t actually read it until middle and then again in high school, but I have been watching the movie version with Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie since I can remember.

My copy shows the multiple reads in its worn cover with tape along the binding. I wouldn’t trade it in for a new copy though. I love my version of the cover and haven’t seen it on any others. It’s real similar to others but it shows Anne with her carpet bag instead of a book. It’s also at the train station instead of in front of Green Gables. I’m not sure why I like my cover more. Maybe because it’s been with me so long!

The story is one everyone is at least a little familiar with. Anne Shirley is an orphan adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert who really wanted a boy. Things work out though, and Anne stays on at Green Gables as the Cuthbert’s child. She has lots of adventures with her best friend Diana Barry, like the incident when Diana gets drunk on what the two assume is raspberry cordial but turns out to be red currant wine!

No book is complete without a special boy. Gilbert Blythe makes his feelings for Anne known but Anne only rewards him with a slate smashed over his head! Poor Gilbert. He has to wait until book three in the series before Anne realizes what a catch he is.

I couldn’t recommend this series enough. It has laughs, tears, adventure, romance, everything! It’s a definite must read for anyone of any age.

Thanks for having me Rabbits! It’s been a lot of fun. :)

Amee

Getting the Girl :A Guide to Private Investigation, Surveillance, and Cookery by Susan Juby

2009-04-21T21:38:00.003-06:00

April 22, 2009
Harewood Tech is just like every high school. It has it's pretty and popular girls, it's nerds, it's drama geeks...everyone, really. Except it has one extra group. The Defiled. At Harewood Tech, being Defiled is the worst fate that can befall a girl. It happens when, someone (no one knows who), posts a girl's picture in the bathroom with the letter "D" on it. From then on, that girl is a social leper. Because, of course, everyone starts to ignore and shun her.

The horrible act of defiling has gone on unchallenged for a pretty loonnnng time. That is, until Sherman Mack (a geeky, yet original, freshman learns that his crush, the beautiful and nice, Dini Trioli(despite the fact that Dini will neverever see him as a potential boyfriend..), might be next up on the list to be Defiled. And of course, Sherman doesn't want that to happen.

All it takes is the urging of his good friend, Vanessa, and Sherman Mack is investigating the who, the what and the why behind the Defiled.

I've always been kind of iffy with authors writing in first person from a perspective of the opposite gender of themselves. Oftentimes, it just comes off as completely and utterly unnatural. However, in Getting the Girl, Susan Juby's Sherman Mack is hilarious, realistic and completely easy to relate to. He's quirky, funny and as he relays the story of this investigation, he leaves nothing out. Even his fantasies about random female characters in the book.

The story idea itself, well, it's pretty terrific. There are many books on the hierarchy of high school; however, I think this one is one of my favorites. The problem is tackled uniquely and hilarity ensues along the way. I was laughing out-loud as I read Getting the Girl!

Along with Sherman Mack, Susan Juby's cast of characters is widespread and varied. Sherman's mother is a bartender who has a thing for burlesque dancing. Definitely not your typical mother...

His friends, those he has and those he meets along the way, all add extra flavor to the book. From the Trophy Wives that he befriends (or who befriend him) to his friend Vanessa, every single character is vital to the novel. Sherman's developing relationship with Vanessa is particularly interesting to read about...

I really don't have any qualms at all with Getting the Girl. In fact, it may as well be my favorite Susan Juby novel to date! Make sure you pick up Getting the Girl at a store near you! It's in paperback so it won't do too much damage to your wallet!

Rating:
*Under this feature of Canada Month, every single of the books we post about deserves an 8-10 rating, in our opinions. AND on top of that, we're recommending these books to you. So be assured that we're only recommending our favorite books by Canadian authors...

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Comment +1 to any giveaway of your choice (or we'll presume it's the main giveaway) Tell us what you think!

Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby

2009-04-19T15:47:00.005-06:00

One of the first authors that springs to mind when I think Canadian YA lit is Susan Juby. Her first book, Alice, I Think featuring the amazingly quirky and amusing adventures of a girl named Alice was a hit inside Canada and outside of it (giveaway of the second book of the series here). In fact the main character is so bizarre, that whether you loved her, hated her or questioned her sanity, you most definitely couldn't forget her. It was refreshing to read about a character who didn't try to fit in and preferred to revel in her strangeness. In fact, all of Susan Juby's character's ultimately choose to be themselves (no matter how strange or not strange they are).

Another Kind of Cowboy introduced to us more loveable and quirky characters. The novel is told from the point of view of two such characters, namely Alex and Cleo.

Alex has wanted to ride for as long as he could remember (in fact, as a child, he used to ride his bicycle around the neighbourhood pretending it was a horse). And, as a cowboy he's got the chance to do for years. But what he really wants to do is dressage (an English style of riding) and now, he's finally got that option.

Cleo is rich and bratty. After a rather stupid mistake, she finds herself exiled to a boarding school and enrolled in dressage lessons.

The two couldn't seem more different and yet they might just be exactly what the other one needs.

(Okay, I realize this isn't the best summary. But trust me, it's much, much better than I'm making it sound).

Don't rule this book out if you're not a horse fanatic (I'm not!), it's a fully relatable story about friendship and growing up. There's a lot going on in this book (Alex being truthful about his homosexuality, both of them dealing with family issues, alcohol and drugs, and of course, horses). Juby manages to pull all of these with relative ease-the book never seems overwhelmed.

And, of course, one of the best parts of the book (as with Juby's other books) was the sense of humour-there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

My only qualm was that it took a little while to adjust to the shifting points of view especially since Cleo's sections were in first person and Alex's were in third.

Nevertheless, if you're looking for a fun read with a high dose of humour, this is definitely one you'll want to pick up.

+1 for the Miss Smithers giveaway

Interview with Susan Juby

2009-04-19T10:38:00.005-06:00

April 19, 2009
Susan Juby is a Canadian author who was born in Smithers, BC. She's the author of Getting the Girl, Alice, I think, Miss Smithers, Alice MacLeod, Realist at Last and Another Kind of Cowboy. Be sure to check out her website at http://www.susanjuby.com/

Interview:> > Have you always known you were going to be an author? I hoped to be an author the way some people hope to be astronauts. It seemed about as likely, especially when I was a teenager and was not at all happy in school. It still feels like a dream come true. At least on the good days.

> What was your road to publication like?

It involved a lot of rejection. I began submitting Alice, I Think, my first novel in 1998. A lot of publishers felt it was too old for their teen readers and too young for their adult readers. Finally, a small Canadian press called Thistledown took a chance on it. The book did reasonably well and when I wrote a second one it was picked up by HarperCollins. I was very lucky that my first novel was published.

> > Could you tell us a bit about your writing routine? Do you have > any funny habits that you do when you're in the midst of writing?

I write first thing in the morning. I learned to do this because I wrote my first two books in the morning before work. I make coffee, always use the same cup, and write until I have at least two or three new pages. In the afternoons I edit or do research. I don't write in my bathrobe. That would make me feel like Michael Douglas in Wonderboys and then I'd spend all morning wondering what it's like to live with Catherine Zeta Jones and whether she's super high maintenance.

> Did you always mean to write in the YA genre?

No. It came as a complete surprise to me that my first novel was considered YA. I just happen to be most interested in writing about teens. For me, a good book is a good book, no matter what age group it's marketed to.

> > Alice, from your Alice series, is kind of a misfit yet she > doesn't seem to really care. What inspired you to write about > such a character and what do you hope readers will take from her > story?

I admire misfits with the courage and insight not to care what other people think of them. They are like a higher form of humanity. I was a weird kid and turned myself inside out trying to fit in and I still regret that.

> You've lately turned your hand at writing from the male > perspective, most recently Sherman's from Getting the Girl. Did > you find the transition difficult and do you have any other > books planned in the male perspective?

I love writing from a boy's POV. Writing is the best in that you get to live other lives from the inside out. Male coming of age stories are some of my very favourite books, like Catcher in the Rye, Rule of the Bone (Russell Banks), Lost in Place: Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia, Fargo Rock City (Chuck Klosterman.) I have three brothers. Maybe that's why I'm so obsessed with what growing up is like for boys. The project I'm working on now is a novel told in four alternating first person POVs. There are two female and two male narrators. One is a seventy year old man and he's a lot of fun to write.

If you had to pick a favorite book, out of the ones you've > written, which one would you pick and why?

I love Alice, I Think because I never imagined I'd ever complete a book. And then it got published! A miracle! I also really had a good time writing Sherman Mack in Getting the Girl. I feel quite maternal toward him.

> > So, tell us what we can expect to be seeing next from you (and > when). We'd all like to know!

I'm working on a non-fiction/memoir-y thing that is due to be out in spring 2010 and I'm hoping to be finished my novel for adults (and teens who don't mind copious quantities of swear words and books about treatment centers and show chickens) in another month or two. What happens after that is anyone's guess. The book is called The Republic of Dirt.

> > Writers are generally avid readers so I'm guessing that you > might be, as well. If so, what's on your TBR pile?

Christopher Moore's new book, Joker, and dozens of others that I can't remember. I'm also an audiobook fanatic and have several Agatha Christie books I'm listening to.> > What's your favorite part of being an author? Being able to dive into new characters and new worlds (such as the world of competetive show chickens) and calling it work. When readers like my books. When I get paid. Afternoon naps.

> > Is there anything else you'd like to share with your readers?

If you've got any money, please consider spending it on books. They are forever and the publishing industry is in crisis. (Also, don't be afraid to support your local independent bookseller!)

> > And, going with our theme, what does being Canadian mean to you as a citizen and as a writer?

I'm proud of being Canadian in that slightly shamefaced, slightly self-righteous way many of us are. I also seem much room for improvement. As a writer, I'm incredibly grateful that we nurture writers through the Canada Council and support our homegrown industry. I hope we as a society continue to value cultural producers. Also, I'd like our Prime Minister to know that I have only once been to a black tie gala and I wore a T-shirt. I have yet to meet a Canadian writer who spends his or her time swanning from gala to gala.

> > Thanks so much for your time, we really appreciate it. ;)

Thank YOU!

Remember to comment for your +1 entry into any giveaway of your choice :)

Giveaway of Miss Smithers (Arc copy) by Susan Juby (CLOSED)

2009-04-16T09:21:00.011-06:00

April 16, 2009

(from Amazon)
Six months have gone by since Alice, I Think and Alice MacLeod is making progress. She's got a friend, a boyfriend and, suddenly, a beauty pageant to win and 'zines to write. Join Alice as she experiments with fashion, religion, celibacy, house parties, drinking, martial arts and along the way, investigates what it means to be a good girl

The second book in the magnificent Alice series for Susan Juby! Enter here for your chance to WIN an ARC copy! US/Canadian residents only. Good luck!!!!

To enter:
+1 Comment here (with a contact email)
+1 Post about Canada Month on your blog
+1 Post about this giveaway
+1 Relevant comments on any Susan Juby related posts coming up
Contest ends on April 29, 2009 (CONTEST EXTENDED TILL MAY 7)

Good Luck!

Canadian Roadside Attractions

2009-04-15T16:04:00.007-06:00

For no particular reason at all, I thought I'd share some of Canada's most interesting roadside attractions.

Some of Canada's (greatest? aha..) attractions include....

The World's Largest Cookie Jar

World's Largest Western Boot

World's Largest Snowman

(no comment)
So what are some great roadside attractions in your country?
(All of the pictures above are from Large Canadian Roadside Attractions.)

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

2009-04-14T18:05:00.005-06:00

Little Brother was blurbed by the likes of Neil Gaiman and Scott Westerfeld. It's appeared on multiple best books of 2008 lists, received a ton of great reviews and is a contender for The Hugo Award for best novel.

Marcus, a seventeen year-old hacker, is skipping school with three of his friends when Bay Bridge is blown up. In the chaos, he and his friends are mistaken for perpetrators and captured by the police. They are taken to an unknown location where they are interrogated for days. When they're finally released, Marcus is shocked to discover the methods police use to "prevent terrorism" (which often include taken away citizens' rights).

He refuses to take this lying down-ultimately, deciding to take the problem into his own hands. He's a smart, technologically aware teen and soon he's found himself leading a following of people, devoted to exposing the government's misdemeanors.

At first, I found the book engaging, informative (but still interesting) and hard to put down. However, subtle would not be the best word to describe the book. It's filled with paragraphs explaining technology (such as LARPing, gait-recognition software, etc.) and paragraphs that almost seem to lecture you. On one hand, I knew very little about the technology Marcus described and the way it was presented was easy to understand and in some cases, absolutely fascinating. But, on the other hand, those moments tended to take me out of the story. Sometimes I felt as if the book sacrificed a better-developed plotline and characters for the message.

Still, the novel's an excellent way to spark a discussion-the exact discussion that needs to be had at a point where we all rely on technology so much (without fully understanding it) and how easy it would be for our rights to be taken away.

Little Brother is also a coming-of-age novel. By the end of the novel, Marcus had made a lot of mistakes (and learned from them..most of the time), fallen in love and grown up. He's a smart, believable character just like the novel (in fact, the novel's premise is frighteningly realistic). Despite my problems with the book, I would still recommend reading it (the book's also available for free online, if you want to check that out.)

3/5

*Comment for +1 in the main giveaway*

For more information, check out the

author's guest blog at Whatever.

author's site.

Guest Blog: Deborah Kerbel (author of Mackenzie, Lost and Found)

2009-04-13T10:46:00.000-06:00

April 13, 2009

Today Deborah Kerbel has kindly offered to join us in celebrating Canadian month with a very interesting guest post! She's the author of Mackenzie, Lost and Found, the summary of which is found after the guest blog.

Canadians and Americans have a lot in common.

A lot.

To start with, we’re geographically fused, we both love President Obama, and we both insist that the world’s most popular sport is called ‘soccer’ not ‘football’.

Canadians and Americans also look a lot alike, dress a lot alike, and, to the rest of the world, we even sound a lot alike. In fact, when Canadians travel beyond the broad borders of our awesome country, people usually find it difficult to distinguish us from Americans. In order to set ourselves apart, we have to attach Maple Leaf tags to our clothes and bags in a feverish attempt to remind the world that we are a unique, open-minded, and culturally vibrant country…not just an extension of the United States.

But when Canadians write books, Maple Leaf tags aren’t necessary. That’s because there are some subtle literary clues that give us away every time.

And so I present to you 10 tell-tale signs that the book you’re reading was probably written by a Canadian:

#10 - any references to snow and cold are so hyper-realistically described that you feel the urge to jump into a hot bath after reading them.

#9 - you stumble over bizarrely-spelled words (favour, colour, centre, etc.) certain that some lazy-ass proofreader has let a ton of typos slip.

#8 - you wonder why so many characters are sitting on chesterfields, eating beaver-tails and drinking pop out of a tin.

#7 – you’re baffled by the fact that most of the characters struggle with an inferiority complex.

#6 – and how none of them ever seem to get offended…or offend anyone else.

#5 – and how every male character over the age of forty is named “Gord”.

#4 - your Kindle keeps pronouncing ‘about’ as ‘aboot’ when switched to read-aloud mode.

#3 – you can’t figure out where you left off reading because the pages are all numbered according to the metric system.

#2 – the main character fights off home invaders with a hockey stick instead of a baseball bat

And the #1 tell-tale sign that the book you’re reading was probably written by a Canadian…

#1 – the author is clutching a ‘double-double’ in the back cover photo! (And if you don’t know what a ‘double-double’ is, email me for the answer.)

Deborah Kerbel lives and writes just north of the 44th Parallel in Thornhill, Ontario. Her YA novel, Mackenzie, Lost and Found is rife with ‘Canadian-ness’!

Thank you for joining us today, Deborah!

Remember guys, +1 to any giveaway of your choice for relevantly commenting on the guest post and make sure to stay tuned for some more giveaways which may or may not be appearing here veryverysoon!

AND don't forget to check out Deborah Kerbel's book, Mackenzie, Lost and Found!

Fifteen-year-old Mackenzie Hill knows something is up when she arrives home to find her father making a home-cooked dinner, instead of his standard delivery pizza. But nothing prepares her for the bombshell announcement: Mackenzie and her dad, alone since the death of her mother a year ago, are moving to Jerusalem, where her father has taken a position as a visiting professor at a university. The adjustment from life in Canada to life in Israel is dramatic - though it's eased somewhat when Mackenzie is befriended by an American girl in her new school. The biggest shock of all comes when Mackenzie faces the wrath of her new friends, new community, and even her own father after she begins dating a Muslim boy.

A little hint!

2009-04-13T01:13:00.000-06:00

Yet another Trivia Question + Contest Entry

2009-04-12T01:20:00.000-06:00

April 12, 2009

My sister was supposed to have a bunch of posts written for the next week HOWEVER she is out of commission due to the attack of some gross bacteria.

This, however, will be to YOUR advantage. Because it's late and I'm too lazy to write something long and educational...it's time for a TRIVIA QUESTION!

To enter,
This time, per suggestion, you have to email us the answer with the subject :TRIVIA #2 and indicate which contest it is that you want an extra entry too (Main giveaway, cracked up to be, i know it's over etc)!

And also, please post a comment saying that you entered! It'll make it so much easier for us later when we go to the drawing etc.

Got it?

OKAY!
Now it's time for the question!

What war did the Canadians kick the United States's butt in?

Hope you learnt your history!

Giveaway of CRACKED UP TO BE (CLOSED)

2009-04-11T10:07:00.003-06:00

April 11, 2009

Okay, so you've read the review, read the author's awesome interview...and now it's time for you to READ THE BOOK! Courtney Summers has kindly agreed to donate a copy of her novel sooo it's GIVEAWAY TIME!

To Enter:
+1 Entry if you comment on this post
+ 1 for posting elsewhere about Canada Month and linking me to it
+1 Entry if you post this contest on your blog/let other people know somehow and LEAVE THE LINK HERE
+1 for commenting on Courtney Summers Interview
+1 for commenting on the review of Cracked Up to Be
(CONTEST EXTENDED TO MAY 7)
Residents of US/Canada only please!

Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

2009-04-10T09:23:00.003-06:00

April 10, 2009

Parker Fadely has just undergone a dramatic transformation. She's done a complete 180. Formerly the head cheerleader, exemplary student and perfect girlfriend, Parker's grades have dropped, her mood has plummeted and she can't really convince herself to give a damn about anything.

No one can figure out what to do with the new Parker. Not her old friends, her ex-boyfriend, her parents or even Jake, the new guy in town. No one can help Parker, no one but herself since only she can reveal the why of her change and take the steps to save herself.

Only thing is, she doesn't want to. She can't go back to being the girl she once was, or even be happy again. Because what she did was terrible and she feels as if she doesn't deserve to move on.

Okay. What can I say about Cracked Up to Be? First of all, it's completely different from most YA novels. Usually the protagonists are nice people who clearly DESERVE their happy endings. Parker is not one of these lead characters. She's rude (bitchy even!), ungrateful and a complete mess. At times, I wanted to magically appear in the book and shake some sense into her! However, despite her faults, she's quirky; her comments often elicited me to smirk while reading. She's someone you want to get better, just because she's Parker. So, gogo Courtney Summers for that!

Also, I love the way she revealed the event that caused Parker to lose control on everything. It's told in snippets, and it's not predictable. The flashbacks only serve to amp up the suspense; the more you read the more you want to know.

Cracked Up to Be was an amazing book; there is lots in there that many teens can relate too. Pressure, the twists and turns of friendships and just plain ol' high school life are elaborated on within this complex novel.

I don't want to talk much more about specifics, it would ruin the novel for you. All I'll add is that it's incredibly emotional, intriguing and one of the best novels, in my opinion, of this year. And it's written by a Canadian author! (Woot!)

And so, if you haven't read this one YET, you have got to get your hands on it. It's a book that will resonate with long after you've read it.

Rating:
*Under this feature of Canada Month, every single of the books we post about deserves an 8-10 rating, in our opinions. AND on top of that, we're recommending these books to you. So be assured that we're only recommending our favorite books by Canadian authors...

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

INTERVIEW WITH COURTNEY SUMMERS

2009-04-09T10:52:00.001-06:00

April 9, 2009

Courtney Summers is a Canadian author who is currently preparing for a zombie attack. Along with that, Courtney Summers spends her time making music on a piano and, of course, writes. A typical Canadian *woot*, her hero is Pierre Trudeau (look it up if you don't know who he is...) Finally, as per her author bio, she really would like to meet you if you're a volcano, so I thought I'd pass that on, on the off chance that you are. If you want to know more about Courtney, check out her website at http://courtneysummers.ca/

Cracked Up to Be, your debut novel, was published last December. Tell us a little about your journey to publication.
My journey to publication is fairly straightforward. Cracked Up to Be was the fourth novel I wrote. The three before were queried, rejected, rejected again and then retired. With CUTB, I began querying agents in June of 2007 and was fortunate enough to pique the interest of the amazing Amy Tipton at FinePrint Literary Management. She requested the full and shortly after, offered representation. We did some minor edits together and the book went out on submission at the end of August. By mid-September, my rock star editor at St. Martin's Press made an offer and the rest is history! :)

Were there any big differences from the original first draft to the final manuscript of Cracked Up to Be?
In the original draft, Parker cheated on Chris as part of her plan to alienate everyone. My editor and I decided to remove this aspect of the story because not only was it incredibly unlikeable move, it was inconsistent with her attitude towards another character's similar actions. There was another fairly major change we made, but I can't really say what it was without giving too much away. For those who have read the book, chapter nineteen got a bit of an overhaul. Originally, Becky was present for that moment and it ended in a way that didn't sit well with some readers... vague, I know, but I don't want to spoil it!

I really loved the premise of Cracked Up to Be, which revolved around the worst thing that the main character, Parker, had done and how it had affected her. What gave you the idea for the novel?
Thank you! I just knew I wanted to write a novel that was centered around the question, "what's the worst thing you've ever done?" and had an abrasive female main character. After figuring out what the worst thing was, the novel sort of fell into place from there. I wish I could say they
all came together as easily as that, but alas.

Parker is unlike most heroines in the YA genre. She's abrasive and closed-off, yet she's such a raw character to read about. Where did you get your inspiration for Parker?
The notion that girls must always be nice and always be likeable at the expense of all else--especially themselves--is one that frustrates me soo much. I wanted Parker to be the antithesis of that.

What was your favorite part to write in Cracked Up to Be? What was the hardest?
The hardest parts in Cracked Up to Be to write were the moments where Parker had to be vulnerable and emotionally honest. Writing a novel in first person with a character who is in the kind of denial she's is in for most of the book was quite challenging at times. My favourite... I liked the parts where Parker crossed lines, when she was trying her hardest to be offensive. They were fun to write.

Did you listen to music while writing Cracked up to Be? Do you have a playlist for CUTB?
I listened to loads of music while writing Cracked Up to Be and I did have a playlist, but I lost it when my laptop died! Sadness. Matthew Good Band's Anti-Pop fits Parker perfectly and I listened to it a lot. From what I can remember, The Stills' Changes Are No Good, The Shins' Caring is Creepy and The Violent Femmes' Kiss Off were also on a loop.

Do you have any upcoming projects and can you tell us anything about them?
I just finished (yay!) a round of revisions for my next novel, Some Girls Are (the title may change). It's coming out in 2010 from St. Martin's Press. It's about very, very mean girls.

Generally, authors tend to be avid readers. What's on your TBR pile?
As soon as I'm done revisions on Some Girls Are, I'm diving into the last two books of The Twilight Saga, Evermore by Alyson Noel and The Boys are Back in Town by Christopher Golden. I'm also really looking forward to C.K. Kelly Martin's next book (out in May), One Lonely Degree, K.L. Going's King of the Screw Ups and Sarah MacLean's The Season (which is out a little early everywhere but Canada--sob!).

Do you have any advice for any aspiring writers?
If it's what you want to do, don't let anyone talk you out of it. Go straight at it.

Now, In accordance with our theme, what does it mean to you to be Canadian? What is your favorite thing and least favorite thing of being Canadian?
Pierre Trudeau referred to Canada as "this country we carry within ourselves," and I take these words to heart. I love Canada and I'm very proud to be Canadian. My favorite thing about being a Canadian? There's so much! I've been sitting here trying to narrow it down, but it's impossible, so I'm just going to say my favourite thing about being a Canadian is Trailer Park Boys. :) My least favourite thing about Canada is our eagerness to define ourselves by what we're not.

And finally, does being a Canadian author rock or what?
It TOTALLY rocks!

Does Courtney rock or what? Make sure you check out her debut novel, CRACKED UP TO BE, as soon as possible!And don't forget to come back soon...there may just be a giveaway coming up. :)

Happy Reading,

Reader Rabbit

Comment for +1 in the Main Giveaway and POTENTIALLY ANOTHER giveaway of CRACKED UP TO BE!

And stay TUNED for a review of CRACKED UP TO BE COMING SOON (like, as in, tomorrow!)

Random Trivia Question & Another Contest Entry

2009-04-08T10:53:00.001-06:00

April 8, 2009

If you ANSWER this right, you get +1 entry to either our Main Giveaway OR the giveaway of I Know It's Over!

(Indicate in your comment)
This is a ridiculously easy question, guys! Try not to copy the commenter before you~!! (yeah, right)...

Soooo...

What is/are Canada's official language(s) and what is Canada's official "culture"?

Giveaway of a SIGNED COPY of I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly (CLOSED)

2009-04-07T06:11:00.002-06:00

Okay.

So you've read our review.
You've read her guest post.

And you know she's awesome. And so you obviously want to read her book! And guess what? HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNED COPY OF I KNOW IT'S OVER! (I'm going to be sooo jealous of the winner...)

To Enter:
+1 Entry if you comment on this post
+ 1 for posting elsewhere about Canada Month and linking me to it
+1 Entry if you post this contest on your blog/let other people know somehow and LEAVE THE LINK HERE
+1 for commenting on CK Kelly Martin's Guest Blog
+1 for commenting on the review of I Know It's Over

Enter now! The contest ends on the 29th of April EXTENDED TILL MAY 7

(Residents of the US/Canada only please!)

GOOD LUCK

Guest Blog- Same Sex Marriage in Canada: "Separate but Equal is Not Equal" by CK Kelly Martin

2009-04-06T09:28:00.005-06:00

CK Kelly Martin, a Canadian author, is a graduate of York University with a B.A. in Film Studies (but spent the majority of her time as an English major.) She then headed to Dublin, Ireland and proceeded to start writing her first novel in a flat there. Now she's back in Canada and resides near Toronto with her husband. CK Kelly Martin's first novel, I Know It's Over, came out in 2008 and her next novel, One Lonely Degree, will be out in May 2009.

CK Kelly Martin kindly agreed to do a guest post for us, so enjoy it. I know I did...

Same-Sex Marriage in Canada: “Separate but equal is not equal”

In 1967 Everett Klippert became the last Canadian to be arrested and imprisoned for homosexuality. Thirty-eight years later Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. That’s a long, long road and as lengthy as it was, the road elsewhere is far longer. The passing of Proposition 8 in California this past November was an enormous disappointment to U.S. (and other) proponents of gay rights. Even new President Barack Obama, who seems like the personification of enlightenment compared with George W. Bush, doesn’t support homosexual marriage but instead believes same-sex couples should be able to enter into civil unions with all the legal benefits of marriage.

Legal benefits are important. But they’re not everything. The word “marriage” has a weight that reaches beyond legal benefits and obligations. Even now, when the divorce rate for most Western countries is upwards of 35%.
Then Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin explained the problem with the concept of civil unions in his February 2005 Bill C-38 speech on same-sex marriage.
“…some have counselled the government to extend to gays and lesbians the right to “civil union”. This would give same sex couples many of the rights of a wedded couple, but their relationships would not legally be considered marriage. In other words, they would be equal, but not quite as equal as the rest of Canadians.

The courts have clearly and consistently ruled that this option would offend the equality provisions of The Charter [of Rights and Freedoms]. For instance, the British Columbia Court of Appeal stated that, and I quote: “Marriage is the only road to true equality for same sex couples. Any other form of recognition of same sex relationships... falls short of true equality”.
Put simply, we must always remember that “separate but equal” is not equal.”

If civil unions held the same weight as marriage there would be no fight for or against the right of same-sex couples to marry; the fight would concentrate solely on civil partnerships. What people are truly saying if they oppose gay marriage is that same-sex relationships are somehow a lesser thing than their heterosexual counterparts. Not equal. Not the real thing.
Thankfully this is not how the majority of Canadians feel. A bi-national survey conducted by the Strategic Counsel for CTV and The Globe and Mail in June showed that 70% of us support gay marriage. In 2005 that number was 55%. Strategic Counsel's Peter Donolo commented to CTV.ca that he thinks the jump in support, “points to the reality being a lot less threatening to people than the concept.”

I hope our neighbours to the south come to this realization in greater numbers soon. But in the meantime there’s no reason to get complacent up here. Prime Minister Harper may have backed off the idea of overturning Canada’s same-sex marriage law but there are still battles for acceptance to be fought in our communities. In November a lesbian couple in Ontario were assaulted as they waited outside a school with other parents. Jane Currie and Anji Dimitriou were both punched in the cheek as Currie’s six-year-old son watched and screamed. In September twenty-seven-year-old Jordan Smith was swarmed and sucker-punched after he was seen holding hands with another man on a Vancouver street. Smith suffered a broken jaw.
Times have changed but not everybody has changed with them. As Paul Martin said in 2005, “If we do not step forward, then we will step back.” It’s up to all of us to stand against hate and intolerance and for true equality. That fight continues…

Some key facts and dates regarding the history of homosexual rights in Canada
1965
In the Northwest Territories Everett Klippert is charged and later convicted as a dangerous sexual offender for having sexual relationships with other men. His indefinite jail term sparks a public debate in Canada.

December 21, 1967
Minister of Justice Pierre Trudeau introduces Omnibus Bill (Bill C-150) to the House of Commons. The bill seeks to decriminalize homosexuality, contraception and some abortions. Trudeau famously states, “There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. And I think what’s done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code."
May 14, 1969
Bill C-150 is signed into law. Any consensual sexual activity between two adults is decriminalized.
1979:
The Canadian Human Rights Commission recommends in its Annual Report that "sexual orientation" be added to the Canadian Human Rights Act.
May 2, 1980:
Bill C-242, an act which would prohibit discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, gets its first reading in the House of Commons. The bill fails. Similar bills introduced by MP Svend Robinson (who later becomes the first openly gay Member of Parliament) in 1983-1991 are also defeated.
1996:
The federal government passes Bill C-33 which adds "sexual orientation" to the Canadian Human Rights Act.

May 1999
The Supreme Court of Canada upholds lower court rulings that found the definition of spouse as a “man and woman” under Ontario’s Family Law Act violates the Charter of Rights. The Supreme Court says that same-sex couples should have the same benefits and obligations as heterosexual common-law couples.
April 11, 2000
Parliament passes legislation (Bill C-23) which gives same-sex couples the same social and tax benefits as heterosexuals in common-law relationships.

April 1, 2001
The Netherlands becomes the first country to legalize gay marriage.

June 10, 2003:
The Ontario Court of Appeal upholds a lower court ruling to legally allow same-sex marriages.
July 8, 2003:
British Columbia becomes the second province to legalize same-sex marriages.

March 19, 2004:
The Quebec Court of Appeal rules that the traditional definition of marriage is discriminatory and that same-sex couples have the right to marry.
Dec. 9, 2004:
The Supreme Court of Canada rules that the federal government can change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples.

Feb. 1, 2005:
The federal government introduces its same-sex marriage bill in the House of Commons. The bill seeks to give married same-sex partners the same legal recognition as heterosexual married couples but also protects religious freedoms. "No church, no temple, no synagogue, no mosque, no religious official will be asked or forced to perform a marriage that is contrary to their beliefs," says Prime Minister Paul Martin.

July 20, 2005:
Having passed a final reading in the House of Commons with a 158-133 vote, Bill C-38 giving same-sex couples the legal right to marry, receives royal assent and becomes law making Canada the fourth country in the world to legalize gay marriage (after the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.) South Africa and Norway have since also legalized same-sex marriages.

Yay for equal rights! (Yet another perk about being Canadian.) Thanks for contributing, CK! We really appreciate it.-RR

Be sure to pick up I KNOW IT'S OVER at your next book store visit. And don't forget to PREORDER One Lonely Degree, it's definetely at the top of MY list.

I Know It's Over by CK Kelly Martin

2009-04-05T09:01:00.007-06:00

April 5, 2009
On Christmas Eve, Nick's ex-girlfriend comes over unexpectedly to tell him something important To tell him that she's pregnant. We flashback to earlier that year, in the summer when all Nick wants is to have fun. That is, until Nick met Sasha. Soon enough, the two are together in an intense relationship and Nick doesn't even mind. In fact, he loves it. But then Sasha breaks up with him, saying that she needs to have a breather and get some space. Nick can't comprehend why she's broken up with him and he can' seem to get over her. And then that life-changing Christmas Eve happens..

The revelation confuses Nick, who wants to be part of Sasha's decision to keep or to abort the baby. Only, she doesn't want Nickto have much to do with it, especially because they've broken up. It is only through the support of their parents, friends and ultimately each other that the two can get through the crisis.

When I picked up this novel, I had pretty high expectations since everyone seemed to love it. And luckily, I Know it Over met and even surpassed my expectatations...

So much is compacted in this novel. Obviously the book deals with teen pregnancy and the decision to have an abortion or keep the baby but it also tackles the problems associated with divorce along with the obstacles faced by some concerning their sexuality. The commendable aspect of all this is how it never felt like the issues were tackled too quickly; everything was explored and emphasized the point that there are never any easy answers in life.

The ways that the characters deal with all their problems were realistic; there were no miracles and everything was plausible. One of my favorite things about the novel was how it was done in Nick's POV. Usually novels about teen pregnancy take on the voice of the female dealing with the situation. Having the book in Nick's perspective really put a new spin on the topic.

The characters themselves were very well-developed and easy to relate with. Each and every single one of them could have just leapt off the page and come to life. The cast is too much to get into in such a short space but let it be known that you'll pretty much care about each of them by the end of the novel.

Overall? I Know It's Over is a book every teen should pick up. In fact, everyone can pretty much enjoy this novel. (However, let it be known that there are certain scenes that younger readers might not be prepared for.) Anyways...

Make sure you buy yourself a copy now! The paperback release will be out on April 28, 2009.

Rating:
*Under this feature of Canada Month, every single of the books we post about deserves an 8-10 rating, in our opinions. AND on top of that, a recommendation from us. So be assured that we're only recommending our favorite books by Canadian authors...

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Interview: Neesha Meminger

2009-04-04T12:29:00.001-06:00

Neesha Meminger is a Canadian author whose debut novel, Shine Coconut Moon, was released this March. Born in India, Neesha immigrated with her family to Canada in the 1970s. She now splits her time between New York and Toronto and has two little munchkins of her own. If you want to find out more about Neesha (which you do), visit her website at http://www.neeshameminger.com/ .

To start this off, could you sum up your book in 10 words for those who haven't read it yet?

Samar learns about her heritage after estranged uncle shows up. [Sheesh, that was hard! Especially for a novelist who's used to telling things in no less than 200 pages! ;)]

Samar's uncle experiences alot of violence/racism because of the way he dresses. Have you or anyone close to you been victim to something so horrible?

Samar's uncle does experience some of the post-9/11 backlash because to some people, the way he looks resembles media images of terrorists (with the beard, mustache and turban).

The first and most vivid experience I had of racism was when I was very young and the gurdwara (Sikh temple) next door to us was set aflame by young arsonists. They had painted racial slurs and messages on the walls and thrown hand-made molotov cocktails through the windows. I didn't really understand it all completely, but I knew that we were not wholly welcome in our new home.

In the novel, Samar is described as a "coconut", brown on the outside-white on the inside. Do you feel that you were a coconut when you were in high school? Did people know you were "Indian" or did they mistake you for some other race, as some did to Samar in the novel?

My experience was very different from Samar's. I knew I was Indian, without a shadow of a doubt. We spoke Punjabi at home, my mother cooked only Indian food, and I was forced to wear salwaar-kameez suits on weekends. In retrospect, I'm glad for all those things. At the time, I loathed it because it made me feel different from my peers which, as we all know, is what it's ALL about in high school. But, I also didn't fit into the Indian community -- I was too "westernized." :P. So, there was really no category for me and I actually felt a lot like a coconut, but more like brown on the outside and bland/confused on the inside.

People made inaccurate assumptions about my background and nationality all the time. Sometimes I corrected them; other times I just couldn't be bothered -- it got a bit tiring, you know?

What do you hope people will take away from reading Shine Coconut Moon?

I hope people will question some of their assumptions if they have any. But mostly, I hope people will connect with the characters. I fell in love with Samar and her family and hope readers will feel the same.

Your next novel, Jazz in Love is currently under consideration. Could you tell us a little bit about it?

JAZZ IN LOVE is about a young, Indian girl living with traditional parents who fancy themselves modern -- yet want to set her up with the perfect match: a podiatrist from Canada. Jazz, however, has her own ideas about what she wants for her future and is about to do the unthinkable by risking her parents' Ultimate Punishment to find true love.

What does it mean to you to be Canadian? What is your favorite thing and least favorite thing of being Canadian?

Funnily, I never thought much about being Canadian until I moved to the States :D. Once I was here, though, I felt more Canadian than I ever had in my life. My favorite thing about being Canadian is that I can proudly say I come from a progressive nation that has, thus far anyway, made health care accessible to all citizens.

My least favorite is that I can only find butter tarts in Canada. I have been woefully butter-tart-less for over a decade.

What is your take on Canadian culture. Are we really all just divided in our racial subcultures, as many people say? Or is there something that links us all?

I guess, because I grew up in Toronto, I didn't see much division in terms of "racial subcultures." I could walk down the street and pass a Filipino grocery store, a Sri Lankan video store, and a Portuguese bakery, all within a few blocks of one another. Not so in the U.S. I found the U.S. to be far more racially and ethnically segregated. Here, people make automatic assumptions about who lives in certain areas. For instance, cab drivers would refuse to take me to Brooklyn a few years ago, even though it was literally right across the bridge; a ten minute ride from lower Manhattan.

Since you live in America now, what do you think is different between the United States and Canada and why?

The U.S. does everything BIG and HUGE and SENSATIONAL, while Canada is quieter and more subdued. Not sure what the reason for this might be, though I've always seen the Canada-U.S. relationship as one of siblings. The more vocal, assertive older sibling next to the quieter, shyer one. And little sibs often look up to their big brothers and sisters, try to emulate them, adore them, follow in their footsteps . . . until they figure out who they are on their own. Then they're off to let their own personalities shine :).

Why do you think people struck out against innocent people in the wake of 9/11? How can we limit racism?

I think a lot of it was simply misdirected fear and anger. That's usually what these kind of attacks stem from -- a fear that someone is taking over, taking "our" jobs, stealing "our" things, etc. It's ignorance. Limiting racism and limiting any other kind of "ism" is really about equitable distribution of resources (in other words, making sure that people have adequate health care, their kids are safe, there's enough food and clean water, etc.) and a really solid, quality education system.

What's the least favorite question you've ever been asked in an interview? Answer it! (Just kidding.)

I don't really have a least favorite! I love interacting with readers and questioning people :).

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

Somewhere where it's summertime, and in the mountains.

Thanks so much for this interview, Neesha.

Make sure to check out SHINE, COCONUT MOON next time you're at the book store!

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

*remember +1 entry to the main giveaway for commenting!

Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger

2009-04-03T01:45:00.004-06:00

April 3, 2009

Samar, or Sam as she calls herself, is a coconut. That is, someone who's brown on the outside but white on the inside. Her mother only helps contribute to Sam's disconnection to her heritage. She's abandoned her parents and their old-fashioned lifestyle and hasn't even allowed Sam to meet her grandparents.

But it's not like Sam cares. She has her own friends, a cute boyfriend and a modern life to keep up with. Then everything changes with the tragedy of 9/11.

Because of 9/11, atrocious acts of violence were committed against those who appeared different. In the novel, these acts begin to nudge Sam into discovering her heritage.

And then a man in a turban shows up, a man that Sam has never met before. It turns out that he's her mother's brother. Her uncle. And he's there to teach her about her Sikh heritage.

Becuase of her mother's attitude towards her parents and their religion, Sam is forced to seek answers in secret. Her uncle takes her to visit a gurdwara, or a Sikh temple. He reconciles her with her grandparents. As violence affects her more personally, with teenage boys attacking her uncle and the gurdwara being set on fire, Sam begins to question her existence as a "coconut." And all the while, Sam has to connect the person she was with the person she is becoming. She has to deal with the evolving relationships of her friends and her boyfriend and see who really loves her for who she is.

My sister and I both face the opposite problem that Sam did. Our parents adore "our" culture and are constantly pushing us into it. It was refreshing to read about Sam's quest to find her culture, rather than "abandoning our culture and becoming white" as our parents eloquently claim. (RR1: Yes, they are indeed a wee bit unstable. )

Sam's mission to discover her heritage and her family is provoked and yet plagued by 9/11. Sam's (and the other characters') takes and reactions to 9/11 seem realistic and it is interesting to see the reactions of Sam's friends and the reaction of other "colored" people. Having lived in Canada, the upheaval of 9/11 was to a much lesser degree, to the point where (disregarding the news), people mostly seemed to forget about it. Thus, reading about it in Shine, Coconut Moons was an eye-opening experience and seeing it through a teenager's eyes was intriguing; it made the event seem only that much more real. A+ for the plot.

The entire cast of characters in the novel are also extremely well done. As the main character, Sam plays her role wonderfully. She's easy to relate to (with issues that all teens face, on top of her desire to discover her heritage) and dynamic. Sam's mother also plays an integral role and she plays it well. The funny bit about it all was, at times it was easier for me to relate with her mother rather than Samar...hmm.
Sam's uncle was the guide for Sam in her mission to find her family and culture, a role that he took on well. However, he was a more static character, despite his importance.

Sam's best friend and boyfriend both served as contrasting roles. At the beginning, they sometimes seemed the same...as people who both didn't understand or want to understand Sam's culture and why she had to discover her heritage. However, as the book progressed, one was revealed to be an ignoramus (RR1: Just like RR2! Oh, burn!) and the other proves to be loyal and supportive till the end.

Samar's grandparents, however, hm. I didn't like them. Maybe it was just me but, they really brought out some grr feelings. (RR1: Yes, I realize that what I just said isn't exactly the most articulate..) I did love how her grandma called Sam "beta". Which, oddly enough, is what my grandmother calls me.(RR1: US) Only, she doesn't speak the same language as Sam's family...but whatever. It was interesting.

Anyways, what was I getting at? They still seemed like the overbearing parents that Samar's mother ran away from. But then again, that was realistic for them. It would be unreasonable to expect a few years to completely transform them, especially considering how set in their ways they were...

To the point? If you haven't figured it out now, Shine, Coconut Moon is a terrific book that most teens will enjoy. It's a coming of age novel, a self-discovery novel and just a plain ol' teen life novel wrapped in one. (Does that make any sense?) There's pretty much something for everyone here and I advise you to check it out!

Rating:
*Under this feature of Canada Month, every single of the books we post about deserves an 8-10 rating, in our opinions. AND on top of that, a recommendation from us. So be assured that we're only recommending our favorite books by Canadian authors...

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit 1 and 2

PS: Remember, post a comment for an extra entry to our prize pack giveaway. (A relevant comment...) And, stay tuned for even more giveaways!

The Ultimate Canadian Book Giveaway (+ some other books) CLOSED)

2009-04-02T04:27:00.007-06:00

April 2, 2009

A feature isn't complete without a main giveaway and soooo...(this also means that we have even MORE giveaways coming up...)
TADA

We'll be giving away (our own) copies of:
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers (paperback)
Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year by Amy Belasen and Jacob Osborn (paperback)
Raven by Alison Van Diepen (hardcover)
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (paperback)
The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty (hardcover)
Brothers Far From Home by Jean Little (hardcover)
Revealers by Amanda Marrone (paperback)
Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills (ARC)
The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby (ARC)
Just One Wish by Janette Rallison (ARC)

Some of these books are written by Canadians (ie: Cracked Up to Be and Brother Far From Home). Others are written by residents of Canada like Alison Van Diepen who works in Ontario as well as Jaclyn Moriarty's The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie who lives in Canada for part of the year and Australia for the rest. And finally, some books are just completely random ones that we want to bestow on one of you. (Sorry international readers, we just can't afford to send out of Canada/US)

Anyways.
TO ENTER:
+1 Entry if you comment on this post
+1 Entry if you post this contest on your blog
+1 Entry if you comment on our other features (relevant comments)

And make sure you leave an email to contact us with IF you win!!

Contest ends on April 29th (CONTEST EXTENDED TILL MAY 7)

SO ENTER NOW

And remember, we have a whole bunch more giveaways coming up for books that YOU want!

-Reader Rabbit 1 and 2

Canadian Month

2009-04-01T13:00:00.006-06:00

So, after a year of planning, procrastinating and slacking (I totally ruined the alliteration there..), we've finally gotten the time, the resources and the invaluable participation of certain authors to bring Canadian month TO YOU ALL.

While this month should TYPICALLY be held in July, we've decided to be a bit unconventional and spring this upon you all in April. Because I like April. (And btw, for those of you who haven't caught on, that earlier post was an APRIL FOOLS' JOKE! SUCKAS!)

Okay. So this month is gonna be a bit of a shakeup from our regular borrrrinng blogging schedule.

We're going to have a whole bunch of awesome authors stop by, some with interviews, some with guestblogs and all of which who are somehow affiliated with CANADA.

On top of that, we'll have a few guest reviews as well...one from a blogger who went into hiding but came out ESPECIALLY for us. While these guest reviewers are not Canadian, they'll be discussing Canadian books...and you know what? I'm going to deem them as HONORARY Canadians for being so generous with their time. Cos, you know, I totally have the power to do that.

And finally, we're going to be having some contestsss. The first which will be posted sometime today or EARLY tomorrow. So make sure you stop by soon.

So are you ready for a month full of:

-Contests
-Trivia
-Reviews
-CANADIAN AUTHORS
?

Well, you better be.

Because CANADIAN MONTH starts NOW!

(Btw, check the post below for a shocking revelation!)

Canadianing away,

Reader Rabbit 1 and RR2

*Note: by month, I mean next couple of weeksish. Month just sound so much better

A Message to You All

2009-04-01T00:00:00.007-06:00

RR2 and I have something very important to tell you all. After blogging for over a year, we feel it is time to be honest with you, our faithful readers.

Please do not judge me, I mean, us. I mean. Me.

Okay. So. Hear me out please.

During the month of February, I had been taking my medication regularly. As you might have noticed, RR2 made little-to-no appearences during that month.

However, during March, I accidentally spilt my pill bottle and was unable to salvage my medication. Because of the inordinate price, I was too afraid to tell my mother and it was during March that RR2 started to make herself known again, in my mind...her most memorable event was when she woke up to complain about the weather!

It is now, in April, that I have finally refilled my prescription drugs after a visit to my doctor.

And I know realize, it is better for my sanity for you all to know that RR2 is not real. And that if she posts again, please call my mother and tell her to give me my medication.

Thanks for all your support. RR2 and I appreciate everything.

I'm going to go take my meds now.

Thank you <3333 If you want to hear me talk to myself check out: READ CARPET Podcast, where I converse with myself..I mean, RR2.

*none of this is meant to be offensive, if you find it to be, let me know and I'll remove it :)

Waiting on Wednesday (Tuesday?)

2009-03-31T23:36:00.002-06:00

March, 31, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill over at BREAKING THE SPINE

Up this week isss:

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns…

The sparkly, innocent creatures of lore are a myth. Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. And they can only be killed by virgin descendants of Alexander the Great.
Fortunately, unicorns have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.
Or not.

Astrid Llewelyn has always scoffed at her eccentric mother’s stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend in the woods – thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to prom – Astrid learns that unicorns are real and dangerous, and she has a family legacy to uphold. Her mother packs her off to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters, all is not what is seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to – perhaps most dangerously of all – her growing attraction to a handsome art student… and a relationship that could jeopardize everything.
RAMPANT, a tale of killer unicorns, will be released in August of 2009 by Harper Collins.

Can't waiiiitt for this to come out...but why is AUGUST so far away. :(

Willow by Julia Hoban

2009-03-30T11:21:00.003-06:00

MARCH 30, 2009

I read this book a loonnng time ago, sometime in December, I think. I wrote the review right after I read it, to keep Willow fresh in my mind and so I could share my completely unbiased opinion. But since the book is just coming out, I had to wait to post the review until now. Thank goodness for scheduled posting...

I want to start this off with the tag line on the ARC.

"It's hard to keep a secret when it's written all over your body..."

The novel starts seven months after a horrible accident. Seven months ago, Willow's parents drank too much and asked their daughter to drive them home through a violent rainstorm. Seven months ago, Willow lost control of the car and both of her parents were killed in the accident.

Seven months ago, Willow's life was normal.

Now, it's anything but.

Seventeen year old Willow has moved in with her older brother, his wife and child, leaving behind her old friends, her home, school and herself. The accident has left a terrible mark on Willow and her brother. Unable to handle the pain, Willow numbs herself by cutting herself.

Willow's life begins to take a turn for the better when Willow's secret is discovered by one of her new classmates, Guy. Guy is kind and sensitive and when he learns of Willow's problems, he refuses to let her continue on her self-destructive path.

Firstly, I have to note how much I love the cover of Willow. I think it's great for the story and I would have probably bought the book solely because of it's cover. Props to the cover designer.

Anyways...

Nowadays there are so many books written about "teen issues." Somewhat generic teen books about drinking, suicide, depression, drug abuse and so on, clutter the shelves of bookstores.

Luckily, Willow will not be one of them. At least, I hope not. (I haven't read any reviews yet [Dec/08] so I have no idea what anyone else thinks of it.)

I love the twist in the novel. It makes Willow's situation all the more horrible. Not only are your parents dead-they're dead because you killed them, however inadvertently. No wonder Willow will do anything to escape the pain and guilt. Especially considering how her relationship with her brother has been marred. Willow feels as if David hates her and blames her for her parents' death. Everything seems to go wrong for Willow, at least until she meets Guy.

I can't really understand her cutting, though. And nor do I ever want to be able to understand such a horrible thing. But, while reading the novel, I could see Willow's pain, feel sorry for her and want Willow's situation to improve and for her relationship with her brother to be healed.

Guy's character is an integral one to the novel and a likable one as well. What he does for Willow, in the novel, is indescribable. It makes me wonder if there are actually people that kind out there. Anyways, his character is well-rounded and so is his relationship with Willow. The parts with him were among my favorite parts to read in the book.

Really, the only thing that I disliked about the novel was how abrupt the ending is. In my opinion, it's the perfect ending...I only wish that there had been a bit more leading up to it. Then again, the ARC was already 340 pages or so and I suppose that it couldn't be much longer. I just wish that there had been more of lead up to the ending. Luckily, it didn't detract much from the novel.

Overall, Willow is terrific. The subject matter is hard-hitting and the book is powerfully written. It's not a novel you'll forget anytime soon and I suggest that you preorder this book right now, as it comes out on April 2, 2009.

Oh, and don't forget to check out this awesome contest hosted by Lauren. It's one you DON'T want to miss. I mean, really, you get to buy a terrific book AND get an entry to an amazing contest? Sooo, buy it now. You won't regret it.

Rating:

Originality: 9/10

Characters:9.5/10

Readability: 9/10

Overall: 9.2/10 + RR1 & 2 recommendation

Happy Reading,

Reader Rabbit

CHARITY CONTEST TIME....It's a TWO IN ONE

2009-03-30T00:31:00.005-06:00

March 30, 2009

Stephanie Kuehnert is hosting a contest to win an ARC of her latest book, Ballads of Suburbia, OR a signed copy of I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone. To enter, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO is vote for her cousin's charity, Tipping Points to win a 25,000 grant. So it's a win/win. You get an entry for a super-dooppper contest AND you get to help a charity out.

Enter: HERE

and VOTE here

Good Luck!

And DON'T FORGET to let her know that you heard it from Reader Rabbit!

In My Mailbox

2009-03-29T02:03:00.006-06:00

March 29, 2009

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that enter-ing the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments. (review already posted)

At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?

On the run and holed up in Tulsa’s Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring them all down. Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems. The red fledglings have cleaned up well – they’ve even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home – but are they really as friendly as they seem? On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex-, Eric, but she can’t stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet’s sinister influence at all costs. Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?

Hunted by PC Cast and Kristin Cast

2009-03-28T10:59:00.010-06:00

March 28, 2009

Hunted opens up with Zoey and her old friends united again. Stevie Rae and her group of red fledgings are no longer Neferet's secret and appear to be committed to helping Zoey. But, nothing's every that simple for Zoey. The red fledgings appear to have regained their humanity, but, can Zoey really be sure? And Neferet's powerful new (and dangerous) consort, Kalona. The House of Night has fallen completely under Kalona's spell. His past life seems to be the key to breaking Kalona's hold...only Zoey seems to play an important part in it. As Kalona's love A-ya...

Added on to that are Zoey's infamous boyfriend troubles. Zoey has a chance to make nice with her drool-worthy Eric. But then, her old human boyfriend, Heath makes an appearence and maybe, just maybe, imprints on her again. And finally, Zoey just CAN'T stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms in the last installment. And it doesn't help that he's back...as a red fledging.

The House of Night series continues in this 5th addition to Zoey's adventures. At the end of the last book, we left Zoey and her group of friends hiding in the tunnels where Stevie Rae and her band of red fledings live.

It is there where they must come up with a plan to overthrow Kalona before he starts a full-fledged war. That is, until Zoey is faced with a life-threatening injury and has to return to the school...

This installement is as fast-paced and thrilling as the other novels in the series. The action is quick and believable and the plot is somewhat intruiging.

We get to see more of Aphrodite in the novel, which is enjoyable...she's become more likeable than ever, which is a vast change from her character at the beginning of the series.

Stark, the archer from the previous book in the series, is also integral to Hunted. As a red fledging, Stark is torn between his loyalty to Neferet and his desire to be with Zoey. While his indecision is evident for the majority of his appearences, I found his eventual decision to have been made a bit quickly...it seemed to lack substance.

There was also a lack of character development in Hunted. I wish we could have seen more of the twins, Heath and Eric. They seemed to just be there...they weren't very well-rounded. Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, Zoey and Stark were the characters where most of the focus was on. Thus, because the book revolved mostly around them, the lack of development of the other characters was not too important.

The ending of the novel was also a bit of a let-down...it seems as if it came a bit too easily. However, there still is the promise of an even more dangerous conflict to arise in the sequels which left me anticipating the next novel in the series.

Overall, Hunted is a fast, inventive and fun *vampyre* novel that all tweens/teens interested in vampires should pick up. If you haven't read this series, make sure to start out with the first one, Marked.

Rating:
Originality: 7/10
Readability:7/10
Characterization: 6/10
Overall: 6.7/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

HAHAHAH: Flight of the Conchords

2009-03-27T20:45:00.003-06:00

March 27, 2009

HAHAH! They're soooo awesome!
Watch.
NOW!
It's a perfect timewaster. Especially now that it's SPRING BREAK. WHEE

And then go watch their other ones :)

http://tiny.cc/xRgZc

2009-03-26T17:06:00.002-06:00

http://tiny.cc/xRgZc
isn't it so cute?

Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra

2009-03-26T08:17:00.003-06:00

Kara Martinez's greatest desire is to be normal. However, ever since the accident that took her father's life, she's been unable to suppress the strange signs that she's been seeing. Her mother has consistently disregarded Kara's thoughts and emotions and Kara must do everything to please her..including forsaking her personality to be the ideal girl that her mother wants. One that dresses in pink, sleeps peacefully at night and causes no trouble. In fact, no one knows the real Kara...not her best friend, Danielle...nor her brother, Jason, who seems to be having a few of his own problems. Then, when Kara falls for the mysterious Anothny, another puzzle comes into play. Kara must use her hidden talent to unsnare the deadly web before something drastic happens.

Everyone seems to love Invisible Touch, at least from what reviews I've read. While I did not particularly adore it, Invisible Touch proved to be a quick and fun read after a somewhat taxing day at school.

The novel starts out with a secret blog entry by Kara, speaking about her hidden psychic abilities. Kelly Parra's writing was distinctive from the get-go. It's detailed and yet at the same time very too the point.

Anyways, we discover quite early on about Kara's general situation with her relationship with her mother and brother. However, the inner bits and pieces of their family dynamics are slowly revealed through the novel, through Kara's flashback to the accident and the blog entries that Kara consistently writes.

Another aspect that I enjoyed was the fact that it took place in the "Latina" world. The gang fights, the lifestyle all contributed to giving the book a unique flavor. The contrast between Kara's lifestyle as well as Anthony's contributed to the intensity of their relationship.

That being said, I did find Kara and Anothony's relationship to be lacking. It seemed to random...and so improbably. It almost seems as if she decided that she would date him just because he looks dangerous BUT attractive and she wants him.

Blegh. I saw nothing in common, nothing to bond over. Just. Whatever. It could have been done so much better with Anothony having more depth and his problems seeming less lackluster than they did.

More showing, I guess...than telling. Him telling his girlfriend about his best friend's death isn't nearly as heart-wrenching as having been shown it or by having subtle hints throughout the book leading up to it.

Besides that, I don't have that many qualms. The paranormal aspect seemed realistic and I loved her ability. It was unique and not at all like most paranormal abilities that I had read about.

Character-wise? I loved Kara's best friend, Danielle. I wish she could have been included in more and maybe more of the story could have been focused on her. The revelation about her in the end was kind of random though her drawings, I guess, were a bit of a prelude to it. Still. I wanted more Danielle.

Kara, of course, was a great character. Sometimes she seemed too mature for her age. And yet, other times, much too naive. However, it did work with the experiences that she'd already gone through so...yay?

Kara's mother and brother were both integral characters to the novel. Both were interesting to read about, however, once again, I wanted a bit more depth.

It seems that all I wanted was a bit MORE. Perhaps that was from expecting too much of the novel. Either way, Invisible Touch proved to be a fun read and a good way to pass the evening. If you find yourself with some free time, be sure to pick it up!

Originality:8/10
Characters:6/10
Readability:7/10
Overall 7/10

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

Just a quick tidbit (check out the post below for more recent stuff) SO ABOUT NEW MOOON

2009-03-25T22:06:00.008-06:00

March 25, 2009

For those of you who think Robert Pattison is some hot stuff...check this out!

Apparently he's very smelly.

Might want to rethink that one.

I mean, unless you think that there's nothing sexier than a good whiff of BO...

*gag*

TODAY'S FMYLIFE AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS (IE: GRAD DRESS HELP. ANYONE????????)

2009-03-25T19:50:00.009-06:00

March 25, 2009

GAHHH GRADDRESS..I MEAN

A) Sorry for the lack of reviews. I will HOPEFULLY be amending that by tomorrow. For those who have sent us review copies, we will GET TO THEM ASAP. However, APRIL is going to be a bit of a jumble with a blog feature so it may have to wait until after that. MAYBE. It just matters how fast we can get our butts into gear :)
B)SOOO ABOUT THAT FEATURE.
Um.
yeah.
Come back on APRIL 1,2009 TO SEE THAT.
Just a HINT.
It may or may not involve some possible contests.
So.
You know.
(everyone likes free things.)

C) School has eaten up RR2. I HAVEN'T SEEN HER FOR AGES! IT'S TOO TRAGIC FOR WORDS.

D) I haven't checked my email. So. Don't freak out if you haven't heard from me. I'M SLIGHTLY BUSY ATM. BUT JUST A COUPLE MORE DAYS TILL THE SHORT BUT AWESOME SPRING BREAK

E) RR NEEDS A GRAD DRESS. Like, STAT (or before MAY). So. ANY IDEAS, ANYONE? Online, instore. WHATEVER. It just needs to be under 200 bucks, look good on a petite person (5'2), be a color that would suit a medium skinned color? Kind of brownish but kind of lightish? (so no DRESSES THAT ARE yellow, orange or the like). And it should be fairly formal. Because everyone seems to have those big, poofy pricess dresses. PLEASE, PEOPLE! I'm begggiinngg you.

F) (SO HELP?)

G) FMYLIFE OF THE DAY: (from fmylife.com)
Today, I was invited to a pink panty party at my neighbor's apt. I went out and bought the cutest pair of pink panties and went over to the party in only them and a matching bra. When I opened the door everyone was wearing jeans. Apparently a pink panty is a mixed drink. FML

BAHAHAH
wow.
priceless, isn't it?