A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber

* * * * 1/2


“A stellar introduction to a new YA science-fiction series set in the “Honorverse” of Weber’s popular adult novels…It’s rare to find teen science fiction that strays beyond dystopian fare. The environmental messages, human-animal friendship, humor, action, and inventive technology will make this series starter an easy hit with teen SF readers” – Booklist starred review

Hello – XO here. When my wife/boss/Captain, Nat, told me that my favorite author was going to release a YA novel, I squealed like a 12 year old girl. At which point, she decided that I had the correct qualifications to write a guest review for the Bibliojunkies. With that said, be gentle, I’m nowhere near as good as these ladies at writing reviews. Fortunately, they love me, and I can still read so…

I’ve read all of Weber’s Honorverse novels, actually ALL of his novels, usually within a few weeks of their release, so I was standing at the mailbox waiting for this one to arrive. I was a little cynical since this story was already released in a short story collection, but obviously the book was longer (Yeah, I can count too, usually). Weber made a few modifications to the original short story, and used it the lead off the book, with added story line following. I’ll also throw a plug in for the adult Honorverse series, if you are a fan of sci-fi, please check it out, and be sure you give it a chance; it starts out a bit slow with book 1, but book 2 and on are amazing.

The story follows young Stephanie Harrington, Great-Great-Great –yadda-yadda-yadda Grandmother of the Hero of the Honorverse books, Honor Harrington. Stephanie is smarter than her peers, as grown-up as most adults in town, and as curious as a, well, as a tree-kitten. She meets her companion while trying to solve the great celery mystery of 1518 DP (don’t ask, read it, it’ll make sense) and they instantly form a powerful, unexplained bond. This is a 12 year old, stuck on a planet that has seasons 15 months long, and she is the frst person to find and meet another member of a sentient race of non-humans. Not too shabby for someone who hasen’t even started high school (And for my daughters, just note, she’s set the bar pretty high, but I expect each of you to somehow do at least the same). What follows is an adventure that neither of them expected, but both of them are going to see through, regardless of the cost. I apologize in advance to Nat, Shel and Bel, but this book ROCKS the other YA books out there ! I can honestly say this is the BEST YA sci-fi book I have ever read (Number of YA sci-fi books read prior to this = 0).

There are no vampires, or werewolves, or love triangles, in fact, at 12ish, Stephanie still finds boys a bit “yucky”. There is no depressing dystopian world where everything is morose and sad. There is a bright young girl, her new friend, the sentient arboreal treecat Lionheart, some dastardly evil doers, and a supporting cast of furry, ferocious, friendly, fascinating treecats (see what I did there, chuckle at my hilariousness). I, for one, am now going to annoy my wife on a daily basis, asking when the next book in the series comes out.

~ The Executive Officer (a.k.a Nat's husband)

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!

It's that time again folks.  We are having another contest (I know, I know, Nat & Bel are going to kill me if I keep signing up for all these giveaways!)!  So, here's the deal, I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Diary of a Bookworm are hosting this awesome Hop.  There are a ton of blogs participating (see linky below) and tons of prizes to be won.  

The BiblioJunkies recently had the opportunity to meet the fabulous and fun Becca FitzPatrick, author of the Hush, Hush series.  She was gracious enough to sign a bunch of books for us to giveaway here on the blog, so we thought we would start now!  This giveaway includes:

A SIGNED copy of Hush, Hush (paperback)

A SIGNED poster from the Silence Tour!

(Who can resist a poster of the beautiful Drew Doyon & Becca FitzPatrick's autograph?!?!?)

Tantalize by Cynthia Lietich Smith (hardcover)

AND because Halloween is never complete without Vampires and Werewolves vying for our love, a paperback copy of New Moon by Stephanie Meyer.

To enter, follow the instructions in Rafflecopter.  This one is simple, leave a comment (be sure to include your email address) telling us what your favorite Halloween read is - that's the mandatory one.  You can get extra entries for following us on GFC & Twitter.  Neither are mandatory, but we would love it if you would follow our silliness.  The contest will run from 12:01 a.m. on October 24, 2011 to 12:01 a.m. on November 1, 2011.  See the terms & conditions in the Rafflecopter for details on notifying the winner, etc. 

Last time I looked there were over 400 blogs participating, so follow the linky below and check out the other giveaways!  Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

~Shel

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

***
From HarperTeen:

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:
As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.


As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.


When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

This book was unapologetically Pride & Prejudice. From the names of the characters – i.e., Juliana, Elise, Layla & Kaitlyn Benton vs Jane, Elizabeth, Lydia & Kitty Bennett, to the ridiculously wealthy Derrick (Mr. Darcy) and his little sister Georgia (Georgiana). There were some differences, it being a modern adaptation and all, but the essentials were all there. Prejudice, misunderstandings, manipulation and of course, humiliation.

I found myself smiling as I read many of the exchanges between Elise & Derrick. I also enjoyed the despicable Grant Webster (George Wickham) and Chelsea (Charlotte). I felt that LaZebnik was trying too hard to make Mrs. Benton as embarrassing as Mrs. Bennett and that it sometimes disrupted the flow of the story. I did not find Mr. and Mrs. Benton to be very believable characters, but otherwise, the story was quite enjoyable.

 

I am giving Epic Fail 3 stars because I did not quite love it, but I did enjoy it.

 

~Shel

Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter - 18+ Read

***
From Harlequin Nocturne:

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out….

Nicolai the Vampire was renowned for his virility, but in a twist of fate "The Dark Seducer" had become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remained was a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who could help him.

In her dreams, a wanton vampire called to Jane Parker, drawing her to his dark sexuality and his magical realm. But for a human, all was not a fairy tale in Delfina. Jane was the key to Nicolai's memory…but exploiting her meant dooming the only mortal he craved. This is Book 1 of the Royal House of Shadows series.  Four books by four different authors.  The esteemed Gena Showalter takes the lead with Lord of the Vampires, the story of Nicolai, born a Vampire and a Prince, but now a slave with no memory of who he was or how he came to be a slave.  Jane is a human who is recovering from a horrific accident in which she lost her family.  Now alone and lonely, she dreams of a devastating stranger who needs her.  Her dreams become reality when a spell transports her to Nicolai.  Jane helps Nicolai escape and on the run the two must face their enemies and their growing passion. 

This one is definitely for the 18 and over crowd.  This story is sweet and steamy.  I did not care much for Jane, but Nicolai was an alpha vampire hottie.  It was easy to picture him as the Crown Prince, doting on his younger siblings and struggling to control his powers.  Jane felt forced and unformed, but overall, the story was enjoyable.  I look forward to reading the remainder of the series.  Book 2, Lord of Rage by Jill Monroe is out now.  Book 3, Lord of Wolfyn, is out October 18, 2011. And Book 4, Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh releases November 29, 2011. 

I have to say, for my first Gena Showalter read, I was pleased.  I give Lord of the Vampires 3 stars and recommend it if you are looking for a little sizzle...

~Shel

You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith

* * * 1/2

From Simon & Schuster:

Emma and Peter are alike in a lot of ways. They are both lonely in a way that they really only mind once in a while. They both come from families that they don't quite understand. And they both feel like something big is missing from their lives. So this summer they are off to find something. For Emma, it is a grave, a grave that may be her only connection to her family. For Peter it is harder to define, but perhaps easier to navigate. It is a freedom, a sense of something more than what he has now. So off they go, searching for what we all search for; something to make sense of who they are where they come from.

 

If you are looking to read something at a relaxed pace then this is the book for you.

Emma Healey comes from a family of intellectuals that leaves her feeling so completely ordinary.  One day she accidentally discovers a birth certificate for her twin brother followed by a death certificate dated 2 days later.  In an instant, it all makes sense to her why she’s felt like the odd man out.  Now she’s determined to visit her brother’s grave to feel a connection to something, to someone. 

Peter Finnegan is the neighbor who has always wanted to be a part of Emma’s family.  Her parents have always welcomed him as one of their own which is in stark contrast to his relationship with his widower father.  Peter’s penchant for maps of all kinds and his aversion to anything sports-related only widens the distance between them.  Feeling stifled and misunderstood he dreams of leaving town and exploring the world with his maps in tow.

The opportunity comes when Emma calls him out of the blue to rescue her after her car breaks down on her way to North Carolina to visit her brother’s grave.  She invites Peter to join her and he seizes the chance to tag along.  The two sit comfortably in silence, lost in their own thoughts.  Peter never questions why Emma's motivation for going to North Carolina and Emma indulges Peter’s fascination with visiting all the old battlefields during their journey. 

Once they begin to open up, each one offers the other a perspective they haven’t considered in regards to their own circumstances.  Peter who feels his father has never understood him wishes that his dad would share memories of his mother with him.  Instead his father finds fault with his need to escape from their life and go to college elsewhere.  Emma tries to convince him that his dad loves him in his own way, “The thing about parents is that you always just assume they’re supposed to be good at their jobs, because they’re parents.  But they’re usually not.”  Being a parent myself, that sentiment resonated with me. 

Meanwhile, Emma feels betrayed that no one has ever told her about her dead twin brother.  She has felt that there was a missing piece all this time and blames her family for it.  Peter calls her on this pointing out that there have been plenty of times where she has enjoyed the advantages of being “different" from her siblings and parents.  As the journey moves forward, Emma learns more about her family and the impact her brother's death had on them.  There's a very moving scene with Emma and her older sister, Annie that narrows the gap between them.  

I really enjoyed reading about Emma and Peter - Peter especially.  He's so uniquely introspective that it's hard to imagine what Emma would have been like making the road trip on her own.  He helps draw her out of her shell.  Both of them come to some self-realization about their own flaws and mature into wise young individuals.  They gain a new understanding of the people they love most and know that despite what they had believed before, they are certainly not alone.  

- Bel

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrik

* * * 1/2 

WHEN SILENCE IS ALL THAT’S LEFT,  CAN THE TRUTH FINALLY BE HEARD?

“Nora Grey can’t remember the past five months of her life.  After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she’s been missing for weeks – with no one knowing where she was or who she was with – she tries to get her life back on track.  Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge her mom’s creepy new boyfriend.

But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch.  Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.

And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.

Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to.  He seems to hold all the answers…and her heart.  Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love.  Again.”

Dear Readers, October has been a good month for fun stuff.  My son’s birthday, new music releases by my favorite bands and last but never least, my fictional boyfriend Patch has returned!   You all know that I’m a complete nutter for him so imagine my frustration when I went to a certain retail location and they didn’t have him…err, I mean the book out.  How dare they keep me from my man, I mean book!  Luckily, BiblioJunkies Nat came to the rescue with her stealth-like determination and managed to get me a copy at a different retailer.  She still had to take matters into her own hands and pry open a box to retrieve him/the book.  She saved the day!

But I digress.  Let’s get back to business.  Silence didn’t start off the way I expected it to which was a nice surprise.  It takes place a few months later with Nora having no memories of the previous 5 months.  However, that doesn’t mean she experience déjà-vus and gut feelings nagging at her.  One déjà-vu  in particular from Hush, Hush will bring a smile to your faces.

Things have changed since she’s been away.  Her mother is now dating Hank Millar (gag!) her arch nemesis, Marcie’s dad.  People aren’t exactly being liberal with details to help her fill in the gaps including Vee, her loyal but slightly obnoxious best friend.  The same cast of characters return, Scott Parnell, the beefcake Nephil, Dabria, psycho fallen archangel and Det. Basso who we have yet to figure out.  I hope there’s more to him later.  And the Black Hand’s mark is everywhere.  Nora doesn’t give up.  She knows that there’s something missing and she’s determined to find out.  Even if it means making dumb decisions like walking around alone at night and getting into trouble.  Hello!  You’ve been kidnapped and away for months and whoever did this is still out there!  So some things don’t change.  (BilblioJunkies Nat and I will be having a discussion with Becca about this particular problem).  But Nora is becoming more fearless as the fog clears and she learns more about her family tree and what’s in store for her.

Things have also gotten a bit complicated thanks to the Black Hand. There’s something brewing between the Nephilim and the fallen angels and it’s up to our heroine and Patch to figure it out.  First she must remember him.  Watching her regain her memories of Patch is fun and he’s still as hot as ever (naturally).  As for Patch – I have to say I didn’t think he was as snarky in Silence probably because he’s busy brooding over Nora.  He’s going by Jev and is more serious with his own agenda.  The old Patch comes back later thankfully once he and Nora start reconnecting.  Case in point:

Nora: “ Do you think they’re going to buy that a guy in tacky leather chaps dances like this?”

Patch/Jev: “Keep it up, and I’ll put you in the chaps.”

Oh Patch, you say the sweetest things!  I won’t divulge much else except that while Silence was supposed to be the final book, Becca Fitzpatrick recently announced that there will indeed be a fourth book.  Yay!  Why a fourth?  Because she can.  And also because the book’s recurring theme of Cheshvan, the two-week period where fallen angels take over a human vassal’s body and run rampant like it’s spring break in Ibiza, is fast approaching and this time it looks like there’ll be a showdown between the Nephilim and the fallen angels. 

I liked how Becca Fitzpatrick describes in intricate detail Nora's memories fleeting in and out and how she'd grasp at them, trying to piece them all back together.  You could feel the mental exhaustion she was going through.  I also liked the subtle hints that there's more to Nora we have yet to discover.  Silence was fun and judging by how it started and ended, I have no idea what’s going to happen in the next one.  Patch isn't the only one calling the shots anymore. Nora has had to make some tough decisions that affect them.  We’ll see how they fare...

~Bel

P.S.  There's also a  special edition (available only through Wlamart, Inc) which includes an exclusive chapter from Patch's point of view.  It's about the first time Patch and Nora meet and it's not what you think. ;-)

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

* * * * *

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.



When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.







Cricket Bell broke Lola’s heart two years ago. He moved away and Lola moved on. Now Cricket is back and he is still head over heals in love with Lola. But Lola is dating Max (the older experienced guy that her dads don’t approve of) and she isn’t interested in allowing Cricket to break her heart again. Or is she?

If you remember, I loved Anna and the French Kiss. So much so, that I was on pins and needles waiting for Lola to be released. To give you an idea how impatient I was….I pre-ordered my copy of Lola but then decided I couldn’t wait for it to arrive at my house. So I downloaded it to my e-reader at midnight of the day it was released. Stephanie is a genius at writing romance and I simply cannot control myself when it comes to her books. And I don't regret my need for immediate gratification.  Because Lola managed to be both different and every bit as good as (if not better than) Anna.

In the words of Lola’s dad, Andy: “I am trying really hard not use the word ‘fabulous’ right now.” So instead I will say that Lola and the Boy Next Door IS SUPERB, SUBLIME, SPLENDID!

The best things about Stephanie’s books are the characters. Every character in this book was quirky and amazing. Lola was wonderfully insecure yet confident. She was brave in a way that I only dreamed of being when I was a teen. The way she pushes the boundaries to express herself is over the top and fun. And Cricket. Oh my. Yet another addition to my long list of fictional boyfriends. What I loved most about Cricket? Besides his sincerity and insecurity and height (all 76 inches of him)? He was totally the boy I would have had a crush on in school. *sigh*

The supporting cast was also great. Lola’s dads were refreshingly active and overprotective parents. Lindsey was an excellent, steady yet still quirky BFF for Lola. Max was a frighteningly realistic controlling boyfriend that you like in the beginning and then gradually grow to dislike but still pity. And Cricket’s twin, Calliope, was a surprisingly developed and multi-layered character. Then there were Anna and Etienne. They don’t have just a cameo in this book. They are actual supporting characters which was a lot of fun. And it was hilarious to see that they still participate in indecent public displays of affection that embarrass everyone around them.

Seriously, I could get out of control with telling you about all the reasons I enjoyed this book which means I have no idea how to end this review. I will just stop while I am ahead and tell you this one last thing: READ THIS BOOK! It’s a lovely romance and reading it was one of the bright spots of my month.


~ Nat