STACKING THE SHELVES (14)

 

Hi there! Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  I got a new book this week :).  Just one...but it's a great one!

 

List of books: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

 

This is the sequel to Throne of Glass, and I'm so, so, SO excited to read!!  Can't wait to see how everyone else made out this week.

 

Ninja Girl

WRITER'S DIGEST BOOT CAMP!

 

Hi everyone!!  So, Agent T just told me about this great opportunity for writers :-).  The Full Circle Literary Team is holding a writer's boot camp called:

HOW TO WRITE AND SELL GREAT CHILDREN'S BOOKS: FROM TODDLER TO TEEN

Just click the link for more details.  It sounds really awesome, you guys.  In addition to learning how to make your writing stand out, you also get to submit your query letter and pages for review.  AND the agents may ask for more pages if they like what they see!!  I can tell you from experience: Agent T gives really fantastic, thoughtful feedback.  If you're a writer, I'd definitely recommend checking it out :-).

Hope you have a great weekend,

Ninja Girl

PEACHES by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Hi all!  I've been in a reading/reviewing slump lately.  Ugh.  As I understand, it happens to a lot of bloggers, but this was a first for me.  Anyway, I'm back and here to spread the word about the great (and not-so-great) books I've read J.

Three Georgia peaches are in for one juicy summer…

This book drew me mainly b/c it's set in the South.  I always enjoy a good Southern read, and this YA was the perfect book for a hot summer day.  Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson is a tale about three girls and a struggling peach orchard.

Birdie, my favorite character, is one of those MCs you can't help but like.  She's innocent and inexperienced--and trips over her own feet in front of cute boys named Enrico :-).  But Birdie has a courageous spirit that won't let her give up on her family's orchard even when all the odds are stacked against her.

Leeda, the good girl (who's still doesn't measure up to her perfect older sister), and Murphy, the too-smart-for-her-own-good bad girl, could care less about the Darlington Peach Orchard.  The girls have absolutely nothing in common--until one amazing summer changes everything.

One of the things I loved best about this book was the setting.  The Darlington Peach Orchard was a character as much as any of the MCs.  I really felt like I was there.  In the heat, tasting the sweetness of the peaches.  So many people depended on this place.  Picking peaches is backbreaking work, but the migrant workers do it b/c the orchard is their livelihood.  In one scene, an early frost threatens to destroy everything.  In a last act of desperation, Birdie sets fires between the rows of trees, burning any spare wood she can get her hands on.  Loved this scene.  It showed Birdie's bravery and also how everyone was connected to the orchard.

I also loved the friendships.  In the beginning, the girls are so separate.  Murphy loves to do wild things that'll probably get her into trouble; Leeda likes order and having control; and Birdie is just so innocent.  Their friendship develops through days spent picking peaches and nights out skinny dipping at the lake.  The orchard becomes a safe haven for all three of them.  It's like this magical place where everything else melts away.

The romance was sprinkled in at just the right moments.  Birdie and Enrico were so sweet together.  And poor Birdie!  This was her first experience with a boy she liked, and she had no idea how to tell him, and then???  He up and disappears back to Texas b/c peach season is over.  The three girls embark on a road trip, chasing Enrico and Birdie's happy ending… but you'll have to read to see how that meeting turns out ;).

Lots of humor, friendships, romance and Southern flavor.  Peaches was a great summer read--a great anytime read--and I'll definitely be checking out more of Anderson's work!

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

Teaser Tuesday: PEACHES by Jodi Lynn Anderson

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read
• Open it to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO REVEAL SPOILERS! (Be sure not to spoil the book for others!
• Make sure your sentences don't reveal something important!)
• Include the title and author to, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

"That summer, at a bar on Mertie Creek, two truckers by the names of Saddle Tramp and Mad Dog emerged from a night of drinking booze and listening to Kenny Chesney on the jukebox to find girls' underwear--one thong, one Days of the Week (Sunday), and one monkey face--lying across their windshields.  That same summer, rotten fish of an unidentified variety was found in the vent openings of several bathrooms at the Balmeade Country Club, and nobody suspected the connection."--pg. 1, Peaches

First two rocking sentences of this fantastic book :-).  I loved everything about Peaches, but this opening was hilarious--and also made me buy the book in the first place!  (Note to self: Need to do a review of this one :))

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

 

Hey there, "Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine, featuring those books that you wish were out. Right. This. Second.

I kinda cheated this week.  *cue shifty eyes*  My WoW pick actually came out yesterday--but I'm so excited I had to share :D.

 

Ninja Aunt P and I LOVE this series!!  We stormed our local Books-A-Million yesterday and grabbed 3 copies (one for her, one for me, and one for Ninja Aunt C).  Seriously, Kate Daniels is the best heroine in UF.  Yeah, I said it.  If you haven't read these books, I'd definitely recommend them--but start with Book 1 b/c you don't want to miss any of the awesome ;).

 

Goodreads Summary:

 

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

 



Yes, this is one of those series I'm a little fanatical about.  Yes, Kate and Curran are one of my favorite couples eva.  Yes, I cheated and posted a book that just came out.  But it's Kate Daniels.  Can you blame me?

Hope you're all having a great week,

Ninja Girl

VERONICA MARS MYSTERIES?!?

 

So, I'm a huge Veronica Mars fan.  For real, I love Veronica and her fierce, marshmallow-y, overly curious self.  Wallace, her best friend, was A-mazing (proof that you can have a boy-girl relationship where they remain "just friends" and have it work).  I LOVED LOGAN!!  Like seriously.  It was a real thing--the only person I might've loved more was Weevil :).

Anyway, like so many others, I was devastated when they cancelled the show years ago.  One of the only great things on TV and they cancel?  Grrrrrr, so so wrong.

But check out what I just found on Publisher's Lunch:

"Rob Thomas' two original Veronica Mars mysteries"

 

Ahhhhh!  There are going to be Veronica Mars books?!?!?!?!?  Yessssssssssss!  Excuse me while I happy dance :)

 

 

V Mars in book form...I can't even...I am SO reading those books.  Any other Veronica Mars fans in the house?  I can't wait!!

 

Ninja Girl



PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry

Before I read Pushing the Limits, I saw it literally everywhere.  Lots of the blogs I follow had reviews up, and they were all sparkling.  I saw it every time I went to the bookstore.  Everyone (truly, I can't recall one bad review) fell in love with this book.

And yet, I held back.

It was probably b/c whenever I see a story like this--a YA romance with lots of drama--there's a 50/50 chance I won't enjoy it.  Why?  Well, in romance especially, I'm one of those people who have to care about the characters first, plot second.  Stories like this depend completely on the main characters.  So, I didn't pick it up immediately, and now my only question is:

Why did I wait so long? J

Echo and Noah were both intriguing.  I mean, seriously, I can't pick a favorite; I liked them both equally.  The dual POV was used to great affect here.  I got a chance to be in the heads of the characters, and I loved it.  Both kids are dealing with their own issues (Echo with her scars and tragic past, Noah with the death of his parents, losing custody of his brothers).  But what made them even more interesting was their initial dislike for each other.

I really love it when there are these awful first impressions.  McGarry did a great job here b/c both Echo and Noah were equally prejudiced at first.  Echo thinks Noah's an antagonistic jerk who's constantly stoned.  He thinks she's a hot, weird girl with perfect grades and the perfect life.  And the changes in perspective come about so naturally b/c the writing is spot on.

Everything changes when: Noah sees Echo's scars for the first time.

His reaction surprises her.  Instead of being a jerk about it or spreading rumors, he keeps her secret.  This is when their feelings really begin to take off.  Noah is curious about Echo, can't get her out of his head.  Echo doesn't know what to think about Noah's silence.  It's the perfect catalyst.

Which brings me to The Romance. *sigh* The chemistry was undeniable.  When Noah gives Echo his coat at a party--his only coat mind you--and then almost kisses her b/c it's her birthday…  When he serves her dinner at the diner…  The way he always accepted and didn't freaked out about Echo's scars or ask her to hide them…  The development of their relationship was terrific and had a believable desperation.

Actually, I think this book is what New Adult aspires to be.  It's extremely dramatic--McGarry's characters go through hell, and you never know until the end if they'll make it out in one piece.  The romance is mature with high stakes that will have life-altering consequences.  Even though Echo and Noah are still in high school, we get the sense that they are adults already, forced to grow up faster b/c of their experiences.

Great book, I really loved the chemistry/romance, and the resolution at the end!!  I'm sorry I waited so long to read it--but I will keep an eye out for any more of McGarry's books J

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl