ARC Review: Kat, Incorrigible (The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson, #1) by Stephanie Burgis

Summary: Katherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them. But with her eldest sister Elissa's intended fiancé, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential; her other sister, Angeline, wreaking romantic havoc with her own witchcraft; and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the upmost. If she can learn to control her new powers, will Kat be able to rescue her family and win her sisters their true love? (Goodreads)

     I was definitely surprised by my outcome opinion of Kat, Incorrigible. It is a middle-grade fiction and I don't usually read those. Kat has certainly changed my outlook. For some reason, I didn't know from the summary that it was set in nineteenth-century England and that raised my awareness on the first page. When I began to read the first page, though, all my weariness was washed away. Kat's voice captivated me entirely. She just sounded so alive and sure of herself. The beginning sentence was hilarious and it only got better from there. If you can't already tell, I loved Kat so very much. She was funny and caring. She made a lot of mistakes and took responsibility for them and she tried to fix them as best she could. Her sisters were a big part of her and wonderful supporting characters. Their personalities were unique and they made the best addition to the story.

     Another surprising factor, to me, was the involvement of magic. Although surprising it was welcome and was the main accessory to Kat's and her sister's adventures.  Angeline, her middle sister, does a love spell on a man that made me have to stifle my giggles in the doctor's office. Katherine Ann Stephenson has turned me on to the world of middle grade books, more specifically hers. In the last sentence of the book, Kat says, "I could hardly wait to find out what would happen next." All I could think was, "I agree."

Wondrous Words Wednesday (8/31/11)

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by Bermudaonion’s Weblog.

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading.”

My word this week is from Legacy by Cayla Kluver.

Jerkin

Definition: (noun) A close-fitting, hip-length, collarless jacket having no sleeves but often extended shoulders, belted and worn over a doublet by men especially in the 16th century.

Example of Use: "I jumped and spun around to find London leaning against the palace doors with one eyebrow cocked. He was dressed, as always, in a brown leather jerkin layered over a long-sleeved white shirt. (page 36)

Happy Wednesday!

Teaser Tuesday: Ruby Red

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.

• Let the book fall open to a random page.

• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

"I'll tell her," I said, rolling my eyes. "If you don't stop talking to your imaginary friend," snapped Charlotte, "you'll end up in the nuthouse." Okay then I wouldn't tell her. She was conceited enough as it was.

~Page 16, Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own “Teaser Tuesdays” post,or share your “teaser” in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

From Goodreads: Benevolence is not your typical princess and Princess Ben is certainly not your typical fairy tale. With her parents lost to unknown assassins, Princess Ben ends up under the thumb of the conniving Queen Sophia, who is intent on marrying her off to the first available "specimen of imbecilic manhood." Starved and miserable, locked in the castle's highest tower, Ben stumbles upon a mysterious enchanted room. So begins her secret education in the magical arts: mastering an obstinate flying broomstick, furtively emptying the castle pantries, setting her hair on fire... But Ben's private adventures are soon overwhelmed by a mortal threat facing the castle and indeed the entire country. Can Princess Ben save her kingdom from annihilation and herself from permanent enslavement? (Goodreads)

Plot: Princess Ben, Benevolence, that is, is not your average princess. After leaving on a trip, her mother and father are killed and her princessly duties become more important. With her Queen aunt breathing down her neck about embroidery and dancing and locking her inside a wall. Princess Ben escapes and is captures by Prince Florian's kingdom. Held by the knowledge that his kingdom killed her parents and that he thinks her a sullen oaf, she mouths off and is almost killed, but escapes back to her kingdom. They fight a dragon and they fall in love. (Literally, see below)

Characters: I loved Princess Ben as a character and her feisty nature was always entertaining. Prince Florian was also the ideal arrogant prince. I think their relationship could have been awesome and a very memorable love story. (But, see below.)

Overview: I loved Princess Ben as a person and her adventures were exciting, but I thought that the book was a bit rushed and slowed. It was slow in places where stuff really didn't matter and it made me bored. It was rushed in places where details would have made it so much better, like Prince Florian and Princess Ben's romance. I mean, Prince Florian is dying and then he's up and says that he loves her without even a little bit of flirting before. Also I found it offensive that she had to lose weight before she could catch his attention and become the ideal princess.

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Summary from Goodreads

    According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object-an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas-it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

     The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking-er, focusing on-Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

     In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

     Sean Griswold's Head was one of my most wanted books of the summer. When I first read the summary, I thought it sounded cute and interesting. It focuses intently on a specific disease, MS and the strain it can put on a family as it tries to get through it. Payton is likable character. Like most reviewers, I also thought that her reaction to her father's illness was a bit intense, but by the end of the story I could relate to her. Payton was never without funny commentary and it was fun to see her different charts on Sean's head. Sean, himself, was a very good focus object. It was a weird choice, but neither me nor Payton regret it. Payton describes him as confident without cocky and I think it fits his personality perfectly. It seemed as if he had so many sides to him. Seinfeld, cycling, and spooning being only the start of his immense knowledge. He had me awwwwing at his sweet gestures and laughing at his strange, random facts. These things, along with many others, were what made Sean a fantastic obsession......uh, I mean, focus object, for anyone.
     Payton freaks mostly about her father's MS because they hide it from her and because she is afraid of future outcomes. It was an enjoyable journey to follow Payton throughout her enlightenment. In the beginning, she got too dependent on one thing in order to avoid the tension in her house and within her self. In the end, after all her rebellion, Payton realizes that most things in life can't be planned or organized and that she has to take them as they come and let it make her stronger. When Payton completed the race for her father, no one was more proud than me, and surprised  at how deep Payton had burrowed into my heart.

Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman

Summary from Goodreads

     When high school junior Natalie--or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper--is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want.

     But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected--especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?

      There were many aspects of BABE IN BOYLAND that were a bit strange, but they all helped to make this book even more fantastic. The plot of Natalie going undercover at the all-boy school reminds me of the movie, She's the Man. They are both filled with funny, complex characters and kept me laughing for hours. Natalie is confident and sure of herself despite her limited dating history. She is hardly hesitant about the plan and determined and spontaneous. She loves her best friends, Chloe and Darcy, so much and they are a huge part of Natalie. They continuously help her during her time at Underwood and contribute lots of hilarious commentary. Emilio is a walking contradiction. He is suave and has confident swagger, but blushes when he receives compliments. He is cautious of friendship and feels as if he doesn't fit in anywhere, but gradually reveals important parts of himself to Natalie. I think this makes for a great start to their relationship, that he told her that with no pretenses, whereas if she where acting as a girl, he would've been less likely to reveal his feelings.
     I felt like I was experiencing the gender change with Natalie. Her descriptions were detailed and funny. Sometimes I wonder how nobody was suspect in the first place because most of the stuff she said always sounded girly to me. I realized how hard it must have been to do what she did because trying to stop being a girl would be like suddenly trying to turn into a block of cheese. She made me also realize the intense differences between guys and girls and why they go so perfectly together. She also showed me that gender isn't mostly factored around how you look on the outside, but how you act. Natalie definitely won a Grammy in my eyes after stepping into this strenuous role of boy. She deserves much kudos for her efforts and resisting insanity as she witnessed butt-flossing and sacrificed herself for my gender. Her tips and knowledge will be not be forgotten and surely put to use in my dating future.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (8/15/11)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through the World of Books.

Finished

Currently Reading

Next In Line

What are you reading?

The Duff by Kody Keplinger

Summary from Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face. But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

      THE DUFF was definitely a unique tale to read. Bianca was unlike any other person I've ever met, in fiction or reality. She was just so sarcastic, forward and kick-ass. Wesley was also wonderful. I like that, in the beginning, Bianca really does dislike Wesley and want to stab him. Bianca doesn't mince words in her narrations and the feelings honestly sneak up on her. Neither of these characters were predictable. Bianca didn't get all gushy and girly about Wesley and Wesley is smart and tries to explain logically his reasons for being the player that he is.
     Another awesome trait for THE DUFF was the supporting characters. Jessica and Casey were the best friends a person could ever ask for and they each had a special relationship with Bianca. Toby was a contrasting person for Bianca to like. He was caring and understanding, but ultimately not the one for Bianca. These characters made for depth to the great book and kept me entertained along the way. The ending to THE DUFF presents the message of the book: that everybody, at one point in life, feels like the DUFF, but the word only has the power that you allow it.

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Summary from Goodreads

     Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe, but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Phoebe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

EXTRAORDINARY was less than extraordinary to me. Phoebe was a wonderful character in the beginning of the book, but was too easily led astray by Mallory. She was way too much of a pushover and just totally ignorant of the power Mallory and Ryland had over her. Her lack of a backbone made for a very boring plot and made most chapters feel like fillers. Mallory was a very good and easy person to hate. I admit that my feelings for her were kind of conflicted because she did show a bit of compassion. Ryland was not an attraction to me at all in the story. He seemed strange enough that even a Daredevil's senses would've been tingling. He was six years older than her and always treated her like a child. He was way worse than Mallory because it was obvious that it was a game to him in the start. Benjamin was a very good love interest, but I would've liked him better if he had been included from the very beginning of the story. EXTRAORDINARY was not what I expected, but it was certainly not what I wanted.

Tiger's Curse (The Tiger Saga #1) by Colleen Houck

Summary from Goodreads

    Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world.

But that's exactly what happened.

Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger's Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

     The Tiger's Curse is a unique story all on it own. I can't describe how much I liked it. When I bought it, I hadn't heard anything about it and just bought it on a whim. Now I thank that whim for introducing me to this wonderful trilogy. The plot is strange and one that I've never heard of, yet it intrigued me so much. Kelsey is an orphan and has had a rough life. She is an inspiring character and always kept me thinking and laughing. I liked how the story started out and how she met Dhiren. Their connection already seemed so strong and only grew on their journey. Ren is just so sweet and incredibly seductive and Houck's kissing scenes left me winded.
     The frosting on the cake was the setting of India. The descriptions were so active that I couldn't help but feel right next to Kelsey. The journey was surprising and every turn was unexpected. I have also never experienced so many emotions during a book. I was angry at Kelsey for pushing Ren away. I was scared for Kelsey and Ren when they ran from the monkeys and Kappas. I was sad for Ren when Kelsey left. I was just on a rollercoaster and I never wanted to get off. The Tiger's Curse has bewitched me and I can't remember what I did before reading this book, but I never want to go back.

Follow Friday & Blogger Hop (08/04/11)

It's Follow Friday!

This is my Follow Friday post, a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee!

This week's question: Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult situation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?).  

My Answer:  When I was little I was in and out of the library everyday, but eventually I "grew up" and reading got away from me. Then the preview for Twilight came on my TV screen and I saw that it was based on a book. I watched Twilight the movie and the next week I had ordered the box set off of Amazon and read it in a week. A fire was started and I started reading every vampire book I could get my hands on and continued on this way until I branched off and became the diverse reader I am today.



It is also time for the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Crazy-For-Books!

Today's Book Blogger Question: “What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?”

My Answer: There are so many, but from the top of my head, one I really, really want is The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab.

Torment (Fallen, #2) by Lauren Kate

Summary from Goodreads

Hell on earth. That's what it's like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel. It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts - immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students -Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

     At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn't told her everything. He's hiding something - something dangerous. What if Daniel's version of the past isn't actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else? The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies.

TORMENT was a book of growth. Luce again moves to another school to be protected from the Outcasts. She meets a lot of new friends like Shelby and Miles. I think that this sequel was very slow building and answered a lot of questions. I liked it much better than Fallen. Luce grew up so much and lost her naivety. She finally sees through the fog and notices that there is a lot that Daniel isn't telling her and she starts to ask questions. Her and Daniel's relationship goes through some bumps because they are constantly fighting and it forces her to question their love. Also while she and Daniel are fighting, dimpled Miles begins to worm his way into Luce's heart. Torment was way better than Fallen because it was slower and it fit the history and info into the book without rushing it. The ending is great and a wonderful opening to the third book. I can't wait!

Teaser Tuesday: Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.

• Let the book fall open to a random page.

• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

 "Just then, in walked the hot guy from the park, Quinton, with his hair all tousled gorgeous. He patted Mia's desktop two sharp times as a hello, and then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw me. He stopped his stride and turned in my direction."

~Page 50, Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own “Teaser Tuesdays” post,or share your “teaser” in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

The Next Shakespeare by Wanda Ernstberger and First Giveaway!!!!

Blurb: Who thought a poem would trigger World War Three?

Tristan Gunner—skateboard fanatic, junk food junkie, award-winning poet. But you’d think he just got detention instead of the school’s grand prize for poetry. And even though Chris won five Math and Science awards, the next Einstein is crying because he’s not the next Shakespeare. Astra wants them both to cut the drama, and caught between a mortified winner and a crybaby loser, she hopes Chris can get over his attitude before World War Three erupts in her kitchen.

    

The Next Shakespeare was a young adult short story filled with interesting characters and inspiring events. The story is told from the point of view of Astra and from the short time that I was with her, I could tell that she was very sassy and likable. She is the Switzerland between jealous, spoiled Chris and modest Tristan. I liked really Tristan for many reasons. He was the underdog and people looked down upon him because his mom worked at Quickie Mart and because he was going to community college. This made him the perfect person to cheer for and he didn't let me down. His poem was beautiful and showed that you really can't judge a book by it's cover.

     I liked the character that Chris played. He was laughable in his jealousy at Tristan winning the poetry contest. What made him a nice character was that in the end he sucked it up and congratulated Tristan in his victory. In fact he realized that he could learn from Tristan and that if he was forever under his parents, he could never be happy no matter how many awards he had. The Next Shakespeare took me a short time to read, but reinforced some very important values. It did that while also being funny and enlightening. If you asked me, I'd say that it was the perfect framework for a good novel.

Visit Wanda HERE on her website and HERE on her Twitter. Also, read an excerpt of THE NEXT SHAKESPEARE right HERE.

Now the moment you've all been waiting for! The wonderful Wanda has been so gracious as to provide me with a copy of THE NEXT SHAKESPEARE, which I will send to 3 lucky winners. But...... since this is my first giveaway and I want to pace myself, there will be no ending date on this giveaway until I get at least 30 entries and then I will decide the date. All you have to do is leave a comment with your name and email address. It's that simple!

In My Mailbox (08/01/11)

 

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. 
Here's what I got this week... 

 Oops! Wrong one! This is what happened the first time I tried to take the picture! :P

 Bought

Crusade by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Dark Reflections by Kai Meyer

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Well, that's it! What did you get in your mailbox?