Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

Perfect You

Elizabeth Scott

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 284 pages

Publisher: Simon Pulse (March 25, 2008)

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast.
Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest.

Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen -- but only if she lets them....

Perfect You is yet another example of relatable writing from Elizabeth Scott. We have all been embarrassed at least once by our parents and Kate Brown is no different from that. Her dad decides that selling vitamins is the next big thing and Kate attempts to help him in his quest like all good daughters would, right? All the while she is dealing with the loss of her best friend and the new found interest of Will, whom she is convinced doesn’t really like her.

I found Kate to be very relatable and very well written. Elizabeth Scott has a way of bringing her readers in a making her characters so much like them that you forget you are reading Kate’s story and you feel as if you are the character herself. Kate’s emotions, reactions, fears, and thoughts are so real to the reader throughout the novel and you find yourself hating her parents for being so blind and falling in love with Will right beside her.

When I pick up Elizabeth’s books, I know I will not be disappointed and this one is yet another example of why I know that is true. Great read!

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011 Debut Author Challenge

I am so excited to let you all know that I have decided to enter The Story Siren’s 2011 challenge! I enjoyed the challenge last year and got to read so many wonderful novels that I wouldn't have had brought to my attention otherwise through it. I also was able to get quite a few debut's at NCTE this year and am pumped to have the collection started!

The Challenge: Read at least 12 debut novels that are middle grade or young adult by December 31, 2011. Titles that are YA debuts by a middle grade author or vice versa count as well! You can join at anytime. The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

My list of chosen books is below! I will be adding to this as the year goes and can't wait to read them all.

Leave a comment if you’re participating in the challenge too or want to suggest a title! Share a link to your list!

In no particular order…

1. Anya's War by Andrea Alban

2. The Altar of Bones by Philip Carter

3. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

4. Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

5. Wither by Lauren DeStefano (review here)

6. So Shelly by Ty Roth

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth (review here)

8. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (review here)

9. Entwined by Heather Dixon

10. Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer

11. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthall

12. Karma by Cathy Ostlere

13. Department 19 by Will Hill

14. Clarity by Kim Harrington

15. We Are Note Eaten By Yaks by C. Alexander London

16. Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (review here)

17. Between by Cyndi Tefft (review here)

Added:

18. The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma (review here)

19. Die for Me by Amy Plum (review here)

I'm Still Alive... I Promise :)

Well now that the holidays are dying down I feel like I can come out of hiding! I didn't mean to take a hiatus, but family comes first and they were taking a lot out of me this season... but only in the best way. I hope that you all had a very good holiday! I know I did. Amongst the many wonderful gifts I received this year was a new Kindle! I am so excited :) I had a First Generation so now I am loving the new one!

I love these too...

HERE is the site where you can see more and get one too... they are tons of fun!

We also got the movie Despicable Me from Santa and these great goggles came with it. So now I have my own Minion!!

There were other great presents including this shirt and the BINGO game Santa brought to us that was supposed to go to some poor Spanish kids...

But mostly there was time spent with family, Rummy played around the table, way too much food eaten, and even little surprises in books bought at the bookstore...


I am looking forward to many great things in 2011 and will be sharing some of that soon. Happy reading everyone!

xoxo
jennie

Congrats!!

I have two winners to announce!! These two have won a copy of Carol Oates debut Shades of Atlantis. Congrats to

Kathryn

and

AJ

Check your email and you will find a lovely surprise! Congrats again :)

Shades of Atlantis by Carol Oates

Shades of Atlantis

Carol Oates

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Pages: Paperback 307

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

Since the death of their parents, Triona Pryor and her brother, Ben, have lived with their aunt and uncle in Camden, Maine. Now in her senior year of high school, Triona loves her family and friends, but she has always felt that she didn’t quite fit in…in Camden, or anywhere else.

Enter Caleb Wallace, the devilishly handsome man who has recently moved to Triona’s small town. While their attraction to each other is instantaneous, it also proves to be dangerous…and deadly.

When tragedy strikes, Triona flees to London for solace and to start her life anew. It’s there she discovers from an unlikely source that her family has been keeping secrets from her – secrets about not only her birthright, but her ultimate destiny as well. Armed with this knowledge, Triona finds herself thrown into a whole new world and into a battle to save the lives of everyone she loves.

Yet another great publication from Omnific! The originality of the plot, characters, and the world that Carol created complete sucked me in from the beginning. I am glad that I got this debut in just in time for my debut challenge and am glad to say that it is easily one of my top books for this year. Carol’s creativity of the Celtic myths was just what those of us who are stretching our creative writing brains need… and those of us who simply love to get swept away in a world completely believable and tremendously imaginative.

My cousin and best friend are red heads and both have often said to me that there aren’t many good books out there with strong red headed females. Well Manda and Rachel, this one is for you (and all you other strong red heads out there)! Triona is the kind of girl we all secretly hope to be. She lost her parents at a young age and went with her younger brother to live with her aunt and uncle. She has a determined personality and a past that she is slowly coming to realize is far more complicated than she could have ever imagined. When the hottie Caleb moves into town, Triona doesn’t think much of it because she considers herself plain but is completely shocked when he shows interest in her. As they fall in love seemingly immediately, they quickly find that their destinies are more entwined than they could have ever imagined.

Readers will find themselves traveling from America to London all through Triona’s eyes and living right with her as she finds out more about her past, her parents and her future. Seeing as I have never been to many of the places Triona mentions, I found that Carol did an amazing job describing even the little things so that I could (quite literally) see it through Triona’s eyes. I love that Triona had two equally impressive men vying for her attention who were vastly different. It was easy to fall in love with all of the characters throughout the novel and feel the raw emotions they were dealing with.

This wonderful debut needs to join the rest of the amazing books you have on your shelf… and not just as a decoration! Carol’s creativity of a brand new world, description of her characters, and enticement within the plot will have you sucked in from the very beginning and you won’t put it down until you are done. Then, if you are like me, you will send emails begging her to write more!

For more about Carol, visit her HERE.

Purchase your copy of this amazing novel HERE.

Even better... fill out THIS FORM for a chance to win a copy of Shades of Atlantis of your very own! Good luck and happy reading!