YA Book Tour- Texas

Next stop on the YA tour is Mary Lindsey's Shattered Souls representing Texas.

Lenzi has a problem, she thinks she is going crazy.  She keeps hearing voice asking for her help, and believes she developing schizophrenia like her father. Her boyfriend Zak tries to help by getting her to take prescriptions to drowned out the voices.

On her birthday, she gets Zak to take her down to Galveston to visit her dad's grave. Here she meets Alden, who at first she believes is another hallucination, but he is real as can be and knows exactly what is going on with her.  The voices she is hearing are very real. They are the voices of hindered spirits asking for help.  Turns out Lenzi is a speaker and Alden is her Protector, and they have lived many lives together.

Only this time Lenzi's name is different, no longer Rose, she remembers nothing of their past together and has trouble accepting this whole new twist in her life.

So the description  makes it sound the big conflict in Lenzi's life is between choosing  Zak or Alden, but really it is not.  You know pretty quick that Zak is not right for her, and so does she.  Her main struggle is finding her way as a Speaker when she knows nothing about.

I felt a little bad for Lenzi with everyone expecting her to be the person she cannot remember.  I do like that she refuse to be defined by her past, especially one she doesn't remember.  She forges her own way, and makes Alden accept her the way she is now.

Alden, at times, is a little bit of a stick in the mud.  He wants Lenzi, but is afraid to accept her love because of her past as Rose.  He can't decide if he should hold her tight or at arms length.  That boy needs to get his priorities straight.

I like the interesting concept of recycling of lives as to save lost souls.  It was not your run of the mill ghost whisper.  Ms. Lindsey has made quite the interesting and complicated world that works to resolve the hindered spirits.

Sad news is that the companion novel to this one is not due out until fall 2014. Can't believe I have to wait that long to learn more about the fascinating world created in this book, but it will be a whole new couple in the book.

Currently Reading:
Dairy Queen
by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

YA Book Tour- Florida

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin represents Florida on the United States of YA. Totally in love with the cover to this book.

Mara Dyer wakes up in the hospital with no memory of what happened to land her there. She has been in a coma for several days after being in a building collapse that kills her best friend and boyfriend. Suffering from some serious PTSD, she convince her family to move to Florida to get away from the memories.

Unfortunately for her, the memories just won't let her go, and she remembers more from the night, the more frightened of herself she becomes.

At her new school, her first run in with other students is the a hottie with an English accent, who looks at her like her knows her.  Turns out Noah Shaw has quite the reputation and he is becoming interested in Mara.  Noah's reputation may not be all that it is made out to be.  He is a boy with secrets of his own, and might be just the help that Mara needs.

I really enjoyed this story with its shades of  Henry James' A Turn of a Screw.  You are definitely questioning, along with Mara herself, is everything in her head or are they possibly real. The book keeps you guessing to the very end, just about.

I really liked the character of Mara. She had me in the beginning when she wanted to save the poor starving dog.  Note to all you authors, the way to a vet student's heart is make your characters animals lovers. I like the fact the she does not just fall into Noah's arms, even if she finds him attractive.  I always feel that it is more realistic when the characters slowly build a relationship.

I am, also, a fan of Noah's character.  Even after he knows what Mara has been through, he does not treat her like a broken doll.  He, too, is an animal lover. At times the arrogance is slightly annoying, but he totally makes up for it with his unguarded moments.

The biggest disappoint for me was the development of the character of Jamie.  He is Mara's first friend at school, and I liked him.  I just feel that he was under-developed and not near enough of him in the book.

Oh, and keep reading to the very end, because there is a huge OMG moment that looks like it will become super important in the rest of the serious.

One more thing, bonus points to Ms. Hodkin for both Lord of Rings and Harry Potter references.

Currently Reading:
Shattered Souls
by Mary Lindsey

YA Book Tour- Ohio

Next on the book tour is I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore for Ohio. First, I think that it is interesting that the author decided to write under the pen name of what is technically a character in the book.

The Lorien Planet was invaded by Mogadorians who destroyed the whole planet and everyone on it.  Nine Garde children got away.  There was a charm placed on them so that they could only be killed in order. One, two, and three are dead so four and his Cepan, Henri, are once again on the run because he is next.

They go to the small town of Paradise, Ohio where four takes the name John. John settles into the new school making friends with Sam, who is quite the alien believer. He also falls hard and fast for Sarah which does not win him points with her ex-boyfriend, Mark.

As the book progresses, John makes his first real friend and finds love. He, also, learns that hiding your true self is not easy when the ones you love are in danger, and people surprise you all the time.

This was a fast story, that did not drag really at any point, but because of its pace I felt that the author did not develop the characters as well as I would have liked. I liked the characters, I just would have liked to get a better feel for their personalities. The book did leave me wanting to more of the series because I really have so many more questions.  Also, I am dying to know how the use of Pittacus Lore, who one of the elders of Lorien that disappeared, as the author of the book will play into the story line later.

Currently Reading:
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
by Michelle Hodkin

YA Book Tour- Michigan

Michigan is next up on the tour with Lisa McMann's Wake.

Janie is a girl from the wrong side of town, who just happens to drop into people's dreams.  It does not matter if she is wide awake when they start dreaming, she gets pulled into them. From dreams she learns some pretty crazy things about people, but none so bad as the nightmare she falls into one night on her way home from work.

She later has the nightmare again in study hall, and learns it is her classmate Cabel's dream. Cabel, who is a slight bit of a mystery, and has become quite the hottie their senior year of high school. After a intense nightmare on a class trip, she tells Cabel, what she has never told anyone else, that she experiences other people's dreams whether she wants to or not.

Cabel has secrets of his own, which keep pushing Janie away despite his serious crush on her.

Here is the thing I liked the characters, and I liked the story itself, but the writing style was awful.

Janie is strong and refuses to allow poor to be her lot in life. She works hard in school, and at her job so that she can go to college.  She is nice, even to the girls who are not so nice to her. And she is loyal to be best friend, despite her best friend being a bit of a screw up at times.

Cabel is sensitive and sweet, and really is a good person even after all he has been through.  He seems just perfect for Janie, there to pull her out and look after her when she has experienced this horrific nightmares.

The writing is a choppy, third person format. At times, the way scenes are describe, I felt like a creepy voyeur into Janie and Cabel's lives.  I think this book would have benefitted from being written in first person from Janie's POV.

At the end of my copy was Cabel's Story, which is a short from Cabel's perspective on the field trip scene.  I thought that was an excellent addition to the book.

Despite the terrible writing style, I do want to read the next book in the series because I liked the characters enough to want to know what happens to them.

Currently Reading:
I Am Number Four
by Pittacus Lore

YA Book Tour- Arkansas

Next stop of the United States of YA tour is Arkansas with John Corey Whaley's Where Things Come Back.

The summer between Cullen Witter's junior and senior year becomes a life changing summer.  First, some guy claims to have seen a woodpecker thought to be extinct since the 1940s, and then his brother, Gabriel, disappears. Cullen is a mostly average teenage boy.  He is kind of a loner with one really great friend, Lucas, but really one great friend is sometimes all you need.  He has quite the active imagination, many times imagining zombie take overs of his town. He learns to deal with disappearance of his bother, who he is super close to, and how to deal other people's reaction to it, too.

Along with Cullen's story is the story of Benton Sage/ Cabot Searcy. Benton starts out as the main person in the parallel story but it morphs into a story about his college roommate Cabot. Benton starts as a missionary in Africa, where frankly I think he totally miss the point about doing God's work. He comes home a failure, and a disappoint to his family.  To try and redeem himself, he goes to college where he meets Cabot. The events of Benton's life have a profound influence on Cabot, which basically makes him a little crazy.

Honestly, this book was a little slightly strange one, and a little depressing at times.  I spent most of the book wondering exactly how the two stories were related, and when they did come together it was definitely on the weird side.  It felt like, at times, that I was playing a six degrees of separation of how the characters from both story lines were going to connect. This one was not my style, but not the worst book I have read.

Currently Reading:
Wake
by Lisa McMann

YA Book Tour- Missouri

Rolling on with the YA book tour and the next stop is Missouri with Tess Gratton's Blood Magic.

Silla whole life was shattered when she came home and discovered the bodies of both her parents.  The investigation concludes her father killed her mother and then himself, but Silla never believes that. Months later a mysterious package shows up for her, a book of spells in her father's handwriting.

While trying out the book in the cemetery, her new neighbor Nick sees her. Nick knows more about this magic than she knows.  His mother worked in it, and it drove her crazy.  Nick recently moved to this small town after he inherited his grandfather's house, and his new stepmom thinks it would be a great place for her creativity process.

Silla and Nick grow closer, and know that there is more than blood magic between them.  They, along with Silla's brother Reese, explore exactly how powerful this magic is.  Together they learn that the power they found draws a darker practitioner of blood magic, and they must find a way to defeat her.

Silla's character never really had me forming an emotional attachment to her. She spends so much of the book hiding behind a mask, that even the reader does not get a real feel for her.  Mostly I can say she is a broken girl, and at the end I am not quite sure if she has healed or even is on the way to healing. She just seems very blah, I feel neither strong like or dislike for her.

Nick, at least, is a little better. I felt that he had more personality of the main characters. You could tell that he was someone that made up is own mind about things and did not just let what other people say form his opinion. He is loyal and funny at times, and for which I liked him.

The story itself, oh so many problems. First, Ms. Gratton angle's the plot so hard toward a suspected antagonist that I knew that it could have been any character but her, rookie mistake.  She, also, has this whole epic battle seen been our heros and the antagonist that feels like it should almost the end of the book, but, no, there is still like 20% of the book left, and it kind of drags after that.  And for characters she makes seem fairly well read, they sure seem to jump into blood magic with no clue.  Even I could tell that messing with blood magic is probably not a good idea, never leads to happy endings.

The idea for this book had so much potential, but it just seemed to fall flat all around.

Currently Reading:
Where Things Come Back
by John Corey Whaley

YA Book Tour- Maine

Lauren Oliver's Delirium is next up on the YA book tour for the state of Maine.

In Lena's world, love is a disease that must be stopped.  When you turn 18, you under go a procedure known as the cure, and Lena cannot wait for her cure date.  She does not want to end up like her mother, who committed suicide because she could not be cured.

On the day of her evaluation, a interview that determines your pairing and fate, the craziest thing happens, the lab is over run by a herd of cattle. The cows bust into her evaluation, and in the chaos, Lena catches a glimpse of a boy with hair the color of autumn leaves laughing from the observation level.

Later on a run with her best friend, Hana, Lena meets the boy, Alex.  While outward he pretends not to know her, he drops hints that remembers exactly what he saw during her evaluation. As the book progress, so does Lena and Alex's relationship,  Lena learns of the lies she has been fed by the government and even family.  Mostly importantly, she learns that love is not a disease, but what makes life worth living.

I have to say the Ms. Oliver presents a frightening concept, a world without love. If there is not love, then how can you passionate about anything.  What would have to all the artist, musicians, and writers? How could doctors truly care about their patients? And how awful it must be to be a child and know your parents are incapable of love?

As for Lena's character, I admit that I was not crazy about her at first.  So willing to be whatever society told her was the way to be, even when it seems unnatural.  She reminded me a little of those cattle lose in the lab, blinding following the herd.  But as the book progresses, she really makes up for her earlier self.  She becomes a truly brave person, and a character I can admire.

Alex I liked from the first moment he was introduced.  There is just something about him that draws the reader, and makes you root for him.

There were several aspect of the book that reminded me of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games.  The government's lies to the citizen, the cruel enforcement of the rules at times, and even the fence around the border of Portland, but that being said the book definitely has its own identity.

If you enjoy distopian societies, which I do, and a good love story, this is the book for you.

Currently Reading:
Blood Magic
by Tessa Gratton

YA Book Tour Update & More

So it's official, I am over half way done with the United States of YA book tour. Currently reading book number 26 for Maine.

In other news, the cover of Allegiant the final book in Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy was released this week.  It will be in book stores on October 22, so mark your calendars, and for your viewing pleasure until then the cover:

YA Book Tour- Alabama

Alabama is the next stop on the United States of YA with Rosemary Clement-Moore's The Splendor Falls.

Sylvie Davis was at the top of her game in ballet, at seventeen she had become a principle dancer in the American Ballet Company. Then tragedy struck during a routine position, her tibia broken in a compound fracture and thus ending her ballet career. After an incident at her mother's wedding, she is sent to her father's family in Alabama while her mother and new husband are on their honeymoon.

Sylvie arrives in Alabama with her dog, Gigi, and knowing nothing about her family and their life there.  Her father never told her anything about it while he was alive.  Her cousin Paula and her hottie Welsh guest, Rhys, pick her up at the airport.  Rhys, who Sylvie feels an immediate connect to but doesn't understand why, and yet he seems to be deliberately annoying her.

Once at Bluestone Hill, her family's antebellum plantation, she meets the local teens lead by Shawn.  She knows he is cute, but she can tell that his charm is part of a performance.  Addie, who is Paula's business partners daughter, takes an immediately dislike to her.

As Sylvie learns the ins and outs to this small town, and more about the family her father never spoke of, she finds that it might just be more than the living occupying Bluestone Hill, and the past has a way of repeating itself.

I very much enjoyed this book with its vibrant characters and a bit of Southern Gothic feel to the story.  I feel for Sylvie having to re-evaluate her whole life after her accident, and then having everyone be so uptight about her every move. Girl just lost the dream she had been working toward for most of her life, give her a break. I love Sylvie's determination when she sets her mind to something, and watching her decipher her feelings toward Rhys and Shawn.

Speaking of Rhys and Shawn, both are very interesting characters in very different ways.  Rhys is broody and secretive, but when you get the unguarded him, he is quite charming and caring.  Shawn, on the other hand, is extremely charming from the beginning, and he use his to hide his true colors.  Shawn seems likable enough, but I couldn't help but think that he uses his charm as a misdirection so you can't see what he is really up do.

This story really has a way keeping you interested to the very end, and guessing on what exactly is going on at Bluestone Hill.

Currently Reading:
Delirium
by Lauren Oliver

YA Book Tour- Mississippi

Representing Mississippi on the YA book tour is Jaqueline Woodson's Beneath a Meth Moon. To be honest, not sure why this was picked to represent Mississippi, since the minority of chapters take place there.  Also, so you are warned, this book contains some very heavy subject matters, and might hit too close to home for anyone who has had someone close to them deal with a substance abuse problem.

Laurel, along with her father and younger brother, are starting a new life in a new town after the loss of her mother and grandmother in Hurricane Katrina. She makes new friends, and starts cheerleading.  It is here that she catches the eye of the basketball team co-captain T-boom.  T-boom gives her a kiss and introduces her to meth, which she calls moon.

Laurel live begins to fall apart the deeper she gets into addiction.  It when she meets Moses, the gay boy who paints those who have died from meth, that she even thinks about getting out.  It is Moses that saves her both figuratively and literately from her addiction.

Here is my biggest problem with the book, it does not go in chronological order.  The first chapter is the end, which  could have been fine if she was just introducing her story.  The next chapter skips to somewhere in the middle of story of her addiction, and then it skips back to when she stilled lived in Mississippi before the hurricane, before meth.  It was really annoying that with each chapter I had to establish where it happened within the timeline.

When T-boom gives her the moon to start with, I just wanted to yell at her.  Really who thinks it is a good idea to take an unknown substance from a guy you only recently met. And with a name like T-boom, how trust worthy can he be.

While I have never had to deal with a close loved one with a substance abuse problem, I get that this book can hit very close to home for those who have, so proceed reading with caution.

Currently Reading:
The Splendor Falls
by Rosemary Clement-Moore

YA Book Tour- Indiana

Next stop in the tour is Indiana with John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. Fair warning, have your tissues handy because are going to need it.

At 13 Hazel was diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer which metastasized to her lungs. She was given a experimental drug, while not curing her, it caused the mets to shrink and stop the spread. So now, she knows the end will come eventually, but no idea when.

Every week she goes to a support meeting for children with cancer, which she hates. I think I had to sit through one of those, and listen to leader Patrick, I would be super depressed.  It is at one of these meeting that Augustus Waters pretty much barrels his way into her life.

Augustus has lost a leg to osteosarcoma, and is quite the engaging, lovable character.  It is no wonder that Hazel finds herself falling for him.  She introduces him to her favorite book, and he uses his cancer wish to take her to Amsterdam to meet the author, who turns out to be quite the prick.  Despite that, they have a great time, too bad Augustus gives Hazel terrible news at the end.

The characters are so fantastically written, that I find myself quite emotionally attached to them.  The story was beautiful and heartbreaking, just the way that much of life is. But seriously, you need the tissues. I am pretty sure I spent the last few chapters in constant tears, but I would not have missed this book even if I could have skipped the tears.

Currently Reading:
Beneath a Meth Moon
by Jacqueline Woodson

YA Book Tour- Louisiana

Tara Hudson's Arise represents Louisiana on the book tour, and it is the second book in the Hereafter series. The cover art for this series is one of my favorites.  It really captures the haunting beauty that the story portrays.

Arise continues the story of Amelia, the ghost, and Joshua, the seer.  After the events of Hereafter, Joshua grandmother Ruth has moved back to New Orleans, and the family is planning on visiting her for Christmas.

Amelia is having problems of her own.  She keeps having nightmares, which a ghost shouldn't even have about the demons. She even receives a warning from Eli about the demons wanting her.  She really starts to worry for Joshua's safety, and he seems to be pulling away from the living.  She resolves to leave him after spending Christmas with him.

Once in New Orleans, Amelia meets the rest of the Mayhew cousins, who much to her and Joshua's surprise know all about Amelia.  They can all hear her and their friend, Alex, can see her, too. Alex, who from the beginning, gave me a bad feeling.  In fact, I figured out who he was about half through the story.

Joshua, in an effort to help Amelia, gets a voodoo priestess, Gabrielle, to preform a ceremony on Amelia. The ritual causes some crazy changes in Amelia, including now she can appear to non-seers if she wants, eat, and finally change clothes.  But those perks come with a price, which complicates things.

The book was a great follow up to Hereafter, in fact, I might even like it more than Hereafter.  The setting of New Orleans was so perfect for it, and Ms. Hudson does a fabulous job of introducing the reader to the city and culture.  With the introduction of more seers and Gabrielle (Gaby) and her brother, I felt that we really got to see Amelia grow more as a character.  Definitely can't wait to find out what happens in the next book.

In case you noticed, why yes I did skip over Ohio on my statehood journey.  Hopefully, I will be able to get that one from the library soon.

Currently Reading:
The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green

YA Book Tour- Kansas

So I skipped over a few states and followed the yellow brick road to Kansas for L. Frank Baum's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

This is a story that we all know and love, because who really has never seen the Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland. Since pretty much everyone knows the story, I won't bore you with the usually synopsis.

I will say that Mr. Baum's writing style reminds me a lot of Lewis Carroll's style in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  The book itself seems targeted to a younger audience than the rest of the YA books on the list, but that may because it is not as recent a book as the rest of the list.

I tell you what, the description of Kansas is not a winning endorsement for moving there. Mr. Baum describes the landscape as grey, the buildings as grey, and even the people are looking grey. Plus you never know when a tornado is going to come around and carry your house off to Oz.

The way Dorothy is describe has me picturing her as younger than Judy Garland's 16 years in the movie.  She and others constantly call her a little girl, which has me thinking no older than like 12.

You do get a little more of a back story to Dorothy's companions than the movie, and they meet more characters along the way. While the extra characters aren't in the movie, some do make appearance and have large roles in Gregory Maguire's Wicked (and also the musical) like Boq.

I think the biggest disappointment for me, was the ruby slippers are not actually ruby in the book, but rather they are silver slippers.  Which if you think about it, are much more practical, fashion wise they well match many more outfits.

Currently Reading:
Arise
by Tara Hudson

YA Book Tour- Tennessee

Tennessee is next up on the YA book tour with Myra McEntire's Hourglass.

Emerson Cole has a little problem, she just happens to see people who are not actually there.  She doesn't call them ghost, but knows they are not of her time.  This caused huge problems for her four years ago when her parents died and she had a mental breakdown.

After a few years at a boarding school, she is back in her home town in Tennessee.  Her brother has found someone from the Hourglass foundation to help her with her problem, Micheal Weaver.  Emerson finds herself immediately drawn to Micheal, even though he really is trying to keep their relationship professional.

Micheal explains to her what she sees are rifs in time.  Emerson only sees rifs from the past, while Micheal can see rifs from the future.  He explains to her that seeing these rifs are only a side effect of her true ability. Turns out, she can time travel to the past, and if she works with Micheal, the possibilities are endless, and who doesn't love a good time traveling story.

I like Emerson's character.  She is spunky and funny, and even though she been through so much, she still has a big heart.  Micheal makes me a little nuts at times.  He can't decide if her wants to give in to his desire for Emerson or keep her at arms length, but still gets jealous of her talking to other guys.

One of the favorite characters was Kaleb.  He was funny and caring, despite being a little bit of a drunk at first.  And good news, it looks like he takes the lead in the next book.  I, also, loved Emerson's best friend, Lily.  She is loyal to Emerson, even when she went through all her issues. Plus she is Cuban, like my vet school bestie.

Oh, and bonus points to Ms. McEntire for both a Dr. Who and Harry Potter reference.

Currently Reading:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum

YA Book Tour- Kentucky

The Bluegrass state is the next stop on the tour with Alecia Whitaker's The Queen of Kentucky.  It is a book that anyone who has been a 14 year old girl can relate to.

Ricki Jo Winstead is about the start high school, and she is ready to be someone new, someone cooler, and definitely not a Ricki Jo.  She decides that Ericka is a much more sophisticated name. She tries out for cheerleading, and makes new friends.

Her best friend Luke, liked her the way she was before the new clothes and friends.  As Ricki Jo tries to fit in with her new friends, she really starts to loose her best friend. Luke is an all around good guy, who has some serious family issues.

And of course there is a boy, Wolf, cute, popular, and every freshman girls crushes.  He is the guy in high school you had a huge crush on, despite him being a world class jerk.  He is the one you look back on, and wonder why you ever wanted him to ask you out.

Ricki Jo learns to navigate the perils of high school, and just maybe she learns what is truly important.

I loved Ricki Jo, because she really is a good hearted person who gets a little caught up in high school social scenes.  I felt I could relate to her, because that was a lot like myself in middle school.  I even did the whole go by my middle name because my first name was not cool.  Plus, Ricki Jo has a special place for me because of her love of her dog.  I am sucker for a character who loves their animals that much.

This truly was a great story with wonderful characters.

Currently Reading:
Hourglass
by Myra McEntire