I Now Pronounce You Someone Else Giveaway!

CONTEST CLOSED.

I received a great surprise by Scholastic (thank you!!) today, however I already bought a copy from the Strand a while back, so why not give my extra copy away to one of my amazing followers? Love ya guys, Mwah!

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Pages: 272

Summary: Here Comes the Bride -- If She Can Pass Chemistry. Eighteen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a secret: She's really Phoebe, the lost daughter of the loving Lilywhite family. That's the only way to explain her image-obsessed mother; a kind but distant stepfather; and a brother with a small personality complex. Bronwen knows she must have been switched at birth, and she can't wait to get away from her "family" for good. Then she meets Jared Sondervan. He's sweet, funny, everything she wants -- and he has the family Bronwen has always wanted too. She falls head over heels in love, and when he proposes marriage, she joyfully accepts. But is Jared truly what she needs? And if he's not, she has to ask: What would Phoebe Lilywhite do?

**CONTEST RULES**

You MUST be a follower to enter the giveaway, if you're not make sure you press the 'follow' button on my sidebar, that looks like this:

-There will be one lucky winner.
-This contest is INTERNATIONAL!!!
-Deadline will be May 21, 2010 at midnight EST time.

(Please don't enter through the comments, thanks!)

!! FILL THIS FORM OUT TO ENTER!!

Book Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 320
Source: Received from publicist/author for honest review

Summary:

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last. Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone. Well, sort of. Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost. It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit. As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

My Review: Shade was a hauntingly, endearing supernatural novel. I was utterly impressed with the flow of the plot and the unique characters. The world that Jeri created was very original and fresh. In this community, people born after the shift had the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Pretty cool right? The violet-hued spirits were friendly while the dark "shades" were unpleasant and bitter. Aura was not the biggest fan of her ability. But, when her boyfriend Logan passed away, she was grateful for the chance to see him again. The raw emotions Aura went through was quite depressing. I could not imagine dealing with not only the loss of a loved one but also being surrounded by their ghost. I was saddened when Logan passed away, he was my favorite character. There was something about his demeanor that made me feel comfortable and fuzzy inside. He would of continued to be a great boyfriend to Aura if it wasn't for his stupid mistake. *sighs*

Now, throughout the book the suspense slowly developed with the mystery behind the Shift. No one with this ability was aware as to why this phenomenon occurred. Aura, a strong and passionate teen sought out answers behind her power, even though it was forbidden. I admired her determination and understanding that something shady was going on. Meanwhile, another character stood out to me, Zachary, a handsome new student from Scotland who held some interesting secrets. He genuinely cared for Aura and always kept her best interest at heart. The connection between the two was intriguing and I can't wait to see their progressing relationship in this series. Jeri concluded the first book perfectly, I am eagerly anticipating the sequel, Shift which comes out in May 2011. Overall, a great supernatural read which I recommend all YA lovers should read!

Read Chapter One Here

My Rating:
Book Trailer:

Author's Info:

Award-winning author Jeri Smith-Ready lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world’s goofiest greyhound. Jeri's plans to save the earth were ruined when she realized she was more of a “problem maker” than a problem solver. To stay out of trouble, she keeps her Drama Drive strictly fictional. Her friends and family appreciate that. When not writing, Jeri she can usually be found—well, thinking about writing, or on Twitter. Like her characters, she loves music, movies, and staying up very, very late.

For more info on Jeri, visit her site(s):
-Website
-Twitter
-Facebook
-MySpace

Other books by Jeri:
-Wicked Game (WVMP Radio, Book #1)
-Bad to the Bone (WVMP Radio, Book #2)
-Bring On The Night (WVMP Radio, Book #3) - July 27, 2010
-Eyes of the Crow (Aspect of the Crow, Book #1)
-Voice of the Crow (Aspect of the Crow, Book #2)
-The Reawakened (Aspect of the Crow, Book #3)
-Requiem for the Devil
-The Wild's Call

Look out for an author interview coming soon!

Book Review: Wereling by Steve Feasey

Wereling by Steve Feasey
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 288
Source: Received from publicist for honest review

Summary: Fourteen-year-old Trey Laporte is not a kid anymore. Not after the day he wakes up in agony—retina-splitting, vomit-inducing agony. His clothes are torn. His room is trashed.
Enter Lucien Charron, the mysterious, long-lost “uncle” with freakish fire-flecked eyes and skin that blisters in the sun. Suddenly, Trey finds himself living in a luxury penthouse at the heart of a strange and sinister empire built on the powers of the Netherworld—vampires, demons, sorcerers, and djinn. And there is a girl—Alexa Charron—who is half vampire, half human, and insanely pretty, with powers all of her own. Trey is falling for her. Trey is training night and day to control the newly discovered power lurking inside him. Now, demons are closing in on every side, and the most psychopathic bloodsucker to rock the Netherworld wants to destroy him. Above all, he must face one terrifying question: Is he a boy . . . or is he a beast?

My Review: Wereling delivered an engaging storyline with detailed and explosive action. Trey, an orphaned teen, wakes up one day to have his whole life turned upside down. His "uncle" Lucien, who is a vampire, revealed to him that he was a werewolf. A lot to swallow in one day right? Trey didn't surprise me by his reaction of wanting to run away, that would be my initial response as well. I enjoyed his realistic behavior and willingness to deal with the crazy changes. Lucien made it his business to protect and train Trey for the future attacks that might be coming his way. Some of you might be thinking, a vampire training a werewolf? Yes! A refreshing twist to the vampires vs. werewolves battle in most YA books.

Lucien's daughter, Alexa was also an interesting character. She was down to earth and got along well with Trey. I was expecting some type of romance to blossom, however it never happened. Usually, I'd be disappointed since I'm a hopeless romantic, but I was pleasantly fine without it. The book's plot held my attention long enough without realizing that slight detail until the end. The story concluded with me wanting more and yearning to read the sequel! Overall, Steve's writing is simply amusing and colorful. Since this series was released in the UK first, I believe it's a good addition to the US market for supernatural books and look forward to its future releases.

My Rating:
Author's Info:



STEVE FEASEY lives with his family in Hertfordshire, UK, where he sometimes hears a strange and unidentifiable howling just after midnight. Wereling is his first venture into teen fiction.

For more info on Steve visit his site(s):
Website: http://www.stevefeasey.com
Blog: http://rantsteverant.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/stevefeasey

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=44743251337

Up & Coming YA Releases...

• As Simple As It Seems by Sarah Weeks (HarperCollins, 6/15/10)
• Sell-Out by Ebony Joy Wilkins (Scholastic Press, 7/1/10)

• Shadow Grail #1: Legacies by Mercedes Lacke & Rosemary Edghill (Tor Teen, 7/6/10)
  
• Rendezvous: On The Runway by Melody Carlson (Zondervan, 8/6/10)
  

• I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (HarperCollins, 8/17/10)
• Blood On My Hands (Book #2) by Todd Strasser (EgmontUSA, 9/28/10)
  

• End of Days (Night Runner, Book #2) by Max Turner (St. Martin's Griffin, 9/28/10)
• Girl, Stolen by April Henry (Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9/28/10)

• The Blending Time by Michael Kinch (Flux, 10/1/10)
  
• Thirst No. 3: The Eternal Dawn by Christopher Pike (Simon Pulse, 10/5/10)

New Cover Changes:
(These two books by Lauren Barnholdt had previous covers, so these are the newest versions)


Old Cover / New Cover

• One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt (Simon Pulse, 7/6/10)

Old Cover / New Cover

• Watch Me by Lauren Barnholdt (Simon Pulse, 7/6/10)
  

My Children's Book Choice:

• The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer (HarperCollins, 7/1/10)

A Few Winner Announcements!

Thank you all for participating in the The Circle of Friends - Book V: Heather by L. Diane Wolfe and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Jane Austen & Steve Hockensmith giveaways! Random.org has spoken and the winner for The Circle of Friends is...

xxsquigglesxx

and the winner for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls is...

Kailia Sage

Congrats girls! I've already contacted you :) I hope you enjoy the books!

These are the three current giveaways still going on:

1) Enter to win Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely, #4) by Melissa Marr (Open to US & Canada)
Deadline: April 30, 2010
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Enter to win Perfect Chemistry, Rules of Attraction + bookmarks by Simone Elkeles (Open to US & Canada)
Deadline: May 3, 2010
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Enter to win ARC sequels, And Then I Found Out The Truth (Book #2) by Jennifer Sturman & Blue Fire (Book #2) by Janice Hardy (Open to US & Canada)
Deadline: May 5, 2010

Book Review: The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer

The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 352
Source: Received from publicist for honest review

Summary: Abby Goodwin is sure her sister Maya isn't a murderer. But her parents don't agree. Her friends don't agree. And the cops definitely don't agree. Maya is a drop-out, a stoner, a girl who's obsessed with her tutor, Jefferson Andrews...until he ends up dead. Maya runs away, and leaves Abby following the trail of clues. Each piece of evidence points to Maya, but it also appears that Jefferson had secrets of his own. And enemies. Like his brother, who Abby becomes involved with...until he falls under suspicion. Is Abby getting closer to finding the true murderer? Or is someone leading her down a twisted false path?

My Review: The Deadly Sister was an exceptionally well-written thriller with an intensive plot. The detailed characteristics made it easy to distinguish traits between the sisters. Abby was a mature and caring sister. While, Maya was a drop-out, drug user who always stirred trouble. Throughout Abby's life she covered up for her sister's mistakes with her quick witted actions. However, not all secrets could be hidden.

Now, Maya was faced with harsh accusations of being a murderer. Abby refused to believe her sister had anything to do with her tutor's death and started her own trail of research. The mystery and suspense brought a great balance to the story. Around the middle of the book, I started figuring out a few things. But, I was definitely not expecting how Eliot concluded the book! The ending was shockingly twisted and memorable. I really enjoyed the creativity and character development. Overall, this thriller had all the right elements for an interesting and excited read. I look forward to reading more works by Eliot since I enjoyed his writing style.

My Rating:
Author's Info:
Eliot Schrefer is a resident of New York City and a graduate of Harvard College. A contributor to The Huffington Post and a reviewer for USAToday, Eliot has been profiled in Newsweek, New York Magazine, the New York Post, WWD, and NPR's "Leonard Lopate Show." He was selected as one of the 2007 "Out 100," and as a fellow to the Sewanee Writers' Conference. He has written The School for Dangerous Girls, Glamorous Disaster, and The New Kid. Eliot does not have a sister.

For more info on Eliot, visit his site(s):
Website: http://www.eliotschrefer.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/schrefer

More books by Eliot:
-The New Kid
-Glamorous Disasters
-The School for Dangerous Girls

Check out this funny video of Eliot:

Monday's Question of the Day!

*You are welcome to use my meme - just credit me please*

Question: Do you judge a book by its cover? If so, was there a time where you read an amazing book that didn't have an appealing cover?

My Answer: Sadly, yes I do judge a book by its cover. Especially now when covers are so beautifully done, I can't help but admire the quality. However, I'm not one to buy a book just for its cover. I do take the time out to read the summary so I can determine if it's my kind of book. Hm, two books with okay covers come to mind, the screenplay of Jennifer's Body by Audrey Nixon and Beastly by Alex Finn.


The cover for Jennifer's Body is really cute but I would have liked to see it be more creepy. For instance, the DVD cover for the movie they came out with is perfect. I'd pay more attention to a book cover that resembled something along those lines. Even though it wouldn't be as sexy, it is YA after all!


The second book cover that didn't do the book justice is Beastly by Alex Finn. It's just too plain for my taste. I get the whole "white rose" angle since it's a big part of the book but eh. I would of picked something a bit more interesting.

So, those are my two picks, it was very hard to choose since most of the time YA book covers are gorgeous!

I'd love to know your thoughts, so leave me a comment :)

-----------------------------

Love cool questions? Don't hesitate to visit my girl Jenn's site, Books At Midnight, every Thursday where she hosts The Weekly Debate - go check out her latest post here.

Author Interview: Janet Nichols Lynch

Janet Nichols Lynch author of seven books was born and raised in Sacramento, California. Janet received a B.A. in Music from California State University, Sacramento, a Master of Music Degree in Piano from Arizona State University, and a M.F.A. in Creative Writing from California State University, Fresno, where she was the 2003 Outstanding Thesis Award Nominee for the College of Arts and Humanities. She has taught music at De Anza College, Cupertino, and Skyline College, San Bruno, and music and English at College of the Sequoias, Visalia; currently she teaches English at El Diamante High school. She competes in marathons and triathlons, and once rode her bike from Phoenix, AZ to Washington, D.C. She lives in Visalia with her husband, Timothy, and their college-age children, Caitlin and Sean.

For more info on Janet, visit her site(s):
Website: http://www.janetnicholslynch.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Janet-Nichols-Lynch/131483424987
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/25432.Janet_Nichols_Lynch

Books by Janet:
-Peace is a Four-Letter Word
-Chest Pains
-Messed Up
-Addicted to Her

For more books go here

Author Interview:

1) How old were you when you started writing? I was about 8 when I started writing stories and letters to pen pals. I was 23 when I started writing for publication. I began with cycling journalism--I was racing bikes at the time--and poetry. I was a horrible poet, but I wrote about 400 poems before I figured that out.

2) What inspired you to write Addicted to Her? As a high school teacher, I get about ten ideas a week from my students. I watch both girls and boys fall in love with someone who is all wrong for them. They are treated horribly, they are crushed, but still they believe that someone is their one true love. I want to take them aside and say, “You’d be better off without him or her. He or she doesn’t deserve you.” But it wouldn’t do any good because I can’t erase the pain. Teens are the most romantic people on the face of the earth. The first time they fall in love, they’re absolutely certain he or she is “the one,” the only one. They fall hard, and so does my protagonist Rafa.

3) Are the characters in the books based on someone you know? Once a girl came storming into my classroom, shoved a kid in the chest, and screamed, “Why’d you tell?” After class this guy got jumped by the girl’s boyfriend right outside my room, and that was the spark that started Addicted to Her. My characters are frequently based on people I know, but I wouldn’t be doing my job as a fiction writer if anyone could figure out who those people are.

4) What was the hardest part about writing Addicted to Her?
It was very hard to make Monique a full-fledged, sympathetic character. She’s just a real biatch, you know? I had to get out of Rafa’s head and into Monique’s head and past to figure her out, but not in the book, on the side in my notes, to make her seem real in the novel.

5) If you had to describe your book in one word, what would it be and why? I need a couple: the agony of unrequited love. It explains itself.

6) Out of all the books you've written, which one is your favorite? I have to say Chest Pains, a mainstream novel, is closest to my heart because it explores themes I’m most interested in--music, religion, family. I went through dozens of drafts and struggled and struggled to find a publisher. Messed Up is also dear to me because those are the kids I taught in middle school who sometimes slip through the cracks and break my heart, but that book wrote itself.

7) Do you have any other projects you're currently working on? I always have a couple of books going. I have another mainstream book Old Flame, about a young wife whose husband’s ex-lover comes into their lives and reeks havoc, and a YA The Most Courageous Rider about the professional bicycle race, Tour of California.

8) What book are you currently reading? Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby. It’s an absolutely hilarious account of a guy who thinks he’s an authority on a has-been rock star and gets most of his information on Wikipedia, which is mostly false. I love books that explore the meaning of life through humor. Hornby also has a great YA about teen pregnancy called Slam.

9) Do you have anything to say to all your readers? I hope you enjoy the book, and thanks for reading anything at all.

10) Tell us something about yourself that no one knows about. I’m a pretty open person, so I think I disclose most everything about me. Oh, I was recently voted 2009 Athlete of the Year by my tri club. If you want to know more about me, visit my web site at http://www.janetnicholslynch.com/or become a fan on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Janet-Nichols-Lynch/131483424987?ref=ts

Addicted To Her Out Now!

Summary: Monique is as beautiful and unobtainable as an Aztec goddess. Or is she? When Rafa sees Monique burst out of her boyfriend's truck during an explosive fight, he offers to drive her home. However, it is Rafa who is in for the ride of his life. Soon he is basking in Monique's attentions, but at a cost. To keep her Rafa must quit the wrestling team, blow off family responsibilities, join her in her risky behavior, and worst of all lie. How can Rafa let everyone, including himself, down? But how can he say no to the mesmerizing Monique? In this absorbing youg adult novel set in California's San Joaquin Valley, a Mexican American teenager must choose between what he desperately wants and what he knows is best.

**Thank you Janet for this lovely interview and I look forward to your future works**

IN MY MAILBOX (April 24, 2010)

Credit goes to: The Story Siren for 'In My Mailbox' / Inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie

Vlog:
(Sorry for the umm's and word of the day was obviously awesome haha)



For Review:
-Forget You by Jennifer Echols
-The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
-Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda
-The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos + Bookmarks
-Either You're In Or You're In The Way by Logan & Noah Miller
-The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
-The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June by Robin Benway
-The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Special Thanks To: Jennifer Echols, Adele Griffin, Amazon Encore (Especially Natalie), Brenda Pandos, Logan & Noah Miller and Razorbill

Goodies:
-Thank You Letter & Character Card from Judith Graves, author of Under My Skin
(Thank you Judith, the blog tour was fun!)
-New Moon DVD (Forgot to add it in the picture)

Books Won From Contests:
-The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Special Thanks To: Lilli from Chica Reader for hosting this giveaway!

-Beautiful Custom Made Bookmarks by Lisa from A Life Bound By Books

Special Thanks To: Cindy from Princess Bookie for hosting this giveaway and Lisa for her hard work!!

Books Bought:
-The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

Bloggers Mentioned:
-Lilli from Chica Reader
-Aly from Fantasy 4 Eva

I'd love to hear what you got this week! :)

---------------------------------

A Few Announcements:

• Looking forward to reading Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel? Well, now you can get a sneak peek on MacMillan's site of the first chapter! Go here to read it.
  

• One of my buddies Kate from The Neverending Shelf wrote an informative post about professionalism in blogging, where you can find here.

• The newest Eclipse movie trailer premiered and wow! I am very pleased with all the action I'm seeing...the trailer is below, what do you think?
  
  

New Meme: Kiss And Tell

Kiss And Tell is an awesome meme started by Fantasy 4 Eva. She's very creative and is fairly new to blogging so I hope you all welcome her by visiting her site and participating in this meme. The concept is to write about book(s) that caught your eye either in the library, bookstore or even a book that was borrowed from a friend. It's really up to you. However, there are a few rules which are better explained here.

Now, I'm embarrassed to say I never go to the library. I know, bad Eleni. *slaps myself on the hand* But, I hope to change that soon. So, for this week I'll be featuring two books, one that I recently discovered online and a book I just purchased.

Online Discovery:

John Belushi is Dead by Kathy Charles
(Formerly Known As Hollywood Ending)
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: August 24, 2010
Publisher: MTV Books
Pages: 320

Summary: Pink-haired Hilda and endearing punk Benji, both seventeen, have an obsessive hobby—they haunt the places where Hollywood celebrities have died. In rundown Echo Park, once the hub of the movie business, they find the squalid apartment where a second-rate silent movie star stabbed himself to death with nail scissors. Its current tenant is Hank, an old man with a mysterious past. While Benji dives deeper into the cult of celebrity death, Hank and Hilda make an unlikely pair. Then Jake the screenwriter turns up. What’s his story?

My Thoughts: I really love the thrilling summary and the cover quickly caught my eye. There is something mysterious about the image of a back and pink hair. Makes me think, what is she hiding? So, I'm really looking forward to this one! Visit the author's website for further details: http://www.kathycharles.com

Recently Bought Book:

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 256

Summary: Ei and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they’ve become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary—and their sanity—Eli can’t help but wonder if he’d rather take his chances outside. Eli’s father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe—really?

My Thoughts: I enjoy a good dystopian and I've heard nothing but rave reviews about this book. The whole premise of living underground for six years is mind boggling. It's also interesting that back in 2008, when the book was released, covers were different. I believe now in 2010 covers are a huge part of the Young Adult industry. Honestly, if this book would of came out recently I might of glanced over it since the cover is dull. But, it also teaches me that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover or else I'll be missing out on an amazing story. I also will be featuring S.A. soon on my blog with an awesome interview and review of her next book The Gardener, so look out for that! For further details visit her site: http://www.rockforadoll.com

I'd love to know what your first impressions are about these two books :)

Full Trailer for Beastly!

Hm, I think this movie has potential to be good. Some differences with the book but so far I'm intrigued! I look forward to its release on July 30, 2010. What do you guys think? Yay or Nah?

Thanks to Jessica from A BookLover's Diary, that's where I first spotted it :P

Book Review: The Karma Club by Jessica Brody

The Karma Club by Jessica Brody
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Pages: 272
Source: Received from publicist for honest review

Summary:

"Personally, I’m tired of waiting for the universe to get off its butt and start fixing stuff. I don’t want to wait around fomatter . . . I want to be there to see it happen."

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. It’s that mysterious, powerful force that brings harmony to the universe. You know—do good things and you will be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what’s coming to you. A sort of cosmic balancing act. But when Mason Brooks, Maddy’s boyfriend of two years, gets caught tongue-wrestling with Miss Perfect Body Heather Campbell, and absolutely nothing happens to either of them—except that they wind up the hot new couple of Colonial High School, it seems like Karma has officially left Maddy in the lurch. That’s why Maddy and her best friends, Angie and Jade, decide to start the Karma Club—a secret, members-only organization whose sole purpose is to clean up the messes that the universe has been leaving behind. Whether they’re modifying Heather Car Mason to get what’s coming to him. Or Heather Campbell, for that mpbell’s acne cream as part of “Operation Butterface,” or righting a few wrongs when it comes to Angie and Jade’s own slimy exes, they know they’re just doing what Karma should have done in the first place. They’re taking care of one another. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. Because it turns out, when you mess with Karma, Karma messes back. Now Maddy must find a way to balance her life for good, even as everything around her seems to be toppling to the ground.

My Review: The Karma Club was witty, sarcastic and fun! Jessica's humorous writing was highly addictive and laugh out loud funny. Madison was by far the most entertaining character I've read this year. After catching her boyfriend and the most popular girl in school making out, her life changed. Her mother got tired of seeing Madison mope around the house, so they both went to a retreat where she discovered the theory of karma. Instead of letting go of the past and moving on she had an epiphany of seeking revenge against her ex.

Madison approached her friends with the idea of starting a Karma Club that will cause the same pain toward there ex's. Now, the revengeful tactics they used were quite creative, however they never thought about the long lasting repercussions. Her choice in messing with Karma sent out negative energy which effected Madison and her friends in the end. However, Madison does seem to have a growing love interest throughout the book which I thoroughly enjoyed. He was such a sweetheart and totally fit the profile of an outstanding gentleman. I really loved this book from start to finish. I recommend it if you're looking for a light read that will leave you smiling.

Read an excerpt here

My Rating:
Book Trailer:


Author's Info:
Jessica Brody knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self "publishing" her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples and electrical tape. After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author. Between 2006 and 2007, Jessica sold two adult novels to St. Martin's Press and two young adult novels to Farrar, Straus, Giroux. The Fidelity Files, her debut, is now available in stores (in real binding) and the follow-up, Love Under Cover, released in November 2009. The Karma Club, Jessica's debut YA novel will be released on April 27, 2010 with her next YA release, My Life Undecided slated for Spring of the following year. The Fidelity Files and Love Under Cover have recently been optioned to Marina Grasic, the executive producer of Crash as a television series and has already been sold in the UK, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, China, and Taiwan (to date). Click here for a full list of foreign sales and publishers. Jessica now works as a freelance writer and producer in Los Angeles.

For more info on Jessica, visit her site(s):
Website: http://www.jessicabrody.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jessicabrody
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Brody/24409326149
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jessicabrody1

Up & Coming YA Releases...

• The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood w/ The Duchess of Northumberland (Balzer + Bray, 7/20/10)
• No and Me by Delphine de Vigan (Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, 8/3/10)
  

• You by Charles Benoit (HarperTeen, 8/24/10)
  
• Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett (Candlewick, 8/24/10)

• Hothouse by Chris Lynch (HarperTeen, 8/24/10)
  
• My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours by Kristina Springer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 8/31/10)
  

• Monster High by Lisi Harrison (Poppy, 9/7/10)
• The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger (Poppy, 9/7/10)
  

• Reckless by Cornelia Funke (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9/14/10)
• Wildwing by Emily Whitman (Greenwillow Books, 9/21/10)
  

• When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden (MTV, 9/28/10)
  
• A Good Boy is Hard to Find (Naughty List, Book #3) by Suzanne Young (Razorbill, 11/25/10)

My Favorite Cover At The Moment:

• Girl Parts by John M. Cusick (Candlewick, 8/24/10)
  

My Children's Book Choice:

• School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari (Little Brown and Company, 9/1/10)