This week's pick is Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard, coming March 8, 2011 from Delacorte.Summary: It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin.
When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their badlands town.
Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal.
My Thoughts: From the premise alone, we have beauty, explosions (okay, explosive friendships but shh), danger and betrayal. Do we really need anything else to go OMG want? I didn't think so. But oh look, there's skinny-dipping, for those who like that, and plenty of other shenanigans. The cover is eye catching and pretty, but also so simple, though I think it really will speak volumes to the story itself. Overall, I really cannot wait for this one. I love contemporary. I love broken, tormented characters. And I love wild rides. This one seems to have it all.
Yeah, I agree :) I can't wait to read this one, too :) Great pick!
ReplyDeleteI have had this one pre-ordered since I joined the Contemps Challenge and I am really looking froward to reading it too. Great pick!
ReplyDeleteHmm, interesting.
ReplyDeleteHere's mine: http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com/2010/10/waiting-on-wednesday_13.html
OOooo shenanigans. I love shenanigans!
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking for this at the bookstore when it's released. Great choice for your WOW Happy reading!!
ReplyDeleteHere's my WOW choice for the week
I've been noticing this one...sounds fascinating.
ReplyDeleteHere's mine:
Click on my name for the link....
Hahaha "shenanigans"...definitely looking forward to that. I hadn't heard about this one, but it sounds like it's right up my alley. I'm going to go look it up on Amazon. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete"But oh look, there's skinny-dipping, for those who like that, and plenty of other shenanigans."
ReplyDeleteLOL KARI! Silly bean. I'm SO excited for this one as well-I can't wait to see it hit the book shelves :)
thanks for featuring LIKE MANDARIN, Kari! I promise plenty of shenanigans -- blame it on the wildwinds, they make everyone go crazy :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this one. It sounds incredible!
ReplyDeleteYeah, this sounds amazing!
ReplyDelete