In My Mailbox

I had a fantastic week in books! I am really excited, still, about it!

For Review:
Rain by Kieryn Nicolas
(Special thanks to Kieryn!)

Won from Shannon Delany:
How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

From Kelsey:
Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Bought:
Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Won from Reading Teen:
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Claire
(If you follow me on Twitter, you probably remember my spamming to win this. And shutting down my own account. But. So worth it.)

From Heidi Kling:
Sea (Signed)
I also won a Sea bracelet during her release day #sealove giveaways on Twitter. I think it looks hot on Toby.

And finally, to top off my already great week... Carolee Dean is doing a Texas tour and I got the spend about an hour and a half today at B&N just chatting with her. It was pretty much just us and my friend which was a great experience. I also bought a signed copy of her first book, Comfort, and she gave me a signed copy of her new release Take Me There.

Author Interview: Tricia Rayburn

Dropping by today is Tricia Rayburn, author of the new release Siren. This is Tricia's first YA book though she has a great MG series already out. Take some mysterious killings and a dead sister with some things she kept hidden, add in a secret boyfriend that goes missing and top it off with a budding romance and some investigation and you get the premise of Siren. Interested? Good. Now on to the interview!


If you were to find out the body of a loved one washed up with an ear to ear grin on their face, what would be your response (not just that she's dead)?

The situation’s so difficult to imagine I think I’d automatically assume my loved one was playing a very cruel practical joke! When it finally became clear he or she wasn’t, I’d probably break down and/or pass out before becoming coherent enough to contact authorities. No matter what, I’m sure I’d be haunted by the image for the rest of my life.

If you could pair Vanessa and Simon with any character from any book, what would be your picks for them?

This pairing with other characters would be strictly platonic, yes? :) Since they both deal with loss, I think Vanessa would get along well with Eli from Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. And Simon could learn a thing or two from Katniss in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

What is the most private thing you're willing to share here?

I was so homesick my freshman year of college I begged my mom to let me transfer to a local state school. To her credit, she flat-out refused, and I ended up loving where I was!

You're stranded on a desert island. What piece of sports equipment would you like to have for company?

A kayak! If that’s cheating, then a fishing pole. For some reason I think I’d have trouble spearing my dinner the way most solo islanders do!

What kind of cookie would you describe yourself as?

A Snickerdoodle. It’s a sweet classic!

Thank you, Tricia, for stopping by with those great answers. Everyone, be sure to stop by your local bookstore and pick Siren- it shelves just this past Tuesday. Not to mention, the cover is awesome and the eyes are shiny.

Book Review: Everlasting by Angela Frazier

SUMMARY:

Sailing aboard her father's ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a lady in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn't love in order to preseve her social standing. On her last voyage before the wedding, Camille learns the mother she has always believed dead is in fact alive and in Australia.

When their Sydney-bound ship goes down in a gale, and her father dies, Camille sets out to find her mother and a map in her possession - a map believed to lead to a stone that once belonged to the legendary civilization of the immortals. The stone can do exactly what Camille wants most: bring someone back from the dead. Unfortunately, her father's adversary is also on the hunt for the stone, and she must race him to it. The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar - a handsome young sailor and her father's first mate - who is in love with Camille and whom she is inexplicably drawn to despite his low social standing and her pending wedding vows.

With an Australian card shark acting as their guide, Camille eludes murderous bushrangers, traverses dangerous highlands, evades a curse placed on the stone, and unravels the mystery behind her mother's disappearance sixteen years earlier. But when another death shakes her conviction to resurrect her father, Camille must choose what - and who - matters most.


OPINION: 5 STARS

Poignant and historically realistic, Everlasting is a great mix of love and adventure. The time period setting is made clear from the start but is portrayed in a way that reads smoothly and any reader can understand and follow. A range of characters and vivid settings help bring out the overall fantastic nature of this book.

Camille is a strong character, particularly for her time period. Having lost her mother at an early age, she is used to spending months at sea aboard her father's ship. She loves the freedom and the water and doesn't mind helping with the grunt work. Despite this, Camille is still a relatively sheltered young woman and this aspect shows in certain areas of naivety which adds an overall realistic effect. She is passively defiant yet passionate about many things. Her rationalizations and motivations hold true to not only her age but also her time period. Though she is set to wed, it is expected of her in the time period and that engagement causes a certain amount of strife for her.

Oscar complements Camille fantastically. He is quietly controlled but quick with the quips and has plenty of sarcasm in him. His life is far different from what Camille knows but they are united in their love for both her father and the sea. The chemistry between them is clear from the start but watching it grow as they endure everything throughout this book adds another great element. Oscar has his weaknesses and flaws but overall, he reads as smoothly as Camille and both are highly likable characters.

Apart from these two characters, Frazier includes a handful of minor characters who are all very well developed despite their lesser roles. Lucius is a bit of a snot and though he is easily written off, Frazier writes him in a manner that made me question his back story and the psychology behind him. He holds enough framework to have bigger roles in the next book in this set or even his own spin off. Samuel also has a subtle complexity, and the stark contrast between the way he grew up and how Camille grew up adds another level to both characters. Ira plays a bigger role than either of these and is a huge source of humor throughout the book, as well as adds a lot to the progression of the plot. Ira just might be my favorite character from the way he talks and acts to the outrageous things he says and the way his mind seems to work.

Fantastic array of characters aside, the plot is also noteworthy. With several different elements and arcs, there is plenty to keep the reader interested throughout the book. Oscar and Camille’s romance is played out so true to the times (despite the engagement and yes, Camille does feel turmoil and guilt over that) and Frazier handles it splendidly. Though Randall, her fiance, is only present at the beginning, he holds a constant subtle presence throughout the book. The reader gets a brief glimpse at the two together at the start of the book, setting a certain tone throughout and also adds to the hintingly taboo nature of her feelings for Oscar. The search for the stone leads the pair through a variety of settings and introduces new characters and events to the book. Camille’s personality and the way she reacts to different settings is certainly portrayed, each one building on the last new reveal. With several plot twists that are hard to predict and told in an authentic voice, Everlasting is a great romantic adventure.

From housing to a street market to life on a boat, Frazier depicts every setting individually and with vivid detail. She pulls the character into the time and place and puts them right beside Camille. Believable reactions and a very beautiful prose also add to the overall nature of this book. Even for those who shy away from historical books, Everlasting is a great pick. Frazier doesn’t bog the reader with old time speak, add a certain modernized element but still keeps it in line with the time period. The ending ties up much of this book, letting it stand alone but leaves a few things lingering to lead into a second installment. Even if a second book doesn’t pan out, the reader simply has things to muse about, ensuring this book will stay with them.

Details:
Source: Finished copy received from author for review
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (June 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 054511473X
ISBN-13: 978-0545114738

Author's Website

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick is Julia Karr's XVI, set to release January 6, 2011 from Speak.

Summary: In the year 2150, being a girl isn’t necessarily a good thing, especially when your sixteenth (read sex-teenth) birthday is fast approaching. That in itself would be enough to make anyone more than a little nuts, what with the tattoo and all – but Nina Oberon’s life has taken a definite turn for the worse. Her mother is brutally stabbed and left for dead. Before dying, she entrusts a secret book to Nina, telling her to deliver it to Nina's father. But, first Nina has to find him; since for fifteen years he's been officially dead. Complications arise when she rescues Sal, a mysterious, and ultra hot guy. He seems to like Nina, but also seems to know more about her father than he’s letting on. Then there’s that murderous ex-government agent who’s stalking her, and just happens to be her little sister’s dad.

My Thoughts: The cover is fantastic and the futuristic setting seems like it will hold plenty of modernism with its own twist. The conspiracy aspect also adds a great element, as does the violent history. All tied together, I think this is going to be a book to devour.

Author Interview: Cyn Balog

Happy release day to Cyn Balog of Sleepless, a novel about love been a sandman and his charge. To celebrate, Cyn has dropped by to answer a few questions.


Which part of Eron did you enjoy writing more- the scenes where he had to watch Julia from afar or the brief times of solidity where he was able to be physically with her?

Probably the scenes where he was watching from afar, because there was so much tension built in there already, since he wanted to be with her so badly. So it was easier. And I like it when the writing is easier! But Eron was always fun; it was interesting having him interact with Julia because he was from a time 100 years before but didn't want Julia to know that, so he was often making mistakes and trying to cover for them.

If given the chance, would you want to be a sandman and bound by their rules?

I don't know; I think I would be a lot like Griffin. He is the new Sandman recruit, who doesn't really like the job, and Eron is an old one, who is rather stiff and proper. Griffin doesn't get why Sandmen can't peek in the underwear drawers of their charges and raise a little hell. I think it would be awfully boring, lulling the same person to sleep night after night, never able to interact with them at all.

If you could pair Eron and Julia with any characters from any book, what would be your pick for them?

Romantically? I would pair Julia with one of the Twilight boys because Bella never deserved to have two of them fighting over her. And Eron, because he was so proper and stiff, probably would have fun with Dulcie from Going Bovine. She could loosen him up.

What is the most private thing you're willing to share here?

I don't know my left from my right. I always have to think about it a moment.

What is the most fearless thing you've done to date?

I went white-water rafting on the Dead River in Maine and got tossed into the icy Class 5 rapids and didn't cry. It's fearless because I cry about everything. The proposal I'm working on now is loosely based on that experience.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what piece of sports equipment would you want to keep you company?

Does a boat count? Boating is sporting, isn't it? But I guess then I wouldn't be stranded.

What kind of cookie would you describe yourself as?

Definitely something with a lot of nuts. As this interview has proved.

Thank you, Cyn, for stopping by and make sure you goes pick up Sleepless today!

Guest Blog: Brenda Pandos

I am sure you all have started hearing about The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos. It's a vampire book with Brenda's own twist on it and as a teaser to whet your appetites, she's here today with a little scene she's written up. Starting August 1, The Emerald Talisman will start making it's way around to bloggers for reviews and interviews so make sure to look forward to that! And now take it away Brenda:


I want to thank Kari for this wonderful opportunity and hope each of you are intrigued and must read The Emerald Talisman now. The book is available through Amazon. Warning, this excerpt does contain some spoilers.

This is the beginning of Chapter 9, Changes from Nicholas’ point of view. It shows why he wasn’t around when a certain group of vamps show up later and cause a little havoc.

Copyright Brenda Pandos 2010 (unedited)

I watched Julia walk from her car, shoulders slouched, face pensive. Twice she doubled back, but then turned around, still headed towards the beach.

If she really didn’t want to go, why is she here?

More than anything I wanted to come beside her, take her hand and be her date for this silly bonfire. This was a step in the right direction though. It often puzzled me why she shied away from people, tending to stick with her regular group of friends or be alone.

I scanned the crowd, picking out Katie and Samantha, willing them to spot her. Julia somewhat scanned the crowd as well but quickly looked down.

Is she here to meet someone else? Another guy perhaps?

The thought made my blood boil. Even though this part of my guardianship seemed the hardest, knowing some day she’d meet the man of her dreams made me fraught with jealousy. My chest ached, watching her flounder then finally take a seat by the fire. The flames reflected in her eyes, bringing out the hints of green and brown. She flipped her blonde hair off her shoulders to cascade down her back, exposing the nape of her slender neck. It took all my strength to keep me rooted in my hideout in the trees, only wanting to touch her again, to wrap my arms over her shoulders, to nuzzle my nose into her neck and smell her skin.

I shook the vision out of my head. Our relationship, or lack there of was purely business. I had to keep my distance so she didn’t get drug into my messy life.

Sam spotted Julia and ran up to see her. They are talking, but she’s not here to be with Julia. Sam’s got a guy with her, her date.

They whisper but I hear what they say clearly.

“Please don’t leave,” Sam says in her ear.

Julia agrees.

Again, Julia flounders and takes her beach towel, moving further down the beach. I’m tempted to go sit by her but I take out her note to reread instead. The pain is clear. I can’t risk hurting her again. I’ll bear the burden alone and let her move on. I have to.

“Pretty cool, huh?”

“Phil?”

Her voice cuts through the night like a sweet sonnet of a bird. I cringe, putting the note back in my pocket, looking for the source of this guy – Phil.

He sits by Julia to watch the waves with her, making her fidget. I don’t like the way he flirts with her. I want to leave, but I can’t help but listen.

“You have a girlfriend?”

Julia sounds disappointed, but I’m a little relieved.

“...Where’s your boyfriend?” I hear him ask innocently.

Then it makes sense. By already having a girlfriend, he could get to know her on the guise of friendship, and once he knows Julia could be his, all he has to do is dump the girl back home. Too clever for my taste.

She’s buying it. She’s confiding in him, telling him more. Telling him the whole story about us.

My heart rips to shreds hearing the details from her point of view, this time with the mountain lion included. Instead of the hero, I’m now the villain.

“This guy sounds bipolar.”

“He does, doesn’t he?”

At their laughter, the anger burns a fire up my spine. All I want to do was to kick the crap out of Phil. I had to figure out a way to release my aggression and fast.

I pull a stake from within the folds of my jacket and flip it in my hand. In an hour, I could run the parameter of the city and be back to see her home safely.

And maybe get a few vamps.

I don’t even give it a second thought. I was out of there.

~*~

Thanks for that scene, Brenda. It is a fantastic look from Nicholas' perspective. If you want to know more information about the book, check out the website or head over to Amazon now to buy it now where it's available in both print and ebook form.