Celebrity Cover Lookalikes!

I think I first saw this over at Chick Lit Teens, but I thought it was a really cool idea, and I found a few YA covers on my own that I thought were identical to real-life celebs and I wanted to share. Check it out!

First off....doesn't the model on the cover of The Espressologist by Kristina Springer just remind you of Taylor Swift?

--->

And the cover for Sasha Soren's Random Magic is a dead ringer for Nicole Kidman!

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Got any more celeb lookalikes? Let me know, I know I'm going to be looking! Happy New Year, everyone! (:

Front and Center

Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Pages: 254

Published: Houghton Mifflin, 2009

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Source: Library

Cover Score: B

Overall grade: A

Summary: After five months of sheer insanity, high school junior DJ Schwenk's life is finally back to normal. Well...as normal as it can get. Now that she's not playing football anymore, DJ's focusing on basketball--her ticket to a college scholarship. But people have big plans for her: her family (especially pushy older brother Win), her coaches, her teachers, and college scouts, along with Brian Nelson, DJ's ex who keeps on popping up in her head even when he shouldn't be. But can awkward, quiet, DJ handle all the pressure? Or will she be letting everyone--even herself--down?

My thoughts: The Dairy Queen trilogy ends with a bang! It was a while ago that I read the first two books, but I think that this one was by far the best of the series.

First off, DJ is such a strong leading character. It was easy to get into her head, and she had a sincere, simple tone that was easy to understand and follow what she was thinking. As well as this, she was relatable, funny, and inspiring.

The book was very organized, and though the plotline wasn't complicated, it was fast-paced, engrossing, and captured all of my attention, making a quick, vivid read. What makes this simple plotline come to life, I think, was the quality of the author's writing. Ms. Murdock truly has a gift. Her descriptions of people, places, and events brought the story to life and made every aspect realistic.

I loved all of the plot threads that created the overall story: DJ's brother Win, her college scholarship pressure, her fear of speaking up and taking control in basketball, and her love life.

Quirky, motivational, poignant, and funny, Front and Center is a book you won't want to miss (definitely one of the best of 2009). Even though this beloved trilogy is over, I definitely want to be seeing more of Ms. Murdock in YA fiction in the future.

Must-Read!! Check it Out! Don't Bother

Review Archives

All of the reviews ever posted to Bookworm Readers, from 2007 onward!

-#-

30 Days to Finding and Keeping Sassy Sidekicks and BFFs by Clea Hantman

-A-

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

A Circuit, The by Georgina Bloomberg & Catherine Hapka

A Girl Like Moi by Lisa Barham

Agnes Parker series by Kathleen O'Dell

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Alicia by Lisi Harrison

Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphne Grab

Alphas by Lisi Harrison

Amazing Days of Abby Hayes, The series by Anne Mazer

Amazing Grace by Megan Shull

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anne Frank's Diary, The by Anne Frank

Aristobrats, The by Jennifer Solow

As If Being 12 3/4 Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President! by Donna Gephart

Ashleys, The by Melissa de la Cruz

Ashleys, The: Jealous? by Melissa de la Cruz

Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee

Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman

-B-

Babymouse series by Jennifer and Matt Holm

Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe

Bad Kitty: Catnipped by Michele Jaffe

Beacon Street Girls, The series by Annie Bryant

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate diCamillo

Bedeviled by Shani Petroff

Beef Princess of Practical County, The by Michelle Houts

Best Foot Forward by Joan Bauer

Bhangra Babes by Narinder Dhami

Bindi Babes by Narinder Dhami

Black Sheep, The by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

Bollywood Babes by Narinder Dhami

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Bounce by Natasha Friend

Bras and Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski

Breakfast at Bloomingdale's by Kristen Kemp

Bridesmaid, The by Hailey Abbott

Bronte's Book Club by Kristiana Gregory

Bully-Be-Gone by Brian Tacang

-C-

Callahan Cousins, The by Elizabeth Doyle Carey

Camp Confidential series by Melissa J. Morgan

Camp Confidential: Golden Girls by Melissa J. Morgan

Camp Princess by Kathryn Lasky

Candyfloss by Jacqueline Wilson

Cashing In by Susan Colebank

Castaways series by Sandy Beech

Celebrity Skin by Liane Bonin

Chain Letter, The by Julie Schumacher

Charmed and Dangerous (The Clique Prequel) by Lisi Harrison

Chesnut Hill series by Lauren Brooke

Chew On This by Eric Schlosser

Chicks With Sticks: It's a Purl Thing by Elizabeth Lenhard

Chiggers by Hope Larson

Children of the River by Linda Crew

Chloe, Queen of Denial by Naomi Nash

Cicada Summer by Andrea Beaty

Cinderella (As If You Didn't Already Know the Story) by Barbara Ensor

Cinderella Society, The by Kay Cassidy

Claire by Lisi Harrison

Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now by Lauren Child

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble by Lauren Child

Classy by Derek Blasberg

Clique, The by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: Best Friends for Never by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: Bratfest at Tiffany's by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: Dial L for Loser by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: Invasion of the Boy Snatchers by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: It's Not Easy Being Mean by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: Revenge of the Wannabes by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: Sealed With A Diss by Lisi Harrison

Clique, The: The Pretty Committee Strikes Back by Lisi Harrison

Close Up and Personal by Nicole Clarke

Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Supplee

Confessions of a Closet Catholic by Sarah Darer Littman

Confessions of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway

Confessions of a Teen Nanny by Victoria Ashton

Confessions of a Teen Nanny: Juicy Secrets by Victoria Ashton

Confessions of a Teen Nanny: Rich Girls by Victoria Ashton

Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley MM Blume

Cupcake Queen, The by Heather Hepler

Curse of Addy McMahon, The by Katie Davis

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Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Dear Dumb Diary series by Jim Benton

Dear Julia by Amy Bronwen Zemser

Death by Bikini by Linda Gerber

Death by Denim by Linda Gerber

Death by Latte by Linda Gerber

Debs, The by Susan McBride

Deception by Lee Nichols

Defiance by Valerie Hobbs

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demon Princess by Michelle Rowen

Dish series by Diane Muldrow

Diva by Alex Flinn

Dizzy by Cathy Cassidy

Dolphin Diaries series by Ben Baglio

Donut Days by Lara Zielin

Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra by Wendy Lichtman

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

Dylan by Lisi Harrison

-E-

Elixir by Hilary Duff

Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen, Will Travel by Ruth McNally Barshaw

Emerald Wand of Oz, The by Sherwood Smith

Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini

Espressologist, The by Kristina Springer

Everafter War, The by Michael Buckley

Everyone's A Critic by Paul Ruditis

Exclusively Chloe by J.A. Yang

Explosionist, The by Jenny Davidson

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

-F-

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Faketastic by Alexa Young

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia by Barbara O' Connor

Fashion Kitty by Charise Mericle Harper

Father Knows Best by Lynda Sandoval

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

Finnish Line, The by Linda Gerber

Fire On Ice by Sasha Cohen

First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover by Mitali Perkins

Flawless by Sara Shepard

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Four Dorothys, The by Paul Ruditis

Four Things My Geeky, Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do in Europe by Jane Harrington

Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers

Frenemies by Alexa Young

Fresh Off the Boat by Melissa de la Cruz

Frogs and French Kisses by Sarah Mlynowski

Frog Princess, The by E.D. Baker

Frog Princess, The: Dragon's Breath by E.D. Baker

From the Files of Madison Finn series by Laura Dower

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by e.l. konigsburg

Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

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Gilda Joyce and the Ghost Sonata by Jennifer Allison

Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison

Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop by Jennifer Allison

Gimme A Call by Sarah Mlynowski

Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley

Girl Reporter series by Linda Ellerbee

Girls In Pants by Ann Brashares

Gold-Threaded Dress, The by Carolyn Marsden

Great Call of China, The by Cynthea Liu

-H-

Half Moon Ranch series by Jenny Oldfield

Hannah West series by Linda Johns

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Book vs. Movie by J.K. Rowling

Heartbeat by Sharon Creech

Heartland series by Lauren Brooke

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall by Wendy Mass

Hex Education by Zareen Jaffrey and Emily Gould

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

High Fashion by Nicole Clarke

Hollywood Sisters, The series by Mary Wilcox

Hoop Girlz by Lucy Jane Bledsoe

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

Horse Angel series by Angela Dorsey

Horseshoe Trilogies, The by Lucy Daniels

How I Saved My Father's Life (And Ruined Everything Else) by Ann Hood

How My Personal, Private Journal Became A Bestseller by Julia DeVillers

How Not to Be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler

How to Survive Summer Camp by Jacqueline Wilson

Huge by Sasha Paley

Hunger Games, The by Suzanne Collins

-I-

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

I SO Don't Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy

I So Don't Do Spooky by Barrie Summy

Issues by Nicole Clarke

Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst

Inside Story, The by Michael Buckley

Introducing Vivien Leigh Reid: Daughter of the Diva by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

Invisible Things by Jenny Davidson

Ivy, The by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert

I Was A Teenage Popsicle by Bev Katz Rosenbaum

-J-

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

Jet Set by Carrie Karasyov and Jill Kargman

Julep O' Toole: Confessions of a Middle Child by Trudi Trueit

Julep O' Toole: Miss Independent by Trudi Trueit

Julep O' Toole: What I Really Want to Do is Direct by Trudi Trueit

Just Another Day in My Insanely Real Life by Barbara Dee

-K-

Karma Club, The by Jessica Brody

Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller

Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb by Kirsten Miller

Kitty Kitty by Michele Jaffe

Kristen by Lisi Harrison

-L-

La Petite Four by Regina Scott

Last Girls of Pompeii, The by Kathryn Lasky

LBD: It's a Girl Thing by Grace Dent

LBD: Live and Fabulous! by Grace Dent

Leaping Beauty by Gregory Maguire

Lily B series by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles

Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Lucky T by Kate Brian

Lucy Rose series by Katy Kelly

Lulu Baker Trilogy, The by Fiona Dunbar

Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls by Bennett Madison

Luxe, The by Anna Godbersen

Lying Game, The by Sara Shepard

-M-

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Manifest by Artist Arthur

Many Adventures of Pengey Penguin, The by John Burns

Marley & Me by John Grogan

Mary Margaret, Center Stage by Christine Kole MacLean

Mary Margaret Mary Christmas by Christine Kole MacLean

Mary Margaret Meets Her Match by Christine Kole MacLean

Mary Margaret and the Perfect Pet Plan by Christine Kole MacLean

Massie by Lisi Harrison

Melanie Martin by Carol Weston

Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm

Miles to Go by Miley Cyrus

Minerva Clark series by Karen Karbo

Minerva Clark Gives up the Ghost by Karen Karbo

Miracle on 49th Street by Mike Lupica

Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The by Kate DiCamillo

Miss Match by Wendy Toliver

Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne

Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng

Molly Moon, Micky Minus, and the Mind Machine by Georgia Byng

Mother-Daughter Book Club, The by Heather Vogel Frederick

Much Ado About Anne by Heather Vogel Frederick

Mustang Mountain series by Sharon Siamon

My 13th Season by Kristi Roberts

My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffin

My Best Frenemy by Julie Bowe

My Best Friend, the Atlantic Ocean, and Other Great Bodies Standing Between Me and my Life with Giulio by Jane Harrington

My Chocolate Year by Charlotte Herman

My Cup Runneth Over by Cherry Whytock

My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe

My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald

My Life Starring Mum by Chloë Rayban

My New Best Friend by Julie Bowe

My Not-So-Terrible Time at the Hippie Hotel by Rosemary Graham

My Perfect Life by Dyan Sheldon

My So-Called Family by Courtney Sheinmel

Mysterious Case of the Allbright Academy, The by Diane Stanley

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Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Night I Freed John Brown, The by John Michael Cummings

Nim At Sea by Wendy Orr

Nim's Island by Wendy Orr

Notes From a Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko

Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley

Now Starring Vivien Leigh Reid: Diva in Training by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

-O-

Off Season, The by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Oh. My. Gods by Tera Lynn Childs

Ophie out of Oz by Kathleen O' Dell

Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst

Outsiders, The by S.E. Hinton

Owly by Andy Runton

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

-P-

Parties and Potions by Sarah Mlynowski

Peeled by Joan Bauer

Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

Pepperland by Mark Delaney

Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

Perfect by Sara Shepard

Phantom Stallion, The series by Terri Farley

Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein, The by Libby Schmais

Poison Apples, The by Lily Archer

Poor Little Witch Girl by Marie Desplechin

Popular Vote by Micol Ostow

Possibilities of Sainthood, The by Donna Freitas

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Princess and the Pauper, The by Kate Brian

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Princess Diaries, The by Meg Cabot

Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt

Princess in Love by Meg Cabot

Princess in the Spotlight by Meg Cabot

Princess School, The series by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens

Project Paris by Lisa Barham

P.S. Longer Letter Later by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin

-Q-

-R-

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens by Rachelle Rogers Knight

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Héléne Boudreau

Rising Star of Rusty Nail, The by Lesley MM Blume

Royal Diaries, The series by various authors

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer

-S-

Saddle Club, The series by Bonnie Bryant

Saddle Island series by Sharon Siamon

Sahara Special by Esmé Raji Codell

Save the Date by Tamara Summers

Savvy Girl by Lynn Messina

Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland

Second Summer of the Sisterhood, The by Ann Brashares

Secret Apartment, The by Natalie Fast

Secrets of A Lab Rat: No Girls Allowed (Dogs Okay) by Trudi Trueit

Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita

Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Family Affairs by Jen Calonita

Secrets of My Hollywood Life: On Location by Jen Calonita

Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Paparazzi Princess by Jen Calonita

Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball, The by Risa Green

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The by Ann Brashares

Sisters Club, The by Megan McDonald

Sisters Grimm, The series by Michael Buckley

Skye's the Limit! by Megan Shull

Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita

Sleepless by Terri Clark

Slept Away by Julie Kraut

Sloane Sisters, The by Anna Carey

Snail Mail No More by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin

Soccer Chick Rules! by Dawn FitzGerald

Sophie Pitt-Turnbull Discovers America by Dyan Sheldon

So Totally Emily Ebers by Lisa Yee

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

Spells and Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mlynowski

Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner

Spin City by Nicole Clarke

Spin the Bottle by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Stealaway by K.M. Peyton

Steps, The by Rachel Cohn

Still There, Clare by Yvonne Prinz

Stolen Words by Amy Goldman Koss

Students Across the Seven Seas (S.A.S.S.) series by various authors

Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton

Sucks to Be Me by Kimberly Pauley

Summerhouse Time by Eileen Spinelli

Summer of Skinny Dipping, The by Amanda Howells

Susanna Sees Stars by Mary Hogan

Sweetheart of Prosper County, The by Jill S. Alexander

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Tail of Emily Windsnap, The by Liz Kessler

Take the Reins by Jessica Burkhart

Talent by Zoey Dean

Talia Talk by Christine Hurley Deriso

Teashop Girls, The by Laura Schaefer

Teen Vogue Handbook, The

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Tennyson by Lesley MM Blume

There's An Owl in the Shower! by Jean Craighead George

Thora by Gillian Johnson

Thoroughbred series by Joanna Campbell

Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye

Time to Smell the Roses by Michael Hoeye

TMI by Sarah Quigley

To Dance by Siena Cherson Siegel

Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, The by Erin Dionne

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

Trouble Under Oz by Sherwood Smith

Truth About My Bat Mitzvah, The by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Truth and Salsa by Linda Lowery

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twin's Daughter, The by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Two Princesses of Bamarre, The by Gail Carson Levine

Two Steps Forward by Rachel Cohn

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Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Unbelievable by Sara Shepard

United Tates of America, The by Paula Danziger

Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child

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Vidalia in Paris by Sasha Watson

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker

Vive La Paris by Esmé Raji Codell

Vixen by Jillian Larkin

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We Are SO Crashing Your Bar Mitzvah! by Fiona Rosenbloom

Wedding Planner's Daughter, The by Colleen Murtagh Paratore

What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh

When You Wish by Kristin Harmel

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood

Wicked by Sara Shepard

Wide-Awake Princess, The by E.D. Baker

Wind Rider by Susan Williams

Wish, The by Gail Carson Levine

Witches of Bailiwick, The by Sandra Forrester

Write Here, Right Now by Nicole Clarke

Writing on the Wall, The by Wendy Lichtman

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Year of the Dog, The by Grace Lin

Year of the Rat, The by Grace Lin

You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Miztvah! by Fiona Rosenbloom

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New Gallagher Girls Cover!

I'm still on book two of the uber-successful Gallagher Girls series, but I know that this series is really well-liked! The new cover for Book #4, Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter has recently been released. It's set to come out June 15th, 2010 from Hyperion Books. Excited yet?

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. She just didn't know that life would start during her junior year of high school. But that's exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against a mysterious organization called the Circle of Cavan. Now, even Cammie "The Chameleon" can't hide. Danger has followed her to London where she discovers a trusted ally has been labeled a rogue operative. The Gallagher Girls quickly realize that the Circle's agents are closer than they'd ever feared--maybe even within Gallagher Academy's own walls. History of Espionage takes on an entirely new meaning as Cammie and her friends go looking for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie's future may lie deep in the past.

Sounds good! As for me, I need to catch up...But cute cover, eh?

In My Mailbox

2 weeks of IMM (created by the Story Siren), oh my! (: Because I'm super-lazy, I'm not posting summaries, but links to Amazon instead (cut me some slack, it's Sunday).

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler

The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein by Libby Schmais (super excited about this one!)

Father Knows Best by Lynda Sandoval (ARC)

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy (ARC, many thanks to Kay!!)

Cinderella Society swag

...Basically a great week in books! Thank goodness for winter break and the opportunity to read a lot more than I normally do! Have a great Sunday. (:

I So Don't Do Spooky contest!

It's contest time! (Yes, another one, just to boost the holiday spirit!) This time, I'm giving away a couple of copies of Barrie Summy's newly-released middle grade super-cute, super-funny novel I So Don't Do Spooky (my review here). The first prize winner will receive a hardcover copy of the book, and second prize winner gets a softcover ARC. To enter, please leave your name and email address below.

Extra entries can be acquired the following ways:

+1 For posting about it on your blog/Twitter/Facebook (sidebar, whole post, whatever you want!)

+1 Follow Bookworm Readers (new and old followers)

This contest will not be closed until there are at least 15 entries. Winners will be announced January 6--EXTENDED TO JANUARY 18th, 2010. I can only ship to US addresses only, sorry international friends! Maybe next time (: Good luck!

And if you're in the mood for awesome giveaways, check out my tri-book holiday contest over here, too!

* Many thanks to Casey Lloyd of Random House/Delacorte Press for providing me with the copies to giveaway!

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you for all of the support this year. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year (2010 already--wow!) filled with lots of great books! (:

Scones & Sensibility

Author: Lindsay Eland

Pages: 320

Published: December 22 2009, Egmont USA

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Cover Score: B+

Overall Grade: A-

Source: Author

debut author

Summary: Twelve year old Polly Madassa was born for another time. A hopeless romantic living at her parent's quaint bakery in a Jersey Shore town, she dreams about calligraphy, ballgowns, and finding her own Mr. Darcy. But when Polly unfortunately gets landed with the duty of delivering pastries, she realizes that it is the perfect opportunity to play matchmaker, "invoking love's burning passion" upon unknowing citizens and friends. But little does Polly know that being a matchmaker has its problems, and that sometimes the best of plans can go horribly, hilariously wrong...

My thoughts: Charming, humorous, and delightful, Scones & Sensibility is a bold start for debut author Lindsay Eland. Starting the book, I had very high expectations. Cupcakes? Romance? I'm so there. Luckily, most of my expectations were upheld.

First of all, Polly was a delightful narrator. Her elegance, humor, and the fact that I could relate to her all contributed to her utter charm. She felt like a real person and was easy to sympathize with and laugh along with, though sometimes her obsession with the past and her old-fashioned speaking habits could be annoying.

The book was fast-paced, simple to understand, and utterly enjoyable. It flowed and had a clear beginning, middle, and very satisfying ending. The plot was endearing and totally sucked me in, and I could picture places in the story like the quaint Jersey Shore town and Madassa Bakery to the unique and sometimes kooky characters.

The one thing that irked me was how nosy Polly was in other people's love lives. It was really annoying to me that she was so blinded by what she wanted that she never took the time to realize how un-subtle and pushy she was. It also took forever for her to realize that she was making a big mistake in setting people up together without their knowing. Sure, it contributed to the chaos and humor, but it made the plot a little slow towards the middle.

I definitely hope there will be a sequel to this highly-enjoyable and cute debut. Perhaps titled Pride and Pastries? Just a thought. (:

Must-Read! Check it Out!! Don't Bother

Holiday Tri-Book Giveaway!

Thanks so much to Elizabeth Zajac of Random House for providing me with not one, not two--but three--awesome recently-released YA books for a mega holiday contest!

First prize winner gets their first pick from the following:

- Fallen by Lauren Kate

- Going Bovine by Libba Bray

- The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The second prize winner gets to choose between the remaining two books, and the final 3rd place winner receives the last book.

All three choices are awesome, so it's going to be hard to decide!

Here's how to enter:

+1 for following Bookworm Readers

+1 for telling me your favorite part of the holiday season

You must leave an email address in order to get an entry (Privacy: Email addresses are NEVER shared on my blog!)

Good luck! This contest will be closed on January 5, so enter, enter, enter! (:

Stupid Cupid

Author: Rhonda Stapleton

Pages: 243

Published: December 22 2009, Simon Pulse

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Cover Score: B+

Overall Grade: B+

Source: Publisher/Author

debut author

Summary: Felicity Walker desperately needs a job. So when she applies for a gig at Cupid's Hollow Matchmaking Company, she doesn't know what she's getting herself into...until she learns that she's a modern-day cupid (there's more than one, of course!), complete with the latest cupid technology: love arrows shot through email (via her hot pink cupid Blackberry device). But when Felicity bends the rules and matches her quiet, band geek best friend, Maya, with three different guys, total chaos ensues. Can Felicity sort everything out before she ends up losing her job--and before Maya's heart is totally broken?

My thoughts: Stupid Cupid was a fun, satisfying, and totally clever debut. I loved all of the creativity put into the plotline: it's not every day that you find a book about teenage cupids! All of the shenanigans that ensued after Felicity's disastrous tri-love match were absolutely hilarious, and I was rooting for her all the way, eagerly waiting to see how it all turned out in the end. Felicity herself was a strong character with a good head on her shoulders and a hysterical sense of humor. I felt like I could really relate to her.

On the other hand, Maya's love match really frustrated me at times. It just felt so slow and after a while, the cringe-worthy mayhem wasn't so funny anymore. As well as this, the dialogue and narration (first-person) felt unnecessary at times and a bit too simple.

However, I loved all of the mini-plotlines/matches: the Maya match, Felicity's parents, and DeShawn matches moved the plot right along, making me enthusiastic to see how it would all turn out. Ms. Stapleton definitely has the teen-girl narration down--she really got into Felicity's head!

Not a difficult read, Stupid Cupid was fun, light, quick and easy to dive in to. I can't wait to see what's next for Felicity (and her love matches) in the sequel, Flirting With Disaster, which will be released next year!

In My Mailbox!

Phew! It's been a super-busy week, what with studying for midterms and getting into the holiday spirit.

However, it was a great week, mailbox-wise! Here's what the mail brought me this week (meme courtesy of Kristi at The Story Siren):

Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

After five months of sheer absolute craziness I was going back to being plain old background D.J. In photographs of course I'm always in the background...

But it turns out other folks have big plans for D.J. Like her coach. College scouts. All the town hoops fans. A certain Red Bend High School junior who's keen for romance and karaoke. Not to mention Brian Nelson, who she should not be thinking about! Who she is done with, thank you very much. But who keeps showing up anyway...

I got this at the library and am so super-excited to begin! I loved the first two Dairy Queen books as well as Ms. Murdock's separate Princess Ben, so I can't wait to see how the end of this fab trilogy is going to turn out. I hope D.J. gets a happy ending...

Fallen by Lauren Kate (December 8, 2009)

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret...even if it kills her.

Oooh, fallen angels! This one sounds so cool, I can't wait to dive in! Plus it has an awesome trailer that was even a Kirkus 2009 Video Awards finalist--definitely check it out here! And for those of you eagerly waiting to read Fallen, keep your eyes peeled for an awesome contest featuring the book that I'll be posting about tomorrow!

Many thanks to Random House! (:

In Other News:

Definitely keep on checking back, I'll be posting a bunch of more reviews over the winter holidays when I have more time! Also keep your eye out for a 2010 cool upcoming book preview and a bunch more! Have a great week!

Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia

Author: Christopher Paolini

Pages: 32, illustrated

Published: November 3 2009, Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: Fantasy

Cover Score: A

Overall Grade: A-

Source: Publisher

Fans of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr) will be more than happy with this illustrated volume that brings all of the lore and characters from the books to life. Printed on glossy, thick paper, Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia is chock-full of things to look at and touch: samples of "dragon skin", maps, pictures of primary book characters, funky font, textured paper, and fold-out guides that cover everything from the language of ogres to troll hair to dragon breeds.

On the other hand, this colorful guide can be very confusing to those (like me) who haven't yet read the books. This book makes a perfect gift for the holidays that any Eragon fan would want to flip through over and over again.

Cover Love!

This week's featured fab cover is:

She is So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott (May 2010)

This cover is so simple and eyecatching! I love the girly white-pearls-on-baby-blue cover scheme, and the pink lettering and fancy font. I'm not sure if I'm actually going to read it, but I'll definitely pick it up and admire that cover if I ever see it at the bookstore! (:

The first in an upcoming trilogy, She Is So Dead to Us is available in May of next year! Kieran also has a summary of the book posted here on her Myspace blog.

Sphinx's Princess guest review

Many thanks to my friend Rachel, a fan of Esther Friesner, who agreed to guest review Esther's latest book, Sphinx's Princess, for Bookworm Readers! Check it out!

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Author: Esther Friesner

Pages: 370

Published: Random House, September 22 2009

Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Cover Score: B

Overall Grade: B+

Summary: Nefertiti has two loves in life: dancing and music, but all that changes when she meets her father's old friend and scribe. Cajoling him to give her lessons in reading and writing, Nefertiti started becoming quite the scholar. But when a disastrous dancing accident takes place during a celebration of Isis, Nefertiti is whisked off to Thebes by her powerful aunt Tiye only to become an unhappy pawn in her relative's marriage schemes. Forced to marry her aunt's son Thutmose in three years time, Nefertiti instead befriends his younger brother, Amenophis. While the Pharaoh and Queen Tiye take a leave of absence from Thebes and Thutmose rules in their stead, Nefertiti is accused of killing a scared car and imprisoned,

creating adventure and drama...

My thoughts: I love historical fiction and Ms. Friesner's latest was no exception! The dialogue was very nice, and by the end you really were rethinking your first thoughts about some of the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good plot and storyline!

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Many thanks to Rae (to the right, with Sphinx's Princess) for the awesome review!

I've hosted one other guest reviewer, but I'd love to feature more in the future--I want to know what you have to say about the latest books!

Watch out for Rae...I think she's got a great future in reviewing! (:

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out

Author: Maryrose Wood

Pages: 218

Published: Berkley Jam, 2007

Genre: Contemporary fiction/Fantasy

Target Audience: Girls, 13 and older

Cover Score: A

Overall Grade: A-

Source: Author/Publisher

Summary: When Morgan's boyfriend breaks up with her on the last day of school and she shaved her head and dyed the remains orange as an act of change, Morgan expected to be punished by her parents. However, she didn't expect to be sent to Ireland on a bike tour for some "change of scenery". Now she's surrounded by annoying tourmates and a slightly-cute Irish guy who drives the tour luggage van, when she takes a tumble off of her bike, conks her head and wakes up...in some bizarre version of the past? Surrounded by fairies, wee folk, and the works, Morgan even discovers she's part fairy goddess. Now, she's biking across Ireland, trying to reverse an ancient curse, and doing a bit of changing (maybe even for the better) herself...

My thoughts: I always love books that take place in a different country, but Ireland was a particularly colorful, fun background for this story that set up all sorts of magical shenanigans.

My favorite part of this whole entire book was the incredible, mindboggling creativity put into it.

a) all the characters: FAB-u-LOUS! It felt like they really jumped off the pages and came to life. Just reading the back cover, I expected Morgan to be a self-pitying, whining little brat, but instead found myself loving her voice and sympathizing along with her. Plus, Colin's accent was awesome, it felt to me as the reader as if a true Irishman were talking (:

b) I loved how the characters from the real book were mirrored in fairy land. It gave it a very cool twist and made the plotline so more unique.

I would've liked to have seen more of plain old Morgan in Ireland, but other than that, the book was an adventurous, riveting, hilarious romp with a cast of kick-butt characters and some awesome Irish fairy tale heroes. Now I'm totally chomping at the bit to get my hands on the sequel--hopefully it can be as awesome as this one!

Must-Read Check it Out Don't Bother

The Monday Muse: Interview with Lisa Mantchev

Today's muse: Lisa Mantchev

Author of: Eyes Like Stars (review here)

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Bookworm: Welcome, Lisa! To start, will you tell us what your inspiration was for Eyes Like Stars?

Lisa: The name "Beatrice Shakespeare Smith" just popped into my head one day while I was working on another short story. And for some reason, I saw her surrounded by fairies, flying on wires the way actors do in plays, even though they had perfectly serviceable wings.

Bookworm: How long did it takes you to write Eyes Like Stars, start to finish?

Lisa: I started drafting in July 2006, and was done by the end of September, and had it revised by December. Then it sold in May of 2007 and went through the editorial and production process until it was published in July of 2009. (Almost three years from start to finish.)

Bookworm: Who was your favorite character to write in the book?

Lisa: The fairies were so much fun...and the scary part is that I have conversations like theirs all the time.

Bookworm: Did you act as a teenager, and if so, are you still involved in theater?

Lisa: I started in community theater when I was seven and acted in various plays all the way through college (where I majored in drama.) The most recent show I did was in 2003 when she moved up to Washington state; that was the year before my daughter was born. Then I started writing novels and all my free time evaporated!

Bookworm: What's your favorite play?

Lisa: I love so many of them, it makes it hard to pick just one, so I'll say that today my favorite is Peter Pan.

Bookworm: Cupcakes or cookies?

Lisa: CUPCAKES. [Bookworm: I am so with you there!!!]

Bookworm: In honor of the fairies, what's your favorite pastry? (:

Lisa: There's a store in Pike Place Market that makes pastry-wrapped marzipan rolls. *NOM*

Bookworm: Are you on Team Nate or Team Ariel?

Lisa: That's like asking a mom to pick her favorite kid. I love them both for very different reasons...Ariel because he's mercurial and tricky to nail down when I'm trying to work out a scene, and Nate because of his accent, his muscles, and his steadfast determination and loyalty.

Bookworm: Can you give us a sneak peek at what's going on in Book 2, Perchance to Dream? [Which I am sososososo excited for!]

Lisa: *shifty eyes* I could tell you, but then I'd have to KEEEEL you. *heh*

Bookworm: What YA book have you read recently and loved?

Lisa: So many...Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters, Terry Pratchett's Wintersmith, and Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book. Right now, I'm reading Cindy Pon's Silver Pheonix and loving it, although it gives me unholy cravings for dumplings and noodles.

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Don't you just love her? Thanks so much, Lisa, for the awesome interview. I can't wait to see what's next for Bertie and the cast in Perchance to Dream, which is being released by Feiwel & Friends in May 2010.

Visit Lisa's awesome website here