Thursday, December 31, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

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

Monday, December 28, 2009

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
Alphas by Lisi Harrison
Amazing Grace by Megan Shull
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Aristobrats, The by Jennifer Solow
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
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
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
Chesnut Hill series by Lauren Brooke
Chew On This by Eric Schlosser
Chiggers by Hope Larson
Children of the River by Linda Crew
Cicada Summer by Andrea Beaty
Claire by Lisi Harrison
Classy by Derek Blasberg
Clique, The 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 Teen Nanny by Victoria Ashton
Cupcake Queen, The by Heather Hepler

-D-
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
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Dylan by Lisi Harrison

-E-
Elixir by Hilary Duff
Emerald Wand of Oz, The by Sherwood Smith
Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst
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
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
Flawless by Sara Shepard
Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Four Dorothys, The by Paul Ruditis
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
From the Files of Madison Finn series by Laura Dower
Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

-G-
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

-H-
Half Moon Ranch series by Jenny Oldfield
Hannah West series by Linda Johns
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
Heartland series by Lauren Brooke
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
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 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 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

-K-
Karma Club, The by Jessica Brody
Kitty Kitty by Michele Jaffe
Kristen by Lisi Harrison

-L-
La Petite Four by Regina Scott
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
Luxe, The by Anna Godbersen
Lying Game, The by Sara Shepard

-M-
Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
Manifest by Artist Arthur
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
Miles to Go by Miley Cyrus
Minerva Clark series by Karen Karbo
Miracle on 49th Street by Mike Lupica
Miss Match by Wendy Toliver
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 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 Perfect Life by Dyan Sheldon
My So-Called Family by Courtney Sheinmel


-N-
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
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
Poison Apples, The by Lily Archer
Poor Little Witch Girl by Marie Desplechin
Popular Vote by Micol Ostow
Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard
Pretty Face by Mary Hogan
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Princess in Love 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
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
Secret Apartment, The by Natalie Fast
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
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
Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton
Sucks to Be Me by Kimberly Pauley
Summerhouse Time by Eileen Spinelli
Susanna Sees Stars by Mary Hogan

-T-
Take the Reins by Jessica Burkhart
Talent by Zoey Dean
Talia Talk by Christine Hurley Deriso
Teashop Girls, The by Laura Schaefer
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
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

-U-
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Unbelievable by Sara Shepard
Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child

-V-
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

-W-
Wedding Planner's Daughter, The by Colleen Murtagh Paratore
What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh
When You Wish by Kristin Harmel
Wicked by Sara Shepard
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

-X-

-Y-

-Z-

Sunday, December 27, 2009

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. (:

Saturday, December 26, 2009

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!

Friday, December 25, 2009

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! (:

Thursday, December 24, 2009

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

Friday, December 18, 2009

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! (:

Monday, December 14, 2009

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!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

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!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

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.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

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.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

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!
---------------------
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!
------------------------
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! (:

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

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

Monday, November 30, 2009

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