Mundie Moms

Friday, September 11, 2009

The 10'ERS


I like to find new blogs about books, authors, you know that sort of thing and I stumbled across a great site called The Tenners. It's a group of authors that have some great releases coming out this fall and in 2010. http://www.thetenners.com/
Some of these authors are ones we'll be chatting with, doing reviews on their books and one's who's books we'll be adding to our ever growing "to read" list.

The Hollow by Jessica Verday

Grizzly told me about this book tonight called The Hollow and it's just been released by Simon and Schuster. It looks really good and I need to go find this!!


When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her -- one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

http://www.jessicaverday.com/html/02_books.html

Read the 1st Chapter here:
http://www.jessicaverday.com/html/chapters/The_Hollow_Chapter_1.pdf
A review will be posted soon.
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Jessica-Verday/49231633

Aprilynne Pike Interview


Our friends over at Page Turners http://pageturners-underthecover.blogspot.com/ have done a wonderful interview with Aprilynne Pike! Then even mentioned the cookie that Aprilynne gave us.

I read a lot of YA. I tend to read a lot of debuts because I belong to a big debut group. Some of my very favorites include Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner, Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell, Dull Boy by Sarah Cross, and Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. And those are all 2009 books.:)
Please go here to read more of the great interview-
http://pageturners-underthecover.blogspot.com/2009/09/interview-with-aprilynne-pike.html?showComment=1252719768410#c5378928412880252471

Hush Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick, Book Review




I can remember the first time I saw Hush Hush and the cover just called to me.  Like a bar of chocolate to someone on a diet, I just had to get my grubby hands on this book.  I scowered the internet lurking on peoples blog's trying to see if any competitions were going and entered everyone I found.  Did I win a copy?.....Nope, maybe just maybe, I've been bad just like Patch so I was out of luck.  Anyways, I eventually got hold of a copy from a friend, hey if your reading this, thanks sooo much, but Hush Hush is mine mwahahahaha.

Anyways, I'm procrastinating, so here is my review starting off with the synopsis:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.


It's almost the end of the school year and Nora Grey's biology teacher decides it would be fun to mix things up a bit in the lab; everyone has to change lab partners.  Yes, this doesn't seem so bad, but when your lab partner is your best friend, this doesn't seem like such a fun idea.  To make things worse, Nora gets paired up with the mysterious transfer student, who seems to know a lot about Nora, too much.

Things start to go wrong for Nora after meeting Patch - She feels someone watching her, following her every move.  Is it Patch? Or should she trust him, maybe he is the only person who can keep her safe?  Whatever Patch wants from her, he's not telling.  He shrouds himself in mystery, never revealing too much, his true character always at the periphery. 

The plotline and story of this book was remarkable.  Having been a fan of Young Adult fiction for as long as I can remember, I can't remember a book that kept me guessing right until the last page.  Each page is soaked in suspense, I admit I even bit my nails, which is one bad habit I never resort to.  The setting of the book changed often enough to keep the pace of the book steady and moved the story along with a purpose.  Whether it was in the amusment park, with it's dark and alluring atmosphere.  Or Bo's Arcade, which seemed so real, I could almost smell the faint smoke of cigars and feel the smooth surface of a pool table. 

Patch..........this is a tricky one, because firstly, this boy is so hot it's a wonder he's not spontaneously combusted.  His character reaches out of the pages and grabs you, keeping you hooked until the last page.  He is magnetic and the whole story rides along with his next move.  Sexy beyond belief, he is your ultimate anti? hero.  Cocky and a complete ass with it, his dialogue had me giggling like a fan girl and jealous both at the same time.  He is now one of my favourite fictional characters, and Becca, if your reading this and he's based on some guy you know, give him my number *wink wink*

I must say, I was a little suprised with my feelings towards Nora, because I loved her, which is quite uncommon for me.  Especially when you add a smoldering sexy bad boy to the mix.  But, I could imagine being friends with someone like Nora, and actually enjoying sending time with her.  She was such a cool and original character, kudos to Becca for writing such a likeable character.  Not that I wasn't a bit jealous of her, because I so was, but still, I really liked her.

Full of twists and turns, Hush Hush had me glued to my seat and even sneaking glances under my desk at work.  I would recommend this book to any book lover, heck, I even think this book could convince people to read who normally look at books like their going to turn into the devil. One of the most amazing young adult books I have read all year, scratch that, EVER!

I would just like to add a personal note to Becca.  I watched the trailor for the book on the Simon and Shuster website and you said you had worked on this book for years and years, and when you first originally sent it off to a publishing house, it was rejected.  Honestly, is you had spent your whole like writing this book, it would have been time excellently spent.

I give Hush Hush FIVE STARS *****

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