I'm alive!!! Yes, it's been about a month since I last posted anything on my blog. I had a bit of a rough summer. In early September, I had to fly out to Colorado to be in my best friend's wedding, then start back to work (teaching), so things have been a bit hectic as of late. October is a new month, so I figured not to get so bent out of shape about I losing a whole month of blogging.
Anyway, October is here and with it some pretty cool releases. In Adult books, Caris Roane gives us a new hot series to get addicted to with the release of Born in Chains, book 1 in the Men in Chains series. Fans of J.R. Ward will be happy with Possession, book 5 in the Fallen Angels series. In Young Adult, Skulk by Rosie Best sounds really intriguing and unique. And last but definitely not least, NY Times best selling author, Simone Elkeles, smolders with her new novel, Wild Cards, the first in a new series!
In Movies, Disney's The Little Mermaid finally comes out of the vault for awhile, this time available on blu-ray and dvd. If you are looking for a good comedy, check out This is the End, starring James Franco, Seth Rogan and friends. Finally, in TV Series, the CW's Beauty and the Beast:Season 1 will be available on dvd. If you are a fan of Guy Pearce, definitely check out Jack Irish:Series 1, an Australian drama based on Peter Temple's award winning novels.
Hoping to have a new review posted this week. Until then, enjoy!
Best Wishes,
BOOKS (1st October)
ADULT BOOKS
Beautiful Illusion by: Jacquie Underdown
A beautiful, spiritual story about a woman who meets the man of her dreams — and then wakes up...
The
last thing Leah thought she’d get out of a shocking car accident was
the perfect boyfriend. But there was Brennan in the hospital bed next to
hers — equal parts charm, cheek, and chocolate. Their relationship,
their love, her life, is almost too good to be true.
Then, to
Leah’s horror, she discovers that it is. Her new life with Brennan is
only a fabrication of her injured mind — a coma dream that ends when she
wakes up.
Struggling with injuries and grieving for a man that
never existed, Leah battles to put her life back together. But a series
of coincidences hint that for some people, love can transcend all
barriers and achieve the impossible
After being
unceremoniously dumped by her long-time boyfriend, Stacy Washington hits
one of the hottest clubs in town with her best friend, Nina. Stacy
decides it's time to shed her good girl persona by letting go of her
inhibitions. Relationships are trouble; casual sex is simple.
When
she sees sexy bartender, Evan, she's instantly intrigued by his dark,
good looks and his killer smile. Before she has a chance to get to know
him better, an equally sexy prospect comes her way and this one is ready
to play. Justin's not shy about telling Stacy exactly what he wants.
She plans to have her way with both him and Evan until she
finds out they're close friends. This could be awkward or this could be
the most exhilarating experience of Stacy's life. She decides to take
the plunge by coming between friends--in more ways than one.
In the epic battle
of vampire against vampire, one warrior's fate is bound to a mortal
woman who controls him, commands him, and craves him like no other…
Chained For Life
Two
years ago, the rogue vampires invaded Lily Haven's home and kidnapped
her son. Now, if she hopes to see her child again, she must do the
unthinkable—bind herself, body and soul, to a vampire warrior. She must
choose one of the rogue army's prisoners of war and force him to do her
bidding. But when she sees the warrior, Adrien, naked, beaten, and
straining against his chains, it is she who is held captive…
Hungry For More
Adrien
has been waiting for her. A beautiful woman who appears to him in
visions. Who soothes his tortured body, feeds his erotic cravings—and
quenches his thirst for blood. But Lily is more than he ever hoped for.
She is the master of his destiny, and he is her willing slave. Even when
she asks him to find the ultimate weapon for his enemies, he must obey
her. Even if the task destroys them both, he will fight for her love,
forever…
I would be here all day if I had to list every single reason and every single example as to why Simone Elkeles is such an amazing person. Notice I said PERSON. I chose that word instead of author because sometimes I think we forget that authors are people just like you and me. They have feelings and emotions beyond the quill pen or rapid fingers typing away on the keyboard. I can't believe I'm about to go all Shakespeare on everybody, but Shylock from Merchant of Venice sums up my point completely only I took the liberty of taking the word "Jew" out and replacing it with "author": "I am an [author]. Hath not an [author] eyes? hath not an [author] hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt
with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same
means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as [you]? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh?
if you poison us, do we not die?"
Simone Elkeles is a NY Times & USA Today best selling author of the Perfect Chemistry series. She has a new book coming out in October called Wild Cards and I have not a doubt in my mind that she will be climbing back up the NY Times best seller chart soon. Her books are just THAT good. But this post is not about her climb to success. I want her to know how much I appreciate HER. Not because of her fame. Not because she writes amazing books. Our friendship goes back a few years ago when she responded to an email I had sent her in regards to 2 teenage students of mine who were struggling in school and in their personal lives. She not only emailed me back, but was so touched by the fact that the boys had read her novel Perfect Chemistry (both were reluctant readers at the time) that she ended up sending them a box of goodies with one stipulation: they had to email her back personally. From that day forward, we all formed a connection with Simone and she flew out to not only meet the boys, but also was kind enough to do a talk at my school. To my astonishment, she even mentioned the boys and I in the acknowledgment page of Chain Reaction, the third and final book in the Perfect Chemistry series. The rest is history.
Acknowledgment Page
Through the years we have kept in contact with each other. She even visited again about a year ago, fitting in a quick visit amidst a very tight schedule. But that is Simone. When she cares about someone and considers you a friend, she will move heaven and earth to spend some time with you. This past year she has been busy finishing her new book, Wild Cards, touring in AND out of the country, and trying to spend time with her kids. I remember quite a few months ago getting a call from her in a panic. She talked to me about her excitement and anxieties over the new book, her wondering why she was having such a difficult time writing it, why the words weren't flowing like they should. I remember telling her to take a deep breath, that I had every confidence in the world that she would finish. Why was she so stressed out? Because this is a woman who cares about her fans and respects the people she works for and with. I know in her mind she kept asking herself, what if this new novel isn't good enough? What if I disappoint my fans? I wanted to shake her and say, no Simone. You are doing everything right. I just hope we don't disappoint YOU. Because like I said at the beginning of this post, authors are human beings like the rest of us. I wish I could have flown out to be with her, to give her that boost of confidence that she needed. All I could do was try to project some positivity into my words and to let her know that I would be her cheerleader along the way.
Simone & Me
Wild Cards is finished and now it's time for promoting. Simone and I hadn't had one of our catch up phone calls in awhile. I wasn't stressing over it because I know how busy she is. We finally got a chance to chat the other day and it felt like we had never stopped. We just picked up where we left off. She told me about all the crazy things going on in her life, new projects she is working on to promote her new novel coming out this fall, and most importantly, new stories of fans she has met. Because that is what it's all about for Simone, the fans. I've never met a person so dedicated to her fans. She interacts with them daily and quite often will go out of her way if you somehow worm yourself into her heart. I sometimes worry about this--- I told her that we need more people like her in this world to make it a better place. But at the same time, because she has such a big heart, I worry that she will get hurt somehow. But having a big heart myself, I know that telling people like us to stop helping others is like telling us not to breath. To sum up what an amazing person she is, click the link below this picture.
During our recent phone conversation I was telling her my frustrations over not getting approved to read a galley version of her new novel Wild Cards on netgalley. She was like, "What?? Why didn't they approve you?? Why didn't you just ask me for an ARC!? I got one right here. I'm sending it to you today!" I laughed but my response was that I didn't want to take advantage of our friendship by just assuming she was going to give me one. I wanted to try to do it the professional way first. But Simone being Simone just said, "We're friends and friends ask, so next time just ask!" Lesson learned :)
I received the ARC copy of Wild Cards in the mail today...
...and my eyes got a little misty. When I opened the cover, this is what I found:
It's not just the note inside that affected me. I was on the phone with her the day she sent it and I know how hectic her day was. I know she was talking to me while she was in the car. I was put on hold while she had to take another call. She had a bazillion things going on and I felt extremely lucky that she was sending me the ARC, no matter when it arrived. But not only did it arrive within days, she still took a moment out of her very hectic day to write that little note to me. She didn't have to do that. But again, this is Simone we are talking about. How she still has the ability to shock me will always be a mystery!
In closing, the point I'm trying to make in this post is sort of what I used to tell my students. You won't know for sure unless you try and sometimes the smallest gesture can make the biggest impact. If I hadn't emailed Simone a few years ago, I wouldn't be able to call her my friend today. If I hadn't gotten to know her, I'd probably still be thinking that authors were these unreachable beings from another planet. Our friendship has taught me to always keep an open mind and never stop accepting people into your heart and life. I know I've already said this, but I'll say it again. The world would be a much better place if their were more people like Simone. And I look forward to many years of friendship with this one-of-a-kind gal!
Some of you in the blogasphere have probably already had the chance to drool over this yummy cover. If you haven't, then you are in for a treat. Simone Elkeles is a NY Times & USA Today's bestselling author, best known for her amazingly hot, addictive Perfect Chemistry Series. And I am honored to call her a friend. She is one of the most down-to-earth people you would ever want to meet and she absolutely loves her fans.
Anyway, enough of my gushing! Simone has been busy working on her new book series and I couldn't be more happy then to share with you a little information about the first novel called Wild Cards. It hits book shelves this fall, October 1st! Here is the cover and synopsis:
Synopsis:After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.
Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?
MY THOUGHTS: I like that the cover has that distinctive Simone look-- if you have read books by her then you know what I mean. Yet it still looks different and sexy. And I am already sold on the book synopsis. So what do you think?
Title: Dare You To(Pushing the Limits, #2) Author:Katie McGarry ISBN: 0373210639 Reading Level: Young Adult Genre: YA Contemporary Romance Theme(s): child abuse, addiction Length: 480 pgs Binding: Hardcover Published: 28 May 2013; Harlequin Teen Buy:amazon.com Synopsis:If anyone knew the truth
about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and
seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all
costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose
between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds
herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school
that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who
shouldn't get her, but does....
Ryan Stone is the town golden
boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not
even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant
dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who
couldn't be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare
becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly,
the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the
girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring
herself to want it all..
My Rating:
My Review: What can I say about Dare You To without my review sounding redundant? From some of the reviews I have already read, I think other die hard Katie McGarry fans are walking away from this highly anticipated sequel feeling the same way I do.Dare You To confirms a few things. One, Pushing the Limits, book 1 in the series, was not a fluke. Some authors write amazing debuts but have trouble delivering the same impact with their sequels. I'm happy and relieved to say that Katie McGarry won't be going anywhere but to the top. After reading Dare You To, there is no doubt that she is an amazing writer, that she knows how to write characters so well that they feel like they are right in front of you, and most of all, she has the ability to evoke strong emotions. In Pushing the Limits, I was in a constant state of tears and felt a heaviness in my chest. In Dare You To, I felt a range of emotions, everything from exasperation, frustration, to outrage. However, there were a few minor issues I had with the book that kept me from giving it a perfect 5 star rating.
First, here are a few things I loved about Dare You To. I like that Katie McGarry used alternating point-of-view to tell Beth and Ryan's story. Considering the fact that they are so different and that McGarry had a huge job to do in convincing us readers that they belong together, it was almost essential to use this so we can get in both of their heads. Because let's face it. If you've read Pushing the Limits, then most of you, like me, wanted Beth to get with Isaiah. So being able to get to know Ryan personally and to see how Beth truly felt about Isaiah did help me to cope with the fact that this was Beth and Ryan's story, not Beth and Isaiah's.
As she proved in Pushing the Limits, McGarry has no problem pushing boundaries. There are so many authors out there that take on controversial topics but fail in the execution because they are too worried they might offend someone or they feel they need to tone it down for fear that publishing companies will pass them by. Not McGarry. When she commits to a tough topic, she runs with it and stays true. Beth's story is not easy breezy to read-- she has had a very rough childhood. Imagine growing up with alchoholic/drug abusing parents. Imagine your own mother telling you that she hates you, that it's your fault that your father left. Imagine watching your mother get beat over and over again by different boyfriends and then they start beating on you. It would mess up any child. So Beth curses, and she smokes weed to take the edge off and to forget painful memories. Does this mean she is a horrible person? Absolutely not. But if you think this book sugar coats anything, you are wrong. If you are sensitive to cursing, drug use, drinking, and sexual situations, then I suggest you toughen up and go into this book with an open mind. Because this is where Katie McGarry truly shines as an author. She brings a gritty, realistic quality to her writing, just like NY Times & USA Today's Best Selling Author Simone Elkeles is known for in her Perfect Chemistry series. And this is why teens and adults alike are dawn to their novels time and time again.
Lastly, I can't move on until I mention one more important factor that Katie McGarry is a master at and that is creating memorable characters. I know I and other reviewers keep going back to where it all started, book 1, Pushing the Limits. Here is the dilemma. If you are just jumping on board and haven't read book 1, a part of me rather you just read Dare You To first. Sounds weird I know, but I think I myself would have had a much easier time accepting Beth and Ryan's relationship without knowing what happened between Beth and Isaiah in book 1 (oh and trust me, there is a scene in book 1 that is burned on the back of my eyelids that had me thinking WITHOUT A DOUBT that Beth and Isaiah would be together). But then on the other hand, to fully understand Beth, and who she considers her family--Isaiah and Noah, you need to go back to the beginning. That being said, I love that Katie McGarry added in a few scenes with Isaiah and Noah (my heart was pounding when they came to Beth's rescue earlier in the book) and most of all, that one scene with Noah and Echo. This couple burned up the pages in Pushing the Limits and I think the author knew how much fans were hoping for a little Noah and Echo action. There definitely was a scene stealer and that was when Beth took Ryan to one of her kind of parties. In the back yard, Noah was lying in a hammock with his girlfriend Echo and when Noah noticed Ryan staring too long at her, he threatened him to keep his eyes to himself. So incredibly sexy. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will see more of them in book 3.
Now to what I had issues with. It's sort of hard for me to focus on just one thing that bothered me about Dare You To. I feel like it is the culimination of a bunch of little things that caused me to drop my rating down to 4 stars. A part of me may still not be completely sold that Beth belongs with Ryan, but that doesn't mean by the end of the book I think she belongs with Isaiah. Sounds weird, I know, but I guess as much as Ryan is a likeable, relatable character with his own set of issues, he just isn't as memorable like Noah and Isaiah are. The heat that I felt between Noah and Echo is not the same thing I felt between Beth and Ryan. But if I sit back and think about it, every relationship is different and so is how love is expressed with other couples. Some people love widly and passionately while love grows slowly and quietly with others. So who am I to say that what Beth and Ryan feel is wrong?
My major issues lie with things being left unresolved between certain characters. Without divulging too much, things with Ryan and his dad felt...unfinished. I know that in real life, not everyone has perfect relationships with their parents, so I wasn't expecting a fairytale ending. But we never really get to learn why his dad feels the way he does about his oldest son, Mark, and Ryan. Enough said about that because I don't want to spoil anything.
Beth's relationship with her Uncle Scott and his wife, Allison, also fell a little flat for me. I wanted to find some redeeming qualities for Allison, Scott's wife. Yes, there is the little scene at the end where it looks like Beth and Allison may have buried the hatchet, but we never really get to know her. I get that Scott himself had a rough childhood and the easiest way for him to keep the demons away was for him to move away and be with someone who wouldn't remind him of his troubled past. But I would also like to think that Allison has a big enough heart that she would love Scott, shady past and all. Unfortunately, most of the book she acts like an uppity b*tch!
Now to Beth's uncle, Scott. We learn that Scott didn't have an easy upbringing himself and he knows what it's like to struggle. Beth remembers when her uncle used to wear baggy pants and talked like a gangster. So what bothered me was all the stipulations he put on Beth when she comes to live with him. I get the no drinking, no drugs, even no smoking cigarettes. But making her change her clothes (she likes to wear ripped jeans and tank tops, like that is a crime!) and not allowing her to buy black hair die??? I wouldn't even consider Beth "goth" but trust me, I work in a school and I see kids wearing worse clothes than ripped up jeans. My point is, I think Scott and Allison spent way too much time on Beth's outward appearance rather than focusing on her inner issues. Scott obviously knows she has been through some major trauma. And when you find out one of the reasons why Beth likes to die her hair black...my heart really did hurt for her. I guess what I am trying to say is, I was waiting for a huge heart to heart conversation between Scott and Beth but it really never happens. I wanted Beth to finally break down and let out all of that pain because keeping that sh*t in is nothing but poison.
Dare You To is a solid sequel that really leaves no doubt as to how talented Katie McGarry truly is. Even though I felt there were a few things left a bit unresolved, I can somewhat accept that because life doesn't always fix itself right away. It may take years before Ryan's father finally comes around to accepting both his sons' choices. It will probably take a lot of time for Beth to break the chains of guilt and responsibility she has had on her shoulders, and Ryan will have to find patience because Beth still has a lot of issues to sort out. I myself have to remain calm and patiently await Crash Into You, book 3, which is Isaiah's book. Because I'm not going to lie, things were left unresolved between Beth, Isaiah, and Noah as well. For thematic reasons, I get why because it is a given that Isaiah has to work out his feelings for Beth and I am sure she will make quite a few appearances. But I can't help but feel that Beth owes Isaiah, Noah, AND Echo an apology. There were quite a few times when I wanted to shake her because the boys wanted a better life for her, they loved her that much. And how many times does Echo have to prove herself to Beth? But we never get that moment of epiphany from her. But I just have to keep reminding myself that it's going to take time for Beth to sort out her issues. After all, how can you recognize and accept love if you can't respect and love yourself?
Synopsis:So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
No
one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl
with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on
her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible
night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to
normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the
black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude
and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could
never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the
secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet
the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to
ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk
for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
My Rating:
My Review: Have I died and gone to heaven? That's sure what it feels like after reading Katie McGarry's debut novel Pushing the Limits. The book's premise sounded exactly like something I would enjoy, after all, I love misunderstood bad boys and the good girls that grow to love them. Let's face it, not every author is good at writing bad boys, unless you're NY Times best selling author Simone Elkeles, writer of the sizzling hot Perfect Chemistry series. So you can imagine my hesitance going into Pushing the Limits.
Pushing the Limitswas not what I expected, in a good way. For example, based upon the synopsis, I automatically assumed the abuse that Echo suffered was from her "jock" boyfriend. I don't know why, but I had it in my head that maybe one night they were at a party, he slipped something in her drink (or attempted to get her drunk), and tried to molest her which resulted in the "freaky" scars on her arms and loss of memory. Boy was I wrong about everything. The plot itself is way more complex than that which is one of the things I absolutely love about this book.
First and foremost, when I started reading, I didn't expect the chapters to alternate between Echo and Noah. I love this technique because I enjoy being able to get into the heads of more than one character. Plus, it gave me the heads up that this story wasn't going to be just about Echo which again, I just assumed based on the book blurb. This is just as much as Noah's story as it is Echo's. And while I was blown away by Echo's dysfunctional family dynamic, it was Noah's relationship with his brothers and best friends that had me shedding some tears. I think the less I say about the actual plot of both of their stories will be more beneficial for you as the reader, so I am just going to leave it at that.
I also like how the author explored the different views on grief and the depth of Echo's therapy sessions. It's revealed pretty early that Echo had an older brother named Aires, who died while on active duty. He was her world, her rock when things got crazy at home. She used to keep him company while he worked on restoring a classic car and when he died, it became her passion: she wanted to fix the car up in her brother's honor. Echo's father, on the other hand, thinks it is a stupid idea and rather sell the car. Some people rather forget when they are grieving. I also give the author tremendous credit for writing about mental illness, memory loss after a traumatic experience, and how it not only affects a teen's home life, but that of their social life in a school setting. Let's face it, kids can be cruel; I see it every day as a teacher. In general, students are either trying to look cool, or trying to blend in so they don't draw unwanted attention. If a rumor about someone starts to go around school, most rather believe it than go up to the person in question and find out the truth for themselves. Sad but true.
McGarry is also great at writing secondary characters. I absolutely fell in love with Isaiah who is Noah's best friend and "foster" brother. While Beth annoyed me a bit, one particular scene that I will not spoil changed my view of her greatly. There were still scenes where she made me roll my eyes, but I get where the attitude comes from. Since I am on the topic of Beth, I recently found out that Katie McGarry will be giving Beth her own book. At first I was doing cart wheels because...well, let's just say there is major chemistry between Beth and Isaiah. So of course I thought, awesome, the author is going to write Beth and Isaiah's story. But when I read the little sneak peak at the end of Pushing the Limits...I'll let you be the judge of it. If it's going where I think it's going, that really sucks, but I am willing to give McGarry a chance since Pushing the Limits really did blow me away. She knows her characters better than I do, so I guess she has something up her sleeve! I'll just have to trust her on this!
This book should definitely be filed under Mature Young Adult. McGarry does not hold back on cursing, sexual situations, and some drug use. If these things bother you, then this book isn't for you. But just be aware that Pushing the Limitsis so much more. These things just add to the realism of the story. I truly commend her for tackling controversial topics, even some I haven't mentioned in this review, such as the Foster Care system and the affects it has on children, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Like I said before, I am a huge Simone Elkeles fan and the biggest compliment I could give Katie McGarry is that Pushing the Limits reminds me so much of Elkeles' novels. Yet she is able to create her own voice, her own style. I look forward to Beth's story next, and hopefully Isaiah's after that!
Wednesdays are normally reserved for book reviews, but since I just finished reading Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert and am in the process of reviewing the book, I figured this would be a great opportunity to get caught up on informing everyone on a few updates!
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"Book-to-Movie" E-book Giveaway Winners
I have already contacted the 2 winners of my book-to-movie, e-book giveaway that ended on Saturday, but I wanted to announce it officially here on The Muses Circle. The winners are...*drum roll*
Congrats to the winners! And thanks to everyone that participated! I have received such positive feedback, that I plan to have another Book-to-Movie E-book Giveaway "Part 2" sometime next month. So if you didn't win this time around, don't despair! You will have another chance to win some of the same titles AND some more titles I will be adding to the list!
BLOG AWARD
Well, it looks like The Muses Circle has won another blog award! This time, it is the Versatile Blog Award! Thank you, Ruty @ Reading...Dreaming, for honoring me with this awesome award!
Here are the Rules:
1 - Thank and link the blogger who awarded you. 2 - Share 7 random facts about yourself . 3 - Spread the love by passing the award to five other bloggers, and be sure to let them know.
7 Random Facts:
1. I recently had the chance to spend the day with NY Times & USA Today's Bestselling author Simone Elkeles! You can see the photos on my facebook!
2. I love film just as much as I love books!
3. I have well over 400 tv series from all over the world!
4. The first romance novel I ever read was by Cassie Edwards.
5. I love finding rare, out-of-print, hard-to-find movies and tv series for people.
6. I'm addicted to Asian TV Dramas!
7. I have the hots for actor Michael Fassbender *blush*
I've noticed that some of my fellow bloggers have either a section or page set aside where they list some of their favorite blogs. I've decided to make a section on my blog where I list my favorite blogs to visit or blogs that I find nifty! This section will be located on the left side bar of my blog, right below my list of blog awards. I'm in the process of compiling a list, so it may be a week or so before the section becomes active.
If you are a fellow blogger that has a section like this and you have your own blog button, feel free to contact me. I have no problem adding your blog to my Nifty Blog section if you would do so in exchange!
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Well, I think that is it for the updates. I am thinking about creating another blog, this would be for my insane tv series collection which is getting hard for me to keep updated. Creating a blog for my collection would hopefully help me keep it organized, but I am still thinking it over. Once I have made up my mind, I will let everyone know the details!
Keep your eyes open for a 3 movie review by Guest Blogger Gary Dion on Saturday!
Title:Chain Reaction(Perfect Chemistry, #3) Author:Simone Elkeles ISBN: 978-0802720870 Reading Level: Young Adult Genre: Teen Romance Theme(s): Gang, Urban, Contemporary Romance Length: 320 pgs Binding: Hardcover Published: 16th August 2011; Walker Children Buy:Amazon.com, BN.com
Synopsis:
Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks — whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules — boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to take a chance on a south sider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?
My Rating:
Wow. I can't believe that this amazing series has finally come to an end. However, the relationships that have been forged and the powerful lessons that have been learned will carry on for a lifetime. Simone Elkeles is a truly gifted author. You may hear those words all the time, but I am not just talking about her writing skills. While I'm not a deeply religious person, I do believe that we are all here for a purpose. Most people spend their whole lives trying to figure out what they were put on this earth to do. And nothing, in my opinion, is trivial. Simone is one of those rare people that not only found her niche, but utilizes it to touch others. Her writing is used not only to entertain our youth but to acknowledge and inform us on some of the grittier issues kids are dealing with every day. Some call her books controversial, but I see them as REALISTIC.
I work in the teaching field and the one thing I've figured out about myself is that I tend to connect with the students who everyone else has given up on. I have a soft place in my heart for the kind of kids that are like wounded animals. I'm talking about the ones that come from broken homes with no guidence, looking for acceptance and family in all the wrong places. The ones that look like boys on the outside but when you take one look in their eyes you realize they have seen and gone through things that even a grown person should never have to go through.
When I came across the first book in this series called Perfect Chemistry a couple of years ago, I had 2 students like this. I kept trying to find ways to break through their tough boy exteriors, to show them that someone cared. Simone Elkeles helped me accomplish this heavy task. My family, friends, and most of my colleagues already know the story and I don't want to write a book here since this is also supposed to be a review for Chain Reaction. But to give people an idea as to why I am thanking Simone, her books not only got both boys to read, but once the line of communication was opened and she felt the same connection I did with them, she decided to meet them in person. She literally changed their lives. She changed my life. The rest is history. I just couldn't go another day without putting something in writing as to how eternally grateful I am. Simone, you are my hero!
My Review: Now to Chain Reaction, the last in the Perfect Chemistry series. I devoured the novel. It was fresh, engaging, gritty and most importantly realistic. From the language to the descriptions of gang culture, you can tell Simone did her research. Then again, I know first hand how seriously she wants to get things right, so that aspect of her writing was not a surprise.
One of the things I enjoyed about Simone's Perfect Chemistry series is the way she weaves in different motifs. Even though each story revolves around a Fuentes brother and his struggle with gang life, Simone brilliantly gives her female characters a "problem" or "issue" that many teens go through. For example, in Perfect Chemistry, Brittany is not the shallow rich girl that everyone thinks she is. She has a dysfunctional family life that is hidden behind a big home and weathly parents. In Rules of Attraction, Kiara is not only slightly curvier than she would like (weight issues are prevalent in teens lives), but she also has a stuttering issue. In Chain Reaction, **SPOILER ALERT** Nikki must not only deal with an unplanned pregnancy at the beginning of the story and the abandonment of her baby daddy, but also suffers a miscarriage. Teens can relate to all of these issues that Simone tackles, especially in this last installment. Maybe that is why some of her books are considered controversial.
A reviewer on Amazon complained that Simone gave us the cliff notes version of Luis and Nikki's relationship, that she focused more on back story then new character development. Seriously? Did they read the same book?? The first several chapters of Chain Reaction IS character development. Simone introduces us to Nikki and Luis way before they even meet. Of course in classic Simone style, we get both of their perspectives by alternating chapters.
Chain Reaction is the perfect blend of new and old. The last book of any series always has a lot of hype to live up to. Not only is the author responsible for wrapping things up in a way that leaves the reader satisfied, but what about previous characters? This is another reason why I love Simone! Even though Chain Reaction is Luis and Nikki's story, Simone knows that her fans are still thinking about Alex and Brittany, Carlos and Kiara from books 1 & 2. Her fans want to know how their relationships have developed over time as well. And let's be real, this trilogy is about 3 brothers, so it just makes sense that readers would be curious about their own personal relationship as a family.
Overall, I could not come up with one thing negative, and I am not just saying that because this series holds a special place in my heart. I know first hand how seriously she takes her research in order to convey a completely authentic and relatable story-- and if you don't believe me go check out the acknowledgement page in the back of Chain Reaction :)
Simone, if you ever read this, I thank you for being the most down-to-earth, compassionate, funny, talented woman in the world! The boys and I love you and will always be your #1 fans!
