Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Review: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Ttile: Stealing Parker
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release date: October 1st 2012
Pages: 245
Genre: Contemporary YA; romance
Add to Goodreads | Purchase from Amazon
Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.
Now Parker wants a new life.
So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?
But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars 


I'm having a hard time coming up with a way to start this review - the only words I can think of right now are "LOVE" and "squee!" because that's just how I felt about Stealing Parker! I loved Catching Jordan, and this is another fun but poignant read from Miranda Kenneally!


At first, I wasn't sure what to make of Parker - she's not the type of character I'd usually connect with. But somehow, I grew to love her. Sure, she makes some bad decisions, which can be frustrating for the reader, but she has a good heart, and I could relate to her on a different kind of level. Her character growth is tremendous, but it's presented in a very honest and realistic way. She provides some variety from the MCs I normally read about in contemporary YA, that's for sure.


One of my favorite aspects of Stealing Parker is the way the secondary characters are presented. Their portrayal is very... balanced, I guess you could say; none of them are black-or-white, good-or-evil type of characters. There's a story to each one of them, making you understand where they're coming from, even when you don't approve of their actions. I loved each of their stories, but especially Drew's and Will's. Speaking of, the boys are yummy. Seriosly, Miranda Kenneally knows how to write some swoonworthy love interests! I loved all of them, and I would have been fine with whichever of their stories should be told. I'm very happy with the direction Miranda Kenneally ended up taking things, though.


I even loved the religious aspect! I don't tend to like when authors sneak religion into their stories, but I really like the way it's handled in Stealing Parker. It's subtle and honest, and feels like a very natural part of the way the story unfolds.


The only tiny thing I did not like is that brother's and one of the love interest's names are so similar, Ryan and Brian. That caused for some, umm, interesting misunderstandings on my part...


But none of that is what Stealing Parker is about, for me. What it comes down to really is the "LOVE" and the "squee!", it's how this book made me feel. Miranda Kenneally's writing makes me ridiculously happy; it makes me want to laugh and dance and scream "I LOVE BOOKS!" at the top of my lungs. And who doesn't like a book that can make you crazy/happy like that?

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday #21: Fall TBR



Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish with a different topic for a top-ten list each week. You can find out more about it here.

The links will take you to the Goodreads pages.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books on My TBR-List for Fall

1. Ask the Passengers by AS King

The only AS King book I've read is Please Ignore Vera Dietz, but I loved that one, so I'm super excited she has another contemp coming out! Ask the Passengers sounds perfect for me, and the cover is goooorgeous.

2. Ten by Gretchen McNeil

I'm not that big on horror or anything scary, but Ten looks really, really good. Maybe it'll be my Halloween read - I'll need to read at least one creepy book this fall!

3. Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler

Janet Gurtler's books are cute, and this one sounds so unique, in a very crazy way!

4. Meant to Be by Lauren E Morril

Everyone seems to already have read this one, and everyone loved it! Plus, the cover is adorable.

5. 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues

34 Pieces of You sounds like my kind of read. Just, totally perfect for me.

6. The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez

I really liked Jessica Martinez's debut, Virtuosity, and I love sister stories, so this should be a good read for me!

7. Live Through This by Mindi Scott

I loved Mindi Scott's Freefall - I wish that book would've gotten more attention in the blogosphere! I'm so happy Mindi Scott has another book coming out.

8. Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt

I know a lot of people are sick of cancer-books, but I usually like them, and Send Me a Sign sounds like a unique take on the topic!

9. What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

To be honest, I don't even remember what What Happens Next is about. But I love the cover, and I've been getting good vibes from it, so I'm definitely planning on reading it!

10. Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos

Such a stark cover! Out of Reach sounds so good - I love books that combine mystery with emotional stuff.

What fall releases will you be reading?

Monday, September 03, 2012

Book Blogger Confessions #15



Book Blogger Confessions is a new meme hosted by Midnyte Reader and For What It's Worth. You can find out all about it here. 

Every second week there is one topic that has something to do with book-blogging that you can discuss on your blog.

This week's topic is: How do you follow blogs?  Do you use Google Reader?  Are you on an e-mail list?  Are you more apt to follow people who have less followers?  Would you follow a blog to enter a contest?  What makes you unfollow a blog?

I'm a little strange in my following techniques. The blogs I read the most, I don't follow in any real way - they're just the ones on my blog roll ("Blogs I like" on my sidebar). Those blogs are the only ones I check really often - as in, almost every post. Since I'm usually on my own blog, checking to see whether my posts look okay, etc., I just see what stuff my favorite blogs posted from there. I guess it's kind of weird, and I don't know anyone else who reads like that, but I just think it's the most convenient, since I don't have to go to another site and can just go directly from my own blog.

Those aren't the only blogs I read, though, of course. For the rest, I use Twitter. I follow a lot of bloggers on Twitter, so I don't read all of their blog posts, but I do check Twitter pretty often and click on whatever looks interesting. I use Facebook like that too, but not as much as Twitter. The blogs I read like that are the ones I like reading but don't necessarily want to read every post from; the favorites, where I want to read everything, go on my blog roll.

I also follow a lot of blogs via GFC, but to be honest, I never check my Google Reader, so me following via GFC doesn't really mean anything. There are just too many blogs in my reader, so many that I just followed for a contest (yes, I do that) but don't really read. I cleaned it out once and only left blogs I actually read, but it filled right back up again.

As to how I decide who to follow, it just depends. My favorite bloggers are the ones whose tastes are similar to mine, so ones that review contemporary YA. And the ones I follow via Twitter are just kind of random, for all sorts of reasons - I don't pay that much attention to who I follow on Twitter, to be honest, since I do follow a lot of bloggers.

I rarely unfollow anyone on my blog roll, since those are the blogs I love. Most of the time, I just unfollow if someone stops blogging, if they haven't posted in months. The only other reason I remember having removed someone from my blog roll is design - if I can't read your blog because you have an impossible font, or something like yellow text on a black background, I'll probably be too lazy to read it, so there's no point in me keeping you on my blog roll. Oh, and plagiarism will get you removed from my blog roll, too, of course.

On Twitter, I'm not that big on unfollowing, either, simply because I'm lazy. I've never gone through all my follows to see whose stuff I actually read; maybe I should do that at some point... The only reason I'll unfollow on Twitter, really, is spam - if you tweet your posts every 30 seconds, I don't want that in my stream. (Retweeting all Triberr or giveaway tweets counts as that, too!)

That's it, I think. I mainly follow via my blog roll and via Twitter, and I don't unfollow unless you actively piss me off or stop blogging.

What are your following and unfollowing methods?

Saturday, September 01, 2012

September Comment Contest

Thank you to everyone who participated in August's Comment Contest! I've been really busy and haven't gotten around to counting the entries and selecting a winner yet - I'll be doing that within the next few days, and I'll be emailing the winner then. Sorry!


Anyways, I'm doing another Comment Contest in September!


It'll work the way the last one worked too: For each comment you leave on my September posts, you will get one entry for the giveaway. Please make the comment meaningful - if it's just one word or something, the entry will not be counted. The giveaway will be open from now until September 30th. It's open wherever the Book Depository ships - check here if you're not sure whether they ship to your country.


From those entries, I will select one winner, and that winner will get one Young Adult September release of their choice. You can check out my September Releases post for some inspiration, but it doesn't have to be included in that post in order to count; it can be any September release, as long as it's classified as YA.


So, to enter, fill out the quick form below, and start commenting! Make sure to fill out the form below, or your comments will not be counted as entries!!!



New Releases September 2012



New releases:

34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Release date: September 4th 2012
There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.

Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind. 34 strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. 34 secrets of a brief and painful life.

Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they begin to confront the darkest truths about themselves, they will also find out what Ellie herself had been hiding all along...



I Swear by Lane Davis
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 4th 2012


Leslie thought she had no other options. After years of abuse from her classmates, Leslie took her own life. Now, her abusers are dealing with the fallout, even though, in their eyes, they are not to blame that she couldn't handle another day. Leslie chose to take her life. She chose to be the coward they always knew she was. Even as criminal proceedings look into the systematic cyber bullying and harassment, the girls vow to keep their stories straight and make Leslie seem weak. But as the events leading up to her death unfold, it becomes clear that although she took her own life, her bullies took everything else.
Told in alternating perspectives and through flashbacks, this timely novel sheds light on the victims of bullying and the consequences bullies face.



After Hello by Lisa Mangum
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Release date: September 4th 2012
What if the first day of your relationship was the only day you had?
Seventeen-year-old Sara is a seeker. She’s always on the lookout for the perfect moment to capture with her ever-present, point-and-shoot camera, especially on her first trip to New York City.
Sam is a finder. He has a knack for finding what other people can’t—a first-edition book or the last two tickets to a sold-out Broadway show. In New York, there is always something interesting to find.
When Sam and Sara’s paths cross, neither one of them is prepared for what they will find out about each other—and about themselves when they form an unlikely partnership in search of a seemingly elusive work of art. They have one day to find the impossible. Fate brought their talents together, but what happens when time runs out? Will love be able to overcome fate?



The Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 8th 2012

When Charlotte comes to after being pushed onto the subway tracks, she is informed by a group of teenage girls that she is dead…they all are. Meet the Dead Girls Detective Agency. With the support of these dynamic girls—including fashionable Lorna, who can’t wait to find out if the devil actually wears Prada, and nerdy Nancy, who insists on staying in limbo to help out other girls—Charlotte follows leads and tracks down clues to solve her own murder.

Anything But Ordinary by Lara Avery
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 11th 2012
Bryce remembers it like it was yesterday. The scent of chlorine. The blinding crack and flash of pain. Blood in the water.
When she wakes up in the hospital, all Bryce can think of is her disastrous Olympic diving trial. But everything is different now. Bryce still feels seventeen, so how can her little sister be seventeen, too? Life went on without her while Bryce lay in a coma for five years. Her best friend and boyfriend have just graduated from college. Her parents barely speak. And everything she once dreamed of doing—winning a gold medal, traveling the world, falling in love—seems beyond her reach.
But Bryce has changed too, in seemingly impossible ways. She knows things she shouldn’t. Things that happened while she was asleep. Things that haven’t even happened yet. During one luminous summer, as she comes to understand that her dreams have changed forever, Bryce learns to see life for what it truly is: extraordinary.



Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 11th 2012
Seventeen-year-old Matt Foster thought that if he could only get his hands on his brother’s stuff from Iraq, he'd be able to make sense of T.J.’s death. He wasn’t expecting T.J.’s personal effects to raise even more questions about his brother’s life. Now, even if it means pushing his dad over the edge ... even if it means losing his best friend ... even if it means getting expelled from school ... Matt will do whatever it takes to find out the truth about his brother’s past.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Release date: September 11th 2012
TILT is the story of three teens inter-related through their parents' family relationships and friendships. As their parents pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the kids' worlds tilt, through love--good and bad:
Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year, and decides to keep the baby?
Shane turns sixteen that same summer, and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister's impending death. Can he accept Alex's love, knowing his life, too, will be shortened?
Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.



Lindsey Lost by Suzanne Marie Phillips
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 13th 2012
Even though Micah's one of the stars of a local sports team, he knows that his older sister Lindsey is the real deal ‐‐ a runner so good she has a chance of making it to the Olympics. The two of them urge each other on, and are each other's best support. Then the unthinkable happens: Lindsey is murdered, and Micah is found with her body. But Micah can't remember what happened, no matter what their parents tell him, no matter what the police say. He cannot remember what happened. Did he witness his sister's murder ‐‐ or commit it? Can he uncover the truth before his life is sentenced to end, too?


Burn for Burn by Jenny Han
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 18th 2012
The start of a brand-new young adult trilogy about three very different girls who overcome their differences and band together to seek revenge on those who have wronged them, uncovering a supernatural secret about what brought them together and why in the process. Each book will rotate back and forth between the perspectives of all three characters.


Butter by Erin Jade Lange
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 18th 2012

A boy everyone calls “Butter” is about to make Scottsdale High history. He’s going to eat himself to death live on the Internet – and everyone will watch.
He announces his deadly plan to an army of peers and expects pity, insults or even indifference. Instead, he finds morbid encouragement. When that encouragement tips the scales into popularity, Butter has a reason to live. But if he doesn’t go through with his plan, he’ll lose everything.



Ten by Gretchen McNeil
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 18th 2012
It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives – an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school's most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury. But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.
Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

New in paperback:





Going Underground by Susan Vaught
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 4th 2012
Del is a good kid who’s been caught in horrible circumstances. At 17, he’s trying to put his life together after an incident in his past that made him a social outcast—and a felon. As a result, he can’t get into college; the only job he can find is digging graves; and when he finally meets a girl he might fall in love with, there’s a whole sea of complications that threaten to bring the world crashing down around him again. But what has Del done? In flashbacks to Del’s 14th year, we slowly learn the truth: his girlfriend texted him a revealing photo of herself, a teacher confiscated his phone, and soon the police were involved.



Belles by Jen Calonita
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Release date: September 11th 2012

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she’s ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn’t go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn’t thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates’ Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls’ lives forever.


As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 13th 2012
What if you woke up and didn't know where you were? What if you didn't know who you were? And what if, when your memories started to come back--what if they didn't match the you that you're supposed to be?
Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them--and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is. Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.



Stay With Me by Paul Griffin
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 13th 2012
Fifteen-year-olds Cece and Mack didn't expect to fall in love. She's a sensitive A student; he's a high school dropout. But soon they're spending every moment together, bonding over a rescued dog, telling their secrets, making plans for the future. Everything is perfect. Until. Until. Mack makes a horrible mistake, and in just a few minutes, the future they'd planned becomes impossible. In this stark new reality, both of them must find meaning and hope in the memories of what they had, to survive when the person they love can't stay.





Everybody Sees the Ants by AS King
(Amazon | Goodreads)


Release date: September 18th 2012
Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.
But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?

My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Release date: September 25th 2012
Ashlyn Baptiste is falling. One moment she was nothing—no memories, no self—and then suddenly, she's plummeting through a sea of stars. Is she in a coma? She doesn't remember dying, and she has no memories of the life she left behind. All she knows is that she's trapped in a consciousness without a body and she's spending every moment watching a stranger.
Breckon Cody's on the edge. He's being ripped apart by grief so intense it literally hurts to breath. On the surface, Breckon is trying to hold it together for his family and his girlfriend, but underneath he's barely hanging on.
Even though she didn't know him in life, Ashlyn sees Breckon's pain, and she's determined to find a way help him. As her own distressing memories emerge from the darkness, she struggles to communicate with the boy who can't see her, but whose life is suddenly intertwined with hers.

What September releases are you most looking forward to?
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