New To YA

I'm not sure if I'm alone in this or not, but I have always been one of the only major bibliophiles among my friends and family. Don't get me wrong, they all read and enjoy a good book when they come across one, but are no where near as avid a reader as I am. I was an English major and have just always loved a good book, and the occasional bad one as well. So my sweetheart of a former roommate suggested that I start this blog (thanks M!) and I owe her big time! I think she was probably sick of hearing me gush over new books I was reading and new authors I was coming to love. She couldn't really relate because she hadn't read the books I was talking to her about, and she didn't have any plans on getting to them anytime soon. The girl was busy getting her MBA...and life keeps everyone swamped, I get it.

So this blog, my readers, and all of my fellow bloggers out there have become like a big reading family. I love this blogosphere and being able to hear from other readers about what they're interested in, what they just read, and the recommendations they throw my way. It's been over a year since I started the blog and I can't imagine not having this community to reach out to. But lately (within the last couple of months) something happened. My sister, B got herself a kindle! It was a shock, but she travels a lot for work and needed a way to pass the time. As it turns out, the girl likes to read (almost) as much as her sister! And to be honest...I love that! I get so excited hearing about what books she's been reading and what she liked and didn't like. I have to constantly remind myself that she's still not as crazy and book obsessed as I am, because when we get to talking about all the books I can't seem to stop, and need to reign myself in.

Each time she finishes up a book she's immediately asking me what else she should check out. Since I mainly stick to the young adult genre I don't always have a huge list of titles for her to, but I had a thought. She recently read (finally!) The Hunger Games trilogy and of course fell in love with them just like everybody else. So I'm thinking that now that she's seen that young adult titles aren't just for youngsters I tried to pull a list together for her to pick from. Here are a few I think she might enjoy, do you have any other suggestions you think I should send her way?

The Ivy (The Ivy, #1) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Congratulations! You have been admitted to the most prestigious university in the world. Now what are you going to do?

Callie Andrews may not have money or connections or the right clothes, and she may have way too many complications in her love life, what with

Gregory
the guy she loves to hate ...

Evan
the guy she'd love to forget ...

Clint
the guy she'd love to love ...

and Matt
the guy she really should love ...

all vying for her attention.

But she has three fantastic roommates (best friends or her worst nightmare?) and a wholesome California-girl reputation (oops) and brains and beauty and big, big dreams.

Will it be enough to help her survive freshman year at Harvard?

Who didn't love this book? I've become a huge fan of this series and can't wait for book four to come out. But I'm thinking once B starts with this series opener she won't be able to put it down. It's got all the key elements that I think will ease her into the YA genre. Boy drama, college hysterics, secret societies (who can resist those) and everything in between. The catty girls and their high end designer label wardrobes, not to mention the jocks and their all-American resumes to leave us all drooling. It's a fabulous combination that I think she'll love and one that will leave her rushing to get the next editions in the series.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

We're all suckers for the romantic comedies and the romances in general, don't you think? I like an action thriller and dystopian novel just as much as the next girl, but put a romance in front of me and there's not much of a chance that I'll be turning it down anytime soon. Since B has always leaned more towards chick lit and romances, I thought this would be another one that would grab her attention and have her reading late into the night. Echols is one of my favorite authors, so of course I'm slightly biased but I think it'll be something B and I have in common. Echols' characters tug at your heart and have readers thinking they're good friends, not just people on a page.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her non dating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . .

It's no secret Eulberg is one of my top five favorite authors ever! I have yet to read one of her books that I didn't fall instantly in love with and rave incessantly about to anyone who would give me the chance. I remember trying to get B to read this after I'd first come across it and I think she tried to appease me by saying she would, but never actually did. Now that she's a Kindle owner and quite the reader herself, I think it's time she gave it another go...for real this time! Who doesn't just adore Penny and her club of lonely hearts, right? I've read this one more than once and each and every time I fall in love with these characters and The Beatles all over again...definitely a must!

Matched (Matched, #1) by Ally Condie

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

After becoming a dystopian convert, I'm curious to see if it's genetic. I think this would be a good one for B to check out since she was such a fan of The Hunger Games. Yet again we're talking about a futuristic dystopian society where the government is suffocating its citizens with their rules and laws and general ways of life. Let's not forget the love triangle Condie presents readers with, to the point where it's all readers can but sympathize with Cassia and the predicaments she finds herself in.

B's birthday is in June and I think I might just need to throw in one or two of these books in the mix as well as maybe an Amazon Kindle gift card so she can check out the others. What do you think? Did I leave out any that you would recommend to B? Let me know and I'll add them to the list that I'm doing my best to keep fully stocked and ready to go for whenever she's on the lookout for her next read.

In My Mailbox (40)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board. I'm always picking up new books, because I never tire of reading, but the other thing I like about this meme is that it gives everyone an opportunity to check out what other book fanatics, bloggers, etc... got for themselves. I've gotten great recommendations from this meme and hope that keeps up in the future.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week?

For Review:

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Thanks to Harper Teen)

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Forbidden by Syries James & Ryan M. James (Thanks to Harper Teen)

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she's desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there's no way she's going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she's been having or the creepy warnings that she's in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch, and when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn't factored Claire into his plans... Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alex has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire's unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath, #1) by Anne Greenwood Brown (Thanks Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Clader and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough - especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily - just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire (Thanks to Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutters gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father - and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billioniare - if usually absent - father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating...and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think.

Rivals (The Ivy, #3) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Thanks to Greenwillow Books)

Decisions, decisions...

You've survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the sate of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don't succeed, you should probably stop trying,) friendships (C-minus, since she and formed BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don't even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threathen to thwart Callie's resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for -

Grace Lee
the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra
the gorgeous transfer student

Clint
the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory
the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side - and a suitor - has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

Review: Secrets (The Ivy, #2) by Lauren Kunze, Rina Onur

Reputation, Reputation, Reputation.

You're a student at the most prestigious university in the country, and you've been tapped for the most elite social club. You've made it!

Now Don't Blow It!

Callie Andrews triumphed during her first semester at Harvard: she made incomparable friends, found the perfect boyfriend, and received invitations to the most exclusive secret societies. But she may have ruined every-thing with one ill-fated night. Now she's keeping secrets from everyone, including—

Clint the upperclassman who's too good to be true

Vanessa the best friend turned backstabber

Gregory the guy who's a total(ly hot) mistake

and Lexi the social queen who wants to bring Callie down.

But Callie didn't get into Harvard by giving up, and she isn't about to now. Besides, she's not the only one with something to hide. . . .

I didn't think it was possible for Lexi to be any nastier, but boy was I mistaken. her devious actions and awful manipulation in this second installment make her look like a cupcake in The Ivy. It's crazy and out of control and had me wanting to throw my book across the room a couple of times. She's just that awful!

That being said, Kunze and Onur managed to capture me right from the start and had me feeling like I was on Harvard's campus all over again. The traditions, adventures, and craziness they describe is highly entertaining and I always want more.

Callie's problems grow and miscommunication is at the center of it all this time around. I couldn't believe the ups and downs she took with Vanessa, Lexi, Clint and Gregory. I could only read on and sympathize with her as her problems continued to mount. Ouch.

Like last time, Kunze and Onur left readers with a pretty juicy cliffhanger and book three, Rivals can't hit the shelves soon enough. I have to know what happens, and the suspense might actually kill me...slowly.

I gave Secrets (The Ivy, #2) 4 shamrocks!!!!

ARC Tour & Review: The Ivy by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur

Freshman year at Harvard--glamorous parties, blossoming friendships, steamy romances, and scandalous secrets. Skip the campus tour and get right to the good stuff: classes are for scoping guys (and their Facebook profiles), not taking notes. The library is for study dates (the medieval history stacks get a lot of action), not studying. And success is a 4.0 GPA... plus getting into the most exclusive parties. How will Callie--a California girl with brains, beauty, and big dreams--and her three roommates survive?

Wow-o-wow! Half the time these authors had me wanting to be back at college and the other half of the time I couldn't believe how glad I was that I had already graduated and was done with the whole shebang, it's still a toss up as to which won the majority. Either way I was really enjoying coming along for the ride on this one and watching Callie start her first day of college at Harvard. I went to West Virginia University, and while it's a fantastic school (Go Mountaineers!) I'm not, nor was I ever an Ivy leaguer but it sure sounds like a different world. Don't get me wrong, we had brilliant minds and probably twice the amount of partiers but regardless I was out of my element a little bit with this world. What fun I had though soaking it all in.

Callie must get used to living on the east coast, acclimating to college life, living with three other girls who are all sporting their very own look and attitude and dealing with a very cute, very arrogant boy who happens to be living right across the hall, fun coincidence right? These girls have their work cut out for them and they're in for a wild ride. But also a totally fun one to be sure.

These authors give readers scandals worthy of US Weekly, really cute and nice upperclassman guys, bitter and devious girls out to make freshman's lives a living hell and don't forget the classes, the parties and the drama, drama, drama! Did I mention the drama? When it's hard enough to get through your classes and homework, how is it possible to tell the different between friend and foe, right and wrong and ways to avoid getting in deeper and deeper? But seriously, I really kind of fell in love with this book and the characters and the story line - pretty much the whole kit and caboodle. Kunze and Onur set the stage for a great series and although I was a little worried with how things were left at the end of this one, I'm practically drooling over what's to come in their next book.

I gave The Ivy 4 shamrocks!!!!