Split Blog Tour and Auction Announcement

Throughout the month of October the book Split by Swati Avasthi is going to be on blog tour, but it's not an ordinary tour: each stop will have an auction to raise money for the Domestic Violence Organization and for every comment received while on the tour Swati will donate $1.

Here's an official blurb:
To honor National Domestic Violence Awareness month, author Swati Avasthi has combined a blog tour for her debut novel, Split, with a charity auction. Over 40 authors, agents and editors have donated manuscript critiques, personalized books, and more to an online auction that anyone –reader, writer, booklover -- can bid on and buy.  All proceeds go to the Family Violence Prevention Fund. In addition to the auction, Avasthi is donating $1/comment on her 26-stop, month-long blog tour, coordinated by Kari Olson at Teen Book Scene. If she reaches her goal and cap of $250, she will double the donation.  Follow the tour, get stuff you want, and make a difference.

My stop is scheduled for October 19th, so if you're at all interested in helping out this charity please stop by! It's as easy as leaving a comment!

If you want to follow the tour or want more information please visit the Teen Book Scene Tour Details page.

Waiting on Wednesday (36)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week:

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

Release Date: December 28th, 2010

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven.
Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot—a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel is put in danger—in more ways than one.
Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her—not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

I loved The Dark Divine, and it looks like this one is going to be even more intense than the first! Plus the cover is gorgeous.

What are you waiting on?

Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman

Title: Life, After
Author: Sarah Darer Littman
Published: July 2010
Source: Traded
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Everything changes for Dani and her family when a truck loaded with explosives detonates outside the AMIA building in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing her beloved aunt and unborn cousin. Because of the ensuing political upheaval, economic hardship, and emotional toll, Dani's family moves to the U.S. It is a terrifying place--new school, new language, new hardships--and Dani's angry father is turning into a stranger, more so everyday. Just when Dani thinks she is about to lose it, she befriends Jessica, one of the girls who has been cruelly teasing her since she arrived.

It is the most unlikely of friendships. Jessica is wealthy, groomed, spoiled. But Jessica has a past that only Dani can understand. She lost her father in 9/11. It is a friendship that allows them both to heal in unexpected and surprising ways, and changes them and their families forever.

I'm really happy that I decided to trade for this book, I liked it even more than I thought I would! I hadn't read anything else by this author, but if I come across one of her other books I'll definitely check it out!

I must confess that I didn't know anything about the AMIA bombing in Argentina before reading this book. It makes me sad that I didn't since affected many people there the same way that 9/11 did here. I could really feel what Dani was feeling and understand her pain. She was such a real character and I really got to know her by the end of the book.

I thought that the author portrayed moving to a new country perfectly. She didn't make it seem like it was no big deal, but she didn't make it seem too unbearably horrible either. The whole time all that I could think about was what I would be like if I had to move to Spain. I would probably curl up in fetal position screaming "No se! No se!" Dani was really strong to get through it.

I liked most of the supporting characters, but something that I didn't like was that sometimes their relationships with Dani didn't seem fully formed. Or a character would be introduced but then we wouldn't really see them again. It was small stuff, but still noticeable.

Basically I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to people who like contemporary!

Characters: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
Originality: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 44/50 B+
Cover Comments: I really like this cover, it's cute. It doesn't really have much to do with the story though.

Reviews: Where's My Stuff? and The Dictionary of High School B.S.

Title: Where's My Stuff? The Ultimate Teen Organizing Guide
Author: Samantha Moss with Lesley Schwartz
Published: 2010
Source: Received for review from Zest Books

I like to think of myself as a pretty organized person. I can find most of my things without searching the house for them, I keep track of my homework pretty well, and my parents aren't constantly nagging me to clean my room. That doesn't mean that I didn't benefit from reading this book.

The book is divided into three sections: School Stuff, Time and Activities, and Your Room. In School Stuff I learned how to keep my binders more organized, in Time and Activities I learned how to conquer a big job (like cleaning your room when you've neglected it for a couple months) without freaking out, and in Your Room I learned how to make better use of my space.

Basically, even if you think you're organized, I bet you can find something in this book that will make you even more organized and your life easier.

Title: The Dictionary of High School B.S.
Author: Lois Beckwith
Published: 2008
Source: Received for review from Zest Books.

This book does a pretty good job of catering to two audiences. 1) Freshman. I would view this book as an almost invaluable resource if it's your first year of high school. 2) Those in, or who used to be in, high school (AKA everyone but the freshmen). As someone in high school, though I understood what most of the terms meant before I read the book, I really enjoyed reading the definitions. They are humorous but informative at the same time. I was chuckling about a lot of them because they are so, so true.They way they are delivered suggest that the author doesn't take any of the b.s. too seriously and neither should we.

So, if you're either entering high school, dragging yourself through it, or want to look back on it and laugh, then you should give this book a try.

In My Mailbox (33)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:

 Halo by Alexandra Adornetto (Finished Copy!!!)

Thank you SOOO much MacMillan!

The Dictionary of High School B.S. by Lois Beckwith

Where's My Stuff? by Samantha Moss

Thank you Zest!

That's it for me this week. What did you get?

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Title: Girl, Stolen
Author: April Henry
Release Date: September 28th, 2010
Source: Around the World Tours
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen--with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

Oh, what a book. I tore through this, I wanted to know what happened! It was really interesting reading through the eyes of a blind girl. We also got inside Griffin's head, which I wasn't expecting. What happened to Cheyenne is terrible, and I hope that it never happens to anyone, but it was oh so fun to read about!

Cheyenne has been blind for three years, ever since an accident that killed her mother. She's used to it now, but misses her sight. Griffin is the son of a stolen parts dealer who will do anything to make his temperamental father happy. So when he steals a car he thinks that it will show his father that he's ready for the big leagues. That is until he realizes that there's a girl in the back. Instead he gives his father someone to hold for ransom, something that he'd never expected. Will his father let her go? Or will he kill her? Why does he care?

I really liked Cheyenne. She was resourceful and smart. She was always thinking of a way out. I felt bad for Griffin. He's a victim of circumstance. He's a good person, but his father doesn't tolerate good: he'll do whatever it takes to get the job done, and a lot of times it's less than legal. I love the way that Cheyenne and Griffin connected throughout the book, it was sweet.

This book moved along at a steady pace and was relatively short. It didn't take long to read, which is good because I could have gone crazy waiting for the end. One problem that I had is that some parts of the book were kind of...boring. Those parts didn't last very long though, and it always picked up fast. I felt a bit disconnected from the characters throughout this book also. It was probably because it was told in third person.

Basically, I really liked this book, I was just slightly disconnected with the characters. If you like suspense then you might want to try this!

Characters: 8/10
Writing: 9/10
Originality: 9/10
Plot: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 43/50 B
Cover/Title Comments: I think that they are both perfect! I love the way the girls hands are covering her eyes, and how her nails are painted.

Waiting on Wednesday (35)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week:

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares

By:

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Release Date: October 26th, 2010

Synopsis from Goodreads:

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

If the synopsis doesn't sell you, (which I'm pretty sure is impossible), then the authors are so worth it. Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List are both excellent reads that I would recommend. I love their individual works as well, but something about them together just works. I am so, so looking forward to reading this book!

What are you waiting on?