A Surprise from Maureen Johnson

Maureen Johnson, author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Little Blue Envelope (to be released April 26th) has announced that she will offer a FREE download of 13 Little Blue Envelopes from April 12 to April 25. Here's the link to her blog for more information.

Here's your chance to get in on the fun! For free!

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Simon & Schuster, 2010
343 pages
Book Source: Public Library

Since the death of Amy's father, her family has gone their separate ways, literally. Her mother has started a new job in Connecticut and her twin brother is in rehab in North Carolina, leaving Amy to finish her junior year of high school in California. At the end of the school year, Amy's mother hires Roger to drive Amy from CA to CT in four days and provides them with an itinerary to follow. When the new duo decide to deviate from the route, Amy's summer finally looks like it will be interesting.

Judging by the cover...: I like that there are no faces shown, but I'm not so keen on the hand holding. When I first glanced at it, I thought this story would be all about the romance. Luckily, the cover lies.

Favorite Elements:

• Road Trip! - I'm all about traveling in books, especially if the characters are going to real places. I've never been any farther West than the DFW area, so to hear about California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado was very interesting.
• Journals - Amy's mother sends her a road trip journal before the journey begins, and Amy is faithful about filling it out. The journal includes pictures, receipts, and information about each state, and a copy of Roger's carefully picked out soundtracks for each state. I felt at times that I was right there with Amy experiencing the road trip with her and even hummed some of the songs in the soundtrack while reading.
  
• Food - For someone who's constantly hungry, all of the talk about delicious food was almost torture! At each stop, Amy and Roger make sure to taste the local fare. In and Out Burger, Chick-fil-a, and Sonic make appearances, along with loose meat hamburgers from Kansas and Derby Pie from Kentucky.

Overall (out of 5): 3.75
Amy and Roger both take multiple journeys during the book, becoming more at peace with themselves as well as others, allowing themselves to change before the reader's eyes. This change, however is so gradual that it's almost the end before you realize what has hit you. After going through this cross country journey with Amy and Roger, I almost feel as if we're best friends. We went experienced the highs and suffered the lows together and made it out in one piece, each of us growing with the experience. Matson has a style of writing that draws the reader in, making them forget that they are actually at home reading instead of in a car for hours at a time. If I hadn't just been on an exhausting road trip myself last year I might consider going on one after this story.

Recommendation: This is a great book for those who want to travel the country without really making the epic journey that it is. Those readers who would like a little romance, but not so powerful that it smacks you in the heart will find a fulfilling story here, too.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Simon & Schuster, 2011
368 pages 
Note: This was an advanced reader's copy.

In the not too distant future, humans attempted to genetically alter their children to be a race of super-humans. Something went wrong in the procedure, however, and now men only live to the age of 25, women to the age of 20, everyone dying from the same horrible disease. Orphans have overrun the streets and ne'er-do-wells earn a living snatching young women off the streets to be sold into polygamous marriages (or worse).
Rhine finds herself Gathered and sold to Linden Ashby, a rich 21-year-old man with a sinister father intent on finding a cure for the disease, or so he says. She is now held captive in the mansion, with only her two sister wives and a forbidden friendship with a servant to keep her company. Her only goal is to escape by any means necessary and find her way back to her twin brother.

Judging by the cover...: OMG Mandy Moore is on the cover! Okay, not really, but that's seriously what I thought when I first saw the cover up close. Aside from Mandy's cameo, this cover is gorgeous and packs quite a bit of meaning in its simple scene. 
 
Favorite Elements: 

• Cinna-style - Remember Cinna from The Hunger Games? If you don't, you probably haven't read the book. I'll wait while you go read it... Welcome back. So remember Cinna? I know! How could anyone not love him? He obviously imparted some wisdom on the wives' personal servants at the Ashby mansion. The wedding gowns sounded down right heavenly and though would not be enough to convince me to marry the man who kidnapped me and two other girls, it would certainly be tempting.
• Rhine's Sister Wives - I often imagine wives in polygamous marriages to be catty and ruthless concerning each other, similar to living in an all girls' dorm in college (and I did that for three years!). But Jenna and Cecily aren't half bad, considering the circumstances.
• Fancy Dress Parties - Sigh, what I wouldn't give for a chance to show off my Cinna-inspired gown complete with dancing flames and butterflies (a girl can dream, can't she?) at an upscale ball with free-flowing Champagne amid endless holograms and television cameras. 

Overall (out of 5): 4.5
I almost did not read this book, and if I hadn't, I would have missed out on DeStefano's crazy, creepy, fantastically rich world. Thankfully, an ARC copy landed in my hands, and from the moment I saw that beautiful cover up close I was hooked. Rhine's life is filled with such ups and downs, you'd think you were on a roller coaster. Just when I felt like all was wrong wrong wrong, Rhine would describe an invention so awe-inspiring, I'd instantly be filled with jealousy, such as the swimming pool with underwater holograms to make it feel as though you were swimming on the ocean floor. Rhine herself doesn't want to get too comfortable, and that feeling extends to the reader with the anachronistic feel to the story. The words and mannerisms often felt as if Rhine was living in the 19th century, but then she'd slip on a pair of jeans and sneakers and join her sister wives for a game of putt-putt. When I finished, I found myself hopelessly daydreaming about the day the sequel comes out.
  
Recommendations: Readers who were looking for more depth in Bumped by Megan McCafferty will enjoy submersing themselves in Rhine's world, and readers who enjoy asking themselves, "What would I do if I were that character?" will find that they can not stop reading until its finished.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Bumped by Megan McCafferty
Balzer + Bray, 2011
336 pages
Note: This was an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley.com. The release date is April 26, 2011.

Let's imagine for a second that a terrible virus has rendered all adults over the age of 20 infertile, and the only demographic that can reproduce is teenagers. Scary? You bet. But for Melody and her recently discovered identical twin sister, Harmony, it's reality. In their world, condoms are illegal, preteen girls wear t-shirts with provocative sayings and fake baby bumps underneath, and prospective parents hire genetically pleasing teens to mate and sell their babies.

Melody is one of the only girls in her school to have no births to her name. Her agent continues to assure her that he's just waiting for the right guy to match her with, but life becomes almost unbearable as her classmates ridicule her. Harmony has just shown up on Melody's doorstep after running away from her sheltered life on a conservative Christian enclave. Add in Zen, Melody's long time guy friend, who is making the celibacy clause in her contract extremely difficult to uphold, and Harmony's shocking secret, and things start to get a little crazy.

Judging by the cover...: I'm not crazy about it, but I will admit that it's simplicity is appealing. That there's no model on the cover is nice, too, as I never like having my visions of characters influenced.

Favorite Elements:

• MiNets - Each author of a sci-fi novel envisions technology that we'll have in the future. They might have the same concept as one another, but individual elements differ. The member's of Melody's society relies on MiNets to keep them updated on the world around them and talk to each other by video chat. There are school enforced blinds that ensure students pay attention in classes (wouldn't it be great it schools had that now?) and varying degrees of privacy. They bear enough of a resemblance to smart phones to be a believable step in the future, and I'd be totally cool with that development.
• Avatarcades - 4D videogaming exists in the future! This is a RPG player's dream! They sound an awful lot like Second Life on a grander scale, but that's okay. If I can walk around and actually BE whoever I want, bring on the future.
• Zen - I couldn't have imagined a more sensitive, selfless, and handsome boy if I tried. Too bad guys like that didn't exist when I was in high school! It would have made for a much more pleasant experience.

Overall (out of 5): 2.5
I don't want to give this the score I did. I wanted this to be the most awesome book I read all year. The truth is, I just couldn't get into it. I found myself skimming Harmony's parts (there's only so much "Oh my grace!" I can take, and spending slightly longer periods of time on Melody's. She's much easier to relate to, and by the end I might have even been honored to call her my friend. The superficial air and relentless sexual humor can be overwhelmingly nauseating, and I was disappointed that the novel did not have same snappy cleverness as McCafferty's Jessica Darling series (which is a must read for every woman who grew up in the 1990s).

However. And this is a big one. McCafferty answers her question with an alarmingly possible theory. I can absolutely see this happening in our society should the human race be struck with the same infertility virus. With MTV's reality show about teen moms and Bristol Palin getting so much attention, it feels like we're halfway there. This all too real possibility is what kept me reading.

Recommendation: Bumped's satire is not for everyone. Though it may not have resonated with me, anyone who fits the unique reader requirements and/or enjoys delving into future possibilities will find it fascinating.

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
HarperCollins, 2011
288 pages
9780061976797
Note: This was an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley.com. The release date is April 26, 2011.

This is the sequel to Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes. If you have not read it yet (and why is that?), I suggest you stop reading this instant. Spoilers may be found below.

Ginny has been stressing about her college entrance essay question, "Describe a life experience that changed you..." How can she possibly sum up what happened over the summer? Just as she has decided to procrastinate the essay just a little bit longer, she receives a mysterious email quoting a letter. Could it really be the thirteenth letter that was stolen, along with her bag, in Greece? Her instructions are to go back to England and help the sender find the three sections of Aunt Peg's last piece. She takes the opportunity to hop on a plane and jet back to England,to see Keith and hear her aunt's last words to her. What she finds is another European adventure, blackmail, and a little bit of romance.

Judging by the cover...: Much more appealing than the last cover, but not at all how I pictured Ginny.

Favorite Elements:

• World Travel - Never ever have I envied those who live in London so much. Paris would be a wonderful place, and Amsterdam is nothing to scoff at, but London is where my heart is. I'd move there in a heartbeat (provided I had a way to make a living, of course). I'm already preparing by watching as much BBC as possible.
• Best British Mate - Ellis is spectacular, considering everything. I'd love to have a best girl friend to pal around London with. Imagine the shopping frenzies we could have!
• Awesome Aunt AND Uncle - Aunt Peg continues to be one of the best aunts in history (apart from mine), even when suffering from the hallucinations. Keith is probably the coolest adult in y.a. lit, allowing Ginny to crash at his place and gallivant around Europe. Not to mention he works at Harrod's.

Overall (out of 5): 4
I'm so glad that I didn't have to wait so long to find out what happened to the last envelope. I can't imagine the torture if I had read the first book in 2005! Johnson fulfills our need to know effortlessly; you'd never know that there are six years in between books. The story picks up just six months after Ginny returns from her first whirlwind tour of Europe. She has the same concerns that every high school senior has: college applications, boyfriends, and appearance. Last summer's trip, though, has matured her in realistic ways, and it's interesting to see how she handles her new trip. Oliver is deliciously underhanded, and it's so much fun to hate him, even though his delightful posh accent is very tempting.

Recommendation: If the cliffhanger ending of 13 LBE left you craving more, have no fear! You only have to wait two more months to get your answers. If you haven't begun your European adventure with Ginny as your tour guide, then you have plenty of time to get going!

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011
228 pages
9780547445281
Note: This was a galley copy from NetGalley.com. The release date is April 4, 2011.

Missy's life is complicated. Her parents won't give her the time of day, her sister is her arch nemesis, her perfect boyfriend broke up with her after finding out her dirty little secret, and she just killed her cat, her only friend in the world. How does Missy deal with it all? She cuts. Deep and often. One night, when a party ends disastrously, Missy takes the razor blade too far. Death arrives and offers her a deal; become a Rider of the Apocalypse, War, and continue living, or let her family find her dead on the floor, thinking she committed suicide. Missy chooses to ride, joining Death, Famine, and Pestilence, and finds out what it's really like to be at war with herself.

Judging by the cover...: This book is dark. Extremely dark. And the cover suits the mood. It's eerie, chilling, and a little bit disturbing.

Favorite Elements:

• Death - His appearance this time is as a blonde, well-known Seattle rocker who committed suicide at the height of his career. Apparently an eternity spent as the harvester of souls gives one a dark sense of humor, and his coping mechanism is playing the guitar like a rock star.
• The Black Plague - Want to know what really caused it? Pestilence's identity crisis may have played a part in it.

Overall (out of 5): 4.25
This is the second book in Kessler's Horsemen of the Apocalypse series. I admit that I have not read the first, but I do not think that it hampered my understanding of the story. Hunger (book one) tackles eating disorders and Rage takes an in-depth look at self-mutilation. Kessler's grasp of the disorder is extremely knowledgeable, and any reader who is not familiar with the condition will have a realistic grasp of the information. Kessler does not sugar coat the information and she never takes a didactic tone; Missy's actions, from what I've heard from sufferers and survivors of self-mutilation, are all too common in those who can't cope anymore with their feelings. Even though I've received a free copy, I will be purchasing a finished version, and I have already requested Hunger from the library.

Recommendation: Please read this book. Encourage teens to read the book. Encourage parents to read this book. If only one person reads Rage and is able to recognize Missy's symptoms in another teen, it's all worth it. Note: A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to To Write Love on Her Arms, a charity dedicated to raising awareness about and preventing self-mutilation and suicide.

Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
Harlequin, 2011
224 pages
9780373210282
Note: The copy I read was a galley copy from NetGalley.com, viewed on my Nook.

Bridget feels her life is out of control. Her father won't pay her any attention, her step-mother is way too emotional, she can't quite get over her gorgeous ex-boyfriend, her friends are all morons, and she just might be expelled from school. When she decides to take matters into her own hands by crashing her car, she assumes that will be the end of it. But she finds that she is now on trial for her actions (crimes) committed against her friends, family members, and faculty at the posh private school she attends. This mean queen bee must find a way to make it up to everyone before her spirit leaves her body forever.

Judging by the cover...: Creeeeeepy. And so fitting. Although people are bound to think that you're reading another preppy rich girl novel (and they won't be too far off).

Favorite Elements:

• The Afterlife - I love speculating what's waiting for us when we die, and Harbison's theory is provocative. Is there a judge and jury of your peers waiting to evaluate your actions in life? What happens if they decide you're guilty? Chilling!
• Mr. Ezhno - A teacher who really loves his job and cares about his students! He tries hard, and even though he doesn't connect with the kids right away, he keeps trying. Here's to all of the teachers out there!
• Liam - Hoooo boy! Where was he when I was in high school? What a fantastic guy! Any girl who doesn't want to do her best for him obviously doesn't deserve him. Smart, sensitive, loves his mom, and a football player. Honey, you just don't throw a guy like that away!

Overall (out of 5): 4
The book begins with her pushing the pedal to the metal, envisioning her funeral, and sending her car down an embankment and to her doom. And to think that I actually felt sorry for her in those first few pages. What a fool! It's not often I want to punch the main character in the face multiple times throughout the story. Bridget is a girl you absolutely love to hate. Maybe too much. And I'm sure everyone knew someone like her in high school. Rich girl, family connections, popular, beautiful, and a grade A witch with a capital B. Harbison really knows how to manipulate a reader's emotions. I felt like I was there, watching Bridget commit these foul acts against those who, against their better judgment, loved her. The plot was brilliant, and I had an extremely hard time putting it down.

Recommendation: Definitely a piece of prime chick lit. However, even though the cover might scream out things you wish it wouldn't, don't think this is your average I'm-rich-and-my-life-sucks book. You'll find that there are even better things about it than wanting to do bodily harm to Bridget. Like Liam. And Michelle. And Mr. Ezhno. And Meredith. And countless others that make this book fantastic. And who knows, maybe you'll even get to like Bridget.