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Wed, August 8, 2012

Waiting On: New Books from Authors I Love

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to shine a spotlight on upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Mind Games
By Kiersten White
HarperTeen, 304 pages
To be released Feb. 19, 2013

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

— Goodreads.com description

I adored White’s Paranormalcy series, but am sort of intrigued that they’re calling this new series a “stunning departure.” Interesting!

Crash
By Lisa McMann
Simon Pulse
To be released Jan. 8, 2013

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the vision. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode… and nine body bags in the snow.

She has no idea why this is happening to her or if she’s going crazy. It hardly matters, because the visions are everywhere–on billboards, television screens, windows–and she’s the only one who can see them.

But it’s not until the vision starts coming more frequently, and revealing more clues, that Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

— Goodreads.com description

Why aren’t more people still talking about Lisa McMann’s Dream Catch series (Wake, Fade and Gone)? Gosh, I adored it. Can’t wait to read her latest series, and I’m especially pumped it’s going to be a mystery!

Falling for You
By Lisa Schroeder
Simon Pulse
To be released 2013

Rae’s always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her…and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous.

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.

— Goodreads.com description

I am a HUGE fan of Lisa Schroeder’s “The Day Before,” and am looking forward to reading more of her work. This one seems gritty and powerful. Can’t wait!

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality
By Elizabeth Eulberg
Point, 288 pages
To be released March 2013

A hilarious new novel from Elizabeth Eulberg about taking the wall out of the wallflower so she can bloom.

Beauty is a beast, and it’s been making Lexi’s life miserable. Her mother is spending all the family’s savings on her sister’s beauty pagaent “career” — and her sister is only seven years old. Then there are the girls at school who think their appearance gives them the divine right to everything — including the boy Lexi has a crush on. Lexi’s always been on the periphery — the girl best friend, the girl who guys never think of kissing, the girl with “the great personality.” But enough’s enough — Lexi is going to stop wallflowering and start blooming.

— Goodreads.com description

Ahahahah I love this book title. Love it! And, considering how much I enjoyed Elizabeth Eulberg’s Prom and Prejudice, I definitely have to read this one.

Thu, March 29, 2012

Take a Bow Elizabeth Eulberg Book Review

Take a Bow
By Elizabeth Eulberg
Publication date: April 1, 2012
Point, 278 pages
Source: Gift from Sash and Em, who thoroughly rock
Goodreads | Amazon

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it’s been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn’t sure how to admit that he’d rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

— Goodreads.com description

I very thoroughly enjoy Elizabeth Eulberg — after Prom & Prejudice, I put her on my must-read list. If you are a Darcy freak like me, read it! Such a fun read. (Check out my review here.)

So let me start by saying this: Take a Bow is a 100% teen novel.

What do I mean by that? It means that a lot of YA is very adult in subject matter and for multiple reasons has a lot of adult appeal. But this is a book for teenagers, through and through.

I don’t mean that to sound like a bad thing. I’m trying to say “I didn’t relate to this book” but acknowledge that I’m not really meant to, am I?

I had a crankypants adult voice shouting in the back of my head for much of the book. Like, really LECTURING at the characters in my head.

But the lectures were on lessons I learned the hard way through the years and buckets of tears, and I can’t expect teenager characters to just – BLAMMO! – learn it overnight, can I?

So ignore my lame grownupness and give Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg a go, especially if you’re in high school, because the subject matter of friends and relationships and fitting in and growing up are BEYOND well done and relevant. Plus, it’s told from the point-of-view of four intriguing and very different teens at a performing arts school. Glee fans — Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg one is likely for you!

Just…adults, be warned, it might not be for you. And that’s okay.

Wed, August 31, 2011

Waiting on Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to shine a spotlight on upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Take a Bow
By Elizabeth Eulberg
288 pages
Point/Scholastic, to be released April 2012

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it’s been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn’t sure how to admit that he’d rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

— GoodReads.com description

First of all, I adore Elizabeth Eulberg. Have you read Prom & Prejudice? Super cute. Also, have you seen her author photo? I think she is gorgeous. Not that has anything to do with the book. Just sayin’.

Plus, one of my many guilty pleasures is movies set in high school–level showbiz, and I just know that’ll translate to books. (See: Glee, High School Musical, that one movie with Demi Lovato and that Jonas brother that I watched on the Disney Channel that one time.)

Anyone else pumped for this?

Thu, March 10, 2011

Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg Review

Prom & Prejudice
By Elizabeth Eulberg
January 1, 2011
Point, 288 pages

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

— Amazon.com description

CONFESSION TIME

Okay, so I’ve never been one to be shy on this blog, so why start now? I love Pride & Prejudice. I’ve said that before. But I DON’T THINK YOU KNOW. I love it.

Like, love it in that I’ve read every single book published as a so-called “sequel.” We’re talking Mr. Darcy’s Diary…and then some. Did Jane Austen write them? No. Do a lot of them suck? Yes. Do I look like I care? I think you can answer that one.

So the concept of Pride & Prejudice + young adult fiction? How could I say no? Retelling the story has been done before, of course — Bridget Jones’s Diary, etc. — but this story is THE story for me, so I’ll take it in any form.

And this version is a real delight. No, seriously. Even if you hadn’t read Pride & Prejudice, you’d enjoy this book. If you are a fan, bonus. You just have to read it with heart. It’s funny and spunky, but don’t read it if you’re some crazy Austen purist. And I really do think you should read the original first.

Nicely done, Ms. Eulberg!

You might also like: Pride & Prejudice by THE Jane Austen