Monday, November 19, 2012

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Source: Publisher
It all begins with a stupid question:
Are you a Global Vagabond?
No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.
Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.
But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.
Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

I connected to Bria from the very beginning, because since I was a little girl, I have wanted to travel everywhere. I also liked that she was flawed and felt unsure about herself, because that is exactly how graduating feels like. She also has made mistakes and it is wonderful to see her develop in this book. Rowan is another amazing character. He has also made mistakes, but he is trying to fix them. I Starling was such a lively character and actually reminds me of one of my best friend. The setting of Central America is so rich and vivid that I felt that I was there at times. The plot was engaging, because while it was slow, I didn't mind with such detailed and realistic characters. The writing was absolutely amazing. There was a lot of humor mixed into a story about discovering who you are and what you want to be. I also enjoyed the pictures that Hubbard included, because they added to both the story and Bria. If you want to travel and think that it will be an amazing challenge, this book is for you. I would also reccomend Wanderlove, if you enjoyed Maureen Johnsons' 13 Little Blue Envelope or The Last Little Blue Envelope and also Jessi Kirby's In Honor. Overall, if you haven't read this book, I would suggest it.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Source: Publisher
Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

I love Libba Bray. I love 1920's. I love anything to do with the supernatural. It would appear that this book is perfect for me and that is exactly what I found. The 1920's is like it's own character in the book. Bray captures the spirit of New York as it battles against prohibition, while for the most part battling for equal rights. I also enjoyed the actual characters in her.  Evie is a very strong character. She can be childish and over the top, but she is also funny, smart, and rather sweet on occasion. Mabel, Memphis, Theta, Henry, Sam, Uncle Will, and Jericho are all characters that added more to the story and many of them have secrets or stories that caused me to become attached to them. The plot is carefully crafted and intense. Near the end, I had a difficult time putting this down and when it ended I wanted more.  I found this book to be extremely original and I can't wait for more. As always, Libba Bray's writing is fabulous. The book is described so well and there are a few parts where I got chills and/or goosebumps from the creepy parts. I can't wait for more books in the future from Libba Bray. I highly recommend this book, if you enjoy Libba Bray's other books or are looking for historical fiction with a twist. 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Contemporary Books Giveaway

Hey everyone!
I have come in possession of two extra ARCs. One is a signed copy of Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook. The other book is Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan.
Here is what Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook is about:
Bonnie and Clyde meets IF I STAY in this addictively heart-wrenching story of two desperate teenagers on the run from their pasts.
They’re young. They’re in love. They’re on the run.
Zoe wants to save Will as much as Will wants to save Zoe. When Will turns eighteen, they decide to run away together. But they never expected their escape to be so fraught with danger....
When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can’t run fast enough.
Nobody But Us, told in alternating perspectives from Will and Zoe, is an unflinching novel, in turns heartbreaking and hopeful, about survival, choices, and love...and how having love doesn’t always mean that you get a happy ending. Described as “beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating” by Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF, Nobody But Us will prove irresistible to fans of Nina Lacour, Jenny Han, and Sara Zarr.
I have actually already read this and it is amazing. A full review will come closer to the release date. 

And this is the description for Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan:
Michael Hassan’s shattering debut is a tale of first love and first hate, the story of two high school seniors and the morning that changed their lives forever. It’s a portrait of the modern American teenage male, in all his brash, disillusioned, oversexed, schizophrenic, drunk, nihilistic, hopeful, ADD-diagnosed glory.
And it’s a powerful mediation on how normal it is to be screwed up, and how screwed up it is to be normal.
I am really excited to read this book soon. 
Anyways, to enter, just fill out the form below. US Addresses only. Ends on December 10th.

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