BOOKANISTAS: When Audrey Met Alice

First daughter Audrey Rhodes can't wait for the party she has planned for Friday night. The decorations are all set and the pizza is on its way. But the Secret Service must be out to ruin her life, because they cancel at the last minute-citing security breach and squashing Audrey's chances for making any new friends. What good is being "safe and secure" if you can't have any fun?

Audrey is ready to give up and become a White House hermit, until she discovers Alice Roosevelt's hidden diary. The former first daughter gives Audrey a ton of ideas for having fun...and more problems than she can handle. 

Confession: I've been reading a lot more middle grade these days. Bigger confession: I've really been loving it! 

This book is just so much fun. It's two different stories - Audrey is the current first daughter struggling with the restrictions of White House Life, and she finds the diary of Alice Roosevelt, who tells her story of growing up in the White House back in the day. 

Alice's diary is just amazing. For a historical character, she just leaps off the page fully formed. I have never so much in my life wanted to hang out with a person a fictional character was reading about in a book. She's funny, she's smart, she's spunky, and her worries and insecurities are so relatable, even to modern teens. And don't even get me started on Emily Spinach. I love me some Emily Spinach.  

My favorite thing in this book is the effortless diversity. There is an extremely diverse cast of characters in this book, and I loved it! It never once felt like "let me make sure this character has an ethnic friend," it felt 100% organic and authentic - the way diversity in MG/YA should be.

I loved absolutely everything about this book. It was fun, it was sweet, it was touching, and it was moving. I learned something when I read it and I laughed and cried, too. I can't recommend this one enough. 

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to...

Lenore Applehans freaks for PANIC by Lauren Oliver

Christine Fonseca is captivated by SHINOBI by Cole Gibson

Katy Upperman swoons for THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU by Jolene Perry

BOOKANISTAS: The Lost Planet

This is what the boy is told:

• He woke up on planet Trucon, inside a fence he shouldn't have been able to pass.
• He has an annirad blaster wound to the back of his head.
• He has no memory.
• He is now under the protection of a mysterious benefactor.
• His name is Chase Garrety.

This is what Chase Garrety knows:

• He has a message: "Guide the star."
• Time is running out.

So, full disclosure...I'm sure you all know that Rachel Searles is one of my writing besties and favorite people. That being said, I didn't read this book until it was in ARC form and I was a little worried that I wasn't going to love it. It's pretty far out of my book comfort zone...middle grade sci-fi is not what I would pull off the shelf if I had a choice, so it was a possibility it wouldn't be for me. That's always a scary thing...what if you don't love the book of a person you love? That can be awkward. 

Well, thank goodness there was no awkwardness here because OMG I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. I seriously couldn't put it down, and I'm so glad that I know Rachel, otherwise I would have never reached out of my comfort zone and read this awesome book!

What's so fun about this book is the non-stop action. Every time I thought Chase and co were in the clear, nope! Something worse happened to them! Every time I thought I could read one more chapter and go to bed, nope! Something unexpected and exciting popped up and kept me turning the page.  It's full of twists and turns and questionable loyalties and mysterious characters and strange and cool creatures that you seriously can't put it down. 

It's the perfect book for my eighth graders...in fact, I'm going to start reading this one aloud to them in a few weeks. I book talked it to them already, and I swear their jaws were hanging open. 

It's an exciting, tightly-plotted thrill ride through space, and I would totally say that even if Rachel wasn't my friend. 

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to...

• Shari Arnold is loving LADY THIEF (Scarlet #2) by A.C. Gaughen
  
• Rebecca Behrens is captivated by NIGHTINGALE'S NEST by Nikki Loftin
  
• Katy Upperman is pulsating for HEARTBEAT by Elizabeth Scott
• Tracy Banghart is spellbound by CAPTIVATE by Vanessa Garden 
  
• Christine Fonseca is intrigued by VENGEANCE by Megan Miranda
  
• Kimberly Sabatini is riveted by PUSH by Corrine Jackson
  
• Tracey Neithercott is hypnotized by THESE BROKEN STARS by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

It's a Great Day For Book Birthdays!

One of the best things about the writing community is all of the friends I've made...and seeing all of those friends release their awesome books into the world. I'm so thrilled that two of my favorite people finally get to share their book babies with us today!

First of all, happy book birthday to ALIENATED by Melissa Landers!

Melissa is in my close circle of writing friends, and we've been cheering each other on for many years now. In fact, I remember when this book was a NaNoWriMo project, and now here it is, out there on shelves...finally! Melissa is a master of humor and romantic tension, and I can't wait to see this book become a huge success!

Second, happy book birthday to WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE by Rebecca Behrens!

Rebecca is a fellow Bookanista and blog friend and generally awesome person. I was so excited to read her MG debut, and it is even more fabulous than I had been hoping. If you like smart, fun MG, have any interest in life in the White House, or just love amazing female characters (and this book has TWO! Well, three if you count Emily Spinach, and I totally do), then you need to check this book out.

Put these amazing books on your TBR if you haven't already! And go give Melissa (@Melissa_Landers) and Rebecca (@RebeccaBehrens) some book birthday love on Twitter today!

Superlatives Giveaway Winners!

Oh my goodness...how has 2014 managed to get off to such a quick start? The first month is almost completely over, and we never announced our winners for the 2013 YA Superlatives giveaway!

But, we didn't forget about you guys. I promise. We drew some names at random from the people who participated every day in the blogfest, and the following people are the big winners of any 2013 release their little heart desires!

Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf

Rebekah Faubion

Sophia L.

Stephanie Allen

Winners, please email Katy at katy.upperman at live.com with the 2013 release you would like to receive as your prize. You can choose any 2013 release and we'll send it your way!

Thank you all for participating in the blogfest! And start reading those 2014 books now!

Happy Book Birthday to THE LOST PLANET!

I am so thrilled to celebrate the release of THE LOST PLANET by Rachel Searles today!

This is what the boy is told:

• He woke up on planet Trucon, inside a fence he shouldn't have been able to pass.

• He has an annirad blaster wound to the back of his head.

• He has no memory.

• He is now under the protection of a mysterious benefactor.

• His name is Chase Garrety.

This is what Chase Garrety knows:

• He has a message: "Guide the star."

• Time is running out.

Sounds awesome, right? It is. This book is so action packed, I had a hard time finding a good place to put it down so I could go to sleep. I have a review coming up, but I'll spoil it a little for you...it's awesome.

Rachel is one of my nearest and dearest writing friends, and you may remember when I celebrated her agent signing and her book deal here on the blog. I'm thrilled that her book is out there in the world, so thrilled, actually, that I actually squealed out loud when I saw it on the bookstore shelves early this past weekend. (And ran to the register with it, of course.)

Due to some of the most ridiculous circumstances ever, I missed Rachel's launch party last night, and I am so sad about it. But that doesn't mean I can't celebrate here on the blog. Especially since Dana Elmendorf made this awesome book cover in honor of Rachel's release, featuring all of the lovely faces of the awesome ladies in our little group on her book cover.

Go give Rachel some love today on Twitter (@RachelSearles) and tell her Happy Book Birthday! And be sure to check out THE LOST PLANET, an exciting upper-MG space adventure that will have you holding your breath the entire way through.

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY, RACHEL! I am so excited for you!

BOOKANISTAS: Untold

Free from bonds, but not each other

It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

I loved the first book in the Lynburn Legacy, Unspoken, more than is probably healthy. On the surface these don't seem like books I would become obsessed with. I mean, I'll read fantasy books about magic and sorcerers and stuff, but I don't really seek them out and I certainly don't lose my mind over them. But Unspoken really spoke to me (heh), and I was chomping at the bit for this second installment. 

I hate when an awesome book one is followed by a lackluster book two, but that was not the case with this series. I was especially worried after the shocking ending of the first book, but this one was just as awesome! There are two things I love about this series, and they were both shining in Untold: The humor and the Kami/Jared relationship. (And by relationship, I just mean the friendship/banter/conflict/drama.) This book is just as laugh-out-loud funny as the first one...there is seriously a comment or line or situation to laugh about on almost every page, and I love that. Especially when things start to get a little sense with all the magic stuff. It's so great to have comic relief. Constant comic relief. 

And oh that Kami and Jared friendship. I love these two crazy kids and I love that they have the most complicated relationship / friendship / whatever it is known to man. I love all of their drama and angst, but I also love how much they care about each other, rely on each other, and help each other. Seriously, you could get rid of the actual plots in the books for all I care...I just want to read about Kami and Jared hanging out forever. 

I can't wait for the final book in the series. Although, I may cry when this one is over. It won't be easy to say goodbye to these characters.

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to...

Shari Arnold is intrigued by GOING ROGUE by Robin Benway
Katy Upperman is swooning for WHEN AUDRY MET ALICE by Bookanista Rebecca Behrens
Christine Fonseca is shivering over SEVERED by Dax Varley

• Kimberly Sabatini is fangirling for RELEASED by SJ Pajonas

BOOKANISTAS: The Promise of Amazing

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how. 

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

It's no surprise that I enjoyed the heck out of this book. I mean, did you read that description? It pretty much screams JESS BOOK! I love me a good romance between an unlikely guy and girl!

I think my favorite part of this book is Grayson. And not because he's so swoonworthy. It's sort of the opposite, actually. I mean, he's hot and all, but the boy is a wreck. Not only did he get kicked out of school for selling term papers, but he has an even worse secret he's hiding and BOY is it despicable. I loved that about him, though! I love flawed characters and characters who have made huge mistakes and characters who do terrible things over and over again. That's why I liked Grayson...I thought, dang, this guy is real, and I like that.

(I did recently read a book with a very flawed boy and I pretty much hated him...that's another story, and I have a theory as to why that is.)

There's a lot of humor in this book (cocktail weenie choking! Arthurian-themed catering hall!) and there's also a lot of swoon. Plus there are boys behaving (oh so) badly in the mix, just to keep you on your toes. 

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to today... 

• Cory Jackson's fangirls for FALLEN CREST PUBLIC by Tijan
Rebecca Behrens is swooning for I HEART BAND (#1 and #2) by Michelle Schusterman
Christine Fonseca is intrigued by the MINDJACK series by Susan Kaye Quinn

Tracey Neithercott is loving CRASH INTO YOU by Katie McGarry 

Kimberly Sabatini is mystified by BREAKING GLASS by Lisa Amowitz