The Lure by Lynne Ewing

Pages: 288

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Feb 11, 2014

Fifteen-year-old Blaise Montgomery lives in the gritty outskirts of Washington, DC, where a stray bullet can steal a life on the way to school. Drugs and violence are the only ways to survive, so Blaise and her friends turn to gangs for safety, money, and love. When Blaise is invited to join Core 9, one of the most infamous crews, she jumps at the chance. Though her best guy friends, Rico and Satch, warn her about the danger, she agrees to be beaten for a minute straight as part of the gang's initiation ritual.
Now Blaise is finally part of a crew. A family.
But things get only more dangerous when she becomes a member of Core 9 and tensions with a rival gang heat up. Trek, the head of Core 9, asks Blaise to be his "lure," the sexy bait he'll use to track down enemy gang members and exact revenge. Rico and Satch tell her it's a death sentence, but Blaise can't resist the money and unparalleled power. As Trek puts Blaise in increasingly dangerous situations, she begins to see that there's more to lose than she ever realized-including Satch, the one person who has the power to get under her skin. With death lurking around every corner, should Blaise continue to follow the only path she's ever known, or cut and run?

I wasn't so sure about The Lure when I first heard of it, especially since the character already felt a bit naive and idiotic when the synopsis says that Rico and Satch warn her about the dangers (also it sort of reminds you of a love triangle right?) I was definitely wary and didn't really plan on reading it, but I got a copy and one thing lead to another...
And well, I'm so glad I took a chance!

Gritty is sort of an understatement for this book, where gang life is pretty much the only life--literally. In YA you'll see mentions of gangs where they're evil, someone caught up in gang life and desperate to get out, but I've never seen a book where a character strives to get in and thinks of it as a safety zone, and that's one of the things about The Lure. I'm probably one of the least qualified to know, but Blaise's situation struck me as heart achingly true and completely possible for anyone.

Blaise and her friends were naive and they were impulsive and they did make shitty decisions. But they were all understandable with their situations and they were portrayed in a desperate light where none of them really had a choice, and I pitied them.

Blaise, specifically though, didn't really seem to care about her friends in the latter part of the book. She did things behind her friends back and never really gave a crap about how her decisions would affect them unless it pushed the story forward.
I also wish that we'd seen more of her friends' situations and their own story lines throughout the story because, honestly, Blaise seemed to get herself into trouble most of the times while her friends had all been manipulated or pretty much forced into their situations.

The romance isn't really focused on throughout the story and I wouldn't necessarily SAY there was a love triangle, but there was definitely something. I'm not too sure I'm happy with the way it ended, but I'm glad it wasn't a love triangle at least!

The Lure is unlike so many books I've read before and while I was a bit out of my comfort zone, I still loved the gritty atmosphere, the desperate characters, and the wrenching story of no way out. I'd definitely recommend it if you're a lover of contemporary! (Gritty or otherwise.)

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Anthology: Grim

Pages: 480

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: Feb 25, 2014

CLAIRE DE LUNE and NOCTURNE author Christine Johnson, ed.’s GRIM, an anthology of dark fairy tale retellings, featuring stories by New York Times bestselling authors Ellen Hopkins, Amanda Hocking, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins, Julie Kagawa, and others, to Natashya Wilson at HarlequinTeen, in a nice deal, for publication in Winter 2014, by Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (World).

So my first anthology review. This is actually going to be pretty short review (because there's no way I could write a review on each short story.)

The perfect thing about this is that I read it the week of Halloween. The spooky tales fit the mood, and retellings? Oh, I just absolutely adore those! (Who doesn't love fairy tales?)

Out of all the anthologies I've read, I just have to say--this is most definitely the best. I'm a fan of the majority of these authors and they definitely didn't let me down! From haunting and chilling to downright creepy and gruesome (with a sprinkle of humor and sci fi added of course!) these stories just brought to life the fairy tales of old. Something I actually liked was that they don't really tell you which fairy tales are being retold--and having gone through a fairy tale phase (still in that phase actually!) it was unbelievably fun matching fairytale to retelling. Not to mention how creative all the authors were in weaving in their own little twists to the originals.

Is that the end of my review? Guys, I thought you knew better! I always have things to say about fabulous books and, more specifically, retellings! 

I never realized how different writing styles to be, and that's definitely showcased here. And that's not bad at all! While there were some stories written like a true fairy tale or urban legend, some were written like a scene from a YA book while another was written in verse! All were gorgeous stories though that had me absolutely captivated!

Some were heartbreaking, some were hilarious, some were simply sad. But they all managed to just capture you like the fairy tales you grow up with and I definitely recommend this one for a rainy day read. There's a whirlwind of stories in here with fascinating characters, even if we only have them for a few thrilling pages!

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DEFY Twitter Party

YEP YEP TWITTER PARTY! I hosted one last week on the 12th, but here's another one! I'm cohosting with Nova @ Out of Time for DEFY. She'll be handling the discussion schtuff and I will be doing, sing it with me, GIVEAWAAYYYYYSSS

For those who need them, BOOK DETAILS!:

Title: Defy

Author: Sara B. Larson

Pub Date: January 7th, 2013

Publisher: Scholastic

Page Count: 336

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

So now that you know what the book is about, here are the details to the twitter party. We'll have cardboard knife party favors.
Here are the rules/tips/details for the party! Some are more important than others.

1. WHO: This party will be co-hosted by Nikki (@Nikki_Wang) and I (@NovaBlogder). Sara (@SaraBLarson) will be answering questions that you (the participant) tweet at them and chat with others about books, books, and...food?

2. WHERE: Twitter (twitter.com)
If you don't have a twitter account, it's easy to make one! And if you already have one it's best to follow a twitter party on TweetChat (tweetchat.com)!

3. WHEN: February 25th, at 7-8 PM ET. 6-7 PM CST, 5-6 PM MST, 4-5 PM PST. This will be a party for one hour.

4. WHAT: A twitter party is an hour-long chat with Sara B. Larson. She'll answer your questions, talk about her high fantasy, Defy. As well, you can talk to other people who have read/have not read Defy! It's all to spread the love of books and this one in particular.

5. PRIZES: We've got prizes for US/CAN readers but EVERYONE is invited! Prizes will be going each 20 minutes - there are 3 prizes. Check for my tweets because she will be hosting the giveaways. Winners/how to win will be selected at her discretion.

6. HOW: Follow the hashtag #Defy and add it to all your tweets.


As a pre-party giveaway to get you PUMPED about the party, Scholastic has donated a FINISHED copy of Defy for a lucky reader!

Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Pretty Sly by Elisa Ludwig

Pages: 368

Genre: Suspense/Contemporary

Series: Pretty Crooked #2

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: March 18, 2014

Willa Fox was told to stay out of trouble. In fact, it was an order from a very serious juvenile court judge.However, that was before Willa found her house ransacked and a mysterious email from her mother telling Willa she had to leave Paradise Valley for a while and not to come looking for her. Willa knows her mom’s in danger and that no one at school will miss her after her recent sticky-fingered stunts with the Glitterati. So with the help of her pal Tre and with her degenerate crush Aidan as her wingman, Willa violates her probation and hits the California highway in search of her mom.But when Willa and Aidan’s journey turns dangerously criminal and they wind up being the focus of a national manhunt, they realize it’s sometimes easier to escape the law than the truth—and that everything Willa thought she knew about her mom, and her life, was wrong.

(I read this as the early early ARC that had the old cover, so I'm unsure whether it was significantly changed or not!)

I loved reading Pretty Crooked last year--it was sweet, it was cute, and it had an undercurrent of sinister happenings that undoubtedly perked my interest. In Pretty Sly, we explore those happenings and we discover that things are a lot more complicated than we thought and a lot more dangerous.

Pretty Sly starts off right where Pretty Crooked ended and things go crazy from there. Suddenly Aidan and Willa are on the run from cops in four states and, surprisingly have a fan club. And that's one of the things I really loved about this! Even though it isn't shown halfway throughout the book, the fact that they had a Facebook page and a Kickstarter and all these crazy things made me LOL so many times! It was another one of the cute elements that managed to sneak itself into the more dangerous plot and that's one of the things about it. Even though Pretty Sly should, by all means, be a thriller, it somehow ended up being as cute and hilarious as the first! And that's not a bad thing at all!
There were so many other things that made me laugh and giggle and I just loved it all. They were just little things like Willa leaving little notes behind and getting a free slice of cake or something and, even though technically they were so absolutely unrealistic, it just made the book so cute I couldn't help but fall in love with it!

Willa went through quite a bit of character development, though I'll admit--she did get on my nerves once in a while. She honestly didn't seem to have a plan and didn't seem to always understand how much the others were risking for her. But she was an amazing character who was hilarious and snarky and pretty much made my day! (We'd totally be BFFs.)

Aidan, oh Aidan. I never will know what runs through that boy's mind--but I'm sure it'd make me swoon and drop dead at his feet. He's sweet and cocky, charming and he knows it. I loved him so much and he's by far my most favorite character. He's a swoony love interest that was so sweet towards Willa and was unbelievably protective. He did make a few stupid decisions sometimes, though, but then again, who doesn't? (Or am I being blindsided by my love for him. Darn, not again.)

The plot was quick paced and I absolutely loved it, being whisked from one place to another quickly and never having a dull moment. It's an intense ride that you can't help but be sucked into and with all the twists, it's a ride you have to pay attention to! I couldn't predict anything and their next step was always surprising. I was anxious throughout the book, so sure that they'd be captured and locked up the next chapter in.

Pretty Sly is a thrilling sequel that absolutely must be read! I'm in love with the fluffy, yet enthralling and suspenseful feeling that Elisa Ludwig manages to capture and can absolutely not wake for book three! I need more Aidan! And Sly Fox. But mostly Aidan.

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Meet the YA Valentines!

HEY GUYS! I know I did something already for the YA Valentines, but let's be honest. I love them too much to NOT do something for them (or make them do something for me?) on Valentines! I mean seriously. 

Visit the Valentines...on Valentines!  (Sorry I couldn't help it) 

So I asked them two questions: 

1) What book boy would you want to take you out on a date and what would you do?

2) What is your favorite romantic novel?

Not all of them got a chance to answer, but the answers we have are super fun...even if I do, personally, claim most of em for myself! 

Here are the answers in no order whatsoever! (Click their name to get taken to their Goodreads page!)

Kristi Helvig: Okay, if my teenage self could go on a date with anyone from a 2014 book that I've read, it would have to be Micah from The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes. I grew up in a strict household and went to Catholic school, so my 16-year-old self would bring that hawt mohawk-haired boy to my school dance. We would get quickly get kicked out, because you weren't allowed to have mohawks or colored hair at our school, and then we'd go get ice cream while the scandal spread school-wide. I'd know what it felt like to be the "bad" girl. Okay, I guess getting ice cream doesn't qualify as bad, but it would be double chocolate ice cream with hot fudge. ;)

Lynne Matson: I'd pick Trevor from PIVOT POINT. He's cute and artistic, and seriously swoony.

Jaye Robin Brown: I'd like to hang out with Clyde, a supporting character from Sarah Dessen's The Moon and More. We'd eat pie at his restaurant and talk art, maybe go fishing. I love his wry humility and Southern no-nonsense charm. I have a feeling we'd get along just fine and he'd understand that it wasn't a "date" date.

Anne Blankman: Ooo, what a fun question! My choice is Sturmhond from SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo. Not only is he a prince and a pirate, but he's a chameleon, constantly changing his personality and his appearance to suit his own plans. Dating him might feel like you're dating ten different people, but it'd be impossible to get bored!

Paula Stokes: WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME CHEAT ON MICAH?? (And Cole, and Cas, and Cassel, and Ash, and Jonah...)

Oh okay, if I have to go out with a newbie book boy, the choice is obvious. I pick Austin from Rachel Harris's A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES. He's the perfect mix of bad boy on the outside and really decent upstanding good guy on the inside. He's funny. He's smart. He's a little bit broken--just the way I like 'em. The fact that he's gorgeous and totally tears it up on his surfboard? Bonus X 2.

What would we do? Obviously, I'd ask him for a surfing lesson. Truth: I've always wanted to learn to surf but I am afraid of sharks. With Austin by my side, I could relax enough to work through my fear and enjoy the challenge of riding the waves.

Lindsay Cummings: I would go on a date with Percy Jackson because.....really. it needs no explaining. He's percy freakin jackson, dude!!

Jen McConnel: First, I'm going to pretend that I'm sixteen and single again (sorry, honey!). With that bit of magic out of the way, I'd say definitely Daniel Cohen from Anne Blankman's PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG. We'd spend hours talking at a street cafe in Berlin, just enjoying the energy and beauty of the day.

Sara Raasch: Reinhard from Anne Blankman's PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG. 

BAH KIDDING. So completely totally KIDDING. *shudders* *locks doors*

I'd love to go out with Fred from Bridget Zinn's POISON. He's adorable and quirky, and we'd get to hang out in POISON's clever and vibrant world and play with Rosie the pig. Who would pass that up? 

Kristen Lippert Martin: Lord Hector from Rae Carson's "The Bitter Kingdom." 
The two of us are going to go spear fishing and then grill what we've caught on the beach and watch the sunset. Or save the world. Or something like that. Whatever will require him to take his shirt off.  

Bethany Hagen: I'd definitely go with Gansey from Maggie Steivater's The Dream Thieves.  He's wealthy, smart and full of angst--YUM.

Bethany Crandell: Jeb from AG Howard’s Splintered. He’s a tortured artist with a protective nature.

We’d have no formal plans. Just play with his…paintbrushes all day.

A. Lynden Rolland: I'm going to have to counteract Bethany Crandell and say Morpheus from AG Howard's Splintered. I never choose the bad boy, but Morpheus is a game changer. It would be a date like no other. Wonderland. Enough said.

Philip Siegel: I'm drawing a huge blank on this one, so that means I probably got stood up, in which case the date would consist of me, an extra-large bucket of popcorn, and the next available showing of that LEGO person movie.

Sara B Larson: I'm gonna have to get my glam on and try to steal Lord Hector from KSnap, because that's who I was going to pick! Or else we can just take turns. I just love a man who can protect me--but also teach me to protect myself. And he can ride a horse. And use a sword. And he's just made of awesome. I'd love to go for a ride (I miss my horse), and then have a delicious dinner somewhere, maybe on a beach. 

Seriously how amazing are they? 
Find more of their awesome here!
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Waiting on Wednesday

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.
Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?
Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?
Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...

Oh my God you guys. Did you know that such an awesome sounding book releases on my birthday? WELL IT DOES. This reminds me a lot of Pivot Point actually but I'm absolutely curious about the last line...hmmm...And I love the cover! It's adorable! As for the two guys...I am unsure which one I'd pick honestly. They honestly don't sound that appealing lol! This is going to be a hilarious read, methinks! 

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