Book Trailer Reveal: Rush by Eve Silver

RUSH
BY: Eve Silver
Published By: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: June 11, 2013

Goodreads Summary: So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.



I'm very excited to be one of the blogs featuring this new book trailer! This book sounds like it will be great. But don't take my word for it - enjoy an excerpt from Rush below!

There’s a flash of light, blindingly bright. Colored haloes obscure my vision. They dance and flicker and then disappear, leaving only a rectangle of light boxed in by the dark doorframe.

I see then that the door’s gone and in front of me are people. No…they aren’t people. They have limbs, hair, faces, but they aren’t human. After the first glance, they don’t look even remotely human. They’re pure, painful white, so bright they throw off a glare. They look like they’ve been dipped in glass, smooth and polished, but fluid. And their eyes…they’re a silvery color, like the mercury in the antique thermometer that my mom used to have at the side of the front porch.

When I was ten, I knocked that thermometer off with my wooden kendo sword, shattering the glass. The little blobs of mercury went all over the porch. I was a kid. I didn’t know better. I touched them, prodding the little balls until they joined the bigger blob. My mom swooped down on me and snatched me away, telling me it was poison. It could kill me.

I stare at the things in front of me: the Drau. I can’t look away.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember Jackson talking about Medusa. Don’t look at their eyes.

Their mercury eyes.

They’re poison.

They will kill me.



And now the moment you have been waiting for: the book trailer!





~ GIVEAWAY ~

If you're excited to read Rush by now, then don't miss this giveaway! Enter below for a chance to win a signed finished copy of Rush!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr

THE LUCY VARIATIONS
By: Sara Zarr
Published By: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Series: None
Pages: 320
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA Midwinter
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.

That was all before she turned fourteen.

Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.



As a musician, almost any book that involves music, and especially one with a piano on the cover, is a must-read for me. Even though this book is about more than just music, the way music factored into Lucy's story has stuck with me and left me thinking about my own career even after finishing it.

From an early age, Lucy had a promising career as a concert pianist - then she walked away from everything. But she still can't escape a musical family. Now, her younger brother Gus is the promising musician in the family, subject to their grandfather's management. When her brother gets a new piano teacher, Will, he poses a question to Lucy - does she want to play again? Lucy knows it can't be that simple. But the more time Lucy spends with Will, the more she wonders if it might be just that simple after all. However, even if she wants to play again, would her grandfather ever allow it? More importantly, what is it that would actually make her happy?

"You couldn't to be be that kind of happy all the time. She knew that.

But sometimes, you could. Sometimes, you should be allowed a tiny bit of joy that would stay with you for more than five minutes. That wasn't too much to ask. To have a moment like this, and be able to hold on to it."

The Lucy Variations cane be read on two different levels. From a musician standpoint, it was about finding your musical niche, whether that is performing, teaching, or another related area. It was a reminder to draw inspiration from the world around you, to bring your heart to the music, and always remember why you have the passion for it. For me, this reminder came at a very good time. Like Lucy experiences, with all of the pressure in the musical world, it's easy to lose sight of love for music, but when your heart is gone, the music suffers. However, from a non-musician standpoint, it's about finding your own way, finding your own passions, and not letting your family or others control your life. Lucy's journey is an emotional one as she tries to figure out what she truly wants.

There were a few other issues in this book in addition to music. Zarr explores family relationships: parent/child (and grandparent/grandchild - and there were a few times I wanted to strangle her grandfather) and sister/brother, as well as a different side to student/teacher relationships. Lucy walks a fine line with Mr. Charles and also with Will. Still, Will helped to give Lucy the kind of coaching and also the friendship that she needed, and it was hard not to swoon over him. In addition, this book mirrors life in the way that a lot of things are left unresolved at the ending. I want to know more about these characters, and how things worked out for Lucy, but this book was also a great snapshot of a pivotal part of Lucy's life.

"Music, her grandfather always told her, was language. A special language, a gift from the Muses, something all people are born understanding but few people can thoroughly translate.

She could, he'd told her.

Listening and playing were two different things; each involved its own kind of translation. She listend now, and translated.

The leaves. Their naked feet. Her grandmother's freed hair. Her grandfather's almost-touch.

Yes, the world was beautiful.

But music made that beauty personal.

Nothing else could do that. Nothing."

The Lucy Variations is a story that continues to make me think, and it offers something for anyone who reads it. Even though this was my first Sara Zarr book, it definitely won't be my last.

"Waiting on" Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's selection is:

ALL OUR PRETTY SONGS
By: Sarah McCarry
Published By: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: July 30, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: The first book in an exciting YA trilogy, this is the story of two best friends on the verge of a terrifying divide when they begin to encounter a cast of strange and mythical characters.

Set against the lush, magical backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, two inseparable best friends who have grown up like sisters—the charismatic, mercurial, and beautiful Aurora and the devoted, soulful, watchful narrator—find their bond challenged for the first time ever when a mysterious and gifted musician named Jack comes between them. Suddenly, each girl must decide what matters most: friendship, or love. What both girls don’t know is that the stakes are even higher than either of them could have imagined. They’re not the only ones who have noticed Jack’s gift; his music has awakened an ancient evil—and a world both above and below which may not be mythical at all. The real and the mystical; the romantic and the heartbreaking all begin to swirl together, carrying the two on journey that is both enthralling and terrifying.

And it’s up to the narrator to protect the people she loves—if she can.



Why it's wanted:
Almost every book involving musicians or even hinting at anything musical end up on my TBR list. This one sounds really interesting, and I'm curious to see how this plays out.

Teaser Tuesday (82)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"'Women have been burned at the stake for less, Karou,' he'd said.

Lucky for me, she thought, this isn't the Middle Ages."


p. 23 from DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Review: If I Should Die by Amy Plum

IF I SHOULD DIE
By: Amy Plum
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Series: Revenants (#3)
Pages: 405
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA Midwinter
Buy the Book: Amazon

Note: If I Should Die is the third book in a trilogy, following Die for Me and Until I Die. The following summary may contain spoilers.

Goodreads Summary: I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.

Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.

It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.

After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?



The conclusion of a trilogy is always bittersweet. I was really excited to read this book because I've loved this trilogy, but at the same time I wasn't quite ready to let go of the characters and the world. Even after reading it, I'm not sure that I'm ready to say goodbye, but alas, the time has come.

Since moving to Paris and meeting Vincent, Kate has discovered that a world she never imagined exists alongside the world she's always known. Revenants - people who died in place of others, and still die to save others - live among humans, working to keep tragedies from happening. Being in love with a revenant hasn't been easy, but Kate is determined that she won't lose Vincent. But in a battle between good and evil paranormal forces, what can one human do? Kate doesn't know, but she will do her best to find out and give the fight everything she has. After all, a love like hers and Vincent's is once in a lifetime...

Did I mention before that I love this trilogy? There's something so romantic about Paris, and I can't help but love a guy who's willing to sacrifice himself. But even more than that, I have enjoyed this story and the cast of characters. Vincent's family of revenants is a family that I would want to be part of: Large, joking and playful, but most of all loyal and loving. In addition to revenant kindred, in this book, Kate's family plays a large role, and I liked how the worlds finally intersected. As much as I love Vincent, Kate is the one who truly shines in this novel. Her determination, strength, and love give her the resources that she needs to fight for the family she cares for, and she does. Also, throughout the book, we learn about the last part of the revenants' world, namely the connection between revenants and guerisseurs (healers), and with this history comes even more magic, which I enjoyed.

Although I loved this book, there were two things that bothered me. Even though I liked the way everything turned out, one surprise seemed fairly obvious before it happened. Also, I didn't understand why Jules needed to be in love with Kate, even after reading the novella Die For Her. Something about that connection was lacking to me. Still, everything else about this book kept me glued to the page, dying to know what would happen to Kate and Vincent.

I have to admit that I will miss the world of revenants, especially Vincent, but I am looking forward to seeing what Amy Plum writes next. If you haven't read any of her books, they are must-reads - Revenants is a trilogy that you will fall in love with.

Opening Lines (23)

Opening Lines is a new feature here on Portrait of a Book that showcases the first lines of recent and/or upcoming releases. If you're looking for your next read, let these first lines help you decide!



THE ORIGINALS
By: Cat Patrick
Published By: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

A riveting new story from Cat Patrick, author of Forgotten and Revived.

17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets... until they discovered a shocking family secret. They're actually closer than sisters, they're clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mindset has always been a de facto part of life...

Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she's not a carbon copy of her sisters; she's an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.

"My part is first half."


REBOOT
By: Amy Tintera
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

"They always screamed."


PARALLEL
By: Lauren Miller
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

"I hesitate, then point my gun at him and pull the trigger."


GOLDEN
By: Jessi Kirby
Published By: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Love, tragedy, and mystery converge in this compelling novel from “an author to watch” (Booklist).

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.

Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.

Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

"There's no such thing as a secret in this town."



Do any of these opening lines grab your attention? What are your favorite first lines that you've read lately?

Month in Review: May

It seems like every month goes by before I realize it. May was a little hectic with several things to take care of, but I managed to read a lot of good books. Outside of books, I started following the Couch to 5k program. I've never been a runner, and still can't call myself that, but I can jog longer than I've ever been able to before. During my past few workouts I've tried listening to an audiobook instead of music, and I think I may continue that. As for my blog, I realized I haven't had discussion posts like I hoped to in the past two months, and some weeks I haven't had as many reviews as I wanted. I hope to fix that in June!

Books Reviewed:

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
Losing It by Cora Carmack
Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Golden by Jessi Kirby
The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan
Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler


Snapshot Musings

This post series features discussions on a variety of topics - namely whatever bookish things are on my mind. One of my blogging goals for 2013 was to have more discussion posts, and this feature is how I'm holding myself accountable.

Sadly, I didn't have any of these. If you have ideas for topics you'd like to see, please let me know! I do have some ideas for the upcoming weeks, if only I can find time to write them.


Opening Lines:

This feature showcases the first lines of upcoming or recent releases each week. Hopefully it will inspire a new read!

Opening Lines 20 (Week of May 12)
Opening Lines 21 (Week of May 19)
Opening Lines 22 (Week of May 26)


Go Indie:

Excerpt of Triad Awakening by Michael Grigsby


Blog Tours:

Blog Tour: Thorn Abbey by Nancy Ohlin - Guest Post: "How I Started (and Re-Started) Thorn Abbey"
Blog Tour: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan - Character Interview with Ingrid


Fast Five:

Currently Reading: The Program by Suzanne Young / Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost
Favorite May Read: Golden by Jessi Kirby and Easy by Tammara Webber
Most Anticipated June Release: Seige and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Total Books Read This Year: 41
Reading Next: Of Triton by Anna Banks


What did your May look like? What books are you most excited about for June?

Review: Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler

RAPTURE PRACTICE
By: Aaron Hartzler
Published By: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Series: None
Pages: 400
Genre: Memoir
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: TLA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Aaron Hartzler grew up gay in a home where he was taught that at any moment Jesus might come down in the twinkling of an eye, and scoop his whole family up to Heaven. As a kid, Aaron was thrilled by the idea that each day might be his last one on planet Earth. He couldn't wait to blastoff and join Jesus in the sky!

But as he turns sixteen, Aaron finds himself more and more attached to his life on Earth, and curious about all the things his family forsakes for the Lord. He begins to realize he doesn't want the Rapture to happen, just yet; not before he sees his first movie, stars in the school play, or has his first kiss. Before long, Aaron makes the plunge from conflicted do-gooder to full-fledged teen rebel.

Whether he's sneaking out, making out, or at the piano playing hymns with a hangover, Aaron learns a few lessons that can't be found in the Bible. He discovers the best friends aren't always the ones your mom and dad approve of, and the tricky part about believing is that no one can do it for you.

In this funny and heartfelt coming of age memoir, debut author Aaron Hartzler recalls his teenage journey to find the person he is without losing the family who loves him. It's a story about losing your faith, finding your place, and learning your very own truth--which is always stranger than fiction.



Rapture Practice is a memoir, though one that reads much like any other YA coming-of-age story. Ordinarily I don't read memoirs, but I was intrigued by the idea of life lived in a house that was constantly preparing for the second coming of Jesus, and I had a friend's recommendation, so I decided to give it a try.

Rapture Practice chronicles Hartzler's childhood, including some early memories but especially focusing on his time in high school. In the beginning, there's a clear picture of his family life: They are devoted, ultra-conservative Christians who are committed to being ready for the Rapture. Aaron embraces this and doesn't question it - until he does. From that point, the novel begins reading less like a memoir and more like a work of fiction, though with an unmistakeable honesty. Hartzler becomes almost two people - the person his parents expect him to be, and the person that he wants to be. Throughout the book he tries to reconcile them, but the journey is very emotional.

It's hard for me to talk about a book like this without addressing the religious aspect. I am Christian, though I don't agree with a good portion of the theology presented in the book, but that's a post for a different blog. However, because of that, it seems almost impossible that Hartzler wouldn't have "rebelled" given all of the restrictions placed on him in the name of religion. But what I appreciated was that it wasn't rebellion for rebellion's sake - though in some respects he acted from a desire to be like others around him, he also questioned what was being taught to him and, in my opinion, had some excellent points. Questioning faith can be hard, and shifting your worldview can be even harder, and this story, though at times funny or frustrating, was above all emotional and empowering. You can - and should - choose who you want to be in life, and Aaron Hartzler captures the journey quite eloquently.

At its heart, this memoir speaks to family and friendships, and how to make the most of these relationships while still embracing who you are as a person. It is moving and thought-provoking, and definitely a book worth reading.

"Waiting on" Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's selection is:

HALF LIVES
By: Sara Grant
Published By: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: I learned that surviving isn't all it's cracked up to be. If you survive, you've got to live with the guilt, and that's more difficult than looking someone in the eye and pulling the trigger. Trust me. I've done both. Killing takes a twitch of the finger. Absolution takes several lifetimes.

Seventeen-year-old Icie's parents have given her $10,000 in cash, a map of a top-secret bunker, and instructions to get there by any means necessary. They have news of an imminent viral attack and know that the bunker is Icie's only hope for survival. Along with three other teens, she lives locked away for months, not knowing what's happening in the outside world or who has survived. And are they safe in the bunker after all?

Generations in the future, a mysterious cult worships the very mountain where Icie's secret bunker was built. They never leave the mountain, they're ruled by a teenager...and they have surprising ties to Icie. This high-stakes, original, and thought-provoking adventure from Sara Grant follows two unlikely heroes, hundreds of years apart, as they fight to survive.



Why it's wanted:
This book doesn't sound like anything I've read before. It sounds like a lot of elements are at work, and I want to see how they all combine.

Teaser Tuesday (81)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"When his lips touched just south of my earlobe, I thought I might pass out. 'Let's just dance,' he said. Pulling back just far enough to stare into my eyes, he drew my body against his, and my legs obeyed where his said to go."


p. 50 from EASY by Tammara Webber
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!