Teaser Tuesday (75)

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!

"Lately, I'm not sure of anything. Lately, I don't know anything about anything I've ever believed in, not anymore, and I know the least about who I am. Warner's whispers pace the space in my head, telling me I could be more, I could be stronger, i could be everything; I could be so much more than a scared little girl.

He says I could be power.

But still, I hesitate."


p. 111 (ARC) from UNRAVEL ME by Tahereh Mafi
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

FROSTBITE
By: Richelle Mead
Published By: Razorbill
Release Date: April 10, 2008
Series: Vampire Academy (#2)
Pages: 327
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Note: Frostbite is the second book in the Vampire Academy series. The following summary and review may contain spoilers if you have not read Vampire Academy.

Goodreads Summary: Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...



I really enjoyed the first Vampire Academy book, and I was eager to continue the series. Frostbite was a great sequel, continuing the story while developing more of the world and bringing in new, intriguing characters. And best of all, there was more Dimitri.

After being on the run for two years to try and protect her best friend Lissa, Rose knows better than most Guardians that Moroi are never safe. However, in the wake of an unprecedented Strigoi attack just before the Christmas holidays, times seem more uncertain than ever. Moroi families with students at the Academy (and their Guardians) decide to spend the break together at a ski resort for safety. But Rose wasn't prepared for her mother to show up. She wasn't prepared for Adrian, or Tasha, or Dimitri's possible relationship with Tasha. And she certainly wasn't prepared for the changes that this Christmas holiday will mean for them all...

Danger, adventure, and (a lot of) romance - those three words can sum up Frostbite. But at the heart of it, Frostbite was really about Rose's evolution. She's slowly turning into the guardian she's meant to be, but there are still times that she can't avoid making rash decisions or giving into impulses. Sometimes she acts her age, but at other times she has insights and behavior that are definitely more mature. I liked seeing how Rose tried to develop into a leader, thinking not just about Lissa but about the bigger picture. This book also shows Rose with her mother, something we don't usually see in books with boarding schools, but I appreciated getting to see that side of Rose. Overall, she became stronger mentally and emotionally as well as physically, and I'm excited to see how she continues growing in the next books.

In addition to Rose's journey, there is even more action and adventure in Frostbite than in Vampire Academy. We see more of Mead's vampire world in this book as Rose interacts with other Guardians and Moroi; new characters are also introduced (like Adrian), and I am very curious to see how they affect the next books. There were also a couple of events that I never expected, and I have to say, I appreciate that Mead doesn't seem to hold anything back. Finally...no Vampire Academy review would be complete without mention of Dimitri. As far as YA books go, he's definitely near the top of the list of book boyfriends.

I love the world and characters that Richelle Mead has created in Vampire Academy. I can't wait to read Shadow Kiss!

Opening Lines (17)

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!



A CORNER OF WHITE
By: Jaclyn Moriarty
Published By: Arthur A. Levine Books
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

The first in a rousing, funny, genre-busting trilogy from bestseller Jaclyn Moriarty!

This is a tale of missing persons. Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in a rainy corner of Cambridge (in our world).

Elliot, on the other hand, is in search of his father, who disappeared on the night his uncle was found dead. The talk in the town of Bonfire (in the Kingdom of Cello) is that Elliot's dad may have killed his brother and run away with the Physics teacher. But Elliot refuses to believe it. And he is determined to find both his dad and the truth.

As Madeleine and Elliot move closer to unraveling their mysteries, they begin to exchange messages across worlds -- through an accidental gap that hasn't appeared in centuries. But even greater mysteries are unfolding on both sides of the gap: dangerous weather phenomena called "color storms;" a strange fascination with Isaac Newton; the myth of the "Butterfly Child," whose appearance could end the droughts of Cello; and some unexpected kisses...

"Madeleine Tully turned fourteen yesterday, but today she did not turn anything."


MY LIFE AFTER NOW
By: Jessica Verdi
Published By: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Lucy just had the worst week ever. Seriously, mega bad. And suddenly, it's all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a whole new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of.

And now her life will never be the same. Now, how will she be able to have a boyfriend? What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family?

Now her life is completely different...every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left.

"The drama club homeroom was buzzing with post-summer chatter, but I didn't look up from my copy of Romeo and Juliet."


THE COLLECTOR
By: Victoria Scott
Published By: Entangled Teen
Release Date: March 25, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

He makes good girls...bad.

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

"I'm in a slump, off my game, throwing up bricks, swinging and missing."


THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE
By: Jennifer E. Smith
Published By: Poppy
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

"It was not all that different from the circus, and it came to town in much the same way."



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

Go Indie: Excerpt and Giveaway of Chemistry by Jodi Lamm

There are so many good indie books being published, but sometimes it's hard to know where to start with these books. I'm always interested in recommendations of books that are must-reads but that haven't gotten much press, and I also wanted to help promote indie authors and their works. Hence Go Indie was born. This is a new feature on Portrait of a Book that will showcase some of these indie titles in a variety of ways, from excerpts to guest posts and interviews with indie authors.

Authors: If you're interested in having your book featured as part of Go Indie, fill out this form.

Without further ado, here is today's feature!




CHEMISTRY
By: Jodi Lamm
Published By: Self-Published
Release Date: Oct. 29, 2012
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: You don’t want to read this book. I’m warning you. This isn’t a heartwarming, boy-meets-girl, high school romance. I wish it were—God, do I ever. No, if you read this, you’re going to be angry… with me, mostly. You’ll probably yell at me, if you’re the type of person who yells at books. You’ll tell me not to be so stupid, but I won’t listen. I’ll be exactly as stupid as I need to be to destroy everything I love because that’s who I am: a walking, talking tragedy. That’s who I’ve always been. But if you’re determined to read on despite my warning, I may as well introduce myself. My name is Claude Frollo, I’m nineteen going on ninety, and this is my story. It isn’t pretty, but it’s honest. And it’s the only story I have left to tell.



Enjoy this excerpt from CHEMISTRY!

The first sensation I have upon my arrival at the Valentine’s Day Dance, besides nausea, is an unbearable chill. The importance of the cold in this place is something I can’t possibly exaggerate. I’m standing in the darkest corner I can find, wearing a suit I likely can’t afford, with Valentine, who’s wearing a specially-tailored tux I most certainly can’t afford. Still I bought it for him. Remember that, as this story progresses. Remember I loved him better than I loved myself.

Every guy in black and white. Every girl in pale blue or pink, dark mauve or evergreen. The colors in this place are chilling. Even the little white lights strung everywhere, which I guess are supposed to resemble stars, are more reminiscent of snowflakes to me. I can’t stand the cold. I hunch over in my corner and shiver.

Then I see a fire.

It’s Esmeralda. She’s dressed in orange and red and gold. She’s burning with color and warmth. It’s the warmth that draws me from my corner and forces me closer to her. I can’t help it. She’s dancing alone, and it’s unlike any dance I’ve ever seen. While every other couple clings to each other, bouncing or swaying together depending on the music, she twirls alone. Her arms are in the air. Her hands move like birds over her head. She’s spinning and laughing, and after a while, everyone stops to watch. The guys let go of their dates and stare at her. Even the girls can’t help watching. And I feel myself tense at the sight of that many eyes on her.

She’s so warm. I know I’m drawing closer to her than anyone else dares. I know it, but I can’t stop myself. Valentine tugs on my sleeve, but God help me, I brush him aside. I can hear Peter behind me, calling my name. All I can do is mutter, “Just… Just let me…” though I doubt he can hear me over the pounding music. I don’t care. I want, just once in my life, to know what it’s like to tremble with something other than cold.

And that’s when I see Phoebus staring at her from across the dance floor. He’s a lion watching a gazelle: determined, planning, hungry. He’s spotted his prey, and soon he’ll move in for the kill. I’m sick with worry and useless anger. I can’t stand it. How dare anyone watch her they way he does, the way all of them are watching her, the way I am… I shake the thought from my head.

This won’t do. She probably doesn’t even realize she’s attracting this kind of attention. She wouldn’t continue dancing if she did. So, thinking I will give her a quick word of caution, I reach out and touch her. And that is the first of many, many mistakes. If I were to choose a point at which everything begins to fall apart, this would be it. Because, as everyone knows, touching a fire only gets you burned.

Esmeralda stops dancing, which is exactly what I want, right? Only she’s giving me a look that makes me shrink back from her. She folds her arms and waits to hear what I have to say. Good, I tell myself. Talk to her. Explain yourself, so she doesn’t think you’re just some pervert who wanted to touch her.

“I… I…” I’m such a fool. “You should just… stop.” Idiot. “People are staring at you.” What people? People like you, Claude? Is that what you mean? You’re staring at her, and you don’t like how that makes you look? Or maybe you don’t like how that makes you feel. That must be it, Claude. You don’t like knowing you’re no better than Phoebus. He’s the lion and you’re the jackal, just waiting for a taste of his kill.

Her response to my intrusion is kinder than my own. “Leave me alone,” she says. But it scorches me far worse than any of the terrible things I said to myself.

Find Jodi Lamm and CHEMISTRY online:
Author Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon


~GIVEAWAY~
I am very excited to have one copy of Chemistry to give away! Please note that this book is only available as an ebook, as a .mobi or .epub file.

The contest is open internationally. Must be 13 to enter. Please see my Contest Policy for more information.

This contest will close on Saturday, April 13 at 12:01 AM.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg

REVENGE OF THE GIRL WITH THE GREAT PERSONALITY
By: Elizabeth Eulberg
Published By: Point
Release Date: March 1, 2013
Series: None
Pages: 272
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Buy the Book: Amazon

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

Don't mess with a girl with a great personality!

Everybody loves Lexi. She's popular, smart, funny...but she's never been one of those girls, the pretty ones who get all the attention from guys. And on top of that, her seven-year-old sister, Mackenzie, is a terror in a tiara, and part of a pageant scene where she gets praised for her beauty (with the help of fake hair and tons of makeup).

Lexi's sick of it. She's sick of being the girl who hears about kisses instead of getting them. She's sick of being ignored by her longtime crush, Logan. She's sick of being taken for granted by her pageant-obsessed mom. And she's sick of having all her family's money wasted on a phony pursuit of perfection.

The time has come for Lexi to step out from the sidelines. Girls without great personalities aren't going to know what hit them. Because Lexi's going to play the beauty game - and she's in it to win it.



I have most of Elizabeth Eulberg's books, but this is the first one that I've read. I was looking forward to this book, but it didn't turn out to be quite what I was expecting.

Since her little sister Mackenzie came along, Lexi's life has revolved around beauty pageants. Her mom makes sure that Mac has whatever she needs to compete and spends countless hours planning and competing in pageants, leaving things with Lexi to fall by the wayside. Still, Lexi has great friends, Benny and Cam, and as so many have told her, a "great personality." But Lexi wants more. She wants to be someone who could capture the attention of a guy like Logan, pageant-queen Alyssa's boyfriend. When she makes a deal with Benny to start wearing makeup and dressing up, she thinks nothing will happen. Was she ever wrong. Before she knows it, Lexi has to decide which is more important - having a great appearance or truly having a great personality?

When I started this book, I was hoping for some Toddlers-and-Tiaras-esque laughs and a girl who broke stereotypes by not being beauty pageant material and still ending up with the guy she wanted. Instead I found myself annoyed with both Lexi and the "pretty girl who doesn't know she's pretty" stereotype early in the book. I'm not sure if this was a case of "wrong book, wrong time," or if I just couldn't connect to Lexi the way I wanted to. Either way, I spent most of the book feeling like there was a disconnect, and by the time that I began to care about the characters, the book was almost over. In addition, one character really disappointed me at the end, and it left me with an unsettled feeling. Many things about this book may have been realistic, but in the end I mostly wished they weren't. There was a good message there, but I felt like it got somewhat lost in the story.

That being said, there are some good things about this book, as well as events and emotions that give it depth. Lexi does not always agree or get along with her mother, and things come to a head with them more than once. She misses her dad, and though she loves her friends, at sixteen sometimes she still needed a parent who would care for her. It was easy to sympathize with Lexi in those moments as she dealt with unfair situations. Lexi was a good person when it counted, which I appreciated. There were also some lighter moments to the book, including learning about flippers and watching Lexi apply mascara for the first time. Even still, I just couldn't get into the book the way I wanted to.

I still plan to read Elizabeth Eulberg's other books, and I know other people enjoyed this book more than I did. See reviews at these blogs:

A Blog About Nothing
Ex Libris

"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:

CHANTRESS
By: Amy Butler Greenfield
Published By: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Lucy’s Chantress magic will make her the most powerful—and most hunted—girl in England.

“Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing—and she is swept into darkness.

When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses—women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England.

Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion…

Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.



Why it's wanted:
I first wanted this book from the cover. Then I read the synopsis, and went from wanting to needing this book. Historical fiction set in London + witchcraft + magic that involves singing = a book that's sure to be great.

Month in Review: March

March seems like it has been both incredibly long and yet flown by. The first part of the month seems like forever ago, and yet the past week has been a blur between the Lover at Last release and all of the Holy Week services - and yes, I realize the irony of having those in the same week. Even though my blog was slower than I intended this month, I have posts planned for April that I'm very excited about, so be sure to check back throughout the month!

Books Reviewed:

Notes from Ghost Town by Kate Ellison
Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally
Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White


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.

A "New Adult" Perspective


Opening Lines:

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

Opening Lines 13 (Week of March 3)
Opening Lines 14 (Week of March 10)
Opening Lines 15 (Week of March 17)
Opening Lines 16 (Week of March 24)


Go Indie:

Introducing: Go Indie

Fast Five:

Currently Reading: Frostbite by Richelle Mead / Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Favorite March Read: Lover at Last by J.R. Ward
Most Anticipated April Release: The Program by Suzanne Young
Total Books Read This Year: 20
Reading Next: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith


What did your March look like? What books are you most excited about for April?

"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:

WHITE LINES
By: Jennifer Banash
Published By: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: April 4, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: A gritty, atmospheric coming of age tale set in 1980s New York City.

Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control.

Both poignant and raw, White Lines is a gripping tale and the reader won’t want to look away.



Why it's wanted:
I love darker contemporary novels, and White Lines sounds like it could be a very powerful story.

Teaser Tuesday (74)

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!

"There was a brief, collective intake of breath throughout the room. And then...chaos broke out."


p. 170 from FROSTBITE by Richelle Mead
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

PARANORMALCY
By: Kiersten White
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: Aug. 31, 2010
Series: Paranormalcy (#1)
Pages: 335
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Vampires. Werewolves. Faeries. Shapeshifters.

Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths, and even worse, that she is at the centre of a dark prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.



You know those books that you have on your shelf for a long time even after everyone has raved about it, and when you finally get around to reading it you wonder what took you so long? Paranormalcy was one of those books for me. The good things I'd heard about it were all true, and the book was so much fun to get lost in.

Evie works for the IPCA, the International Paranormal Containment Agency. She has a unique ability - she can see through the glamours of paranormal creatures, allowing her to identify and get information about paranormal creatures from vampires to werewolves to hags. Evie's been at IPCA for as long as she can remember, but working all the time and being the only teenager there makes for a lonely life. She wants to experience life like the teens on her favorite show, Easton Heights. But when there's a breach at IPCA, paranormals are dying, and there's a strange new boy currently being detained by IPCA, her life suddenly gets a little more exciting. Add to that falling for a shapeshifter and finding herself involved in a prophecy, and Evie realizes her life has never been more para-normal. Can Evie figure out who's killing all the paranormal creatures and figure out if the cute new boy actually likes her?

From the beginning, I was hooked on Paranormalcy because of Evie's voice. She loves pink and going shopping like any teenage girl, but at the same time, growing up around adults and working for the agency has given her a sharp wit. She's direct and sarcastic, which I loved, and her voice makes the whole book fun to read. And everything else made the book more enjoyable. A lot of standard paranormal creatures show up in Paranormalcy; some are what you would expect, but others Kiersten White has put her own spin on, especially faeries. By far one of the most unique creatures was Lend, who despite his abilities is also Evie's first real look into a normal life, one with high school lockers and all. Lend was an all-around good guy, despite what face he was wearing. Contrasted with him was Reth, a faerie and Evie's quasi-ex-boyfriend, and he always seemed to be more than he appeared. While his interactions with Evie had an uneasy feeling, Evie's time with Lend felt comfortable. They actually were friends before anything more happened, and it was so refreshing to see that.

Even during the downtime in this book, there wasn't a dull moment. The pacing was great, letting me finish the book before I even realized the ending was so close. There was a great balance of action, romance, world-building, and humor that left me wanting more of the book even after I'd finished the story. I need more of this world, and I'm very glad that all three books are already out.

Paranormalcy was a fantastic start to this trilogy. I read a preview chapter for the next book, Supernaturally, and right away the stakes are heightened again and I'm dying to know what happens. I can't wait to read more of this story!