BookTrend Reviews

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Publisher: Poppy
Age Group: YA
Rating: 5/5
Source: Publisher

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other "bunheads" in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life?

I've always been amazed by the life of a ballerina, but I never thought it was as hard as it was descibed in this book. Throughout the book, I could see Sophie throwing in bits of her life and I could see her come through Hannah. Being a pretty ballerina isn't easy, especially if you're a professional one. The story flowed and I became more interested in Hannah's world. I wanted to be there and see if she would get the part or if she was just going to another dancer.

I also thought the term "bunheads" was an interesting way to call a ballerina. I love watching ballets, but this book showed me how much hard work the ballerinas put into the performance and how they have no life besides ballet. They have to be one weight and I thought gym class was a burden at times.

This book was a great escape from everything usual and we get the experience of something that happens behind closed doors. I loved watching Hannah evolve and change from this girl who ballet was her only world to someone who wanted to get out there and realize life is more than ballet.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes

Publisher: NAL Trade
Age Group: YA
Rating: 3/5
Source: Publisher

She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love…

When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions.

Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own.

And still the nightmare realm of Under won’t let them go. Someone from Haden’s past is determined to destroy Theia from the inside out, starting with those closest to her, forcing Theia to choose between family and friends and a love that may have been doomed from the start…

The first book was breathtaking and so was this one! Once I got my hands on DREAMING AWAKE, I couldn't stop reading it and it didn't disappoint. The first half of the book did continue with Thea's and Hayden's relationship and at times it did get boring, but it doesn't last too long. Hayes immediatly throws in twists and turns that keep you flipping the pages and she leaves you with more sinister events along the way.

FALLING UNDER's cover did not disappoint and DREAMING AWAKE's cover was still amazing. Hayes has a way with words that flow and the way she writes a story, brings out emotions that you never thought you had.

My favorite part when reading a book is feeling what the characters are feeling and with this book, I didn feel it. I felt as though I was watching a movie rather than reading a book. Gwen Hayes has shown that she has talent and I can't wait until I read what else she has in store for us.

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Publisher: Walker & Company
Age Group: YA
Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Publisher

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

When I first began reading FRACTURE, I wasn' sure what to expect. I thought the synopss sounded intense and the cover was beautiful, so I was excited to read it. The book started out a bit slow for me. I wish there was more action in where Delaney fell through the ice. But as the book progressed, it got better. The romance in this book was a cute-fun one rather than the quick romances. I loved the description Miranda used. She was able to give you all the medical information in very few words which actually made sense.

Now, I want to talk about the cover that is an absolute show stopper! If I were walking through the bookstore and saw that cover, you bet I would pick this book up. The cover also gives you a pretty good description of what the book will be about, though I did think the book would be a paranormal, though it turned out not to be. And I was glad since it was great.

Megan Miranda has written an amazing novel that lingers with you after the last pages and makes you think twice before walking on a frozen lake.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Book Wish Foundation Contest

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot
Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau
Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust
Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe
Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death
Warriors

Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.
If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Good luck and best wishes,
Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation

What You Wish For (ISBN 9780399254543, Putnam Juvenile, Sep. 15, 2011) is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes from 18 all-star writers: Meg Cabot, Jeanne DuPrau, Cornelia Funke, Nikki Giovanni, John Green, Karen Hesse, Ann M. Martin, Alexander McCall Smith, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Carol Oates, Nate Powell, Sofia Quintero, Gary Soto, R.L. Stine, Francisco X. Stork, Cynthia Voigt, Jane Yolen. With a Foreword by Mia Farrow. Book Wish Foundation is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to fund the development of libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Root

The Guardian, a newspaper based in London, England is partnering with Random House Publishers for a new interactive novel called ROOT. Below is a little synopsis about this book:

Meet Molly Root, geek heroine on the most dangerous of missions.

Her best friend has been murdered, revealing his secret life as a notorious hacker, and suspicion falls on a corporation with shady secrets to hide. Teenage computer expert Molly must recruit a highly-skilled team to help her solve the mystery – before it's too late…

Sounds amazing, doesn't it? I'm so excited to read this and by going to The Guardian's website here you can check out the story. Also, the first chapter is up with other chapters and I'm reading them right now and am in love with them. Who doesn't like a good hacker novel. There's not many of those books on the market and I'm so glad The Guardian is doing this, plus, you can read it for free on their website.

So far, I'm blown away from this novel and I hope there's more of it because I'm already hooked. If you're looking for a new novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, ROOT is for you.

Monday, November 14, 2011

The Daughters Join the Party by Joanna Philbin

Publisher: Poppy
Age Group: YA
Rating: 5/5
Source: Publisher

They didn't ask for fame. They were born with it.

In the third Daughters novel, The Daughters Take the Stage, Hudson found her own place in "the family business," aka: show business. Now, for the first time, readers will meet Emma Conway, daughter of a powerful New York State Senator.

Emma has never fit into the sweater-set-wearing world of her political family, opting for purple hair and Chuck Taylors to keep herself out of countless photo ops, but when she accidentally lets her father's presidential plans slip on national television, Emma finds herself thrown into the spotlight. Facing pressure to be the perfect First Daughter-in-training, Emma must learn to speak up for herself and for what she believes in. Thankfully, she has her new friends and fellow daughters - Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson - to help her along the way.

The moment I started reading THE DAUGHTERS JOIN THE PARTY, I immediatly feel in love with it. I found the whole idea of being a senator's daughter was simply fun to read. I thought Emma was a strong willed character and that's what I loved about her. She didn't back down to anything. Even though she did get in trouble a few times, she was supposed to because she was only a child.

But when her father announced he was going to run for president, her life turned upside down. She was now in the spotlight and every move she made was being watched and she had to be perfect like her brother, Remington, only she soon finds out that Remington himself wasn't as perfect as she thought he was.

I never wanted to stop reading this book and who knew Emma, the daughter of a senator, was as normal as us. Joanna Philbin's writing is spectacular and there was never a dull moment in the book. After reading THE DAUGHTERS, I'm excited to see what Joanna comes up with next.

Overall, if you're looking for a break in the paranormal or dystopian, this book is a great read. Read when you're traveling or just want to have a nice relaxing evening. It'll keep you up all night wanting to finish this book and find out more about Emma.