The Real Real ~ Emma Maclaughlin & Nicola Kraus

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pub. Date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 9780061720406
Age Range: 12 and up
320pp


Synopsis

Imagine there was never a Laguna Beach, a Newport Harbor, the shimmering Hills. Imagine that your hometown—your school—is the first place XTV descends to set up cameras.

Now imagine they've trained them on you.

When Jesse O'Rourke gets picked for a "documentary" being filmed at her school in the Hamptons she's tempted to turn down the offer. But there's a tuition check attached to being on the show, and Jesse needs the cash so she can be the first in her family to attend college. All she has to do is trade her best friend for the glam clique she's studiously avoided, her privacy for a 24/7 mike, and her sense of right and wrong for "what sells on camera." . . . At least there's one bright spot in the train wreck that is her suddenly public senior year: Jesse's crush has also made the cast.

As the producers manipulate the lives of their "characters" to heighten the drama, and Us Weekly covers become a regular occurrence for Jesse, she must struggle to remember one thing: the difference between real and the real real.


Let me start off by saying I am not really into reality TV @ all! I find it to be a tad torturous. I do watch The Real Housewives in all its incarnations & The Real Housewives of Orange County is my fave! Hands down The Real Housewives of Orange County is a guilty pleasure. I don't consider it reality foolishness, I rather think it is me hanging out w/ older galpals. I don't give a hoot about The Hills unless they have eyes. I only want to lounge @ a beach -- Laguna or Jones!

I do believe that Lauren & Kristin were the most promising to emerge from fakeality TV. I am a real television lover & think there is way too much "reality" on the small screen & miss the days of must see TV. I do tune into DWTS while channel surfing. Idol - fugetaboutit!

So, imagine my surprise when I found myself loving Emma Maclaughlin & Nicola Kraus' The Real Real! I wondered if the fact that it was set on Long Island played into my adulation.

Hmmm. What about the fact I am 20-25 mins from the coveted Hamptons. Nah! I was raised on the Island & I'm not impressed. So, what was it that had me enjoying my time w/ Jesse? Jesse!

Emma Maclaughlin & Nicola Kraus' YA debut is a winner! The Real Real is real real impressive. Emma Maclaughlin & Nicola Kraus skillfully advoided getting caught up in a cache of redundancies & over the top histrionics! Brava ladies! Brava!

The Real Real is the perfect beach read but make sure to set a timer to roll over & slather on the SPF because you will definitely become part of The Real Hampton Beach happenings.

I loved how Maclaughlin & Kraus mentioned the CW when mentioning the fictitious Park Avenue Confidential -- juicy goodness like a crisp, succulent gala apple. Delish.

Maclaughlin & Kraus created characters that are genuine -- whether they are genuinely good or greedy fame & fortune seekers.

Jesse is an amazing, caring & intelligent young adult who has integrity. She has morals - yep, imagine a reality star that isn't caught up w/ the fake fake! Yippee! Hats off to Maclaughlin & Kraus for this endearing quality in the delightful Jesse!

Drew is also a refreshing addition who is charming & diverting. Toss in the wicked fame & fortune hunters & you've got a spectacular read.

The Real Real isn't brimming w/ mindless fluff & senseless drivel. The Real Real delivers a message behind the tantalizing tale.

Maclaughlin & Kraus penned an edgy, entertaining & savvy look into the world of reality TV w/ The Real Real.

The Real Real is not to be missed missed.

Grab a copy of The Real Real & enjoy the dog days of summer!

Check out Emma Maclaughlin & Nicola Kraus @ www.emmaandnicola.com/.

Pandora's Daughter ~ Iris Johansen

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pub. Date: April 2008
ISBN-13: 9780312368050
384pp


@ the age of 15, Megan Blair was orphaned & raised by her Uncle Phillip. Now an Atlanta pediatrician, Megan hears terrified voices.

Disclosure arrives when childhood friend Neal Grady, who is now a shadowy government agent, appears to apprise Megan of her psychic powers. Neal is also there to warn her: Molino-the merciless villain who murdered Megan's mother, concluding her touch killed his son-is targeting Megan next.

Molino thinks Megan was born to an ancient Sephardic family of psychics & plans to force her to reveal the location of the Ledger, a book that contains the family's secrets & finances. Molino then plans to kill her, if Megan, Neal and Neal's sidekick, Jed Hartley, don't get to him first.

Looks like another dud from the camp of Johansen. I think it is best to stick to the books featuring Eve Duncan & company !

Bottom line, this was . Boring!

It was a contractual fulfillment plain & simple. Johansen was trying way to hard to make a name for herself in the paranormal arena. NOT! Johansen better stick to telling stories she knows how to write or shut down the computer.

Check out Iris' books featuring Eve & the interesting characters Johansen is capable of creating @ http://www.irisjohansen.com/index.html.

You've Been Warned ~ James Patterson & Howard Roughan

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Pub. Date: September 2007
ISBN-13: 9781615563913
384pp


Synopsis:

Kristin Burns is making her way in New York City. Her photos are being considered at a major Manhattan gallery, she works by day with two wonderful children, and the man of her dreams is almost hers for keeps. But just as everything she's ever wanted is finally within reach, her life changes forever--with one murderous nightmare. Kristin wakes up every morning from the same chilling, unforgettable dream. And suddenly, it's visiting her during the day too. As her life turns stranger by the minute, Kristin is haunted and terrified. Is it all in her head? Or is the nightmare becoming her life? Kristin searches desperately for what's real through the lens of her camera, only knowing two things for sure: that no place is safe and the fate of everyone she loves lies in her hands.

It is obvious Patterson is going for quantity & not quality in this bizarre but boring attempt @ infusing supernatural elements into You've Been Warned.

I think he was trying to branch out into the supernatural arena -- maybe it was my mind trying to grasp the dreadfully peculiar happenings.

Patterson's signature short chapters, speedy nonsensical storyline & ever present co-author is packaged into a snoozefest.

You've Been Warned...

Grab the Tylenol.

Walk Run away!!!

I ♥love♥ Patterson's Alex Cross series but this novel is best stored away for when there is a toilet paper shortage!



Check out James Patterson @ www.jamespatterson.com.

Eyes Like Stars ~ Lisa Mantchev

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pub. Date: July 2009
ISBN-13: 9780312380960
Age Range: Young Adult
368pp
Series: Theatre Illuminata Series

Synopsis:

All her world's a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She's not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.

That is, until now.

Enter Stage Right

NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.

COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE'S sidekicks.

ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie's weakness. The symbol of impending doom.

BERTIE. Our heroine.

Welcome to the Theatre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Theatre by The Book--an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family--and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Open Curtain

Looks like Eyes Like Stars may be the breakout read for 2009!

Lisa Mantchev's Eyes Like Stars kicks off like gang glitter busters!

It is hard to fathom Eyes Like Stars is Lisa Mantchev's debut. With Mantchev's lyrically stunning prose you are taken to a bewitching world resplendent in drama, humor, romance & whimsicality.

Mantchev is a phenomenal storyteller. Eyes Like Stars is an inspired novel overflowing w/ luminosity.

Mantchev has created a delectable cast of alluring, amusing, salty & sprightly characters.

Mantchev's audience will just crave even more from The Théâtre Illuminata. There are times when you can't seem to turn the pages fast enough & there are times when you want to ease up because when you reach the end of Mantchev's engaging fairy tale you will be chomping @ the bit for Book Two in The Théâtre Illuminata trilogy.

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is as effervescent as champagne bubbles on New Years Eve. Bertie is capricious, determined, fun-loving & vibrant.

Mantchev's description of the fairies is spot on! Fairies are adorable, devilish, frolicsome & pugnacious. Brava to Lisa for capturing the precise essence of Cobweb, Moth, Mustard Seed & PeaseBlossom.

Eyes Like Stars is strikingly scribed with Mantchev's fervent & scintillating dialogue. The storyline is an imaginative & an authentic fantasy extravaganza!

Whew! Mantchev possesses the goods to create a mystical contemporary fairy tale that would make Hans Christian Andersen rush to The Théâtre Illuminata for front row seats!

I do want to mention some may be confused in the beginning of Eyes Like Stars w/ all the scene changes & théâtre jargon but trust me once the stage is set -- you will enjoy the show!

Lisa Mantchev is a visionary talent & you will not be disappointed!

I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes:

"The only reason I'm friends with any of you is because I outgrew the vonTrapps, one annoying Austrian at a time"

Grab a copy of Eyes Like Stars.

Eyes Like Stars should be packaged with an eye mask, cucumbers, cupcakes & scrumptious fudge : }.*Hint*. lol.

Don't say I didn't warn you...

So, wanna Taste the Bad Candy ?!

The Demon's Lexicon ~ Sarah Rees Brennan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pub. Date: June 2009
ISBN-13: 9781416963790
Age Range: Young Adult
336pp


Synopsis

Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again.
Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is desperate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.
Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.


Ok, let me say the Winchester brothers can definitely take Nick & Alan to the next level. Am I the only one who connected the dots? C'mon, admit it... you did. If not... Ah! Light bulb moment. LOL.

Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon is definitely movie worthy. Listening Hollywood? Spielberg? Howard? Lucas? Bruckheimer? Just sayin'...

Brennan's Ryves brothers are unequivocal, well written & intriguing! Brennan could of just written half the literary pyrotechnics & The Demon's Lexicon would still be electrifying!

Brennan's debut is the just the tip of many great works of fiction to come from this amazing scribe.

Nick is a determined character w/ an acerbic wit that distinguishes him from the standard male leads in today's young adult fiction. Vision's of Potter dance in my head. Nick could be distant kin to the incomparable Potter boy. I don't know, there is just something that sits on my shoulder & pokes me w/ this slight comparison.

The Demon's Lexicon is set in contemporary London rich w/ action, raw w/ emotion & a dark, fast-paced read. Infact, you may find yourself sneaking off to read The Demon's Lexicon because you just have to know why...

Nah... you'll have to read it to find out. Nope! No spoilers from me.

Nick's raw personality is engaging & Alan... well... WOW!!!

Mae is a secondary character tossed in as the "it girl" you know, the one that catches the Ryves' brothers eyes... Well, there is more to Mae than being the prize to the boy w/ the most toys. She is a strong willed character w/ spunk & a fierce devotion to her brother Jamie. Jamie is an interesting character & I am restless to learn more about him in the second installment.

Mae & Jamie are not just filler Brennan tossed in to move the plot along, they are magnetic players that shine on their own.

Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon doesn't just toss everything @ you & leaves you shaking you head in disbelief, it builds to a crescendo. Well, not to spoil any of the pulse pounding deliciousness... the pinnacle is shattering! 'Nuff said!

Brennan does an excellent job unraveling secrets. Brennan's twists & turns propels the plot to spine tingling heights! Kudos to Brennan for making The Demon's Lexicon read like a 3D film.

Please, pass the popcorn & diet vanilla Pepsi!

Nick is an arrogant teenage boy who comes across unlikable, but you just smirk @ his 'tude & find yourself loving & hating him. So, Nick tends to be an enthralling character you love to hate!

Alan is alluring & that's all you're getting from me!

Brennan pens a world of body inhabiting demons, nefarious magicians & tosses in whimsy to make The Demon's Lexicon so darn entertaining!

Nick & Alan's mom's intermittent presence made me want mom around more, but Brennan did a marvelous job creating her. Nick's strife & turmoil pulsated so intensely I kept holding my breath! Just thinking about it now has my skin prickling.

The Demon's Lexicon's ending is mind-blowing!

So, grab a copy of The Demon's Lexicon!

Check out Sarah:

http://www.sarahreesbrennan.com/

http://sarahtales.livejournal.com/

http://www.myspace.com/sarahreesbrennan

Sweet Love ~ Sarah Strohmeyer

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: June 2009
ISBN-13: 9780451226907
368pp


Synopsis:

Betty Mueller believed she did right by secretly ending her daughter Julie's relationship with Michael Slayton, a wild, older neighborhood heartthrob. Twenty years later, Betty has come to realize her mistake. Workaholic Julie is now the single mom of a teenager—and Michael, the one man who could make her happy, has been out of her life for the past two decades.Determined to make amends, Betty schemes to reunite the couple in a dessert class. And with the love of her mother and daughter, her own determination, and lots of chocolate, Julie's chance for romance is all the higher...



I LOVE Sarah's Bubbles series. I am a Bubbles head & proud of it (yes, I am a yahoo carrying member). I am also going to say, my heart belongs to the Bubbles series & nothing Sarah writes will be as good as Ms. Yablonsky's hilarious series! For real! I mean, hello Bubbles Unbound scooped up the Agatha Award for best first novel in 2001.

That said & out of the way, I will say Sarah has whipped up a savory morsel in Sweet Love. This is Sarah's best stand alone to date.

Sweet Love is delectable. Sarah Strohmeyer has created a beautifully written novel that dares you to care & get invested in Julie's life. Julie is a single mom doing her best to do the right thing. When I think of Julie, the word mosaic comes to mind.

Sweet Love is a heart-rending novel rich w/ emotion. Michael is a brilliant gem. He simply steals the show. Julie's mom, Betty, reminds us just how precious our mom's are. Strohmeyer hits a home run delving into the heart of mother/daughter dynamics. Strohmeyer shimmers as she tenderly & realistically gives us a peek into the lives of Julie & Betty. *Tissues*.

Sweet Love is a quick read that packs an ardent wallop. Strohmeyer's writing is so riveting, you can't help but empathize w/ Strohmeyer's delghtful cast of characters.

Strohmeyer's Sweet Love is as frothy as a chocolate soufflé. Sheer bliss.

Sweet Love is a bit slow to simmer but as soon as Michael appears the book bubbles over w/ yummy goodness.

Strohmeyer tosses in a plot twist @ the end that took me by surprise. Kudos to Sarah for penning such a charming novel that invites you into the hearts & souls of the sweetest characters to come along in a long time.

The cover is heavenly, huh? Magnolia bakery anyone...

Check out Sarah @ http://www.sarahstrohmeyer.com/.

Wanna...

Read the Prologue

Bake...

Sweet Love Dessert Recipes

Quickly...

Buy The Book

Swoon ~ Nina Malkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pub. Date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 9781416974345
Age Range: Young Adult
432pp


Synopsis

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him -- but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent -- and irresistible -- adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.
What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?


Got Edge? Yes! Got Steamy? Yes!


Nina's Malkin's Swoon is a rich, sinister novel that is not to be missed. Definitely not your cookie cutter YA paranormal novel. Malkin carves a stone & inserts gritty goodness into the young adult paranormal genre. Dare I say, sinfully scrumptious! Yes, I dare say, Malkin's Swoon is sinfully scrumptious w/ a twist of naughty!


Candice (Dice) is an engaging character that makes you sit up, take notice & give a darn about her & her fevered emotions. Dice is not flat, flavorless or insipid like some "popular" paranormal characters (thank you, Ms. Malkin). Dice is effervescently sketched, savvy & abundantly layered. Kudos to Malkin for introducing a heroine we all can root for.


Malkin is a story connoisseurs high end goods. She knows how to create well developed characters & an atmosphere that is hauntingly decadent. Malkin has skills & Swoon displays them.


Dice's feelings for Sin may be really distorted but you do sympathize -- some may even identify with -- her rationale. Thanks to Malkin's superb writing you empathize w/ Dice's fervent emotions instead of thinking Dice is a demented head case.


Swoon packs a wallop & remains w/ you long after you close the book. Malkin has delivered a provocative tale.


A definite addition to your reading list this summer & one to keep handy for rainy days.


Psst! Sex & drugs are an everyday occurrence to young adults & Swoon does allude to those issues, so keep it in mind when recommending this book to adolescents.


Hurry & pick up a copy of Swoon & enjoy the entrancing world of Nina Malkin.


Check out Nina @ http://www.ninamalkin.com/