The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Pages: 374
Pub Date: April 6, 2006
Author Website/Blog: http://writergrl.livejournal.com
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about, the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it

I started reading this one a few months ago, but with all the other things I had going on it got lost on my bookshelf. About a week ago I dug it up again and started to start from where I stopped. The book only got better. Granted I had to reconnect with a few characters, but that wasnt hard because I started to see them as new people :) This book really connected with me. I mean I know usually we tend to waver about books. Doesnt matter which ones. And it doesnt matter whether or not it has happened to you. It just matters if you feel like the characters are real people. And that you want to be a part of their world. This book did a brilliant job of doing that. I loved it.

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves (2010 Debut Book)

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Pages: 454
Pub Date: January 5, 2010
Author Website/Blog: http://www.diareeves.com/
Synopsis: Love can be a dangerous thing....
Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home. But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

Wow. This book was just incredible. A little more than halfway through I started thinking, 'You know this is kinda like a complete opposite of Beautiful Creatures' Yeah it was that good :)Instead of a town where no strange things occur, its a town where ONLY strange things occur. Instead of the girl having magical powers, its the boy. This book was WOW! Really, its a great book that you dont want to put down. I fell in love with Hanna, Rosalee, and Wyatt. Just a brilliant book. Granted there were parts were I went "eeew" but aside from ew moments the book was a winner. I am now DYING to read more by Dia Reeves!

Please Excuse The Mess.....

Please Excuse The Mess.... I am currently doing some construction :) So if anything looks off its me screwing up :P I promise this will bring you much more gorgeous Teens Actually Read in the near future :)

Ari

Its Here *has been for a while* Are You Ready?? *dark music*

Shadow hills E-Book that is :P

Granted I despise e-books, but who knows... with my new phone... and the fact I dont own the book itself.... *stares at links* *eek* *still debating.... book or EBOOK*

so um... ya... e books ARE evil. But if your one of them there people who loves them GO PURCHASE THIS!! *the kitten commands you too*

Okay?
Okay :)

Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt (2010 Debut Book)

Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt

Pages: 240
Pub Date: March 16, 2010
Author Website/Blog: http://lindsey-leavitt.livejournal.com/
Synopsis:When a flawlessly dressed woman steps out of an iridescent bubble and wants to know, like, now if you’d like to become a substitute princess, do you
a) run
b) faint
c) say Yes!
For Desi Bascomb, who’s been longing for a bit of glamour in her Idaho life, the choice is a definite C–that is, once she can stop pinching herself. As her new agent Meredith explains, Desi has a rare magical ability: when she applies the ancient Egyptian formula “Royal Rouge,” she can transform temporarily into the exact lookalike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right? Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras. Like, what do you do when a bullying older sister puts you on a heinous crash diet? Or when the tribal villagers gather to watch you perform a ceremonial dance you don’t know? Or when a princess’s conflicted sweetheart shows up to break things off–and you know she would want you to change his mind?

So cute. In all honesty it ended way differently then I expected! But I wont tell you about that. :P Lol. It seemed a little more aimed towards the middle grade genre but you know what! There is nothing wrong with that!  I actually want a sequel :P It was to amazing to NOT have a sequel. You know what I mean? I actually was pining after this for a while. I was so happy when I finally got to sit down and read it and Ill tell you right now. The 4 hours I spent locked away with this book? Sooo worth it. Lindsey did a great job of weaving a cute modern day fairy tale!

Lifted by Wendy Toliver

Lifted by Wendy Toliver

Pages: 272
Pub Date: June 8, 2010
Author Website/Blog: http://www.wendytoliver.com/
Synopsis: It's not what you steal. It's getting away with it that's so much fun. Poppy Browne is none too thrilled to be the new girl in Pleasant Acres, Texas--especially after her mother enrolls her in a private Baptist school. But to her delight, Poppy is pulled into the cool clique on her first day at Calvary High, and her new friends, Mary Jane and Whitney, are as genuinely nice as they are gorgeous and rich. The catch? Her new pals have a nasty shoplifting habit, and before long Poppy is also a theft enthusiast. But when the girls' addictions get out of hand and friendships are threatened, it's up to Poppy to set things right ....


Addiction. Wow. This sheds the light on an often ignored addiction. Shop lifting. And to be honest, it seems to do a pretty good job of being informative about it and the consequences. However, one thing I loved was how it showed the consequences of pushing your child. It shows how they crack under pressure and how it doesnt help if you try to push the square into the circle even more. Books dont like to show this unless they are picturing the parent as satan. This book managed to show how a parent who means well can cause a few life changing issues. It also has a ton of other things that change lives but I cant tell you! It will spoil the book ;) (haha made  you guys curious! So go read it!)

Interview With Elizabeth Kolodziej

Sooo I was lucky enough to get to interview Elizabeth Kolodziej about her and her book Vampyre Kisses. 
It was actually really cool because I got to sit there going  
"Hmm how can I think of a creative yet fun question?" 
SO! Shall we begin? I say we begin :)

This is a commonly asked question, but I need to know, a lot of authors tend to have regrets about what they could have brought up about the cover, whats your opinion on the cover?

Actually, my first idea for the cover was completely different. I wanted to have Faith’s face on the cover with two little bite marks on her wrist. But it just wouldn’t come out right. I couldn’t find an artist to do it right and I didn’t want to use a real person. I finally figured out that my image of Faith in my head was just not something I could have put out. So it took awhile but the picture of New York in black and white was great because that is where it takes place and the rose dripping blood symbolized the vampire. Everyone really seems to get a kick out of it. I ended up loving it!

Okay not really much of a question but its been poking at me, why is it Vampyre, is it something you or your publisher came up with?

Well, Vampire Kisses is the name of another book. I found that out when I wanted to publish it so it needed to be changed. But I just couldn’t think of another title that suited the story since the Vampire Kiss was such a big thing to me. So I thought it over and I decided to use the y in Vampyre as a tribute to how vampire was originally spelled for the first vampire story by John William Polidori.

You said that you were trying to write a paranormal story that hasnt been done before, but it really seemed like a medley of what has been done, is this the case, or was it just a spur of the moment?

I do not think this story is really similar to anything that has been written before. But I haven’t read every book ever written for the paranormal world. When you read this book you will find for one the rarity of the love between a witch and vampire along with the way that I blend mythology with my own ideas. This story is in my opinion original and from what the reviewers say it is very different from what people think it is going to be like.

How did you manage to maintain a good balance between so many supernatural creatures? It seems almost as if it would get confusing and difficult to write a story with more than 2 different kinds.

The way that I do this, and make it a great series, is that I try to focus on one of the supernatural beings for the book. In Vampyre Kisses, a lot of information is given about vampires and their history. Where as in the second book lots of information will be towards the werewolf history. It can get a little much for me at times with there being so many creatures in my stories but I keep lots of notes and graphs. It helps to be organized. Plus my mind is just all over the place so it really does end up working out.

And now for a true Ari question, that doesnt pertain to your book at all, just for fun ;) What is your opinion about global warming? (Do NOT be serious)

I find global warming to be a problem that might be fixed if people would just stop farting.

Where to buy the book:

Publisher’s Website: http://bit.ly/9aYtXo

Barns and Noble: http://bit.ly/dpJsLC

Amazon: http://amzn.to/byci6O

Kindle: http://amzn.to/bMzSKN

Website: www.vampyrekisses.com

Facebook.com/kweenkitten

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ejkolodziej

Giveaway Contest: http://www.vampyrekisses.com/?page_id=511 

This Is INSANE

So Im not going to do an insanely long post lecturing you guys. I dont have time for that.

But I will say this short message.

To everyone who enjoys banning books but has not read them: You are the Nazis of our generation. Congratulations, you have sunken so low as to burning books based on their covers. Enjoy your swastika covered clothing with your bonfire of amazing books. I hope you enjoy hell.

Love,

Ari

A Thank You To Sarah Dessen.

Most people call Sarah Dessen the queen of chick lit. I really feel like she is a good detox from all the supernatural/fantasy out there right now. Its refreshing. I feel like I go to my library and I see black covers with dark colors. Its all just...dark. But then I go to the bookstore and buy a Sarah Dessen and... I just... the bright covers and the uplifting story just brightens my world. Theres no angels falling from heaven, there are no 100 year old vampires falling in love with a 16 year old girl, there are no kids who discover tehy have abnormal powers, there are no werewolves. I mean granted I fell  in love with those things but after a while they become old. Its almost as if those things become stale. And then I spend a day or two in the REAL world of a Sarah Dessen novel and I look at all those books freshly. I just. I love Sarah Dessen. Shes amazing. Ive always loved chick lit. She helps keep me hooked on waht I have always loved.

I guess I shall finish this fairly easily.
Thank you Sarah Dessen. Youve helped me stay who I am. Not a crazed person walking around bitign people.
Thank you so much.
Ari

Tell Me A Secret by Holly Capula (2010 Debut Book)

Tell Me A Secret by Holly Capula

Pages: 256
Pub Date: June 22, 2010
Author Website/Blog: http://www.hollycupala.com/
Synopsis: Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one… In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own. Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.

God I just loved this. It had a lot more skeletons behind closed doors then I thought it would. But really, thats what made this book incredible. I honestly, do not feel that I can put this book into physical words. It really put a great perspective on how one huge thing can affect someones whole life. Most books dont like to delve into the mind of someone who has suffered loss, and is suffering change at the same time. They usually choose one or the other. So this, was a huge thing to me. Tell Me A Secret was so much more real then most books about teen pregnancy. It had the family tension, it had the isolation, it had every little detail that we may see someone or we may experience during our teenage years. This book was just amazingly written and really touched my heart. I absolutely adored it.

9.11

It is tradition for me, to post this short story I wrote a few years ago, on the anniversary of 9.11. I tend to tweak this story every year based on how my knowledge of the situation grows. Please remember, this date was important, it was the only time after Pearl Harbor that we were attacked on our own soil. This date is yet another date that shall live in infamy.

It is 9.11.

--

My eardrums are exploding from all the noise and screaming. I am covered in a thick coating of ash. We never thought anything like this would happen. I see mothers, wives, children, husbands, fathers, all receiving, news, good or bad. Or others anxiously awaiting news hoping it wont drastically change their lives. I grope around looking for people I can help. I try to remember what happened, something that happened so quickly, destroying so many peoples views on life. It was a plane. Nothing seemed wrong. We, as pedestrians continued to move along, in our daily routines that were part of the rush of the city. Then, before we realize it ash, fire, and debris hit us from behind. Suddenly, the rest of the world is a blur, people hear screams of pain, the crumbling of a building, and soon, we would hear the crash and burn of another plane into a building. We were simply pedestrians. Yet, a half hour after we walked out of our homes ready to start the day we are rushing around helping each other. Comforting the families in tears. Or the families hopelessly praying for their loved ones. I help the others up as we go around. We were too close to the world trade center. It sent us flying in the air as it dusted up. But we were also lucky, we werent the ones immediately killed as the plane slammed into the framework of the building. I go around, trying to help and comfort as many as possible, but for some it is simply too late. Our lives are forever changed. No one will ever be the same, and so many are killed. This is the date everyone will remember as 9.11.

--

A/N: I myself hold 9.11 close to my heart because every week my dad gets on a plane and flies to his job. The reality is the world is a scary place.

The even scarier and sadder reality? My dad is stopped in airports by security all the time just because of how he looks and his name.

He is isreali. 

However, this does not matter to 9.11. On 9.11 he was standing in the airport. The exact same airport that the terrorists left from.

He did not board any of the hijacked flights. His flight was delayed. And while waiting he discovered what had happened in New York.

He showed up at our home in Arizona in a rental car later.

I do not cry when I see the world trade center fall, because the sad reality is I was to young to remember what happened. 

But I do have a heart, and I feel for all the families who lost someone dear. 

Do not think of America today.

Think of the families of someone who died because of an act of hatred.

ARI

Some Balance In My World

Ive decided my small little world needs a little bit of balance. Ive just been so overwhelmed with school, and writing, and running this blog.

I also feel that if I find a way to balance all three worlds out, the "left in the dust" thing will slowly become less of an issue, because my life wont be centered around this blog.

Im sorry about doing this to you guys but I thought long and hard about it.

My new schedule for the week is currently as stated below (subject to change)

Monday-Review

Tuesday-Trying to promote the blog (if you want to help, PLEASE, I need all the help possible)

Wednesday- Me time. 
Thursday-Review
Friday-Me Time
Saturday-Short post and promotion
Sunday-Me Time


Thank you, you guys. You have all been so understanding and amazing so just... thank you for understanding this is something I need to do. Its just healthier for me. 


I just feel, I should be putting in as much effort that I am receiving from readers. If I have few readers, then I will put my best effort. If I had tons of readers, I would be putting forth a great step of excellence, such as 3 paragraph reviews (if you wanted them) or updating every other day.


Really though, thank you for being able to understand I am a human. I wish I could be superwoman. But Im not.


Ari

A Sadness That Fills My Soul....

So...
Ya, back to the whole, "left in the dust" thing...

Its just... as you sit there and see all your friends going somewhere in the blogging world. And your sitting there. With your blog empty.

As they enjoy their success you paste on a plastic smile and tell them how happy you are for them.

You arent. Your filled with jealousy.

You want it to be you.

They talk with authors. They have requests for reviews thrown at them. They are asked to do everything.

And what are you doing?

Your sitting in your room alone.

Reading a book you got from the library.

Because whenever you try to reach out to a publisher.

They brush you off.

So you die a little more inside with each attempt.

Until you are writing a post like this.

For all my friends who are going somewhere with their blogs, Im sorry if this has made you feel guilty.

As for me. I guess Ill continue to be stuck reading library books.