Review: Glitz

Glitz by Philana Marie Boles

Release Date: February 3rd 2011

Review: While I'm always looking for the latest novel centering on music, GLITZ would fit more squarely with an appreciator of hip-hop. If you've ever been an over-the-top fan of a certain band or musician, you'll relate to these two girls wanting to get up close and personal with Piper MC and his crew, the girls not only meet him backstage but manage to travel on the road with the group for a few days. Ann Michelle feels totally out of her depth having bailed on her grannies curfew to support her best friend as she aims for the stars with her singing career.


For the first half of the novel, I was seriously considering why musicians trying to make their way up in the biz would be bothering with a couple of teenage schoolgirls but a few things come to light later on that not only shock but explain what's going on in the background. I was almost annoyed at how many times Ann-Michelle ignored her instincts to continue on the road-trip, if it was me I would've turned right around when the shots broke out at the party house but it's not until a major milestone happens that sets her mind right to return home.


Raquel isn't an easily liked character, she's super-confident and willing to step on almost anyones toes to get her name in lights. She doesn't mind stealing credit cards or bad-mouthing the guys in the band who have helped along her career in the tiniest bit just to get where she wants to be.


Overall, this novel casts a dark light on the music industry of today and while it was an easy read, I failed to completely connect with the characters. The fact that this novel has received so little attention online is a clear statement as to whether you should pick up this book.

THREE OUT OF FIVE STARS

Waiting on Wednesday #32

Beauty Queens 

by Libba Bray 

Released: May 24th 2011

I can't even put into words how much I dislike the cover art for this book and I've never actually attempted a novel by this author but the idea of pagent contestants stuck on a desert island sounds amazing. A little bit like Lost and Toddlers & Tiaras combined.

Summary from Goodreads: From bestselling, Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray, the story of a plane of beauty pageant contestants that crashes on a desert island. Teen beauty queens. A "Lost"-like island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to emall. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror! Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count.

(ARC) Tour: Strings Attached

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell | Kit Corrigan has always dreamed of being a star. But in order to get there, she needs to break up with Billy, who's going to Korea, and leave her family in Providence, Rhode Island, to move to New York City. There, she finds small roles and a city that's tough to live in.After she meets with Billy's father, Nate, things get a little easier. But Nate is a lawyer who defends mobsters, and soon Kit realizes that she has to do what he asks of her. Kit's life starts to feel beyond her control, especially once she uncovers a mystery that she needs to solve in order to protect the people she loves.As she did in her National Book Award-winning What I Saw and How I Lied, Judy Blundell traps readers in a web of deceit, intrigue, and profound moral questions. The result? One stunner of a novel.

SIGN-UPS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS TOUR.

1. Melissa | KY
2. Gabrielle | NC
3. Twan | FL
4. Jessica | CA
5. Kathy | UT
6. Jana | MT
7. Jessica | WA
8. Misha | India
9. Monique | Australia

Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

What You'll Need to Start a YA Blog...

With new blogs popping up every day, I thought I'd share some of the things I've picked up in just over a year of blogging.

HTML Skills:
Surprisingly, you won't need to know much about HTML. Blogger has everything set up as easy as pie so even your granny could italicize her entire post.

Interest:

The only interest you'll need is in reading and sharing your experiences of this. Don't fret if you've only read one book this week, month or year that'll all change when you start a wish list and can't stop it from growing.

Money:

Truth be told, you could run a blog on almost no cash at all. Of course, you'll need regular access to the internet but other than that a free layout should keep you covered for a few months. Hit up your local library to get ahead with reviews and do your best to avoid The Book Depository at all costs to save your bank account.

Personal Info:

The great thing about running a blog is you don't need to share a great deal of personal info about yourself. It's fairly common for followers to not have the faintest idea what their host looks like or even know where they're from but I personally love to read blogs with lots of personality in the writing, it makes for a more fun experience. 

Programs:

The minimum is really a web browser of your choice and maybe a calendar to keep track of post dates. A web cam is an optional extra if you'd like to make a video edition of In My Mailbox every now and then.

Services:

There are a few options when picking a host for your book blog (wordpress, tumblr, etc) but for the most part you'll find all the YA kids on Blogger. An email account is a must if you're planning on contacting authors for guest posts or hosting giveaways and you'll find Goodreads will become your brand new best friend to help organize your books and reviews.

Time:

As little as a couple hours on the weekend when you're starting out. Once you get a bit more addicted, you'll find yourself forgetting about facebook in favor of checking out the new comments on your blog.

Writing Skills:

Basic grammar and spelling is all you really need, I'm nothing close to an aspiring author and I'm doing okay for now. Writing reviews can be a little tough at first but once you find your comfort zone, it'll get a lot easier. 

Got something bugging you about your blog? Leave a question in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out.

In My Mailbox #57

It's been a crazy week filled with so much Christmas preparation but it's now all over and we have the new year to look forward to. By the time this post goes live I should already have my brand new e-reader so we'll have to wait and see if my collection of physical books starts to suffer. For more information on the blogospheres obsession with In My Mailbox, check out The Story Siren.

Anna and the French Kiss | The Lying Game

So much raving has been done about ANNA that I have to read it asap, I'm hoping all the hype won't cancel out it's awesomeness. I  really enjoyed Pretty Little Liars so I'm hoping The Lying Game series is just as good.

Forgotten | Trapped

Although I haven't heard much about FORGOTTEN, it looks really good and reminds me a bit of 50 First Dates. The cover on my version is super pretty and I'm shocked to say it isn't released until June, safe to say I'll have at least read it by then. TRAPPED is about a couple students stuck inside their school during a snowstorm, I can't imagine ever having to go through this but I'm sure it'll be a captivating read.

Q: Which of these books would you read first?

(ARC) Tour: Fury of the Phoenix

Fury of the Phoenix (Kingdom of Xia #2) by Cindy Pon | Cindy Pon’s debut novel Silver Phoenix was called “fluid and exhilarating” in a starred review from Booklist, and Meg Cabot called it “an addictive gem.” In this companion novel, seventeen-year-old Ai Ling—her powers stronger than ever—stows away aboard a cargo ship in order to protect devastatingly handsome Chen Yong during his quest to locate his father. Masquerading as brother and sister, Ai Ling and Chen Yong face demonic predators on the ocean voyage, but their biggest threat comes from the kingdom of the dead. Part supernatural page-turner, part love story, and altogether stirring, Fury of the Phoenix further heralds the arrival of Cindy Pon as a stellar author of paranormal romance and fantasy. (less)

If you're interested in participating in this blog tour, please first sign-up here and then comment on this post with your name and location.

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Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

Waiting on Wednesday #31

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher

Released: 10th May 2011

I'm not much of an art fan but Vanessa sounds like a wonderfully, quirky character who'll be fun to read about and I can't wait to see where the mysterious James leads her and what her adventures are like working in an environment she loves.

Summary from Goodreads: Vanessa is wise beyond her years. She's never really fit in at school, where all the kids act and dress the same. She's an artist who expresses her talent in the wacky colors she dyes her hair, her makeup and clothes. She's working on her biggest art project, and counting the days until she's grown up and can really start living. That adult world seems closer when Vanessa gets her dream job at the art supply store, Palette, where she worships the couple who runs it, Oscar and Maye. And she's drawn to a mysterious guy named James, who leads her into new, sometimes risky situations. Is she ready for this world, or not?

(ARC) Tour: My Unfair Godmother

My Unfair Godmother (My Fair Godmother #2) by Janette Rallison | Tansy Miller has always felt that her divorced father has never had enough time for her. But mistakenly getting caught on the wrong side of the law wasn't exactly how she wanted to get his attention. Enter Chrysanthemum "Chrissy" Everstar, Tansy's fairy in shining, er, high heels. Chrissy is only a fair godmother, of course, so Tansy's three wishes don't exactly go according to plan. And if bringing Robin Hood to the twenty-first century isn't bad enough for Tansy, being transported back to the Middle Ages to deal with Rumpelstiltskin certainly is. She'll need the help of her blended family, her wits, and especially the cute police chief 's son to stop the gold-spinning story from spinning wildly out of control. Janette Rallison pulls out all the stops in this fresh, fun-filled follow-up to the popular My Fair Godmother. 

If you're interested in participating in this blog tour, please first sign-up here and then comment on this post with your name and location.

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Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

The Best of 2010 in Books

I feel very privileged to have read so many awesome books lately so I thought I'd take you back to some of my favourite releases of the year especially due to the difficulty I can clearly recall having faced in the teen section of my local library before finding the amazing blogging community. If I inspire your wish list in even the slightest way, I'd love to hear about it and would feel completely accomplished.


My favourite books of 2010:

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
Read from March 09 to 11, 2010
Why Did I Like This? Can you imagine a class at school which requires you to be paired up with a fellow student in a marriage type situation for your entire senior year? Well this novel delves into what it would be like, I'm sure it'd never happen in real life but the novel does bring a touch of realism along with the fun so it makes for a highly enjoyable read. I'm hoping the author announces her next release soon as I'm eagerly awaiting it.

Forget You by Jennifer Echols
Read from April 26 to May 17, 2010
Why Did I Like This? I am usually quite reluctant to pick up any sort of romance novel with even the slightest bit of a spicy cover but what i usually find is that they become my absolute favourites, just like this one. What we have here is a car accident, divorce, swimming trials and amnesia, can you fit this all in a novel... yes and Miss Echols does it so well that I'm now seeking out the rest of her collection.

Girl Saves Boy by Steph Bowe
Read from August 04 to 07, 2010
Why Did I Like This? I don't think I would've ever heard about this book if it weren't for the authors brilliant blog, Hey! Teenager of the Year which I've been following for quite awhile. I can easily say this book blew me away with it's awesomeness and I wish more people had read it so far but I'm sure it's popularity will grow next year once it's released in the US.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
Read from January 27 to February 02, 2010
Why Did I Like This? Initially, I was a little worried about reading a book recommended to fans of Glee and that also sits in the GLBT category but I can safely say this novel isn't the least bit cringe-worthy and touches on one of my favourite subjects to read about - meeting people online. It does get a little confusing with alternating chapters between characters both named Will but once you get over that, it's full of awesome and I'm sure you'll recognize at least one of the authors names on the cover as they are both big players in the YA game so go check this one out for heavens sake.

Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty
Read from March 31 to April 08, 2010
Why Did I Like This? I'm glad to say this is the second Aussie novel on my favourites list, Jaclyn Moriarty was one of the earlier humorous novels I got into and I've loved every book she's released since. I'm actually keen on going back and reading them in series now that I've learnt their is a set order.




Most Anticipated of 2011:

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen 
Released: May 10th 2011
Why I'd Like to Read This? I'm sure most of the teen girl population has at some point or another picked up a Sarah Dessen novel and for those who haven't, you really need to! It doesn't even matter what this book is about, I know I'm going to connect with the characters and rate this so very highly.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Released: January 11th 2011
Why I'd Like to Read This? Without having read the first chapter of this book online, I don't think I'd be so attached to it. Just the fact that the ins and outs of what it'd be like to have each member of my family put into a deep freeze for hundreds of years still tinkers in my mind at random times during the day.

Chain Reaction, #3 by Simone Elkeles

Released: May 24th 2011

Why I'd Like to Read This? Thankfully, it looks like the third Fuentes brother might be a little different to his siblings and the trouble all begins with his wild love interest. Anyhow, I'm hoping the series is somehow continued on from here even though it's unlikely.

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

Released: May 24th 2011

Why I'd Like to Read This? Oh what it'd be like to have an exceptional sister and a family that looks down upon you, well that is all twisted around when Abby's older sibling is put into a coma and can't defend the secrets that become unravelled.

Stay by Deb Caletti

Released: April 19th 2011

Why I'd Like to Read This? I'm not sure what the specific issue is going to be with this book but it's enough for Clara to leave behind her entire family and their home town. I'm thinking it's something to do with her boyfriend, Christian... maybe a little bit obsessive and controlling?

Q: What was your favourite book of the year and what are you most looking forward to reading in 2011?

In My Mailbox #56

This week marked both the beginning of my holidays and the first day on work experience, luckily it'll keep me occupied on the holidays and still leave plenty of free time over the new year. I'm hoping to get a few books for christmas and maybe even an e-reader but we'll have to wait and see what santa brings me! For more information on the blogopsheres obession with In My Mailbox, check out The Story Siren.

In Order of Excitement:

There's Cake in My Future | The Lover's Dictionary

I'm truly surprised that a wedding novel has caught my eye but CAKE in my FUTURE just looks so cute. So far I've read four books written by David Levithan, so it's safe to say I'm a fan and I'd love to know more about LOVER'S DICTIONARY but so far it's coming across as a story story novel for Valentine's Day.

The Secret Lives of Dresses | The Unidentified

SECRET LIVES completes the succession of adult novels for today but there just seems to be so many interesting ones released lately. I've read a couple novels where the government transforms our every day lives into technological mayhem and this looks like it could be another good title to add to that shelf.

Pretty Little Liars #1 | Bloody Valentine

Unfortunately, I've already read a couple of the PLL series books and caught the entire first season of the television show but the brand new cover of this book makes me want to re-read it asap. You should see the blood drooling from the cover of BLOODY VALENTINE in real life, it's amazing how much effort has gone into the style of this book!

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The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott 

He's looking at me like—well, like he wants to look at me. Like he likes what hes sees, and he's smiling and hiw eyes are so blue, even in the faint flow of the porch light they shine, and I nod dumbly, blindly, and then grope for the door handle, telling myself to look away and yet not able to do it. "Sara," he says, softly, almost hesitantly, and my heart slam-bangs, beating hard, and this is what it's like to want someone you can't have. To want someone you shouldn't even be looking at.

I've been wanting to order THE UNWRITTEN RULE for so long now, luckily my library got in a copy recently. It' a much thinner book than I expected but I'm sure it'll live up to the authors usual greatness as I saw in Something, Maybe not too many months ago.

Q: What are your favourite genres besides Young Adult?