Fabulously Young ePubs!

Hey, Blog Buds, the other Decadent YA authors and I are throwing together a group blog, so I'll be transitioning to that this weekend as Enduring Romance goes into retirement.  If you are or know anyone who is an *ePublished* Young Adult author, please let us know!  We're all Decadent right now, but we'd like to include non-Decadent authors to spread the love.  Fabulously Young ePubs

Five Star Review for CRUSHED SUGAR!

CRUSHED at I Heart YA Books

What Matters Most?

Most of the young adult fiction I write has to do with people saving the world. (Hell, that's what most of my fiction deals with in some way.) But as we know from super-hero movies, even when you're saving the world, you still have a life. So at what point does one fall prey to the other?

I have a tendency to come into popular TV series late. Buffy the Vampire Slayer? I started watching in season 6. Smallville? Uh...on DVD right around the time it ended its run. (Yay for jumping on Supernatural from the start! But...it doesn't take place in high school, so we'll save that for another day's analysis.) But one great thing about watching so much of these shows all at once is that the trends kind of whack you over the head with a two-by-four.

Buffy and Angel I understood. He was instrumental to helping her save the world (or occasionally trying to destroy it himself) more than once. So that was a romance that fit right in with her being the chosen one. But her other romances? Not quite as much.

And don't even get me started on Clark Kent. Seriously, boyo, save the world or get the girl.

There's a delicate balancing act when you're dealing with world-ending matter and dating. How many times did Clark have to ditch Lana to go be a hero before she got the message that he had something more important going on? (Granted, he did, but since she didn't know, that isn't the point.) And Buffy? The only boyfriends that stuck for that girl were the ones who also weren't quite "normal", and every one of them that lasted knew she was the Slayer. And you know that the love interest always ends up in trouble, especially if they aren't super-(or supernatural)-powered.

So how does a character decide what matters most? The love-interest or "the world"? One's immediate and one's...kind of vague. The balance of one life you know and care intensely about weighed against the many strangers. And what does that decision say about them as a "person"? The copout, of course, is that they can manage to save everyone. Sometimes it works. Sometimes though, it just looks like a cheat.

As a writer, it's something I try to weigh very carefully, because reality says it can't work every time. At some point, the character has to decide and someone has to lose.

YA Decadent Authors Chat Tonight!

at The Romance Studio

Decadent YA Chat for Blog Tour

It's tomorrow night, July 6th.  Come and be entered into the Blog Stomp's prize drawings!
Decadent YA Chat at the Romance Studio

Decadent Publishing YA Blog Tour Starts Today!

Good morning, Blog Buds!
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My publisher, Decadent, kicks off its month-long blog tour today, starting at home with Let's Get This Party Started!   This one's hosted by fellow YA author, Leslie Soule who is also one of my editors.

Leave a comment under this post or any other related post here or at one of the other participating blogs and you will be entered into the prize drawings.

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Grand Prize:  An Amazon Kindle loaded with SIX eBooks!

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First Prize:   a free eBook each month for 12 months

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Second Prize:  a free eBook each month for 6 months.

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Additionally, each stop on the blog tour will have a drawing for an eBook on its assigned day.

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This blog's stop is July 7th. 

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Today's stop is at Daily Dose of Decadence



Spy Girl: The Dark Side of Midnight by Carol Hedges

June 2005, Usborne books
272 pages, Paperback
Children's 11+, thriller-ish

Summary from Usborne.
Jazmin Dawson is a super-cool secret agent with hi-tech kit and a hi-octane life of crimebusting... in her dreams! In reality, Jazmin is a schoolgirl with a serious snack habit, whose biggest battles are with her maths homework. But then everything changes. Jazmin’s mum, who is a spy, goes missing and Jazmin is sent to rescue her. Stepping off the plane in Prague, Jazmin finds herself at the centre of an international mystery, and with a dangerous mission to infiltrate a rogue scientific institute.

Enjoying Ally Carter's spy series (ok so I've only read the first one to date..I do have the rest!), this one really caught my eye. It sounded awesome. Only at first I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd expected to. The style of writing is a bit different to what I'm used to, because there was a lot of pov changes in quite quick succession. I found it a little difficult to read the first paragraph of each section because of the style of font it was in, but that's a formatting issue.

It didn't take long before I was used to the style, and totally in love with Jazmin. I had formed several theories (just like Jaz) about what her cousin Clea was doing when she was away.((Jaz was staying with her cousin, aunt and uncle while her mother was away - she didn't want to be there! Clea didn't want Jaz hanging around, and kept disappearing. The mystery about Clea thickens when Jaz finds out that her cousin isn't actually with her friends - apparently Clea is with Jaz! Since they clearly aren't together, Jaz starts investigating) They were all wrong. I loved how Jaz dealt with everything thrown at her - she's so like me in some of the decisions she makes and her viewpoints. It's nice how imperfect she was, especially with loving snacks, and then realising she could get healthier by cutting down on them and switching what she eats. Her thoughts are very comical.

I think it was the way all the viewpoints started connecting together, then the way the links got thicker as the story progressed which grabbed my interest the most. I was sitting thinking 'oooooooo' as the book got closer to the end. Yes this is primarily a spy novel. It involves nutters (they are!). It also involves a key figure popular in children's & young adult fiction - angels. This angel isn't sweet - it's extremely scary! I was pretty freaked out by what it did. As for the end - that really blew my mind away. And Jaz's. Poor thing. Her cousin hadn't changed too much by the end of the story - which in some ways was a shame, but not entirely unexpected. As for Jaz - she changed a lot. She had to grow up very fast. Skip the next paragraph if you don't want minor spoilers.

Here's a minor spoiler: Jaz meets a guy who turns out to be more than he seems. Jaz doesn't know this though. Ever. There's a misunderstanding, they fall out, then tragedy strikes. How annoying! I was more mad than upset about this. Until what happened next...which was even more frustrating because Jaz doesn't know he survived! I'm so getting the 2nd book because I'm really hoping that the guy's disappearance will be an ongoing story. There's a real mystery there! 

Right back on track for everyone now. So many issues get addressed in this action packed book. Cults, parent-daughter relationships, life of high flying business men, a little bit of a futuristic style with some of the houses, paranormal with angels,  mild teen romance, life of spies and criminals.

This is definitely one of those books I'll be raving about to friends for a while, and insisting people check it out. Definitely gets 10/10 from me! Content wise it's relatively clean, with a bit of violence (on the gore-o-meter). Most of it is unseen violence though, all off the page.

PRETTY SOULS by Julie Particka

Making It Real

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You know that girl? The one in high school who is drop dead gorgeous and knows it, even if she doesn’t flaunt it too much? She’s the same one that can tell you exactly when a guy becomes interested in her, and she’s not afraid to approach him because she’s not guessing, she knows he’s into her. She’s often a cheerleader, but doesn’t have to be, because even without that popularity-inducing label, she’s awesome.
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Yeah. I so wasn’t that girl. Not many people are.
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Now I know books are supposed to be about fantasy, and I’m okay with adding that girl in sometimes (in her own way, Cass is close…or at least that’s the persona she presents to the world). The thing is I like to read about girls who were more like me too. Not so confident in our appearance or our ability to pick up guys. A little shy about even talking to a boy we like unless we turn on the snark, which is—let me tell you—the best way to get a date. (In case you missed it, that was sarcasm. Never let me be your dating guide. You can thank me for telling you that later.)
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It isn’t that those girls are ignored in fiction, but they’re usually the best friend or the boyfriend’s sister or some other secondary character. I prefer to put them front and center. I’m sure some of you have read Pretty Souls and are sitting back saying, “Now, Julie, Elle’s beautiful. Don’t pretend she isn’t.” To that I say, I’m not. She is beautiful, but she’s overshadowed by the fact that her younger sister is that girl, right down to the cheerleading uniform.
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Elle’s the girl who can pick out every single one of her faults, and she likes to hide everything behind attitude, baggy clothes, and studying. She’s involved in activities at school, but nothing high profile. She runs track instead of playing basketball. She’s in the color guard rather than cheerleading. She’s content to let Cass out-shine her, even though she secretly yearns to be more.
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That’s the kind of girl I was, and the kind most of my friends were. Sure, I had a couple friends who were that girl and a couple who had absolutely no desire to be anything more than their own personal status quo. But most of us? Most of us fell in the in between. So that’s something I try to really infuse my characters with, that feeling of “not quite where I want to be”. Because without it, where’s the room for growth? Where’s the journey? Sure, Elle could fight demons until she’s old and gray, but if she’s still the exact same werewolf who hates her inner beast and thinks she’s the shadow to her sister’s sunlight…what’s the point?
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So I want her to stretch her furry legs and grow and piece by piece reach for the person she’s destined to become rather than staying who she is. I wish the same thing for my own kids.
And I wish it for Cass too, because as most readers have figured out, with her nothing is what it seems, and she’s still got a long way to go. (In case that wasn’t a blatant enough clue, for those who’ve been wondering, book two is hers ;-) )
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Kimber An here.  That title is pure genius.  If you all want to learn more about Julie and her stories, please visit her site Julie Particka

CRUSHED SUGAR, a Prequel Novella by Kimber An, Reviewed by Kimber Jr.

What, another one?! Yeah, there’s another! Actually, technically it’s a prequel, and a novella one at that, so don’t expect anything huge. But it’s a back story, and who doesn’t love those?! Here we go!!

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The story opens with-who else?-Ophelia. She’s with Bianca in a restaurant when she runs into the local I’m-the-Alpha-Male-and-I-Know-It Martin Brynner, whom she’s had a crush on for the past seven years.
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But is Martin really all he seems? On the outside, he’s a cute if embarrassing guy. But the next day, the first day of school…..he changes. All of a sudden, he’s after Ophelia like a dog after a hot dog that’s just rolled off the grill. Sinister? Maybe. But for the moment Ophelia just wants to enjoy having the most popular dude in school for a boyfriend.
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And yet….Ophelia can’t help thinking otherwise when she meets Adrian Grayer, a supposed-gay guy with the griffin as his symbol and very cute blond hair. Then there’s Tristan, a black-haired guy with attitude and a fondness for Star Trek.
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Sound like your average love-triangle-romance? It’s not.
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When Ophelia finds Adrian with a broken hand, she immediately gets her mom to heal him, and then looks him up on her medical files. But according to them, he lives in a place with no house! What’s up with that?
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Of course, this isn’t totally a romance…..it’s also a comedy!! Everybody’s favorite Goth jokesters the Goth Girls are back and having a good laugh at Katelyn’s expense. When technogeek Ophelia rigs Katelyn’s food processor, she immediately wins the respect of the Goth Girls…..with a little hilarity along the way!!
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But then she gets her mind mysteriously wiped of (&F((censored for suspense))*()*** leaving her wide open to the increasingly-sinister advances of the world’s worst jerk boyfriend, Martin.
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And, that’s it! If you want the rest of the answers, you’ll have to actually READ the BOOK!!! See ya later!
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Kimber An here.  Thank you, My Baby Girl!  Momma wuv u so much!  To learn more about CRUSHED SUGAR, pop over to my main site-   About CRUSHED SUGAR
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CRUSHED SUGAR will be released on March 25th from Decadent Publishing.  If you've read SUGAR RUSH, please remember this is a *prequel.*  This means it takes place BEFORE the start of the events in Sugar Rush.  Martin starts the story fully human and has always been nice to Ophelia.  She doesn't know he's the Villain yet.
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Stay tuned for further developments as Release Day approaches!

Fallenwood by Leslie Soule

March 2011, Decadent Publishing
189 pages, ebook
Review copy

Summary from Decadent Publishing

Fallenwood—a land where magic is the life force, dragons are sages, and wizards good and evil battle for supremacy. When 16-year-old Ash is thrust into the middle of Fallenwood’s power struggles, she is also forced to face her own inner battles. Life on Earth was hard enough on Ash, who is locked in grief for her stepfather. Now, the fate of Fallenwood rests on her shoulders. She must destroy the Great Crystal—the catalyst for all the land’s magic. As the kingdoms prepare for war, Ash must look inside to find the power to save the world, and herself.

I think the cover is pretty cool, and so too is Ash. She's got a lot of qualities which I share with her. I think that Leslie might enjoy knitting. I loved the sheep with brightly coloured coats that Ashley notes wouldn't need dyeing for yarn. Definitely a knitter's dream! Equally she's emphasis placed on knitted blankets, and also a particular opinon Ash has about handcrafted items, as well as a few other hints. Having connections like that with the protagonist really helped me cheer Ash on during her adventure. Her viewpoint is often funny, with some insightful statements made. Ash's ninja statement was particularly hilarious. She likes video games - also like me! She is intelligent, and tries to think one step ahead of the action. Events get too much for her at one point which is why she succumbs to manipulation by one of the antagonists. She definitely has a mind of her own, and is determined to do what is right, even though she'll upset a lot of people by doing so. She warms to her companions, who stand by her even when she makes a mistake and forces them out of a place of sanctuary.

I loved Ash and what happened to her. Her companions had distinctive characteristics. I particularly liked Morganessa and Greymalkin - sentient cats are always amazing. Several of the plot revelations had me pleasantly surprised, and wondering what would happen next, which is always a good thing in a novel. However, I did have a few issues with the story. 

The first is the smoothness of the story flow. The story follows Ashley, but then it deviates to different characters involved in the story, following them one after the other, with a bit of time before returning to Ashley. I think perhaps there would have been more suspense if the point of view had gone from Ashley, to a different character, then back to Ashley etc. Although the information revealed was important and interesting, it felt that I'd been given it a little too easily. Plus I adore Ashley and wanted to find out how she was doing. This happened a few times. I felt the information could have been shared in a subtler way, involving Ashley more. The more it happened, the more annoyed I got. The information appeared from nowhere, with little connection to the previous chapter.  I could see a couple of places where the seemingly irrelevant chapters could have fitted into the story. Because this happened so often it did pull me out of the magic a little. 

One chapter ended abruptly and I couldn't quite make sense of it. Sometimes concepts were repeated within paragraphs of each other and they didn't really need to be. There was a character (who appeared in a few chapters) who played an important role in the story, but I couldn't really connect him to anyone. What he did was important, but it felt a little strange.

There were great forces fighting against Ash, but there wasn't much action from these people. I'd hoped for a little more danger and more scenes with the antagonists.

Ash is highly skilled at fighting, something which the enemy uses against her. However, for me this particular skill of hers wasn't used as much as it could have been. I'd expected more situations where she could prove her fighting skills.

The overall story is good, and I loved most of the ending. I was left feeling a little stunned and thinking 'wow'. The part about the ending which I didn't like was how rushed it felt. I felt that there was a whole chapter missing. What happens to Ash is a huge deal, and yet as a reader I didn't really see her view on it. Seeing as she was the protagonist, it felt weird that she wasn't examining her feelings about it.

Although the parts I have issues with are quite major, I would like to stress that I did enjoy the story.
I'll leave you with a line which I'm quite taken by (and now can't remember where I found it or who said it). The world belongs to those who see the beauty in it all.





Content is very harmless, only a few kisses, a little violence but not detail of the gory parts.

Painfully Ordinary by Stephanie Amox

December 2010,
Paperback & Ebook
Review copy

Summary from kNight Publishing

Two teenager's lives become not so ordinary...   

Caitlin and Leah are content with the slow and steady pace in their small Texan town.  They have the typical challenges of any American high school – evil girl cliques and oppressive ex-boyfriends. They see themselves as painfully ordinary…but that soon changes.

The arrival of two newcomers at school sets Caitlin and Leah on an explosive path of magic, betrayal, secrets and forbidden love.  The discovery of Caitlin’s true identity causes tremendous upheaval in her painfully ordinary life. Caitlin must learn to embrace her birthright and trust in her friends or she risks endangering them all. 

Until the final chapter, I thought this book was brilliant. In the first chapter I was both scared witless and thankful it was still daylight, as well as laughing away at Caitlin's life. This is a fun read (up until the last chapter). I really love it. Caitlin is so full of life. She is more like a sister to her best friend Leah. They know each other so well that they might as well be twins. Caitlin needs this closeness for what happens to her. It was pretty scary when Caitlin's ex-boyfriend was on the scene. He isn't a normal human either. But then neither is Caitlin. 

Discovering just how different she is provides lots of dramatic scenes. Caitlin's emotions are on display to everyone, without even trying. How many girls can bring about a thunderstorm when they are angry? She is impulsive, and can get seriously ticked off with people. Her family - both blood and magically related family - are both protective and equally liable to cause shift in weather patterns. I feel sorry for her because everything does happen so fast. It's a huge deal that the enemy is after her. 

All the various friendships and relationships are believable. Talon's pattern of speech is a little odd, but it makes sense when I found out who he was. He always puts Caitlin first, as does everyone else. It's fun reading about her because while there are a few scary times, there are some laugh out loud times which remind me of friend & family gathering that have been full of fun and mayhem.

There are a couple of issues I wasn't fond of, and once I read the last chapter I'm really not so keen on. I felt there should have been more instances when Caitlin is in danger. It seems to happen quite a bit in the beginning, but there is no culmination into a final showdown. In fact the danger seems to disappear altogether at the end, with no mention of the enemy or why they have decided to leave Caitlin well alone. I found that a pretty odd read. That part of the plot went poof, like the swarms of sparkly butterflies Caitlin can conjure up. There wasn't really further delving into Caitlin's family ties. There wasn't a wrath from the Elders about Caitlin & Talon's relationship. Everything just ended without a resolution (other than the fact that Caitlin & Talon love each other and have a special bond). 

It was a mild heat level book. However, the way that Talon and Caitlin have exchanges grossed me out a little. I know that's weird considering I read plenty of vampire stories, but I wasn't entirely comfortable with it all. 

I think I have mixed feelings about this book. The majority was exhilarating, fun and with a good mixture of creepiness and joy. But the minor grumbles I have with it are pretty big. I think I will be reading it again, just because of how awesome most of the book is. Even if this is a book in a series, which I think it might be, I still think there could have been more appearances by the enemy, more stakes, and have something conclude at the end. Even with my reservations, I still recommend this book because it'll make you smile and go wow at how awesome life as a fairy can be :) 

Sneak Peek at Night Owl Ad for SUGAR RUSH and Other Decadent YA Stories

Pretty cool, huh?  http://www.decadentpublishing.com/index.php?cPath=2_32&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Before I write my blog post (which will be short this time, I'm sorry) I want to tell you all Happy New Year!  I hope your Christmas holiday was fantastic and that the new year brings you and yours all the happiness and great surprises you can hold!



For my blog post, I have an observation to make and a question to ask. The young adult market is swarming with paranormal stories (which I love, don't get me wrong). But I've seen a few historicals popping up, and I'm very interested in those. I love stories about ancient egypt and medieval/renaissance periods. The next story I have brewing will be a historical  and a bit of a change for me, which should be nice.

My question is: what do you wish you could see more of in the YA/MG world?  What time period? What draws you to or repels you from historical fiction?

Please leave a comment and tell us!

Don't Forget the Teens!

Yesterday, I noticed almost all the paper stars left on our community gift-giving tree were for teens in need. Guess it's more fun to buy toys for little kids.  Please remember the Teens this holiday season.  A good book can help a teen believe he or she can triumph over the adversities in their young lives. Here's a link to all the YA and MG books we're reviewed here to give you ideas!  Young Adult at ER  and  Middle Grade at ER

Kimber Jr.’s BOOK OF THE YEAR!!!!!!

Well, okay, that title isn’t totally honest. I’m actually doing my whole Top Ten, but my Number One is my Book of the Year, OK? .

What a year for books, too! Scott Westerfeld’s Behemoth (sequel to LEVIATHAN), Suzanne Collins’ Mockingjay (the conclusion to the Hunger Games trilogy,) and Rick Riordan’s Lost Hero, (The new Percy Jackson series, called the Heroes of Olympus) came out this year, just to name a few. There is also a bunch of movies based on books- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, and my personal favorite, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I, just to name a few.

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So here’s my Top Ten. Some are true newbies; others are old favorites; but all are worth the read.
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In the Number One Place and also taking my Book of the Year honor is…..
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(Drum roll please!!)

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS BY J.K ROWLING!!!

Bet you saw that coming, huh? This is my absolute favorite book of all time and I seriously doubt that will ever change!!

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One of my favorite things about this series is that it seriously keeps you on your toes with plot twist and villain redemptions and stuff like that. Deathly Hallows is even more so. For one thing, you don’t have the stable platform that is Hogwarts anymore. Anything can happen, and in general, everything does. Hermione and Ron have their traditional fights, and Harry contemplates the problem of Horcruxes vs. Hallows. Professor Umbridge reaches new heights of pure nastiness, Luna is her usual helpful self, and Ginny wants to get together with Harry again. Not to mention the movie’s out and it’s probably the most accurate-to-the-book one yet!!
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This is perhaps the most explosive Final Battle I’ve ever read. I won’t give away the ending, though. But I promise, this book did not get my Book of the Year honor for nothing!!!
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And now for the rest of my list. In Number Two place I have-
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PENDRAGON NUMBER SIX: THE RIVERS OF ZADAA BY D.J MACHALE
This book is my favorite in the Pendragon series for several reasons. First off, this one you see a lot of Loor, who is my favorite heroine in this series and had been practically absent in the last book. Second off, Loor and Bobby have that…..thing…..I was telling you about in my review. Third, there are at least two HUGE mysteries in this book. I figured them out, of course, but it took a while.
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Fourth, something I never, ever, in a million years expected to happen happened. A bad guy saved a good guy’s life!!! I’ll tell you, I had a time figuring out that it WAS the bad guy, but when I did I was literally reeling with shock. I’ve heard of good guys saving a bad guy’s life, but never the other way around!!!!
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I think of the Rivers of Zadaa as a bit of a transitioning book. Before, Bobby was saving worlds to keep Saint Dane at bay. The end wasn’t in sight. Also, Saint Dane had weird powers that the rest of the Travelers didn’t. What was up with that?
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Now, we find out something else is going on. Strange things are happening, not the least of which is Saint Dane saving Courtney’s life. Bobby is beginning to realize something bigger than anything he can imagine is going on. But what?
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That’s for you to figure out.
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And that’s why PENDRAGON # 6: THE RIVERS OF ZADAA is my number two favorite book!!!
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And in third place we have-
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BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA BY KATHERINE PATERSON
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This book is really sad but wonderful. There’s also a movie, so it’s pretty cool. The main characters are Leslie and Jesse, two fifth-graders who band together in the face of school bullies and other threats. They create their own fantasy world called Terabithia, which they rule together as they become closer and closer. But when an unforeseen event forces Jesse to stand alone, will he realize what he’s really learned from Leslie?
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I almost cried when I first read this. It’s weird because I knew it was coming. I even had a rough guess where it would be. But when it actually happened, it caught me totally off guard.
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And that’s why Bridge to Terabithia is my number three favorite book!
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And scoring an honest fourth is-
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ANIMORPHS NUMBER NINETEEN: THE DEPARTURE BY K.A APPLEGATE
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Animorphs #19: The Departure is my favorite Animorphs basically because I think it’s the funniest and it stars my favorite of the crew, morphing extraordinaire Cassie.
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Animorphs is this cool series where these five kids-Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Marco, and Tobias-have the ability to turn, or “morph”, into any animal they can touch. This power was given to them by a dying Andalite prince because the evil Yeerks are coming. Yeerks are these really weird aliens that literally slither into your brain and possess you. They have come to take over Earth. And the only thing standing in their way is-you guessed it-the Animorphs.
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In The Departure, peace-loving Cassie has reached the end of her rope. She’s had it with battles and lies and all the things that come with war. So she quits the Animorphs.
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But no sooner has she done that then she meets Karen, a small girl infected with a Yeerk named Aftran. Aftran now knows Cassie is a human, not an Andalite like the Yeerks currently think. If she tells, it’s all over. But will Cassie’s gentle ways be enough to change Aftran’s mind?
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And that’s why ANIMORPHS: The Departure is my Number Four!
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Scoring Number Five is:
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PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS NUMBER THREE: THE TITAN’S CURSE BY RICK RIORDAN
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse is my favorite of this series because it introduces three of my favorite heroines: Thalia, daughter of Zeus, Bianca, daughter of Hades, and Zoe, huntress of Artemis.
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In The Titan’s Curse, fourteen-year-old Percy Jackson is gearing up for battle. The evil Kronos is rising thanks to Percy’s old friend-turned-enemy, Luke. He is getting stronger.
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Then one day, Annabeth is captured and forced to take the Titan’s Curse. She is imprisoned along with the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, and must be rescued.
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Percy, Grover, and their new friends Thalia, Bianca, and Zoe must rescue them, but will the uneasy alliance between the campers and the Huntresses be enough to save the world?
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That’s why The Titan’s Curse takes the number five spot!
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And in number six we have:
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THE 39 CLUES BOOK SIX: IN TOO DEEP BY JUDE WATSON
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I’ll admit, I first got this book only because it involves Amelia Earhart. But now I’ve been reading the others in the series and they’re pretty good.
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The two heroes, twelve-year-old Dan and his fourteen-year-old sister Amy, have been looking all over the world for the clues to the mystery of the Cahills, a family whose branches have been collecting the Clues to a thing that will help them rule the world. Now their search has pointed them to Australia and the mystery of a famous philosopher. But when they are trapped in a fire very much like the one that killed their parents, who will save them?
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It’s no one you expect, I’ll give you that!!
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In number seven, we have-
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THE INHEIRITANCE CYCLE #1: ERAGON BY CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI
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This series is as epic as Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. Actually, I think it’s closer to the Lord of the Rings because Christopher Paolini literally made up languages for each of his peoples. It’s awesome.

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The story is about a common farm boy (or so he thinks) named Eragon who finds a strange rock in the mountains near his home. When it hatches into a baby dragon he names Saphira, it brings the forces of the dark king Galbatorix (who, in my opinion, bears a distinct resemblance to Voldemort) down on him. With the help of his new mentor, Brom, he must battle the forces of evil and save the world.
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Sound like your regular fantasy novel? It isn’t. Not by a long shot.
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In Number eight we have-
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THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA NUMBER FIVE: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER BY C.S LEWIS
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I chose this for number eight mostly because of the fact that its movie also came out this year, sometime this month in fact. It’s going to be awesome!!!
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It starts with the two eldest Pevensies, Peter and Susan, heading for America while their younger siblings Lucy and Edmund stay with their annoying cousin Eustace. But no sooner than Eustace gets on their nerves are they catapulted right back into the magical land of Narnia.
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They find themselves with their old friends Prince Caspian and Reepicheep on board the Dawn Treader, bound for lands unknown. Their mission: find seven missing lords that King Miraz exiled during his reign. What they find is far different: many magical lands with equally magical peoples, some friendly and some hostile. Will they be able to reach Aslan’s country, or will they founder on the way?
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I have three words for you: Read the book.
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And in Number Nine is-
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THE OPHELIA DAWSON CHRONICLES BOOK NUMBER ONE: SUGAR RUSH BY KIMBER AN
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I’m not biased at all for or against this book, so nobody yell when I say it’s cool. Not the most awesome book I’ve ever read in my whole entire life, but pretty good nonetheless.
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It stars Ophelia Dawson, a high-school diabetic in the remote town of Togo, Alaska. She’s one corner in a brutal love triangle involving her, the resident super-spoiled jerk boyfriend Martin Brynner and a yet unknown secret admirer. Her twin sister Bianca tries to help her, but there’s just no shaking Martin. But why is he holding on so tightly? Is he just your usual jerk boyfriend who is absolutely unable to get a hint, or is there some diabolical plot going on?
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Turns out it’s both. Sure, Martin is the ultimate jerk boyfriend. But he’s also a vampire,
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(((Kimber An here:  "Alien-Human Hybrid!"  Kimber Jr says: "If it quacks like a duck, it's a duck.  If it sucks blood...")))
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 no kidding. And he wants Ophelia for his own. Can Ophelia’s secret admirer, the secretly cute Adrian, and her new friend Brandon protect her and her family from the resident vampires?
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In short, a pretty good book of romance and vampires.
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And finally, in number ten, we have-
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THE TWILIGHT SAGA BOOK NUMBER ONE: TWILIGHT BY STEPHENIE MEYER

These books are awesome! Everybody’s so negative about them; they never get around to actually getting to know them. Though I will admit, if this was just a pure romance and it didn’t have the whole good vampire vs. bad vampire thing I wouldn’t read it. But the action is good in three out of four books, and the good vampires, the Cullen family, is awesome.
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It stars seventeen-year-old Bella Swan who’s had to move to rainy old Forks from her old home in sunny Phoenix. There she meets the charming Edward Cullen and immediately falls in love.

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As things go on, she meets the rest of the Cullens, including the true kick-butt heroine of this series, Alice. Bella’s no wimp, that’s for sure, but Alice is the true kick-butt heroine, period. Then there’s the jealous-of-Bella’s-still-being-human Rosalie, the tough brothers Jasper and Emmett, gentle Esme, and the head of the family, Dr. Carlisle.

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There’s also the nice guy Jacob, but he really only gets super-important in the next book.

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But then she meets the bad vampires, led by James, a super-mean vampire with a deep-set grudge against the Cullens. He is followed by Victoria, a rare female villainess, and Laurent, their henchman. Together, they trap Bella. Will the Cullens be able to rescue her? Or is it the end of the line for everyone?
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Oh, yeah, and there’s also a movie, and it should be good because the guy who played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Robert Pattinson) also plays Edward. I can’t wait to see it!
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There’s my Top Ten, everybody! But before I sign off, I’d like to do an Honorable Mention of the TV series:
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BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!
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This is possibly the coolest vampire series out there. It stars Buffy Summers, a sixteen-year-old girl who just happens to be the Slayer, a person who has to fight vampires. Along with her Watcher, Giles, her vampire boyfriend Angel, and her buddies Xander and Willow, she protects her home town of Sunnydale against the forces of evil. But will it be enough?

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Though the vampires aren’t the coolest-looking, overall it’s a really cool series and deserves its spot as an Honorable Mention!!!!
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Until next year, good-bye and happy hippogriffs to you!!

PENDRAGON #1: The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale

These books are awesome!! On my top ten favorite books list, it’s second only to Harry Potter. You’ll see why…..right now!

The story opens with a kiss. That’s right, a KISS! Now, that’s uncommon! It’s between our hero, Bobby Pendragon, and his girlfriend, Courtney. It’s right before the big game that Bobby is a big part of, blah blah blah.

But then, right in the middle of Bobby and Courtney’s kiss, Bobby’s Uncle Press shows up and tells Bobby that he needs his help. A bunch of people are in trouble-no kidding-and he needs Bobby’s help for some reason.

Bobby tags along somewhat reluctantly to a deserted subway, where we meet our villain-Saint Dane.

I just want to say something about this guy. Saint Dane is about the smartest villain I’ve encountered so far. Compare him to Voldemort. Voldemort is smart enough, but he focuses on the big huge take-over-the-world plot rather than work out all the kinks in his kill-Harry plots. Saint Dane isn’t like that….mostly. Sometimes he’s stupid and Bobby is able to use his mistake so to speak, but he does it a lot less often than Voldemort and the rest of them. Bobby and his friends have their work cut out for them with this guy!

Then Bobby gets flumed. Literally. See, Uncle Press and Saint Dane decide to duel it out. Saint Dane, naturally, decides to get a start on his kill-Bobby plot and tries to do just that. Just in the nick of time, though, Bobby jumps into this thing called a flume and gets transported to another dimension.

That dimension just happens to be called Denduron. Bobby finds himself dumped there, alone. Luckily, Uncle Press soon drops in and they set off.

Unluckily, Saint Dane has a little surprise for them, in the form of these creatures called quigs. They take different shapes on different territories, but for now, on Denduron, they’re these weird bear-dog beasts.

The only way to get past them is to sled. Luckily, Bobby is able to fend them off with a very high-pitched dog whistle thingy. Unluckily, though, almost as soon as they reach their destination, Uncle Press is captured by these guys called Bedoowan knights. As he gets dragged off, Bobby blacks out and the journal ends.

But the adventure isn’t over just yet. Back on Earth-actually, it’s technically Second Earth-, Bobby’s best friend Mark is having adventures of his own. He is visited by a mysterious woman who gives him a weird ring with equally weird powers-it delivers Bobby’s journals from Denduron straight to him!

However, there are even more pressing problems than oddly magical jewelry on Mark’s mind. The Pendragons have literally gone missing-not just Bobby, his mom and dad and sister Shannon too! It’s downright abnormal, provoking the police into mounting a full-out search for the missing Pendragons. They find-nothing! Literally. It’s as if the family never existed. No records, no grades, no nothing. It’s truly mindboggling.

Meanwhile, Mark confronts Courtney, who hasn’t seen Bobby since Uncle Press walked in on their kiss. The two go to Bobby’s house, only to find that it’s gone too! Weird. And, as if to underline it, Bobby’s next journal arrives and the adventure continues.

Back on Denduron, Bobby wakes to find himself in the company of two of my favorite heroines anywhere anytime, Uncle Press’s buddy Osa and her daughter, Loor. They may be a mother-and-daughter duo, but these two have complete flip personalities. Loor constantly wants to beat up on anything and anyone who strays in her way-including Bobby. (Don’t worry-they get along later. It even gets interesting at one point, to say the least. But forget I said that, OK?) Osa, on the other hand, is much calmer and constantly wants to stop Loor beating up on Bobby. They both have one thing in common with Bobby and Uncle Press, though-they’re both Travelers, though they aren’t native to Denduron, but another territory called Zadaa.

We then get to see what, exactly, is up on Denduron. The problem is the Bedoowan-remember the guys who took Uncle Press? They’re not the only people on Denduron. There are also the Milago, who are very good at mining a certain material-a mineral called glaze. The Bedoowan have enslaved the Milago, forcing them to mine more and more of the stuff, while they live in luxury.

And that isn’t the least of it. Saint Dane has taken over as the chief miner and has begun a very cruel practice-he force the Milago to mine enough glaze to balance a guy on a scale. If it’s enough, good for them. If it’s enough, the poor guy doesn’t live to see the sunrise.

Fortunately, not all the Bedoowan are bad. After an embarrassing episode involving Bobby, Loor, and a river, we meet the Traveler from Denduron-the Bedoowan knight Alder. And it’s just in time, too-not long after, Bobby, Loor, and Osa are pursued by more of the Bedoowan, and Osa is shot to death with a bunch of arrows.

That’s right. Osa is dead.

And that’s just the beginning.

The battle has barely started, and already Bobby has had second thoughts. All he wants is to go home. He isn’t even sure if he wants to try and save Uncle Press.

But Osa’s death has put things back into perspective for him. He can see that it’s not just Uncle Press’s life at stake. It’s all of their lives, from the highest Bedoowan to the lowliest Milago. You don’t know it yet, but it also has at stake the fate of everything, everywhere, that has ever been or ever will be. That’s the whole basic plot of the Pendragon series, essentially. But that gets explained later. In the meantime, it’s time for some action!

However, Bobby can’t save everything everywhere all on his own. He enlists Loor and Alder to help him rescue Uncle Press. He also enlists Mark and Courtney, who send him a bunch of stuff from Second Earth that Bobby uses to set Uncle Press free.

I have two words for you, Bobby: Bad idea!!

And boy was that a big bad idea. See, you’re not supposed to mix things between territories. We find out why when one of the Milago gets hold of one of Bobby’s batteries and uses it to set a time bomb.

On Denduron, the Milago have one big weapon: an extremely volatile mineral called tak. They were planning to use it to defeat the oppressive Bedoowan once and for all, but there’s a problem: when it explodes, it blows up just about anything, including the nearby Milago village. But thanks to Bobby, the Milago now have a way to time the bomb so the Milago can get away in time.

It’s about to get messy. Bobby, Loor, Alder, and Uncle Press get caught by the Bedoowan and sentenced to death by quig. In the middle of the execution, though, one of the Milago show up hauling a bunch of tak-rigged glaze, prepped and ready for explosion.

Will Bobby be able to figure out a way to deactivate the tak, get the Bedoowan and the Milago to work together again, defeat Saint Dane, and get all his friends out alive to boot? That, my friends, is the question. I know, but I’m not going to tell. You’ll just have to make like Hermione and get the book!



Well, that’s why I like the Pendragon series! And this isn’t the only one, either-it’s got a full ten books! The next one is called Pendragon Book #2: The Lost City of Faar. I’ll probably review it next, OK? Hey, I never said I was going to abandon you until next July! Well, see you then and happy hippogriffs to you!

Harbor Moon: Summer Romance Book 1 by Traci Mitchell

September 2010, kNight Romance Publishing Teen Bites
E-book & paperback, review copy
Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Summary from kNight Romance Publishing

Ordinary 16 year old Deanna Langsford was prepared for another boring summer with her parents on Leech Lake, but things soon changed when she met Eric Matthews. 

Her life revolved around reading paranormal romances, but never did she dream of actually meeting a wolf shapeshifter, and not to mention one so hot. 

Deanna discovers a secret about herself...one of which could cost Eric his life.

Yet another good read from a publisher I've recently discovered. Deanna really is very ordinary - at least that's how she looks on the outside. On the inside, changes occur in the fateful summer, changes which warrent a lot of time in hospital. Doctors can cure a lot of illnesses. For some there is no cure, only treatments. Yet what Deanna suffers from isn't a well known disease. Nor is it contagious. It is something she is. It's something that when she first finds bout about Eric, she wouldn't mind what the future holds. She's dead scared of him being a wolf shapeshifter, and understandably so. It wasn't as if he was saying he had a fake leg. Being a predator is something different. But Deanna learns that different doesn't mean dangerous. Slowly she overcomes her fear, and that's when the truth about her comes out. I'm really liking paranormal books where the protagonist isn't an ordinary human, where she (or he, but it's mostly she in the books I read) is something that can threaten the species of the one she loves, or could threaten another species (and thus people want to kill here)  I really enjoyed how her family paid an important role in the story. It makes Deanna easier to relate to than if she was an orphan (although I enjoy those stories too). The progression of the plot from liking Eric, to hating him, to loving him, to then be afraid to hurt him was expected, but nonetheless still an enjoyable read. I was swept up in the action scenes, and really wish that Deanna wasn't such a danger. However Eric gives her hope, and I'm looking forward to see what the future holds for the pair in book 2.

Heat wise this is a mild read.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by J.K. Rowling

Kimber An here.  Did we go to the new Harry Potter movie?  Are you kiddin'?  We dressed up and made cupcakes!  I went as Mrs. Weasley and Kimber Jr was Luna.  Okay, on with Jr's review.

Countdown to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Month Five-Book Seven-HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS BY J.K ROWLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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YESSS!!!!!!!! FINALLY, IT’S TIME FOR THE DEATHLY HALLOWS!!

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Sorry, I’m just kind of excited. You know, ‘cause the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is coming out THIS MONTH!!!!!!!Can you believe it?!?!?!!!!!

*****WARNING*****

I AM NOT DOING THE WHOLE THING!!! INSTEAD, I AM DOING IT IN HALVES SO THAT ALL THOSE WHO HAVE ONLY WATCHED THE MOVIE DON’T HAVE IT SPOILED FOR THEM. THANK YOU AND ENJOY!!

The story opens somewhere in the middle of nowhere, with a familiar face and a not-so-familiar (but still, he’s been mentioned before) face. Snape and the other guy proceed to meet Voldemort at the Malfoy’s house. The Malfoys are there, along with most of the other Death Eaters, including everybody’s least favorite maniacal Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange.

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Voldemort has captured a very special woman. You haven’t met her yet, but I say that because she used to be a teacher at Hogwarts. She taught Muggle Studies, though; that’s probably why you don’t know her. Only Hermione ever took it, and she quit it at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban.

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Now she’s in a predicament; Voldemort has her cold. And he’s not at all pleased at the way she taught her subject.

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Nagini had a very big dinner that night.

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Many miles away, we catch up to Harry himself, fresh out of the situations surrounding the Half-Blood Prince. He’s at the Dursleys’, packing to set out on his hunt for Horcruxes.

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We also see two characters we haven’t seen for a while-the Dursleys’ escorts, Hestia and Dedalus (they both have their root in Greek mythology-do you see it?). They help the Dursleys escape, and soon thereafter Harry’s ensemble comes.

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It consists of Mad-Eye Moody (the real one), Lupin, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Fleur, Bill, Mundungus, Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, Tonks, and Hagrid. They’ve devised a clever way to smuggle Harry out, and it’s absolutely hilarious. They turn some of them into Harry, with the help of some Polyjuice Potion, to make decoys, to confuse those wily Death Eaters.

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It almost doesn’t work. Voldemort himself chases Harry, and he just barely makes it to Tonks’ place in time. During the chase, he met his old buddy Stan Shunpike, remember him? Well, now he’s a Death Eater, and Harry was just a little too forgiving on him, so the Death Eaters knew it was him.

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Now, please don’t punch the screen when I say this, but I have a bit of bad news. During the chase, Hedwig was hit with the Avada Kedavra.

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That’s right. Hedwig is dead.

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And that’s just the beginning of the end.

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Once we get to safety at the Weasleys’, an anxious wait plays out. Luckily, everyone makes it….but for two. Mundungus (I never did like that guy) freaked out when Voldemort came after him and Disapparated, leaving Mad-Eye Moody to take the full brunt of Voldemort’s Avada Kedavra.

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That’s right. Mad-Eye Moody the ex-Auror is also dead.

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All in all, a rather depressing start to Book Seven-well, Harry’s stunt doubles were pretty funny, (I think) but that’s just about it. However, there is some good news: Ex-Professor Lupin and everybody’s favorite don’t-call-me-Nymphadora Tonks have gotten married!!!!! YES!! And Ron’s older brother Bill and (guess who!) none other than our old friend Fleur Delacour are also going to be married!!! Whoo-hoo! Though, you’ve got to wonder how they’re going to pull this off in the movie. In the book, they held it at the Burrow, but if you’ll recall in the movie of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it was destroyed by the Death Eaters. I’ll just have to wait and see, I guess.

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In the meantime, however, they have some other things to deal with. On Harry’s seventeenth birthday, the then-Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour visits Harry and tells him he’s come to read Dumbledore’s will.

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To say the least, Dumbledore has confused us all. To Hermione, he leaves a little book called The Tales of Beedle the Bard. To Ron, he leaves a little object we first saw way back in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone-the Put-Outer, otherwise known as the Deluminator. And to Harry, he leaves two things-Gryffindor’s sword that he used way back in Book Two to kill the basilisk, and a Snitch. That’s right, just a little Golden Snitch. Granted, it isn’t just any old Snitch-it’s the one Harry caught in his first-ever Quidditch match, way back in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Nonetheless, to all appearances, it’s just a Snitch. Or is it? That is the question. Also, about the sword, it’s currently missing, so Harry doesn’t get it. Not that those seriously annoying Ministry people would let Harry have it if it wasn’t-and it’s quite essential. But what was Dumbledore doing giving it to Harry even though he knew it was missing? We’re all sure Dumbledore had his reasons, but it’s time to move on.

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Oh, I forgot something. That morning, Ginny gave Harry a birthday kiss!! Unfortunately, Harry says they can’t go out anymore because of the hunt for the Horcruxes….but still, I see something in the works! Also, I’m going to note this is the first of two major kisses in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I’m not going to say when or between whom the next is, but I guarantee it’s worth the reading!!!

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At Bill’s wedding, Harry is disguised as a Weasley cousin and finds out some interesting things. Luna and her father Xenophilus are there, and according to everybody’s favorite Bulgarian bonbon Viktor Krum, the symbol Xenophilus is wearing is the mark of Dark wizard extraordinaire, Gellert Grindelwald. But is it? That is the question.

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Then, just as things are starting to get into swing, a Patronus courtesy of Kingsley appears and delivers some horrifying news: The Death Eaters have penetrated the Ministry and killed Scrimgeour. They are on the way to crash the party.

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Harry, Ron, and Hermione make a hasty exit to a café in London, where they promptly run into two large Death Eaters. Luckily, they manage to escape, but the problem is: how did the Death Eaters find them? That, my friends, is an extremely pressing issue.

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So then they proceed to the first safe place they can think of: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. There we find another old friend: Kreacher the house-elf. He’s just as nuts as before, needless to say.

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And a crazy house-elf is exactly the last thing the trio needs. Harry, in fact, has found the identity of the mysterious R.A.B: he’s Sirius’s brother Regulus Arcturus Black. And that has got him thinking: has the locket really been destroyed?

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According to Kreacher, the answer is no. When Regulus set out to destroy the locket, he drank the potion, gave the locket to Kreacher, and presumably was killed by those ugly-so-not-Twilight-kind dead guys. Kreacher took it home and tried to destroy it, but was unable to. In the end it was taken by none other than Mundungus, who sold it to another old friend of ours.

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That’s right. The locket is right now in the possession of good old Dolores Umbridge.

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And that, my friends, is very, very bad.

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And so, Harry and his friends hatch a plan to take back the locket. The only problem is, Professor Umbridge is right now very deep down in the Ministry of Magic. And at the moment, the Ministry isn’t all too fond of Harry or any of the others.

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So they’ve devised a plan: go in disguised as Ministry members. Unfortunately, they get split up: Ron has to cleanup a raining office, Hermione has to record a hearing, and Harry…..well, and Harry is just Harry.

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Eventually, though, Harry manages to find the locket-around Umbridge’s neck! She’s wearing it during a hearing, to try a supposedly “Muggle-born” witch. See, thanks to Voldemort taking over and all, the Ministry has also turned against all Muggle-borns, thinking they have “stolen” magic or something stupid like that. And anyone who doesn’t have a recorded wizard or witch parent (and even some who do) are being sent to Azkaban.

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Yeah. I told you it was stupid.

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So Harry bursts in on a hearing and manages to knock out Umbridge and her assistant the Death Eater Yaxley. They manage to conjure up Patronuses and fend off dementors, but it’s not until they get back to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, that they realize a fatal flaw.

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They have nothing to destroy it with.

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To top that off, Yaxley managed to grab hold on to Hermione as they were making their escape and found out how to get in to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. And as they got away from there, Ron got badly hurt by being Splinched. Ouch.

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So now they’re stuck out in the middle of nowhere with a Horcrux and no way to destroy it.

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Yeah. Really.

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Finally, Ron reaches the end of his rope. After yet another night of no productiveness he flares up and makes like a banana and splits. Hermione is heartbroken-in case you haven’t caught the hint by now, she really does like him. But there’s nothing they can do about it-yet.

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In the meantime, they decide to visit Godric’s Hollow, birthplace of many famous witches and wizards including Harry, and also none other than Dumbledore! Hmm…

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The first place they visit is a graveyard, where they find James and Lily’s graves, near their destroyed house and a statue of them with Harry. Nearby they also find the graves of Kendra, Dumbledore’s mother, and his sister, Ariana. Hermione also finds an intriguing grave-that of Ignotus Peverell. It has an odd symbol on it-that of a triangle with a circle inside and a line splitting it in half. What is significant about it? I know, but I’m not by any means telling! Don’t worry, though-you’ll find out.

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But then they find an old woman whom Harry thinks is an old family friend, Bathilda Bagshot. However, she is actually Nagini in a clever disguise. Nagini tries to call in Voldemort but, luckily, Hermione manages to get Harry and her out before he gets there. It’s only when they reach their new campsite that they realize that, while they tried to escape, Hermione cast a curse that hit Harry’s wand.

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That’s right. Harry’s wand is broken.

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Soon after, Harry is sitting on guard when he notices something odd: A silver doe Patronus. But who cast it? You don’t know until the next installment, so I’m not saying, but it’s someone you would have never suspected.

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Anyway, the doe leads Harry to an icy pool. On the bottom is the answer to their Horcrux problem-the sword of Gryffindor! It’s full of Basilisk venom, so it can destroy Horcruxes!

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Problem is it’s at the bottom of an icy cold pool in the dead of winter. Also, that Horcrux isn’t stupid-it tries to drown Harry as he attempts to get the sword.

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Luckily, Ron shows up just in time to save Harry and get the sword. He also manages to destroy the Horcrux and get totally beaten up for his troubles courtesy of-who else?-Hermione.

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Soon after Ron’s return, the trio decides to pay a visit to Luna’s father, Xenophilus Lovegood. He is able to explain just what the symbol Hermione saw on Ignotus Peverell’s gravestone was-the symbol of the Deathly Hallows! The Deathly Hallows are three powerfully magic objects-the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility-that, when brought together, will make their master the Master of Death. Now, in the movie it just says they will make their master immortal, but I beg to differ. That’s just cutting a serious corner, as Harry learns next installment.

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Unfortunately, we find out that something is terribly wrong. The Death Eaters got mad at Xenophilus for his supporting Harry and kidnapped Luna. However, they promised that if he was the one to capture Harry they would give him Luna back.

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Luckily, they manage to make their escape, making sure the capturers catch a glimpse of Harry so they won’t kill Luna. But what next? Now they know about the Deathly Hallows, what will they do with their knowledge?

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The answer is: they’ve already got one, maybe two! The Cloak of Invisibility is, obviously Harry’s Invisibility Cloak that he got for Christmas back in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone! And remember that Snitch Dumbledore left Harry? Well, Snitches have flesh memories-meaning they’ll only open for the person that caught them-so they’re ideal for hiding things! And what could fit in a Snitch? Why, the Resurrection Stone, of course!

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But what about the Elder Wand? Unfortunately, before that question can be answered, the trio are kidnapped by a bunch of Snatchers, including the super-ugly werewolf Fenrir Greyback. They are taken to Malfoy Manor, where the trio finds Mr. Ollivander, wandmaker extraordinaire, Dean Thomas of Gryffindor House, and none other than our old friend Luna Lovegood!!

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But before we can start squealing in delight Bellatrix Lestrange starts torturing poor Hermione for information, interrogating her and another old friend, Griphook the goblin, about the sword of Gryffindor.

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Luckily, just a little bit after things start getting out-of-hand, none other than Dobby the free elf shows up and transports Luna, Dean, and Ollivander out of there and comes back for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook. But even as he makes his escape, Bellatrix stabs him through the heart.

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Meanwhile, very far away, Voldemort is on the move. He goes to Hogwarts and steals a certain, very powerful wand from Dumbledore’s grave.

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That’s right. Voldemort has the Elder Wand.

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And that is not good. At all.

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Sorry, but I’m at the end of my rope! You’ll have to wait until the release of Part II next July for the final half of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. But don’t worry; I’ll review again before then. That’s a promise.

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But before I sign off I’d like to thank Nayuleska again. She’s awesome, writes books, and loves Harry Potter. What more need be said? Hope you enjoy the movie, and see you here next July for-

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HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART II!!!!!!

Linda Gerber on YA Contemporaries and Paranormals

I’m pleased for the opportunity to drop into Enduring Romance and talk about writing for a bit. I’m honored to be here, among fellow romantics. Kimber asked if I would discuss what inspired me to make the switch from contemporary YA to paranormal YA, and what I’ve learned along the way.

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The strange truth is that I actually made the switch from fantasy/paranormal to contemporary to get my foot in the publishing door. I know – crazy right? I mean, take a look at any YA section in any bookstore across the country, and you’d think that paranormal would be the golden ticket. But that’s not how it worked for me. I’m a firm believer in being prepared for opportunities in whichever form they take, so although what I gravitated toward was writing paranormal, when I heard about an opportunity to write for Puffin’s Students Across the Seven Seas series, I didn’t think twice about going contemporary for a book or so.

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One book turned into five contemporary YA novels for Puffin – two S.A.S.S. books, NOW AND ZEN and THE FINNISH LINE, and a mystery series, DEATH BY BIKINI, DEATH BY LATTE and DEATH BY DENIM. I also have a contemporary Middle Grade series in the works, LIGHTS, CAMERA, CASSIDY.

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So, although my current release, TRANCE, takes me back to my love of the paranormal, I’m not sure you could say I’ve made a switch. I’ll still be doing contemporary, but I’m thrilled to be able to play with a little magic along the way.
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One of the things I’ve learned in writing both is that no matter what the genre, the elements of a good romance remain the same. In both, we need strong, appealing characters, and conflict, conflict, conflict.
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In both the paranormal and the “real” world, the heroine’s outlook is shaped by past experiences. She possesses an attitude, skill or expertise that makes her special. Conversely, she usually has a lot to learn about herself.
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I found that the leading men share many similar traits as well. They genuinely care about the heroine, they are strong but vulnerable, and they have personal issues to overcome (which, of course, they will overcome so they can be with the heroine.)
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The joy of contemporary romance is that it’s accessible. It’s grounded in the real world. It could happen to you.
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The fun of paranormal romance is that anything can happen. A whole new set of possibilities and conflicts opens up with the creation of world or mythology.
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In short, I’m thrilled for the chance to dabble in writing paranormal again, but I’m also glad I opened myself up to contemporary, because in it I’ve found another love – and another avenue for romance.
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BIO –
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Linda Gerber recently returned to life in the Midwest after four years in Japan, where she served as the Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She currently lives and writes in Dublin, OH, blissfully ignoring her husband, four kids, and one very naughty puppy.
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Please pop over to Linda Gerber's Website to learn more about her and her wonderful books.  Thank you, Linda!

Wickford High: The Revelation by Karen Fuller

August 2010, kNight Romance Publishing Teen Bites
E-book, Review copy
Young Adult paranormal romance

Summary from kNight Romance Publishing

The first day of school anywhere is never fun...

Vicky Phillips was having the worst day of her life.  A new town, a new school, and it just happened to be her senior year.  Wickford High held no appeal to her, until she met the gorgeous Luke Wolfburn.  Luke made the disaster she called her life bearable. 

Dark secrets that must be kept hidden...  Her recent past and her mother's recent death were her darkest secrets.  Vicky all too soon discovered that you can't run from your past.  It will always come back to haunt you...

This is one of many genres I eagerly snap up to read. It is a relatively short book, placing it in what I call a light read section but this doesn't detract from the quality of the writing or the tension in the story. This is the first book in the series, and it has me wanting to know a lot more about Vicky's life. I was giggling away in the first chapter - everything that could go wrong on Vicky's first day, did go wrong. Quite spectacularly too. She doesn't give up, mostly because she can't. She makes the other girls in her class and year jealous - they idolise Luke and don't understand why he favours her. One of these girls goes as far to hurt Vicky, using a power that I thought would shock her. However,  Vicky's secret involves a greater power. It was a plot revelation that shocked me - I love how the power Vicky uses isn't entirely good. If she's not careful she could go down the path of evil. Using her power means she gets to learn a bit more about what happened to her mother. That was a horrible part of the story and had me needing a tissue. The relationship Vicky has with her father is really sweet. It's clear they love each other dearly, and I think her father will be her rock in later books. All the characters are memorable for me, especially the nuns and monks who teach at the school. Some definitely do not like Vicky! 

Heat wise this is a mild read. I recommend it for all fans of YA paranormal romance, especially if they enjoy books evolving around high school (I do!). I hope to be reviewing the rest of this series as it gets released.