Bookanista Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Cady Sinclair Eastman spends every summer on her family's private island, but this summer feels different, and it's because of something that happened last summer that Cady can't quite remember. Her grandfather and mother try their best to shield her from the truth, but long-simmering secrets have a way of surfacing...

So if you've heard of this novel (and you probably have, as it is a well-deserved hyped buzz book), then you know it has a huge twist ending. That's certainly what I picked it up for, because I love my twists.

Twists being much more fun when you have no clue, I'm not going to tell you much about the plot of WE WERE LIARS, but I do want to talk about craft.

Let's say you want to study subtext. Read this book. Gawk at the twist you probably didn't see coming, and recover from the sucker punch right to your heart. Then read this book again. Marvel at the way Lockhart expertly employs subtext, really giving you all the clues you need to solve the mystery (and for Cady to solve it) but disguising them so cleverly that you don't give them a second thought upon your first read.  That's impressive and I'm in awe. *claps*

(Incidentally, if you're studying subtext, you must absolutely watch Breaking Bad, especially the conversations between Walter and Hank. Master class right there.)

Check out the WE WERE LIARS tumblr for more quotes and teasers.

WE WERE LIARS comes out next week! I have pre-ordered a signed copy here.

FTC disclosure: Netgalley

What the other Bookanistas are loving this week:

Tracy Banghart lights up for STREETLIGHTS LIKE FIREWORKS, by David Pandolfe
Jessica Love is on fire for CAMELOT BURNING by Kathryn Rose
Tracey Neithercott sings the praises of STOLEN SONGBIRD by Danielle L. Jensen
Katy Upperman adores OPEN ROAD SUMMER by Emery Lord

Bookanista Review: Noggin by John Corey Whaley

When I first saw the concept of this book, that a 16 year old boy's head is cut off, cryogenically frozen and then reattached to another body five years later, I thought it was too absurd NOT to read. (I love absurdity in my fiction after all)

What I expected from the cover was an all out comedy, but while there were parts of this novel that were funny and I did laugh out loud quite a bit, it was actually quite an honest and heartbreaking look at facing death and getting a second chance at life.

Recently I watched the French TV series The Returned, and what fascinated me most about it was the look at how these people who came back from the dead years later no longer fit into their lives and how they and their loved ones came to terms with that (or not). Noggin explores this as well, and Travis's situation was similar to Simon's in the TV series, where he came back to find his girlfriend was engaged to another man.

Noggin has none of the creepiness of The Returned, though. Despite its' absurd sci-fi premise, it feels very contemporary. Travis's voice is yearning and sweet as he pines for his old life (without the body that let him down) and his soulmate Cate. The subplots and sub-themes support the main plot and theme well (with a surprising twist too) and everything just gelled for me story-wise. I definitely had some tears in my eyes at the end.

Noggin is out in hardcover now. Find out more about it at the author's website.

FTC disclosure: Won in a GoodReads Giveaway

What the other Bookanistas are reading this week:

Tracy Banghart swoons for STAR CURSED by Jessica Spotswood
Rebecca Behrens raves about PUSH GIRL by Bookanista Jessica Love
Christine Fonseca is riveted by SEKRET by Lindsay Smith
Jessica Love sings the praises of OPEN ROAD SUMMER by Emery Lord
Kimberly Sabatini loves BRAZEN by Katherine Longshore
Katy Upperman is crazy for THE SYMPTOMS OF MY INSANITY by Mindy Raf

Bookanista Review: The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman

I love fairy tales, and this one is deliciously dark.

A great, hungry evil has awoken in the mountain forest near Rowan's home of Nag's End. But Rowan is not superstitious like those in her village, so at first, despite some horrific deaths, she goes about life pretty much as usual. For her that means working on her translations and hanging out with her best friend Tom. But then more strange things happen: her cousin shows up and her father forbids her to speak to her, a blue witch summons her for a talk, and a relative of the queen comes to stay at her house. Soon Rowan is not only going to have to believe in the supernatural, she's going to have to get involved to try and stop it from destroying everything she loves.

The resulting story is enticing, compelling fairy tale horror. I got goosebumps reading this, but I couldn't look away. I especially liked how smart and plucky Rowan was and the way the fantastical events of the story evolved her relationships with her family and friends. Oh and the love/hate relationship with Jude was a highlight as well. 

THE GLASS CASKET is available in hardcover now. Find out more about the book at the author's website.

FTC disclosure: Vine

What the other Bookanistas are raving about this week:

Jessica Love is captivated by LIV, FOREVER by Amy Talkington

Kimberly Sabatini loves LADY THIEF by A. C. Gaughen

Katy Upperman praises PANIC by Lauren Oliver

Christine Fonseca applauds DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale

Bookanista Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Every year in Carp, the graduating HS seniors play the dangerous game of Panic. This year, it's Heather and Dodge's turn to try for the winner's purse of over $60,000.

Some reasons I loved Panic:

-- a fantastical situation grounded by gritty realism. Is it crazy unbelievable that seniors play a game every year where people often end up dying and getting paralyzed by doing stunts like breaking and entering, running across a busy interstate and walking a tightrope without a net and the police don't/can't do anything about it? Yes. But Oliver sells the hell out of it with down-on-their-luck characters that have heartbreakingly believable motivations.

-- the games. I would never, ever join Panic (way too wimpy), but I don't have to because Oliver described the feeling of participating so well, I felt like I was there. Heart pumping thrills.

-- the writing. I love the way Oliver crafts her sentences. Her prose is always atmospheric and fitting of the situation. A pure joy to read. Here's a quote I like:

PANIC will be out March 4th, but you can already go and read the first chapters on iTunes.

FTC disclosure: eGalley from Edelweiss. Also, Lauren Oliver is a friend.

What the other Bookanistas are talking about this week:

Christine Fonseca is captivated by SHINOBI by Cole Gibson

Jessica Love raves about WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE by Bookanista Rebecca Behrens

Katy Upperman swoons for THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU by Jolene Perry

Bookanista Review: Control by Lydia Kang

When Zel's father is killed and her sister is taken, Zel ends up in a safe house for mutant teens that officially shouldn't exist. While she plots ways to rescue her sister, Zel finds herself falling for the resident mysterious loner dude, Cy, and discovering long hidden family secrets.

There's so much to love in this novel that I struggled to pick the appropriate Zombie Chicken Merit Badge. Should I go for the romance badge to recognize the sizzling chemistry between Zel and Cy? Should I choose the twists badge to give props to a plot that continually surprised me with it's major reveals? Both could definitely be argued for, but in the end I went with worldbuilding because CONTROL totally immersed me in the futuristic world of 2150 - from the automatic cars to the crazy nightclubs and all the features of the tricked-out safe house. 

CONTROL comes out next Tuesday. Find out more about it at the author's website.

Check out the book trailer! 

FTC disclosure: Copy provided by author

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

What the other Bookanistas are talking about this week:

Shari Arnold is amazed by CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Mass
Christine Fonseca is enthralled with DRAGONFLY by Leigh Talbert Moore
Tracy Banghart is transforming with BECOME by Ali Cross
Kimberly Sabatini is intrigued by SPLIT SECOND by Kasie West

Bookanista Review: Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Sometimes, I'm just really in the mood for a twisty thriller, and DANGEROUS GIRLS fit the bill. In a ripped from the headlines story (sort of a cross between the Natalie Holloway and Amanda Knox cases), a group of friends rents a house on Aruba. One of the friends, Elise, is murdered and her bestie, Anna, is charged with the crime. Thus begins the trial of the century. The media crucify Anna, but was she really guilty?

I loved the slippery nature of truth in DANGEROUS GIRLS and the not-so-subtile criticisms of the media culture we live in. Anna and Elise have a very complicated relationship, and although a boy is involved, it is their friendship which is the focus here.

The twist at the end is so jaw-dropping, at first I couldn't swallow it. It felt unearned and I struggled for a time to come to terms with it's plausibility. But after some lively discussions with fellow bibliophiles, I  admire the risk of the ending and concede that it is actually quite brilliantly set-up.

Definitely give this a try if you enjoyed GONE GIRL.

FTC disclosure: Netgalley

What the other bookanistas are reading this week:

Shari Arnold is intrigued with SCARLETT by A.C. Gaughen
Christine Fonseca is making a happy noise for THE INVISIBLE BOY by Trudy Ludwig
Tracy Banghart is revealing the cover for her upcoming book, SHATTERED VEIL
Tracey Neithercott is crushing on SOLVING FOR EX by LeighAnne Kopans
Kimberly Sabatini is reveling in YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE by Jennifer Castle

Bookanista Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Lilac's father is the richest man in the universe. Tarver is a decorated military hero, but from a poor background. Lilac and Tarver would never spend much time together under normal circumstances, but when the spaceship they're traveling on crashes on a mysterious planet, leaving them as the only survivors, they'll have to rely on each other to survive.

THESE BROKEN STARS contains some of my favorite romance tropes - forbidden love, the slow-burn, and what I like to call "stranded together" romance. (An aside: another recent book I read with this last trope was SURVIVE by Alex Morel, where two strangers are the only survivors of a plane crash and must learn to trust each other to find civilization -- there are certain crazy parallels to THESE BROKEN STARS in it, so check it out if you're a fan of the trope too!)

I've seen THESE BROKEN STARS pitched as "Titanic in space" and that's certainly accurate in the beginning scenes, though once on the planet, I'd compare it more to the TV show Lost. In any case, it's super creative and addicting (considering I read it instead of working on my revisions which are due in less than a week) and definitely one of my favorite books of the year.

THESE BROKEN STARS comes out on December 10, 2013. Find out more about it at Amie's website. Also, check out this interview I did with the authors about the whole series and its dystopian elements.

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

FTC disclosure: Gifted (thanks Melody!)

Other Bookanista reviews this week:

Shari Arnold has chills for BY BLOOD, by Tracy E. Banghart
Rebecca Behrens is wondering at WONDER, by R.J. Palacio
Christine Fonseca has all the feels for DARKEST MERCY, by Melissa Marr
Nikki Katz is gushing about BLYTHEWOOD, by Carol Goodman
Stasia Ward Kehoe has taken a shine to GOLDEN, by Jessi Kirby
Jessica Love has fond memories of ALL OUR YESTERDAYS, by Cristin Terrill

Bookanista Review: Half Lives by Sara Grant

Icie's parents warn her of an imminent biological attack and urge her to find a mountain shelter that built to store nuclear waste but was never approved for that purpose. It may be her only chance for survival. Years in the future, the cult of the Great I AM, led by teenage Beckett has arisen on the mountain. They keep to themselves to avoid the terrorists that live in the nearby ruin of a city.

HALF LIVES is such a fascinating story. On a pure enjoyment level, Icie's story is the one with the high stakes, high emotions and edge-of-your-seat suspense.  But Beckett's story engages for another reason - the careful and imaginative worldbuilding.  It's a micro-culture based on today's Facebook society, and without any of the context, the cult's practices sound like rants of a crazy person.

I had the pleasure of attending a revision workshop with Sara Grant, so reading HALF LIVES was incredibly enriching for me on a craft level.  One of her revision tips was to color code each character's dialogue and revise each separately to make sure they are distinct and consistent. I was very impressed with the character development in HALF LIVES, so her process definitely paid off.

HALF LIVES is available now.  Find out more about it at the author's website.

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

FTC disclosure: Netgalley

What are the other Bookanistas recommending this week?

Shari Arnold gushes about HYSTERIA by Megan Miranda

Shelli Johannes-Wells raves about RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA by Kimberly McCreight

Shannon Messenger adores THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by Kasie West

Tracey Neithercott is mad for EARTHBOUND by Aprilynne Pike

Kimberly Sabatini dishes about ROSE UNDER FIRE by Elizabeth Wein

Katy Upperman can't get enough of AUDREY, WAIT! by Robin Benway

Bookanista Review: The Color of Rain by Cori McCarthy

Rain just wants a better life for her and her sick brother than they can get in Earth City, so when a charming spaceship caption named Johnny offers her passage in return for being "his girl", she readily agrees. Unfortunately, Johnny is not what he seems to be, and Rain is going to have to fight in order to survive his ship of horrors.

First off, let me say that if "new adult" ever includes genre fiction, then THE COLOR OF RAIN would be a good fit. It's quite a bit more mature than most YA (think Ellen Hopkins), but the grounded writing (which earns a Zombie Chicken Merit Badge) never sensationalizes what amounts to sex trafficking in space.

The main stage of THE COLOR OF RAIN is Johnny's spaceship and I admired the careful wordbuilding here in regard to the levels and how colors revealed a girl's status.  There were also some great reveals concerning the real purpose of the ship, tight action scenes, and terrifying "out the airlock" sequences.

It was not difficult to understand Rain's motivations - she acts out of love for family and friends, even when Johnny tries to break her of the habit. I loved her strength.

At first I was resistant to the idea of Ben as a love interest, but he definitely grew on me. I might have even been a tiny bit misty-eyed at the end.

THE COLOR OF RAIN is available in paperback now. Find out more about it at the author's website.

FTC disclosure: Review copy from publisher

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

What are the other Bookanistas loving this week?

Christine Fonseca has chills for UNRAVEL ME, by Taherah Mafi
Kimberly Sabatini is spreading some love for BY BLOOD, by Tracy Banghart

Bookanista Review: In the After by Demitria Lunetta

I was in a reading slump earlier this summer, and IN THE AFTER pulled me out of it. I really couldn't put it down. Fast paced and terrifying, IN THE AFTER gets the Zombie Chicken Merit Badge for Action.

So in book math, IN THE AFTER is INTO THE FOREST by Jean Hegland meets THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin meets THE PROGRAM by Suzanne Young. Read it and you'll see what I mean.  Amy is a survivor in this post-alien invasion world and I legit feared for her life.

What else? I loved Amy and Baby's relationship. The only part I wasn't so terribly keen about was the big twist, because I was hoping for something else, but that didn't detract at all from my overall reading experience.

Find out more about IN THE AFTER at the author's website.

FTC disclosure: Review copy from the the publisher

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

More Bookanista love:
Jessica Love sees stars for GOLDEN by Jessi Kirby

Tracey Neithercott discusses A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES by Rachel Harris

Katy Upperman gushes about OCD LOVE STORY by Corey Ann Haydu

Bookanista Review: Coda by Emma Trevayne

There won't be much of a Dystopian August this year because I am traveling and in the edit cave at the same time, but I do have a few reviews and features for you, starting with CODA.

CODA is a very cool novel.

Exhibit A: Anthem. Anthem is a rocker who can pull off guyliner, who takes care of his younger twin brother and sister, who is extremely loyal to friends and (maybe) girlfriend Haven, and who is about to give a shock to the system of keeping the populace drugged out on music.

Exhibit B: The writing. Trevanyne knows music, and she knows how to convey that feeling you get when you're lost in the beat and nothing else matters.  The music scenes were some of my favorite in the novel.

Exhibit C: The twists. CODA gets a twists badge because it surprised me multiple times despite the plot being of the typical rebellion against the dystopian government variety.

CODA is out now!

FTC disclosure: I got a signed copy at ALA.

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore


See what the other Bookanistas are raving about this week:

Stasia Ward Kehoe admires ALL MEN OF GENIUS by Lev AC Rosen

Jessica Love delves into DIRTY LITTLE SECRET by Jennifer Echols

Bookanista Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Caymen despises the rich, entitled customers that treat her badly at her mother's shop, so when wealthy hotel heir Xander comes by to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it's hate at first sight. But despite their class differences, Xander and Caymen start to get to know each other, and start to think they might be able to close the distance between them.

The more I think about this one, the more I like it. It's a light, romantic read with a appealingly snarky MC (who works and lives in a CREEPY DOLL SHOP) and a swoon-worthy boy - exactly what I needed as a respite from all my doom and gloom reading. The ending might be a bit too pat (and doesn't allow the couple to really work through their main conflict) but it put me in a good HEA mood, so I won't grumble.

Find out more about the book at the author's website.

FTC disclosure: Unsolicited review copy from publisher

See what the other Bookanistas are enjoying:

Christine Fonseca fawns over THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Elana Johnson is wowed with DUALED by Elsie Chapman

Nikki Katz is speechless over UNSPOKEN by Sarah Rees Brennan

Stasia Ward Kehoe flips for ALL THE TRUTH THAT'S IN ME by Julie Berry

Katy Upperman sees stars for WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE by Trish Doller

Bookanista Review: Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn

So funny story -- immediately prior to reading this novel, I was chatting with several bookish friends about how I was mostly burnt out on the YA contemporary issue novel -- those dealing with abuse, self-harm, incest, drug use, etc. I tend to gravitate towards the sunny, carefree side of contemporary YA, probably to counterbalance all the dark science fiction and dystopians I read.

CHARM & STRANGE is a strange case, however. It's not immediately clear what genre you're getting. Is it a YA contemporary featuring a male protagonist with some serious mental health issues or is it a paranormal about werewolves living among us? (In this set-up, it reminded me a lot of Justine Larbalestier's LIAR, except that Andrew isn't so forthright or cheeky about his possible unreliable narrator status).

What is clear is that Andrew needs to excise his demons. The action in the present takes place over the course of one night at a party in the woods with Andrew's boarding school classmates, and is interspersed with flashbacks of his family life.  The novel cleverly plays with the idea that we often need fiction to be able to deal with fact and keeps you guessing and compulsively reading to find out what is fact and what is fiction in Andrew's life.

CHARM & STRANGE is available now. Find out more about it at the author's website.

FTC disclosure: Netgalley


See what the other Bookanistas are excited about this week:

Shelli Johannes-Wells gives cover love to FAKING NORMAL

Stasia Ward Kehoe delves into DANCER, DAUGHTER, TRAITOR, SPY by Elizabeth Kiem

Elana Johnson and Nikki Katz adore THIS IS W.A.R. by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Gretchen McNeil is wowed by THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher

Katy Upperman praises WORST CASE OF PASKETTI-ITIS by Kris Asselin

Bookanista Review: All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin

ALL YOU NEVER WANTED is a story of sisters in crisis.  Alex is the older sister, prettier and more popular, but hiding an embarrassing secret that is making her withdraw from life.  Thea has always wanted to be like Alex, and as Alex diminishes, Thea sees her chance to take over, spinning wild lies in her quest for world domination.

It's also a "poor little rich girl" story, in a way, because Alex and Thea's problems are magnified by their new wealth.  Their mother has remarried, to a fabulously rich man who lives in a mansion the girls call Camelot, and while the money can buy lots of things, it has also effectively removed their mother from their life, as she now travels with her new husband instead of taking care of her children.

I absolutely loved how real both sisters came off.  They aren't best book friend material by any means - Alex is very withdrawn, prickly and "ice queen"-ish while Thea is overdramatic, a compulsive liar and could give Hedda Gabler a run for her money in the soul-sucking department - but their struggles are relatable and their motivations fully understandable.

Alex's story unfolds in third person, fitting for a girl who has distanced herself from her own life. Her secret shame came as a direct result of a rich guy power play by her step-father, so she's especially bitter. She's also developing an eating disorder, and no one wants to call her on it - not her drug-dealer boyfriend, her friends or her sister - all for their own underhanded reasons. But fortunately for her, Xander is in her life. And he might just offer the lifeline she needs. (LOVE Xander!)

Thea's story is first person all the way, and we get front row seats to the way she deceives everyone - even herself.

Highly recommended, especially to those readers who value excellent character development. I'd also suggest Bennett Madison's THE BLONDE OF THE JOKE as a read-alike. Thea reminded me a lot of Val, especially in the way she spectacularly self-destructs.

Find out more about ALL YOU NEVER WANTED at the author's website.

FTC disclosure: Bought

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week!

Shari Arnold loves SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL by Trish Doller

Tracy Banghart embraces IMPOSTOR by Susanne Winnacker

Shelli Johannes-Wells delights in Cory Doctorow’s LITTLE BROTHER and HOMELAND

Nikki Katz gets the shivers for 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Stasia Ward Kehoe, Carolina Valdez Miller & Debra Driza sing out for the cover of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO

Jessica Love raves about ROAD TO TATER HILL by Edith M. Hemingway

Katy Upperman celebrates THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay – with giveaway!

Bookanista Review and Blog Tour: Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood

STAR CURSED is the stunning sequel to BORN WICKED (my review).

The official summary:

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to BORN WICKED, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

I loved this sequel! We get more of everything I adored about the first book -- Cate's complex relationship with her sisters, sweet scenes with love interest Finn, witches using their magic against the evil brotherhood -- plus terrifying and surprising new developments. The ending crushed me.  I need desperately to know that things will be okay in book three.

As part of the blog tour, each day Jess is revealing an annotated snippet from STAR CURSED.

If you add up the page number from each stop during the tour, you can enter to win a one-of-a-kind annotated ARC plus a star trio necklace! Find the other stops below, and on June 21, enter the Rafflecopter here:


Mon, 6/3: Good Books & Good Wine
Tues, 6/4: Ex Libris Kate
Wed, 6/5: Mundie Moms
Thurs, 6/6: Presenting Lenore
Fri, 6/7: Hobbitsies


Mon, 6/10: Green Bean Teen Queen
Tues, 6/11: I Read Banned Books
Wed, 6/12: Two Chicks on Books
Thurs, 6/13: Forever Young Adult
Fri, 6/14: The Story Siren


Mon, 6/17: YA Bibliophile
Tues, 6/18: Marie Lu
Wed, 6/19: Beth Revis
Thurs, 6/20: Veronica Rossi
Fri, 6/21: Marissa Meyer


STAR CURSED releases on June 18. You can read the first chapter here.


Pre-order links: Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon


Find Jess online: blog | Twitter | Facebook | Cahill Witch Inspiration pinboard


What the other bookanistas are featuring this week:

Carolina Valdez Miller celebrates 17 & GONE by Nova Ren Suma

Carrie Harris awakens you to INSOMNIA by Jenn Johansson…with giveaway

Christine Fonseca praises THE PLEDGE by Kimberly Derting

Corrine Jackson is wild for WHEN IT HAPPENS by Susane Colasanti

Elana Johson invites you to her ABANDON release par-tay!

Katy Upperman is bewitched by NANTUCKET BLUE by Leila Howland

Stasia Ward Kehoe is wild for THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky

Tracey Neithercott highlights WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE by Trish Doller

Tracy Banghart raves over JUMP WHEN READY by David Pandolfe

Bookanista Relauch + Massive Summer Giveaway

As May draws to a close, we're celebrating the start of summer and another great beginning: THE RELAUNCH OF THE BOOKANISTAS! New members, new logo, new website design and a whole lot more of the book love we all adore!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago with my first Bookanista review, I'm thrilled to join this amazing group of writers recommending books we loved. I'll be posting a book most Thursdays and new reviews from other members will be up at the site every Thursday. These are not critical reviews - these are books that we recommend with enthusiasm.


In order to celebrate in style, we're offering prizes!
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE WINNER OF THE BOOKANISTA RELAUNCH GIVEAWAY OF AWESOME WILL RECEIVE

Signed copies of these Bookanista-authored books…
IF I LIE and TOUCHED by Corrine Jackson PLUS ARCs of JUST ONE DAY and SPEECHLESS LET THE SKY FALL by Shannon Messenger
BY BLOOD by Tracy Banghart
POSSESSION, SURRENDER and ABANDON by Elana Johnson
TOUCHING THE SURFACE by Kimberly Sabatini (plus a swag surprise)
BAD TASTE IN BOYS by Carrie Harris
AUDITION by Stasia Ward Kehoe
THE GIRL GUIDE by Christine Fonseca (plus sweet swag)
MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza
LEVEL 2 by Lenore Appelhans
UNCONTROLLABLE and UNTRACEABLE by SR Johannes
AND A SECOND WINNER WILL GET A BOX FILLED WITH Bookanista-beloved reads including
DITCHED by Robin Mellom
JELLICO ROAD by Melina Marchetta
TAKEN by Erin Bowman
CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare
MONSTROUS BEAUTY by Elizabeth Fama
SPARROW ROAD by Sheila O’Connor

You can find lots more Bookanista Relaunch Book Love at our sites around the interwebs:
Carolina Valdez Miller, Carrie Harris, Christine Fonseca, Corrine Jackson, Debra Driza, Elana Johson, Jessica Love, Katy Upperman,Kimberly Sabatini, Lenore Appelhans, Nikki Katz, Rebecca Behrens, Shannon Messenger , Shelli Johannes-Wells, Stasia Ward Kehoe, Tracey Neithercott , Tracy Banghart

What are YOU reading this summer? *currently reading CODA by Emma Trevayne and ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill*

Bookanista Review: The Originals by Cat Patrick

Cat Patrick has some of the most inventive premises in YA, and I love her for that. FORGOTTEN (read my review) and REVIVED (read my review) were both solid reads.

THE ORIGINALS gives us three cloned sisters who must share the life of one girl or risk being "found out" (by whom is never clear, which deflated the tension a bit for me). Lizzie takes mornings and she and her sisters Ella and Betsey are fine with this arrangement. Until the day Lizzie gets switched to afternoons, meets Sean and gets a huge crush on him.

Suddenly, it's the most important thing in the world to Lizzie that she be allowed to live her own life and make her own choices -- so she risks everything by telling Sean her family's secret (an aside: what's up with all the "intra-trust" in YA novels lately?).

I mean, I guess I get it - because I wanted to trust Sean too. He's incredibly appealing and he and Lizzie have great chemistry. Their fight to be together - and their relationship in general - was the highlight here for me.

Another highly original story from Cat Patrick! Find out more about THE ORIGINALS.

FTC disclosure: ARC from ALA

And here's what the other Bookanistas are reading:

Elana Johson is enthralled by CROWN OF EMBERS by Rae Carson

Stasia Ward Kehoe is mesmerized by GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers

Christine Fonseca adores DEAD SILENCE by Kimberly Derting

Corrine Jackson revels in ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Sara Dessen

Katy Upperman is charmed by QUINTANA OF CHARYN by Melina Marchetta

Kimberly Sabatini is touched by TARNISH by Katherine Longshore

Bookanista Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

Dead for 178 minutes, Wren is the least human of the reboots, the deadliest and least likely to question the human government that enslaves her and sends her on missions to contain the rebels.

Then Callum arrives. Callum is different. As a reboot only gone for 22 minutes, he still has a lot of his human traits left. Wren dismisses him immediately as weak and not long for the reboot life. However, he awakens Wren's curiosity when he suggests that maybe he has a chance if she trains him.

Wren accepts the challenge and thus begins the "second rebooting of Wren" - aka her reawakening to human desires, needs and feelings - an incredibly touching transformation.

REBOOT is primarily a romance (thus the Zombie Chicken Merit Badge for Romance), though the setting is brutally dystopian. For me, this worked beautifully because of Callum's charisma, charm and his undeniable chemistry with Wren. There's an "angry dancing" scene that I adored because it showcases their relationship dynamic so, so well.

Callum's humanity also drives the plot and raises the stakes - because if Wren can't contain him, her heartless overseers will. What's a previously unfeeling girl to do?

Find out more about REBOOT at the author's website.

See index of all dystopian reviews at Presenting Lenore

FTC disclosure: Edelweiss

Other Bookanista reviews this week:

Carrie Harris adores BEYOND DINOCALYPSE by Chuck Wendig -- with giveaway!

Tracy Banghart & Debra Driza join THE GIRL GUIDE by Christine Fonseca book blitz!

Corrine Jackson is stunned by BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Nikki Katz wonders at THE GRAVE WINNER by Lindsey Loucks

Gretchen McNeil talks TRUTH OR DARE by Jacqueline Green

Elana Johson admires INSOMNIA by Jenn Johannson

Tracey Neithercott celebrates THE YEAR OF SECRET ASSIGNMENTS by Jacqueline Moriarty

Katy Upperman fawns over FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK by Melina Marchetta

Rebecca Behrens is wowed by THE FIFTH WAVE by Rick Yancey

Bookanista Review: 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

I'm back from tour in the US, so I'll be posting more regularly again and reading more. Yay! Today I'm talking about 17 & GONE, a book I read and enjoyed last month.

Summary from publisher:

Seventeen-year-old Lauren is having visions of girls who have gone missing. And all these girls have just one thing in common—they are 17 and gone without a trace. As Lauren struggles to shake these waking nightmares, impossible questions demand urgent answers: Why are the girls speaking to Lauren? How can she help them? And . . . is she next? As Lauren searches for clues, everything begins to unravel, and when a brush with death lands her in the hospital, a shocking truth emerges, changing everything.

One of my favorite things about Nova's previous book, IMAGINARY GIRLS, was the imagery, and 17 & GONE excels in this department too. It's never overblown, or too frequent as to be distracting, but every so often, you get a description that makes you see something ordinary in a new way. I love that kind of writing.

I also really appreciated the characterization. You get a good feel for the missing girls and I thought Lauren's descent into (possible) madness was especially well done.  Lauren's boyfriend Jamie was sympathetic, but also realistic in reactions for a teenage boy.

So is 17 & GONE a book about a mentally ill girl? Or is it paranormal? A strength of this novel is that it leaves a lot up to interpretation. Nova keeps the stakes high, which kept me glued to the page, needing to know what would happen next.

Don't miss this one! Out now.

More Bookanista reviews:

Christine Fonseca marvels at MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza – with giveaway!

Corrine Jackson is blown away by BRUISED by Sarah Skilton

Elana Johson buzzes about STUNG by Bethany Wiggins

Stasia Ward Kehoe fawns over THE FIFTH WAVE by Rick Yancey

Jessica Love raves about THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING by Ashley Elton

Shannon Messenger shares an exclusive excerpt from INSOMNIA

Tracy Banghart swoons for THE NAME OF THE STAR by Maureen Johnson
FTC disclosure: bought

Bookanista Review: The Rules by Stacey Kade

You know how I've been wavering about writing reviews? Well, the Bookanistas invited me to join their group, and it seemed like the perfect solution. So I'll be doing at least two book reviews a month, maybe more.  My first Bookanista review is THE RULES.

In order to stay out of the grasp of GTX the laboratory that created her, Ariane follows very specific rules. She lies low. She doesn’t get involved. And she never falls in love.  Until she gets to know Zane.  Will Ariane risk everything for a chance at a normal life?

THE RULES is told from two perspectives – that of alien/human hybrid Ariane and that of Zane, a popular boy who is under the thumb of high school tyrant Rachel.  Both Ariane and Zane are sympathetic, though they both have their weaknesses, especially in relation to Rachel.

The stakes are high – if Ariane gets caught, she’ll be imprisoned in the sterile lab she grew up in – but Ariane can’t resist the pull of Zane, and the way he makes her feel something like normal for the first time in her life.  I loved their growing relationship and the tentative way they begin to trust each other.

You should know that this novel contains one of the best first kiss scenes ever put to print.  It kinda brought tears to my eyes. And also – a blush to the cheeks of the man who was reading over my shoulder on the plane. 

I also very much appreciated the time Kade took to develop the voices of Ariane (very detail oriented) and Zane (hurting with a sheen of false bravado). Lots of excellent characterizing details too – i.e. Ariane loves high-end jeans because she yearns for nice things and yet can’t afford to stand out.

Can’t wait to see where this awesome new series goes next!

THE RULES came out this week. Find out more about THE RULES at the author's website. 

Check out what the other Bookanistas are saying:

Katy Upperman ponders LOVE AND OTHER PERISHABLE ITEMS by Laura Buzo

Kimberly Sabatini wonders at WHEN YOU WERE HERE by Daisy Whitney

Elana Johson falls for THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

Tracy Banghart loves LACRIMOSA by Christine Fonseca

Corrine Jackson adores the ARCADIA BELL series by Jenn Bennett

Rebecca Behrens delves into CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein

Stasia Ward Kehoe wraps up National Poetry Month with THE POETRY TEACHER’S BOOK OF LISTS by Sylvia Vardell

Christine Fonseca celebrates UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

Jessica Love hails THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE by Jennifer E. Smith

Shannon Messenger discusses some recent reads

FTC disclosure:  NetGalley