Friday's Spotlight --- Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Atheneum,
August 2010

Hardcover, 576 pages
ISBN-10: 1442402008
ISBN-13: 9781442402003
Ages: 14 and up
Grades: 9 and up









At once an homage to one of America's greatest writers and a page-turning psychological mystery that is equal parts horror, humor, and romance, NEVERMORE is the story of Varen -- a Poe-fan and goth -- and Isobel -- a cheerleader and unlikely heroine.

When a Lit. project pairs the two together, Isobel finds herself steadily swept into Varen's world, one that he has created in his notebook and in his mind, one where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

Isobel slowly learns that dreams can be much more powerful than she'd ever expected, and that pain and despair come in all sorts of shades.

As labels of "goth" and "cheerleader" fade away, she sees more in Varen than a tall, pale outcast, and a consuming romance is braced against the ever-clearer horror that the most terrifying realities are those within our own minds.

Play Dead by Ryan Brown - ARC Review

Play Dead by Ryan Brown
Pocket Books
May 2010
Hardcover & Ebook
352 pages
ISBN-10: 1439171300
ISBN-13: 9781439171301
Paranormal Suspense







Description




Today’s #1 New York Times bestselling thriller writers agree: Ryan Brown’s compulsively readable first novel is unbeatable—a darkly humorous, rich and pungent zombie shocker that melds our national obsession with football and the newest wave of fascination with the undead.


For the first time in Killington High School history, the Jackrabbits football team is one win away from the district championship where it will face its most vicious rival, the Elmwood Heights Badgers. On the way to the game, the Jackrabbits’s bus plunges into a river, killing every player except for bad-boy quarterback Cole Logan who is certain the crash was no accident—given that Cole himself was severely injured in a brutal attack by three ski-masked men earlier that day. Bent on payback, Cole turns to a mysterious fan skilled in black magic to resurrect his teammates. But unless the undead Jackrabbits defeat their murderous rival on the field, the team is destined for hell. In a desperate race against time, with only his coach’s clever daughter, Savannah Hickman, to assist him, Cole must lead his zombie team to victory


. . . in a final showdown where the stakes aren’t just life or death—but damnation or salvation. Boundlessly imaginative and thrillingly satisfying, Play Dead gives small-town Texas an electrifying jolt of the supernatural, and is unquestioningly The Zombie Novel of the Year!


The Comeback Story of the Season . . .

**MY THOUGHTS **

I had this review done last October but just now posting my review now. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of Play Dead and hope you will love it as much as I do.

Its very fresh, original and wildly entertaining. Ryan Brown has nothing to be worried about. Play Dead is going to win over plenty of readers and become instant bestseller.

Its football season and the two towns rivalary will hit a all time low when one town's high school football players set out to put their competitors out of commission before the big game.

Too bad for them, that particular team didn't count an unlikely football fan/supernatural prescence to set things straight.. even if for a little while.

This is something like The Craft meets Varsity Blues meets Supernatural. This is book that got me hooked on Team Zombie! Nothing but love and respect for authors who can create such an amazing take on zombies.

Like the book's ending, I was sad to see it end. And however much I loved reading this I can only think just how great Mr. Brown's next novel will. I have nothing but praise for this debut author, Ryan Brown.

And most certainly, I definitely will recommend this title and can't wait to see what else Mr. Brown come up next.

 

I give Play Dead a 5 PK rating!

Teen Guru

Cover and Title Unveiled for Book 3 of The Hunger Games

Found this at mediabistro.com: GalleyCat

Today Scholastic unveiled the cover and title of the third book in the popular The Hunger Games series. The book is scheduled to launch August 24th.







The next book in Suzanne Collins's beloved series will be called Mockingjay. The dark young adult series focuses on a future where a boy and girl must battle to the death in a perverted version of reality television.






Scholastic VP Editorial Director David Levithan had this tongue-in-cheek statement for fans dying to know about the next book: "I am not, under any circumstances, allowed to divulge the contents of the third Hunger Games book. Nada. Nothing. Not a peep. I can, however, share with you [a few] things that will not be appearing in the new book: Panem is not shaken up when District 9 is nominated for a best picture Oscar ... despite internet rumors to the contrary, it is not revealed that Cinna has been secretly designing outfits for a Capitol operative known as 'Lady GaGa.'"

New Book Cover - Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

PACK LIFE IS ABOUT ORDER, BUT BRYN IS ABOUT TO PUSH ALL THE LIMITS, WITH HAIR-RAISING RESULTS.



At the age of four, Bryn watched a rabid werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by Callum, the alpha of his pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been raised as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule (mostly). Little fazes her.



But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her mom and dad come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences.



An exciting new paranormal adventure, with a heroine who rivals Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Raised By Wolves will leave you howling for more.



To learn more click here.

Author Spotlight of the month - Lisa McMann & International Giveaway *Now Closed*

Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she'd made her peace with it. But she can't handle dragging Cabel down with her.


She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He's amazing. And she's a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves--she has to disappear. And it's going to kill them both.





Then a stranger enters her life--and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she'd ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out...

To enter to win the final book in this amazing series, all you have to do is tweet the following message for +5 entries

I just entered to win GONE by Lisa McMann at #teenchannelreviews http://bit.ly/cIl9aY

Leave a link with your tweet. You can enter as many times as you want.. just remember to leave link in the comments below.

+3 bonus entries if you follow my blog.
And +2 bonus entries if you mention March YA book suggestions for next month's giveaway.


Thanks and good luck!

Teen Guru

Bad Blood Winner Announced

I had 137 Entries and winner was chosen by Random.org -- Number chosen was #31

Beleth from Spain.

Congratulations Beleth! You've got 48 hours to get back to me or another winner will be chosen.

Thanks to all who entered. . . Another contest will be up soon.

Teen Guru

Love Sucks! by Melissa Francis - Book Cover

Check out Melissa Francis new book cover, Love Sucks!

The sequel to her bestselling hit, Bite Me!