Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Cover as shown on Goodreads

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
Published February 14th 2012 by Walker Childrens
Kindle Edition

One of the best books I've read this year. I absolutely adore Scarlet, the MC. Her relationship with Robin's band, her toughness, her self-sacrifice; it all mixes for a kick-butt heroine. 

The way the tale unfolds and how the author reveals parts of the characters' background really draws you in. With a retelling of a story that most everyone already knows from books/movies/tv series, it would be so easy to cookie-cutter the information and fall back on familiar story lines and it's not what you get with Scarlet. Your favorite characters appear but the new spin A.C. Gaughen has put on Robin Hood is nothing you've seen before. 


Call me a sucker for fairy tales and legends and I won't deny it. I LOVE this new version of the Robin Hood tale. What surprised me about Scarlet was the vernacular and Scarlet's voice. The story is told from Scarlet's POV in a "street dialect" with improper grammar and I feel it gave even more charm to the tale. 


If you're looking for lots of kissing, you won't find it in this book. However you WILL find romance a plenty, good guys, bad guys, brawls and fights just like any other Robin Hood story. It made me want to weep at times (which, if an author can make me feel that way, they've done an excellent job). I honestly did not put this down and read it in one sitting because I just had to know what happened next. 


A.C. Gaughen is now on my "watch list" for authors I would read no matter the genre or topic. I am most definitely looking forward to reading more about Scarlet and her continued adventures.

That time of year - YACrushTourney

Hello readers! It's that time of year again. No, I don't mean Christmas but rather YA-Sisterhood's Crush Tourney. Just like last year I will be supporting none other than our favorite Scott from Jeri Smith-Ready's Shade series:

Zachary Moore 

Matthew Lewis has been used as a model for Zach by #TeamKilt numerous times

Some of us also fancy Sean Faris. Rawr!

My good friends & teammates, Amy & Jen from Fictitious Delicious, are Zach's advocates this year. They really rallied us to support Zach in the last tourney and I cannot wait to see what they have up their sleeves this year. These are some fantastic ladies and they are advocating one of the hottest, most crush-worthy fictional teen males in existence!

What does this mean for you? Well, I'd like to ask for your support for Zachary as well this year. How can you help? Do the following:

1. You can join us in supporting Zachary by signing up HERE for TeamKilt on Jeri's blog. (Keep updated on her blog, b/c Jeri always has some fantastic incentives and let's face it: SHE'S AWESOME!)

Most importantly:

2. VOTE FOR ZACH ON FRIDAY, JULY 6 

at the YA Sisterhood blog.  

Voting starts at midnight Eastern Time. 

We need to get him through this first match so we can continue the fight! 

As a little surprise for #TeamKilt, I had my mother dig up a very old picture of me from grade school in my plaid jumper which just so happens to be in the same colors of Zachary's family's tartan! Pretty sure I've always been destined to be apart of TeamKilt :)

Yep! That's me - first day of either kindergarten or first grade. I know...I'm adorable.

I AM #TEAMKILT !!!

Thanks for stopping by :) 

Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

Hello  my friends. I know it has been AGES since I've blogged or written. I've gotten out of the habit and really need to get back in the saddle with one of my favorite books so far this year. 

Let me first start by saying I was thrilled and completely honored to be asked to review this newest release by Tammara Webber. I fell in love with her writing when I read "Between the Lines" which has become one of my favorite YA trilogies. When I found out she was doing a stand alone novel, I was intrigued because I was wondering how I was going to survive living with her characters for only 1 book. I did survive and I'm here to give you a head's up of why you NEED  to read this book.


Take a look at the synopsis from Goodreads then try to tell me you aren't reeled in...

EASY
Tammara Webber
Mature Young Adult (language/sexual situations/drinking)Publication: May 25, 2012Kindle Edition
provided by author for review

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email. 

Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.

Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

How can I start this review with out fan-girling all over it? I don't think it's possible so I"m going to jump right in...

What I love about this book (and Ms. Webber's other books) is that her characters are very realistic. You can get in their heads and understand their motivations, thoughts, and actions. While reading this book, I felt like Jacqueline could have been me or any one of my friends in college. I identified with her thoughts about school and especially the fact that she's a music student. When I was a student, I'd gone through that part in life where your mind isn't on your studies so you slack off and then have to make a comeback academically. Also, I met my husband online when I was in high school, so I understand the connection you can make with someone through the computer like Jacqueline does with her tutor. Like I said, I TOTALLY GOT JACQUELINE! When things get bad for Jacqueline, you want to be her best friend and hold her hand and give her a pint of ice cream and gossip about the stupid things boys do.

I made so many book marks in this book! (this only happens when I am completely into a story and get all mushy inside or when something makes me literally laugh out loud)

The picture Ms. Webber paints of college is very accurate. While some of college life can be scary in both emotional and physical ways, there are parts that can be pretty great - as I read this book, I felt it was very spot-on.

Small Spoiler Warning & Author Recommendation (Mature Young Adults for language, drinking, & sexual situations)

Fair warning: this book can get pretty emotional. The author advisement should be taken into consideration before reading this novel. There are a lot of things going on, especially the part about sexual assault. Even though the topic can be harrowing, it was dealt with head on and showed the reality that many women face after having been sexually assaulted. However, I would definitely suggest this to high school aged readers. If I could make this book extremely popular and get it on required reading lists all over the world, I would just for the awareness.

MY SHORT LIST OF AWESOME STUFF ABOUT EASY:

• HOT, artistic, brainy guys
• Drama
• Comedy
• I loved the email banter between Jacqueline & her tutor: "Of course I’m brainy! I’m the all-knowing tutor. And in case you’re wondering - yes, you’re my favorite. ;)" (Kindle Location 552)
• I adored the chemistry Jacqueline has with her econ classmate. CHA-CHING!
• Everyone needs a best friend like Erin. She's the perfect balance of zany & voice of reason. “Could be hot…” she whispered. “Especially if there’s a uniform. Or handcuffs.” (Kindle Location 1508). 
• Hasn't everyone had that one "specific-class-friend" that you only see maybe 2x's a week at class but you have great conversations with?! I <3 BENJI! “Um, giving half the class an exhaustive summary every Monday morning—in lurid detail—of how much of an alcoholic skank you are? Isn’t all that attractive, either. Just sayin’.” (Kindle Locations 2693-2695). 

In short: You NEED to read this book. You SHOULD read this book. I couldn't put it down. At one point I actually screamed, "AAAHHH! I LOVE THIS BOOK!" and I even put a note in my edition to remind me of when I did so (in case you're wondering Location 1378). 

Cover/Description Reveal: Easy by Tammara Webber

Hello, everyone. I know I haven't blogged in forever but I am super excited to share this cover and description reveal with you. One of my favorite authors has a new Mature YA stand-alone novel coming out. I cannot wait to read it. Everything Tammara has written I have absolutely adored. I know where I'll be on 5/25 ;) 

Easy
Tammara WebberMature Young Adult (language/sexual situations/drinking)Publication date is tentatively set for May 25, 2012

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email. 

Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.

Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

 

Burns Night: Random Scottish tidbits

Hello lassies. January 25th marks the special celebration of Robert Burns, "Scotland's national bard." Check out the official website for this amazing son of Scotland. 

Jen & Amy at Fictitious Delicious are holding a Get Your Scot On blog hop. Head on over to link up and Get Your Scot On! Jeri Smith-Ready has put a bunch of activities together for everyone. If you haven't read her amazing SHADE series, you are missing out! 

With the admin stuff straightened away, I now present to you a few random "tidbits".

Having been a music major for about a quarter of my life, it is only fitting that I commemorate today with musical tidbits about Robert Burns and Scotland.


If you live in America, you are exposed to Burns' work every year and you probably don't even know it. The popular song "Auld Land Syne" that we traditionally sing to ring in each New Year as the clock strikes midnight is actually an ancient Scottish melody. Robert Burns actually wrote the second & third verses and his friend George Thomson set them all to the melody of an old Lowland tune that was also used for the songs "I Fee'd (Hired) A Lad At Michaelmas," "The Miller's Wedding," and also "The Miller's Daughter." I found this information in a piano arrangement book that I've had since high school: "The American Song Treasury 100 Favorites" by Theodore Raph. (I'm too lazy to do an actual citation as it's almost midnight my time).

Auld Lang Syne 

Random humor tidbit but also musical... As a lass,  knowing how much music influenced my life, my mom and grandmother always used to find...unique...ways of encouraging my love and obsession. To my surprise, one year for a holiday (I cannot remember if it was a random Christmas or Birthday gift) I received a "Learn to Play the Bagpipes" kit. Oh yes, I did. Believe it. Pretty sure this is the one. It wasn't great quality but it is the thought that counts. I'm pretty sure I had an "OOoooook" look when I opened it. Maybe I should have tried to use it a bit more so I could have played for you in a video. Now THAT would have been something.  Tonight I celebrated Burns Night with some Walker Scottish Shortbread and a glass of milk.  Cheers to you and yours!

Wings of the Wicked Countdown

 

Hello everyone. I know it has been an incredibly long time since I have blogged but I just wanted to tell you how excited I am that "Wings of the Wicked" by Courtney Allison Moulton will be out on the 31st of this month! My friend Momo over at BooksOverBoys is doing a tribute to this amazing series leading up to the release next week. I promised her I would post about my fangirlish love of the Angelfire series.


A few months back I featured "Wings of the Wicked" in my Top 10 Sequels I'm dying to read. You can read that entry here but this is my brief blurb about the series:

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire #2): Ellie & Will captivated me in Angelfire.  I love their relationship but at the same time they give me heartache.  Courtney is an awesome storyteller and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next.

I meant every word I said even though it was short and to the point. In general I do not read many "angel" based paranormal books because they mostly fall short for me. I can't put my finger on it, but there have been several books/series that were extremely popular but that I read and didn't fall in with the hype. 


"Angelfire" was not one of these. 

First there are nightmares. 
Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her. 

Then come the memories. 
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream. 

Now she must hunt. 
Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember. (Goodreads)

It seriously blew me away. Made me laugh. Made me bawl my eyes out. In 2011 I read A LOT of books but something about this particular book resonated with me. Ms. Moulton's debut was just spot-on. It truly swept me off my feet. Ever read a book and at the end sat in stunned silence just drinking in what you just finished? Hugged the book afterward? Flipped it to the front to start over from page 1 to relive the entire book? "Angelfire" was one of those for me.


Ellie is so determined. Of course she has flaws but she was pretty much the epitome of the word heroine for me. If you look up the 'heroine' in the dictionary you could expect to find her picture as the entry. 


Will. Oh Will. Where do I begin? Crazy skilled at whatever he touches whether it be swords or guitars, this boy will knock you for a loop. He can charm your pants off but won't because he's a gentleman, but DANG the boy gave me shivers!

I'm at the age when if I am reading, I cannot be listening to music (unless it has no words) or the television because I cannot divide my attention so I don't have a personal soundtrack to share with you. However, I can say that Ms. Moulton's playlist she has posted on her website was absolutely spot on. The above piece, "Preliator" by Globus is indeed EPIC. I bought the CD because I just LOVE stuff like this. If you listen to this and don't feel EPIC or that there is a battle brewing, you must need to clean out your ears or have your head examined. I seriously got chills when I first listened to "Preliator".

Now - for the biggest geeky confession EVER... I am a closet Guitar Hero junky. I love creating band members. Add my love of music, literature, & Guitar Hero together and what do you get? Bands made up of book characters. I admit it. I made Will into a guitar playing avatar on one of my Guitar Hero bands. *facepalm* I'm truly a hot mess when it comes to this series.


If you haven't read "Angelfire" you should. On February 1st (Jan 31st for you state-siders), I will be on the seat of my couch, 1-click purchasing my "Wings of the Wicked". I probably won't even log onto Twitter that day because I will have my nose buried in my e-reader screen. /end fangirl rant


Angelfire & Wings of the Wicked: Just do it. You won't regret it. 

Hug An Author: Day 5; Interviews with author, Tammara Webber & Janette, fellow book lover

                                     

Welcome to Day 5 of the Hug An Author Blog Hop 

hosted by 

myself, Lynn from Bringing the Epic & Jen from What's On the Bookshelf 

to celebrate authors!

Which author inspired you? Made you cry? Made you laugh til your sides split? Writes the closest to the way you speak?

There are so many writers that have inspired me over the years that I'm not sure I can pick just one. Recently, Jandy Nelson did all of these things in her book The Sky Is Everywhere. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you bump it up on your TBR. Forewarning, you WILL need tissues. 

If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh til your sides split, consider Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan. I literally almost wet myself reading this book. I haven't gotten around to reading any of the authors' other works, but I most certainly want to. And it's a great holiday read (shameless holiday plug there) that takes place in NYC over winter break. The antics in this one are sure to please!

Now, please help me hug and celebrate one of my new-found favorite authors, Tammara Webber. When I read Between the Lines I was not expecting to fall in love with the book. Even better bonus, Tammara is always so friendly and just awesome all around. Not only can she write her pants off - she can charm the fans! We do have such a blast on Twitter! Recently she and a few of my fellow online gal pals have been "dream casting" her characters and we have been rowdy and very vocal in swooning over some of our choices. I am so pleased Tammara agreed to interview for the hop!

Tammara Webber

Author of 

Between the Lines, Where You Are, 

and Good For You (out on 16 December)

Tell us about yourself.
I fell in love with young adult books when I took a YA Lit course in college, thinking I might teach. I ultimately decided teaching wasn’t for me, but my enjoyment of YA novels stuck. I’ve been a writer in one form or another all of my life, so I decided to try writing for the genre I’d come to love reading most. Eventually, I came up with Between the Lines.

Where can readers follow you on the web?

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TammaraWebberAuthor

Blog: http://tammarawebber.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tammarawebber (warning: I suck at Twitter)

Who is your favorite author(s)? Their genre? What makes them your favorite?
Jennifer Echols (YA contemporary romantic author) is my favorite. I adore her stories and writing style. Her books are a blend of humorous, hot, and serious stuff, and that appeals to me as a reader—and is also something I seek to emulate as a writer.

Which book makes you cry, laugh ‘til your sides split?
I laugh often when reading anything by Echols, but Endless Summer was hysterical. Simone Elkeles’ How to Ruin series was also especially funny (particularly the first one—I actually snorted twice while reading). Going Bovine (Libba Bray) made me bawl. Also teared up reading I Know It’s Over (C.K. Kelly Martin) and Please Ignore Vera Dietz (A.S. King). Laughed and cried repeatedly in the same book: The Sky is Everywhere (Jandy Nelson).

Which author wrote the character that you would want to be your best friend?
Hmm. I think Seth from Wicked Lovely (Melissa Marr) would be pretty cool as a best friend. Or Matt from Flat-Out Love (Jessica Park). I suppose you can see where my head is on best friends… I’m married to mine. ;) I guess if I had to choose a literary female best friend… I’d want America from Beautiful Disaster (Jamie McGuire). She’s loyal, protective, supportive and hilarious. (Just like my RL female BFF.)

Is there another author that when you see on tour/at conferences you feel fan-girly about? Who have you gotten star-struck over?
I haven’t met many authors in person. I could imagine going a little fan-girly over John Green, though. He’s so brilliant and talented and socially aware (and cute… which certainly doesn’t hurt).

As an author, how does it feel to have your readers crushing on the fictional boys you have written?
I LOVE writing a guy who readers fall for. My goal when creating them is for the guys to be realistic, which means they will not be perfect. Of course, even imperfect guys will do some things perfectly. ;)

What advice would you give to an aspiring author in regards on how to reach their readers/fans?
A reader who enjoys what you’ve written will find you. Make yourself available! I felt really silly setting up a FB fan page when I indie-published my first book, but I did it. I set up a Twitter account at the same time. I already had the blog, which I rearranged to accommodate book information like descriptions, reviews, and the trailer for Between the Lines. Each of these has links to the others.

Interview with fellow book lover

Janette

Tell us about yourself.

Hmm, what can I tell you that will make me seem more exciting than I really am? I’m a

thirty-something Midwestern girl who has made her way to the South. I’m a married,

SAHM of three girls 13, 12, & almost 11. In my former life BC (before children), I was an

audiologist. [Sorry to disappoint, but no, that’s not someone who fixes stereos. ;)] I’m

not a writer or a book blogger, so I guess I’d refer to myself as a book enthusiast. I read

a lot, whenever I can, and spend countless hours volunteering for community and

education non-profit organizations. (In other words, I work for free. :D)

Who is your favorite author and why? What genre do the generally write?

I knew this question would be part of this interview, but I dreaded it anyway. My first

thought was ‘I have to pick 3 or less?’ My next was that I really wish I could say it’s

someone classic like Jane Austen or Tolstoy. If I’m being honest, my very favorite author is Stephen King. I love his writing style, and I’m completely drawn in by his ability to set a scene and develop complex characters. He writes primarily horror (what does that say about me?), and I will generally read ANYTHING he’s written from novels to his

column in Entertainment Weekly. He’s got a great sense of humor and wit that manages

to come through in all his work.

Do you have a blog? If so, what is the website. If not, where do you like to discuss your favorite books & gush about authors?

I don’t have an active blog; I started one a LONG time ago, but I rarely update it. I guess

you could say I’m a wanna be blogger. I love to spend time on twitter or goodreads

discussing my favorite authors & books with others.

Where can we follow you? (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

I’m on Twitter (@jderucki) and Facebook (Janette Derucki)

Which one of your favorite author's books is the one that made them your favorite?

If I had to choose one, I’d choose It. I read that book when I was a sophomore in high

school (about 15 years old), and it pretty much terrified me. I was so frightened that I

couldn’t help but keep reading. I rushed through my homework every night just to get

back to it. I’m not even sure I could tell you what it was that captivated me...maybe the

clown? To this day when I read a book that features a clown, Pennywise is still who I

picture. He’s the ultimate in creeptastic!

Who was your favorite author when you were a child? a teen? during your

adulthood? (has it ever changed?)

My favorite author changed quite a bit growing up. I loved Beverly Cleary’s Ramona

series, then Gertrude Chandler Warner’s Box Car Children before I eventually found my

all-time favorite author from childhood, Judy Blume. I read the Fudge books and

everything else she’d written (well, that my mom would let me read anyway). As a

preteen I discovered the Sweet Valley High books by Francine Pascal and plowed my

way through those. I’ve always read a wide variety of books in many genres.

Eventually I read Stephen King and, as I mentioned before, he became my all-time

favorite. Since then I’ve found tons of authors I really love; it would be impossible to

name them all!

Is there an author you've met or attended their book signing? If not, who would yougive your right arm to see?

I love to attend book signings; living near Atlanta we’re lucky to get many authors

passing through. I attended my first signing with my friend Sue during grad school. We

attended a Nora Roberts event to get signed books for our moms, and I’ve been going

ever since. For the past several years I’ve been able to attend the Decatur Book

Festival in Decatur, GA. It’s held during Labor Day weekend and features tons of

authors for all ages, all genres, including local & up-and-coming names. I’ve attended

many readings & panels of my favorite authors (new & old); this year my favorite panel

featured Beth Revis, Myra McEntire & Rachel Hawkins. To name a few, I have been

fortunate to meet Diana Gabaldon, Richelle Mead, Kate DiCamillo, Lauren Myracle,

Judy Schachner, & Jackson Pearce.