Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Pub Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: young adult contemporary science fiction
Format/Source: hardcover, borrowed from the library
Status: book 1 of The Program duology

Summary:

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

Weekly wrap-up: October 13-19

Lately, I've really been cutting down on the amount I'm spending on books because I just moved into a house, and I have a lot of adult-ish bills to pay these days. So aggravating. I miss the days when I could do whatever I wanted with my money. However, Half Price Books totally had a massive sale here in Dallas. And we're talking $1 and $2 clearance here. There weren't any new books to be found, but there were a lot of older ones that I found intriguing and one that just sent me into a bout of hysterical laughter. Also, with a few days off from work (and one day in which I was technically working, but not doing anything at all. I know that sounds bad, but there was literally nothing I was able to do for long stretches of time other than sit and read), I was able to get a LOT of reading done. How was your week? Any great new books I should be aware of? Let me know!

Completed:

Frigid (Frigid #1) - J. Lynn: 4 stars. My first JLA/JL novel, and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be reading more.

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell: 5 stars. Levi Levi Levi Levi Levi. Also, Cath IS me. Review here.

The Girl with the Iron Touch (Steampunk Chronicles #3) - Kady Cross: 3.5 stars. I love this series so much so it kills me to give it a relatively low rating. However, I just didn't think it warrented anything higher. Very sad because this series deserves better ratings. Full review here.

Nantucket Blue - Leila Howland: 4 stars. I wasn't blown away, which is honestly what I'd been expecting, but it was pretty good. Enjoyable. Will review soon.

Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks #4) - Miranda Kenneally: 4 stars. *sigh* I love the Hundred Oaks series. There was a BIG surprise that I wasn't expecting in this one, but it was a nice surprise. Full review coming during the Racing Savannah tour for Sourcebooks, which will be in December.

Currently Reading:

The Program (The Program #1) - Suzanne Young: This is starting off pretty slowly, but I have a feeling things are about to pick up. Status: page 84

Clockwork Princess audiobook - Cassandra Clare: Love it. I could be a bit further along, but I stopped it at the end of a chapter break tonight. Wanted to get a chunk in its entirety tomorrow and not broken up. Status: 69% (naughtily ironic considering I'm now at chapter 19 *eyebrow waggle*)

New to my bookshelf this week:
Library:
The End Games - T. Michael Martin: I heard this is a good book for Halloween.
Two Lies and a Spy - Kat Carlton
Wait for You (Wait for You #1) - J. Lynn
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black
Wild Cards - Simone Elkeles

Bought:
The Madman's Daughter - Megan Shepherd: I actually bought this a couple months ago, but I shipped it to my good friend Maura of The Whimsical Mama, who got to meet Megan recently & was nice enough to get my copy signed!
The Bitch Posse - Martha O'Connor
Take Me There - Carolee Dean
The Heartbreakers - Pamela Wells
Girl v. Boy - Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout
One Day - David Nicholls (I think this may be the book that Anne Hathaway movie is based on. Maybe)
Outside the Lines - Amy Hatvany
The Indigo Notebook - Laura Resau
Anatomy of a Boyfriend - Daria Snadowsky: I've always been intrigued by this cover

And, my personal favorite: Datable by Justin Lookadoo and Hayley DiMarco. Guys, we are going to make fun of this book SO MUCH. I may turn this into a weekly feature for a little bit because this book is so ridiculous I couldn't not buy it. To give you a hint of what's to come, let me tell you that chapter 8 is titled "Girls Control How Far You Go" and chapter 13 is titled "Girls, Shut Up." Oh, we are going to have a freaking FIELD DAY with this! I hope you're as excited as I am!

Giveaways & Contests:
Eve - Anna Carey, courtesy of EpicReads aka Harper Collins. I won this from attending my first-ever Tea Time!

DRCs:
Racing Savannah - Miranda Kenneally (NG)
While You're Away Part I - Jessa Holbrook (NG)
Pawn (Blackcoat Rebellion #1) - Aimee Carter (NG)
Crash Into You - Katie McGarry (NG)
Heartbeat -Elizabeth Scott (NG)
Stir Me Up - Sabrina Elkins (NG)
Reckless Secrets - Gina Robinson (NG)

Events Attended: 
Anna Godberson @ Irving Public Library, October 17. Anna spend a few minutes talking about F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, but she also answered a few questions about her own work, and then she signed some books. Recap coming soon!

Review: The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

Rating:3.5 stars
Pub Date: May 28, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young adult, historical science fiction, steampunk
Format/Source: Hardcover, bought
Status: Third book in the Steampunk Chronicles (book 3 of 5)

Summary:
In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has...

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Rating: 5 stars

Pub Date: September 10, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (imprint of Macmillan)

Genre: young adult/new adult, contemporary romance, college fic

Format/Source: hardcover, borrowed from the library

Status: standalone

Summary:

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Cover Reveal: Scintillate by Tracy Clark

Today I'm glad to help share the new cover of book one of Tracy Clark's upcoming Light Key Trilogy: Scintillate. Many, many thanks to Rockstar Book Tours & Entangled Teen for letting me be part of this reveal. Leave a comment to tell me what you think and enter the INTERNATIONAL giveaway for a copy of Scintillate as well as an exclusive key charm.

Scintillate

The Light Key Trilogy #1
by Tracy Clark

February 4, 2014

Entangled Teen

 

Summary:

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and living in Ireland. Since then, Dad has been more than overprotective and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she is suddenly seeing around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

Troubled by these strange flickerings and fearing she is being stalked, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—a conspiracy that could end her life and change mankind forever.

Scintillate is the first book in this lush and exciting new trilogy, full of romance, adventure and metaphysical mystery.

Pre-Order Links:

 

Excerpt:

Finn began to play. Voices descended into a respectful hush. Soft strums of the guitar lifted and fell on shafts of daylight from the windows. A small patch of sun warmed my exposed neck as I listened. The orange beads of his bracelet flashed as he plucked the strings with slender fingers. His head hung over the guitar in reverent concentration.

His playing was amazing, sweet and peaceful. For a while I let go of how bizarre my life had become. I was entranced long before Finn closed his eyes and opened his mouth to sing. His voice was rich, smooth suede, perfectly suited for the blues: soulful and vulnerable. The kind of voice that reaches inside and squeezes what’s tender.

When he sang an Irish bar song called “The Wild Rover,” he got the entire crowd to join in on the chorus. A couple of times during his performance, his gaze fell on me and lingered as if he sang directly to me. I rested my chin on my hand, hiding my smile behind my fingers. The last song was in a language I didn’t understand, but my soul spoke that language. Deep inside, something cracked open so that a bit of my truest self could peek out. His music was bluesy and mournful, eerily familiar, and it opened my heart in locked places. A tear landed on my wrist.

When the final chord of the last song reverberated through the coffeehouse, the audience jumped to its feet and applauded wildly. The force of energy from the crowd knocked the breath out of me, making me dizzy. I dared a look at the people in the room. The colors were unbelievable! Such power. It rolled toward Finn in a wave, a tsunami in slow motion. I had the impulse to leap in front of him, to protect him from it.

My body jerked in response to the thought, and I squeezed the sides of the wooden chair, willing myself to sit still. I couldn’t trust myself and the strong urge to protect him. But from what? The big, bad colors I could see but that were invisible to everyone else? He’d think I was crazy.

Maybe I was.

A chill spidered up my spine. The man with the crazy eyes and pure white aura leaned against the brick wall a couple feet away, staring intently at me. Icy fear spiked through me, making my fingers tingle and my breath come in quick bursts. The sounds of the room fell away. My heart sped and my aura sparked as I saw the roiling ball of the crowd’s energy pass over the man and collide with Finn. But rather than crush him, the energy crashed and blended with his own bright aura, making it grow and pulse fiercely. He seemed to absorb the light until the room grew dim to my eyes.

Untouched by the energy, the strange man moved closer and closer to me. I called out to Dun, but he couldn’t hear me over the shouts and clapping. I was so small in my chair amid the standing crowd. The man and his dark eyes were all I could see. I tried to leap up to run, to grab Dun’s arm, to call for help, but my chest jerked toward the stranger as if I’d been punched in the spine. I couldn’t draw breath, couldn’t move through the thick ice of my draining energy and rising panic. I was hit in the face with a blast of air. Then, a sudden flash of white.

The world tilted sideways, and I slid off.

About the Author:

Tracy Clark is a young-adult writer because she believes teens deserve to know how much they matter and that regardless of what they're going through, they aren't alone. In other words, she writes books for her teen self.

She grew up a "valley girl" in Southern California but now resides in her home state of Nevada with her daughter and son. She's an unapologetic dog person who is currently owned by a cat. 

She is the recipient of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Work in Progress Grant and a two-time participant in the prestigious Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program. 

 Her debut novel, SCINTILLATE, was inspired by her enchantment with metaphysics as a teen, seeing it as the real magic in life. Tracy is a part-time college student, a private pilot, and an irredeemable dreamer.

Author Links:
   

Giveaway:

1 Scintillate ebook & key charm: US ONLY
1 Scintillate ebook: INTERNATIONAL

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover reveal organized by:

Fire & Flood Website Reveal

Today I get to share something really special with you: the official website for Victoria Scott's upcoming novel Fire & Flood! Learn about the novel and the woman behind the words. Read an intriguing excerpt. Check out behind-the-scenes exclusive info about the characters. You'll find links to add to Goodreads or pre-order from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Find out how you can contact Victoria or maybe even get your hands on an ARC. Finally, you'll find an invitation to join the Brimstone Bleed, an epic race with a life-changing prize at stake! Best of luck, Contenders! If you're as excited about Fire & Flood as I am, click on the banner above to access all this great stuff! But wait! You need an exclusive PASSWORD to open this PANDORA's box! Best of luck!

Are you excited about Fire & Flood? Let me know in the comments.

Waiting on Wednesday: What I Thought Was True

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.

What I Thought Was True

by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Coming April 15, 2014

Dial Books for Young Readers

Summary:

From the author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

Why I want it:

Oh, mylanta. My Life Next Door was an experience for me. Unfortunately, do to weird library policies and some traveling, it took me like two months to read My Life Next Door, and it was absolutely excruciating. That book is fantastic, and the wait was destroying me. Huntley Fitzpatrick is incredibly talented. Samantha and Jase's romance is spot-on, and the supporting characters were all, well, supportive and meaningful to the story. Nothing and no one felt like a stock scene or character. Everything was intended and lovely. It's a heartbreaking story, but it's also a story that leaves you feeling hopeful and happy at the end. I really, really want to get that feeling back, and I absolutely know that What I Thought Was True will do all those things, but in its own way.

Why I think you should want it:

Did you like Sarah Ockler's Twenty Boy Summer? How about Sarah Dessen's The Truth About Forever? Do you enjoy the work of Gayle Forman, Jennifer Echols, and Jennifer E. Smith? You'll like love Huntley Fitzpatrick. Her romance is sweet but not overly so. Her boy is handsome but not arrogant. Her girl is strong but vulnerable. Her story is both joyful and sorrowful. My Life Next Door is the kind of story you can lose yourself in. Based on that book alone, I will read everything Huntley will ever write. Period. You really should too.