Book Blogger Hop - July 23-26

To check out other answers and join the hop go and check out Crazy-For_Books.com for the Mr. Linky for the Blog Hop. 

This week's question:

TELL US ABOUT THE BOOK YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING!

I'm currently reading Wings by Aprilynne Pike - I'm on page 100 and it has had me from the very beginning.  I really like Lauren and David so far and look forward to learning more about Laurel and the faerie world in this book.  It seems I started reading faerie books a few weeks ago and have read more and more of them.  I really enjoy them more than I thought I would.


I have Spells waiting to read after this and I can't wait.

Book Review: Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publish Date: July 1, 2010

Hardcover, 336 pages

My Review:
I will admit I am fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials and the truth of the matter is I know very little about them.  When I saw Wicked Girls I knew I had to read it.  What I didn't realize was that it was written in verse.  I have never read a novel in verse and honestly I thought about sending it on and not reading it (it was for a book tour).  But I started it, and once I started it I could not put it down.  After reading the first 5-10 pages I became use to the writing in verse and it flowed so well.  I liked the little stories told by each of the main players and how they interweaved.  When one would stop the story, another would pick it up and it just flowed so well throughout the book.

Told from the point of view of Mercy, the servant girl, Ann Jr., the girl in the group with the highest standing in the community and Margaret, Ann's cousin, it unfolds a timeless story of girls who seek attention and will go to any lengths to get it.

I made a note in the middle of the book about the timeless theme, then read the author's note at the end on how she used that to help with the creation of this book - I was so pleased that I picked up on something like that (sometimes themes go over my head - I will confess I was never and English major and frequently just read books for enjoyment).  Ms. Hemphill weaves this beautifully into the story.  I read this in one day, never leaving it for very long at a time.  I needed to know more about Ann, Mercy, Margaret and the other main players and what would happen next in the village of Salem.

If you enjoy historical young adult novels, or historical novels in general, I think you will enjoy Wicked Girls. It tells a great story of what might have happened during the days of the Salem Witch Trials from the point of view of the major players.  It's a fascinating and captivating read and I am now intrigued by Ms. Hemphill's writing and will be seeking out her backlist as well.

My Rating:  4.5/5.0

About the Book:
Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials based on the real historical characters, told from the perspective of three young wo...more Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials based on the real historical characters, told from the perspective of three young women living in Salem in 1692—Mercy Lewis, Margaret Walcott, and Ann Putnam Jr. 

When Ann’s father suggests that a spate of illnesses within the village is the result of witchcraft, Ann sees an opportunity and starts manifesting the symptoms of affliction. Ann looks up to Mercy, the beautiful servant in her parents' house. She shows Mercy the power that a young girl is capable of in a time when women were completely powerless. 

Mercy, who suffered abuse at the hands of past masters, seizes her only chance at safety. And Ann’s cousin Margaret, anxious to win the attention of a boy in her sights, follows suit. As the accusations mount against men and women in the community, the girls start to see the deadly ramifications of their actions. Should they finally tell the truth? Or is it too late to save this small New England town?

About the Author:
Stephanie Hemphill is the author of Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath and Things Left Unsaid: A Novel in Poems. Your Own, Sylvia was a 2008 Michael L. Printz Honor Book. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
FTC Information: I received this book through Traveling ARC Tours for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

Book Review: This is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee

This is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee

Publisher: Aladdin

Publish Date: April 27, 2010

Paperback, 240 pages

My Review:
Cute fun book.  Reminds me very much of my middle school days, full of friends, boys, gossip, fights, and school work.  Barbara Dee nails this book spot on for the middle schoolers.

What did I love: the characters, how true to life they were.  Francesca wanted a friend and wanted to fit in while retaining individuality.  Her life had it's problems but she didn't focus on them.  Evie, wanted a change and Francesca offered it, but she didn't want to leave her old friends behind either.  As Francesca and Evie break out into their project and snooping into teachers' lives and learning more about each other, they also learn about themselves.  There were some great lessons in this book for tweens, some I wish I had learned myself when I was that age.

A fun quick read, great for tweens and early teens, though as an adult I enjoyed it as well.  It's cute, adorable and thought-provoking without being heavy or too cutesy.  Just an all-around good read.

My Rating:  4.0/5.0
About the Book:
Sometimes your life just needs a little jolt. 

This is what Evie's new friend Francesca tells her, and soon enough, Evie's life has had something more like an earthquake. Francesca thinks life is dull unless you go after everything you want and say everything on your mind all the time--and sometimes that includes giving other people a little behind the scenes help to give them what she thinks they want.

Evie can't always tell if she's horrified or fascinated by everything Francesca convinces her to do, but ultimately, she comes to see friendship--and life--in a whole new light.

About the Author:
Barbara Dee is a graduate of Yale University, Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English, and the University of Chicago Law School. She has taught high school English, practiced law, and reviewed books. She lives with her husband and three children in Westchester County, New York.  You can visit her on the web at www.BarbaraDeeBooks.com.

FTC Information: I received this book through 1-ARC-Tours for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

Waiting on Wednesday - July 21

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This one actually comes out tomorrow and I heard about it on Shelf Awareness last week, but the cover and the premise have completely intrigued me.

The Doctor and the Diva by Adrienne McDonnell

Release: July 22, 2010

A breathtaking novel of romantic obsession, longing and one woman's choice between motherhood and her operatic calling

It is 1903. Dr. Ravell is a young Harvard-educated obstetrician with a growing reputation for helping couples conceive. He has treated women from all walks of Boston society, but when Ravell meets Erika-an opera singer whose beauty is surpassed only by her spellbinding voice-he knows their doctor-patient relationship will be like none he has ever had.

After struggling for years to become pregnant, Erika believes there is no hope. Her mind is made up: she will leave her prominent Bostonian husband to pursue her career in Italy, a plan both unconventional and risky. But becoming Ravell's patient will change her life in ways she never could have imagined.

Lush and stunningly realized, The Doctor and the Diva moves from snowy Boston to the jungles of Trinidad to the gilded balconies of Florence. This magnificent debut is a tale of passionate love affairs, dangerous decisions, and a woman's irreconcilable desires as she is forced to choose between the child she has always longed for and the opera career she cannot live without. Inspired by the author's family history, the novel is sensual, sexy, and heart-stopping in its bittersweet beauty.

So what are you waiting on this week?

Book Review: Running from the Devil by Jamie Freveletti

Running From the Devil by Jamie Freveletti

Publisher: Harper

Publish Date: June 1, 2010

Paperback, 320 pages

My Review:
Starting off with a plane crash and from there the action just keeps building and building, Running from the Devil was a true thriller and very deserving of the Best First Novel award given to it by the International Thriller Writers a few weeks ago.

Before hearing about Running Dark, the second book in this series, I had not heard of Jamie Freveletti.  I agreed to read and review Running Dark and was pleasantly surprised to receive Running From the Devil in my package as well.  I like to read series in order so I immediately picke Running from the Devil up and started reading it.  Wow - it was really hard to put down.

Some of the things I loved:  Emma, the main character runs ultramarathons and is in tip-top shape.  I wanted to run a half a few years ago before my health sidelined me and I have always been fascinated by those people who run ultramarathons.  Emma was also smart and knew how to survive out in the jungle (she had been there the previous year).  She didn't know everything though, like how to use a gun, so I found her a believable character.  I also loved Sumner and his determination.  Banner was also interesting as the behind the scenes and eventually in the trenches guy.  The bad guys are sufficiently bad and not redeemable in the least, I could not like, did not like them and will not like them, they were truly bad guys.

The plot was great - it kept the book moving along at a pace that made it difficult to put down.  A few times I had to suspense disbelief, but truly this is fiction and a thriller, I don't expect every moment to be truly real, though the majority of this book felt real.  The action and the characters move this book right along.

The ending tidied everything up well, though from it you knew you would see more of the characters in the future and from reading the first 20 or so pages of Running Dark, I can't wait to see these characters again and hopefully again.

If you like thrillers that take place in the jungles of South America and ones where the good guys have to rely on themselves and their abilities to survive, then this is just the book for  you.  Throw in drug runners, warring factions, corrupt government and some conspiracies and you have one great thrill ride.

My Rating:  4.25/5.0

About the Book:
Emma Caldridge, a chemist for a cosmetics company, is en route from Miami to BogotÁ when her plane is hijacked and spins out of control into the mountains near the Venezuelan border. Thrown unhurt from the wreckage, she can do nothing but watch as guerrillas take the other passengers hostage.

An endurance marathon runner, Emma silently trails the guerrillas and their captives, using her athletic prowess and scientific knowledge to stay alive. Those skills become essential when she discovers an injured passenger, secret government agent Cameron Sumner, separated from the group. Together they follow the hostages, staying one step ahead by staying one step behind.

Meanwhile, as news of the hijacking breaks in Washington, the Department of Defense turns to Edward Banner, former military officer and current CEO of a security consulting firm, for help. Banner quickly sends a special task force to the crash site, intent on locating the survivors before it’s too late.

But finding Emma and Sumner is only the beginning, as Banner starts to realize that Emma was on a personal mission when the plane went down. There is more to the beautiful, talented biochemist than anyone ever imagined, for in her possession is a volatile biological weapon in an ingenious disguise, one that her enemies have set for auction to the highest bidder.

About the Author:
Jamie Freveletti is a trial lawyer and a runner. The author of the international bestseller Running from the Devil, she lives with her family in Chicago, Illinois.

Running from the Devil won Best First Novel award from the International Thriller Writers

Her website
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FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

Teaser Tuesday - July 20

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"A little girl robbed you?" Tessa said.

"Actually she wasn't a little girl at all, as it turns out, but a midget in a dress with a penchant for violence, who goes by the name of Six-Fingered Nigel."

From Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

New CSN Stores Giveaway - another $60 promo code up for grabs.

Are you a big coffee drinker?  Honestly I wasn't until about the last 6 months and my husband has finally converted me.  If you are in the market for a new coffee maker, then head right over to CSN Stores and you can find the coffee maker of your dreams.  Personally, my favorite is this one:

It's the Hamilton Beach Brewstation Plus 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Three Modes.  I think it looks cool and love the idea of brewing up and dispensing into the mugs, not a carafe.  Great for me and my husband.

So, tell me what coffee maker you like best that they have available here and you are entered to win a $60 promo code at any of the over 200 CSN stores.  (Note shipping is not included with the promo code, but there are lots of items with free shipping and other promotions).

Just leave your coffee maker preference (this is not what you have to get if you win) and an email address I can contact you at if it's not available in your profile and you are entered to win.

Additional entries for tweeting, 1 per day or posting on your blog/website (1 per giveaway).  Just leave a separate comment for what you do.

Open to US/Canada only, ends 8/2/2010.

Thank you to Jason at CSN Stores for allowing to me to do this giveaway.