Exclusive Interview with Paul Griffin

As promised, here is an exclusive interview with Paul Griffin, author of Burning Blue! Scroll down for the review!



1.) How did you manage to come up with such a unique plot line, especially with all the background information needed to formulate such a complex mystery?
I work as an emergency medical technician with a volunteer ambulance corps in New York City. My ambulance was called to help a man who had been blinded in the subway. He was looking at the train map posted on the wall, someone tapped his shoulder, he turned, and the perpetrator hit him in the eyes with what I think was police-grade pepper spray. The traffic was bad that day, and I was in the back of the ambulance with my patient for a while. He kept blaming himself for being attacked. I tried to convince him this was a random act of violence, that he didn’t do anything to provoke the assault, but he wouldn’t be swayed. He felt the perpetrator had targeted him because s/he smelled weakness in him. I found this very sad, though certainly this was not the first time I had seen someone beat himself up in the wake of an attack. I started writing the book to figure out why we blame ourselves when we’re victimized. I don’t know that I got any closer to understanding self-blame, except to say that living with the story and the characters for a while allowed me to focus on a different aspect of the fallout that comes with self-blame. It kills self-esteem, yes, but it also damages relationships, and this is where the romantic piece of the plot grew from: The two protagonists have been victimized, and their self-blame is a significant obstacle they will have to overcome if they are to befriend each other. The technical stuff about the hacking grew out of a class I took at the NYPD Academy, a 14-week session that covered a wide range of topics from traffic operations to homicide. Cybercrime interested me most. So much of it is perpetrated anonymously. Again, the self-blame element comes into play: We live in a culture that emphasizes blame—we put a lot of energy into pointing fingers—and when we don’t know who hacked/attacked us, there’s an opportunity to turn the blame inward. Doing so is largely irrational, but most of us do it anyway. We think of ourselves as weak in some way, say things like, “I’m an idiot. I didn’t take appropriate precautions, despite all the warnings.” In contrast, taking a more clinical look at the situation, leaving self-blame out of it and instead focusing on accountability can be constructive. If I keep making the same mistake and suffering the same negative outcome, I need to figure out what I’m doing or not doing that’s causing the crummy situation, but just because I was targeted doesn’t make me weak. Jay tries to do this throughout the story, i.e., focus on causal relationships, and when he keeps his attention there, he’s most successful in his relationships with others, especially his father and Nicole.


2.) Can you describe the formation of our two main characters, Nicole and Jay?
Generally the characters grow from the formative people and relationships in my life—my family and friends, neighbors, co-workers, my wife and our marriage. Specifically, Nicole is a combination of several people I admire for many reasons, among these their emphasis on inner beauty as opposed to external. They keep the focus on what they’re doing and why they’re doing it as opposed to how they’re being perceived. Jay is a
combination of several cops and EMTs I’ve met, and I guess some of me is in him too, largely when he’s being an idiot.


3.) Did you have to conduct a bit of scientific research to completely comprehend what you were writing about?
That NYPD class was great for the hacking stuff, and a reread of the laws of thermodynamics section of my trusty college chemistry book/doorstop was definitely helpful in understanding what happened to Nicole. I work two shifts a month on the ambulance, so I don’t get a lot of burn calls, i.e., a full time EMT who works for the fire department will see many more burns than I will. Yet, the few times I’ve worked a burn call have been memorable. A chemical burn is particularly insidious, because unless you clear the scene, your patient and yourself of that chemical, it will keep right on burning everything it touches.


4.) In Burning Blue, a lot of modern teen issues are explored. Did you have any trouble with the same issues Nicole and Jay did?
Definitely. I think when we’re in our teenage years, we have a lot of opportunities to seek solace in alienation. I’m 46, and I still like to be alone. I’ve learned that while we need time for ourselves, we put ourselves at risk if we don’t engage with our environment, particularly the people in it, our friends, families, neighbors, co-workers. Finding that balance, enough “me time” coupled with time for friends, is tricky. Willingly alienating yourself is a form of self-injury. I definitely beat myself up when I was 16. I blamed myself when I didn’t live up to standards I had set for myself. When I fell short, I disengaged and retreated into what I think was too much “me time.” Being alone too much, when you’re not feeling great, only makes you feel worse. I found that getting out and about, focusing on seeing if I could be of help to other people in my life, was energizing. Focusing on helping others to solve their problems more often than not helped me solve mine.


5.) What would you say your favorite scene in the novel is? How did you go about writing it?
I’m happiest when I see people finding comfort in each other’s company, lifting (and lighting) each other up. There’s a scene where the two main characters visit a very sick friend in the hospital. The sick person, a 10-year old girl, doesn’t dwell on her physical weakness. She lets herself be happy, and she makes the two main characters laugh. That moment is a turning point for them. They’ve both been through traumatic events that have left them deeply scarred, but they’re beginning to understand that it’s okay to be happy, and that their happiness might very well grow in spending more time with each other.


6.) If there was one book that could describe you in a nutshell, what would it be? Why?
The book I always go back to is The Alchemist. It’s a spiritual story without being religious, and it’s about not being afraid to look into your heart. I try (and fail and try again and again) to live like Paulo Coelho’s shepherd, seeking the great wealth that comes with living a peaceful, purposeful life. (The other one is The Silence of the Lambs. I love Clarice Starling. She’s a fighter. She makes mistakes, owns them fully, and she never gives up.)


7.) Would you ever consider writing a sequel or a spin-off of Burning Blue?
I pitched Burning Blue as the first book in a series featuring Jay Nazzaro, with ideas for four follow-up stories, but Penguin likes me to do one-offs. I’d love to hang out with Jay again, and I hope somehow I get a chance to do that. Jay is a good kid, other-centered, and I like being around that kind of energy. His hacking is fun too, because it’s rooted in deductive reasoning, and that kind of thinking—trying to figure out how things work and why people do what they do—stimulates me.


8.) What do you currently have in the works?
I think the next one might be a crime drama/romance set in Las Vegas. The young woman is the ride attendant at the rollercoaster that’s built on top of one of the hotels, and the young man is on his own after his big brother, a dealer at one of the casinos, is jailed for grand larceny. The girl’s kid brother, who is mentally challenged, is kidnapped, and she and the boy are determined to get the brother back. First they have to figure out who took him and why. I’m working on a couple of middle grade stories too, and an adult mystery/romance.


9.) What would you say to someone who was preparing to read Burning Blue? How would you describe it to them?
I think the short version is: Two broken people realize that while they might not ever be able to put all the pieces back together again, they can be made whole in each other’s company.


10.) What is your advice to aspiring young writers?
Write what you love. Don’t be hard on yourself or other writers. Reading with a critical eye is important, but as a teacher I’ve seen a lot of incredibly talented folks fall into negativity, both about others’ writing and their own, and this makes me really sad. Put your focus on what is working, i.e., what thrills you as you’re reading it. Also, take a break from your story for a bit and dive into someone else’s. Try to get out and do different things, meet different people. Your relationships feed your work, and the stronger they are, the clearer your writing becomes—at least that’s how it feels in my writing. Volunteering can be really helpful, because you’re seeing genuine need for help, and you’re seeing in yourself genuine power to be of help and to make the world a happier, more peaceful place, and that’s a beautiful place to be.

Thank you once again Paul for agreeing to do this interview with me!

Burning Blue

What to say about Burning Blue by Paul Griffin.....

I feel that this story poses a problem for reviewers, being that there are so many aspects to consider. Let me start with a quick plot summary. Basically, all you need to know is that this gorgeous pageant girl, Nicole Castro, is burned by battery acid, thrown on her by a jealous fiend nicknamed the Recluse. (Doesn't this kind of drama occur at your high school everyday? But of course!) And thus our hero, Jay, swoops and uses his intense hacking skills to try and attempt to crack the case.

Now I don't know about you, but I hate those "Who do you think did it?" or "It's up to you." endings. They are totally bogus and not a satisfactory or correct way to end a story. Which is why I wasn't too keen on "The Lady or the Tiger." Don't worry fellow readers, that is not something you have to worry about. But I will say this - it is the absolute last person you think did it. Which, I might add, is totally cliched. Everything nowadays is.

Expressing my true feelings on this would cause me to reveal the mind-shattering ending, and I am definitely not that mean. But saying who did it really doesn't matter because it is a messed up concept anyway.

Lately, I've been finding myself questioning the sanity of authors, and I have brought myself back to that point again with Paul Griffin. Burning Blue has so many different meanings in this story, all of which I cannot tell you, as it would reveal major plot points. (Ugh, just go out and buy it already and spare me the torture.) I have come to a deeper realization though - Paul really talks about major teen issues in this novel, issues that are important to teens today. Jealousy, cutting, inner beauty - all of these points play a major role in the story.

Despite the serious mental....issues.....that erupt from reading this, I found Burning Blue to be extremely well written, enjoyable, and a real page turner. For awhile, I wasn't reading often, but the closer I inched to the end of the book, the more hooked I became. As a person, I never felt myself feeling sorry for Nicole. There was no reason to pity her because, when you really look at it, that's not what she wanted. Nicole needed to come to the realization that she was beautiful, and so did everyone else. Only Jay saw her true beauty, her true self, her true reasons for Burning Blue.

The Book Thief

As part of a summer reading assignment, I came across Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, which is now one of my absolute favorites. Here is a letter to Mr. Zusak, explaining my emotional feelings towards his story. Warning: THERE ARE SOME SPOILERS! Skip over the letter for the review!

Dear Mr. Zusak,

             I came across your book as a summer reading assignment. Contrary to the views of some of my classmates, I did not find the size intimidating - in fact, the large volume was quite inviting. I could not fathom what would await for me inside, I only knew at that point that I was dreading having to read yet another lengthy novel. Being the novelist that your are, you would probably assume that statement to be contradictory to my previous one. Yes, Mr. Zusak, it certainly is. You see, I welcome a lengthy novel - it presents more time to love, to obsess, to lose. But when you have to read four other lengthy novels when there are five others you would rather be reading, you come to dread it. I must say that The Book Thief surprised me. But with a little help from my Literature teacher and my classmates, I was able to delve deeper into its meanings.

            Let me begin with the conclusion, or near-conclusion of the novel. I must implore you - was it honestly necessary to murder every character that I had come to love? Mr. Zusak, I truly appreciated your work, because it was an exceptional one. But was there any obvious reason for you to take a world I had come to respect, take the characters I had lived with, and simply smash them into oblivion? I would very much like to learn your reasons behind doing so. If I may, I would like to make a small comparison to John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. Everything was going so well in the story, well, as well as things can go for a couple that has one half living with cancer that is likely terminal. It was all somewhat sunshine and daisies until Green takes it upon himself to give the other half of the couple highly-terminal cancer. And yes, Mr. Zusak, that half does perish before the story's end. So again I reiterate  - why is there a reason to crush the hopes and dreams of one very intrigued reader? Nonetheless, there is another aspect of this tragic ending that I greatly appreciated. The conclusion was real and true. I have often told myself that one day I would write a story in which nothing had a happy ending. I do not find that to be a morbid thought, and I believe that you would understand why. Too many stories end with a happy ending. I believe we have Walt Disney to thank for that. You comprehend that not everything in life is rainbows and butterflies, and it was evident in the way you presented the ending of the story.

            In addition, I would like to hone in on your narrator. I found it brilliant that you used the being of Death to present the story. To me, Death had a story. I asked myself, "What if Death is Liesel Meminger?" Now, at this point you probably think I am going way too deep into this, which I probably am. But if you think about it, in some twisted, parallel universe, it could be true. Imagine this: years ago Death began to get tired of its monotonous life. So, it went on a journey to find an identity. Death came across a story of a girl named Liesel Meminger. It became so consumed in the girl's story, the story of her life that she herself had penned, that Death assumed the life of the girl. So in that sense, Death could truly have been Liesel. Now, in a more realistic sense, Death was the shadowy figure of a teenage boy. That was probably much easier to comprehend. I truly believe that the story would have been utterly different if Death had been removed as the narrator, but not as a character. Death's insights caused you to look at life in a different way. Life has struggles that must be endured, but none can be as difficult as the life lived by Death. Death had courage in the sense that he took things as they came, despite the fact that he wanted nothing more than to escape his personal monotonous circle of hell.

            Furthermore, I would like to discuss with you the importance of books. Obviously as an author, you can greatly appreciated and truly comprehend the wonders of books. Mr. Zusak, if I may, were you ever in a position as a child where you needed an escape from reality? I can honestly say that I found myself in that position often. Subconsciously, I believe I used books as an outlet of escape. Sometimes, I feel I immerse myself so much into a story that it becomes a bit unhealthy. I believe the term "fangirling" would apply? I know this is certainly something I can lecture to you about, free of judgment. I hope you can agree with me in saying that words have much power. I recently delved into a bit of that power in Theology class. But that is besides the point. Words can have a wide affect on people, especially in a book. You proved that with your use of Mein Kamp in the novel. But words not only have the power to control, but they have the power to enlighten and to scare. Many people discourage themselves from books due to the fact that they see many words and feel fear. They tell themselves, "It would just be easier to watch the movie." But we both know, they are the ones who lose the joy that a number of pieces of paper, all bundled together, can bring.

            Above all, Mr. Zusak, I would like to commend you on your overall fabulous novel. It was nothing like I had read before, and the new spin on a popular topic in historical fiction was exceptional. I never could have thought that Death could be such an adored narrator. Even though I have read many a novel in which characters I came to love were lost, I never experienced such emotional distress as I did with The Book Thief. I sincerely hope that there will come a day that I will you will share with me the unknown wonders of your novel, for it was truly one that I will remember and recommend for quite some time. Congratulations, Mr. Zusak, on a job well done.

_________________________________________________________

The Book Thief brings more meaning to the little things in life. Liesel was stripped of her family and shipped of to a new one, where she spent a life poor in material things, but rich in love. She had her best friend Rudy, her new parents Ilsa and Hans, and she had the books which brought her joy and importantly, freedom in a time when it was scarce. Our narrator, Death, opens our eyes through his little "gems" which offer advice on life's littlest and biggest issues. So let me just say that 

The Book Thief will cause you great emotional distress, it will cause you to fall in love with it, and it will teach you how to open your eyes to the little things that matter. Most importantly, it will teach you that the world is much bigger than you. The world is a story - your's is just a few pages.

                                                                                                                        

Across the Universe

Beth Revis's Across the Universe centers around an ideal society that crashes and burns because of a teenage girl's intuitiveness and insight on a world that left her behind. Dystopian much? Well that's nothing new considering 99.9% of today's teen literature falls under that category. Yes, John Green, I'm speaking directly to you considering your book is causing me emotional distress...

Anyway, climb aboard Godspeed, a fantastical, futuristic spacecraft carrying two thousand living souls and another batch of souls frozen in cryostasis to a new earth. Nonessential cargo Amy is well, unplugged and melted by God-knows-who (well you will know after you suffer through a mind-blowing 200 pages). She turns the ship upside down by her different appearance (everyone is mono-ethnic) and her insane stories of earth. Amy begins to fall for Elder, the boy who is next in line to be leader of the ship. Amy begins to delve into the secrets of the ship, the lies used to cover up the truth, and works to stop the mass murderer who is working on exterminating the ship's frozen cargo.

Now, Across the Universe may seem simplistic, but trust me it is simply described as MESSED UP. you work to discover the truth before the characters themselves do - sometimes you succeed and sometimes you do not. A lot of the time, I felt myself thinking exactly what the characters believed. Beth Revis clearly knows  how to entice a reader while baffling them by having them think on the same track as the characters in the story.

Now, please understand that this story has abosolutely nothing to do with the 2007 movie musical, Across the Universe. The book includes nothing about drug-addicted, Beatles-singing soldiers. I can promise you that.

With Across the Universe, I was stepping out of my comfort zone a bit considering I'm such a fantasy buff while this is more science fiction which really is not my thing. Surprisingly, I fell in love with the story from the first chapter. Revis has a unique concept on her hands. Props to her for such a well-written story. So don't turn away just because it's not your typical genre. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Exclusive Interview with Dayna Lorentz

Dayna Lorentz, author of No Safety in Numbers, so graciously agreed to do an interview with me! Hope you enjoy this exclusive content!

1. This really bugged me that it was just left alone. I'm probably over-thinking but when a certain character happens to break out of the mall does this cause the virus to go airborne? 

The virus is already airborne! The bomb injects it into the air flow within the mall. ACK! 

2. Was the subtle love triangle between Shay, Marco, and Ryan planned from the beginning, or did it evolve with the story?

Everything in the novel evolved through the writing process. I knew from the beginning that Ryan would be entranced by Shay, and that Shay would be interested in him, but the relationship with Marco was a surprise, and certainly the ways in which all of the relationships in the story developed was a product of the writing process and following where the characters and their stories led me.

3. How many books (surprise!) are you planning on writing in this series? Will the books be limited to life in the mall, or will we venture into the Outside?

There are three books total in the series, including No Safety in Numbers. And you don't really want me to give anything away, do you? 

4. The last chapter really surprised me. I mean REALLY surprised me. I was pretty much at a loss for words. Did you decide the ending when you initially began writing?
I found the ending as I was writing the story. It surprised me as well!

5. What made you decide to take a completely different course than your previous books? How did you take such a creative spin on a common topic?

I had the idea for the story back in 2007 when I was at a mega-mall with my husband after seeing a movie late at night. The theater was on the topmost floor, and the lower floors of the mall were dark as we descended to the parking level. There were people on these darkened floors, and their voices echoed around the cavernous empty space. In that moment, the mall seemed like an alien and scary place--and the idea for the trilogy was born!

6. Did you have to do a lot of research because the book revolved around a lot of scientific fact?

Yes! I did tons of research, and also sought out the help of "experts." I have a friend who's a doctor who has helped me with the medical stuff, and another friend who's a big gamer, and he helped with some of the gaming details. 

7. Where did all your inspiration come from? It had to be difficult to create four completely different main characters who intertwined in so many ways. Even the secondary characters played big roles!
The four main characters came to me almost instantly, though I got to know them through the writing and revising process. The situation lent itself to a big cast of characters, so as their stories developed, I met the other characters. For example, in my first idea notes, I had Marco being chased by Mike and Drew, but it was only once I started writing that those two connected with Ryan and his brother.

8. What is your advice to aspiring young writers?

Keep on writing! The more you write, the better you will become. And READ, as much as possible, as often as possible! It is only through reading and thinking critically about what you read that you can become a better writer.

The Hiding Place

Summer reading usually sucks. I love reading, and I'm proud to say it. But I'm sure that's pretty evident since I have a blog about books. But anyway, that's not the point. So far, summer reading hasn't sucked for me. So now I'm going to make you a bit jealous that your summer reading isn't as great as mine and give you the inside scoop on Cornelia ten Boom's The Hiding Place.


For those of you who know everything about world history, you would know that a hiding place was a secret room in which Jews were hidden during the Holocaust in Europe. For those of you who fall asleep during history, now you know. This Holocaust drama captures the life of a one Cornelia ten Boom, who is sent to prison when it is believed that Jews are hidden in her home.

The Hiding Place creates a portrait of life not in the hiding place or in a Jewish concentration camp or even a Japanese camp. It doesn't try to capture the violent side of the war. It captures the war within the war - the war about religion. (The story discusses the Christian faith often so it may not appeal to all of you.)

Since you have an entire new perspective on the Holocaust, you can learn that it wasn't only the Jews who were treated like animals. Sure, the people who hid them weren't always killed. But they were imprisoned, starved, housed in the poorest conditions, and worked until they keeled over.

Miss ten Boom decided to turn her plight into something great. Now obviously, we all don't have the opportunity to be taken into custody by the Nazis, be released, and teach people valuable lessons from our suffering. I mean, doesn't everyone get to do that? No. But, to be a tad of a lecture, the point of the book is to turn everyday hardships into a gift for God.

Personally, I find books about the Holocaust fascinating. So, even if you're not into non-fiction or religion, it might do you some good to read this book. Might even change your life.

Exclusive Interview - Huntley Fitzpatrick

The wonderful author of My Life Next Door so generously agreed to answer several questions that I sent her out of the blue. She so willingly gave her time to answer these questions - so please enjoy them! And remember - My Life Next Door hits bookstores June 14th!

1. Your biography said that you grew up in a sleepy New England town - were the characters and events at all based on your life?

I think all writers use little pieces of themselves and their past in every story, but MY LIFE NEXT DOOR was not autobiographical to a large degree. Like Samantha, I was a watcher who wondered about other people’s lives and tried a little too hard to look good.  I did a lot of family-watching (and a lot of boy-watching).

2. Was forming the characters difficult? You must have had to really work on background stories, especially for characters like Samantha's best friend Nan, and Nan's brother, the drunken Tim.

The characters in this book came to me so clearly that it wasn’t difficult. Samantha’s mother was the only one who was a real struggle.  To write someone you have to understand them and their responses to every circumstance and that was a challenge with Grace.

3. Was there ever a family like the Garrets in your neighborhood when you were growing up?

Only in my imagination! I grew up writing endless stories about very large families.  For some reason, the dynamic of how they work has always fascinated me.

4. Who was your favorite character and why?

 It’s hard to pick a favorite character—like choosing your favorite child. I have my favorite moments with almost every character. Tim and George were the most fun to write; Jase the most satisfying.

  

5. Do you plan on writing more novels? Will they be for teens or adults?

I hope I never stop writing novels. I’m working on Book 2 now, but have a few more already buzzing around in my brain. Writing YA seems to suit my voice. Maybe someday I will lose my fascination with those intense teen years, but it seems unlikely.

6. My Life Next Door was not an average summer romance novel. How did you put little spins on classic topics to make it unique?

I’m not sure. Summer has always been my favorite season, and looking back on my teen years and what romances there were then, the most intense times always seemed to happen during the summer. Maybe that came through into this story.

 7. What is your advice to aspiring authors?

Read everything. When you find an author you love read all they have written, once for pleasure, then again to see how they worked their magic. Keep a journal in which you write your absolute truth. Record your thoughts, conversations you have, conversations you overhear, everything. Don’t be too critical of yourself. The only prerequisite for being a writer is writing.

8. How did you decide that you wanted to be an author for young adults?

I’ve always been a reader and I’ve always been a writer. Looking back, the books which affected me the most intensely seem to have been those I read as a teenager. Maybe that’s why when I returned to writing after a hiatus YA was the natural genre to turn to.

 9. Tim was one of my favorite characters in the story. Can you tell me about your formation of TIm?

I’m so glad. I have a huge soft spot for Tim, even though he was an incredibly disobedient character.  He was originally intended to play a small role, but every time I put him in a scene he never did what I’d planned. I had many a conversation with my best friend where I’d call her in frustration and complain that he was walking away with the book. In the end, I don’t think he did, but he certainly got a lot more page time than I’d intended.  As for his inspiration, I think we’ve all known a Tim or two.

My Life Next Door

** This book will not be released until June 14th, 2012 **

My Life Next Door is not your average summer romance. Samantha Reed is the daughter of the Connecticut state senator, Grace Reed. It seems that Grace wants Samantha's life to have a good -girl vibe, much different then the rebel path her other daughter, Tracy, chose.


Grace despises the family next door - they're messy, loud, and large. That's right - the Garrets have EIGHT kids with the ninth on the way. From the moment the Garrets moved in, Samantha watched them. Sounds a little stalker-ish, right? Well, it is. Until Samantha starts a relationship with one of them  - Jase. The two fall in love almost instantly. Now, like I said, this is not your average summer romance. But, I know, that's what is sounds like.


At first, the love is innocent. But it becomes more of a betrayal to Grace when Sam and Jase fall deeper in love. Samantha begins to revolve her life around the Garrets, almost like she is one of them. Sam and Jase seem to have a picture perfect summer, minus dealing with their friend Tim's journey to becoming sober and drug-free.


All seems like a fairy tale - until Grace has one two many glasses of wine and hits something while driving home. After putting the puzzle pieces together, Samantha realizes that the 'something' was Jase's father, Mr. Garret. To make it worse, Clay, Grace's conniving boyfriend, convinces her to just drive away and leave the severely injured Mr. Garret in the middle of the road. Can Sam confess to Jase and his family the fact that will land her mother ten years in jail?


My Life Next Door had me hooked from page one. For all of you looking for a summer beach read, this is the book for you! The summer love is something every girl fantasizes for, and can relate to. Huntley Fitzpatrick, our debut author, paints the vivid picture of an innocent New England town, but doesn't send the "sleepy town with hidden secrets" message. Sure, the "hiding my boyfriend from my mother" scheme is a little cliched, but there are so many side elements that bring it together to make it much more than summer love.


Thanks to Stacey at Dial Books for sending me this advanced proof!


Huntley is also planning Book 2! Although it may not be with the same characters, it will surely be another great read. Here is a little sneak peek!


17-year-old 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 a tip: her wealthy, elderly employer is redoing her will this summer, and that could be Gwen's ticket to the good life. But what will it mean for Gwen’s now life? 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.

Fated

**This book will not be released until May 22, 2012**

Fated is filled with magick, mystery, and some gorgeous blue eyes. When Daire Lyons begins to see some horrifying images around the time of her 16th birthday, she is deemed crazy by doctors. With the threat of being placed in mental hospital, Daire's mother, Jennika, a 33-year-old Hollywood makeup artist, sends her away to live with her grandmother, Paloma. While in the rinky-dink town of Enchantment, Daire learns the truth about the death of her father, Django, falls for a boy with icy blue eyes whose twin brother is out to kill her, and assumes her role as a soul seeker, one who can travel between the worlds of the living an dead.

When I started this book, I dubbed it an OK read. It was a new interpretation of magic, but this time with animal spirits. That was all that it was. As I inched closer to the middle of the book, it started picking up. It was almost like Alyson Noel realized that her story needed a little oomph. There were components that I loved. Alyson Noël's language was vivid and created such a realistic story. I felt like I myself was a citizen of Enchantment. The plot was very original and the infusion of Native American and Latino culture was awesome. I just think that some aspects were things I had met before. In Beautiful Creatures by Kimi Garcia and Margaret Stole, a 16-year-old girl moves to a rinky-dink town and had dreams about a boy she has never met! This is almost exactly the same thing that occurs in Fated. Also, Daire can control animals, which seems vaguely familiar.

The point I'm trying to get across is that Fated is very confusing. If you don't pay attention to every little detail, you will surely be lost. Many a time I was confused about the end result. Was Daire just supposed to survive the Day of the Day and not be killed by a blue eyed, psychopathic sorcerer who is trying to conquer the world? As I reached the final sections, I realized the answer as yes.

There were parts that I found really well-written and enticing. In the beginning, it was a lot of detail, but that's just what happens when a new series is introduced. The **gasp** moments increased as the story progressed.

With an original plot and a well-known author the story will surely be a winner. For me, it evolved into something that I came to appreciate. There was an unknown piece that just didn't fully capture my attention, though. Hopefully, as the series progress, I will able to fully comprehend what an enticing story this is. So by now, you may be confused with what my opinion actually is. Well, I'll give it a 6 out of 10. Fair enough?

Special thanks to Jessica and Aleks at St. Martin's Press for sending me this copy!

No Safety in Numbers

**This book will not be released until May 29, 2012**


Dayna Lorentz has finally made her Young Adult debut, and it sure is a winner! I was lucky enough to get an unedited version of the book and read it in advance! In this new take on a classic topic, Lorentz takes us through the agony of a quarantine in a very busy suburban mall in Westchester, New York. Thousands of people have been trapped inside because the Senator messed up protocol - instead of evacuating, she quarantined. Oh, and did I mention that the reason they are being held prisoners in the mall is because some crazy person decided to stick a bomb to the mall's ventilation shaft? The story takes place over a week's time and follows four teenagers - Marco, Shay, Ryan, and Lexi - who find there own ways out and face their own problems. Of course, Dayna had to include the usual topic in a YA adult novel: a subtle love triangle. Although it is not as prominent as other books (in fact you may not notice it like I did) it is still there. 


Let me introduce you to our four rambunctious teens:
Marco is that kid who gets made fun of constantly, the one who is the always the butt of the football team's jokes. Roped into working at his job the entire quarantine, he just wants to get out. 
Shay is the odd one, the girl that the entire football team would want to date just because of her eccentricities and her looks. She is stuck in the hell-hole with her grandmother, Nani, and her younger sister, Preeti.
Ryan is part of the in-crowd, the football team. After falling for Shay and numerous escape attempts, the future looks like a cell for Ryan.
Lexi is the Senator's daughter, and she is none too happy about it. All she wants is to fix the problem she is faced with, especially when her mother tells her the sickness is just the flu. 


I read this book rather quickly because it was so intriguing that I could not put it down. I was reading at every possible second I had. I can't tell you too much because the book hasn't been released to the public just yet. I can tell you that it is packed with riots, a little romance, and a look into what happens to the American public when they only options are survive or die. If you want to find out whether or not a cure is found, whether the mysterious flu that is turning people blue (seriously) finds its way to the outside, and whether or not our main characters survive, pick yourself up a copy of No Safety In Numbers on May 29th! (The last chapter will send your brain reeling!)


Thanks to Stacey at Dial Books for sending this to me!