For my spot on the Christine Seifert's The Predicteds blog tour, hosted by The Teen Book Scene, I am hosting a Character This or That list with Daphne. Also be sure to check out my giveaway at the end of this blog post for your chance to win a copy of The Predicteds!

Popular or blends well in the crowd? 
Probably popular. Daphne likes to be different, so there’s no way she’d want to just blend in. She’s too bold for that.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee. Daphne stays up way too late. She needs the caffeine to keep going.

Morning or night person?
Night person. Probably because of all that coffee she drinks.

On a set schedule or go by the seat of her pants?
Seat of her pants. Daphne isn’t much of a planner. Frankly, she’d drive me nuts. I’m set schedule all the way.

North Dakota or Utah?
North Dakota. Daphne likes the Midwest. Utah would be too outsdoors-y for her. They kick you out of the state if you can’t climb, hike, or ski. (I’m sliding by under the radar).

What's more important to you as a writer: character or plot development?
Character. Good plot is a bonus. But I need an interesting character to propel that plot.


What's more important to you as a reader: character driven or plot driven books?
Character driven. A bad plot can be saved by characters that are super compelling.

Jersey Shore or Real Housewives (pick any state)?
Jersey Shore. That Situation is something else.

Blonde or brunette?
Daphne would pick brunette because she’s into Jesse. My husband’s blonde, though, so I’ll go with that one!

Classic novels or contemporary novels?
Classic. Daphne’s old-fashioned at heart, and she loves anything vintage. I pick contemporary novels.



Daphne is the new girl in town and is having trouble fitting in. At least she has Jesse... sort of. He wants to be more than "just friends," but there's something he's not telling her about his past. Something dangerous. When a female student is brutally attacked, police turn to PROFILE, a new program that can predict a student's capacity for drug use, pregnancy, and violent behavior, to solve the case. As the witch hunt ensues, Daphne is forced to question her feelings for Jesse-and what she will do if her first love turns out to be a killer.

  Combining history, fantasy, and adventure is a winning trend for children's literature. I'm finding it that kids get more excited about learning facts through fiction instead of reading them in a dry, boring textbook. The Flight of Phoneix by R. L. LaFevers is sure to have high appeal to younger readers who are anxiously waiting to go on a great adventure.

Description (from Goodreads): Nathaniel Fludd’s life has taken a turn for the worst. With his parents lost at sea, he lands on the doorstep of a distant cousin—the world’s last remaining beastologist. Soon Nate is whisked off on his first expedition, to Arabia, where the world’s only phoenix prepares to lay its new egg. When disaster strikes, Nate quickly finds himself all alone.
   Will he be able to see the phoenix safely hatched, keep his accidental pet gremlin out of trouble, and rescue his guardian from the Bedouin? If he fails, nothing will stand between the world’s mythical creatures and extinction. Too bad Nate’s not the sort of boy who enjoys adventure . . .yet.


Review: Nathanial Fludd, who lives with his governess, has been anxiously waiting since his eighth birthday to be summoned by his parents, who are beastologists. Unfortunately, the only summoning comes from the family lawyer, who explains that Nathanial’s parents have been lost at sea. Nathanial must now live with a distant relative, who might as well be a complete stranger to him. Nathanial has only just settled in to his new "home" when he finds himself being whisked along to Arabia in a new adventure, where he witnesses the birth of a phoenix, an event so rare it only happens every 500 years.
  Flight of the Phoneix is a fast-paced story that successfully combines fantasy and history into an entertaining, believable world. The characters are definitely likable. Nathaniel is a reluctant adventurer and more of an artist who loves to draw, but does prove to himself and others that he can be brave and resourceful. LaFevers provides some details about the extensive Fludd family tree and the origins of beastology, but there are still plenty of mysteries left for a sequel. While the historical details may not be completely accurate, and the book uses the general tropes of traditional English boys' adventure stories as well as implies colonial clichés about the Bedouin culture, the book is exciting. Straightforward, simple sentences along with a linear narrative and short chapters with lively illustrations should make this book very exciting to beginning and middle grade readers.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 2 to 5.

If you like this book try: The Basilisk's Lair (Nathaniel Fludd Beastologist #2) by R.L. LaFevers,
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull

  Did you know that the word "curry" is actually a misnomer introduced by the British in attempt to generalize Indian food? Curry is common referred as the sauce of the dish. For example, Chicken Curry is a chicken dish with a curry (sauce made of spices). A dry chicken dish has no sauce, and therefore it has no curry. In Southeast Asia, people use the word 'masala' to describe a mixture of spices. A masala could be a dry powder or a wet combination of herbs, spices, vinegar, etc. You're probably what curry has to do with the fifth volume of Black Butler, right? Well, Sebastian, the otherworldly butler, participates in a curry contest in a large part of this volume. See, I told you this manga is deliciously bizarre!

Description: For Sebastian Michaelis, the word "impossible" is just not in his vocabulary. Everything demanded of him inn England is well within his grasp and easily handled. Does his talent also extend in all things foreign? With a Royal Warrant on the line, Sebastian is in a curry battle. Can he defeat Agni, the Indian born butler who also possess supernatural abilities? May the best butler win!

Review: Volume 5 showcases the absurdity yet also flashes of seriousness that makes this series a joy to read. As the fourth volume ends, Indian Prince Soma and his butler have fought and gone their separate ways. Ciel commands Sebastian to enter the curry contest in order to get the coveted Royal Warrant for the Phantomhive corporation. For the first time Sebastian is faced with a real challenge. He has to not only figure out how to make a curry, but also beat out Agni's most famous curry and win the challenge. Many funny situations ensue when Sebastian tries his hand at cooking. He uses Prince Soma as a taster. 
  The big curry contest goes as planned and it ends as expected. Prince Soma finally meets Meena, the servant girl that he wants to take back to India, but his plan fails. As if a light bulb goes off in his head, Prince Soma realizes what he selfish jerk he is and tries to patch things up with Agni. 
The last chapter was probably the most interesting in the entire volume as Soma and Agni stay on in England and Agni, in spite of being warned, tries to turn himself over to justice. As I mentioned before, the other staff of Phantomhive are incompetent and pretty useless, however, we get to see them a bit more humanized. We get to learn a bit more about Ciel's staff and how very odd it is that before this they all had no one and nothing before taking up their jobs. As always, the art work of Black Butler is gorgeous and amazing. This volume ends with a strange circus coming to London and I'm sure there is something dark and sinister about it. Looking forward to the next crazy adventure that lies ahead. 


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some violence and some language. Rated OT for Older Teens.


If you like this book try: Black Butler Vol 6 by Yana Toboso, Pandora Hearts by Jun Mochizu, Godchild series by Kaori Yuki

  I've been anticipating reading Amy Plum's debut novel Die for Me ever since I've heard the book's early buzz about being a paranormal romance unlike anything I've read before. Once the book was released, I've read mixed reviews, ranging from glowing to "meh" reviews. Small Reviews has a terrific book comparison for Die for Me that I found incredibly useful where she breaks down the book's structure and provides links to the various reviews. Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to take the plunge and read the book. 

Description: After their parents are killed in a car accident, Kate Mercier and her older sister Georgia  move to Paris to live with their grandparents. While Georgia tries to be social and overcome her grief, Kate keeps to herself and finds solace by escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Sitting at her favorite cafe, Kate meets and finds herself powerfully drawn to the handsome but elusive Vincent who seems to harbor a mysterious and dangerous secret. Kate is not sure if she is willing to be hurt once again but can Vincent melt her heart and make her feel again?

Review: I read Die for Me over the summer and I still find it hard to express my reading experience. If I could describe the book in one word, it would be: peculiar. I didn't really have any strong feelings for Die for Me so I'm going to focus on what worked for me and what didn't.
  I really enjoyed reading the book's setting. Paris is an incredible city that I was very lucky to travel to some years ago. Plum's descriptions about the city and culture brought back pleasurable memories of my trip. I can clearly picture the cafes and the streets of the city where the characters interacted on a daily basis. It was definitely refreshing to get away from the stagnant high school setting that usually takes place in a paranormal romance.
   In terms of the book's structure and writing, I felt the book's writing wasn't overly descriptive nor were there too many repetitive phrases or passages. It had the right balance of imagery and simple prose allowing for the plot to unfold in a relatively quick pace. We are given hints of unusual activities that are happening around Kate that draws us into the story, particularly when we are introduced to Vincent. I kept trying to figure out why strange events were happening and what is Vincent's real identity.
  While I had no trouble with the book's writing style and structure, I couldn't stomach the odd mythology and the characters. Before reading Die for Me, I never heard of revenants before. Is it a zombie, an angel, or a ghost? Well, it's a unique combination of three in the case of Plum's series. I had a really hard time wrapping my head around this idea because each of these well known paranormal/supernatural entities are so distinct in my mind and really had no connection to each other. It was as if the author had hand picked what she liked about each entity and combined them all in one. There was just too many things going on at the same time. After learning the bizarre rules of Vincent's species, especially being "reanimated", keeping a watchful eye on Kate, and discovering the species's purpose, I found it hard to warm up to his kind. I hate to sound superficial, but they really, really creeped me out.
  Due to my aversion to Vincent's species and his stalker like behavior, I didn't really feel any chemistry between him and Kate. Every time they got together, I couldn't help but think "Eww, how is that romantic?" Their attraction is instant and they are obviously drawn together for some reason, which not unlike many books in this genre, and I have a few guesses as to why. I just couldn't connect to either characters. Kate is very plain. We really don't know much about her besides her love of reading classic novels and that she doesn't find herself pretty while everyone else does. She doesn't stand out and her identity is really overshadowed by her relationship with Vincent. I was glad to find that she was a bit reluctant to have anything to do with him and his family from the start, which I thought was believable. Too bad that didn't last long. Kate does get a bit interesting towards the end, but I can't really give her credit for that since it's not really her (I'm trying to be vague in order to not give out a big spoiler). Like Kate, I thought Vincent was also pretty bland. He's your average nice guy with a mysterious past. We are given pieces to his history and get the sense that it is very painful. He tries to be chivalrous by putting Kate first, but again I couldn't overcome his bizarre behavior. 
  Die for Me has many similar characteristics to the Twilight Saga, especially where the adopted family is concerned, and it is hard to not pick them out while reading the book. Readers who enjoy the paranormal romance genre might find this book appealing and probably more forgiving than I am. I'm still up in the air about reading the next book in this series and will mostly likely wait to read reviews before making my final decision.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing scenes and mild violence. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.


If you like this book try: Until I Die (Revenants #2) by Amy Plum coming soon in 2012, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller, Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

  I have enjoyed reading fairytale retellings. While the crux of the story may not be entirely new and I already know how everything will end, I'm always curious to see how each author brings something new and fresh to the tale. When I came across Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon at the library, I knew I had to read it. It has been a while since I read an adult fairytale retelling. I'm so glad that Mermaid did not disappoint.

Description (from book's back cover): Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while her kingdom is at war. One gloomy, windswept morning, as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea, she witnesses a miracle: a glittering mermaid emerging from the waves, a nearly drowned man in her arms. By the time Margrethe reaches the shore, the mermaid has disappeared in to the sea. As Margrethe nurses the handsome stranger back to health, she learns that not only is he a prince, he is also the son of her father's greatest rival. Sure that the mermaid brought this man to her for a reason, Margrethe devises a plan to bring peace to her kingdom. Meanwhile, the mermaid princess Lenia longs to return to the human man she carried to safety. She is willing to trade her home, her voice, and even her health for legs and a chance to win his heart.

Review: Turgeon's retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved classic, The Little Mermaid, is darker and possibly more foreboding than the original tale. When two women vie for the heart of one man, it's pretty obvious there is going to be heartache and misery. After rescuing a human from the sea, mermaid Princess Lenia falls hard for Prince Christopher. She is willing to give up her beautiful voice and endure the constant pain caused by her new legs in order to pursue him on dry land. Meanwhile, Princess Margrethe has also set her sights on the handsome prince in hopes of uniting their two warring kingdoms. 
  Unlike the original fairytale, Turgeon's brooding retelling gives a voice to both women, giving us a tragic tale of destiny and desire that shatters our heart in pieces. Lenia is an optimist, completely enchanted with fragile humanity. She yearns to have a soul that will live forever instead of just turning into sea foam when she dies in the sea. Though she is warned that nothing good can come out of humans, she desires above all else to explore the upper world. 
  Like Lenia, Princess Margrethe of the Northern Kingdom is also sheltered, living in a convent disguised as a nun to ensure her security from her warring kingdom. Margrethe keeps to herself and her destiny has been preordained: to become the next best ruler. As she lives amongst the peasants, she realizes how the poor status her people are living in and vows that she will make everything better when she has the throne.
  Turgeon follows the outline of Christian's fairytale pretty well for the most part. The chapters are divided by Lenia and Margarethe's point of view in alternating chapters. I felt myself torn between the two female characters who share many similarities. I wanted both of them to be happy. What I couldn't understand is why they both loved the womanizing prince so much. If I could find a flaw in the book, it would be the flat, uninteresting prince who actually has very little page time. Nonetheless I found Mermaid to be a compulsive read. I wanted to know how all of the three characters will collide in the book's climax. It kept me guessing who if anyone will live happily ever after. Mermaid is definitely a dark tale meant for adults and not exactly a cozy bedtime story. Readers interested in fairytale retellings should definitely pick this one up and will find it hard to put the book down once they begin reading it.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some small sex scenes in the book. Though targeted to an adult audience, I think mature teen readers interested in fairytale retellings would really enjoy the book.

If you like this book try: The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson, The Mermaid's Maddness by John C. Hines, Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli