Romance – Page 8 – Mom Read It

Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Teen, Tween Reads

Not Your Ordinary Circus: Kate Ormand’s The Wanderers

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Wanderers, by Kate Ormand (Sept. 2015, Sky Pony Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781634502016

Recommended for ages 12+

Sixteen year-old Flo lives with a traveling circus group. She’s getting ready for her first performance- a performance she’s a little nervous about – when she realizes she’s being watched. Her circus is being watched, and she’s terrified The Hunters have caught up with them at last.

You see, this is no ordinary circus, and Flo’s no ordinary girl. This is a circus of shape-shifters, and The Hunters are tracking them, and anyone like them. When The Hunters finally make their move, Flo and a small group of friends find themselves on the run, relying on contacts their elders have made over the years. They’ll learn about the secrets and lies they’ve been raised to believe, and worse, they’ll learn that they may have had a traitor among them all along.

When I first started The Wanderers, I wasn’t really sure where this was going to go. I thought I was going to get a shape-shifting teen angsty romance with some conflict from supporting characters, which isn’t really my wheelhouse. I’m very happy to say that wasn’t the case. The overall story is established fairly quickly, and when the action hits, there’s no slowing down. I was trying to figure things out, but Ms. Ormand is three steps ahead – let the story take you there. There’s a morality play deftly woven into the storyline that will break your heart as you strip away the layers of deceit, with a strong pathos for this ragtag group of refugees that can’t seem to find sanctuary. The ending leaves the possibility of a sequel open – I’m interested to see if we’ll meet these characters, or their shadowy nemeses, again. Teens and tweens interested in speculative fiction, adventure, and romance will enjoy this one.

Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

YA Media Blitz: The Glass Mermaid, by Poppy Lawless!

Posted on August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

Release Date: 07/14/15

Love Potion Books

Summary from Goodreads:Kate

I’m the last mermaid.

I’m back on shores of Lake Erie, but the cold waters are silent. There is
nothing here for me but ghosts and the beach glass that litters the rocky
shore. Long ago, I lived below the waves. Now, I am the sole survivor, and at long last, my mermaid glamour is leaving me.

Every day, I walk the beach. Every day, I wonder what happened to my people. The little pieces of colored glass that wash ashore give me simple pleasure. They are gifts from the lake, reminders of home. I fashion them into trinkets: necklaces, earrings, bracelets. They are beautiful things. The humans seem love them.

Every day, I walk the beach. Nothing ever changes, until the day he says hello.

Cooper

I’m dying.

It’s not a question, it’s a fact. The cancer is eating me alive. They told me I have six months to live, maybe less. I came home, back to Chancellor on Lake Erie, to die. The sunsets are vivid there, and I will relish every one.

I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than a Lake Erie sunset until I see her.

All life is fragile as glass.

What would you sacrifice to save the one you love?

Buy Link:

Amazon

About the Author: Romance author. Cupcake connoisseur. Certified herbalist. Beach bum. Fan of all things Starbucks.
Holistic healing advocate. Surfer girl wanna-be. Lost guru. Maker of dandelion wine. Counselor. Paranormal buff. Etsy addict. Secretly Jedi. So not a geek girl. Gifted in sarcasm. Hot wife. Ninja mom. And now, I’m ready to share a whole head full of witty, mouthy, smart, lovely, heart-warming, and hot characters with the world. Are you ready?

Poppy Lawless is the author of the forthcoming series Love & Chocolate releasing in 2015 and The Glass Mermaid. Poppy holds degrees in English and Psychology. She is a counselor in the field of mental health and is a trained herbalist. Poppy’s new series blends the best of romance with a Practical Magic or contemporary Bewitched appeal.

Author Links:

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Fantasy, Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

POWERLESS Blog Tour: Young Adult Authors Pick Their Superpower

Posted on June 5, 2015June 1, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

To celebrate the release of POWERLESS, we’re answering the question: “If I could have any superpower…” So what would your superpower be? I’m kind of caught between wanting Magneto’s ability to control all things metal (plus, he can fly), or Wolverine’s invulnerability. But let’s check in with Powerless authors Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs, and some of your favorite YA authors, and see what they say.

Tera Lynn Childs, POWERLESS co-author

If I could have any superpower, I would want the power to breathe water. I’m a true water baby. Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to be a mermaid—I blame the movie Splash. Growing up, I spent as much times as possible in, on, and around the water. I was a competitive swimmer for years and I visit the beach as often as living in the desert allows. The longer I can stay in the water, the better. And if I didn’t have to come back up for air…I might just stay underwater forever.

Tracy Deebs, POWERLESS co-author

If I could have any superpower in the world, I would choose telekinesis. From the time I was a little girl, I’ve been fascinated with the idea of being able to move things with my mind. Whether it’s getting my cell phone from my bedroom when I’m too tired to get off the couch or carrying my very heavy youngest child when he falls asleep in the car or hanging my oldest kid upside down when he makes me insane or stealing the last cookie from the plate in the kitchen without anyone seeing me do it or making the lights turn off and on and freaking out my kids, I think having telekinesis would be an absolute blast!!!!
Learn more about Tera and Tracy at www.HeroAgenda.com. Don’t forget about the Rafflecopter giveaway from Sourcebooks – you can win your own copy of Powerless, plus some awesome lightning bolt jewelry!

Cori McCarthy, author of BREAKING SKY
If I had a superpower, it would be the ability to freeze everything. Not cold-freeze, but the good, old fashion, Zack Morris TIME OUT. This way I could hit pause on the world and take a few deep breaths. I could track down a cheese plate and watch an episode of Bones while the rest of the world stops spinning so dizzily for a second. Then when I was done with my chill out, I’d call TIME IN, and things could keep on rolling.
Cori’s teen protagonists take flight in her recent release BREAKING SKY. More information about this thriller can be found at http://www.corimccarthy.com/breaking-sky/.

Mari Mancusi, author of the SCORCHED series
If I had a superpower, it would be the ability to slow down time. To give people a chance to take a breath, to read a book, to smell the flowers and play with their children. We rush, rush, rush through life and some important details end up falling through the cracks. Slowing down time would give us a chance to explore our passions, nurture our spirits, and enjoy the quiet moments, without feeling anxious or worried that we were “wasting time.” Because with my superpower, we would have all the time in the world!
The third book in Mari’s Scorched series SMOKED releases in September. Catch up with the trilogy here http://www.marimancusi.com/.

Zoraida Cordova, author of THE VAST AND BRUTAL SEA
If I had a superpower, it would be to travel unharmed throughout space. I call it my Starlord meets Superman fantasy. I would go through the galaxies and explore different civilizations while listening to awesome playlists (on an iPod though). I’d be able to breath, and maybe eat starts as fuel.
Pick up Zoriaida’s YA novel THE VAST AND BRUTAL SEA available in trade paperback now. And contact the author on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/CordovaBooks.

Read on for another POWERLESS Excerpt!

All my life there have only been three absolutes: ordinaries are useless, villains are evil, and heroes are good. Heroes are supposed to be the people the rest of the world looks up to, the very best examples of humanity.

I’ve spent my whole life distrusting villains—hating villains—and now I find out that some heroes are just as bad. Maybe worse. This kind of brutality is worse than anything I’ve ever heard villains accused of. This is worse than what they did to my father. Worse than murder.

Heroes are the good guys, the ones who stop things like this from happening. The heroes I know would never do this. But they are. They are. So what’s going on?

Hypnosis? Mind control? I don’t know. Somebody is responsible for this. There’s no other explanation.

But who? What are they getting out of it?

Another scream pierces the air, and I shudder. I’ve never felt so useless in my life. There is nothing I can do to help him, to save him. Nothing I can do to make it stop. What I wouldn’t give to have any superpower.

You can check out GoodReads for more information on Powerless, and you can buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Indie Bound. Make sure to check out the Hero Agenda website for more excerpts! Follow the fun on Facebook and Twitter.

Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Teen

Love, Lucas – A story of grief, letting go, and moving on

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Love, Lucas, by Chantele Sedgwick (2015, Sky Pony Press), $16.99, ISBN: 978-1-63220-417-2

Recommended for ages 13+

Oakley Nelson’s reeling from the loss of her brother, Lucas, to bone cancer. She’s spent the last few months at his bedside, pulling away from friends, activities, and life. With her parents’ marriage in a tailspin, Oakley and her mom head to California to spend some time with her Aunt Jo, hoping the change of scenery will give them the space they need to recover.

Once in California, Oakley’s mom gives her a notebook, filled with letters written to her by Lucas. He leaves her with life lessons, small observations, and wry humor to help her move on, and she clings to the notebook like a life raft as she navigates getting to know the local teens in her aunt’s neighborhood, including Carson, a good-looking surfer who’s unlike any guy she’s ever met. She’s caught between her feelings for Carson and feeling guilty about moving on too quickly, but as she turns to Lucas’ own words for guidance and comfort, she realizes that going on with her life is exactly what Lucas wants her to do.

This is a moving YA novel dealing with grief, loss, and the fallout that happens when a terminally ill family member dies. Oakley’s anchor is gone when Lucas, her best friend and brother, dies; she’s devoted the last few months to him, abandoning friends and extracurricular activities. Her parents’ relationship is in turmoil, and with all the attention focused on Lucas, she doesn’t feel she can rely on either of them. She feels out of touch with other teens when she meets Carson and his friends, and her internal narrative is focused on how awkward she feels, and she often looks at herself with a self-deprecating sense of humor that’s funny and at the same time, teens will recognize and appreciate.

Love, Lucas will appeal to John Green, Gayle Forman, and Sarah Dessen fans. There’s romance, finding inner strength in the face of tragedy/adversity, and introspective dialogue that teens today gravitate to.

Chantele Sedgwick is the author of Not Your Average Fairy Tale and Not Your Average Happy Ending (Sarah Dessen fans, recognize!). Her author site offers more information about her books and

Fiction, Graphic Novels, Tween Reads

Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula – A story of family, food, and standing up for yourself!

Posted on January 6, 2015January 6, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Princess Decomposia & Count Spatula, by Andi Watson (Feb. 2015, :01 First Second), $14.99, ISBN: 9781626721494

Recommended for ages 10+

Princess Decomposia is a princess with way too much stress in her life. She’s stuck running the kingdom while her father lays in bed, playing sick, and demanding crazy health food fads be served to him – most of which he sends back with a complaint. When he fires the latest chef, hiring a new chef is just one more thing on Princess Decomposia’s plate, until she meets the sweet, shy Count Spatula.

Spatula brings some light into the frustration of Decomposia’s world. He makes gorgeous, sweet-laden creations that ease diplomatic relations and make Decomposia smile. The two become friends – and it doesn’t escape the staff’s notice. But the king still wants things done his way, and it’s pushing Decomposia to stand her ground.

I love this sweet story. We’ve got a spunky, independent heroine who is frustrated and buckling under a pile of responsibilities; an adorable friendship/budding romance with a sweet chef who just wants to make tasty, exciting desserts and make the princess happy; and a parent who has a lesson or two to learn in responsibility. Some will call it quirky, but for kids like me, who grew up with The Addams Family and The Munsters, this hit the spot. It’s a great story of friendship and family, with fun black and white art that will appeal to tween readers and older.

Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula hits shelves on February 24th – get it for the growing goth in your life.

Fantasy, Teen

Alexandra Moni’s Suspicion – A touch of the paranormal in this mystery

Posted on November 25, 2014November 25, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Suspicion, by Alexandra Moni (Dec. 2014, Delacorte Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9780385743891

Recommended for ages 13+

When Imogen Rockford was 10, she lost her parents, aunt, and uncle in a fire that raged out of control. Extended members of the British upper class, they were enjoying their annual gathering at the family estate when the fire in the garden maze consumed them. Seven years later, she’s living with her guardian in New York City when the call comes in – her grandfather has been dead for three years, and her cousin-next in line for the title of Duchess-has just died . Imogen is the new Duchess of Rockford, and is immediately swept into a new life in Britain, on the same estate where her family died. There are family secrets that haunt her, especially the secret of the infamous fifth Duchess, and what she left in the maze…

I’ve got to be honest, this book was good without the addition of the paranormal details. If anything, the paranormal plot brought down the book for me, bringing me out of the story’s flow with what felt like tacked-on additions. The paranormal could have been alluded to, or done away with entirely, and it would have strengthened the rest of the book.

Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Tween Reads

Disney Fairies – The Secret of the Wings graphic novel – A WhatchaReading Review!

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Disney Fairies: Secret of the Wings, by Manuela Razzi/illus. by Antonello Dalena (Papercutz, July 2014). ISBN: 9781597077309

Recommended for ages 6-12

Oh come on, I’m not the spoiler-y type. But I will say that Papercutz’s adaptation of the Disney Fairies’ 2012 feature film, Secret of the Wings, is adorable. And I’m not even a Disney Fairies type of girl.

Read the rest of my review over at WhatchaReading! If you want a copy of the Secret of the Wings DVD to go with your graphic novel, you can pick it up at Amazon.com. You can also pre-order the graphic novel on Amazon.com.

Fantasy, Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Beautiful Creatures – I finally join the bandwagon.

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, Little Brown (2009). $17.99, ISBN: 978-0316231657

Recommended for ages 14+

I’ll admit it – I’m not a Twilight fan. It’s not my book. And Beautiful Creatures felt, to me, like a Twilight type of book, so I didn’t pick it up. I was recently approved to read the latest, upcoming book in the Beautiful Creatures, though, (Dangerous Creatures – the review’s coming!) so I figured I should at least read the first book, so I could have some idea of what’s going on.

I was wrong, folks. Beautiful Creatures was great. This was my book, just waiting for me to pick it up.

The story involves Lena Duchannes and Ethan Wate, two teenagers in Gatlin, South Carolina. Ethan is a high school basketball player who can’t wait to get out of Gatlin. He’s in with the in crowd, but really doesn’t care anymore. He just want out of the everyday sameness of life in a small, Southern town. Lena is the new girl in school, and she just doesn’t fit in with the Southern beauty queen/mean girls who run the school. When Ethan realizes that Lena looks exactly like the mystery girl he’s been dreaming about, he’s got to find out who she is.

The story weaves a YA romance in with a complex, fascinating tale of witchcraft and Southern history that kept me turning pages, demanding to know what was going to happen next. I love the idea of factions within the “Caster” – they’re not witches and wizards, and this isn’t Harry Potter – community. There are different types of magic, and everyone is born to something different. When Casters reach the age of 16, they are “claimed” by either the light side of magic or the dark side – and wrapped up in this claiming is a mystery that runs through the book as an engrossing subplot.

There’s something here for everyone. There’s paranormal romance, history, mystery, and drama. We meet characters that will take on greater roles in subsequent books. All in all, Beautiful Creatures sold me – and I’m glad I picked it up. I’ve heard the movie is subpar compared to the book, so I’ll keep that in mind and just enjoy the books.

Post-apocalyptic/Dystopian, Science Fiction, Teen

Ann Brashares The Here and Now gives us time travel and dystopia.

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

There Here and Now, by Ann Brashares. Random House Children’s (2014), $18.99, ISBN: 9780385736800

Recommended for ages 14+

Ann Brashares, author of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, gives us a well-constructed story with dypstopian elements, time travel, and a race through the past, present and future to stop a terrifying future.

Prenna is a 17 year-old Traveler – she, her mother, and a group of her people came to our present time to escape a future where a blood plague ravaged the population. The Travelers live under a restrictive list of rules that appear to exist more for their power-hungry leaders rather than the actual good of the people (or the Natives – people in the right timeline – that the rules are supposed to protect). When Prenna finds herself growing closer to her friend Ethan, she starts questioning not only the rules, but the entire structure their society was built on – and she and Ethan find themselves drawn into a race against time to put a stop to the dismal future from which Prenna came, all the while pursued by the leaders who want to silence Prenna, possibly for good.

The Here and Now has elements of The Giver – the post-apocalyptic society governed by rules really spoke to me – and is one of those books that I couldn’t put down. I needed to know what was going to happen next; Ms. Brashares constructed a compelling narrative with enough mystery to keep me going for that famous “one page more”. Within the overall story structure, there are mini-mysteries that the two teens have to unravel to get the next piece of the puzzle; add to that the internal conflict Prenna feels at duty to her family and the love she and Ethan feel for one another, and you have a great read for teens that can spawn interesting conversations about the implications of time travel: what would happen if you went back in time and changed things, even if they were for the better? What kind of society would develop if a blood-borne plague spiraled out of control? More than a teen romance, The Here and Now offers the opportunity to draw teens into complex conversations about the world around them.

Science Fiction, Teen, Uncategorized

Don’t Even Think About It – Talk About Your Strange Side Effects!

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Don’t Even Think About It, by Sarah Mlynowski, Random House Children’s (2014), 9780385737388, $17.99

Recommended for ages 16+

I was lucky enough to be chosen by Random House to review an advanced copy of this book, by Sarah Mlynowski, who I fondly remember from her Red Dress Ink chick lit days. I thoroughly enjoyed her book Milkrun, so I was excited to see that she was writing YA. The plot is certainly different: a group of New York teens, attending Bloomberg Public High school down in Tribeca, develop ESP after receiving a tainted batch of flu shot at school.

Ms. Mlynowski has her ensemble cast: Cooper and Mackenzie the young lovers, one of whom has a secret; Pi, the overachiver; Olivia, the shy girl; BJ, the pervert; Tess, the one with the unrequited love for her best friend – these personalities and more are all here, which gives a feeling of familiarity to those reading the book. You know these kids – we’ve been these kids, in many cases. The characters aren’t soul-searching, and don’t require that depth of character for this quick read. It’s a situational piece of fiction.

What interested me was not the superficial teens, because they mostly are – even “the brain”, Pi, who uses her powers to try and get ahead of the number one student in the school so she can get the vaunted Harvard acceptance letter – it was how they dealt, on their own levels, with their newfound abilities. They didn’t take to Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook to discuss it with the world. They kept it quiet. They didn’t want anyone to know, because they live in a day and age where they know they’d be poked and prodded like test animals, or even worse, have their ability – something to give them an edge, to make them special – taken away from them. At the same time, Mlynowski creates an interesting portrait of what these abilities do to their bearers. It’s not always predictable, and it was enjoyable to see things play out.

The book is suggested for 16 and over for some language and situations. For a quick, light read between tests and papers, Don’t Even Think About It will fit nicely in your backpack.