Blog Tour: Solstice - P.J. Hoover - Author Book Picks: Current

P.J. Hoover is here today with her Current Book Picks courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her book, Solstice. Thank you for being here, P.J. You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!

SOLSTICE by P. J. HOOVER: 2011 READS I’VE ADORED!

Thanks so much for inviting me to guest blog over here! It’s great to connect with people who love reading young adult books as much as I do! For those who don’t know, my debut young adult novel, SOLSTICE, was just released in May. SOLSTICE is what happens when MATCHED meets THE LIGHTNING THIEF and is largely set in a future where global warming is destroying the earth.

One of the best things about having SOLSTICE out in the world is the fact that people are actually reading it! I know this sounds simple, but getting those first few reviews and seeing how people are actually connecting with the book and loving it…well, there is nothing better for an author. So I’d love to take a few minute and spread some book love of my own. Here are some books I’ve read in 2011 and highly recommend!

First, I have to mention CALLI by Jessica Lee Anderson. CALLI is the story of a teen girl from an alternate family (think two moms) who gets a foster sister and is sure all will be great. But when her foster sister kisses Calli’s boyfriend, Calli thinks revenge will be sweet…until it backfires. This is a great choice for fans of LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins or KEEPER by Kathi Appelt.

Next is ASHES by Ilsa Bick. Ilsa creates a world that is haunting because it is so close to what could happen if disaster hit. Complete with an electromagnetic pulse, crazy zombie teens, and religious cults, ASHES had it all (and in a very logical manner). I look forward to the next book in the series!

Another book I very much enjoyed is LEGEND by Marie Lu. This not-yet-released book had me engaged from page one and does a fantastic job with making a unique dystopian world in a market flush with dystopia. It’s also worth reading just to see how well done the dual point of view is. Being able to make both points of view justifiable is not an easy task, but LEGEND accomplished it. Again, I’ll read book two in this series.

Though not for the kids’ market, I could not stop reading ROOM by Emma Donoghue. This story is told from the point of view of a five-year-old boy and had me hanging on every world. I actually listened to this one on audio and would recommend doing the same for anyone interested in this intense story.

And just for kicks and to round out the genres represented, I highly recommend THE GRAND DESIGN by Stephen Hawking. Not just for science geeks (although this will help), THE GRAND DESIGN brought up some amazing theories for the questions of the universe.

Thanks so much for reading, and may your summer be a sizzling one!

SOLSTICE is available as a $2.99 eBook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords,

and iBooks. SOLSTICE will be released in paperback this summer.

Thank you for being here today, P.J.! You've got a lot of great books listed! 

P.J. Hoover can be found on her website.

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BIO: P. J. Hoover first fell in love with Greek mythology in sixth grade thanks to the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton. After a fifteen year bout as an electrical engineer designing computer chips for a living, P. J. decided to take her own stab at mythology and started writing books for kids and teens. P. J. is also a member of THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS. When not writing, P. J. spends time with her husband and two kids and enjoys practicing Kung Fu, solving Rubik's cubes, and watching Star Trek. Her first novel for teens, Solstice, takes place in a Global Warming future and explores the parallel world of mythology beside our own. Her middle grade fantasy novels, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, and The Necropolis, chronicle the adventures of a boy who discovers he’s part of two feuding worlds hidden beneath the sea.

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My world is dying. Global warming will kill every living thing on Earth. I endure the endless summer, and do what I can to help. Until one day…

I open a box, and everything changes.

I discover a world of mythology parallel to my own. A world where gods battle for control, and monsters feed in the rivers of the Underworld. This dark world pulls me in and tells me I belong.

I meet Shayne, who keeps secrets from me. And Reese, who makes me feel alive. But I almost lose my best friend and my life. I don't want to leave this new world. But can I choose the life I want, without sacrificing the people I love?

SOLSTICE is P.J. Hoover’s debut YA novel and is the first front-list novel to be independently published by an Andrea Brown Literary Agency author.

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Darkness Becomes Her - Kelly Keaton - Review & Giveaway

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

(Synopsis taken from goodreads.)

Title: Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters #1)

Author: Kelly Keaton

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Mythology

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: February 22, 2011

Format: E-galley

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab program. Many thanks goes to Simon & Schuster for sending me this copy for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Challenge: Debut Author Challenge

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository.

My rating: 5/5

Ari has had a tough life, growing up without a mom, and suffering the abuses that come with being a foster child. She's had to grow up fast, but now she's with a couple who really are good foster parents. They are also bail bondsmen, and Ari does help them out with their work. She has some questions about the mother who abandoned her though, and so she sets off to find out what she can about her. Little does she know that she's in for a whole new world of crazy. Having found some information about her mom she continues on to decipher the strange note that her mother had left her. With the help of some newfound friends she'll finally get to the bottom of things and find out just who, or what, she is.

Darkness Becomes Her is a genuinely entertaining, thrilling and breathtaking ride. Ari is a tough and sassy main character who uses the f-shot freely and fluently. Her tough girl exterior wards off some, but when she meets a group of kids in the New 2, she realizes that maybe there are others like her, others who are different like she is. I found myself easily identifying with Ari, and I really liked that she opened up to let others in, especially since she normally doesn't let anyone in. 

The world building of the city, New 2, is portrayed beautifully. New 2 comes to life and is rich with detail. It fully engulfs the reader and draws them in, allowing them to feel as if they were there exploring the different areas of the city alongside Ari and her friends. 

Though this is primarily Ari's story, there is a romantic element to the book. The name of said element is Sebastian. He and Ari seem to hit it off pretty quickly, but honestly, I can see why she fell for him so quickly as I was falling for him just as fast. The tension between the two sizzles on the page, and makes the read that much more thrilling. It really is nice, for a change, to read a book that doesn't have a love triangle. The love story in Darkness Becomes Her takes a back seat though to Ari's pursuit of her heritage. Another character that I couldn't get enough of was Violet. She is such a cutie, and she alone seems to win Ari over. She almost steals the limelight from Ari in this book and I can't wait to see what happens with her, as well as the rest of the group, in the next book.

Keaton has written a brilliant book which tackles many genres, though I'll mention specifically Greek mythos and urban fantasy. It really is a gem, and I know I'll be re-reading this book in the future. The only drawback that I found is that the ending was almost too abrupt, and felt very much like a cliffhanger to me. Now I can't wait for the second book to come out, as I want to know what's going to happen with or to certain characters.

All in all, a highly original and fantastic debut young adult book. It's easy to see that Keaton is writing in her niche as nothing is lacking. There is rampant sexual tension; memorable characters; a living, breathing, vibrant world and butt kicking galore. I want more and can't wait for the second book to come out. This honestly is one of the best books I've read this year. I love this book. Period.

Giveaway

I've decided to give away a copy of this book because I love it so much.

With that said, go forth, enter. You do not need to be a follower, AND the giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY courtesy of the Book Depository.

The giveaway will end March 18, 2011 at midnight EST.
Giveaway has ENDED. Thank you to all who participated!

Just fill out this FORM to enter. Comments, while appreciated, will not be counted as entries.

Thank you!

Goddess Girls: Artemis the Brave - Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams - Blog Tour Review

Artemis's friends and classmates see her as the most courageous goddessgirl at school. Little do they know that despite her expert archery skills, the smelly Geryon, ring-nosed Minotaurs, and scorpions in Beast-ology class scare her as much as they do anyone else! But what's really bothering her now is that funny feeling she has whenever she looks at Orion. She's never had a crush before. Will she find the courage to talk to Orion, to make him see her as more than a pal, and to ace Beast-ology class? 

Authors Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams put a modern spin on classic myths with the Goddess Girls series. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life at Mount Olympus Academy, where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills. 

Title: Artemis the Brave (Goddess Girls #4)

Author: Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Mythology

Publisher: Aladdin

Publication Date: December 7, 2010

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams, and Teen Book Scene for sending me this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. You can follow along with the tour here.
Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository. 
My rating: 4/5


Artemis has always been seen as the most courageous of her friends. They don't know though that she doesn't feel all that brave, and that she is downright scared at times, especially when she has to face some of the creatures in her Beast-ology class. When a new boy relocates to her school, she realizes she has feelings for him. Will she be able to face her fears, ace her class, and let this boy know that she likes him? 
Though this is the fourth book in the Goddess Girls series, you do not need to start at the beginning of the series. I think that each book can be read as a stand-alone. I have to say that I really admired Artemis and I enjoyed how Holub and Williams depicted her. I love the mythical re-imagining that the authors have done in regards to the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. With this novel we get to see Artemis and her twin Apollo, as well as their goddessgirl and godboy friends. The new boy in school, Orion, adds a twist to the story, as he does some things that he shouldn't particularly be doing. Though the book centers around Artemis and her fears, as well as her crush on Orion; there are some underlying messages that are brought forth, and I agreed wholeheartedly with their sentiments. 
All in all, a cute and fun read. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for an inspiring read. I think many middle grade readers would love this series, and I think they would be able to easily grasp the meaning of the story and apply it to their own situations. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!