Shadows Blog Tour: Ilsa J. Bick on her Favorite Childhood Book!

Hey guys!!!

Sooooo I've been on a sort of blogging hiatus for the past month or so... It was totally unplanned but I guess you could say it started because of school? Yeah, I don't know how other college bloggers like Nicole at WORD for Teens do it. I should probably go back and read her post on how she juggles college and blogging. :P

Anyway, though I'm not gonna be posting quite as regularly as I used to (But I'll be back soon, I promise!), I do have the awesome opportunity to share this great guest post with you today and in the process I get to promote Ilsa J. Bick's newest novel Shadows which is the sequel to Ashes! If you haven't read Ashes yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?! It's one of the best dystopians I've read in ages! It's fresh, gritty, and downright terrifying. You will love it, I assure you.

But this isn't about Ashes, this is about Ilsa, Shadows, and her favorite childhood reads, and well, I'll let her post speak for itself. Take it away Ilsa!

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To be honest, I have no favorites.  I know: that’s terrible.  While my parents always made sure I had plenty of books, classics and otherwise, they didn’t read much to me, mainly because they both worked really long hours and didn’t have time.  But they never skimped on books, and so I read tons.  Their greatest gift was a subscription to some young readers’ book of the month club, and I tore through all those.  I also hung in the library after school while I waited for a parent to pick me up (we lived way in the sticks), and so got really friendly with the librarians, who were always putting books in my hands, too.

So, instead of a favorite book—because, honestly, anyone who was telling me a good story at the time was my favorite author—I guess the book that first made an impression, an episode I actually remember, very vividly, was reading Charlotte’s Web.  This was in first grade, I think, or maybe second.  Our teacher allowed us to read if we were done with whatever work we were doing at the time, and I remember sitting there, cross-legged, devouring that book, coming to the part where Charlotte dies—and bursting into tears.  I know this because we had to line up for lunch, and I recall the teacher coming over and asking what was the matter.  I was so choked up, crying so hard, I couldn’t even tell her.  That teacher, what a nice woman: she asked if I’d read something sad, and I think I managed to nod.  She gave me a hug and a tissue, and that was that.

But that book really got to me, and I think it’s because that was the first time I ever considered that parents could die.  You don’t think about that as a kid.  Your parents are always there.  Indeed, it’s important for you to believe that because life is scary and hard, and virtually no kid can function if the family’s in danger.  (In fact, think of some of the greatest children’s and middle grade books—things like A Wrinkle in Time—and you realize that having an intact family, rescuing a parent, making the family whole again is a key concern.  So, Charlotte’s dying is really about a parent’s death, and the sudden dissolution of family.  The genius of the book is that Wilbur gets a new mom every year or so.  For Wilbur, mom (or parental substitute) is and will always be there, for the rest of his life. 

So, does that make the book a favorite?  I guess . . . but it’s such a wide world: so many books, so little time, so many wonderful memories.

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I loved the story of Charlotte's Web too, though I don't think I was quite as traumatized by it was Ilsa was. Haha. What are some of your guyses favorite childhood reads? I was obsessed with The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, and then any stories involving mice. Random, but true. :)

So now that you've read about Ilsa's favorite childhood reads, I get a chance to talk to you about why we're really here! TO PROMOTE SHADOWS WOOT!!!! Don't know anything about Shadows? Read on!

The Apocalypse does not end. The Changed will grow in numbers. The Spared may not survive.

Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she believed Rule could be a sanctuary for her and those she’d come to love.
But she was wrong.

Now Alex is in the fight of her life against the adults, who would use her, the survivors, who don’t trust her, and the Changed, who would eat her alive. 

Welcome to Shadows, the second book in the haunting apocalyptic Ashes Trilogy: where no one is safe and humans may be the worst of the monsters.

I've already read Shadows and it is AWESOME! If you're a fan of dystopian novels, zombies, or maybe just a book that's super intense and isn't afraid to push boundaries then this book and series is for you!

In case your totally in the dark about this trilogy of awesome dystopian zombie survivalness you can find more info on the first book here.

Have you already read Ashes, but need a bit of a refresher before you dive into Shadows? Check out Ilsa's recap post of Ashes here. Personally, I wish I had known about this post before reading Shadows. Things would have been MUCH less confusing that way. >.<

Also, be sure to support Ilsa by checking out her official website/blog, and by following her on Twitter!

Julia :)

Scarlet Tour Guest Post: Teenage Garage Sale

Today I have a HILARIOUS guest post from A.C. Gaughen the author of Scarlet! It's her teenage garage sale complete with pictures of an absolutely wonderful dried prom corsage. You know you want it. ;)

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Welcome to the Bizarre Bazaar, the Auction of Adolescence, the Tradepost of Teenage Trials and Tribulations!  

What can I interest you in?  

First on the auction block is a lovely limited edition Beanie Baby bear.  Yes, you may argue, these “collectors items” have become absolutely culturally irrelevant, but just for you, I’ll make a special deal.  $20--that’s just fifteen more than I paid for it thirteen years ago (when I sort of hustled the guy at the local mall because I bought them from the store my mom worked at for cheap and resold them to him).  Imagine what a bargain this is, considering how incredibly rare they are now!  

No?  Not for you?  Don’t go, we’ll find something.  Hmm...how about a lovely, black and white, corset back prom dress from my senior prom?  Floor length, A-line, semi-puffy skirt...I’ll take $15 for it.  I know!  A bargain!  Well, yes--that is mold on the hem.  But only because I had to bring it to college with me in Scotland (where my closet was quite damp) because they have BALLS there.  With actual Princes in attendance.  Of countries you recognize. I’m not saying I’ve seen Prince William play the air guitar at a party, but I’m not saying I haven’t.  Come on, $15 is a royal steal! Comes with optional dried corsage. 

Steve Madden platforms an extra $15.  Vintage is cool.

$5 for a riveting travel journal of my high school immersion trip to Spain--where I attended a 15 hour mass with my host family.  After being released from the hospital for food poisoning.  

$1 a pop for my complete Tamora Pierce collection of books--the TERRIER series is not for sale.  

$.10 per bottle of blue, purple, and glitter nail polishes. You know, because I have new ones now and I don’t need THOSE blues and purples anymore.  

$2 for a well-played and desperately loved Savage Garden CD.  Because unlike EVERY OTHER GIRL IN NEW ENGLAND, I somehow missed the Dave Matthews boat.  

Oh!  Oh, no, no--those aren’t for sale.  These were put out here by some, er, misguided family member.  No, THESE are every story I’ve scribbled in a notebook since I was 11.  NOT for sale!!

Ah, I see--the desk!  You want the desk?  $15.  Great deal!  It’s a huge desk.  Very sturdy.  Well...yes...those are copies of every poem I liked as a teenager taped to the surface of it.  And...yes..those are the tape residues of when I decided I HATED aforementioned poems.  

Fine.  $5 and it’s yours.  

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I'm pretty sure my teenage garage sale would be just as junk ridden as this one. Only there would be a lot more stuffed animals....

Thanks for the great post A.C. Gaughen! If you want to find out more about her check out her website here and be sure to add Scarlet to your Goodreads here. You can also read my review of it here!

Julia :)

Article 5 Guest Post: Character Book Picks

 Today I've got a fun guest post from the author of Article 5 Kristen Simmons all about her main character's favorite book! I'm super excited about sharing this post because Kristen is a Hapa just like me! WOOT!!! Anyway, read on to find out more about Kristen's characters Ember and Chase, and why their favorite book is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein!

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First let me just say that I’m so excited to be here because I’m a Hapa chick too (half Japanese)! Thanks for spreading the Hapa love and asking about Ember and Chase’s favorite book, FRANKENSTEIN, which makes several appearances in ARTICLE 5.

So why does Ember reference Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN? For one simple reason: because FRANKENSTEIN is one of the best books ever.  Ever ever.  Ember has loved it since she had to read it in high school English, before the Federal Bureau of Reformation deemed it Contraband and put it on the Banned Books List. It’s a story that resonated with her from the first read – not because it’s about crazy monsters with bolts sticking out of the sides of their heads (at least, not entirely), but because it’s about how people live with the crap that happens to them.  

In Shelley’s novel, Dr. Frankenstein creates a human from scraps of other corpses, believing that he is doing something brilliantly scientific and beautiful (wouldn’t anyone?) when really he’s setting a danger loose on the known world.  His creation on the other hand comes to life innocent, and only after constant fear and rejection does he become that which everyone thinks him to be: a monster.  

The concepts may have been written two hundred years ago, but for Ember and Chase, they still ring true. FRANKENSTEIN is a book for anyone who screws up given the best intentions, who wrestles shame and fear, who keeps secrets. Anyone who starts to believe the crap other people say about them. But also anyone who finds beauty in human connection, and who longs for peace and the ability to rectify their mistakes, even when things seem hopeless.

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Now I will definitely going to go add Frankenstein to the list of classical literature I'm wanting to devour this year! A big thanks to Kristen Simmons for this awesome post and Teen Book Scene for heading up this book tour!

If you want to find out more about Kristen Simmons and her dystopian novel Article 5 check out her website here.

Also be sure to add Article 5 to your Goodreads here!

You can also add Frankenstein to your Goodreads here.

Julia :)

Book Review: Don't Breathe A Word

Don't Breathe a Word
by Holly Cupala
299 pages
Publisher: HarpeerTeen
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Source: Teen Book Scene book tour
Add this book to your shelf on Goodreads!

Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

In a Nutshell: Don't Breathe a Word is a beautiful novel that doesn't back down, even when it comes to tough issues like abuse, and life on the streets.

Putdownability Factor: This book was SO GOOD. And once you got past the halfway point? Yeah, almost impossible to put down.

Cover Love: Gorgeous. It feels very ethereal and doesn't quite match with what the story is actually about but the cover is too awesome for that to really matter.


My Thoughts

After reading Tell Me a Secret I just knew that Holly Cupala was going to become one of my favorite authors. Don't Breathe a Word totally cemented that fact and it further proved the fact that Holly Cupala can write "issue" books like nobodies business! Seriously, I am such a fan. :P

The thing I love most about Don't Breathe a Word is that it is so honest. Abuse and homelessness are both really difficult subjects to tackle but Holly Cupala does it beautifully. She paints a portrait of friends, family, loyalty, forgiveness, and healing that is truly moving. There were countless moments when my heart would just break for the characters. It was raw, and real, and I loved every minute of it.

Joy, Creed, Santos, May, I just loved each and every one of them. I felt a real connection with each character, and what they were struggling with. The character development was some of the best I've ever read.

Don't Breathe a Word has definitely caused me to change my attitude toward homeless teenagers. I have a lot more compassion and understanding for what they're going through. This book taught me that you can't just judge people by their circumstances. You never know what kinds of demons they might be running from.

Overall I give Don't Breathe a Word 4 and a half out of 5 ice cream cones.

Who would I recommend this to? Older/more mature teens who enjoy books with edgier topics. Anyone who enjoys Ellen Hopkins would enjoy this book.

Julia :)

Book Tour: Don't Breathe a Word Deleted Scene + Giveaway!

Today I have the lovely Holly Cupala sharing a deleted scene with us from her fabulous book Don't Breathe a Word. Seriously, this book is AMAZING! If you haven't given it a read yet you need to get on it. It's definitely a contemporary must read! Without further ado take it away Holly.

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Thank you for inviting me to That Hapa Chick, Julia, and thanks to everyone for stopping by to hear more secrets about Don’t Breathe a Word! Here is an exclusive peek at a deleted scene…

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Once, after Christmas, when Asher and I had been together seven or eight months, a record snowfall blew through the Northwest. Then, after it started to melt, it froze over again, creating patches of black ice under another six inches of snowdrift. Hazardous conditions for cars, potentially fatal for DeLoreans.
I’d called Asher’s cell phone. He didn’t answer, so I tried his work. Some guy answered and said he’d been in an accident and flipped the car. “Who’s this?” he asked. The question didn’t register until later—I’d never called Asher’s work before.
I got a sick feeling as my bracelet jangled against the phone. There was nothing to do but head for the Hummer with the studded winter tires, straight to the University through a fresh batch of snow. Was he hurt? Was he at the hospital?
I knew he was somewhere in the Zoology building at the south end of campus, or at the hospital across the street. I kept checking my phone for messages as I searched for the right building—he would call me if he could. Any second a crow might fly by and pick me off like a worm, as Asher often threatened. They weren’t even afraid of snow—I saw a group circling the building. I found the right hall, the right door. Asher had never brought me here, but they must know who I was. I burst through.
I shouted at the first person who looked at me, a rumpled-looking guy in glasses and a knitted green scarf: “Where’s Asher? Is he ok?”
It was like nobody had talked to him for days or maybe weeks. Or maybe nobody had yelled at him before. “Um, he didn’t come in. I think he’s at home. Are you the one who called? His sister?”
“He’s at home?” I shouted back. And then, “I’m not his sister. I’m his girlfriend.”
Now he looked shocked and totally disbelieving.
I spun on my Converse, still slick from the snow, and headed out to the Hummer. It took me a half hour to get it turned around and back on the bridge to Asher’s apartment, where I found him lying on his couch, his phone turned off.
“What’s going on?” I spat, all the anxiety of finding him dead on the street suddenly transforming into a torrent of anger.
“Excuse me?” He was infuriatingly calm. “I could say the same thing to you. What are you doing here?”
“You’re lying there like you’re taking the day off and not like you just almost died. What happened?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Please don’t scream at me.”
“Your car?” I shouted, his request making me even more annoyed. “Your coworker guy said you were in a car accident.”
“You called my work?” Suddenly, he was standing, and I realized how much less intimidating he had been lying down. Everything in me seemed to shrivel.
“Yeah,” I said in a much smaller voice. “The guy thought I was your sister.” I left the rest unsaid. Didn’t he tell them he had a girlfriend? Was he ashamed of me?
But he ignored the implication that hung in the air. “What were you doing calling my work? Why didn’t you call my cell phone?”
“I don’t know. You turned it off. Wait, what about the crash?”
“Oh, wait. You called.”
I was confused. “What do you mean? Yes, I called you.”
“Well, somebody called me right as my car was spinning out in all this ice, which is why I lost control of the car—in fact, the car might be totaled.” He sat back down with a heavy sigh. “Thanks. Perfect timing. Oh, and I especially appreciate you going to my work and freaking out in front of my coworkers. They probably think I’m a pedophile now. Great…and then…”
But I could no longer hear him because I was sinking down into that place, down where no one could touch me—the place of shame he created for me, word by word.

****
When I first started writing Don’t Breathe a Word, I didn’t think it would be a story about the most insidious kind of abuse—the kind that didn’t leave any marks except on your soul. Asher just showed up in those first few pages…seductive and powerful and cruel. This was one of my early attempts to capture the kind of person he was, and how his actions affected Joy. Even though this scene didn’t end up in the final version, it was a snapshot of the secret things that went on in the year they spent together. It also was a huge contrast to the romance she eventually finds with Creed.

Thank you, Julia, for having me, and I hope all of you readers enjoy Don’t Breathe a Word! Stop by the Don’t Breathe a Word tour for more secrets, swag, and more!

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Thanks so much Holly! Be sure to add Don't Breathe a Word to your books on GoodReads.

Now on to the giveaway. This giveaway is a little tricky so bear with me guys. :P Here's how it works:

HarperCollins is giving away a BUNCH of copies of Don't Breathe a Word! There are several ways you can earn entries into the giveaway:

• You get one automatic entry when you fill out the giveaway form
• Everytime you comment on one of the DBAW Tour posts you get one extra entry (you must link to your comment)
• You get one extra entry if you tweet, share on Facebook, do a blog post, etc, to get the word out about DBAW but you can only do each thing once. (you must have the link)

Now here are the rules. You must fill out the entry form EACH time you do one of these things. So say you comment on this post and tweet. You will need to fill out the entry form TWICE in order for both entries to count. The reason why is we need the URL in order for the entries to count.

This giveaway is open internationally just be sure the Book Depository ships to your country!

Fill out the giveaway form here!

There will be 7 giveaway winners picked weekly and there will also be a final drawing for all of the collective entries on January 15th. 

Good luck and don't forget to check out Don't Breathe a Word!


Julia :)

Never Eighteen Blog Tour: Top Ten Character Crushes List

Today I have the honor of hosting one of the tour stops for Megan Bostics AMAZING book Never Eighteen. Read on for Megan Bostics list of her top ten fictional guy crushes! This has got to be one of the best tens lists I've ever read if I do say so myself. Enjoy guys!

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These are in no particular order. I love them all.

1. Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Intelligent, unprejudiced, and a great dad to boot.

2. Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien: Brave, gallant, romantic, what more could a girl ask for?

3. Nick Andros from The Stand by Stephen King: Beautifully quiet and wise beyond his years.

4. Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: The respectful, humble, irresistible werewolf.

5. Louis de Pointe du Lac from interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice: Lonely, lost, and brooding, I want to hug him.

6. Tyler Durden from Fight Club: Because there has to be a bad boy in the bunch.

7. Edward Cullen from Twilight: I loved him in the book, not the movie. He was beautiful and good and profound. The movie ruined him for me.

8. Win Lockwood from the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben: Okay, so there has to be two bad boys, but come on, he’s gorgeous and can kill you with his pinky. That’s sexy.

9. Patrick McKenzie from the McKenzie series by Dennis Lehane: He’s handsome, he’s Irish, he’s a private eye, he’s hawt.

10. Hamlet by William Shakespeare: I obviously like men who brood and Hamlet is the original.

Honorable Mentions: Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre, Felton Reinstein from Stupid fast, Myron Bolitar (see Win Lockwood, above), Sirius Black from Harry Potter, Gambit from X-Men (yes, cartoon guys count too), D'Artagnon from the Three Muskateers.

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I'm definitely digging some of these choices! Aragorn? HELLS YEAH!!!!

Thanks to Teen Book Scene for the awesome post!

Julia :)

Book Review: Never Eighteen

Never Eighteen
by Megan Bostic
202 pages
Publisher: Graphia
Publication Date: January 16, 2012
Source: Teen Book Scene

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate his Leukemia is progressing the doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatments. So he's decided to it's time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to fix the things that have broken in his life. So with the help of his best friend and secret crush, Kaylee, Austin embarks on a journey. He travels to the places he's loved and those he's never seen. He visits the people he feels aren't living life, wanting to make them understand what they're taking for granted. And what starts as a way to say goodbye and mend fences turns into a passage of love, acceptance, and meaning.

If you just read the summary to Never Eighteen and thought to yourself "gosh, this book sounds like a real tearjerker" then you would be right. This is ONE SAD BOOK. I'm warning you now: do not read this in public unless you are prepared to have people stare at you with tears streaming down your face. Not even joking. I don't cry very often or very easily (I can count the number of movies and books I've cried at on one hand) so I thought it would be fine to read this book in the car on a family road trip. Boy was I wrong. I've never read anything quite so tear-inducing in my life.

Never Eighteen is a sad book. But while I might not have gotten my "Happyily Ever After" ending, I did get a beautiful message of hope. Austins journey proved that its never to late to tell someone you love them, to conquer your fears or to reach out to those in need. I didn't end the book feeling sad and depressed. Instead I felt uplifted and strangely happy. Never Eighteen has helped me see that life is what you make it. Its not the challenges, but how you face them, that really matters.

Austin and Kaylee were both wonderful characters that really came alive on the page and I absolutely LOVED their relationship. It was easily my favorite part of Never Eighteen; honest, real, and ultimately heartbreaking. You know an author has done their job when you get to the end of the book and your sobbing right along with the characters. 

If you're even just a little bit afraid to read Never Eighteen because you think its going to be too sad don't be. Megan Bostic has created a beautiful story with both somber and lighthearted moments and its worth every minute. Just be sure to have a box of Kleenex handy. You'll need it.

I give Never Eighteen 4 out of 5 ice cream cones.

Julia :)

Book Review: Amplified

When privileged seventeen-year-old Jasmine decides she doesn't want to go to college, her father kicks her out. Left to fend for herself, Jasmine takes her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. She finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convincce the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate, and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright, and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from Woodside can hack it.

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In a Nutshell: While a bit predictable, Amplified still proves to be a fun and feisty story of music, first love, and discovering your own true worth.

Putdownability Factor: The teen speak in this novel definitely made it a quick, relatable read.


Cover Love: I'm not really digging the yellow color scheme (or the boots and fishnets for that matter...) but I do love that its an amp. Kind of clever considering the title is Amplified, am I right??? :P

My Thoughts


I throughly enjoyed this book. It's fun, and fresh, and basically makes my desire to learn bass guitar grow even stronger.* I haven't read any other YA books lately that have music as such an integral part of the novel, and after reading Amplified, I definitely would love to see more!

Tara Kelly was really able to capture the essence of the teen spirit in this novel. Each character had a lot of realism and integrity. They weren't just cookie cutter characters. They had a lot of unique qualities to them. My favorite character was most definitely Jasmine. She was kickass awesome! I loved her passion for life and music, and how she was willing to fight, fight, fight for what she wanted. I could totally relate to her character because we were similar in so many ways. I just love it when I have similarities with book characters! It makes a story that much more amazing.

One of the things I liked best about Amplified is that it addressed a lot of issues that teenagers with self-esteem and self worth. Oftentimes we sell ourselves short, or feel that we aren't worth much, when in reality that's just because we believe the lies that the world throws at us. There was one point in Amplified where Jasmine said:

"I wanted something real. I wanted to matter."

Who hasn't wanted that at sometime in their life? Who hasn't wanted to feel loved, feel needed, feel worthy, or feel accepted? I loved that Amplified stressed the fact that everyone has value, even if others can't see it, or don't appreciate it.

 The one thing that I sort of subtracted from Amplified was the cliche romance between Jasmine and Sean. It was the classic "girl hates boy, then realizes he isn't a jerk after all and falls in love with him" scenario. While it was an important element to the story I just feel like it could have been executed in a slightly less predictable fashion. But hey, I am the romance hater so it could just be me.

Overall Amplified was a fun and enjoyable read. It could have benefited from being a little less predictable in the romance department but honestly that was the only thing that bothered me. I give it 4 out of 5 ice cream cones!

Who would I recommend this to? Teens who like contemporary novels, or music or both!

Julia :)

*I've always wanted to learn a second instrument and bass guitar is the top of the list. Everyone knows the cool girls play bass guitar, am I right? XD

Character Tweets from Solstice!

Today I've got some fun character tweets from the characters of P.J. Hoover's novel Solstice!

Solstice by P.J. Hoover: Characters That Tweet (very badly)

TIME: Before the first big storm

Chloe: @piper it's hot as hell out here

Piper: @chloe it's been hotter 

Chloe: @piper when?

Piper: @chloe maybe last week

Piper: @chloe wait, my mom just told me a heat bubble is coming

Chloe: @piper I told you it was hot

Piper: @chloe we should go inside

Chloe: @piper we'll be fine.

Time: During the ice storm

Piper: @shayne There's ice falling from the sky

Shayne: @piper that's hail.

Piper: @shayne what's hail?

Shayne: @piper hail. It's like frozen rain.

Piper: @shayne what if it hit someone over the head?

Shayne: @piper it would probably kill them. You should go inside.

Piper: @shayne but I want to watch the hail

Piper: @shayne oh, that hurt

Piper: @shayne won't the roads be slippery?

Shayne: @piper yes. People are going to die.

TIME: During hurricane

Chloe: @piper the wind is blowing

Piper: @chloe that's a hurricane

Chloe: @piper you're overreacting. There's no hurricane

Piper: @chloe half your roof just blew off.

Chloe: @piper I didn't notice

Piper: @chloe that's because you're flipped out crazy. You stuck nails in all the mirrors.

Chloe: @piper I got distracted

Piper: @chloe you got delusional

Chloe: @piper you're just jealous

Piper: @chloe of...

Chloe: @piper Reese. Shayne. You name it. You've always been jealous of me.

TIME: Before the electrical storm

Reese: @piper have you missed me?

Piper: @reese I haven't thought about you at all

Reese: @piper why do you keep sniffing the air?

Piper: @reese I'm not sniffing the air

Reese: @piper I see you. I hear you. You are sniffing the air.

Piper: @reese maybe in your dreams

Reese: @piper maybe you should stop fighting your feelings. I have been waiting for you a long time.

TIME: During electrical storm

Piper: @chloe wait. Don't go too close to the edge

Chloe: @piper you know I was supposed to die

Piper: @chloe no you weren't. Just step back. Please?

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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 hunsband 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.

Detention Club Tour: This or That List

Today I've got a This or That list from the character Sunny from David Yoo's book The Detention Club! This post is part of the Teen Book Scene blog tour. Be sure to follow along with the tour here. Without further ado, here's Sunny with her This or That list!

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Sunny Beaches or Snowy Mountains? I don't like the messiness of sand, so I guess snowy mountains, though come to think of it I'm not crazy about snow, either. I do prefer studying in a cool temperature, so okay, I'm going to stick with Snowy mountains.

Chips Ahoy or Oreo's? Oreos are neater - three distinct parts that you can see from a distance. I prefer order, not chaos.

Sweet or Spicy? Either in moderation.

Lions or Tigers? Tigers - they have better hygiene, evidenced by the lack of flies circling their faces during Animal Planet videos.

Neons or Pastels? This question confuses me. On one hand, neon is an inert, noble gas that is very rare on this planet, I like to think of myself as noble (eg: I'm hall-moniter), and my intelligence and skill set certainly makes me rare at Fenwick Middle, but then again I have no respect for inert people who sit around and do nothing all day, like my brother, Peter. What's that? Oh, you mean which would I prefer to wear? The question wasn't clear. Definitely pastels.

Popcorn or Chips? Popcorn, thought it should be stressed to your readers taht people choke every year when they have too big a mouthful. Everything in moderation, as I said earlier.

Baseball or Football? Neither. Academic Bowl or Scripps Spelling Bee. I went to a baseball game once and it went on forever, and I feel that any sport where you can chew tobacco during it is not a legitimate sport. As for football, every hit is equivalent to 30mph car crash. Enough said.

Dragons or Dinosaurs? Dinosaurs are real. I know everything about them. My favorite is the Diplodocus. Just saying the name out loud makes me smile. Besides, the ability I just can't take dragons seriously. Not to mention the ones that talk in a British/Irish accent.

Action Movie or Romantic Comedy? Action movie, although the physics during the action movie, although the physics during the action scenes are usually laughable. Same with sci-fi movies. For example, anytime you see a huge several-miles-wide space ship hovering over a major city, that could never happen because of the laws of gravity! Whenever I watch an action movie I'm constantly muttering, "That could never happen in real life." But romantic comedies are even less realistic, so...

Hawaii or Alaska? I intend to visit all fifty states at some point in my life, so I'd have to say both. But given my disapproval of sand, I guess I'd say Alaska, although truth be told I was planning on making that visit a very short trip.

Snowboarding or Skateboarding? I've never done either, but I'd have to say snowboarding simply because I'm a natural at land-skiing, which is comparable.

Coffee or Tea? Tea is chock full of healthy antioxidants and it has a cleaner taste, whereas coffee always tastes burned to me. And you never hear about someone's bad "tea-breath."

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