In My Mailbox #30

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, which showcases the books we've purchased, borrowed and received in the mail this week. This is the 30th episode of HOARDERS, Books Edition.

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FOR REVIEW

Much love goes out to Net Galley, Harlequin Teen, MacMillan Children's, RC Sheahan and Mary Pauline Lowry.

KINDLE

Forgiving Trinity by Liz Reinhardt

Strangers by Barbara Elsborg

HOARDED BOOKS

Black Hole Sun by David McInnis Gill

Invisible Sun by David McInnis Gill

Katana by Cole Gibsen

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina

Allegiance by Cayla Kluver

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Schultz

Dark Eyes by Willliam Richter

Lover Reborn by JR Ward

The Repossession by Sam Hawksmoor

Forgiven by Jana Oliver

When You Open Your Eyes by Celeste Conway

Life is But a Dream by Brian James

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

All Just Glass by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Velvet by Mary Hooper

My Family For The War by Anne C. Voorhoeve

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeline George

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Night Road by Kristin Hannah

The Painted Boy by Charles de Lint

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Signed)

Eeeep! The fab, Natalie of VanCity got this book signed for me ;) Love, love, love. Thanks, sweets! 

What's in your mailbox?

Review: Lover Reborn (BDB #10) by JR WARD

Publication Date: March 27^th, 2012

NAL

Format: Hardcover, 572 pages

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. The city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. 



Now back in the Brotherhood - and unrecognisable as the vampire leader he once was - Tohrment is physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair. When he begins to see his beloved in his dreams - trapped in a cold, isolating netherworld - Tohr turns to a self-serving fallen angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. When he's told he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed .. . 
Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King's throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past, and a very hot, passion-filled future . . . but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

A lot of BDB fans wasn't really thrilled to learn that #10 was going to be about Tohrment. I, on the other hand, was dying to get my hands on it as soon I found out. The Brother deserves his HEA, y'all. Admittedly, this book is my second favourite in the series and it's not so much because it was Tohr's story but because this instalment, in my opinion, slayed every other books in the series other than Z's.

Tohrment was well...tormented. The murder of his shellan pretty much equated to the death of his world. Unable to end himself, he had to go on living on the pretense that he didn't feel like he was going to suffocate from grief. And every night, when he goes out and hunt the lessers, he'd invent new ways of killing them; shredding their flesh and torturing them first before eventually ending their lives. In the meantime, Wellsie was stuck in In Between, a place that's neither The Fade nor hell. The only way her and their unborn child could move on to The Fade lay in the hands of Tohr, who was unable to let go. And for each day that he held on to her and their son, they fade until they're no longer unreachable, unrecognizable and unable to find peace in the after life.

Lucky for Tohr, Lassiter, a fallen angel was there to speed the grieving process up. He's convinced that the self-sacrificing, aggrieved, No'one would be the key to ending Tohr's...torment. But he never anticipated a lot of complications. Like, Tohr's disregard for his life that he found ways to get himself killed; or his inability to look at another female because of his conviction that to do so would be disrespecting Wellsie's memory. Lassiter's assignment was to help Tohr's family move on to The Fade because then and only then would he get his own redemption. But he also didn't anticipate what would happen as he inadvertently helped No'one to forgive herself, ultimately giving her the salvation that she had never asked for.

And in the backdrop of Caldwell, New York, the Band of Bastards were in pursuit to dethrone Wrath and eliminate the Brotherhood.

Gah! This book...I've never wanted to re-read a book shortly after flipping to the last page. At 572 pages, this  was jam-packed of all the things I love about JR Ward's writing and this series. The woman keeps getting more amazing with every book. Some would argue that BDB is getting redundant but I beg to differ. JR Ward keeps finding ways to have us right where she wants us - panting, wanting, needing the next book by introducing conflicts and characters that we, her readers, would predictably sallivate to read about.

This instalment introduced us to the Band of Bastards - vampires from the Old Country who were set in the ancient vampiric ways. They came to the New World on a mission to kill the King and eliminate The Brotherhood altogether. Headed by Xcor, Bloodletter's son, he was one complicated antagonist. I hated him, feared him, felt sad for him...he's definitely someone I'm looking forward to reading more about. There's a blooming romance in the horizon akin to that of Bella's and Zsadist's. That, in itself is the reason why I so want the next book to be about him - even more so than I want to read about Blay and Qhuinn. We're also introduced to Throe, who, much like Xcor, played the misunderstood bad guy quite well. Hold on to your skirts, ladies, this Band of Bastards could give The Brotherhood a run for their money on the Aggressively Hot Males Category!

The romance between Tohr and No'one wasn't really well received based on some of the reviews I've read on Goodreads. I loved and hated the dynamics between these two. No'one's character is probably one that would be frowned upon because she lives to serve. However, the more I delve into the book, I've slowly become more understanding of her character. Tohr's grieving brought on some misty eyes and sniffling nose. It was heartbreaking and to some extent, frustrating. JR Ward definitely took her sweet-ass time in showing him the revelation he needed in order to push his way out of his grief. One thing I can't complain about Ms. Ward, is that she doesn't believe in rushing things.

The Black Dagger Brotherhood is one of those series which will  remain on top of the vampire books echelon for me. Not only do I get way too freaking excited with each and every release but I find myself going back and re-reading the books. This one, in particular was one of the best.

Review: A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

Publication Date: March 20^th, 2012

Dial Books

Format: Hardcover, 448 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Even angels make mistakes in this page-turning epic romance...

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.

Michelle Zink masterfully weaves historical fantasy with paranormal romance to create a gripping tale of love and betrayal.

I'm a little tired.

I wouldn't say that this book had so much promise that it didn't deliver. It's just...I'm a little tired of the angel lore, that's all. This book also had a love triangle, ergo, the chances of me gushing over it was on the unlikely side.

A Temptation of Angels had Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices air to it, so the steampunk element has that going for it, at least. However, one of the problems that I encounter with steampunk is, the period tends to squander my interest quite easily. The book would have to do a lot to keep my attention, meaning, the book had to be steep with action and, or romance. Well, this book faltered on both.

The main character, Helen showed very little emotions. The deaths of her parents didn't seem to affect her one bit.  She seemed intent on replacing her grief with vengeance, which to a certain point, I truly got. But the absence of tears as she learned that her parents perished in a deliberate house fire didn't help with my ability to connect with her.

The romance between her and Griffin seemed forced and awkward. I couldn't see him as worthy love interest, to be honest. But this might have something to do with personal preference (I'm into misunderstood bad boys). It didn't take long for Helen to develop some feelings for him - which I found odd considering she couldn't even garner enough emotions in her to shed a tear or two for her parents. I was excited to read about Raum and the circumstances with which they were connected. I decided to read the next book to the series just because I want to see how far - if in fact, it would - the relationship would go. Unfortunately, she also admitted to loving him. Some could argue that Helen have loved Raum longer than that but I don't really think it counts - especially if Helen had always thought he was an 'imaginary friend' growing up.

The action was few and far between. The author didn't really show any of Helen's training as a Keeper. Instead, she wrote that the she was already trained. It's a bit hard to see her as someone who could defend herself from wraiths and murderous, vindictive defectors of the good angels, simply because I didn't really have an insight to her strengths. All I know was that she was incredibly good at holding back her tears.

Over all, I think that Ms. Zink did a fantastic job in re-writing the tiresome angel lore by giving it a more-developed myth. I just can't get into it any longer.

I wish there's a big ol' suggestion box somewhere in Good Reads for authors about what can no longer be exploited when writing stories. L O V E   T R I A N G L E would be written on mine in big, black, bold letters. Seriously. I'm just tired of it.

Review: Fix Me by Rune Michaels

Publication Date: December 6^th, 2011

Antheneum Books for Young Readers

Format: Hardcover, 149 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Orphaned as a child, terrorized by her abusive brother, and haunted by memories, Leia feels exposed, powerless, and vulnerable. When her tormented mind can stand it no longer, she escapes to the zoo, where she finds shelter and seeks refuge. The zoo is a sanctuary: a protective space for families, and a safe place for the traumatized to forget. But can she ever feel safe? Can she ever forget?

Once again, Rune Michaels brings us a harrowing psychological drama that raises questions about the very nature of humanity. This chilling tale will challenge our preconceptions of family, memory, and self, leaving readers wondering, are we the pinnacle of evolution—or are we just animals on display?

This is one of those books where you walk away feeling bereft and a bit like you've lost someone vital in your life but for the life of you, you can't remember their name. It was being completely involved - engrossed in a storyteller's tale only to be left hanging because the storyteller didn't finish his story. It was frustrating to say the least.

Leia has been abused for most of her life. When she wasn't bleeding from the violent fights her and her brother would have, she'd used needles to release the darkness inside of her. She ran away and found herself squatting at a nearby zoo, where she found peace and acceptance around the animals. In the zoo, she met the zookeeper's son, who in turn helped her hide from whomever was looking for her. But it doesn't take long until her abusive brother finds her and the past that they were both running away from.

At 149 pages, this book was a little hard to take. I tend to stay away from angst-ridden books and ironically enough, I seemed to have hit the mother load in Fix Me. How do you even begin to help this character when you don't exactly know the circumstances of the past that burdened her? The author made it obvious but really...not. Vague allusions, disjointed memories and nightmares - none of which gave me a concrete picture of what had happened to her. Truthfully, Leia and her brother Brian were probably the most broken characters I've ever read in my entire life.

I can say, in all honesty that this book didn't warm my heart. It didn't really offer any hope that Leia was healed and was ready to face the world without the comfort of the zoo. There were sensitive and harsh issues in this book that the author only alluded to. It had left me feeling frustrated because even though I know exactly what had happened, I wanted to read the ugly truth word for word. And I do understand that if the author had done exactly that, perhaps this book would never have passed as YA. But sometimes, if you want to be real...then just BE REAL. Tell us how it is and don't beat around the bush.

I do think this novel was very insightful and moving. Leia's gentle rapport with the animals made me feel happy of her connections with them. Goodness knows, human interactions were not her forte. The dead mother incited such anger in me even though she was not around in the novel as well, the aunt who seemed to be in an oblivion for the better part of the novel. The conflicting character was Brian, her brother. I didn't get how he could be abusive and violent to his sister one moment then inexplicably 'caring' the next. Though caring might be a bit of an overstatement.

All in all, if you're looking for a little dose of reality, Fix Me is the book for you. Get to know these characters; they'll tell you what it's like to lose faith in humanity.

Film Review: The Hunger Games

Well, the most anticipated movie is here, lovelies! We've only waited for this film for forever and a day. And even though I wasn't in on the whole countdown thing, I was still dying with anticipation to watch this. I don't know about you but I've been burned by so many books-to-movie films lately that I've learned to lower my expectations. I'm so happy to report that this is one of those rare occasions where the film gave the book justice!

I was lucky enough to have been given free passes to the advance screening, all thanks to Toshiba Canada and Social Media Women (@shesconnected). But all this wouldn't be possible had the lovely, Natalie not informed me that they were looking for Winnipeg bloggers to watch and review the film. So thank you all so much!

As I mentioned previously, this film stayed genuine to the book. I think we have to thank Suzanne Collins for playing a big part not just with the screenplay but the entire movie production and perhaps even a little bit of the direction. Either that or Gary Ross read the series with the same fanatical zest as we did because he managed to capture the reasons why I loved the book to begin with. I sat in the theatre completely engrossed, nary a blink, and holding my breath for the next thrill and suspense.

I was in absolute awe of the dystopian world that they managed to envision. I have read countless of books that have been set in this world and I've never been so happy to see it come alive. There were wild costumes, wigs and outlandish cosmetics used in this movie which perfectly contrasted the depression-era type of environment among the districts.

All in all, I think they couldn't have better immortalized the Capitol and District 12 in this film any more than what I've imagined in the book.

I also love that they put just enough violence to make it believable but not enough to restrict ratings. They made it just so that we'd be able to imagine the parts that they can't show without taking anything away from the harsh reality of the world of The Hunger Games, which really was the focal point of the story in my opinion.

Now to the part where I was a little on the fence about: THE CHARACTERS.

Please don't misunderstand, all of these actors are incredibly talented. I love Jennifer's portrayal of Katniss; she was fierce, kick-ass and ever considerate of her sister, Prim. She played the role exactly how I predicted she would. I couldn't have asked for a better Katniss than Jennifer.

Liam Hemsworth's role as Gale was a little bit understated in this film - much like in the book. There wasn't much of him that I was not able to truly see what he was made of. But let me tell you this: If they wanted him to play a bigger role in a love triangle as they'd planned, they have succeeded tremendously. The boy can play brooding, jealous quasi-"boy"friend like it's nobody's business. Quite a feat if you ask me, considering the limited scenes and dialogues he had. I'm definitely looking forward to more of him on Catching Fire.

Josh Hutcherson. I'm not going to take anything away from his talent. He's a seasoned Indie actor who'd suddenly found himself on a tidal wave of mainstream popularity. I'm sorry to say that his and Jennifer's chemistry on screen was a little lacklustre. To be honest, Cinna and Katniss had better chemistry than these two. I still can't picture him as Peeta Mellark but I'm not giving up on him just yet. He can still rock it on the next one. I'm definitely looking forward to it. I am and will always be, the girl who likes the boy with the bread.

My rating for this film:

Morsels {8}: The Summer I Learned to Fly and A Love By Any Measure

Publication Date: July 12^th, 2011

Wendy Lamb Books

Format: Hardcover, 224 pages

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Drew's a bit of a loner. She has a pet rat, her dead dad's Book of Lists, an encyclopedic knowledge of cheese from working at her mom's cheese shop, and a crush on Nick, the surf bum who works behind the counter. It's the summer before eighth grade and Drew's days seem like business as usual, until one night after closing time, when she meets a strange boy in the alley named Emmett Crane. Who he is, why he's there, where the cut on his cheek came from, and his bottomless knowledge of rats are all mysteries Drew will untangle as they are drawn closer together, and Drew enters into the first true friendship, and adventure, of her life.

Birdie has her summer perfectly planned out:

Work at mom's cheese shop. Check.

Continue to ogle and sigh over Nick. Check.

Everything was at it was supposed to be...until Emmett Crane came into her life.

I'm not a big MG reader; I always think that I won't be able to relate with the characters because I'm old enough to be their mother. This book took me by surprise. It was refreshing to read something that did not involve much of the teenage angst that I've been reading lately. Trust me, this book still made me choke up but I think it had something to do with Emmett's belief of a myth which would provide his family the miracle that they needed.

This story was endearing, sad and hopeful. It dealt with a teenage girl's way of learning about a father who was gone too soon and a teenage boy's quest to help a sick younger brother.

Diana Reinhardt wrote some incredibly real characters with genuine voices. However, I found Emmett's quest to be unrealistic and in the end, anti-climactic.  Perhaps Ms. Reinhardt captured the innocence of youth too well; to have heard of the myth so many times that he actually believed it.

This book has that unresolved ending which bugs me. As a reader, I find that vagueness does not really equate to good storytelling. I still enjoyed this book, however.
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Publication Date: November 8^th, 2011

Tulipe Noir Press

Format: Paperback, 344 pages

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

An Irish lass. An English lord.

A love that overcomes all boundaries, but at what cost?

Lord August Grayson, English landlord, has secretly, and much to the dismay of his father, held in reverence the object of his first fancy: poor Irish tenant Maeve O'Connor. Returning to the Ireland for the first time since his youth, August discovers that Maeve has grown into a woman of beauty and tenacity. August understands, however, that he could offer Maeve nothing but shame if her pursued her. But when circumstances allow him an opportunity to indulge his fancy, even if only in a limited scope, August finds himself unable to resist the temptation.

Maeve,for her part, knows the danger falling for August holds, but finds her heart and her good senses becoming confused the longer she spends in his company. As two hearts become hopelessly entangled, both Maeve and August are forced to question the costs of their love. As consequences of their romance manifest, both struggle with the pain and difficulties their love causes, both for them and for their loved ones.

I read this book practically in one sitting. I never thought I'd enjoy a historical romance but this just hit the spot...and boy was this book steamy! The tension between the characters at the beginning was possibly hotter than the actual 'deed' itself. I'm not really a big fan of - you know, "adult themes" but I have no qualms admitting that this one was - wowza!

The author did a wonderful job with the dialogues and setting of this novel. But I have to admit that I had problems with the time jumping. It confused me at times but it wasn't a big deal once I got the hang of it. I was looking for that seamless transition but it wasn't that difficult to follow.

While I may not be an expert in the love and hate relationship between the English and Irish, I thought that Killian did an awesome job of making the history credible anyway.  The language as well, rang of authenticity.

All in all, this book was a surprising fantastic read!

Gone Reading: A Good Cause.

I've just been recently contacted by Bradley Wirz, CEO and founder of Gone Reading International. Upon further reading into their cause, I was brought back to those days when I have limited sources of books. The library back where I came from only stocked textbooks and rarely shelved fictions. It was a small library at the back of our school. Hardly anyone ever goes there other than some who were desperate for research. Well, Gone Reading International is a group that I'll be more than happy to support. They promote reading and love of books by building libraries around the world. It's a non-profit organization whose primary focus is to increase funding so book lovers' everywhere has access to the millions of literary work from brilliant authors. I, myself, cannot fathom not ever have anything to read. It's a bleak world world indeed, if I can't discover other worlds outside of mine and meet characters only somebody else's imagination could create through their words. 

Please, lovely readers, fellow book lovers, if you have the chance, check out this fantastic group and show your support. 

Their website can be found here: Gone Reading

If you have any questions at all, please contact Brad directly. Contact infos are available at their site. 

Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Publication Date: March 13^th, 2012

Delacorte Press

Format: Hardcover, 368 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

This was a very befuddling book. The plot, the world, the characters had me at odds with myself. In the end, the book straddled the line of brilliance and unrealized potential. 

It started with a spores war. 

Teens for hire. 

Thrill seeking seniors, er Enders.

Brains for hire, plug-ins, a faceless man intent on taking over the world.

Technology and Science had fallen into the hands of a greedy corporation. 

It's the perfect recipe for a great read, in my opinion. Sadly, it didn't deliver. 

The world building in this book lacked a certain cohesiveness necessary to marry the destroyed dystopian world and the rich, lush environment of the wealthy. It was hard to imagine how the Enders had been able to keep up the resources that they have when the world, as they know it, pretty much ended when the spores war began. I still can't quite understand why the government is dead-set against employment of teens. I mean, if they truly wanted to stop the "unfriendlies" from stealing and wreaking havoc in the city, then, wouldn't it make sense to employ them? I'm just sayin'. I'm a big fan of dystopian but I'm a bigger fan of logical story lines. 

On the other hand, I think Lissa Price conceptualized a very valiant heroine in Callie. The girl never lost her focus throughout the story. She wasn't one of those gullible characters who accept things quite easily.   

I loved the relationship between her and her little brother as well the friendships she's developed in the book. The faceless, evil man was a very credible antagonist. Ms. Price did a wonderful job on giving him that air of malevolence and mystery. 

But honestly though, what kind of world has seniors running around looking for the next thrill? It just seemed too far-fetched to me. And tell me again how in the world were we able to extend their life expectancy up to 150 to 200 years old? Mexico built a wall. Uhm, spores. Airborne. Yep. How does that protect them? Okay, I get that they didn't want the migration of affected Americans, but again. Spores. Airborne. Senator Bohn. He just came out of nowhere. They needed a political backer so, voila! He appeared at the last few pages of the book. *strokes imaginary beard* How convenient. 

Anyway, I hit the swiss cheese jackpot here, folks. I had more questions than answers. It doesn't necessarily make me want to read the next book eagerly but I think I'll read it anyway just to see if all those questions will be answered.  

In My Mailbox #29

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, which showcases the books we've purchased, borrowed and received in the mail this week. This is the 29th episode of HOARDERS, Books Edition.

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ARC of The Jane Austen Marriage Manual by Kim Izzo

(From The Savvy Reader of HarperCollins Canada - Thanks!)

Crow's Row by Julie Hockley

All Good Children by Catherine Austen

Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Starters by Lissa Price

The Castaways by Elin Hildebrand

Ripper by Stefan Petrucha

The Savage Grace by Bree Despain

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

FROI OF THE EXILES!!! by Melina Marchetta!!! :)

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford

The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Hann

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Hann

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Hann

What's in your mailbox?

Review: Destiny Binds by Tammy Blackwell

Publication Date: March 3^rd, 2011

Self Published

Format: Paperback, 223 pages

RATING: 2 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Scout Donovan is a girl who believes in rules, logic, and her lifelong love of Charlie Hagan. Alex Cole believes in destiny, magic, and Scout. When Alex introduces Scout to the world of Shifters, men who change into wolves or coyotes during the full moon and Seers, women who can see your most private thoughts and emotions with a mere touch, the knowledge changes everything and everyone Scout thought she knew.

I was truthfully enjoying this book right up to the last few pages. Despite all the editing mishaps, it had me giggling at a smarty-pants heroine who can talk and walk smack with the rest of them. And at one point, I thought, wow another Indie gold! I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. Then everything fell apart. The sad thing is, it happened toward the end.

This book is your typical werewolf story. Girl meets this new boy who seemed intent on rubbing her in the worse way possible, girl couldn't help but be attracted to new boy because boy is a hottie. Girl later finds out he has a secret, as are the rest of her family and friends. Girl is also attracted to another boy she grew up with, but unfortunately, is also keeping secrets from her. Later on, the girl must choose between the new love and the old love, but her choice proved to be disastrous.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with writing a same old, same old story. In fact, I can readily admit that I enjoyed the majority of this book. The MC has a refreshing voice; she wasn't self-deprecating and she knew where she stands. She was smart, funny, and had a repertoire of witty remarks that made me chuckle on some occasions. In short, the author took pains in developing her character, as with the rest of the cast. Outside of the editing miscues I mentioned above, the author clearly had talent. I couldn't have asked for a better book to get over the reading slump I've been on lately.

But. But.

Just when I was wholly vested in the story, I was clobbered with the most irritating, unforgivable story arc that I just could no longer stomach. LOVE TRIANGLE HELL.

"Yeah. But Charlie," I said. "I mean, if I was truly in love with Alex, I wouldn't still feel this way about Charlie, would I?"

(Source: Chapter 16, page 171 Destiny Binds copyright Tammy Blackwell)

Yeah. That about summed it up.

Scout's character seemed to take a turn for the worse as the story veered toward the end. All of a sudden, she was sporadic, incredibly too accepting of the fact that everyone around her were supernatural, and she'd become one of "those" girls whom I despised reading about in a book where there is a love triangle. 

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. This book was still written well even if it had flaws.This is for everyone who doesn't detest love triangles. Tammi Blackwell's Timberwolves series is an honest-to-goodness fantastic read. Unfortunately, the love triangle killed it for me.  

Tour Stop: Meg Medina Interview and Giveaway.

I don't really sign up on a lot of blog tours; I make sure that the book is something that I'd enjoy before I sign up on one. Upon reading the synopsis of this book, I knew then that this is something I'd like to read but as well, it was something that would toe the line outside my comfort zone. The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind didn't disappoint. It was an education about a life I wasn't fully aware of, about culture, and family. It was an eye-opener and a dose of reality outside the bubble that I live in. I'm so grateful I got to read it, grateful for Meg Medina for writing it.

Today, Meg Medina, the talented author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind, graciously offered her time for a quick Q & A about her book and her writing.

1.  Take us to your humble beginnings, Meg. How old were you when you decided to bare your soul through the medium of writing? 

I was in the third grade the first time someone told me I was good at writing. (Thank you, Mrs. Zuckerman!) That was definitely the seed, but it took 30 years after that before I found the courage to write novels and picture books. At age 40, after I had tried to do every other sort of responsible job (teaching, writing grants, being a freelance journalist), I realized that I was really risking getting to the end of my life never done what I really wanted to do. I don’t know what sparked me at last, but one day, I quit my job and announced that I was going to work on my novel full time. Thank God things panned out in the end because, let me tell you, my husband was a very frightened man for a while there.

2.  Has any of your work ever been rejected? If so, what drove you to persevere? 

Oh sure. I’ve written a couple of picture books that haven’t gone anywhere. There’s also a middle grade novel that my agent completely despised. It is in my Drawer of Shame. But here’s the thing: I expect to continue to write things that will be rejected from time to time. There’s no guarantee – even when you’re published – that what you write is going to resonate with an editor or readers. The important thing to me is to keep writing and exploring limits. 

3.  Do you have a writing ritual?  

None, except that I try to write every day.

4.  If you’re not writing, what are you doing? (Hobbies? Work? Family? ) 

It’s amazing how much of a writer’s time is spent on things that are not, technically, her writing. There are a million details that go along with writing that you can’t ignore: maintaining a blog, commenting on your Twitter account, doing school visits, conferences, presentations, making trailers for your next work, designing marketing materials. The list is endless, and the tasks are extremely time-consuming. However, when I do have added time, I also do a lot of work in the community to support Latino youth and/or literacy. Sometimes it’s a natural offshoot of a book I’m working on. This April, for example, I’m doing The Hope Tree Project, which is part of how I wanted to launch The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind into the world.  I’m working with eight high schools across Richmond, Virginia to decorate five crape myrtle trees at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  I asked the students to create a hope charm –or milagros – that represents a hope or dream they have for themselves or for our community. Those charms – almost 800 or them—will decorate the trees. Details here.

5.  What book are you reading now? 

I am reading like a fiend right now because I’m working on my Girls of Summer blog with my friend and fellow Candlewick author, Gigi Amateau. Every summer we pick 18 books that we have loved that feature strong girls – definitely not your teacher’s reading list. (See the 2011 Girls of Summer list.) Anyway, I just finished The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, which will definitely be one of my picks. Wow, wow, wow. I want it to win all sorts of awards. I’m also reading an older title: The Year of the Sawdust Man by A. LaFaye. Just started it.

6.  Describe your new novel in a five-word sentence. 

Burdened muchacha runs; can’t hide. 

7.  Your book, The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind is heavy on superstitious beliefs. Are you superstitious? 

Not in the traditional sense. I’m not especially religious, either. But I do believe that what we put out into the world matters, that when we put light out, light reflects and grows.   

8.  I realize that this book is a work of fiction, but how much of this book is close to reality? 

Sadly, the dangers of crossing to the north are very real. Atrocities are committed every day against young people who are trying to cross the border, including being kidnapped and held for ransom.

9. What are Sonia and Pancho doing right now? 

Drinking warm milk and cookies in their garden and telling one another stories.  

Thank you so much for coming over to my blog, Meg! I can't wait to read more of your work. Keep on writing! 

My review of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

Meg Medina can be found here:

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Buy The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind here:

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