Our Last BEDA Post!

Since it's April 30th, we decided we'd wrap up the month with what we thought of the month. And no, this doesn't have to do with young adult books that much, but Maureen Johnson started BEDA, so we'll say it does. (Plus we needed a final post and wanted it to be special. :)

Those who've read our blog may know our colors (have no real meaning except to distinguish our writing from one another), but if not you can read our names.

This is Erika and I'll start:

So, a few days before April 1st, I was doing the This Week in YA and saw Maureen Johnson's idea for BEDA and how tons of people were joining. I thought it would be great for us since we'd been really bad when it came to posting much (I think twice a week is adequate though others on this team may disagree with me here. So, I told everyone that we should do this and they reluctantly agreed. :D It started out that we always had posts, though there were a few times we had to come up with something and quick. I'm actually surprised that in the 30 days, I didn't have to type up a random post about my day so we wouldn't miss one. BEDA was challenging, but now we know we actually can do it! And, personally, I think it made it harder that every post had to be YA related, so we couldn't just ramble (not counting right now). I'm kind of sad to see it end, in a way it was fun. Though I'm also happy because honestly this last week was pretty rough, but we made it! Thank you to the other three in the team for supporting (even when wanting to kill me) my random impulses like BEDA, I'll try not to jump into something next time, but I can't promise only try... But you have to admit it wasn't so bad, right? Maybe? No? I'll end this here before I continue to ramble on and on; on to the next team member...

Lorena will now continue:

Right, so when Erika brought up the idea of BEDA, I just flat out refused. It was hard enough for us to get at least two posts a week, let alone seven. But I think it was the need to get the "ping" to stop from MSN that made me accept, honestly it was the only thing that would have shut her up. Needless to say (much like Emma's comic a while back) I wanted to kill her. Sure the first week was fine, we had events one after another, so it was easy to post. But unlike my friend up there, I never grew to actually enjoy it. It seemed we were always pressed for time, posting at 11:30 at night. So to sum this up, I didn't enjoy it, sorry to say. And I still want to kill Erika for putting us through this.

Julie's turn:

So Erika told me about BEDA around April 4th, so I didn't really have a say in it. I didn't really have a huge part in it, but I kinda wish now I did because it was so much fun. I think its exactly what we needed to prove to ourselves that we shouldn't complain about posting a couple times a week since now we KNOW we CAN post everyday. All and all I think it was a positive experience and I can't wait until next year so I can play a bigger role in it!

Brigitte will now wrap this up:

Brigitte's Trusted Words of Beauty Wisdom Truth and Love here. The day shone with the Sun illuminating this blessed earth with soothing tendrils. Nothing would bring me down. I defied the heavens to crush me with almighty torrents of rain. Only to have Erika inform me casually while on our way to the Brashare's event. Unsuprisingly it worked better to ruin my day then rain. As the days went by, I began to love doing this. Every day I would sit in front of the computer and just feel like the inspiration would never stop. Only not. I like to take my time and do the reviews/events right. Not in a rush like we were forced to. I have never loved the month of May as much as I do now.

Thanks for sticking with us for this month!


-The YAthenaeum Team

Book Giveaway!

This contest has ended.

With the end of BEDA upon us, and our return to sporadic posting being inevitable, we figured, hey, what a better way to thank you guys for keeping up with us than with our third YAthenaum Book Giveaway!

This time around, we will be giving a copy of The Demon's Lexicon and The Rose of Sebastopol.

Here's some insight on these upcoming novels (Note: The Rose of Sebastopol is already out for publication.)

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan :

"Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again.

Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is des-perate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all."

The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon :

"In 1854, beautiful, adventurous Rosa Barr travels to the Crimean battlefield with Florence Nightingale’s nursing corps. A headstrong idealist, longing to break out of the rigid confines of life as a young lady, Rosa is determined to make a difference in the world.

For Mariella Lingwood, Rosa’s cousin, the war is contained within the pages of her scrapbook, in her London sewing circle, and in the letters she receives from her fiancé, Henry—a celebrated surgeon who has also volunteered to work within the shadow of the guns. When Henry falls ill and is sent to recuperate in Italy, Mariella impulsively decides she must go to him. But upon her arrival at his lodgings, she makes a heartbreaking discovery: Rosa has disappeared without a trace. Following the trail of her elusive cousin, Mariella’s epic journey takes her from the domestic restraint of Victorian London to the ravaged landscape of the Crimea and the tragic city of Sebastopol, where she encounters Rosa’s dashing stepbrother, a reckless cavalry officer whose complex past —and future—is inextricably bound up with her own. As Mariella’s quest leads her deeper into the dark heart of the conflict, her ordered world begins to crumble and she finds she has much to learn about secrecy, faithfulness, and love."


RULES

• Send an e-mail to YAthenaeum@yahoo.com (Only 1 e-mail per person)
• Please include your name and a shipping address.
• Entry deadline is Monday, May 18th 7:00 p.m. Eastern
• A 2nd entry can be earned by posting about this contest on your blog or site. E-mail or comment with the link in order to receive credit.

PRIZES
1 contestant will receive:

• 1: Advanced Reader Copy of The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

1 contestant will receive:

• 1: Advanced Reader Copy of The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon

Winners will be chosen at random on Monday, May 18th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, and probably announced shortly after that. First picked gets first choice.

Good luck to all entrants!

-The YAthenaeum Team

Erin Hunter- RECAP (Brief)

Brought to you by Erika.

Well, there really isn't too much to say this time and we have pictures to demonstrate the most important parts. (Though my camera doesn't like me right now, so we only have a few pictures...)

We were each in a select color being "cats". I looked more like an astronaut because I was in white pants and white long sleeve turtleneck... I thought this would be corrected with the face paint, but no one ended up painting my face, so I looked like I should be in outer-space the whole time. (There are no pictures as evidence)

Anyways, we painted faces, there was a nice turn out, not much more to say. 

Here's Lorena painting a fan's face:

Here's Gaby (friend of Julie's) painting Julie's face. It took forever to come off... The residue of the brown made Julie look like she had a bad spray tan until she managed to get it all off. :

And finally, I'll leave you with Erin signing a reader's book:

Sandra Cisneros Tomorrow!

In honor of the 25th anniversary of The House on Mango Street, we are pleased to have Sandra Cisneros joining us for an event on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30pm.

Coral Gables Congregational Church

3010 De Soto Boulevard

Coral Gables, FL

Acclaimed by critics, beloved by children and their parents and grandparents, taught everywhere from inner-city grade schools to universities across the country, and translated all over the world, Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street (Doubleday, $10.95) has entered the canon of coming-of-age classics even as it depicts a new American landscape. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous, The House on Mango Street tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, whose neighborhood is one of harsh realities and harsh beauty. Esperanza's story is that of a young girl coming into her power, and inventing for herself what she will become. The San Francisco Chronicle has called The House on Mango Street "marvelous... spare yet luminous. The subtle power of Cisnero's storytelling is evident. She communicates all the rapture and rage of growing up in a modern world." As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cisneros’ best-selling novel, we realize that it is an extraordinary achievement that will live on for years to come. With her fiction and poetry, Cisneros has been an important part of introducing the modern Hispanic American experience to our national literature. With her distinctive, rhythmic style, she has brought us stories of Mexican heritage and American cultural enclaves. Presented in collaboration with Florida Center for the Literary Arts.

Hope to see you there!

-The YAthenaeum Team

MirrorMask - REVIEW

Welcome to the YAthenaeum Movie Script Special!

Brigitte & Lorena's Review of MirrorMask by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean

Now. MirrorMask is the cause of obsession for many people, ourselves included. Why you ask? Because it is amazing. That is all.

Now, serious mask on, MirrorMask is about a young teenager (Helena) who's having a not so great life. While young children may dream of running away to join the circus, she dreams of running away and joining real life. But one evening, while having a recurring argument with her mother, Helena wished she would be the death of her. Not too soon after, her mother falls ill and the overbearing guilt sends Helena spiraling into the labyrinth of her creation, the City of Drawings.

Now in this mysterious world she vaguely recognizes, she discovers that the city of light is in a predicament much like her own. The White Queen has fallen into an unbreakable slumber, and while she rests, The Darkness has begun to swallow her kingdom and it's inhabitants. Now Helena, with nothing more than her fluffy bunny slippers, and Valentine at her side, must embark on a journey to find the "charm" and wake the White Queen.


Gaiman's and McKean's ability to allow you to transcend into a world where anything can happen, the quirky characters that you can't help to fall in love with, and the humorous yet resonating dialogue makes MirrorMask one of the best books/movies I have ever seen. Visuals are also one of the strongest virtues of the movie. Supported by the rich storytelling and beautiful art direction, Mirrormask takes the phrase "So real you can almost step into it," to a new level of surreal-ity. It's a world where statements of common use to us, will become the basis for their laws. After all, we shouldn't leave A Really Useful Book lying around a library, it'll just depress the rest of them.

Warning: This movie/book should only be enjoyed by those who love blurring the lines of reality and dreams without the need of hallucinogens.

This Week in YA- April 25, 2009

Random:

• Sarah Rees Brennan posted the US and AUS covers of The Eternal Kiss, an anthology with vampire short stories by her, Libba Bray, Melissa De La Cruz, Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Kelley Armstrong, Cecil Castellucci, Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie, Dina James, Karen Mahoney, Maria V. Snyder and Lili St. Crow.
• Shannon Hale posted the letter she wrote for the ARCs of Forest Born.
• Maureen Johnson posted some of the songs on her Suite Scarlett playlist. In other Maureen news, since the paperback of Suite Scarlett got to under 1,000 on Amazon, she has to go to Trapeze school. The story is here.
• Carrie Jones made a list of a few things that are cool about being a writer.
• Lauren Myracle is having a Peace, Love & Baby Ducks contest. More details on the contest page here.
• Sarah Ockler annouced some of the sekrit projects she's been working on her blog. We'll be doing the Flip it Friday, should be exciting!
• Melissa Walker posted the selection of covers Elizabeth Scott chose from for Something, Maybe and is having a contest to win a signed copy of Elizabeth Scott's Perfect You. She is also having a contest for One Wish by Leigh Brescia.
• Robin Wasserman posted the summary for Crashed, coming out in September, on her blog.

Books that came out last week:

• Why I Fight by J. Adams Oaks
• Fairest of Them All by Jan Blazanin
• Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
• Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

Books that come out this week:

• April 27- Funny How Things Change by Melissa Wyatt
• April 27- Jack Tumor by Anthony McGowan
• April 27- Deep in the Heart of High School by Veronica Goldbach
• April 28- Den of Thieves by Julia Golding
• April 28- The Eternal Smile: Three Stories by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim
• April 28- The Heights by Brian James
• April 28- Timbuktu: A Novel by Paul Auster
• April 28- The White Witch by Janet Graber
• April 28- The Young Inferno by John Agard and Satoshi Kitamura
• April 28- Here's How I See It--Here's How It Is by Heather Henson
• April 28- The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan
• April 28- A Certain Strain of Peculiar by Gigi Amateau
• April 30- Wishes on the Moon by Michael O. Tunnell
• April 30- The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotson

-The YAthenaeum Team

Erin Hunter on Monday!

We're happy to announce again (for those who missed it) that author of the bestselling series Warriors, Erin Hunter, will be at Books & Books to speak and sign books on Monday. Hope to see you Monday, April 27 at 6pm.

Books & Books

265 Aragon Ave.

Coral Gables, FL

There will be three, kin of your kin . . . who hold the power of the stars in their paws. A mysterious murder in the ranks has ripped ThunderClan apart. But more secrets still remain to be discovered in Erin Hunter's newest book, Warriors: Power of Three #6 Sunrise (HarperCollins, $16.99).

Jayfeather is determined to find out who his real parents are. But he'll have to trample through a forest of lies in order to uncover the truth. Hollyleaf is shocked by her Clan's disobedience of the warrior code, and distraught enough to strike out at someone she's always admired. And Lionblaze must bear horrified witness to events that will change everything he believes.

In the harshest days of leaf-bare Clanmate turns upon Clanmate, danger lurks behind familiar faces, and one more warrior may be lost forever. . . .

There will also be facepainting to look like part of the ThunderClan! It's going to be awesome! Hope to see everyone there! It will be tons of cat fun!

-The YAthenaeum Team

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks- REVIEW

Erika's Review of Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Lauren Myracle wrote an incredible book yet again. Peace, Love & Baby Ducks is a great book about sisterly love and friendship. The main plot is about Carly, a sophomore who likes to be different, and Anna's, Carly's sister who is a freshman, relationship with each other. They live in an upscale part of Atlanta and attend a private religious school, which both contribute a lot to the story. Both of them are completely different and yet are extremely close. Overall, it's about the changes that go on in their lives, the events that come up, and how this all effects their sisterly-ness.

I cried near the end (If I said why, I'd spoil it)... Screamed at Carly a few times for not seeing what was in front of her face... Was annoyed at Anna... Loved a certain guy (I think if I said who this would be spoiled too)... And overall was filled with many emotions. Besides just the sister aspect, Myracle also combats racism, freedom to think for yourself, and religious freedom. As well as there being romance and humor (this is Lauren we're talking about). All of these aspects are found in a delightful, entertaining novel that shows real friendship and real sisters. I saw some aspects of my own relationship with my sister. Anyone who has ever had a sibling or close friend (which is most people) will easily relate to the characters because of this. Myracle did a brilliant job in combining it all into a realistic and enjoyable novel that is hard to put down.

(This book comes out May 14, 2009)

Erika's Rambling

Since we needed to post something today, I considered posting a random blog about my life. However, I knew this would be extremely boring. Instead I decided to post a few random tidbits of things going on in the world of YA. which, trust me, is a lot more interesting:

• Lauren Myracle is having a contest in honor of her new book Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks! You can earn duckie points for a chance to win a gigantoid (Lauren's word, not mine) coffee cup filled with goodies! All you have to do for 10 duckie points is register at the ning and there are more challenges on the site to win more little duckies!:

http://peacelovebabyducks.ning.com/

• Shana Silver is giving away books in a contest! She was cleaning out her bookshelf and has a lot to give away. There are many ways to gain entries, you can find all the details on her live journal:

Shana Silver's Contest Post

• And finally, I'll leave you with a How to Be Bad video you won't want to miss. The paperback came out yesterday and the video is compiled of footage and photos from E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle's tour last year. Those new to the blog will not remember, but we hosted one of these events (Recap here). Julie's chest is the first picture in the video! I can not get over the hilarity in this... And a photo of Lorena, Julie, and I follow... There's also singing, dancing, badness, and goodness!:

Hope you enjoyed my short, but sweet post! If anyone has any suggestions for future posts, we'll gladly accept them. There are 7 days left of BEDA and though we have some scheduled, we may still be in need of some assistance.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another post (yet to be determined)!

-Erika

Fragile Eternity - REVIEW

Lorena's Review of Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

When all odds seem to be against you, and there really seems to be nowhere else to turn. What would you be willing to give for eternity in our lover's arms? Your past, your future, your freedom?

Seth Morgan was never the romantic. He never saw himself spending the rest of his days lounging about with a lover in his arms- until he met Aislinn. Now she's all he thinks about, his new life, and with whom he wishes to spend it with. But what's one lifetime to the immortal queen of the summer faeries.

Taking place shortly after the events of Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity weaves the tales of Faery through the eyes of Seth. The Summer court, now renewed with a Summer Queen, is experiencing a surge of power that had been lost through nine centuries of searching. And with Summer quickly approaching, it seems to be getting harder and harder for Seth's relationship with Aislinn to hold out to her lusting for her Summer King, Keenan. But while she tries to ignore it, it becomes clearer everyday. Seth is mortal, time will pass her by in the blink of an eye, and he will die. It's all a matter of time.

But Seth wants more than a lifetime, he wants eternity.

It's been over a year since the release of Melissa Marr's Ink Exchance, and fans, at least where I am concered, have all been anxious for this novel, and it doesn't dissapoint. I'll admit, I've never been a big fan of Seth, and actually I've never understood why myself. But after reading Fragile Eterniry... it was like seeing him for the first time. In the likes of getting off to a rocky start with someone, and introducing yourself again. He's such a fragile character, so anxious to protect his lover, to help his friends. And I think that now, I get him, his character's open to me. Through Fragile Eternity we get a new light on the courts, and the turmoil they are in. War is at their doorstep, and it all seems to dangle on the thread of Seth's life.

How could one mortal be the catalyst for a possible faery war? You'll have to read it to find out.

Libba Bray Contest!

We're giving away Libba Bray!

Not really, but as close to it as we can, which consists of your chance to virtually meet her with us!

Libba will be hosting "Dial Into Summer" live chats with select groups through Skype starting May 11th.

While we already have our spots reserved, we do believe that yes, "the more the merrier." Four lucky winners will get a chance to join in on this afternoon of comic relief and mad cow disease.

There are however a few catches. While we hate limiting our contests to locals, or anyone in the area, you will need to be in Miami on May 23rd to partake in this contest.

.:Rules:.

• In 2 sentences, tell us why you want to come to the chat. No more, no less.
• E-mail entry to yathenaeum@yahoo.com OR post in a comment below including name and e-mail address
• You must be in Miami on May 23rd
  
• Contestants are limited to 1 entry
  
• Deadline is Saturday, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. Eastern

.:Prizes:.
4 entrants will each receive:

• 1: Spot to sit in with The YAthenaeum Team at Libba Bray's "Dial Into Summer" live chat.

Winners will be chosen on Saturday, May 16th at 8:00 p.m. and announced shortly after.

Live chat will be held Saturday, May 23rd at 4:00 p.m. Winners will be given directions as to where to report after drawing has ended.

-The YAthenaeum Team

Richard Lewis Q&A!

Today's post is a Q&A with an author from Bali, Richard Lewis. He is the author of The Demon Queen and his new book Monster's Proof comes out in July.

If someone suddenly threw a wad of twenty thousand dollars at you, what would you do?

Run like hell before the guys chasing the someone shoot me.

Who pwns everything?

Theoretically, God, but realistically my 13-yr-old daughter. I make a pretense at ruling her but that doesn't fool either one of us. (She not only pwns me, she could also pawn me if she wanted. She wouldn't get much for me, though, and then she'd forget which pawn shop I was in )

If 'they' decided to make a movie of your life, which actor would you want to play you?

Steve McQueen -- I hope the funeral home that prepped him for burial did a pretty decent job and he looks somewhat presentable.

What's the most random question you can think of? Answer it.

Q:Where does sweet & sour pork come from?

A: Sweet and sour pigs.

Can you do the Time Warp again?

Time Wrapping is very difficult to properly do, and if come face to face with an unshaven and un-gargled Stephen King, that would be enough to ruin your week -- oh, wait, you mean Time Warp. Sure.

So, what is it like to live and write in Bali?

Doesn't help if the surf is good. But it's where I was born and raised so it's not like I had any choice in the matter. I write in a room without a view -- the view has to be in my head, not out there, especially not a view of the surf.

This Week in YA- April 18, 2009

Random:

• R.J. Anderson posted a few tidbits about her second book (Faery Rebels: Wayfarer in the US) on her blog.
• Jennifer Banash is having a contest to win an ARC of her third Elite novel Simply Irresistible among other prizes.
• Heather Brewer announced a little about her new YA book series, starting with Bloodbound, on her blog.
• Meg Cabot put up a sneak peak of Being Nikki on her site.
• Ally Carter answered a few questions about whether there will be a fourth Gallagher Girls book.
• Ally Carter is having a contest to win an ARC of Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover. More details here.
• Kristin Cashore put up lists or FAQs on her site.
• Linda Gerber is having her weekly Freebie Friday for a chance to win an ARC of Death by Denim. More details here.
• Megan McCafferty posted the first 15 pages of Perfect Fifths is online.
• You can read excerpts of Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell online. More info here.
• Lauren Myracle posted the cover of BFF coming out in the fall.
• The 2009 YALSA Teens' Top Ten nominations are up here.
• Mitali Perkins is having a contest. Details here.
• John Scalzi posted about the novella he just finished on his blog.
• Sara Zarr posted the cover of her new book Once Was Lost coming out in the fall.

Books that came out last week:

• Swim the Fly by Don Calame
• The Silver Casket by Chris Mould
• Hoppergrass by Chris Carlton Brown
• Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan
• The Diamonds by Ted Michael
• The Castle on Deadman's Island by Curtis Parkinson
• Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
• The Battle for Duncragglin by Andrew H. Vanderwal
• Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
• A Novel Of The Titanic by Suzanne Weyn
• A Map Of The Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell
• Pieces Of Me by Toni De Palma
• If You Live Like Me by Lori Weber
• The Boy Kelsey by Alfred Silver
• TMI by Sarah Quigley
• Star Power by Zoey Dean
• Breaking Up Is Hard to Do by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt
• Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills
• Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas
• Avatar by Paul Bryers

Books that come out this week:

• April 21- Why I Fight by J. Adams Oaks
• April 21- Fairest of Them All by Jan Blazanin
• April 21- Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
• April 21- Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr
  

-The YAthenaeum Team

Erin Hunter!

In the upcoming week of April 27th, we're happy to announce that author(s) of the bestselling series Warriors, Erin Hunter, will be present at Books & Books to speak and sign books. Which Erin however is still a mystery.

There will be three, kin of your kin . . . who hold the power of the stars in their paws. A mysterious murder in the ranks has ripped ThunderClan apart. But more secrets still remain to be discovered in Erin Hunter's newest book, Warriors: Power of Three #6 Sunrise (HarperCollins, $16.99).

Jayfeather is determined to find out who his real parents are. But he'll have to trample through a forest of lies in order to uncover the truth. Hollyleaf is shocked by her Clan's disobedience of the warrior code, and distraught enough to strike out at someone she's always admired. And Lionblaze must bear horrified witness to events that will change everything he believes.

More details will be up sooner than you think.

-The YAthenaeum Team

BEDA Comic Feature

Today we bring you a short comic by our friend Emma. While we are enjoying BEDA, it really isn't much fun when half the team leaves, and coming up with posts is left to us.

Go visit Emma's DeviantArt!

-The YAthenaeum Team

Radiant Darkness- REVIEW

Julie's review of Radiant Darkness By: Emily Whitman

Ah the story of Persephone… You know the myth in which Demeter’s young innocent daughter is kidnapped by Hades and taken to be the queen of the underworld, but then Demeter responds by bringing draught and famine to Earth until Zeus grants her Persephone back. However before she was sent for Hades forced 6 pomegranate seeds down her throat so she had to return to the Underworld 6 months out of the year. Well think again...

Radiant Darkness tells the real story of Persephone, the story I chose to believe. In the story Demeter is Persephone’s over protective mother who wants to keep her daughter a child forever. However, Persephone longs for freedom, until one day a handsome king comes near her home and proposes her an offer to be his queen in the underworld. While she is there she must learn how to be a queen while also dealing with the fact her mother will stop at nothing to get her back. (Or so she thinks) People are dying because of her selfish mother and Persephone must make a choice, her love and death, or a healthy Earth and a life alone.

Radiant Darkness is a beautiful tale of love, desire, and choices. This novel will certainly keep you locked in your room as the quality of the writing keeps you reading what is on the page and the suspense created keeps you turning the page. In addition, most teens will find it easy to relate to the independence-wanting Persephone, as I did. Throughout the novel you see home much Persephone matures in a short amount of time and it just goes to show all teens immortal and mortal want the same thing: FREEDOM!!!

Meg Cabot Q&A!

We asked Meg these questions at her event in February (hence the plane/hotel questions). Hope you enjoy!

Who pwns everything?
Buffy.

If someone suddenly threw a wad of twenty thousand dollars at you, how would you respond?
I’d take it to the police because it’s probably drug money. I’d be very suspicious of that money.

If 'they' decided to make a movie of your life, which actress would you want to play you?
Bridget Fonda.

What was the coolest thing at the hotel?
Wi-Fi and a heavenly bed.

Who sat next to you on the plane over?
A smoker.

What is the weirdest thing someone asked you to do at a signing?
Sign their shoe.

Can you do the Time Warp again?
Of course, do I have to prove it to you?

Ransom My Heart- REVIEW

Brigitte's review of Ransom My Heart by Meg Cabot

A fiery heroine that allows no man, no thing control her.

A man whose goal now is to charm his way through life and women.

What should happen if these two characters meet? Upheaval? Mass chaos? Understatement.

When Finnula's dear innocent sister gets herself pregnant and manages to waste all her dowry on trinkets, its up to Finnula (the sole Diana/Artemis of the village) to scrounge up the money to save her sister's reputation. Finnula then hears of a series of strange events occuring in her village: women holding men hostage and making their families pay a ransom for their safe return. Enter Hugo Fitzstephen on his way home from the Crusades with inconspicuous bags bulging with gold. A perfect target you might say. Wrong. He's also the Earl of her village along with the lands that surround it and she could have made the mistake of falling in love with the winsome hostage, with him all too willing to take the plunge. But their love soon attracts jealous enemies desperate for their money and their lives.

Meg Cabot's Ransom My Heart is a sweet romance novel with a twist regarding the average woman and a hearty serving of danger, secrecy and false identities. If you're looking for an escape from darker novels, pick up this book; its romantic plotline, humorous dialogue and unseen plot twists will keep your spirits high even when it exposes more serious topics just below the surface.