Feature and Follow: For Your Outdoor Reading Pleasure!

It's time once again for Feature & Follow hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read!

This weeks Question:

Activity! Hopefully warm weather for most of us is here soon…so tell us about your favorite outdoor reading spot. Or take a picture.

 

I love reading outside!  The place that popped up first in my mind was the beach and the beach house we rent every year.  When we're at the beach house I like to go out on the back deck and read, because usually the rest of the family gathers on the front porch.   Here's a picture I took with two of the books I was reading: 

Read in 2011

2012 at the beach

I also like reading outside on at Starbucks:

and at the many parks, ponds and lakes by our house, often on a park bench:

What about you?  Are you a fan of outdoor reading, or do you prefer to stay chill indoors?

 

Spellbinding Review

Spellbinding
by Maya Gold
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: ARC obtained from Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Midnight Minute: Abby has been having strange dreams, and upon visiting the town of Salem, she discovers that she is a descendant of one of the accused witches from the Salem Witch Trials. 
Expected Publication: 04.01.13
From Goodreads:

There's more than one way to be powerful . . .

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ You can tell the author spent some time researching in Salem, Mass, because the town feels alive and vivid.  The best part of this book was the fact that I now really want to go to Salem.  Especially during Halloween.  (hint, hint, honey, if you're reading this). 
~ Spellbinding was a fast read, but it really felt more like a middle grade read than a YA book.  Abby might be driving and working part time, but she felt much younger.  It felt more like the YA from the 1980's, where if you were writing about 16 year olds, your target audience was around 12.  
~ Abby's history teacher asks the class to trace back their family tree.  Which is a cool idea.  However, Ms. Baptiste, an African American, makes the comment to one complaining student that who knows?  Maybe one of their ancestors might have owned one of hers.  Now, maybe that part won't make the final cut, but it really bothered me.  
~ Rem is a wonderful character, and he was interesting.  He's taking a gap year, working, and he's got a spark of realism.  And he has special eyes.   (Look, look with your special eyes!). 
~ There were qualities that I liked in Abby, but for the most part I had trouble connecting with her.  I really disliked the way she treated her friend and even though Travis' girlfriend is a total wench and her dad's new girlfriend was suddenly everywhere, Abby went too far with her actions. 
~ Abby has a fear of crossing bridges, and hasn't learned to swim, which I assume is a nod to the legend that witches float when thrown into water, and Abby doesn't until Rem teaches her. I liked Abby best when she was spending time with Rem.  There's a part in the novel where Abby feels like she can be completely herself with Rem, and that's what real love feels like.
~ Abby's mom is dead, and her dad is all about her little brother, to the point where it's child neglect.  I could understand if he was uncomfortable with a teenage daughter, but he just seems very uncaring and oblivious. 
~ Like in a lot of YA paranormal novels, Abby doesn't just have witchy powers, she's got super-witchy powers.  Her's powers border on Mary Sue-ism (the power to "see" the right answers on tests, which is a good thing, because she's busy cruising around with Travis, the BMOC). 
~ I liked the store Abby works at, it totally reminds me of a shop I use to buy incense at when I was in college.  I loved burning incense, but I stopped because more than one person asked me if I was on drugs, because I guess marijuana and burning incense are linked?  Screw them, I should have kept burning my sandlewood.  I'm going to  go buy some today.
~I thought Gold's idea of Fire, Water, Air and Earth witches was very cool, although I found the link to the Salem witches to be a little weak. 
~ The ending is wrapped up in a sparkly, magical bow, but I don't mind that.  If they toned down a few of the Fire-starter moments, this could totally be a Nickelodeon movie.

Timeless Characters:

Abby Silva- dreams of Salem witch trials, is a wallflower.
Rachel- cello playing brainiac senior, and Abby's only friend
Travis Brown- handsome and supposedly really wonderful even though he's dating
Megan Keith- who we know is shallow and bitchy because she is compared to Megan Fox and the Kardashian clan.
Ms. Baptiste- Abby's history teacher, assigns Abby's project.
Amber and Sloan- Megan's cronies.
Matt- Abby's younger bro, apparently he just plays sports and is showered with all the attention that Abby's dad can provide.
Samson and Kate- two classmates that serve as props to Abby's transformation from wallflower to Travis' squeeze.
Rem- magical eyed Salem boy, previously he made a few key guest starring moments in Abby's dream.
Dyami- owner of the new age bookstore- she and Rem are really the best characters from the book. 
Joe- Abby's dad, apparently can't be bothered with his daughter. 
Danielle- Joe's new girlfriend and target of Abby's new powers.

Midnight Moment:

Abby bakes a "special" coconut cupcake for Travis, and his reaction after eating is to totally start mooning over Abby.  Her schoolmate Kate comments about wanting the recipe, which reminded me of the scene from When Harry Met Sally.  It made me smile

Stop The Clock:

Honestly, this book wasn't for me, and I don't think I can recommend it to any of my bookish friends.  It's far more appropriate for my younger nieces, but Abby's immaturity was bothersome.  I'd really prefer to force them to watch the 80's movie gem Teen Witch (which of course I own!).  I probably would have dnfed this book if it wasn't an arc tour.  It does have a really cool cover, I just felt it didn't live up to the interesting premise.




Spellbinding gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Sundays in Bed With... Parallel

 Welcome to my Sundays In Bed With... Meme! The meme that dares to ask, what book has been in your bed this morning?  Come share what book you've spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

This morning I'm reading:

Parallel by Lauren Miller 

I sprang forward this morning, quite grudgingly, but still managed to wake up so I can have a little time with this book before I have to clean house in preparation for a very important house guest who is coming next week.

 What are you reading (or wish you had time to read) this morning? Are you reading the book you thought you'd be reading, or has today found you with a surprise? Link up below!

Crash and Burn Review

Crash and Burn
by Michael Hassan
Genre: YA
Format: ARC received through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Midnight Minute: Crash and Burn have been linked since grade school, and now Crash tells the true story of what went down the day he stopped Burn from blowing up their high school.
From Goodreads:

On April 21, 2008, Steven "Crash" Crashinsky saved more than a thousand people when he stopped his classmate David Burnett from taking their high school hostage armed with assault weapons and high-powered explosives. You likely already know what came after for Crash: the nationwide notoriety, the college recruitment, and, of course, the book deal. What you might not know is what came before: a story of two teens whose lives have been inextricably linked since grade school, who were destined, some say, to meet that day in the teachers' lounge of Meadows High. And what you definitely don't know are the words that Burn whispered to Crash right as the siege was ending, a secret that Crash has never revealed.

Until now.

Michael Hassan's shattering novel is a tale of first love and first hate, the story of two high school seniors and the morning that changed their lives forever. It's a portrait of the modern American teenage male, in all his brash, disillusioned, oversexed, schizophrenic, drunk, nihilistic, hopeful, ADHD-diagnosed glory. And it's a powerful meditation on how normal it is to be screwed up, and how screwed up it is to be normal.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ Steven "Crash" Crashinsky starts off the book by telling us that he's not going to lie, which normally means that someone is going to tell some really big lies, but in Crash's case, he is completely truthful. 
~ You know that scene from Lost in Translation where Bill Murray whispers something to Scarlett Johansson?  Well, when Crash prevents Burn from blowing up the school, Burn whispers something to Crash that he keeps a secret.  Most of the book is the lead up to that moment.
~ This is a very male book- Crash hangs out with his crew getting high, sleeping around, and other extracurricular activities that most parents don't want to know their kids are engaging in. Crash tends to see girls in terms of hook-ups, even with the girls he really likes.  It's realistic, but as a female I found Crash misogynistic and juvenile at times.  Burns too, in the way that he views his sister and his crush as his, is both possessive and dismissive of women. 
~ I loved Newman, Crash's best friend.  He's brilliant and supportive, but I can't help thinking he's what Burn could have been without the mental illness and trauma. 
~ It's pointed out by several characters that Crash and Burn are connected and in some ways, are similar.  As Crash's story unfolds, the reader sees this.  In a strange, demented way, they are friends.  But my favorite aspect of their relationship is when Burn tells Crash that they are like Voldemort and Harry Potter. 
~ From the very beginning, Crash believes that Burn's is unstable, but his accusation that Burn's tried to kill him aren't taken seriously.  Probably because they were just little kids and Burn is an accomplished liar. 
~ Burn may be mentally ill, and if so he's a mix of several, but he's also brilliant.  Even though I knew from the beginning that he's going to go off the rails and try to blow up the high school, there were times in the book when I was kind of rooting for him to turn his life around. 
~ Crash's dad, Jacob, is a total snobdouche.  How different if he'd been in Burn's dad's place on 9/11- no, this is not a 9/11 novel, but the tragic event definitely adds to who Burn is.
~ It hurt my heart a bit when Crash says isn't the point of movies so you can avoid reading the book?  Ouch.  But understandable because of Crash's ADHD.  I found his negative response to certain kinds of sounds to be interesting.
~ Christina, the object of affection for both Crash and Burn, confuses me as much as she does Crash. 
~ You know how most step-mom's in books are fairly evil?  Well sometimes they are awesome, and I love the relationship Crash has with Felicia.  Although, really, what the hell does she see in Jacob?
~ There are a lot of characters, almost too many, between the Crew and the Herd (seriously, even the name for the girl's circle of friends is sexist), and all the other players, but I really loved Marisa and her magical iPod.  I need one of those. 
~ The book makes a good argument for using medical marijuana to tread ADD and ADHD. Although it also kind of makes the argument that weed is addictive because Crash does an awful lot of it. 
~ Despite of all of the drug use, seeing girls as breathing sex toys, and playing video games, I kind of like Crash.  He does have a silly charm and a special kind of luck that makes him likeable. 
~ The book flips between past and present, and yes, it is a looooong book, and I could have done without all the party scenes and drug use and competition to get the first mouth hug, but it flows fairly quickly.  I liked the detail.  We really get a clear view of who Crash is, and glimpses of how Burn became almost school shooter.
~ I'm pretty sure girls like Claudia only exist in the imagination of boys.
~ For Burn, everything has to be bigger that it really is or was.  It's not enough that 9/11 happened and he lost someone he loves, it has to be a huge government conspiracy that he obsesses over, and when the girl of his dreams says she only sees him as a friend, Burn has to blame Crash and plot revenge.  Very evil genius. 
~ Roxanne is totally the Jenny to Crash's Forest Gump. She was by far the best part of this book. 
~ Crash and Burn fits nicely into the New Adult category. It's got violence, sex and drug use, but it's not like teens can't get that in half hour increments on MTV.  The book feels a bit like a very detailed Less Than Zero, only without Robert Downey, Jr. being a prostitute and dying. 
~ This book totally proves that boys talk!  A bunch of testosterone hopped up gossips, every one of them!
~ Right before Crash gets to the story of how he stops Burn from blowing up the school, he warns readers to take their bathroom breaks now, not to skip ahead because we're going to want to read every word without pause. And he delivers on that promise. 
~ Mr. Connelly's story of Roxanne's English assignment was one of my favorite moments, loved the songs she picked as well. 
~ I can't say this book is for everyone, but in the end I really liked it, although I would have loved it even more if we'd had Burn's point of view too.

Timeless Characters:

Steven 'Crash' Crashinsky- narrator and hero, stoner and son, good guy and screw up.
David 'Burn' Burnett- brilliant, troubled, complex and villain like.
Roxanne Burnett- Burn's older sister, also brilliant, also troubled, and pretty much Crash's ideal woman.
Jamie and Lindsey- Crash's sisters.
Newman- Crash's best friend.
Felicia- Crash's awesome step-mother, happens to be ridiculously hot.
Christina- if this were and opera, Burn would be her Phantom.
Pete- part of Crash's group, butts heads with Burn. 
Jacob Crashinsky- Crash's douchey father.
Claudia- smexy hook up girl who is way too into Crash.
Marisa- she of the magical iPod. 
Mr. Connelly- slightly jerky teacher. 
Dozens more that didn't make the list.

Midnight Moment:

~ The Magic Beans moment with Roxanne and Crash in the psychiatric facility was priceless!  Not only was it completely funny, it was actually very sweet too. 
~Actually, pretty much anything to do with Roxanne. Especially that last bit.

Stop The Clock:

I really had a tough time with this review.  I really liked this book, but I don't think it's for everyone.  And by everyone, I mean the five people who actually read my blog.  It's not a typical YA book.  It's a mix of a lot of things, and it's super long, but I have a feeling that this book will haunt me for a long time.  It's also a YA book that for once isn't about pretty dresses or finding out that you're half-mermaid.  It deals with some very uncomfortable situations, but I personally think it's worth a read.

Crash and Burn gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

 I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads, but only because you can't do halves.  This wasn't perfect, but I was completely drawn into the story.  

Sundays In Bed With... The Madness Underneath

 Welcome to my Sundays In Bed With... Meme! The meme that dares to ask, what book has been in your bed this morning?  Come share what book you've spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

This morning I'm reading:

 The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson!

Yesterday Kim and I traveled to Raleigh, NC to see Maureen Johnson and Stephanie Perkins- and they were perfection! Funny, brilliant and incredibly nice, I really think authors make up a large percentage of the coolest people on earth.

  

 What are you reading (or wish you had time to read) this morning? Are you reading the book you thought you'd be reading, or has today found you with a surprise? Link up below!

 

A Midnight Girl Book Necklace!

My lovely sister-in-law, Amy, and my niece Grace (okay, it's mostly Amy) have gotten into the Origami Owl business!  They special in gorgeous charm necklaces and I ordered my first necklace last week.  You design your own necklace, so I made mine with a bookish theme.  I know, go figure.  You can order online here (or just browse to see what all they offer) or throw a jewelry bar party (which I will be doing in March- and if you're in the VA area, you are invited!). There are so many choices, and the prices are good- but I had to stop myself from going too crazy!

 I was so excited to get my cute little pink box in the mail (they send directly to you) within a week of ordering- but I did pay $3 more for fast shipping.

Inside the box was a little card showing birthstones and a little Chinese Take Out box full of jewelry!

Inside the Take Out box.

 The box contained my charms, the chain, a plate for my necklace, a dangle, a cute little fortune cookie shaped jewelry holder, and the locket.

 And here's my necklace!  The key is a dangle that I hang on the chain along with the locket.  Inside the locket is a back plate in rose gold that says ALWAYS, with for those of you in the know is a Harry Potter reference.  The charms inside the locket are: 2 birthstones, one for May (my birth month) and one for March (for the Hubs- the key is also because he, and books, are the key to my heart), there's a little laptop charm because of the book blog, a cup of coffee because books and coffee go together like chocolate and EVERYTHING, and lastly I have a Heart To Read charm.

So I was thinking about my friends, and what charms I would add to their lockets (obviously all ya'll would get the Heart To Read charms, natch).

 For Kim, I'd make her a Packers necklace, with green and yellow birthstones (two of each) with a football helmet, and football charm, plus the one that says Family- because Kim loves her family and her family loves Packers football.

For Courtney, I'd definitely add a baseball charm, a coffee charm, 1/2 of the best friends charm (guess who'd have the other half?), the Heart My Dog charm, a heart charm for her David Levithan Loveathon.

For Steph, I'd add the lipstick, purse and high heel shoe because it reminds me of her blog, the vintage typewriter charm, the wine charm, and the apple charm- for New York and for being a future teacher (which would work for Kim too!) and the running shoe because she is always at the gym! And maybe the margarita charm too.

For Pam, I'd add a fleur de lis for New Orleans, the steampunk charms (because they remind me of halloween), I'd add some green and purple birthstones for Mardi Gras, the Hamsa Hand charm for Daughter of Smoke and Bone (which I just found, how cool!) and a suitcase for all the bookish traveling she does.

For Cindy I'd add a fleur de lis too, since she's in Quebec and the maple leaf charm too, an apple for New York, an owl charm (and owl dangle!), the Mom charm (in aqua to match the owl's eyes) because Cindy is an amazing mom, and a hockey charm to represent her son.

For Andrea, obviously the book charm in a given for everyone, but to that I would add letter charms - DFTBA, because she's a diehard nerdfighter.  Honestly, this would work for several of my friends.

For Katie I'd add the kitty charm, the laptop charm, the sewing machine since they don't have a cross-stitch charm yet, and the number charms for 90210. :)

For Jen I'd add the letter charms for Y and A, the apple charm,  the laptop charm, the hummingbird charm since it's the closest to the mockingjay they have, the Hamas hand charm for Daughter of Smoke and Bones too, and an angel wing charm- in part for all the YA angel books, but also because she's a giveaway angel to all of us!

So if I win the lottery, ya'll are all getting necklaces!!

The Elite (The Selection #2) Review

The Elite (The Selection #2)
by Kiera Cass
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Romance
Format: I received an a copy through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Expected Publication: 04.23.13
Midnight Minute: America was one of the last girls standing in the competition for Prince Maxon's heart, but fewer girls means shiz is getting real.  And the rebels are closing in.
From Goodreads:

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ I felt like the cut from 35 girls to just 6 was awfully severe, especially since this is only the 2nd book in the series- but then the fist culling on The Bachelor always troubled me too.  I may be a tad too sentimental about stupid crap.  But really, true affection takes time to build up, Maxon!
~ I don't watch The Bachelor anymore because it got hella fake, but I was hooked for several seasons (the first one I watched was Charlie O'Connells season.  I was really rooting for him and baby nurse Sarah).  But all of the crap that I began to hate about the tv show (the incredible fakeness of it and pretty much all reality tv anymore) isn't in The Selection series.  I get all the pretty, petty girls in elaborate dresses vying for a hottie's attention.  Plus it's got political intrigue!
~ Is there anyone out there who is Team Aspen?  Because I didn't like at all in the last book, and in The Elite my feelings are more ambivilant. Sometimes he seems cool, but then he's putting America in a extremely dangerous position anytime he talks to her, so that's very uncool.  I kind of want him to just hook up with someone else or imprint on a toddler (just kidding! Because that's gross!).
~ When the Prince asks you to keep something secret, you protect it like Frodo protected the one Ring.  Hell, if Prince William or Prince Harry told me a secret, I'd keep it.  And I'm not even English.  In fact, I'm sure some of my more militant Irish ancestors would be mighty displeased with me, but I'd still keep my mouth shut. 
~ America, meet everyone's favorite toy, the yo-yo.  Ya'll have a lot in common this book.  One minute America is all about Maxon, then Aspen, then Maxon, then Aspen, then Roberto, then Maxon... just joking.  There's no Roberto.  Just making sure you're paying attention!
~ I don't know if I love all the awful names in this series, or I love how awful they are.  Seriously, Officer Woodwork?  And don't get me started on all the jokes I can make out of America's name.  
~ I really liked Elise in this novel, although she steps up her game as a rival for Maxon's affection.  I'm also in total agreement with her over the caning vs. death debate.  I'll take caning any day of the week over death.  Unless it was every day, and then eventually I'm sure the death choice would start looking good. 
~ I really love America's relationship with her dad- he truly loves her and believes in her.  Her mom remains a bit of Mrs. Bennet though.
~ Now that we're into the second book it becomes clear that being the Princess will be a difficult and, at times, unpleasant job.  But that maybe Mer just might be what Illea needs. 
~ Maxon's parents are the polar opposites of Mer's- his mom's is wonderful and his dad is a tool.  Too bad he's King.
~ America drove me nuts this book, and seriously Aspen is kind of stupid for putting up with her.  And she's completely hypocritical too... but I still love the chemistry between her and Maxon, so I'm willing to overlook her yoyo tendencies for now.  Although, her hypocrisy might not make her Princess material, but she's got a good shot at a political career.
~ This series is a giant soap opera, and I love it.
~ The rebels continue to be all mysterious and murderous. I'm a little afraid that I'm going to be disappointed with their storyline, but honestly I'm just here for the competition. 
~ The Palace security continues to be the worst. 
~ Much drama in this book, and the plot moves steadily on.  I really loved the task America and the other girls are given in this book, even more would have been nice though.  
~ I heart this series.  It's not perfect, it's a little shallow, Mer drives me nuts, but I'm hooked. 

Timeless Characters:

America Singer- her name says it all I guess.  She's a talented musician and she's torn between two political parties boys. 
Prince Maxon- my favorite point in the love triangle.  He actually calls America on some of her shiz, which just makes her (and me) love him more. Sigh.
Aspen- He doesn't ski, so I'm not sure what's up with his name, but he's there for America whenever she deigns to call on him.
Anne, Mary and Lucy- America's maids.  Still really like them.  They remind me of the mice in Cinderella.
Officer Woodwork- one of the palace guards.
Queen Amberly- I really just picture her as Julie Andrews.  I love Julie Andrews.
King Clarkson- It's beginning to dawn on me that he's not particularly thrilled to pass the torch of leadership onto his son...
Adele- the Queen's sister.  She doesn't have a huge role, but I liked her so she goes on the list.
Gavril Fadaye- reporter for the Illea Capital.
Mr. Singer- America's dad is perfection.  She also has a cute little sister, I forgot to write her name down, but she's an adorable moppet. 
Marlee- Mer's friendly competition, she's got secrets of her own.
The rest of the Elite:
Kriss- the airhead
Elise- the brain (and now the competition)
Natalie- the four (sorry I didn't write anything else down about her)
Celeste- the mean one
 

Midnight Moment:

There's a few of them, and no surprise, they all contain Maxon!
First, I love that Maxon takes America to a super secret hidden room, and that it contains books and computers. 
The biggest Midnight Moment came when Maxon takes his shirt off for America- but not for the reason ya'll are thinking.  Get your minds out of the gutters!

Stop The Clock:

If you liked the first book, then The Elite is a must read.  Yes it was frustrating, but it's the second book so you know the love triangle is only going to heat up and stakes are just going to get higher.  That's the job of Book 2.  I gave it a five star on Goodreads simple because you can't do half-stars and I devoured this book.  It probably would have been a five, but I wanted to smack/shake America through out most of this book.


Kiera Cass — Website |Kiera Cass

The Elite (The Selection #2) gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Also, there's a novella coming out on March 5th: 
The Prince: A Selection Novella
By Kiera Cass
From Goodreads:
 

Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection...

Before Aspen broke America's heart...

There was another girl in Prince Maxon's life...

Don't miss this thrilling 128-page original novella set in the world of the New York Times bestselling novel The Selection. Also features a teaser to The Elite, Kiera Cass's hotly anticipated sequel to The Selection.

Finally my love story with the Prince can be told!

The Rules (Projeck Paper Doll #1) Review

The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1)
by Stacey Kade
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Format: Arc received from Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Midnight Minute: Hiding in plain sight from a corporation that wants her for unspeakable deeds, half alien Ariane is constantly on the alert and dealing with bitchy high school girls. 
Expected Publication: 04.23.13
From Goodreads:

1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…

Midnight Thoughts:

~ I've read and loved the first two Ghost and Goth books, but I'm almost afraid to read the last one, since then the series will be over, but I was super excited when I heard about this series, even if I missed the whole alien aspect of the plot.  I really thought it was going to be a YA version of Joss Whedon's canceled tv show Dollhouse.  
~ I'm not a huge fan of sci-fi, and even a less fan of aliens, but I trusted Kade to write a story I'd like.  She did not disappoint!
~ The Rules has a duel narrative, flipping between Ariane (how is this pronounced? Because it'd be weird if it's pronounced like Aryan) and Zane.  I really enjoyed this style because I really think it helps move things along and it's a good way to really get to know the main characters.
~ There's no love triangle!  Not that I mind a good triangle, but I'm kind of tired of useless ones- A's got enough to deal with right now.  That said, this is only book 1, and who knows what can happen in book 2!
~ So, Ariane is living in the place of her "dad"s real daughter, who died.  I thought at first that this was one of those books- clones born to take over the original's life, but thankfully it was just an identity that was easy to slip into when Ariane gets out of the facility that made her. 
~ Sadness: for the first five or six years of her life, she thought her name was Wannahseven (not sure I spelled that right), because that's her number: 107.  Jesus, even the mice and chimpanzees get real names.  
~ So, Ariane is a half-human, half-alien hybrid that this shady corporation has cobbled together.  I don't know if she just assumes that her alien half comes from the aliens that reportedly crashed at Roswell, or if that's really where her poor alien ancestor came from. 
~ Even though Ariane has got some cool alien powers, she has enough kyrptonite weaknesses- include very fragile bones, that keep her from being some Mary Sue super alien.  
~ Because she was raised in a facility, most of her knowledge of the "outside world" came from tv and cartoons.  You can only imagine what a crazy, warped world view she had before getting out of the facility- afraid at that any time an Acme safe could come raining down on her head, or expecting animals to talk.  Actually... I wish life were a bit more like cartoons.  It'd be awesome to wear the same outfit every day.  Only my luck I'd end up stuck in a huge mock turtle neck sweater and a skort like Velma from Scooby Doo. ~ So Ariane and her dad are living in the same town as the evil facility, GTX, that she escaped from, because that's the dad's plan for outsmarting the company.  But then GTX "donates" a security system, complete with video cameras, to the school and pretty much Ariane's playing Frogger, but for reals. 
~ Also, the small town setting within powerful reach of the GTX means that the relationships between people are tricky and complex.  The meanest girl in school, Rachel, is one of Zane's besties? Also the granddaughter of the head GTX honcho.  And now she's locking horns with Ariane. 
~ Ariane keeps her head down and only has one friend, but she's got a virtual online life, which I thought was going to figure in more with the story.  I do love the fact that Ariane chooses to date Clark Kent, a computer generated character, instead of finding a hook up in Dreamlife, the site she plays on. 
~ GTX made Ariane do some awful things, leading her to put a self-imposed block on her powers.  Which sucks, because she needs them now.  
~ I have to give props to Stacey Kade for explaining why Mark Tucker too Ariane out of the facility in a non-creeper way. 
~ GTX totally reminds me of The Shop in Fire-Starter by Stephen King.   Although, I suspect Charlie McGee could kick Ariane's butt... at least for now.  Perhaps book 2 will change my mind. ;)
~ Kade is good at writing complex characters- even the evil teen queen Rachel has some depth to her. 
~ In order to take down smug Rachel, er, I mean, help her moronic, Plastics worshiping friend Jenna, Ariane has to break all of her careful stay-under-the-radar rules.  It seems reckless, because it is, but we break rules all the time.  We still gloves from the hospital, we run red lights (this pertains particularly to Virginia drivers), we talk loudly in libraries.  Humans are rule breakers by nature, even if it puts our lives in danger.  This is apparently true for human/alien hybrids too. 
~ The ending guarantees I'll be there for the rest of the series.  Well played, Kade.

Timeless Characters:

Ariane Tucker- 1/2 alien, 1/2, 100% awesome.
Zane Bradshaw- Kade creates some of the best guys in YA, and Zane does not disappoint. 
Mark Tucker- works security for GTX, despite having stolen their unique creation.  Which is the definition of balls of steel.
Jenna- Ariane's only friend, desperate to be in Rachel's circle.
Rachel Jacobs- she reigns supreme in the halls of Ashe High, she ain't no hollaback girl.
Arthur Jacobs- Rachel's beloved grandpappy and head of GTX.
Cami and Cassi- twins, happy juice drinkers in worship of Rachel.
Trey- completely worships Rachel, who treats him like a baby, unless it's a day ending in a y, in which case she treats him like a baby with a stinky diaper.  
Sheriff Bradshaw- actually, maybe he's the police chief?  I forgot to write his title down, but he's Zane's snobdouche dad.  Hates Mark Tucker, wants to be all up GTX's butt because he's, well, a snobdouche.  Zane will never be good enough in Poppa Bradshaw's eyes. 

Midnight Moment:

I really loved Ariane and Tucker's relationship, but my favorite moment was Ariane's misunderstanding of the French Kisses that the French Club's booth at the town fair.  It was hilarious to have her get all mad at Tucker only to have him explain what the booth was giving away.

Stop The Clock:

Maybe science-fiction isn't your thing.  That's cool.  But this book is also a thriller, with some contemporary romance thrown in with a whopping side of humor.  So, if that's your thing, then you need to read this book.  In fact, just put Stacey Kade on your list.  You know what list I'm talking about.  The list of authors you go out of your way to read.  She's that good, ya'll.


Stacey Kade — Website |Stacey Kade

The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1) gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Sundays In Bed With... Crash and Burn

 Welcome to my Sundays In Bed With... Meme! The meme that dares to ask, what book has been in your bed this morning?  Come share what book you've spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

This morning I'm reading:

 Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan

I'm only 50 pages in, but I am liking it so far.  It's not a quick read though, at least not at this point.  I hope it picks up, since the ARC is over 500 pages and I only have a week with it.  I should be able to get some significant reading done today.  My only problem is with the cover- I get the meaning already from the book, but coupled with the title it makes me think of September 11th, although maybe that's what they're going for?  The book is about two boys who have been connected their whole lives, one a troubled genius and one a troubled slacker, and how the slacker prevents the genius from blowing up their high school.  And there's a whisper-like at the end of Lost in Translation, but this time I think we are going to learn what Burn said to Crash.   However, if I just saw the cover and didn't read the summary I would just assume it was about Sept 11.

 What are you reading (or wish you had time to read) this morning? Are you reading the book you thought you'd be reading, or has today found you with a surprise? Link up below!

Feature and Follow Friday: Giving It Away

It's a little late, but I can't resist the gorgeous new button for Feature and Follow, hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  This week's question is:

We always talk about books that WE want. Let’s turn it on its head. What books have you given other people lately?

Hmm, I gave away Ready Player One to my brothers, because they actually remember the 80's quite well.  And then I bought a couple of Harry Potter books for Kim- one with the adult British cover and another in Spanish, but that was way back in Christmas.  I also gave her several of my Meg Cabot chick lit books recently, and a bunch of books to some of the ladies in my book club since I've been culling my shelves in preparation for all the books I'll be getting at BEA.  I also plan on getting Courtney the new Maureen Johnson book when we go down to the book signing in early March, because she's being so freaking good about her planned book buying yearly budget and I already pre-ordered my own signed copy. And I pre-ordered The Trouble With Flirting so that I can share it with my blogger bffs (which will entail a new feature I'm cooking up on here called Book STD).  

What about you?