Have you ever read a book that grabbed you with its premise, but let you down with its execution? I have. Like a million times. A million and one if you count my experience with Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten.

When I read the book's plot summary - a teenage girl follows clues to find her older sister, who disappeared two years ago - I immediately thought of The Amanda Project: Invisible i by Melissa Kantor. I love that kind of fun, clever mystery. Unfortunately, the alluring premise of Wherever Nina Lies only held me for a couple of chapters - then, the story started to get creepy-weird. It also seemed to be completely contrived, the plot held together by a string of very unconvincing coincidences. By the time I "met" the Jamies, I was ready to fling the book against the wall. I didn't because, in spite of myself, I wanted to know how the mystery ended (it wasn't satisfactorily either).

Basically, the story goes like this: Sixteen-year-old (I think she's 16) Ellie Wrigley can't get over the loss of her sister, who vanished without a trace two years ago. Nina was always a little wild - talking to any stranger who looked interesting, sneaking out at night, coming home smelling like a brewery, etc. - but she always returned home. Always. Then, she ran away or was kidnapped or something. Ellie's friends urge her to put the past behind her, to "get over" her sister's disappearance. Only, she can't.

When Ellie finds a picture sketched by Nina in an old book, she takes it as a sign. Nina's out there somewhere, leaving a trail of clues in her wake. A phone number leads to an old, abandoned mansion, where Ellie meets Sean, who's not just hot and funny, but also sympathetic to her plight. Together, they embark on a crazy road trip that Ellie prays will lead to her sister. As the miles churn by, the pair slowly pieces together the events leading up to Nina's disappearance. The more she investigates, the more Ellie realizes how much - and how little - she really knew about her sister. The realization also begins to dawn on Ellie that she, like Nina, might be in deep, deep trouble.

Sounds intriguing, right? And it is. I just wish the story had been plotted more carefully. I hate coincidence in mystery novels - it never, ever rings true. The heroine can't just happen to open a dusty old book and find a drawing, she can't just happen to use the restroom and spy her sister's handwriting among layers of graffiti, she can't just come across the two people in the world who know everything about an obscure band. Well, you get the idea - the story bugged.

I did finish the novel, but by the end I was only skimming. I wanted to find out what happened to Nina, I just didn't want to invest anymore time on it, you know? When the clues to a mystery are so lazily gathered, it usually means the "Big Reveal" isn't going to be anything amazing either. Bummer, that, because this story had all kinds of potential. Ah, well.

Wherever Nina Lies has been getting all kinds of buzz around the blogosphere - I'm just utterly confused as to why.

(Readalikes: A little like The Amanda Project: Invisible i by Stella Lennon [Melissa Kantor])

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language, underrage drinking/partying, and sexual innuendo/content

To the FTC, with love: I received this book from the generous folks at Scholastic. Thanks!

"You don't know anything, you moronic jerk, I feel like screaming. Because for all his supposed Aura collecting, he has no idea how much Mom truly terrifies me. He has no idea that when I look at her, I'm not staring at a person, but a mirror. I'm seeing me, exactly as I'll be in the future" (135).

Most little girls want to grow up to be just like their mothers. Maybe Aura did, too, back when her mother's manic episodes seemed bright and fun. At 15, she now recognizes the episodes for what they are - scary as hell. Aura used to be able to talk her mom down, but these days, she's so far gone that Aura hasn't the faintest idea how to deal. The only thing she knows for sure is that she never, ever wants to be like her mom.

A gifted artist, Grace Ambrose is the kind of woman who paints fanciful murals on the walls, makes masterpieces out of old pianos, and dangles dozens of carved mermaids from the kitchen ceiling. She's also the lady who smashes into mailboxes she swears are in the middle of the road, runs screaming from buildings she thinks are on fire, and drops lit matches on her bare toes while trying to "fix" trinkets that were never broken in the first place. She's talented, creative, and crazy as a loon.

Aura has promised never to institutionalize her mother, never to insist on medication. Everyone knows Aura's promises are "like locks with no key" (47), but things are getting too complicated too fast. With no one to count on but herself, Aura does everything she can to fix the problem - from hiding to lying to hovering to playing her mother's insane little games. She even sacrifices her own art - the one thing that brings her solace - to keep the insanity at bay. But the crazy just keeps coming. Can Aura save her mother on her own? Or will the darkness that's been passed down for generations in her family swallow Aura whole?

A Blue So Dark, Holly Schindler's debut novel (available May 28, 2010), explores what it means to have mental illness lurking in the thick leaves of your family tree. It shows the terror, the guilt, and the anguish experienced by not just the schizophrenic patient, but also by those who love her. Brutally honest and heartbreakingly real, this is a read that is as painful as it is enlightening. Aura Ambrose is so skillfully drawn you want to pluck her out of the pages and wrap her in your arms. Seriously, I was surprised to see a photograph of Holly Schindler - I fully expected the author to be about 15. That's how authentic her voice is. She writes in vivid, Technicolor prose that thrills over and over with its fresh, visual appeal.

If you prefer happy, bubbly stories, steer clear of A Blue So Dark. It's exactly what it promises to be - dark. It's also an intense, compelling story that will grab you from the very first word. An absolutely stunning debut, this book promises good things to come from an author I will be watching very, very closely.

(Readalikes: Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu; The Tricking of Freya by Christina Sunley; The Memory of Water by Karen White)

Grade: A-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language

To the FTC, with love: I received this book from the generous folks at Flux. Thank you!

I'm baaaaaack! While flying home from Utah yesterday, I thought about all the things I was returning to - laundry, dishes, diapers, cooking, cleaning, the heat - and I almost turned right back around. I had such a fun weekend visiting with old friends, hobnobbing with writerly folk, and talking about books, books, books. The Conference was excellent - I met lots of great people, learned a ton about writing and just had a ball. I'm exhausted, so I'll post more later, but I wanted to let you all know that I'm alive and well.

I have tons to catch up on, blog-wise and life-wise. Be patient with me! A couple of quick things:

- I take pride in helping out with blog tours, and I try to follow the guidelines the author/publicist asks me to follow. When I wrote my last post, I was at the conference, running on very little sleep and using my friend's teensy tiny computer. Needless to say, I did not have a chance to edit the post, so it was very garbled and typo-filled. Sorry about that! Hopefully, it makes more sense now.

- I wanted to make sure you know that the tour for The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs is still going. I believe the next stop will be tomorrow at The Pink Chandelier. I could be wrong about that, but it's a fun blog, so check it out anyway.

- Big Honcho Media, who is running the tour, has generously offered one of my readers the chance to win a $50 Visa gift card to use toward the purchase of their own copy of The Ocean Between Us. Cool, huh? Click here to enter.

- Speaking of Susan Wiggs' book, I finished it while I was in Utah. Look for a review soon.

Okay, I think that covers it. I've got to get my kiddos off to school. After that, well, my bed is looking awfully inviting!

So, I'm leaving for Utah in the morning and my suitcase is still lying on my bed, half-packed. As I was trying to stuff everything in it this afternoon, my 11-year-old was curled up under the covers moaning about his headache while my 8- and 5-year-old were trashing the family room in an attempt to keep the baby entertained. Said baby? Yeah, she was happily splashing her hands in the toilet. And her diaper was so rank I could smell it from upstairs. As I groaned in frustration, my daughter said, "I bet you're going to be really happy to get on that plane tomorrow." She's absolutely right - my kids are making it very, very easy for me to want to leave.

One thing I had planned to do before taking off was finishing The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs. It didn't happen. I will be reading it on the plane, though, and as soon as my computer and I are reunited, I will post a review.

In the meantime, enjoy these fun extras from a fellow Susan. To read the first chapter of the book, plus a special message from the author, click below:








Also, I am thrilled to announce that Big Honcho Media is offering one of my readers a $50 VISA check card. Yes, you read that right - one of you lucky ducks will receive $50 to buy your own copy of The Ocean Between Us. The deadline is going to be short on this one - you have until May 5. All you have to do to enter is comment on this post. Good luck!

P.S. The card can only be mailed to addresses in the U.S. If you live elsewhere, you may enter the giveaway as long as you have someone in the U.S. who is willing to accept your prize by mail.

So, way back when - before surgery, before radiation, before I had any clue what this year was going to hold for me - I signed up to attend the LDS Storymakers Conference in Provo, Utah. At the time, I thought it would be good for me to sign up for Boot Camp, two sessions of intense manuscript critiquing. Since I've started writing countless novels, but have never even come close to finishing one, I thought this would be the perfect thing to pressure me into getting my ideas out of my head and onto the computer screen. I had until April to come up with something. Plenty of time, I thought. Well, guess what? It's now April. I leave for Provo on Thursday. So, yeah, I've been writing. I've managed to hammer out almost 20 pages. Don't laugh. Considering that I still can't make it through the day without an afternoon nap and a very early bedtime (like 8), I'm actually pretty proud of myself. My pages suck big time, but at least I have pages, right?

Even though writing has kept me from blogging, creating fiction is good for me as a reviewer. It reminds me that crafting a novel is A LOT harder than it looks. It's easy for me to glance at someone else's work and pick out its every weakness - the process becomes much, much more difficult when I'm evaluating my own "baby."

Anyone else going to be in Provo this weekend? I'd love to meet up with some of my "bloggy friends" at the conference. I'm still sad that I won't be in NYC for Book Expo America, but I'm glad I'll be able to do a little bit of book/author hobnobbing in Utah. It's almost the same thing.

All this rambling is my way of explaining why I've been away from the blog for a week. I'm still reading. In fact, I'm in the middle of The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs. Look for a review of the book and a very exciting giveaway on April 23.

I also need to announce the winner of my Kaki Warner giveaway. Congratulations to Linda, who wins a copy of Pieces of Sky (which I reviewed here). If you'll email me your address, I'll send it on to Kaki's publicist, who will get your book in the mail right away.

Okay, it's 9:30 and I'm fading fast ... Have a great week everyone!

The book involves Tess, a high schooler who has just moved from Chicago to the smallish town of Grand River, Michigan. While her parents' impending divorce brings mostly relief, Tess still isn't completely thrilled with the move. Sure, she's got a couple of school friends, her music and a close relationship with her mom, but she's still lonely, anxious and bored in her new town. Then, she notices Micah. His broody good looks seem to confirm the rumors - the guy's some kind of genius. She's even more intrigued by his odd on-again-off-again relationship with the beautiful Daisy. Tess' new friends warn her away from the strange couple, but she feels inexplicably drawn to them. When she finally gets the chance to know Micah, Tess finds that he's everything she thought he would be - smart, sophisticated, and mysterious. Maybe he does come off as weird, but that's only because no one understands him like Tess does.
As Tess falls deeper under Micah's spell, she realizes some disturbing truths about the guy. Something about the way he toys with her emotions just seems ... wrong. Is it her fault for being too clingy? Is Tess pushing away the only person with whom she's managed to really connect in Grand River? Why would Micah choose her anyway, when he already has the attention of the lovely Daisy? What does Tess have to do, exactly, to get Micah to look at her the way he looks at Daisy? How far will she go to win his love? In this dark tale of young love and dangerous obsession, Tess has to break away before the chains of codependency can drag away every last bit of self-respect she possesses.

Okay, I know everyone's dying to know who won my 3 ARCs of Lies by Michael Grant, so let's get right to it. The winners are:

Congratulations! The Gaiaphage/Gone Fan and donnas get brand-spankin' new ARCs, and luiloth gets my very gently used copy. If you will email me your snail mail addresses, I'll get the books in the mail ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who entered and spread the word about this contest. It turned out to be one of my most successful ever! I always have books to give away, so stay tuned for more giveaways.

Rachel Quillen has lived beside the Line her entire life. She's heard whispers about the invisible, uncrossable barrier that surrounds The Unified States - she knows strange creatures live on the other side, including a dangerous brand of subhumans known as the Others. Rachel's been warned away from the Line all her life. She knows she shouldn't, but she wonders what it's like over there, what would happen if she dared to cross. It's not like she has anything to do (except tend orchids) or anyone to talk to (except her mother, crabby old Ms. Moore and quiet Jonathan) or anything at all going on in her insipid little life. Surely anything is more exciting than spending every waking hour at The Property just waiting for something to happen.

Then, something does happen. Rachel finds an old-fashioned tape recorder, out of which comes a garbled voice pleading for help. It's not the call of a monster, but of a human. From the other side. As Rachel scrambles to find out who - or what - is out there in the vast plains of Away, she discovers that the three adults on The Property know a lot more about the Line than she ever suspected. The paranoid U.S. government has spies everywhere - even whispering about Away can get you arrested - but Rachel has to know. What's on the other side of the Line? Who is over there begging for her help? Does she dare aid the stranger? Or does the plaintive voice belong to a monster trying to trick his way into her country? Can she make sense of it all before it's too late to save anyone?

Ever since I first saw The Line by Teri Hall mentioned in the book blogosphere, I've been eager to get my hands on it. The premise intrigued me right away. Its execution, however, was slightly disappointing. Only slightly, though. It's not a long novel, but the story builds slowly, only reaching pageturner speed in the last 1/3 of the book. TMI (especially concerning politics) bogs down the pacing, although Hall includes some nice, creepy atmospheric scenes that make up for the duller portions of the story. In the end, I thought the book was just okay. I'll definitely read the sequel (Away, to be published in early 2011), but I'm not going to be holding my breath in anticipation. For this one, I can wait.

(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of the Gone series by Michael Grant)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for tense moments/scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find

If you're one of those people who can't live without your Friday night Medium fix, check this out: Scholastic just published an omnibus by Jude Watson titled The Sight. The volume brings together Premonitions and Disappearance, the two novels in her series about teenage psychic Gracie Millard. Never heard of Jude Watson? Actually you have - it's a pen name used by Judy Blundell, author of the National Book Award winner What I Saw and How I Lied. While these earlier novels don't match the caliber of Blundell's newest, they're still fast-paced, entertaining reads.

In Premonitions, we meet the lonely, grief-stricken Gracie. After losing her mother to a tragic car accident, she's been sent to live with her aunt and cousin on tiny Beewick Island in Washington State. Although Aunt Shay's trying hard to console her niece, Gracie shies away from every kindness. She's heartbroken and not exactly thrilled about being the new girl in a podunk town where everyone's known everyone else since they were all in diapers. To make matters worse, she's still trying to understand the strange feelings she's been getting, the weird images and sensations that won't leave her head. Somehow, she smelled oranges right before a semi loaded with citrus plowed into her mother's car. Now, she's seeing visions of Emily Carbonel, her only friend on the island, being abducted. Is it some kind of sign, like the oranges? Should she tell people what she's seeing? The last thing Gracie needs is for everyone at her new school to know what a freak she is.

When Emily disappears for real, Gracie knows she has to come forward. The last time she ignored one of her premonitions, her mom died; Gracie's not about to be responsible for another tragedy. Detective Fusilli doesn't exactly believe in psychics, but he's not laughing her out of the precinct either. Even though she's not exactly authorized to investigate Emily's disappearance, Gracie decides to - quietly - follow the clues her mind is giving her. What she discovers shocks her. Something very, very strange is going on at the Seattle computer camp Emily was so eager to attend. The closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous Gracie's sleuthing becomes. She might be able to save Emily, but who's going to save her?

After her experiences in the first book, Gracie's growing much more comfortable with her psychic abilities in Disappearance. She still can't understand everything she sees, but she's learning to trust what she sees in her visions. So, when she starts getting weird vibes about a recent murder victim, she knows she's on to something. Detective Fusilli warns her to quit Nancy Drew-ing around and focus on being a kid, but she can't. Something sinister's going down on Beewick Island. Even though her aunt is the most honest person Gracie knows, the mystery seems to revolve around Shay's early years in the area. Could her instincts be wrong this time, or is Aunt Shay hiding a terrible secret?

To complicate matters, Gracie's father suddenly shows up on the island. Can she trust the man who abandoned her when she was just a baby? Does she even want to? Besieged by conflicting brain flashes, Gracie doesn't know who's telling the truth and who's feeding her lines. Can she figure it all out before it's too late? Or is she destined to lose everyone she's ever loved?

While Premonitions and Disappearance aren't the most dynamic or original books ever written, they're decent mysteries. The former kept me guessing, while the latter was much more predictable. Both could use better character development, tighter writing, and twistier plotlines. Still, there are worse ways to wile away an afternoon. If you're looking for light, Medium-ish entertainment, you might find The Sight to be just the ticket.

(Readalikes: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting)

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for violence and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love: I received this book from the generous folks at Scholastic. Thanks!

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Amy Brecount White to BBB. She's the author of Forget-Her-Nots (reviewed here), a YA novel about (among other things) the power of flowers. Welcome, Amy!

Me: I know you loved to read as a child, but what about writing? Did you make up stories as a kid or did that come later?

ABW: I remember having an active imaginary life and playing very elaborate games with my friends and siblings, but I didn't actually write anything down until I was in college.

Me: What made you decide to write for a YA audience?

ABW: I used to teach high school English, and I love working with teens. (Often more so than adults!) I think it's a very exciting and elastic time of life. When I started reading more YA novels, I also became aware of how well-written and engrossing they are. Teen readers are a demanding audience, and the writers rise to their expectations.

Me: What made you choose to write brighter, more hopeful stories than those that are currently on the market for teens?

ABW: Quite frankly, I'm a pretty bright and hopeful person. I have my moments, but I like to celebrate the joys and connections of life, rather than dwell on all the negatives. Happy stuff happens, too.

Me: How has teaching junior high and high school influenced your writing?

ABW: Teaching made me very aware of lots of the issues and stresses teens face today. I also came to have great respect for the intelligence and depth of my students. I wanted to write a book that would truly appeal to their curiosity and empathy.

Me: Have you learned anything about teenage readers that helped you while writing FHN?

ABW: I learned that they care a great deal about the world and that they're always listening. I hope that knowing about flowers and their messages adds a dimension of fun and intrigue to their own lives.

Me: In Forget-Her-Nots, Laurel's classmates tease her because she's so into flowers, something that's not common among today's teenagers. Why did you think the subject would be interesting for YA readers?

ABW: Personally, I think flowers are amazing,and they bring me great joy. I wanted to share that joy and delight and encourage teenagers to stop and smell the roses - literally. There are scientific studies that show how having flowers in your room at a hospital can help you recover more quickly or that receiving flowers can boost your mood for days. I wrote a guest blog about it for the Book Butterfly here: http://butterflybookreviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/spread-flower-love-blog-tour-amy.html.

Me: How did your love for flowers come about?

ABW: It's partly inherited from my mom and a neighbor who gardened. So I always knew I wanted my own garden when I had some soil to play with. Both my sisters garden, and we all enjoy plants and flowers in our houses. I love to watch each bud emerge and then open wide. The colors and scents can be magnificent.

Me: What kinds are your favorite to grow in your garden?

ABW: I have flowers blooming in my garden from February to November. Whichever ones are in bloom are my favorites. I especially love the bleeding hearts, native wisteria, and hellebores.
What do your choices say about you? I'm pretty easy to please, as far as flowers go. I love them all.

Me: If Laurel made you a tussie-mussie, what would it include?

ABW: White bellflowers to express gratitude for telling her story. Mountain laurel, because that's HER flower. Rosemary, because she wants me to remember her and bring her back to life on the page.

Me: In FHN, Ms. Suarez is cultivating a very exotic flower in the school conservatory. If you could choose such a bloom for your own gardens, what would it be? Why?

ABW: Ooo, I'd be a little scared to have something that rare and wonderful, but it would probably be a lady slipper orchid. I've seen a few lady slipper orchids in the wild, and they just take your breath away. So beautiful. I haven't had the time or patience to try them in my yard, and they're expensive, too. With my three kids and dog to keep me busy, I prefer lower maintenance stuff now that I know will come back next year (perennials).

Me: I know you're working on a new book, after which you plan to write a sequel to FHN. Tell me about both stories.

ABW: The next one is called STRING THEORIES. It's YA, ages 14 and up, so slightly edgier. It's about love and lust, the physics of relationships, a stream, and getting even.

After that, I'd love to do a companion novel (kind of like Shannon Hale's Bayern books) to FHN. It would have more to do with the world of orchids and flower smuggling.

Me: You juggle so many roles - wife, mother, teacher, writer, blogger. How do you balance it all?

ABW: It's a little nuts right now. I'm not teaching at all, but I hope to do school and Skype visits, because I do love to talk about writing. I try to live fully in every moment and give my best to whatever I'm doing. I'm sure some things have slid through the cracks, but I'm having a great time. I'm a very energetic person! My kids are thrilled for my success, so they're pretty good about helping out.

Me: Finally, I ask this question of all the authors I interview, simply because I'm fascinated by the variety of responses I get: How do you write?

ABW: I love to get up early and write while the world is still asleep, but I usually only do that when I'm deep into a novel or revisions. Most days, I write while my kids are in school. I just finished STRING THEORIES, so I'll read it one more time, then send to my agent and take a little break to catch up after the FHN launch and let some ideas gestate.

Me: Do you have a regular writing schedule or do you compose as the mood strikes?

ABW: I have to write when the house is silent, which means while the kids are at school. I'm fairly disciplined. My most important rule is to leave a note to myself at the end of each writing day, so I can dive in where I left off without feeling blocked or blanking. I don't have time for writer's block.

Me: Do you outline your books or just write?

ABW: I do both. Sometimes the voices and scenes just run in your head, and you follow along. Then later I'll go back and see how it fits into the whole scheme of the novel. Sometimes I plan exactly what to write. It's different every day.

Me: Where do you write?

ABW: Anywhere quiet.

Me: Is there anything you HAVE to have beside you when you write? I love to drink hot tea while I write. I drink a lot of Earl Grey with milk.

ABW: What makes you unique from other writers?

Me: My topic of the language of flowers definitely sets me apart. Every writer has had unique experiences she can bring to the page. So every writer has the potential to be unique. :-)

Me: Thanks so much, Amy!

Judging from the looks of 12 Finally, you might think Wendy Mass' newest is a sequel to last year's 11 Birthdays. Not so. While it's set in the same town, and familiar characters make cameo appearances, the story revolves around a different cast. This time, we're sucked into the life of 11-year-old Rory Swenson, who's counting down the days until her birthday. For as long as she can remember, her parents have been promising that her every desire - from a cell phone to her own house key to finally getting her ears pierced - will be fulfilled when she's 12. Rory's ready with a poster-sized checklist that will ensure all her dreams come true.

As Rory works her way through her checklist, she gets some rude awakenings. Keeping track of a cell phone isn't the easiest thing to do. Staying home by yourself can be downright freaky. And shaving? News flash: It hurts. Is it possible that the grown-up things she's been dying to do aren't nearly as glamorous as they seem? Is the universe conspiring against her to keep her a child forever? Life lessons are not what Rory wanted for her 12th birthday, but apparently, that's exactly what she's going to get. Like it or not.

After the disappointment of 11 Birthdays, I was hoping for more from 12 Finally. No such luck. Rory's antics are funny, but in a goofy, over-the-top, highly unrealistic kind of way. There's not a lot of plot to the story, the magical element seems forced, and the ending is just plain old cheesy. Maybe Mass is just trying to do too much with this one. I don't know, but it didn't do much for me. My only thought on reaching the end: Finally.

(Readalikes: 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass)

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG

To the FTC, with love: I received this book from the generous folks at Scholastic. Thanks!