Daisy Chain Book Reviews

Title: Keep Holding On Author: Susane Colasanti Publisher: Viking Juvenile Publication Date: May 31, 2012 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers Chew. Swallow. Chew. Swallow. Don’t look up. Lunch is the worst, but there’s no safe place at school for Noelle. Keeping her mortifying home life a secret and trying to ignore the kids who make her life miserable are Noelle’s survival strategies. Her emotionally distant boyfriend, Matt, isn’t the one she really wants to be with. But there’s no way she could ever be with Julian Porter. When Julian starts talking to her, Noelle is terrified. It seems safer to stay with Matt than risk a broken heart. But when the bullying of a friend goes too far, Noelle realizes it’s time to stand up for herself—and for everything that makes her keep holding on. Keep Holding On is a heartbreaking story of one girl's struggles with bullying and neglect, and her attempts to keep up her hopes that one day everything will be bette...

Memorial Day means a lot of things. It is the start of summer vacation. It probably involves some sort of barbecue. But, most importantly, it is a time for remembering soldiers. So if you're looking for some books that will go perfectly with your Memorial Day weekend, here are a few that you should try. In Honor by Jessi Kirby Three days after learning of her brother Finn's death, Honor receives his last letter from Iraq. Devastated, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously sets off to California to fulfill it. At the last minute she's joined by Rusty, Finn's former best friend. Rusty is the last person Honor wants to be with - he's cocky and obnoxious, just like Honor remembers, and she hasn't forgiven him for turning his back on Finn when Finn enlisted. But their road trip ends up revealing more than the desert landscape. While they cover the dusty miles in Finn's beloved 1967 Chevy Impala, long-held resentments begin to fade, and Honor...

Here are some of my favorite covers for May 2012: The Really Late Edition Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore Bitterblue! I might be putting this up here even if I didn't like the cover, I waited so long for this book to hit the shelves. But being blinded by love isn't an issue. At least, I don't think that it is. Because the cover looks great, doesn't it? It matches the rest of the series perfectly which, let's face it, is a feat in and of itself lately - especially when it's been so long between books. I love the blue. And I love the keys and that each is different in design and color. Amazon | Goodreads In Honor by Jessi Kirby You know what I love about this cover? Every single thing in it is relevant to the story. The Impala, the sundress + red boots, the dog tag hanging from her wrist, the scenery. One can look at this book's cover and get an accurate vibe for what its contents are. If only more book covers accurately depicted the story inside of them! Y...

Title: Goddess Interrupted Author: Aimée Carter Publisher: Harlequin Teen Publication Date: March 27, 2012 Series: Goddess Test #2 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source:  Publicist (ARC) Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it. Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person whom she would really rather not meet. Henry's first wife...

Title: In Honor Author: Jessi Kirby Publisher: Simon & Schuster Publication Date: May 8, 2012 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: ARC Tour Three days after learning of her brother Finn's death, Honor receives his last letter from Iraq. Devastated, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously sets off to California to fulfill it. At the last minute she's joined by Rusty, Finn's former best friend. Rusty is the last person Honor wants to be with - he's cocky and obnoxious, just like Honor remembers, and she hasn't forgiven him for turning his back on Finn when Finn enlisted. But their road trip ends up revealing more than the desert landscape. While they cover the dusty miles in Finn's beloved 1967 Chevy Impala, long-held resentments begin to fade, and Honor and Rusty struggle to come to terms with the loss they share. As the memories of Finn merge to create a new portrait, Honor's eyes are opened to a side of her brother she never kne...

Title: Getting Over Garrett Delaney Author: Abby McDonald Publisher: Candlewick Publication Date: January 24, 2012 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: NetGalley Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly one-sided. The object of her obsession — ahem, affection — is her best friend,Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie’s feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett’s constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to ’80s indie rock — all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder — until he calls to say he’s fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she’s finally had enough. It’s time for a total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of ...

I'd like to welcome Shelley Coriell, author of Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe , to the blog today for an interview. About Shelley Coriell Young adult author Shelley Coriell writes stories about teens on the edge of love, life-changing moments, and a little bit of crazy. Her debut novel, Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe , will be released May 1, 2012 by Amulet Books/Abrams. A six-time Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist, Shelley lives in Arizona with her family and the world’s neediest rescue Weimaraner. When she’s not writing, she bakes high-calorie, high-fat desserts and gives speeches about the joys and business of writing. You can find her online at www.shelleycoriell.com . What is your favorite thing, character, or moment from Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe? I love the Garbage Game scenes where Chloe convinces Duncan to play trash ball and race paper airplanes. Basically, she gets him to loosen up and “have fun.” In the early drafts of CHLOE, I was having the hardest...

Title: The Son of Neptune Author: Rick Riordan Publisher: Disney Hyperion Publication Date: October 4, 2011 Series: The Heroes of Olympus #2 Related Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: Purchased Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, To storm or fire the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death. Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring and bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obe...