Giveaways
Erin L. Schneider
Goodreads Giveaway: SUMMER OF SLOANE
Goodreads Giveaway: SUMMER OF SLOANE

USA Today's Top 150 Bestselling Books as of 07.07.2011

Thursday, July 7, 2011: According to USA TODAY, the following list contains the top 50 best selling books (out of 150) - based on sales through Sunday, 07/03/2011.  For the complete list of 150 books for the week or just to check out more information - plus reviews, book news and a searchable archive of USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list - visit their website.

 

YA Note of the week:  Only 7 YA titles grace the top 50, and 22 total even made the entire list. New this week, MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE, by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, making it's debut at #13. 

 

Legend:

Position This Week, Last Week, Title, Author (Publisher), Price

 

 

1 0 Now You See Her, James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge (Little, Brown), $14.99
2 1 Smokin’ Seventeen, Janet Evanovich (Bantam), $28.00
3 3 The Help, Kathryn Stockett (Berkley), $16.00
4 2 Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson), $16.99
5 4 The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press), $8.99

My Review: PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, #1)Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for — her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

My Review:

I enjoyed PERFECT CHEMISTRY - at least the first 2/3 of the book. The banter between Alex and Brittany was entertaining, as well as believable - and I loved that the chapters toggled back and forth between both POV's.

My Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)Where She Went by Gayle Forman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

My Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed If I Stay...but Where She Went, brought me to a whole nother level. Gripping in every way possible, heart wrenching, and just plain beautifully written.

My Review: IF I STAY by Gayle Forman

If I Stay (If I Stay, #1)If I Stay by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

My Review:

Beautifully written, this story enveloped me from the first page, and left me torn between the choices I would've made myself.

First Page Contest with Victoria Marini

Shelley Watters is hosting yet another first page contest of awesome on her blog Is It Hot In Here, Or Is It This Book?, this time with Agent Victoria Marini of the Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency! 

This contest is only open to YA, Middle Grade, memoir, pop-culture non-fiction, and women’s commercial fiction.

And here's how it'll work:

  • Be sure your work fits into one of the following genres: YA, Middle Grade, memoir, pop-culture non-fiction, and women’s commercial fiction.
  • Sign up on the link on Shelley's website.
  • On June 25th, post your title, genre, word count and the first 250 words on your blog for critique.
  • From June 25th through June 26th, hop around to the other contestant's blogs and critique their first 250 words.
  • On June 27th, go back to Shelley's blog and post your final entry on the dedicated contest entry blog post. Be sure to include:
    1. Your email address
    2. Title, genre, wordcount
    3. Your polished first page (250 words) Don't stop in the middle of a sentence.
    4. Where you follow me
    5. Where you spread the word

    That's it! 
    ________________________

    So without further ado, here's my submit for the contest, up for critique! 

    Friday Fives: What Gets YOUR Creative Juices Flowing?

    Happy Friday, everyone! Oh, I'm so glad it's almost the weekend, let me tell you...it's been one doozy of a week! But what better way to cap it all off, then by participating in today's Friday Fives! 

    Today's topic: FIVE things that get your creativity juices flowing.

    Here are mine - what are yours?

    1. Springtime, Prom and Graduation...oh my! I realized over the past couple of years, I do my absolute best writing during this time of the year (April - July). The vibe teenager's give off, when they're wrapping up a school year, heading to prom, and walking the final walk of graduation...it's a feeling that's almost tangible! And definitely my #1 source of inspiration for writing YA, hands down.

    2. Music. I'm sure this will be a common choice amongst many of us, but music is one of the best sources to get those creative juices flowin'!

    3. The Internet. Websites, pictures, emails, Twitter, blogs, Wikipedia, Google - you name it, it's all the goodness that is the internet. And what better place than that, to turn the creative cogs of your mind?

    4. A Good Book. It's amazing how much you can learn about the art of writing, just by reading. Did that book not take the turn you were hoping for? Well see if it inspires a new story of your own! It's almost like "choose your own adventure" - cause that's the great thing about being a writer. We get to make things up. And when we're published, we'll be paid for that. 

    5. A Long Drive. Not sure what it is about being in the car, but for some reason I tend to do my best brainstorming while behind the wheel. Maybe it's because I have an hour long commute (each way) and often need to find something better to think about, then the bumper bumbling along in front of me.