Other Words For Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Goodreads
Lorraine's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought it
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release date: Jan 11th (US)
Rating: 4/5
Challenges: DAC 2011

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York--and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn't think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari's family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future.

When misfortune befalls Blake's family, he pulls away, and Ari's world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

Other Words For Love is a great debut novel. I liked Ari very quickly, despite finding the start a little slow. It's easy to get a good picture of Ari's personality and issues from the word go. And understand them as well. I don't think that blurb actually gives a real clear idea of what the book is about because while yes, the boyfriend plays a big role, it's not one the main factor at work, or I don't see it that way at least. More than anything this is the story of Ari growing up and learning to deal with things past and present and become her own person. I found Ari easy to relate to, particularly towards the end of the book. She's insecure, weighed down by her parents expectations and her sisters past failures, never feeling 'good enough' at anything or for anyone. I love how her character developed over the course of the book. Ups and downs, reactions and emotions, they're all realistically handled and I felt so much for Ari at times. She managed to irritate me as well, but more like a good friend who you know isn't being smart, rather than outright irritation that would make me want to stop reading.

Something I really loved about Other Words is that it's set in 1986. No internet, no cell phones and a different 'feel' to the book than the majority of what I read. It was a refreshing change of pace and something that worked incredibly well. Throw in an obvious connection between author and setting and it created an atmosphere that I soaked up and loved.

The relationships (parental, sibling, friendships, first love, etc) are all so well drawn! The way things change as people grow up, the impact events and words can have, and the depiction of how things can go so wrong without bad intentions. The selfish comments, the snide ones, the loving ones, they're all a part of life and I really liked how the bad things didn't get hidden away at all. I want to explain some parts of what made this book so brilliant for me, but that would hit spoiler territory so I won't. So I shall finish by saying that this is not your typical first love story, it's heartbreaking at times, bittersweet, beautiful and all around great! Will certainly be checking out future titles from Lorraine!

Entangled by Cat Clarke

Goodreads
Cat Clarke's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought it
Publisher: Quercus
Rating: 5/5
Challenges: BBC 2011, DAC 2011

"The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?"

Seventeen-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with a table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got there.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing.

Grace must face the most important question of all.
Why is she here?

If not for a couple of unavoidable interruptions I would have read Entangled in one sitting. When I was done, I could barely breathe past the heartache and shock. Too shocked and broken to cry even. I was so chocked up though that I spent the rest of the evening on the verge of tears. I kept looking over at the book on the shelf and could feel it all bubbling up again, my heart pounding, my throat closing. I hurt for and with Grace more than I have done for a character in a long while. Holy hell this book is incredible!!

Grace had my attention from page one. The first coherent (or semi-coherent at least) day she's had since waking in a strange room, being held by the mysterious Ethan. Grace's voice jumped straight off the page at me and dug her claws in. Confused, scared, lost and yet incredibly strong. Her instant questions were mine. But the question of 'what happened?' and 'why?' burned brightest right from the word go and just got stronger with each page. I didn't just want answers, I NEEDED them.

Grace is coping, barely, by writing on the paper provided. She remembers things from her past in an attempt to figure out what happened, and that's how we learn her story. Past mixes with her present seamlessly creating a captivating story. More questions kept popping up as new secrets were revealed, and those two big questions getting more insistent with each turned page and its elusive answers. The intensity just kept building and building. Sure I made guesses along the way of what had/would happen, some right, many wrong, but I didn't need to be right, I needed to KNOW. And then the ending. Finally answers. And all I could do was fight for breath.

A stunning, captivating, heart pounding debut. It's fantastically written, paced just perfectly. Grace is strong, damaged, not without some semblance of humor and utterly believable. The side characters are just as well drawn, just as interesting. Just as easy to love or hate. For a book with so much heartache, it's actually relatively light on angst, which is clever writing. This is the story of a girl, who could be any girl, any teenager, out there, damaged because of her past. Let's just say that Entangled is a must read. And that Cat is a new auto buy author for me!

Also check out the trailer:

Blog Tour: Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf

Goodreads
Series Website
Series: Wereworld #1
Copy obtained: review copy from publisher
Release date: Jan 6th 2011
Publisher: Puffin
Rating: 4.5/5
Challenges: BBC 2011, DAC 2011

"You are the last of the werewolves. Don't fight it, son; embrace it. Conquer in."

When the air is clear, sixteen-year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator. When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him. And when a vicious beast invades his home, his flesh tears, his fingers become claws and Drew transforms . . .

Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Duke Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy.

Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?

I must confess that I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy this book. I thought it sounded good, and that I'd likely consider it a decent read, just maybe not for me. Turned out, I loved it! I'm a huge urban fantasy fan, but rarely a fantasy one. But Drew had me won over in a very short space of time.

Drew is a strong character, but events early in the book take a tole on his confidence and leave him seeming more vulnerable and a little younger than he actually is. Yet despite this, he proves himself over and over to be tough, capable and loyal. I loved watching him grow and change as the book went on and see him really find his feet again. There is a very good supporting cast of characters as well, be they the good guys or bad, they all have their specific characteristics that really jump off the page at you.

There is some impressive world building here as well. It's a vivid story, one that has as much horror to it as fantasy, with plenty of action. And pretty much every scene jumps off the page at you. I could see almost the whole story playing out like a movie in my head as I was reading it, right down to camera angles some times! Very unusual for me to see a book played out so clearly, normally characters are my focus, but the scene was just as easy to picture. I love the set up with the various were creatures and all the mythology involved with it. It's a book rich in description of events past and present but never at the cost of the pacing of the book. I found it very hard to put down and just kept turning the pages because I had to find out what happened next.

The first half of he book has a steady pace, not slow by any means as plenty happens, but it does take a real up turn at the halfway point where the tension and danger increases rapidly. And so does the horror aspect I have to say! It's not excessivly graphic but it still gives enough to cause some chills. Not that that's a bad thing. I really enjoyed the dark gritty nature to Rise of the Wolf. Despite the painful events Drew, and the others he meets along his journey face, there is a definite lack of angst. Plenty of emotion to make the characters seem real but never over done either. Which makes it all the more of a pleasure to read!

This is a fantastic start to a new series! It's written in third person and for once that's something I loved. Rise of the Wolf is such a well rounded story, both in plot and with the characters. I loved the world building and could happily have stayed lost in Drew's world for much longer! It's got an actioned packed and intense ending, and despite it not having a true cliff hanger, I was left wishing book 2 was out already. Great read and one I highly recommend!!

Also, go check out the blogs taking part in the 'Were-Creation' for this tour, it starts over at Wondrous Reads.

2011 Debut Author Challenge!

This is me signing up for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge! If you've not heard of it before, the idea is to read 12 debut young adult or middle-grade books throughout the year (although more is encouraged!). It's hosted by Kirsti AKA The Story Siren and you can find all the details about it over on her blog here!

Goodness knows there are a lot of great sounding debut's out next year, and Kirsti has a great long list of some of them on her site as well, just to help make things a little easier. There are a couple awesome 2011 debut's which I've already read, therefore won't count, in Unearthly by Cynthia Hand and Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton, but here are some of the others I'm loving the sound of and planning on reading for this challenge:

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney - Goodreads
Entangled by Cat Clarke - Goodreads
Clarity by Kim Harrington - Goodreads
Falling Under by Gwen Hayes - Goodreads
A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford - Goodreads
Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton - Goodreads
Divergent by Veronica Roth - Goodreads
Possession by Elana Johnson - Goodreads
Die For Me by Amy Plum - Goodreads
Timeless by Alexandra Monir - Goodreads
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini - Goodreads

And there will be others. Like I said, the list over at The Story Siren is very long!! If you're interested in  maybe joining in yourself, then you can check out the guidelines and sign up post or the FAQ's.