Fanged Princess Cover Reveal!

Hello all,

I hope you all are doing well. I was contacted by Elisabeth Wheatley to help reveal the cover of her new novella, Fanged Princess. So, I hope you all enjoy it, check it out, and say hi to Elizabeth!

 

Pretty gorgeous right?

Want to find out more about it? Well, here's about anything and everything you could possibly want:

The book trailer:

Goodreads (hers)

Goodreads (for the book)

Twitter

Facebook

Her blog

Thanks for letting me be a part of it, Elisabeth! <3

Guest Post by Evelyn Robinson

Hello everyone,

Today, I have a guest post from Evelyn Robinson. She contacted me about wanting to add some content to my blog, and I think what she came up with is pretty interesting. Let me know what you think below, and thank you Evelyn!


From Notes Into Novels – How To Get Your Creativity Working

Every aspiring writer dreads the inevitable bout of writer's block, but don't despair. There are ways to get your creativity flowing again, and none of them involve staring at your laptop screen and quietly weeping.

Why not give one of these tips a try?

Use technology

One of the best ways to come up with ideas is to be out and about. After all, who hasn't had a brilliant idea in the middle of queuing for coffee? However, you risk looking pretentious by pulling out a pen and paper wherever you go. Think about getting a Dictaphone so you can record a little message to yourself, or even make notes while driving. If you have an iPhone, then you don't even need to invest in new technology, there are plenty of apps to help you with taking down ideas on the move. From the basic voice recorder and notes programs that are already installed on your phone, to more advanced apps such as N+OTES. This allows you to keep different folders with different projects in, and even flip through the pages, perfect for those who are slightly scatterbrained and need to organise their ideas. If you're the kind of person that finds it easier to vocalise your ideas than to write them, software like Dragon Dictation can help. You speak into your iPhone and your words appear on screen. Perfect for those who are getting tired of typing.

Make a schedule

Unless you're a best-selling author already, you will probably have a day job and a million other commitments to think about. Unfortunately, all these activities going on in your brain tend to melt into one, leaving your creative brain sadly neglected. By scheduling time away from work, family and other distractions, you are making a serious commitment to writing, and hopefully this will encourage you to sit down and get some words out. When it comes to your scheduled time, you may not feel hugely motivated, but you should get some kind of words onto the screen. Even if it's just Freewriting, at least you've done something, and it'll warm up your brain, getting it used to writing at a certain time. See it kind of like a part-time job. Between certain hours you can't see family, do housework or go out because you're at 'work'.

Collaborate

There's nothing like talking to a fellow writer to develop some creative ideas. If you don't have a creative writers group in your local area, then just grab a lit-loving buddy and discuss your work over a few espressos. Not only can you gauge people's reactions to your ideas, but they might be able to find a new angle that you hadn't thought of before. In return, hearing about their work can be both inspiring and motivating to you. You can even make writing buddies online. Use Google Docs to upload your work, and you can both make real time changes while having an online discussion.

Get some exercise

Not just the physical kind either, although that can get your brain working too. Writing exercises are often taught in creative writing degrees, and they are simple, fun ways to kick your imagination into gear. For example, taking a random list of words and giving yourself ten minutes to write a short story about them. Yes, the results will probably be surreal, but the important thing here is to get yourself writing.

NaNoWriMo and beyond

Many writers enjoy the motivation that participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) can bring. You sign up and pledge to write 50,000 words in 30 days, the length of a short novel. With support tools and forums on the site, it can be a useful exercise, but don't feel that you need to wait for it to come around in November. All you really need to do is set yourself targets for every day, whether it's a certain word count, a couple of pages or an entire chapter. If you can get friends to join you in this challenge, then even better.

The best way to overcome writer's block is to relax. Learn the difference between being motivated and being hard on yourself. Nobody can be creative every day of their lives, so sometimes taking a break and looking through your work when you're refreshed is the best option of all.

Any Love But Mine: A Review

Hi everyone,

I've got another review for you, Any Love But Mine by Debbie Davies. It's a different kind of YA, so check the review out below, and let me know what you think!

Title: Any Love But Mine
Author: Debbie Davies
Publisher: Night Publishing
Publication Date: March 2012
Source: work given to me by author in exchange for an honest review 

Blurb (and book cover above are from Goodreads: I do not own but am using them for review purposes only) :

The gods forbade her to love, but love is a powerful force. Acacia has been created purely for Eros' pleasure but discovers within moments of being summoned into his presence that he has no interest in her whatsoever. Rejected, she is banished to Earth to serve as Eros' minion with the task of promoting the blissful state of love among all those around her, a state she must never indulge in with a human being herself on pain of immediate destruction. And then comes Josh, someone whose power of attraction over Acacia is so intense she will find it utterly impossible to resist him. But is he human? Is he a god? Or is he a trick of the gods? And what would happen should they kiss?

Genre: mythological YA romance with fated loves and Greek romance playing with the mortal world

Cover: I like this cover. It's a little blurry on here, unfortunately, but I think it' different and fits the content.

Plot: This book's plot had its highs and lows. I think if you're into Greek gods, you'll know a lot of the players, and this book may appeal to you. If you're new to that world/realm, there's a learning curve that is needed to get into the action of the book. I knew enough, but it took a while to acclimate to what was going on. You get put into the action without that much to guide you in. On the other hand, like I said, if you like the world, it has a lot to offer and a lot to enjoy.

Romantic Element: if you're looking for the slow burn romance, this isn't for you. With gods being involved and whatnot, it's hard to hold out on falling in love for very long. Yes, Acacia isn't necessarily allowed to fall in love, but like the blurb says, Josh is hard to resist...So, all in all, the romance is there and continues on beyond this series, but the struggle is against the couple, not between the couple.

Overall: This book appeals to a Greek god-like audience. If you're not into that, this isn't the book for you. But if you do, this book is the beginning of a series that could have a lot to offer. It really depends on what floats your boat, if you will.

Where to find more online:

Amazon
Goodreads
Debbie Davies Goodreads Page

So, what do you think? Sound good? Let me know below!

Torn: A Review

Hello all,

It's been many moons since my last post, but today, I have a review of the book Torn by Ashley S. Morgan.

Into Tristan and Isolde/ Romeo and Juliet-like things? Then this one may just be for you....

Picture and description from Torn website and used for review purposes only

Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her.
Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it.
Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to
the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels
like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school
is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks
like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself
noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting
her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver,
Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. He's rebellious, broody,
and wise beyond his years. He's also devastatingly gorgeous. From the moment their
eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go
horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and
unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so
familiar. As he at turns pulls her close, and then pushes her away, Isadora feels like her
heart is being twisted and torn.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away
from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing
event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside
herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?

The Genre:

This book would be a flash-forward, fated love, can they fix what's coming semi-psychic using romantic, with a little bit of theater, YA. Wow, was that confusing to you too? It's not when you read it, but I thought I'd make sure I included everything. 

The Cover:

I think this a fairly okay cover. As this is a self-published title, I can say that I've seen a lot worse, but I think overall, this cover works for the story being told.

The Plot:

This books deals with fate, love, drama, and flash forwards, and when I started reading it, part of me felt like I already knew what was to come, but in some ways, I was pleasantly surprised. Morgan could have gone stereotypical with this story, but she didn't. She took a couple of edgy steps in the futures of these two lovebirds that made the story feel more original. Isadora could seem overly dramatic in parts to some, but that didn't bother me because I saw the dramatics as being appealing to a younger reading audience. With that being said, I did say Morgan went a little edgy with drugs and uh-oh situations, so take from that what you will. (I would have liked it at 15, that I can say.)

The Romantic Element:

There was some back and forth of will they get together, will they not, but not to the level that tension-aficionados would be clamoring for. This book was more about how the future meets the present than a traditional love story plot. Tristan was cute though, and you could feel some teenage angst.

Overall:

I think this book was entertaining and worth the the $2.99 price tag. To the older YA readers (like myself), there may be predictable bits, but the slight edginess keeps you reading until the end. To the younger, more traditional YA readers, you'll like this one if it's near your age group. This book has more than enough to keep you going, and for a breezy, kind of quick read, this one won't disappoint.

Where to find it:

Amazon Kindle

Torn Website

Goodreads

So what do you all think? Up your alley? Let me know below!

Lisa M. Stasse: Author Interview

Hello all,

Today, I have another author interview for you, this time with Lisa M. Stasse. She has a YA out by Simon & Schuster called THE FORSAKEN, and it looks kind of amazing. Beneath the interview you can find links to all THE FORSAKEN goodness and more about Lisa. Enjoy (because I know I did)!

 

Lisa's Bio:

Lisa M. Stasse was born in Syracuse, New York, and has since lived in Spain, Russia,
Hawaii, and North Carolina. She graduated from Cornell University with a degree in
Government and English literature, and is currently a digital librarian at UCLA. Lisa
loves watching science fiction movies, cooking Spanish food, and dancing around
her house to 80's music (when no one is watching). She lives in Santa Monica,
California with her husband and their two-year-old daughter. All three of them are
learning how to surf.

What made you start writing?

I've always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was in high school. I always wrote short stories, and I tried several times to write a novel, but never finished one until The Forsaken. And then of course it took me a while to revise and polish it, and get it into shape. I've always loved books. My parents tease me because I used to carry a dictionary around with me as a little kid (I know, I was a total geek!)

Do you listen to music while you write? Or do you have to complete quiet? OR something in between?

I love listening to music when I write. It helps me stay energized (I also need coffee too). I'm sure my neighbors are sick of me, because I play my music pretty loud. I listen to all kinds of stuff, although my tastes drift towards Cat Power, Feist, Florence and the Machine, La Roux, Radiohead, and The Cure (among, like, a thousand other bands).

What has been your favorite moment so far since you’ve been published? (or that led up to you being published?

The best moment was when my agent called me and said that The Forsaken had sold to Simon & Schuster. I was actually walking home from the local Whole Foods at the time. I was SO excited. It felt totally surreal. Seeing my book in stores has also been really awesome. And it's been amazing to meet so many new people (both in real life and online) and make new friends.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’d give to a newbie YA writer?

I guess I have two pieces of advice. The first is to read as many great books as you can. And to read widely as well. I read 3-5 books/week, and they range from YA to thrillers, to classics, to graphic novels, to the occasional nonfiction book. You never know where inspiration will come from. The second big piece of advice is to write something everyday. It doesn't have to be fiction. It can be a blog, or in a journal, or whatever you want. But the more you write, the better you'll get at it. But some days it's hard to write, so you have to remember to keep pushing yourself forward, even if it gets tough.

If you had to choose a song to go with THE FORSAKEN, what would it be?

"Raise Your Weapon" by Deadmau5.

 

Here's the book cover for THE FORSAKEN:

 

Cool right?

The Book Trailer:

 

 

 

Linky Goodness:

Her Website 

Official Book Trailer 

Goodreads

Twitter

Forsaken FacebookPage 

Thank you for stopping by Writtled, Lisa. I loved having you, and best of luck with THE FORSAKEN!

Author Interview with Shayne Leighton

Hello all,

I'm really excited to share an author interview today with Shayne Leighton. She has a really interesting sounding series out, starting with the book Of Light and Darkness. In the interview, she gives great insight into how she writes and what works for her, so I hope you enjoy the interview and the links below!

 

1. What made you start writing?
    I started writing at the ripe, old age of seven! I figure that's about the 4th grade, right? Our teacher assigned the class a short story about what it would be like to live in a bubble. And as I wrote, the more in love with storytelling I became. My teacher returned my story to me with a sticker and "never stop writing" scrawled across the top of the page. To this day, obviously, I have never stopped!
   
2. Do you listen to music while you write? Or do you have to complete quiet? OR something in between? It really depends on which scene I'm writing and what my surroundings are. If no one is home, and I'm writing all alone, I like to turn on the music and listen to Clint Mansell and his beautiful score for the movie REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, as well as some MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, and other vampy, angsty things. But if there is a lot of ruckus around and my husband is home, or if I'm writing a battle or a high-intensity action scene, I like it silent as the grave!
   
3. What has been your favorite moment so far since you’ve been published? (or that led up to you being published) My favorite moment was probably the release day! Finally seeing my dream come to fruition and seeing my debut novel released to the public. The prospect of others reading and enjoying my story is really cool. And then when I get emails and reactions from my readers telling me how much they've fallen in love with my characters too - it's just really a cool feeling. It makes all of this worth while and makes me want to keep going.
   
4. What’s the best piece of writing advice you’d give to a newbie YA writer? My best piece of advice would be to stow that negative, little voice in your mind that tells you you can't or you shouldn't. We all get that sometimes. Suddenly, we start questioning our validity as a writer, and how good our concept or our style is. You just have to let that go, make the voice shut up, and just write. The more words you put down on paper, the greater chance there is of going back and correcting it until it is something amazing and something you are happy with. And don't let those rejection letters from agents and publishers deter you, either. Everyone has their own journey to success. You just have to keep going. If you give up, it will certainly never happen.
   
5. If you had to choose a song to go with Of Light and Darkness, what would it be? Haha, well probably the song I wrote for the film in development called OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS! :) (I've listed the link to the music video below.) But also something really unconventional that inspired the character of Charlotte. It's a folk song called "Bloodlust" and its by Lauren Shera.

  

Great cover, right?

The Book Trailer:

Where to find Shayne:

Official Website

Facebook Page
Of Light and Darkness on Amazon
 

And here's the song Shayne chose as our Song to Write by!

Thank you for being on Writtled, Shayne. I loved having you! Let me know what you all think below, and have fun reading and writing! <3

Best Speech Ever....

Hello everyone,

I have a lot of books to review, and they should be coming soon (thanks for your patience)! But in the mean time, I thought I'd share something amazing I saw, a commencement speech by Neil Gaiman. Let me know what you all think, and it's worth every second of the 19 minutes and 55 seconds to me.

Happy reading and writing, y'all!

Glittering Ashes Update

Hello all,

Just letting you know that I'm dropping the price of my ebook Glittering Ashes from $2.99 to $0.99. I already clicked to allow this to happen, so as soon as Amazon catches up to the update, it'll be $0.99. Yay? Yay! :)

Wishing you all the best of the best of the best,
Kelley

I Hunt Killers: A Review

Blurb (and photo above and below are from Goodreads. I do not own them but am using them for review purposes only):

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

Title: I Hunt Killers

Author: Barry Lyga

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: 2012

Source: Library

Genre: Psychological/Straight Up Thriller, Boy Protagonist, Son of a Psycho Killer, Contemporary YA mystery

Cover: I actually couldn’t really think of a more fitting cover for the book. Good enough, no complaints.

Plot: This book is pretty much a mystery, of the who-done-it/who-is-doing-it variety. Jazz is cute in a non-obnoxious way, and we watch him deal with the aftermath of being known as a killer’s son. What makes that more interesting is that there’s a new killer in town who reminds the town of Jazz and Jazz’s “Dear Old Dad.” Throughout, Jazz has fragmented flashbacks suited to be fleshed out in a follow-up novel. But all the while, we’re following Jazz as he follows a killer, with his girlfriend and best friend at his side. As a side note, it was interesting to see the father-son dynamics in this book as well. Jazz and his father. Jazz and G. Williams. Interesting stuff. Male bonding as well, with Jazz and his hemophiliac best friend and partner in crime, Howie. 

Romantic Element: Jazz and his girlfriend Connie are refreshing. FINALLY we have a YA with a mixed race couple without it being such a blown up deal. Jazz is white; Connie’s African American, and other then mentioning her cornrows, somewhat frequently, there isn’t that much attention drawn to it. Yay for not so forced diversity, anyone? No, there’s no slow burns or build-ups, in case you were wondering, but again, this isn’t the kind of book that would make sense with that. 

Overall: I think I liked it. It was different. It was brutal (No PG here, moms). The murders are fairly graphic and intense, though we are dealing with the aftermath of looking at crime scenes…mostly. I will say though, and this is weird, the infrequent chapters from the perspective of the killer didn’t thrill me as much as Jazz’s chapters with his “Dear Old Dad,” and I was surprised by that. But overall, yay for Lyga giving us a legitimate YA, gritty horror-ish thriller. I’m wondering why I hadn’t heard of it until I stumbled upon it. Hmmm…that situation should be rectified. 

And as a super side note, this book’s method of giving the occasional voice to the bad guy reminded me of a favorite of mine, Robert Cormier’s We All Fall Down, which pretty much blew my mind and made me cry when I first read it as a youngster. 

Okay…Now I’m done. :) 

Now to leave you with a song to write by, “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads. Because I can.

Wintergirls: A Review

Hello all,

I just finished reading Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, so here's my review....

Title: Wintergirls
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publication Date: 2009
Publisher: Viking (Penguin)
Source: Library

Blurb (and picture above are from Goodreads, and I do not own them. I am only using them for review purposes):

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the National Book Award finalist Speak, best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores one girl's chilling descent into the all-consuming vortex of anorexia.

Genre:  issue-driven contemporary (yet psychologically playful) YA

Cover: It's muddied, but I believe that's the point.

Plot: You're in Lia's head. When she's confused, you're confused. When she doesn't want to eat, you see her yell at herself, often with the words marked through to show the multifaceted life she leads. It's original. I hadn't read something that covered anorexia like this before. Is there a well-defined plot? Maybe not. It's more of an exploration of self and mind and psyche over a period of time, but with most issue driven books, the issue is supposed to be the focus, not necessarily the events.

Romantic Element: It's "there." But again, and as of lately, I haven't been looking for books that had a strong romantic element to them. Maybe my tastes are changing? I doubt that....but you didn't miss it much here. In fact, if it was there, I think it would have weakened the book considerably.

Overall: This book has been out for a while, and I have heard everyone sing its praises. I picked it up (and checked out) probably six times. Honestly. And that's not to fault the book AT ALL that it hadn't been read until now. I would check it out, let time pass, be forced to return it without opening it, regret turning it in without reading it, let time pass, and check it out again, only to have history repeat itself. So, like I said, not it's fault. I'm glad I read it. I'm always looking for something different, and this is. So, no regrets, and it has moved so many people, that it's worth a read.

So, I chose a song for you to write by that goes along with this, "Mad World" by Gary Jules. It fits.

Have you read it? Do you want to? Let me know below.

Happy reading and writing, y'all

Insurgent: A Review

Title: Insurgent

Author: Veronica Roth

Publication Date: May 2012

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books by HarperCollins

Source: Library

Blurb (and photo above) from Goodreads (both of which I do not own but am using for review purposes only): 

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Genre: 2^nd installment of Divergent series that is hugely popular. It’s YA, but when I get more specific than that, I feel like I’m giving something away…Eek. That normally doesn’t happen with me, as you all know.

Cover: I like her covers. They grab your attention, convey the book themes well, and are just eye-catching to me. I approve :)

Plot: Wow. Roller coaster, in the best way. It’s a thick book 400 pages +, but it’s worth the pages. There’s so much action stuffed in to these pages, it’s amazingly…active. My bestie texted me when she finished saying I had to read it NOW so she wouldn’t be suffering alone. Of course, she finished before I got my library copy, but when I was reading it, I texted her ranting about this scene and that scene—not that anything was bad. I just couldn’t believe all of the stuff happening. Like I said before, when I want to rant/dish/explain a book, something has gone horribly right.

Romantic Element: Sigh. I still love Four something ridiculous. The tattooed quiet type is something amazing to behold. Lol. It delivers here, in action packed, “Oh no!” ways.

Overall: It’s a good, solid series. Yes, it will leave you saying, when does that third one come out again? But that’s a good thing, right? If you haven’t read Divergent, get on it and join the rest of the reading world. We’re all talking about it and Insurgent. And yes, in case you were wondering, I’m sure it’s being made into a movie in the future, and I will have to see it for sure. 

Soooo? Have you read it? Are you going to? Let me know below so I know who I can talk to about its awesomeness, ending, and the love of all things Four…

Now, for a song to write by...I'm obsessed, and it might just work with this book. So here you go, "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye:

Anna Dressed in Blood: A Review

Title: Anna Dressed in Blood

Author: Kendare Blake

Publisher: Tor Teen

Publication Date: 2011

Source: Library

Blurb (and photo above) from Goodreads (which I do not own but am using for review purposes only):

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Genre: Paranormal, slightly romantic, ghost hunter, male POV YA

Cover: <3 works perfectly for this book. The dress, the hair, the color choices—all spot on. Doesn’t it make you want to pick it up and have a look? Worked for me.

Plot: Really original. I went into this a little leery. I get tired of paranormal quickly these days, unless it is done well and in an original fashion, and this hit both points. I also worried about it having a male POV, but Blake also handled that well with Cas. Nothing about this book is stereotypical, and that’s a breath of fresh air, let me tell you. For whatever reason, I hadn’t heard of this one, but I’m glad I picked it up. It moved well and had enough action, with a little romance thrown in.

Romantic Element: Like I said, it’s there, but it isn’t really the focus as much in the beginning. It almost is too light—or too abruptly involved, but it doesn’t quite go that far. It works, and it left room for a follow-up, as most YAs do. No real googley-eyed moments, but that wouldn’t fit in for this kind of book. I was satisfied overall with this light touch of romance.

Overall: If you were ever remotely interested in the YA ghost scene, this is one to read. It is fresh, reads cinematically, and is worth a perusal. And come on, how great is that title? I can dig it.

Now to leave you with a song to write by, “Lighthouse” by The Hush Sound, because it too involves ghosts, and I find it quite lovely. :)

Dirty Little Secrets: A Review

Title: Dirty Little Secrets

Author: C. J. Omololu

Publication Date: Feb. 2, 2010

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Source: Library

Blurb (and photo above) from Goodreads (both of which I do not own but am using for review purposes only): 

Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.

Genre: Issue driven, daughter of a hoarder, contemporary YA

Cover: A little haunting, fitting for the macabre, tragic, yet realistic subject matter

Plot: So real. It moved. You felt for her, and my biggest test for if a plot worked is seeing whether or not I want to hold someone’s ear hostage and tell them every single detail about what happened. That is what happened with this book. It’s short, not sweet, realistic, dark, and moving. The pages turned themselves as you felt for Lucy, and it wasn’t just from the problems that arise with being the daughter of a hoarder; it was about the psychological ripple effect hoarding has on those who didn’t chose to live the life. And I would say more, but I will so not be accused of giving things away! :)

Romantic Element: It was present. It helped move the plot but wasn’t the focus. It was a motivator—an added stake

Overall: This book is a short read, and that read is worth it. I like that it doesn’t sugarcoat. It doesn’t pretty anything up. You end up wanting to read it because it feels like this story could and probably has happened. It’s like a new insight into untapped content—or really a new perspective on content.

Sooo? Have you read it? Are you going to? You should. Let me know below!

And, for the song to write by, I consulted the author, C.J. led me to her soundtrack, and I chose the following: “Island in the Sun” by Weezer.  :) <3