ARC Review: Be Good Be Real Be Crazy

Be Good Be Real Be Crazy

by Chelsey Philpot

Image living in a tiny little part of your state and never knowing what was beyond your town barrier. Well in the book, Be Good Be Real Be Crazy by Chelsey Philpot, the author creates a story about three young kids that take a wild road trip across the country. One of the main characters Mia is one strange person, but also an amazing person in Homer's (another main character) eyes. Homer has a huge crush on Mia, but won't tell her. He offers to take Mia across the country so she can get out of Florida and visit her foster sister. Throughout the story these teenagers go through many different obstacles to reach their destination.

One of my favorite characters in this book would have to be Homer’s little brother, Einstein. Einstein is the joy of this book! He makes the road trip more exciting and more adventurous. Einstein loves scientific things and is a very smart individual. While they are on the road trip, Einstein gets to see one of his favorite band scientist in concert! I recommend this book to people who like adventurous books and daily teen drama. I rate this book a 4 out of 5.

Review by Kylee D.

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: October 11, 2016

Hardcover Pages: 272

Age Range: 13 Years

ARC Review: Ryan Quinn

Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape

by Ron McGee

Bam! Pow! Ryan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape by Ron McGee is an action-packed novel with secrets agents, rescue missions, and dark secrets soon to be found out. Ryan Quinn lived his whole life thinking his father was a United Nations worker. Yet after being followed by an unknown man who later on would kidnap his mother, Ryan found out his father actually is one of many on a line of Emergency  Rescue Committee, and is on the run. It's up to Ryan to find his father and the person he's saving, Myat Kaw, in five days or else his mother will be killed. Read as Ryan and his new acquaintance, Tasha, continue their action packed journey to find John Quinn and Myat Kaw in Ryan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape.

          I've been pretty busy lately, so I didn't get the time to really intricately read the novel, but I always thought the main character was so creative. Ryan Quinn always thought he lived a semi-normal life. Although he traveled a lot, he thought his parents had normal jobs and they did regular family things. But, as the book progresses, Ryan finds out that, of course, that his dad is actually a worker in the Emergency Rescue Committee, and also that all those little trips and walks were actually so he could survive on his own. For example, his parents would take him on these. “Moon Hikes”. They would go out for a hike in the dark with no lanterns or flashlights. At first it scared Ryan, but eventually he got used to it. Fast forward a few years later, Ryan is alone in the dark in the woods. He knows exactly what to do because he remembers those Moon Hikes. Ryan is very creative and discovers that his parents did that on purpose so when he would be in this situation, he would remember what to do. Not only does he use these tips, but he adds on to them and becomes successful. Not only is his mind creative, but he also shows strength and determination, which is why Ryan is my favorite character.

The author's purpose behind creating this masterpiece of a book is not only to entertain but spread knowledge and view. As a fluent reader, I thought it was a very entertaining book. It was humorous, action packed, and had a little bit of romance. I never was bored and wanted to put the book down. At first I had my doubts. It was meant for someone a year younger than me and I didn’t usually read adventure books. I usually read sci-fi or historical fiction, not just adventure and action. Yet, when I began reading it was really meant for all ages. Although it was a little easy, it wasn’t too young. It was mature and entertaining. Also, it gave lots of knowledge on culture as Ryan describes where he has lived and things he’s learned from all those places. And when he was in Andakar when he was trying to find his father, you learn about the culture there, too.

In all, I highly recommend “Ryan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape” by Ron McGee. You’ll never put the book down and it’ll leave you with a positive experience and a new knowledge for different cultures. I give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. On October 16th, hopefully you’ll be able to see this  novel because it is really worth the read.

Review by Laney J.

*Our class received an ARC of this book to read/review from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review: The Call by Peadar O'Guilin

The Call 

by Peadar O'Guilin

I flew through this book! Imagine the Hunger Games almost. Every teen has to try to survive the 3 minute call. Imagine being chased down by 2 ugly, teen-hungry, vicious, monsters ready to torture and kill you. You only have to survive one day BUT only 1/10 make it out alive. Good luck sleeping at night after you grab ahold of this book.

    The author Peadar O'Guilin created this book to give readers something different. The Call isn't your average book. It consists of many plot twist from the real world. The Call is set in an Irish world that has no communication with the rest of the world. Teenagers in Ireland are taught how to survive the call instead of algebra or how to write an essay. The Call makes readers think. It's similar to Hunger Games but its something much more! The Call not only focuses on surviving, but also every man for himself. Shockingly, The Call includes challenges a teenager will face, along with the human emotions and turmoil felt by a teenagers. Nessa is a teenager at school. She is of course learning how to survive the Sidhe (The Call). Nessa's challenge of surviving is lower because of her weakened legs. But despite her challenges nothing will stop Nessa from coming out as a survivor. Or so she believes.

    I personally highly recommend this book! It's more than hard to put down. I would rate The Call a 5 out of 5 stars. It has great qualities and just the whole plot itself is so interesting. Nothing about it was predictable, and it was almost impossible to this book down. Make this be your next read!

Review by Reece K.

Publisher: Scholastic

Published: August 30, 2016

Hardcover Pages: 320

*Our class received an ARC of this book to read and review from Scholastic, in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review of Pushing Perfect

Pushing Perfect

by Michelle Falkoff

For the most part, we are all scared of monsters. They aren’t always the big green ones with eight eyes and sharp teeth, like we see in the movies. Sometimes, the creature we are scared of is an object or an action, a person or even a word that is just so deadly, it sits in your mouth like poison and slowly takes over. Pushing Perfect by Michelle Falkoff is a perfect example. Kara has always been seen as the perfect student, teenager and friend. Between her flawless skin, her grades and her ability to make friends easily, nothing ever seemed wrong. But Kara knows the truth. She knows that her whole life changed, and so has her face, and no one can know. As the school year progresses, she learns that the secrets are building up on her, and if even one slips, it will all come down.

This book, published by Harper Teen, is set to be released on October 25, 2016 and some of Falkoff followers cannot wait. This being the first book I have read by Falkoff, I feel that I got a good idea of her writing style. I am dying to read her other novel Playlist For The Dead, and I hope the characters resemble some like Alex from Pushing Perfect. Alex is by far my favorite character and I’m sure some others can agree. Alex is a somewhat normal high school student… Or is she? At school, she may seem boring and barely pushing through, but at home, she is fun and loving and someone you would never imagine. She seems to me like a good representation of a lot of teenagers because many of us act different at school, and Falkoff seemed to understand that. I think that the author’s reason for writing this book was to entertain teens with a story about things that really happen among our age group. It seems comforting that an adult understands the temptations and struggles of being a teen.

I would give this book a five star rating, and I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a mystery with a big amount of drama and a bit of romance. This is also a book for people who have a good sense of humor and those who like suspense. Some chapters had me gasping and having my breath caught in my lungs, and the same will probably come to you!

To read more about Falkoff, check out her webpage at: http://members.authorsguild.net/mfalkoff/ . Happy reading!

Age Range: 13 Years
Publication Date: October 25, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Hardcover Pages: 352

Review by SierraS.

*Our class received an ARC of this book to read and review from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review of Saving Hamlet

Saving Hamlet

by Molly Booth

Emma Alan couldn't be more excited for sophomore year. New haircut, new life, right? Maybe this year will be the one where Brandon, her senior crush, will notice her. But as soon as she arrives at school, she's pulled aside by Brandon (her heart somersaulting) and tells her that she's been promoted to stage manager! But there are some things that come with it she didn't expect. One day, when she's staying after school, she accidentally falls into a trap door built just for her high school's production of Hamlet. But when she hits the mat, she can tell it's...different.  Well, turns out that she's traveled back 400 years in time. She soon finds that she didn't land in any old place, but Shakespeare's very own Globe! Saving Hamlet by Molly Booth includes many relatable subjects from the very jumbled minds of teenagers. Throughout finding where her heart, head, and life lies, something Emma said was, "it was it wasn't over yet." I'm sure we've all had the same thoughts in her heads when faced with failure at some point, right? The author so precisely captures something that millions of teens could relate with easily.
My favorite character was Cooke, because of how well written he was. Cooke, a twentysomething Ophelia for Shakespeare, was comical yet someone you could easily rely on. He never failed to make Emma laugh and fit in with the Shakespearian cultures. Saving Hamlet and it's wonderful way of connecting with the reader on every level really made the experience worthwhile.

  Finally, Molly Booth and her wonderful cast of characters really opened my eyes to the way people think. She taught me that you have to break out of your shell to succeed. It really stood out from any other teen fiction book on the market, from the interwoven plot lines down to the comedy. She teaches us that living outside what you normally call your comfort zone can really be worthwhile.

5/5 stars.

• Age Range: 12 - 17 years
• Grade Level: 7 - 12
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (November 1, 2016)

Thanks to Disney-Hyperion for the opportunity for review.

Review by Adrianna P.

New to Our Shelves

No Summit Out of Sight

by Jordan Romero

Review by Jack P.

For every goal that you set there must be a finish line at the end. Start setting your goal because there is a great goal that you are about to see. In the book No Summit Out Of Sight by Jordan Romero with Linda LeBlanc there are many inspirations in this great non-fiction book.

As a 9 year old boy, Jordan sets a goal to climb the seven summits of the world. When he tells his parents that he wants to do this, they say that it's okay but that it will take a lot of work. Right away, Jordan knew it was going to take hard work and training. Throughout the book, readers journey with Jordan as he experiences ups and downs.

This book is filled with inspiration and tons of determination. I absolutely loved this book and I highly recommend it to teenagers and even adults because anyone could be inspired from this book. My favorite parts were when he was climbing up the mountains. Some parts are so descriptive it feels like you are actually there with him climbing the mountain.

No Summit Out of Sight is an absolute must-read and should be on the top of everyone's to-read lists. Even if you don't usually read nonfiction, give this book a try maybe you will be inspired! I would totally give this book a rating of 5 stars. If you would like to see additional information on his climbs you can visit jordanromero.com.

New Release Review!

The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire

by Dan Howell and Phil Lester

Review by Natalie S.

The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire, is actually on fire! The book wows readers with the bright colored cover, but that’s not all that amazes! The funny stories shared in the novel also throw people for a loop.

Recently I read the book The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire by Dan Howell and Phil Lester. The book lives up to the title “Amazing”. The book shares the story of Dan and Phil and how they got to where they are today. 

It begins when they were born, where the two asked their moms what they were like as a child and include all of the answers on the first two pages. Next, Dan and Phil share their experiences going through school. They tell you about their middle school, high school, and university life, even a few pages of tacky things they’ve done as a child, like breed hamsters and ending up in a terrible dorm. There are even pages that relate to characters in some of their video sketches! Readers see Becky and Jessica's pages and Dan’s cringe attacks. 

Another clever item added to this book are the funny quizzes. These quizzes include one about which one of their household chairs you would be and your very own guide to becoming a Youtuber!

More wacky events are shared throughout the whole book, it’s like you go on the journey with Dan and Phil! You journey from childhood, through university life, to starting their youtube channels with them!

If you aspire to be a Youtuber or just want a good laugh, I highly recommend this amazing book. Youtubers danisnotonfire and amazingphil made a masterpiece of crazy moments into a 200 page book. The amazing book is always on fire!  

New to Our Shelves Review

 Belles by Jen Calonita

Put yourself in the position of a teenage girl who is just like your ordinary teen. Life is good, you’re meeting your close friends at the typical Friday hangout and having to explain to your parent or guardian why you were home past your curfew. The only concerns you may face is the homework that was due last Tuesday or if the special someone you like feels the same way. Well, for Izzie Scott, life is quite different. Author Jen Calonita brings you Belles, a novel you truly don’t want to miss.

Belles is a realistic fiction novel that shares a story about a girl named Isabelle  “Izzie” Scott, that experiences a drastic change in her life. Growing up, Izzie lived with her grandmother in the not so nice part of South Carolina: Harborside. Gradually, Izzie sees her grandmother is starting to lose her battle to Alzheimer's Disease and a surprising visit comes from her social worker announcing that her grandmother is giving her custody to her long lost uncle who lives in Emerald Cove. It’s all in the name, Emerald Cove is the elite town of South Carolina, where the wealthiest of the wealthiest live. Izzie has never once heard of her Uncle and his family, so when she first moves in with them her whole life begins to change.

On the flip side of things, Mira Monroe is Izzie’s long lost uncle’s daughter. Having some girl she never heard about become her adopted sister is quite a change. Lots of responsibility is held upon her to introduce Izzie to the new privileged private school and show her through Emerald Cove. As easy as it may seem, drama stirs up and the book begins.

One key thing that really kept me reading Belles, was the main message of the story. It really showed me to always be there for my family and to never change myself for someone or something else. Izzie is one of the characters really resembles the theme. With all that is thrown upon her, she really handles everything really well, that any ordinary person couldn’t. It really gives personal motivation for yourself.

Besides all that, Jen Calonita really brings humor throughout the book. From the family struggles that are totally relatable to the funny remarks of Mira’s little brother, you can’t prevent a smile to appear on your face. This book is more directed towards readers through grades 7th grade and up. If you really enjoy a feel good,coming of age story, you can’t miss Belles by Jen Calonita.

Susan Dennard Skype Chat

After reading the Something Strange and Deadly series, chatting with Susan Dennard was an exciting experience! Our Academic 2 ELA class talked to Susan on November 12, 2015, during the month of NaNoWriMo, and she gave us some helpful tips for our writing. After asking what inspired her books, Susan said that music inspired her writing and some of her characters. Other words of advice included ways to conquer writer's block, and how to kill off a character. Her advice helped me write, and helped others as well. I decided to use the music advice because I am a music lover myself. Definitely listening to different genres and artists help you find ideas because of lyrics and sound.

Talking to an author also inspired me to write more. It showed me that someone could be successful with the career and made me want to maybe head down that path in the future.

Susan Dennard is the author of a best-selling book, so chatting with her is everyone's dream! Talking to the bestselling author was the experience of a lifetime because not a lot of people get to experience something like that.  I would like to thank Susan Dennard and Mrs. Kelly for giving our class such an amazing experience!  

By: Natalie S.

Erin Bowman Skype

“Revise,Revise.Polish,Polish,” is just one of the many writing tips author Erin Bowman shared with Woodstown Middle School students. On Friday, January 8th, Woodstown Middle students held a skype session with author  Erin Bowman. Erin Bowman is the author of the Taken series and Vengeance Road. Both books are fairly different with one leading you back into the “Wild West” and the other giving you a dystopian vibe. Just as a young girl, Erin always loved to read or write. Having her mother as a librarian, she always got a head start on new books and had a wide variety for a choice selection.  Her biggest influence as a writer is the Harry Potter Series. Just like Hogwarts, Erin wanted to be able to create a world where readers wanted to live in through her writing. Not only that, “Inspiration comes from many things,” she said. A tiny voice in her head about an 18 year old boy, sparked the idea of the Taken series. It just goes to show, that amazing stories can be created through the simplest ways. Along with that some of Erin’s favorite books include the Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly.

During the skype session we asked many questions and one happened to be, “If you could be one of the characters you created, who would you want to be?” Out of all the character’s Erin created, she would want to be Kate from Vengeance Road. Kate is a very strong-willed girl, who doesn’t struggle with confrontation or let anyone hold her back. Erin really admires her traits and hopes to let them have an impact on herself. Speaking of characters, Erin currently is working on two different books. One is a companion novel to Vengeance Road, which takes place in the west but has a completely different story. Then she started working on a sci-fi novel about a mission that goes terribly wrong! One thing I found interesting was that Erin really is amazing at writing different types of genres. Not all her books are the same. Lastly as Erin advises, pick up a fresh notebook, brainstorm ideas, and then move to a computer to begin creating a story of your own.  

By Julia L.

Welcome! Today we’re celebrating the release of BRAZEN by Christina Farley! We are SO excited to have Christina here with us to share the TOP 5 PLACES TO VISIT BASED ON BRAZEN AND we also have a GIVEAWAY! BRAZEN is the third and final book in the Gilded series about a sixteen-year old girl who must use her martial art skills and wits to save her family, friends, and country from an evil Korean god.

To learn more about this series, visit the Gilded Series website.

Be sure to pick up the letter for this stop at the end of this post to earn extra points in the Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon gift card giveaway! Collect all the letters during the blog tour to spell out the secret message to earn more points.

About the Book:

Find it: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Indie

Top 5 Places to Visit Based on BRAZEN:

1. Excavation Site of the Terracotta Army

The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (210–209 BC), created an army of soldiers to protect his tomb and him in his afterlife. These soldiers are life-sized and the amazing feature about them is that every solider is different. Archeologists believe that perhaps these soldiers were based off of real soldiers in the emperor’s army.

Theses sculptures were buried not far from the emperor’s tomb (about a mile) and have recently been excavated after a farmer discovered some clay shards in his field. I got to go visit these warriors and it was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had.

2. The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang

Photos curtesy of China.org

Like the ancient Egyptians, China’s first emperor built a massive square pyramid-shaped tomb. It’s located at the base of Mt. Li and was buried under a mouth of earth to keep it hidden.

There have been no excavations of the tomb as of yet, but visitors may walk up the long stairs to the top for a great view or to experience a Chinese performance.

Even though no one has been inside the hidden palace since it was built thousands of years ago, it’s believed to be riddled with booby traps and mercury rivers that will poison those who enter the sacred corridors.

3. City of Xian

This ancient city is a fascinating place to visit. We stayed at the Shangri-La (the very same hotel in the book) and were able to take a day to tour the area. One of the prominent features of this city is the bell tower, which once climbed offers an amazing view of the city.

4. Blue House

This is the living quarters of the President of Korea. I had the privilege of taking my students here on a field trip (see pic above). The building was constructed in 1991 and though it is a modern building, it reflects Korea’s beautiful cultural architecture and history. It’s located on the historical royal gardens of the Joseon Dynasty and within walking distance of Gyeongbok Palace. Check the website here.

5. Seoraksan Mountains

This is one of my favorite places to hike in Korea, not only for its stunning majestic peaks but also because of the rigor and feeling that you have left the modern world behind. There are temples, fortresses, caves, waterfalls, and beautiful views scattered all around the park. I knew that the climax to the Gilded series had to be held in this national park because in many ways it’s the epitome of Korea. The climbs are quite rigorous, but so fun. Though I was five months pregnant, I am proud to say I conquered Ulsan Bawi Rock and I've got pics to prove it!

About the Author:

CHRISTINA FARLEY is the author of the Gilded series, a YA contemporary fantasy series set in Korea. GILDED was nominated for Korea's 2014 Morning Calm, Ohio's 2015 Buckeye award, and the Tome’s It List. As a child, she loved to explore, which later inspired her to jump on a plane and travel the world. Christina's adventures sparked her to write stories, infusing the real world with fantasy. Currently she writes from home in Clermont, FL with her husband and two sons—that is until the travel itch whisks her off to a new unknown.

Find Christina Here:

Website

Twitter

YouTube

Facebook

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Goodreads

Instagram

BE SURE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BELOW!!!

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To celebrate the release of BRAZEN, Christina is giving away a Kindle Fire (US only) and a $50 Amazon gift card (international). 
The letter for this stop is ..... 

Collect all the letters from the blog tour to earn more points!

Where will Christina be tomorrow?? Click here for more blog tour information!