5 Copy GIVEAWAY! Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

In celebration of Suite Scarlett's paperback release (today!), we are giving away 5 paperback copies of Suite Scarlett. (Isn't the new cover adorable?!)

What others have said:

"I can't wait until my room at the Hopewell is ready." - Meg Cabot

"This book is made of funny and smart and whimsical deliciousness (really, lick a page and taste for yourself)" - Libba Bray

"I couldn't put it down." - Michele Jaffe

"I loved it!" - E. Lockhart

"An utterly winning, madcap Manhattan farce, crafted with a winking, urbane narrative and tight, wry dialogue." - ALA Booklist, starred review.

Synopsis:
Her new summer job comes with baggage

Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City, and Scarlett lives there with her four siblings - Spencer, Lola, and Marlene.

When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest called Mrs. Amberson.

Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.

Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deceptions. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.

About the author:
Maureen Johnson is one of my all-time favorite authors. The first Maureen Johnson I read was The Key to the Golden Firebird. A book as moving as that leaves a lasting impression. My favorite of all her works (so far) is Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes.

Maureen's blog is so much fun and definitely one of my favorites, so don't miss that. Or, if you'd like to check out her website, stop by here.

Want to learn a bit more about Maureen and Scarlett? Check out this video here.

And last but not least, a direct link to Amazon here if you'd like to puchase Suite Scarlett right now.

The Rules:
Enter by leaving a comment below including your email address. Five (5) winners will receive a copy of Suite Scarlett! If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address below, feel free to shoot me an email at not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com instead with the subject "Suite Contest". This is a contest for US only.

Extra Entries:
+1 Leave a comment on the NSCG review of Suite Scarlett
+1 Visit Maureen's website or blog and tell me about one thing you learned there about Maureen or her books in your comment (do your best not to use a fact already mentioned in a previous comment)
+1 If you become a NSCG follower
+2 If you were a follower before June 22nd
+4 If you link to this contest in a post, sidebar, etc (a link to this must be left in your comment)

Make sure to leave all extra entries specifics in your comment/email.

This contest closes one month from today (July 20). The winners will be announced and contacted soon after.

NOTE: Only one comment per entrant, please. If you need to post a second comment, etc. because of an error/change, make sure to delete your previous comment(s).

One Lonely Degree by C. K. Kelly Martin (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Finn has always felt out of place, but suddenly her world is unraveling. It all started with The Party. And Adam Porter. And the night in September that changed everything. The only person who knows about that night is Audrey—Finn's best friend, her witness to everything and the only person (under thirty) Finn trusts implicitly. So when Finn's childhood friend Jersy moves back into town—reckless, beautiful boy Jersy, all lips and eyes and hair so soft you'd want to dip your fingers into it if you weren't careful—Finn gives her blessing for Audrey to date him. After all, how could she possibly say no to Audrey?

With Audrey gone for the summer, though, Finn finds herself spending more and more time with Jersy, and for the first time since September, for the first time in her life maybe, something feels right—absolutely, stunningly right. But Finn can't be the girl who does this to her best friend...can she?

Review:
One of the first things I must note about C. K. Kelly Martin’s One Lonely Degree is that the whole concept of Finn stealing her best friend’s boyfriend is WRONG. However, it is also the most admirable thing to take into consideration. As a reader, I couldn’t help but take Finn’s side, despite the wrong-ness, and hope that she and Jersy eventually do end up together. Not only is it easy to identify with the narrator, but it is also very easy to sympathize. Her whole world is crumbling around her, and the only comfort she has is the love of her best (and only) friend’s boyfriend.

Despite the novel’s emotional control over the reader, there were many things that, as a picky reader, I was annoyed about. For about 150 pages I, for the life of me, had no idea what “HMV” (what I later found out is the title of the music store in the mall) was. It was probably just an error of an unobservant reader, however it must be noted that something so small distracted me from the actual plot. That is not to say that the book was boring, but that I expected what was happening next. Having read the back of the book, I knew that Finn would eventually fall for Jersy and vice versa, but what I did not know is how long that would take. The only thing the synopsis left for the reader to discover is what happens after they fall for each other. But, because it isn’t until the end that they do eventually betray Audrey, there is little information and plot that the reader is surprised about.

Even with my over-analyzation of the plot’s format, what was left for the reader to discover was very interesting and an enjoyable read. One Lonely Degree shows the reader that even though the world as you know it can completely change, it’s still possible to find happiness, even if it seems as though happiness is impossible.

I had a difficult choice between two songs to describe C. K. Kelly Martin’s One Lonely Degree. Although I made my decision, there is a quote from the song that didn’t make the cut. “Oh, instincts are misleading; you shouldn’t think what you’re feeling.” As much as Death Cab For Cutie’s line from “Lightness” captures the plot of the novel, the winner, “Run” by Snow Patrol (one of my all-time favorite songs!), I feel suits the feel of One Lonely Degree better.

Despite the negativity of the majority of my review, I truly did enjoy reading One Lonely Degree, and I can’t wait to read more from C. K. Kelly Martin. I hoped you enjoyed my review and that you get the chance to read One Lonely Degree.


Sincerely,
Karilee




One Lonely Degree by C. K. Kelly Martin can be purchased HERE.

Uninvited by Justine Musk (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:

Kelly Ruland's world fell apart when her brother Jasper walked away the sole survivor of a car accident...and kept walking right out of town. She doesn't want to believe that Jasper was at fault - but then why did he run away? How could he abandon Kelly and her parents? Now, former star student and athlete Kelly struggles to care about anything anymore, sleepwalking through school and experimenting with dangerous behavior as she tries to fill the void inside her.

Then one night, Jaspers returns...but he's not alone. Someone has followed him home. Someone who hides in the space behind the truth, who hovers in the shadows between the known and the unknown. His name is Archie, and he is the stranger they never asked to know, the guest they never invited. And he's about to challenge Kelly and Jasper to a game that demands a price they may not be willing to pay...

Review:
I must confess that I cracked the spine of Justine Musk’s Uninvited with a GREAT deal of skepticism. The sci-fi feeling of the synopsis in addition to the “MTV Books” label both led me to believe that no matter how it turned out, it just wasn’t going to be something I’d read on my own. But, to my pleasure and surprise, Uninvited quickly contradicted my initial assumptions. It was unbelievably captivating and I found myself incapable of putting it down. The plot, the characters, and the setting were all fully developed and as a reader it was easy to visualize the novel, even in the parts that were sci-fi-ish.

It is very easy for a mystery novel to have many unsolved mysteries at the start that remain unsolved, even when the book comes to a close. Uninvited, however, pieced together every question posed earlier in the novel while still maintaining an original resolution that the reader could never predict.

Unlike previous novels I’ve had the joy of reviewing, there was nothing that was absolutely, positively, and obnoxiously wrong with it. There were some parts that dragged on for a bit, but were promptly followed by edge-of-your-seat parts. If there was one thing I had to find wrong with it, it would definitely be the resolution of the main character, Kelly’s, love life. However, for the sake of not giving anything away and not over-analyzing a miniscule aspect of the novel, I will not get into that.

All in all, I was thoroughly impressed, and, as always, I look forward to reading more from Justine Musk, and maybe more from “MTV Books.” I highly recommend Uninvited to anyone who loves a captivating mystery.

The song for Justine Musk’s Uninvited is “For Real” by Okkervil River.
Although lyrically it doesn’t necessarily fit Uninvited, I feel as if the tone and feel of it can easily be associated with the novel.

I hope you found my review helpful and that you decide to read Justine Musk’s Uninvited.

Sincerely,
Karilee

Uninvited by Justine Musk can be purchased HERE.

What Happens Here by Tara Altebrando (review by Liesel)

What happens when bffs cannot actually remain best friends, forever?


Tara Altebrando, in my opinion a highly underrated author, examines the complex double-standards set in all teenage friendships and the complex emotions of loss and despair in What Happens Here. Chloe and Lindsay had been the best of friends – they did everything together, and their lives were intertwined. They planned to travel the world and buy condos in several locations and complete their lives in happiness. When Chloe gets the opportunity of the lifetime to travel to Europe, she gets into a fight with Lindsay but sends her postcards from everywhere she goes, and finds a little romance of her own. Little did she know what would be awaiting her when she got home…


WARNING: Spoilers ahead!!!






Lindsay dies in a tragic murder, and Chloe wants to discover everything that happened that night; she feels guilty that she was not there when she was in Europe, and she finds herself clinging to her on/off crush on Lindsay’s brother Noah. More guilt is exposed as she believes that Lindsay would not approve of this liking, yet both of them work together to move past their terrible loss.






End of Spoilers


Similar to Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever, this book examines the guilt associated with loss, and the idea of embracing imperfection when certain things can no longer be. That book is one of my favorites, and this one comes very close to that level. I feel that anyone looking for a compelling, emotional read should definitely check this one out!


xoxo, Liesel




Purchase What Happens Here via Amazon.

Sprout Review

Sprout by Dale Peck is the story of Daniel Bradford, a gay teenager who is nicknamed Sprout because he dyes his hair green. When Sprout’s mother dies, his grieving father decides to leave Long Island and take Sprout with him to Kansas. They buy a small trailer, and Sprout’s father drinks all day and starts collecting stumps, having no intention of getting a job. Sprout enters school and feels like an outsider until he meets Ruthie, a confident, outgoing girl determined to get what she wants and maybe help Sprout out too. Sprout, with Ruthie’s help, soon begins to dye his hair green, allowing him to stand out even more at school. Sprout’s writing abilities get him approached by Mrs. Miller, an English teacher inclined to drink a little too much who helps him develop his writing and encourages him to enter an essay writing contest. Two guys enter Sprout’s life, one who he only feels lust for, and the other who shows Sprout true love. Through all of this, Sprout struggles with who he really is and eventually learns more about himself.

This novel is so unique and well-written. The characters are all so realistic and well-developed, especially Sprout. The way he thinks and writes is very mature, yet believable and often funny at the same time. I like how the story revolves around his relationships with others and his struggle to understand himself, not his desire to come out as gay and be accepted (most people already know that he is gay, including his father and Mrs. Miller, and don’t really make a big deal out of it). Sprout’s unique voice always comes through, entertaining the reader and making the story more poignant. The other characters add to Sprout’s story and help him understand himself, even when they betray him (or he betrays them!). The ending was unexpected and a little unsatisfying, but it seemed to fit with the book. Sprout is definitely one of the most well-written and interesting novels I have read this year, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt, but also humorous, story.

~Angela

P.S. You can buy Sprout here.

Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:

It is a longing and search for love that motivates three girls living in the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage renowned for its extraordinary musical program. But for Rosalba, Anetta, and Luisa, the love they seek is not where they expect to find it. Set in the early 1700s in the heart of Venice, this remarkable novel deftly weaves the history of Antonio Vivaldi’s early musical career into the lives of three young women who excel in voice and instrument. Under the composer’s tutelage and care, the orphans find expression, sustenance, and passion. But can the sheltered life of the orphanage prepare them for the unthinkable dangers outside its walls?

Review:

Although Hidden Voices is somewhat boring at the start, as the novel progresses it becomes very consuming. Each chapter is narrated by one of three main characters. At first, they are very indistinct, and I easily found myself doubling back to see who was narrating. However, as the reader learns more and more about the thoughts, actions, and lives of the three musicians their differences become apparent.

One of the most captivating aspects of the plot is how geographical separation is eventually the very thing that brings them all closer together. Annoyance, foolishness, and jealousy all turn into the true love and nurturing of undying friendships (and yes I know how cheesy that sounds, but it was all quite moving). Although the eventual outcomes are not ideal and “they-all-lived-happily-ever-after,” they are comforting in the sense that they are realistic, despite the fact that they are bittersweet.

Moving on to the critical portion of the review, there really isn’t much to be said. The slow start may turn off a wide variety of readers who lack the patience to read through the slow parts of Hidden Voices, but eventually the plot is captivating, thus making up for the semi-boring start. Another aspect of Hidden Voices to take into consideration is the musical jargon. Having been a dedicated musician for most of my life, it was easy for me to pick up on the instruments, voices, styles of pieces, and Italian words dealing with music. However, it would be fair to say that many would probably get lost in pages of words and phrases about the music of which they know nothing. So, in can simply be put that this book is well-suited for musicians just as there are girly books for girls and boyish books for boys.

To any musician, especially those who love the works of Vivaldi, I whole-heartedly recommend reading Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins. And to people who know little of music, I still suggest trying to read it for the life-lessons it contains. I thoroughly enjoyed Collins’ style and use of language and I am looking forward to reading some of her other works.

As is my tradition I have chosen a song that I love and that I feel fits the attitude and plot of Hidden Voices. However, before revealing it, I must say that I had a very difficult time actually picking. I was torn between picking a song for each of the characters or avoiding excess and only choosing one; torn between being utterly cheesy and picking a piece by Vivaldi or “keepin-it-real” and finding a modern song with heart-felt lyrics. Eventually I went with the latter of both debates, deciding upon “All Will Be Well” by the Gabe Dixon Band.
I hope you enjoyed the review and that you get a chance to read Pat Lowry Collins’ Hidden Voices.

Sincerely,
Karilee

Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins can be purchased HERE.

A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell (review by Bella Aire)

Summary (provided by Amazon):
Cora Bradley dreams of escape. Ever since her reckless older brother, Nate, died in a car crash, Cora has felt suffocated by her small town and high school. She seeks solace in drawing beautiful maps, envisioning herself in exotic locales. When Cora begins to fall for Damian, the handsome, brooding boy who was in the car with Nate the night he died, she uncovers her brother's secret artistic life and realizes she had more in common with him than she ever imagined. With stunning lyricism, Sandell weaves a tale of one girl's journey through the redemptive powers of art, friendship, and love.

They say no land remains to be discovered, no continent is left unexplored. But the whole world is out there, waiting, just waiting for me. I want to do things-I want to walk the rain-soaked streets of London, and drink mint tea in Casablanca. I want to wander the wastelands of the Gobi desert and see a yak. I think my life's ambition is to see a yak. I want to bargain for trinkets in an Arab market in some distant, dusty land. There's so much. But, most of all, I want to do things that will mean something.

-- From A MAP OF THE KNOWN WORLD.

NSCG Review:

Full of lyrical phasing, vivid memories, and honest feeling, A Map of the Known World is a beautifully written YA novel. Readers will be moved by the story of Cora dealing with the loss of her older brother, Nate. Her attempts to understand her brother and the rift that had grown between them before his death shows her struggle. Cora no longer seems to fit in the world she used to live in, and instead of turning to her old friends or family, she makes a connection with the most unlikely- or perhaps most likely- of people.

Damian, Nate’s rebellious best friend, survived the crash that Nate did not. Cora and Damian’s relationship does not start smooth due to the fact that Cora, following in her parents’ footsteps, blames Damian for being a “bad influence”. However, soon the two form an unusual bond through art. But will memories of Nate tear the bond apart…or make it stronger?

The strongest part of the novel is Cora’s recollections of her brother. Lisa Ann Sandell really deserves some praise for making them incredibly touching and heartfelt and just…beautiful. The only real problem I had with this novel was with the angry scenes. For some reason, the flow of the writing weakened and the writing became stilted during shouting matches, etc. However, this didn’t prove a large enough hitch to distract from the novel’s focus.

Did I like it better than Song of the Sparrow (a favorite of mine and one of Sandell’s earlier works)? I can’t say for certain. It would be like comparing apples and oranges. World is very different from Sparrow in writing style, mood, and many other ways. The one constant seems to be Sandell’s lyricism. Both were wonderful, so I’d suggest reading both.

-Bella Aire

A Map of the Known World can be purchased here.

Visit the author at her website.

Lisa Ann Sandell is also a Geek Fest author! Check out her guest blog for the event here.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (Reviewed by Angela)

Summary (from Amazon): "Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it." "Okay." "Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?" "Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?" According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago. Review: This touching, sweet book is one of the best I’ve read this year. All of the characters are very believable, complex, and well-developed. Anna, the main character, is compassionate and kind, but she can’t get over Matt’s death and continues to write to him in her journal. She can’t talk to her best friend, Frankie, about it, because she is scared what Frankie will do when she learns her best friend secretly dated her brother, who is now dead. Frankie has dealt with her brother’s death in a different way, becoming a social butterfly and devoting herself to makeup, clothes, and boys. Frankie’s parents refuse to talk about Matt and continue to pretend that everything is okay in their household. When they all go on a summer vacation to California, everything about Matt’s death will have to be resolved, especially if Anna and Frankie want to stay friends, come to terms with their grief, and accept Matt’s death. This poignant, beautifully written story about grief and friendship is definitely a must-read this summer. -Angela Purchase Twenty Boy Summer, released today, here.