Marian’s Christmas Wish Blog Tour

15 Nov, 2011 by in author interview, marians christmas wish Leave a comment

Marian’s Christmas Wish
by Carla Kelly
Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages
Published September 8th 2011
by Cedar Fort, Inc.
ISBN 1599559536

Miss Marian Wynswich is an unconventional young lady. She plays chess, reads Greek, and is as educated as any young man. And she is certain falling in love is a ridiculous endeavor and vows never to do such a thing. But everything changes when she receives a Christmas visit from someone unexpected— a young and handsome English lord.
Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the Cedar Fort blog tour for Marian’s Christmas Wish. We have an exclusive author interview with Carla Kelly. Thanks so much for joining us Carla!

When did you publish your first work and how many books gave you written? My first pubished book was Daughter of Fortune, set in 1680 colony of New Mexico. Incidentally, I’ve just signed a contract for it to be published as an e-book and paperback on demand. I have written 24 novels, plus two non-fiction historical works, plus any number of short stories for Signet and Harlequin. Plus in June there will be another Harlequin Historical, this one beginning in 1815 in and near Dartmoor Prison. And Enduring Light will be out in January. SO maybe that’s 26. Picked up a couple of Rita Awards for Best Regency of the Year. Big ol honker statues.

Any in the works now? Yep. I’m writing a third book for Harlequin in my current 3-book contract, plus a fun little novel set in Chama Valley, NM in 1725, which I’m hoping to turn into a series. Then in January, I’ll start my Scofield Mine Disaster story.

What would be your Christmas Wish? O gee, whirled peas. Family around, some Christmas carols, and more tenors and basses in my ward choir, which I direct.

Tell us a little about the book and your main characters. It’s Devonshire in 1814. The interesting, eccentric Wynswich family is facing ruin and the loss of the family estate, thanks to Dad’s mismanagement. In order to avoid the above, one of the two daughters has to marry well, and marry soon. Ariadne, the older, already is pining over the poor-as-a-church-mouse vicar. Marian, the younger, is a smart young lady who has looked around and decided that she’s too sensible to get married. Ever. Enter Gilbert Collinwood, Lord Ingraham, a marquis with diplomacy on his mind. He meets Marian and wants to change her mind about marriage. He’s hauling around some heavy baggage that puts the issue in serious doubt. Two people in the novel, Marian and her brother Alistair, have to grow up, and as Duke of Wellington said of Waterloo, “It is a near-run thing.”

What has been your most rewarding part of being an author? Readers, and the pleasure of creating little worlds that really matter, while someone is involved in reading. I also like padding down the hall in my sweats, hair combing and shoes optional, and getting to work.

Do you have any writing rituals, music or snacks that help? No rituals. I put my happy a** in the chair and leave it there until I’ve written enough for the day. I do have a lovely photo of a 1948 trail drive of the Two Dot Ranch in Sunlight Basin near Cody, Wyoming, where my dad was raised. I look at it a lot, because I like cowboys and know a few. I’m LDS, but I have a wonderful little retablo of St. Francis de Sales hanging over my printer that makes me smile. He’s the patron saint of writers, journalists and editors. Yo, St. Francis.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why? I’ve been to home ground in lowland Scotland, and enjoyed London and Plymouth. I’ll be heading back to the Chama Valley this spring, and then Bonanza, Colorado, settings for two books to come, when I get a moment. That’s where I want to be. Back in Taos and Santa Fe, too. Writing is a bit like painting. I need to see where stories take place, when possible.

What advice would you have to aspiring writers? Take your happy a** and put it in that chair. Avoid too many writing/critique groups and blogs. Writing takes time and discipline and that stuff is way too time-consuming and distracting. It is a solitary profession. Also, avoid self-publishing. If you’ve sent it to numerous publishers and been turned down, it’s time to take another look at the book and see what you can improve. Seriously.

About The Author: A newcomer to Cedar Fort, Inc., Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America.

Recently, she’s been writing regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.

Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.

Following the ?dumb luck? principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.

And why is she so happy these days? Carla looks forward to writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.

Learn more: Blog Tour Schedule /Author Blog /Author Facebook/ Book Poster page /Publisher Blog

Book Review- Bah, Humbug

12 Nov, 2011 by in word garden press 2 comments

Bah, Humbug!
A Romantic Comedy Christmas Novella
by Heather Horrocks
Kindle Edition
Published September 9th 2011
by Word Garden Press
ASIN B005ME39HU
4 stars

Lexi Anderson is an up-and-coming, Martha Stewart-type TV hostess whose two kids love the Jared Strong adventure novels, which happen to be written by their new neighbor, Kyle Miller. For the first time in his writing career, Kyle has writer’s block–until he sees the snowman on his lawn and realizes it’s the perfect solution to his plot problem. He digs in and discovers two things: one, his villain’s weapon will fit inside a snowman’s body, and two, this particular snowman was supposed to be the backdrop for Lexi’s next show. From this improbable beginning comes friendship, but can there be a happy ending for a woman who is afraid to get close again and a man who has shadows from his childhood? Families join together and hearts are healed as this couple goes walking in a winter wonderland.

Every year around Christmas I get a hankering to start reading fun, light seasonal romances and Bah, Humbug is just that! I downloaded it online for only 99 cents and began reading under my fuzzy blanket with a mug of hot chocolate. Within the first couple of pages I was already feeling pulled onto the small Christmas Street where Lexi, a home design show host and Kyle, a NYT bestselling author end up next to each other as neighbors. Kyle is experiencing a bit of writer’s block and working under a tight deadline for the next book in his series. So when he sees a newly built snowman ion his property line he works it into the plot and begins disassembling the piece head first. Lexi doesn’t appreciate the psycho snow man killer who has ruined her winter wonderland scene for filing the next day and so the two meet for the first time.

You’re sure to enjoy this clean, light novella that talks about healing from loss and fresh new beginnings. Things move a little too quickly for me there at the end, but it is set in Utah and if you’ve ever lived there you know anything can happen between two love birds in a week! I loved Bah, Humbug and would recommend it to anyone. Heather Horrocks has a way with words that I first tasted with her book How To Stuff a Wild Zucchini. To learn more visit her site at http://heatherhorrocks.weebly.com/


About Heather: I’m an author who had a somewhat unorthodox upbringing. I was raised in South America and the Middle East, and wrote my first stories as a teenager in Kuwait, where my sister and I proved it really is hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. I wrote my first novel in three months on a typewriter when I was 21, I used every romance cliché possible (including amnesia — need I say more?), and never rewrote anything, which is why it’s so much fun to pull it out occasionally when I need a good laugh. I wrote sporadically until my youngest child (who is now 18) was two, when I decided it was time to either actually start writing, or to stop saying I was a writer. So I took a class and started doing the scary things that writing requires. Now I’ve written about twelve novels and several children’s books

Books For Trade or Sale

11 Nov, 2011 by in Uncategorized 2 comments

It’s time for a book clean up! My awesome husband put together this 6×6 bookshelf last night, so I cleaned out my other one to make room. I have lots of duplicate titles I’ve bought over the years up for grabs- as well as ARCs for book bloggers. I’d love to trade YA titles or if have a book off of my wish list let’s swap. No books to trade, no worries. I’m selling the paperbacks and hardbacks and sending the ARCS for the price of shipping + the padded envelope.
Most of these are like new, a few have some minor shelf wear or have been read once. I will only will ship to US mailing addresses via USPS media mail. Please fill out this form if interested. Once I email back to confirm, payment must be made to heatoddgardner(at)yahoo(dot)com via paypal before books will be shipped. There is a space on the form for questions and comments. Thanks!
As books are claimed I’ll mark them in red ink.

ARCs- FREE for trade or $2.50 for cost of shipping & 1.50 one time for envelope
Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley
Fury by Elizabeth Miles
Mercy by Rebecca Lim
Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
Torment by Lauren Kate
The Radley’s by Matt Haig
Populazzi by Elisa Allen
13 Curses by Michelle Harrison
The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
Drought by Pam Bachorz
Throat by R.A. Nelson
Dog Days by Dave Ihenfeld
Shelter by Harlan Coban- 2 copies
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
A Young Man’s Guide to Late Capitalism-by Peter Mountford
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
The Game of Triumphs by Laura Powell
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Eve by Anna Carey
Reign of Madness by Lynn Cullen
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
I’d Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman

Paperbacks-Free for trade or $3.00 + 2.50 shipping
Hanging By The Thread by Donald J Anderson
Sea Change by Aimee Friedman
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard- 2 copies
Unbelievable by Sara Shepard- 2 copies
Stay With Me by Freymann Weyr
The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Twisted by Gena Showalter
Maximum Ride Fang by James Patterson
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
Drums Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan SonnenBlick
Einstein’s Trunk by James Haberkorn
Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Hardbacks-Free for trade or $5.00 + 2.50 shipping
All You Desire The Eternal Ones #2 by Kerstin Miller
Farworld Land Keep by J. Scott Savage
Farworld Water Keep by J. Scott Savage
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Photography Friday- Recent Etsy Treasuries

11 Nov, 2011 by in etsy, Heather Gardner Photography, photography Leave a comment

It’s been a long while since I’ve done a Photography Friday post so I thought I’d list some of the treasuries I’ve been included in during the month of November. Thanks so much to the Etsy sellers who chose my prints. Click on over and comment on the links below the photos to show your support to them. And thanks to all of you who have bought handmade items in my shops!


Snow Angels, Cold Song and Staggered Faith

All photos are copyright Heather Zahn Gardner. Please do not copy, steal, print or reproduce without written consent. Visit my site for more information on these or any other prints.

We Have Winners

10 Nov, 2011 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Congratulations to Margaret Rainwater who won a copy of Horses Never Lie
who Anne Friday who won an ARC of Slayers
who TV and Book Addict won an ARC of Scorpio Races and Lyan Mora who won a hardback and custom made bracelet
and to Brenda Jean who won Not My Type.

Please email us to confirm your mailing address!

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Hope’s Journey Blog Tour & Giveaway

09 Nov, 2011 by in stephanie worlton Leave a comment

Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the official blog tour for Hope’s Journey


Hope’s Journeyby Stephanie Worlton
Paperback, 288 pages
Published July 14th 2011
by Bonneville
ISBN 1599555069
Book Source: author
5 stars

Sydney is a straight-A student heading to college on a scholarship, and Alex is a quiet jock preparing to serve an LDS mission. But their dreams are shattered on the eve of their high school graduation when they find out that Sydney is pregnant. Separated, they must both trust in God as they search for the worth they once found in each other.

Hope’s Journey is a book that will leave a lasting impression in your mind and heart long after you are done reading. For me it was sad in the beginning because it was easily what could and does happen to so many youth. As the story progressed I could literally feel the heart wrenching experiences and feelings both Alex and Sydney were going through. This is not an easy read because it tackles the issue of teenage pregnancy, the road through repentance the social shunning that comes as a result of other people’s judgements and the anger of dreams lost. It is beautifully written and heart wrenching, so very real. I would recommend this to all teens, male and female, youth leaders and parents. I admire that the author does not skirt around the issues but meets them head on. She teaches that self-worth and confidence are at the core of the problem. I also love that she teaches there is a merciful Father in Heaven who knows us each individually and answers our prayers. Sydney took the road less traveled and she does it bravely because she knows it is right. An absolutely moving debut that I will keep and pass on.
There were several things that left me wanting as I finished…so here is my fair warning of a *spoiler alert*
*I wanted Alex to mature a little more than he did in the 40 weeks he had to think about his future and I was disappointed in the way he handled the news he was going to be a father. He seemed pretty self-centered and immature in comparison to all the progress and growth Sydney made. I also really wanted to see some closure in the confrontation between Alex’s mother and Sydney. Did he even knew that conversation took place? How did the mother handle the way things ended up? I have to admit that deep down I sad she didn’t pick Damon. Could a guy be more perfect? He was an amazing friend and so much more. As well, I think the author left the issue of Sydney’s brother deicing not to go on a mission open ended. Why did he decide not to go and where did he end up? As far as the ending… WOW …so not what I was expecting. A few more chapters may have been good to win me over. I want to see how the road new parents and teen newlyweds was a hard road. I am sure the couple faced many more challenges in their immediate future. Teens need to realize that marriage is hard work and not the end, but just the beginning. * (end of spoliers)
When I read the epilogue and realized Hope’s Journey was a story based on the author’s own experience I was amazed. I admire that she is brave enough and felt compelled to tell her own story within a fictional framework. I would recommend reading the author’s end notes, interviews and the post on the inspiration behind the story on her blog. What a gift Stephanie Worlton has left for each of us. Well done!


About the Author: Stephanie Connelley Worlton pursued a degree in Architecture before turning her creative energy towards other forms of artistic expression including writing. Through her many associations with youth, Stephanie felt prompted to channel her own experience as a teenage mother into a work that might open the eyes of understanding, break down stereotypes, cause youth to reevaluate their relationships, and ultimately provide hope for those in the trenches of an unplanned pregnancy. Aside from the busy schedule she keeps as a wife and mother of four, Stephanie enjoys interior design, gardening, carpentry, painting, and being involved with the youth of our rising generation.

Read a sample of the book at hopesjourneybook.com

Hope’s Journey Giveaway: As part of Hope’s Journey’s blog tour, we will be giving away an autographed copy of Hope’s Journey to one lucky winner. To enter, simply visit the author’s blog and leave a comment on the BLOG TOUR page. Plus, for a few bonus entries, “like” Hope’s Journey on Facebook or become a follower of Stephanie’s blog. It’s that easy!

Contest is limited to those within the continental US. Each person is eligible for up to three (3) entries. Contest closes at 11:59pm November 14, 2011. Winner will be selected by random.org then notified via email and listed at stephanieworlton.blogspot.com on November 15, 2011.

Book Review- Shatter Me

08 Nov, 2011 by in paranormal YA fiction, shatter me 3 comments

Shatter Me
by Tahereh Mafi
Hardcover, 342 pages
Expected publication: November 15th 2011
by HarperCollins
ISBN 0062085484

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Hmmm I have really torn feelings about this book. The first thing that struck me is how similar it feels to Possessed by Elana Johnson. Both start out with a girl in jail who gets a male roommate who ends up being someone familiar, both are dystopian with a paranormal twist. So this didn’t feel all that new to me. Tahereh Mafi’s prose and writing style was a times lyrical and beautiful and at other times the strike through verse and metaphors were distracting. So here’s the break down for me…

What I struggled with: Warner. I know some of you may think he’s got an appealing side but he is the ultimate creepy antagonist to me. He reminds me of Hitler and the scenes he was in were too violent and sadistic for me.

Suspension of disbelief- that being locked up or isolated from touch all that time Juliette would have the rage of hormones she does as well as the ability to be sexy to every man that crosses her path.

While I enjoy the good kissing scenes this felt like too much sexual tension for a young adult novel. Too much too fast. This is one for older teens, not 14 year olds.

The last part of the novel felt completely disjointed from the first. It shifts gears from dystopian to X-Men with a paranormal twist. At times it reminded me of Disney’s Incredibles. I know the scene is being set for a sequel but the ending chapters struck me as odd.

What I enjoyed: Shatter Me is engaging. Once you pick it up you won’t want to put it down. It’s interesting and unique in its style.

I love childhood crushes rekindled. The relationship between Adam and Juliette reminds me of one of my favorite books Sweethearts by Sara Zarr. I like that it shows those from a dysfunctional abusive home can still choose to be good and kind.

I liked the relationship between Adam and his brother, that even though he has a new love interest, he goes back to save his little brother and protect him.

Overall: I will be reading the rest of the series but am hoping there is a little less focus on lust and more seamless transition between the two worlds represented-the Reestablishment and the Omega rebels.

Content: moderate swearing, lots of sexual tension and heavy making out/ petting, moderate violence. Not for younger teens.

Trailer:

Blog Tour and Giveaway- Eternal Starling

07 Nov, 2011 by in Uncategorized 4 comments


Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the Eternal Starling Blog Tour hosted by Once Upon A Twilight.


Eternal Starling

Emblem of Eternity Book 1
Hardcover 320 pages
Published by: Pendrell Publishing
Expected Pulication:December 6, 2011
ISBN 982729793
4.5 starsA love so strong, even eternity can’t separate them.

Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang. All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men.

For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie—but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society—the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance—the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn’t understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.

There are so many things I love about Eternal Starling…where to start? The cover, the author, the writing. Evie Starling is about to start her freshman year of college in Gunnison, Colorado when she becomes lost hiking in the mountains. As independent and head strong as she is she does not want to admit she needs help getting back to her car when Alex Knight finds her and volunteers to help. But Alex is arrogant and won’t take no for an answer, matching her stubbornness. Thus starts the vortex of attraction and pull between the two of them. Ales is everything she could ever dream of, independently wealthy, graduated early and working as a volunteer for charity. He’s romantic and sparks fly fast , but then Alex puts the breaks on it all claiming Evie is in danger and pretty much disappears from the scene.
Just as Evie is getting used to the idea of their strange break up, she’s siting in the student center one day and an equally gorgeous and mysterious man comes up and kisses her out of the blue. Could life get any weirder? Emil Stone makes no apologies for his forward public move and Evie finds that he’s a welcome diversion from her broken heart. Things get complicated when Alex returns and the of them are are caught in a battle of wills that spans centuries. Evie is just beginning to learn that no one is quite what they seem and her heart is pulled in two directions.
With a protagonist who can stand up for herself and two men that both have ultimate potential, I found myself eating up every second of Eternal Starling. I love that the author Angela Corbett put so much of her self into the book with little details like a 1966 purple Mustang GT and 4 wheeling on sand dunes. Evie has a strong relationship with her parents who are invested in making sure she’s safe and taken care of. Things get particularly interesting when both Emil and Alex unexpectedly turn up at her family camping trip. I’m so glad this is a trilogy!! Can not wait to see what happens and I gurantee I will be reading book two. At this point in the game I can see her reasoning for wanting to be with both Mr. Knight and Mr. Stone. Angela rocked this as her debut novel. I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

Click Eternal Starling to read a summary of the first book and escape to a world of soul mates, suspense, and
romance.Read about the book launch party here!
You can now pre-order Eternal Starling at
barnesandnoble.com!

photo by Heather Zahn GarnderAbout the author: Angela Corbett graduated from Westminster
College with a double major in communication and
sociology. She started working as a reporter for her
local newspaper when she was sixteen and won
awards for feature, news, and editorial writing. She
has also done freelance writing. In addition to
writing, she works as a director of communications
and marketing. She lives in Utah with her extremely
supportive husband and their five-pound
Pomeranian, Pippin, whose following of fangirls
could rival Justin Bieber’s.

Find Angela Corbett on Facebook / Twitter/ Goodreads/ Blog

Angela Corbett is hosting a pre-order contest to win a kindle. Anyone who pre-orders Eternal Starling can be entered to win. Just EMAIL Angela a photo of the receipt or a copy of the email receipt for proof of purchase. Enter from now until the Eternal Starling’s release date on 6 December 2011.
We are giving away an ARC, author signed bookplate and bookmark to one of our readers as part of the blog tour. To enter to win fill out this form. Giveaway ends November 29, 2011.

The Code Busters Club: Case 1 by Penny Warner

05 Nov, 2011 by in middle grade reader Leave a comment

The Code Busters Club
Case #1: The Secret of the Skeleton Key
by Penny Warner
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published September 13th 2011
by EgmontUSA
ISBN 1606841629
Source: BEA
Rating: 4 stars

Cody, Quinn, Luke, and M.E. may be really different, but they all share one thing in common: they love playing around with codes. In fact, they love codes so much, they have their own private club, with a super-secret hideout and passwords that change every single day.

When Cody and Quinn notice what could be a code on the window of a nearby house, the one owned by their strange neighbor, the guy they call Skeleton Man, the club gets to work. And it is a cry for help!

Now the Code Busters are on the case—and nothing will stop them from solving the mystery and finding the secret treasure that seems to be the cause of it all!

This exciting interactive mystery offers more than fifteen codes for you to decipher, including the Consonant code, Morse code, and American Sign Language. Test your brain with the Code Busters and solve the mystery along with them. Answers are in the back, if you ever get stuck.

For more code-breaking fun, visit CodeBustersClub.com and join the club! Ages 8–12

This is a fun middle grade book. Cody, Quinn, Luke and M.E. love codes and have created the Code Busters Club. They have a secret club house and communicate with each other using different codes, including sign language (which they learned because Cody’s little sister is deaf). Noticing a coded message from a neighbor, calling for help, the Code Busters use coded messages to solve a crime.

I love how this book encourages kids to learn different ways to communicate (it even embraces the language of children today, texting). Mixed in with the story we find codes for the readers to unravel (don’t worry, there is a key at the back of the book) so the story becomes interactive. Kids will easily be able to relate with the characters, and enjoy sharing their adventures by helping crack the codes.

The idea of communicating via code brought back memories for me. Back in High School, a good friend created a code (utilizing small shapes and images in place of the alphabet) and we used it to pass notes back and forth. Our logic was that if we got caught passing notes, our teachers would have no idea what we were saying! (Honestly, we were pretty good kids who had to find our own little ways to rebel. Our notes usually related to pretty tame things like where we were going to meet at lunch or when the next church dance was taking place). It was so much fun to have our own coded means of communication. We got pretty good at both writing and reading it with out our answer keys (which we, much less creatively than the characters in the Code Busters, had written down on 3X5 cards).

If you are looking for a fun book (and soon to be series, the next adventure being alluded to at the end of this book) for your middle grade reader, look no farther than The Code Busters Club.

Content: Clean

Book Review- Bunheads

04 Nov, 2011 by in poppy, sophie flack, YA contemporary 4 comments

Bunheads
by Sophie Flack
Hardcover, 294 pages
Published October 10th 2011
by Poppy
ISBN 0316126535
Book Source: publisher
4.5 stars

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah’s universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other “bunheads” in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life?

I am so excited about all of the awesome YA contemp releases this year! Bunheads takes a hard look into a life I am familiar with. I started dancing when I was 2 all the way through college and later as an adult I taught ballet, worked as a professional African dancer and ran my own studio at home. One aspect I never had an inside track on was the workings of a professional ballet dancer so this book was fascinating to me. Sophie Flack obviously pours much of her own personal experience and feelings into her main character Hannah who leaves home at the age of 14 to enter the Manhattan Ballet Company. Now age 19, she is working her way to the top towards a soloist position. She literally uses very bit of time dancing, doing yoga, working out and watching what she eats. Bunheads delves deeply into the reality of the pressures on dancers- their struggles with body image and the debilitating effects of eating disorders. I like that the author shows the dichotomy of a girl genuinely struggling with trying to please her teacher’s by slimming down amidst the back drop of other dancers falling gravely ill with thyroid and blood disorders as a result of their anorexia. The main focus of the book is Hannah’s every day work in the company as well as her examination of life as it is. Maybe it’s time to move on outside the dark theater and explore other options that await.

One of those things she wants to have more time for is the handsome NYU student and musician Jacob she meets one day at her Uncle’s bar. Throughout the majority of the book Hannah has to tell him time and time again she can’t go out, can’t see his shows, can’t carve out a second for him. And then there’s Matt the wealthy uber fan who woos her from the sidelines with gourmet lunches and fancy Opera guild parties. Those few tiny moments when Hannah does get away paint an interesting view of New York and all it has to offer. I found myself wanting to shake Hannah at times and tell her to take a break, but I think Flack’s writing and plot were realistic. I would recommend this book for ages 16 and older because of lots of underage drinking, one heavy make out scene and a couple of “F”words. I think both non-dancers and dancers alike will enjoy Bunheads although the author uses ballet terminology without explanation which may seem repetitive to those who can’t visualize the steps. Overall, this is a great pick! I finished it in one sitting, about 4 hours total and I hope to see more from Sophie Flack in the future.