Posts Tagged: carrie jones

YA Content Review – After Obsession

03 Oct, 2012 by in Steven E Wedel Leave a comment

After Obsession

by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
Hardcover, 305 pages
Published:   September 13th 2011
by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
ISBN   1599906813
Book Source: Publisher
2.5 Stars
Book Summary From Goodreads:  
Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can’t stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They’re wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it’s neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It’s Alan’s cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her.

Filled with heart-pounding romance, paranormal activity, and rich teen characters to love-and introducing an exciting new YA voice, Steven Wedel-this novel is exactly what Carrie Jones fans have been waiting for. Meet your next obsession.

Review by ephrielle: It felt like a game. A couple of kids facing down an ancient demon and thinking they have a chance. Of course they are the right people for the job, as they are super prepared.
  • Special demon exorcism training and experience (A few internet searches)
  • Popourri
  • Make shift tent
  • Native American blood
  • Whole bunch of bravado
They can’t possibly go wrong.

I enjoy some good Native American lore and story. Unfortunately the poor young man in this story is alienated from his birthright and, by extension, proper knowledge of the lore. He sure doesn’t lack the desire or the gumption. I felt sorry for him. It was so painfully clear that he was stumbling around in the dark. Sometimes his youth really hurt the power of the lore over the story. Even his rock solid proof didn’t seem like a proper foundation upon which to stake his “helpful delusions”.

The ending was rather cheesy for my taste. I just didn’t think the several parts worked well together. Not a terrible read, but it was definitely a book about three kids facing off against all odds and definitely being out of their depth.

Favorite Quote: “Mom, I promised to behave. It wasn’t easy. I mean, she couldn’t help herself. She was all over this hunk of Navajo manhood and I had to keep telling her I’d promised not to let her violate me. Eventually she wore herself out and fell asleep.”

Content: Moderate violence

About Carrie Jones: Carrie Jones likes Skinny Cow fudgsicles and potatoes. She does not know how to spell fudgsicles. This has not prevented her from writing books. She lives with her cute family in Maine, but she grew up in Bedford, NH where she once had a séance with cool uber-comedian Sarah Silverman.

The Meyers brothers are from Bedford, too, so you’d think it would make Carrie funnier, coming from Bedford N.H. Obviously, something didn’t work.

Carrie has a large, skinny white dog and a fat cat. Both like fudgicles. Only the cat likes potatoes. This may be a reason for the kitty’s weight problem (Shh… don’t tell). Carrie has always liked cowboy hats but has never owned one. This is a very wrong thing. She graduated from Vermont College’s MFA program for writing. She has edited newspapers and poetry journals and has recently won awards from the Maine Press Association and also been awarded the Martin Dibner Fellowship as well as a Maine Literary Award.

Here’s the lowdown about Carrie…

1. Carrie can not drink coffee. It makes her insane. Do not give her caffeine.
2. Carrie is very responsive to loving strokes on the hair, kind of like a puppy. However, do not do this without asking first unless you are a ridiculously handsome man or an editor who is about to offer her a trillion dollars for the first draft of her novel.
3. Carrie is secretly really, really shy even though she’s pathetically outgoing in person. She has a very hard time calling people. So, if you want to talk to her, make the first move. And, if you’re her in-Maine female best friend, Jennifer, do NOT get mad at her because she is so bad at returning emails.
4. Carrie sometimes wears mismatched socks, if you do not think this is cool, do not tell her. You will hurt her feelings.
5. Carrie really, really wants you to like her books. Please like her books. PLEEEAASSSEEEE. She’ll be your best friend forever. That is, if you want a friend who is shy about calling and emailing and who wears mismatched socks and can’t drink caffeine and likes being pet on the head. Hhmmm….
6. Carrie is not above begging.
7. Carrie, like Belle in TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND drinks Postum. It’s for the same reason, too.
8. Carrie loves Great Pyrenees dogs. They are huge and white, and furry and it looks like they have white eyeliner and mascara on, which is way too cute. Do you have one? Send a picture!
9. Carrie lives in Maine. She has a hard time with this in the winter. It is bleak in Maine in the winter. Imagine everything shades of gray and brown and no green anywhere except for in people’s noses. This is Maine in Winter. Maine in summer is the best place in the world, so it’s a trade-off. Feel free to invite Carrie to your house in the winter, but not if it’s in Greenland, Canada, or anywhere north of Florida.
10. Forget that. She’d still probably come.

About Steven E. Wedel: Born and raised an Okie, Wedel typically sets his stories somewhere in Oklahoma’s diverse landscape. He began writing in high school in the early 1980s and never stopped. He currently lives in central Oklahoma with his wife and four children. Besides writing, he earns his living as a high school English teacher. 


Find more about author Carrie Jones on:  Website / Twitter

Find more about author Steven E. Wedel on:  Website / Twitter

Book Review- After Obsession

21 Dec, 2011 by in Uncategorized 6 comments

After Obession

by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel
Ages/Grade: ages 12 and up / 7 and up
Published September 2011
by Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978I599906812
Pages: 320
Source: BEA

Aimee has good grades, great friends, and a hot boyfriend. But she also has secrets. Like the violent dreams that are almost prophetic. Or the real reason behind her Mom’s death.

Alan is new in town. Rugged, sexy, with a hint of Southern charm, he and Aimee connect immediately. Bye-bye boyfriend. But Alan has his own secrets. His Native American heritage gives him mystical, unlikely abilities. Not the kind of thing you show off in the cafeteria.

But it’s not Aimee or Alan who is in trouble. It’s Courtney–Alan’s cousin, and Aimee’s best friend. She’s consumed by a strange demon. Alan says there are four stages: Invitation:. Then Infestation. Obsession, and finally Possession. Aimee and Alan must figure out what to do, and quickly. Because once the demon takes full possession, there’s no saving Courtney–or anyone else…

(*To me this trailer looks far more intense and adult-ish than the book actually is. Which I think is a good thing as younger readers would enjoy this book.)
Debbie’s review:
This is an interesting story that takes place in the small town that Aimee grew up in. Life has been hard in the past but things seem to be all in place now. That is until she starts feeling a presence and then later something is going on with her best friend.
She has a past with the nearby river, it brings her both peace and terror and something is happening in the town and with her friends that she must figure out. Aimee meets new-comer Alan and is comforted with his friendship.

This was a fun read that took a different twist on the genre. The book is told from both Aimee and Alan’s point of view so it gives the reader a broader look into the intense story.- Debbie CranberryFries

Buy After Obsession: Amazon/ The Book Depository
Add After Obsession to your: Goodreads/ Shelfari
Find Author Carrie Jones: Blog/ Twitter

Wolf Moon Giveaway

30 Jan, 2010 by in maggie stiefvater, nature photography, new moon, shiver, sisters red, Stephenie Meyer, the Dark Divine, twilight, wolves 28 comments

“Guard Duty” by Camp Crazy Photos

In honor of the amazing wolf moon last night and photography Friday, we have another awesome giveaway to announce. Several Flickr photographers have agreed to give away their photographs to our blog readers. If you are a fan of the big bad wolf in “Sisters Red”, Sam in “Shiver”, “The Dark Divine”, the “Twilight” Series, “Darklight” by Lesley Livingston, “Need” by Carrie Jones or any other Fenris book this contest is for you!

One winner will be chosen for each photo submitted. Each winner will receive the print of their choice up to an 8×10 of a wolf image! As of today, there are four photos submitted and four possible winners:

“Warning” by Camp Crazy Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/campcrazy/

Different Eye Colors by Jar0d


BIG WOLVE HUG! by Jar0d

Uploaded using Flickr Uploadr 3.0 (Mac)

Taken with a Canon EOS 7D.
More properties
Taken on January 15, 2010
Viewed 225 times

See his full photostream here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jar0d/

Spirit of the Wolf by Alice Popkorn
Photostrem on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicepopkorn/
Currently: GAIA – Germany
I am: Female

Website: http://www.alicepopkorn.de/
for the textures only group competition#41
wolf by dobak
textures by playingwithbrushes

To enter:

Leave a comment with your name and email address +1

Leave your favorite “wolfy” book quote +2

Become a blog follower +3

Tweet this giveaway on twitter +2

Post the giveaway on your blog +5

Visit the artist’s photo streams or our Flickr gallery and comment on a photo +3

Become a Facebook fan of Fire and Ice +3

Good Luck, contest ends on February 10th and is open to international entries!
Winners must contact us within 48 hours of winning or a new winner will be chosen.

Need by Carrie Jones

12 Jan, 2010 by in need, paranormal YA fiction, pixies, werewolves 2 comments

published December 23rd 2008 by Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books

details Hardcover, 306 pages

From Goodreads “Now fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr have a new author to devour.

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

With suspense, romance, and paranormal themes, this exciting breakout novel has all the elements to keep teens rapidly turning the pages”

I chose this book because I am fascinated pixies and the photo on the cover pulled me in. Here’s the funny part…I got about three chapters into the book and something about the writing just rubbed me the wrong way. I thought to myself “this writing reminds me of the Fairy Path series I read a while ago.” Looked at the author, they are one and the same.

I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and give it another go. I really related to her character Nick. Only problem was I just couldn’t get past the Amnesty International plugs that seemed to be blatant advertising, the phobia repeating and the strange and obviously dumb decisions of the main character Zara. She keeps doing the exact opposite of what is smart, trying to be the martyr that she is. The writing and dialogue is very simple. I just couldn’t stay engaged as much as hard as I tried. If it weren’t for the one mention of sex and nudity, I think it would be a better middle reader rather than YA fiction. I enjoyed some of the character’s personalities (and the gold glitter), but I can only give it two out of five stars. Something about Carrie Jones’ style and I just don’t click, though I wish it did because I am interested in her subject matter of fairies and pixies. Not sure I will read Captivate, but I have heard other reviewers say they really love her stuff. So for another reader it may be a good match.

Carrie’s website:http://www.carriejonesbooks.com/my-awesomest-books/need/Here is the book trailer for Need…