Guest Post: Stuart R West

Aine, thanks for having me on your blog to blather on about the Tex, the Witch Boy series. It’s a trilogy of YA, paranormal, thriller, mystery, comedic romance books. More importantly, the books tackle tough topical issues teens face daily. I want teens to know they’re not alone in their trauma, let them know there’s hope and better things on the horizon.

Tex is an ordinary teen. Awkward in his own skin. Bullied, unsure of his future, no idea what he’s doing. Worse, he’s inherited his late mother’s witchcraft powers, definitely not his choice. He’s aided by his mother’s mentor, a blue-haired, old woman. She’s fast with a head-slap, faster with her cigarette lighter. The girl he likes, Olivia, is a warrior. She takes down the high school’s scariest bully with a fire extinguisher. Then there’s Elspeth, the mysterious punker girl who’s introduced in Tex and the Gangs of Suburbia. I can’t tell you about her because she’s shrouded in mystery and then I might have to kill you. You’ll have to read the books. Really. It’s for your own safety.

Tex and the God Squad, the third and final book in the Tex series, wraps everything up. It’s about teen suicide, gay issues, religion (although, it’s not a religious book), and, of course, bad cooking from Tex’s father’s girlfriend. Ghastly. Possibly the scariest part of the trilogy. I mean, honestly, wait ‘til you hear about her recipes. Talk about horror.

Now, I must admit, I’ve already come under fire about the controversial nature of Tex and the God Squad. The bad guys—the ”Clarendon Baptist Church”—are a thinly veiled portrait of the, sadly, very real Westboro Baptist Church. I can’t make up heinous villains like this. Wish my writing skills were that good. But they’re very real. And very despicable.

Living in Kansas, I feel I must apologize for the WBC as they’re an unfortunate byproduct of my state. Sorry, sorry, sorry. But I’m doing my part. Read the book and see how Tex takes these idiots down.

Tex and the God Squad (third book)
Tex and the Gangs of Suburbia (second book)
Tex, the Witch Boy (first book)
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Tex, the Witch Boy Book Trailer:

Book Review: Star Cursed

Cahill Witch Chronicles...

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

I loved Jessica Spotswood's Born Wicked so much that I bought Star Cursed the day it came out and devoured it!

Oh my gods! It was so good. I didn't believe there was any way for this book to be better than the first. But I was wrong. I laughed. I cried. I screamed and yelled and cursed one particular character.

I need the final book, Sisters' Fate now. But I'm forced to wait until August 13. Eight more months!!! It's gonna be torture waiting. Trust me, you want to read this series. Star Cursed is definitely one if the best books I've read this year.

If you're like me, and eagerly awaiting the next book, be sure to check out Jessica Spotwood's website for fun extras, and be sure to drop her a note on how amazing you think her books are.

Book Review: The Lucy Variations

Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.

That was all before she turned fourteen.

Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.

I was counting down the days until The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr hit the shelves. I'd read and loved her previous four books, so I had high expectations for this one. And she did not disappoint.

Lucy comes from a well-off family. She and her brother play the piano. And I don't mean just a few times a week, with lessons one day, and a year-end recital. It's almost their entire lives. But Lucy quits and tries to take control of her life. Her grandfather is a music lover, and her mother grew up playing. So the pressure Lucy and Gus face to not only play, but play perfectly, is high. The book picks up after some time has passed since Lucy quit, and she's considering maybe, possibly playing again.

As with the last several releases by Sara Zarr, I went into it without knowing what it was about. I find that to be a lot of fun. I didn't know what to expect except a girl named Lucy and a piano in there somewhere. Her writing is fantastic, and her story-telling really sucked me in. The Lucy Variations was very different from her previous releases. I think this is due to her growth as a writer, considering this is her fifth YA contemporary published.

Lucy's book is not my favorite of Zarr's, but it was definitely an enjoyable read. (All of her books are worth picking up. It's some of the best contemporary YA out there, in my opinion.) Beware, it will make you cry. But it will also make you laugh. I have a love/hate relationship with Lucy. Sometimes I felt like I really understood her, and sometimes I wanted to smack her. But, for me, that's the perfect kind of book. Pick it up. You won't be disappointed.

Book Review: Far Far Away

It says quite a lot about Jeremy Johnson Johnson that the strangest thing about him isn't even the fact his mother and father both had the same last name. Jeremy once admitted he's able to hear voices, and the townspeople of Never Better have treated him like an outsider since. After his mother left, his father became a recluse, and it's been up to Jeremy to support the family. But it hasn't been up to Jeremy alone. The truth is, Jeremy can hear voices. Or, specificially, one voice: the voice of the ghost of Jacob Grimm, one half of the infamous writing duo, The Brothers Grimm. Jacob watches over Jeremy, protecting him from an unknown dark evil whispered about in the space between this world and the next. But when the provocative local girl Ginger Boultinghouse takes an interest in Jeremy (and his unique abilities), a grim chain of events is put into motion. And as anyone familiar with the Grimm Brothers know, not all fairy tales have happy endings. . .

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal caught my eye when I read that it included Jacob Grimm. Or, rather, his ghost. I'm a huge lover of faery tales.

I had a bit of trouble getting into this one. The ghost of Jacob Grimm narrates the story while the two main characters are Jeremy Johnson Johnson and Ginger Boultinghouse. It was confusing at first as it reads like a 3rd person narrative, but it's not. It's first person, but our narrator spends most of the time observing and little time interacting. Then when he says "I" I had to think about who was speaking. Unfortunately, it took me a third of the book to get used to this.

It also took me about a third of the book to start caring about Jeremy and Ginger. The start was slow, but once it picked up, I didn't want to put it down. The main characters were a lot fun, and I really enjoyed their relationship. The interactions with those around town were interesting and diverse. And the twist when the villain is revealed was surprising.

Far Far Away was really interesting. I've used that term a few times, but it really fits. And it was a very enjoyable read. I'm sad that it appears to be a standalone. I learned some new words in German and Swedish and some interesting facts about two of my favorite fairy tale collectors. I recommend this book to anyone looking for something different. It is certainly unique among YA books that have hit shelves recently.

Author Interview: Sarah Dessen

I was so honored when I was asked to interview Sarah Dessen at her recent event in DC. I’ve met her before, and she is such a sweetheart, so I was very excited to get this one-on-one time. Sarah’s answers are paraphrased, not direct quotes unless it’s within quotes.

Aine: What was the inspiration for your latest novel, The Moon and More?

Sarah: I was at my favorite spot in North Carolina, Emerald Isle. I had finished What Happened to Goodbye and had no idea what to write next. A hot shirtless guy, who was rather chatty, spoke with me. He was from Emerald Isle and told me all about growing up there. A lot of my books are set in Colby, which is based on Emerald Isle, but I had never written about anyone from there. After speaking with him, I thought “There’s my book.”

Aine: If I recall correctly, it was announced under a different title. Why the name change?

Sarah: The Moon and More was my original title. But we were worried that people would think that with the word “moon” in the title, readers would think it was a sequel to Keeping the Moon even though that was published a long time ago. So it was announced under The Best After Ever, but it was a bit confusing as “after” and “ever” were often switched. The next title had the word “summer” in it, and we were worried that it would not stay on bookshelves once summer passed. So, we went back to my original title, The Moon and More.

Aine: I know you have a young daughter. Has she inspired anything in your books?

Sarah: Absolutely. It made me focus more on the mother/daughter relationship. It made me want to flesh out the teen characters’ mothers. I understand the mother’s more. There will likely be more children in the new novels.

Aine: Which character do you have the most in common with? Which would’ve been your BFF in high school.

Sarah: Halley from Someone Like You is the most like you. In high school, I often trailed after my friends, being more of a follower. Remy from This Lullaby and Emaline from The Moon and More would’ve been my best friends. They’re also the two characters I’m the least like.

Aine: What can you tell me about what you’re working on now?

Sarah: I don’t talk about what I’m working on, but there is something I’m writing. It’s secret.

Aine: Do you have any critique partners?

Sarah: No. I’m very secretive about my work. My agent reads it once a very polished draft is done. And then my editor. My husband, family, and friends, don’t even read it until it’s in ARC form.

Aine: What books would you recommend to your fans that are comparable to your work?

Sarah: John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Jenny Hahn’s Summer series, and anything by Sara Zarr.

Aine: What’s on your tbr pile?

Sarah: The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan and The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. I just finished Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight which is like Gone Girl for teens.



Aine: I’ve heard your books referred to as YA light? Is that intentional?

Sarah: I think it’s just the way I write. I don’t write anything too dark or shocking. If I did, it probably wouldn’t feel genuine.

Aine: All of your books are written in first person. Is there a reason for that?

Sarah: It’s easier. I’ve always written in first person. It allows me to explore her in more depth. It gives the readers more insight. I tried writing The Moon and More in present tense, but I had to go back and change that.

Aine: This is your eleventh books. Is putting it out into the world just as exciting and/or nerve-wracking as the first one?

Sarah: It’s more so. There are more readers picking it up. Every release is scarier.

Aine: How do you feel about the new covers? Do you like them more than the old ones?

Sarah: I like all of my covers. I like the change. A fresh look is always good as it might draw in more readers. I think it makes them more timeless.

I asked twitter what questions they would like me to ask. Here is what I got from those.

Aine/Maggie: When your daughter is old enough, which if your books would you give her to read first?

Sarah: That Summer. It’s my first book, and I would want her to read them in the order they were written to see my evolution as an author.

Aine/Sandy: Have you considered writing a male protagonist?

Sarah: I get asked this all the time… not really. I don’t know what guys are thinking. I’d be worried he would be too much like the girls.

Aine/Maggie: How has your writing changed since becoming a mom?

Sarah: I’m more focused. I had to be. I’m also more relaxed and less obsessive about what I’m about to write or have just written. I’ve become more efficient, and I feel so much more sympathy for the mothers in my books.

Thank you so much to Sarah Dessen for the interview and Penguin for this opportunity.

Book Review: Loki's Wolves

In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarök, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.

The gods died a long time ago.

Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.

However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.

When I heard that Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr were co-writing a novel, I didn't even care what the novel was about. They've long been my favorite authors, so I knew whatever they came up with would be brilliant. And... I was right! Loki's Wolves is the first book in their middle grade series, The Blackwell Pages. It follows Matt (a descendant of Thor) and Fen and Laurie (descendants of Loki) as they try to save the world.

Matt finds out early on that Ragnarök is upon them. The end of the world. And it's up to Matt, a middle schooler, to save everyone. If he can't stop Ragnarök, most everyone on Earth will die and an ice age will be upon them. When he finds out that his family might not want to stop the end of the world, he takes off to find the other descendants of the Norse gods to help him.

I really enjoyed this book. One of the best things about reading a book by Melissa Marr based in folklore or mythology is that I know it was done right. Melissa knows her stuff when it comes to lore, and I appreciate that. I love folklore and mythology, and nothing bugs me more than when it's screwed up.

Both Melissa and Kelley are amazing storytellers, and together they've created a fun, fast-paced book. It might be shelved in Middle Grade, but it can definitely be enjoyed by all ages. Pick this one up. You won't regret it.

Book Review: A Modern Witch

Can you live 28 years without discovering you're a witch? — Lauren is downtown Chicago's youngest elite realtor. She's also a witch. She must be - the fetching spell for Witches' Chat isn't supposed to make mistakes. So says the woman who coded the spell, at least. — The tall, dark, and handsome guy sent to assess her is a witch too (and no, that doesn't end the way you might think). What he finds in Lauren will change lives, mess with a perfectly good career, and require lots of ice cream therapy.

I found A Modern Witch by Debora Geary while playing around on Goodreads. It sounded like something I'd enjoy since I love most things witchy. And then a good friend said she loved the series. So I bought it and read it. It was enjoyable, and I liked the characters. But it was slow. The beginning was confusing, starting with a scene where one of the guys told his sister she should go with the red lingerie. Whut?

There was no build up and no climax. The closest thing to a climax happened about 60 pages from the end, so the last 50 pages felt like filler. Like a short story/novella that would fall between novels one and two. I kept wondering why there were more pages since it seemed like the story was over.

While I enjoyed the characters, they were all happy, all the time. There was no conflict between anyone. While I'm not a fan of lots of arguing and drama, a bit of tension here or there would've been more realistic. Even the one sad scene was almost cheery. And the happy all the time stuff sometimes came off cheesy. It was definitely a fluffy, feel good book.

There were several kids in the novel, but I'm going to focus on Aervyn, since he was a big part of the story. He's a four-year-old. There was nothing about him that was believable as a four-year-old. I get that he's going to be the most powerful witch of his time, but he read more as seven or eight. Another issue I had... He had no rules to follow, no consequences for his behavior. He teleported his almost nine-year-old sister from the shower to the backyard nekkid and mom laughed it off. If he's going to be powerful, he needs to learn boundaries. As someone who has spent a lot of time around small children, he needed to be more believable for me.

There were a lot of weird reactions to things. For example, one of the female characters said one of the guys was making her uncomfortable. His response was, "Usually I like hearing that from a woman." Again, whut? A lot of the issues I had were small, nit-picky things, but these things took me out of the story. And they happened way too often. Also, it's not a good thing when my favorite thing about the book is the cover. Which I LOVE, by the way.

Despite these few complaints, I did enjoy it enough to read book two. But I'm not dying to get to it.