Jessie Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom, Illustrated by Bruce Degen

This charming rhyming book is E's favorite this week. You go through the entire day with Jessie Bear, discovering what he does through the clothing and items he wears. The soothing rhythm of Nancy White Carlstrom's charming text makes this book a perfect choice to read before sleep which is why I love it. E, however, loves it for the illustrations. He is constantly talking about wanting to play with Jessie Bear's toys. I have to agree - Jessie Bear does have some awesome toys. The illustrations are obviously very engaging and surprisingly consistent. You definitely get a feel for Jessie Bear's life through the illustrations. It's incredibly well done.

"Jessie Bear, What Will You Wear?" is published by Aladdin (Simon & Schuster) and is available in paperback, hardcover and board book form.

The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, Both series by Cassandra Clare

Okay my lovely readers. I know what you’re thinking or at least I think I know what you’re thinking.

1. OMG IT ISN’T A POST ABOUT A DYSTOPIAN. THANK YOU THANK YOU. (I love ‘em, but you can only take so much doom and gloom. I understand.)

2. Um, Cassandra Clare? Yeah, Michelle, we know about this one.

I know, guys. I lived a sheltered life up until the last couple years and while I had heard of Cassandra Clare, it wasn’t until Authors are ROCKSTARS! got to interview her for our inaugural podcast that I finally took the time to sit down and read these wonderful books. Feel free to smack me upside the head and call me crazy now. I promise, I won’t fight back.

…. ….

You through? Great.

Anyways, so for anyone else who has lived under a rock since 2007...let me tell you about this series. For the rest of you, you can end here since most of this will have you saying “Duh Captain Obvious.”

I have to admit... I was a little biased going into reading Cassandra Clare’s series. I thought she was just an Internet sensation who got a deal due to her celebrity. I was wrong. These books are FUN. I didn’t really latch onto the series in the first book, “City of Bones”, but by “City of Glass”, Ms. Clare had me hook-line-and-sinker. The love story is fabulous. I love the unique subculture world of the Nephilium and the Downworlders. And come on, who couldn’t love hottie Jace? Am I right?

Right now, I’m reading “Clockwork Prince”, the 2nd in her prequel series, The Infernal Devices. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, you should. I like it even more than TMI, to be honest. It’s set in Victorian times and has a bit of a steampunky dealio going on. You know I’m a sucker for that. Plus the love triangle...heartbreaking and so sweet! I know, based on reading Twitter posts, that my heart will be breaking by the end of this book. I’m so looking forward to it!

So, that’s my crazy little rave on Cassandra Clare’s work. Probably unnecessary for most of you, but for those who are looking for a fun series with all sorts of mythical creatures, awesome action scenes and steamy romance, check it out. One warning though - Ms. Clare loves to rip your heart out so keep tissues nearby. The romances in these books will kill ya (in a good way!).


Both of Cassandra Clare’s series are published by Margaret K. McElderry (Simon & Schuster). There are two books available in the Infernal Devices series (one came out last week) and four books available in the Mortal Instruments series. Be sure to go to Authors are ROCKSTARS! to listen to Cassandra Clare and Holly Black. They are too adorable together and were so much fun to chat with.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

It’s not often that I sit down to type down my initial review notes and find myself overwhelmed by the adjective choices. This book is ah-mazing. There, I said it. Let me first copy and paste my notes so I can share the adjective fun! (Who doesn’t like a good adjective?)

• Creepy
• Romantic
• Thrilling
• Sweet
• Sexy
• Scary
• Mysterious
• Adventurous
• Endearing

Yeah, it’s all that and so much more. “The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer” is definitely in my top 10, maybe even my top couple books for this year. It started off a little rough, but once I really connected with Mara, there was no going back. I was hooked until the very end. I read this 450 page novel in less than 24 hours and man, I am DYING for book two.

Mara wakes up from a coma and finds out that her best friend, her boyfriend and her boyfriend’s sister are all dead after a terrible accident. Something isn’t quite right though. Somehow, she is completely free of major injury and now she’s being haunted by PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) hallucinations. Or are they? On top of it all, her family moves to help her deal with her loss and now her dad is defending a creepy murderer. Plus the infamously sex-crazed hot guy at school won’t take a hint and leave her alone.

I know it sounds like it could end up being the same ol’ cliche - girl falls in love with bad boy, he turns good, she deals with her demons. It isn’t though. Ms. Hodkin finds a way to take something that totally could have ended up being “the usual” and turns it into some magical. There is a mysterious paranormal element running through the whole book. She asks a lot of questions and really keeps you guessing the answers throughout the whole books. Is Mara really crazy? What is the deal with Mr. Hottie? Are the rumors about him to be believed? How in the world did she escape that accident unscathed? And what the heck is with all these weird things happening? Seriously, as I said, SO many questions. The book is creepy, but not in the way that will keep you up at night. It just keeps you guessing and in today’s world of accessible information, that’s a little creepy. :) Ms. Hodkin bakes up a book that is one part mystery, one part romance, one part paranormal and one part horror to create something extraordinarily delicious. You do not want to miss this one, folks. It may take you a little bit to get into, but once that connection with Mara snaps into place, you won’t want to let go.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is scheduled to be released tomorrow, September 27th, from Simon & Schuster. I received an ARC from the publisher to review.

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

I’m going to keep this review rather short. I really could not get into this book. It’s a story of characters doing bad things with three beautiful furies dishing out severe consequences. I didn’t like any of the characters and actually felt more attached to the furies who were punishing these kids. The leads are the people in high school who do whatever they want to do and do not worry about the consequences. Some of the missteps are kissing her best friend’s boyfriend and abandoning a friend because you became popular and she became a dork (who then commits suicide). I’m supposed to feel sorry for these people and care that they’re being tortured? I don’t think so.

Plus I just had issues with the furies CARING about these sorts of trivial problems when there are so many other terrible things happening in the world. I know I know. It’s a book. I’m supposed to let go and just embrace the story for what it is, but I couldn’t. Elizabeth Miles is a good writer, but the plot - so not for me. Sorry folks. If you can let your guard down though and dive into it, you may find a really unique story here waiting for you. I could definitely see this appealing to teen readers who feel these problems ARE major, but as an adult who reads YA, I just couldn’t relate.

Fury is scheduled to be released on August 30th by Simon Pulse. I was provided with an ARC by the publisher for review.

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Ooo! This book is serious fun. I love books involving ancient myth and this book adds a fun cultural twist on things. It isn’t just limited to the myths of the Greek. There are Egyptian, Polynesian and Norse, oh my! And that’s just to name a few of the originating cultures for this group of teenage god misfits.

The book though follows the story of one young woman in particular... a young girl named Ashline Wildefire. The book starts off on an action heavy note - Ash has just found out that her boyfriend has cheated on her with the resident school blondie and Ash is in the process of kicking her teeth in. If this wasn’t bad enough, her run-away sister returns and does the unthinkable in retaliation. We then fast forward to Ash attending a boarding school on the other side of the country and continuing her slightly rebellious life. She falls in with a group of fellow students and they all find out... they’re the reincarnations of gods and goddesses! How crazy is that? But how did they all end up here and why is someone trying to kill them all? And oh! Where does her well-meaning but destructive goddess sister fit into all of this? Well, you’ll just have to read “Wildefire” to find out.

Karsten Knight has a wonderful voice. I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive of male voice with a teenage female protagonist. I know that’s really sexist of me, but you don’t see a lot of male writers in YA period, let alone writing action/romance paranormal young adult literature. Mr. Knight delivers though. He creates a cast of characters that you really come to care for, which is saying a lot since it is a BIG cast and a LOT is going on. The flashbacks that each character goes through are incredibly moving and really give life to each teen god/goddess. Ashline (or Ash) is an amazing heroine. She’s definitely strong-willed and powerful, but she has a vulnerable side and real feelings. She definitely is a girl who lives in the “gray” of life, but has a good heart. She loves her sister, despite the palpable tension between them. There is so much depth to her and despite her being quite literally extraordinary, she still feels like your average teenage girl in a lot of ways. Adult and teen readers alike will fall in love with Ash. She’s fun, playful, vulnerable, strong, loving, smart and powerful. What isn’t there to love about a young woman like that?

Another character I’d really like to single out is her sister Eve. While she lives in a darker life than Ash, there is still so much good to her. You don’t know whether to love or hate her, despite all the horrible things she’s done. I love when things are not cut and dry. It adds another layer of suspense and makes things more complex for the reader. The action sequences between Eve and Ash are outstanding. Wow. I could feel my muscles tensing along with Ash and my heartbeat increase when confronting Eve. All the action scenes in this book were outstanding.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was one of the books I read while on bed rest for a back injury. It really kept me engaged and entertained the entire time I was reading it. There were a few moments that were maybe a bit rushed, but never to the point where they pulled me out of the story. The characters are what really make this book though. I’m seriously impressed with the emotional connection I was able to form with this large cast of characters due to Knight’s clever character development.

I could keep raving about this book, but this review is getting long winded! Go out and pre-order yourself a copy today.

I received an ARC of Wildefire from the publisher to review. It is published by Simon & Schuster and is scheduled to be released in July of this year. Pre-order a copy today. It's worth the wait!

The Going-To-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

If you have a little one, then I’m sure you’re already aware of Sandra Boynton and her cute little books full of fun rhymes and songs. So many of her books are favorites in our house (especially “Moo Baa La La La!” and “Barnyard Dance”). However for today’s installment of E’s Pick of the Week is “The Going-To-Bed Book”. E and I both are loving this book. It’s a joy to read and Elliot loves seeing the animals going through a similar routine to his own.

I would definitely recommend it to any parent to add to their night time routine, especially if your child has trouble following it. My little guy was especially enthusiastic to brush his teeth after he saw the animals brushing theirs!

“The Going-To-Bed Book” by Sandra Boynton is published by Little Simon (Simon & Schuster) and is available in board book form. You can get it at your local bookstore or online. Let us know if you do. We love to get feedback.

CLICK, CLACK, MOO - Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin

E’s Pick of this Week comes from author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Betsy Lewin.. it’s... dun dun dun... “CLICK, CLACK, MOO - Cows That Type”, a Caldecott Honor Book. This book is beyond adorable. It’s a story of Farmer Brown and his talented cows who have found a typewriter in the barn. They put their new typing skills to work to make demands of Farmer Brown. Farmer Brown is not too happy about this and they go back & forth until a compromise can be reached through their mediator, Duck. Unfortunately for Farmer Brown, Duck has his own motives for wanting to help.

E loves this book. The illustrations are fantastic, full of bright colors and a different style than his other books. He asks for this book by name (that being “Moo!”). We have gone on now to buy him a few other books in the series since he loves this installment so much. The others aren’t quite as good, but he loves them all. It’s a great way to introduce farm animals and the idea of compromise to your little one.

“CLICK, CLACK, MOO - Cows that Type” is published by Little Simon (Simon & Schuster) and is available in a variety of formats. (We have the board book version, purchased at our awesome local bookstore, A Whale of a Tale!)

The Curse Workers series by Holly Black

Holly Black’s Curse Worker series is too cool for school. Seriously, I felt like such a bad @$$ just reading about this dark fantasy world full of wicked cool super powers and mob bosses. “White Cat” and “Red Glove” by Holly Black are a refreshingly new twist on fantasy. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about mixing two things I love (murder mysteries and fantasy), but I really liked these books. The pacing is fast and furious, in a good way. You can’t put them down. They’re dark without being overly graphic or sexual. Seriously, even if you aren’t a big murder mystery fan (I usually prefer mine on TV), you’re gonna love this series. Holly Black’s writing takes no prisoners. Just trust me on this one.

Let’s talk about the story. I’ll try not to give too much away here to those who haven’t read “White Cat” yet. In the world of Holly Black’s Curse Worker series, some people are born with magical enhanced abilities. These people are called curse workers and throughout the years, due to people abusing their powers, curse working has become illegal so many have turned to the mob or work as con artists. Our hero, Cassel, is a lovable bad boy who wants nothing more than a normal life. Unfortunately, Cassel is from a family full of magical enhanced criminals. His mom is an emotional worker, meaning with just a skin to skin touch, she can influence a person’s feelings. His brothers are workers. Even his grandpa is a worker (a death worker!). Everyone, but him.. Despite being the normal kid in a messed up family, Cassel is haunted. He killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago and has been desperately trying to live behind lie after lie to be just another normal guy ever since. His world begins to crumble though when he starts sleep walking and he starts noticing his brothers acting strangely. Is he part of some larger con and doesn’t even know about it? And why is he being haunted by a White Cat in his dreams? Well, you’ll just have to read and find out.

Holly Black takes film noir and mixes in magic. It’s sexy, dark, and dangerous. If you like crime stories or are just looking for a fantasy that’s a little different, you should definitely check out the Curse Workers series.

I received an ARC of “Red Glove” from the publisher Simon & Schuster for review. The first book in the series, “White Cat” is already available. “Red Glove” will be released on April 5th. Ms. Black will be touring with Cassandra Clare to promote the book. You can find more information over at Ms. Black’s blog. I’ll be at the Mission Viejo event!

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

“Kat, Incorrigible” by Stephanie Burgis is a charming, middle grade romp in a lively rendition of Regency England. This isn’t Mr. Darcy’s England though. Well-mannered young ladies may also know a thing or two about magic. I don’t usually read middle grade fiction, but when I saw that this was set in my favorite period of history, I just couldn’t help myself!

Ms. Burgis’ story revolves around 12-year-old Kat Stephenson, a rambunctious and sassy young lady with a penchant for aggravating her “Stepmama” and doing what she feels is right. Kat soon finds herself deep in the midst of a battle for her life and the lives of her sisters when her Stepmama decides to try and marry off her eldest sister to a man with a somewhat suspect marital history. With a dash of magic and mystery, Kat makes incredible discovery along the way.

I found this story to be very charming. I think it will absolutely delight the age group it’s targeting, but is also a fun read for older readers (even, gasp, adults like myself!). I don’t feel the need to break it all down in bullet points. It’s simply an enjoyable, magical story about a strong-willed young woman and her adventure. The ending tied up quite nicely for those who don’t enjoy cliffhangers, but left you caring enough about Kat to want to know what kind of trouble she finds for herself in the next book.

The publisher, Simon & Schuster, provided me with an ARC. “Kat, Incorrigible” is scheduled to be released in April of this year in the USA and is already available “across the pond”.