Class is in Session with Author Monica Kulling!

HI there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, class is in session as we embark on a journey of EDUTAINMENT with the latest releases from none other than author Monica Kulling.  I've featured her works here on the site many times before and I'm always happy to shine the spotlight her way once again.  You know why?  Because...her titles are not only gems to behold in the story telling and illustrations, but educational as well, a combination that works for reluctant readers (whether it be the activity or the material) of all ages.  

Personally, for me, it's the material because we already KNOW I love to read.  ^-^  Case in point, I've received a book or two in recent times highlighting a historical figure or two (specifically Mr. Alexander Hamilton) and I've had to pass them by.  Grant it, they landed in good hands (classrooms and libraries), but they just weren't for me.  These two though, there was no doubt I'd take a journey through their pages.  So, if you'd be so kind, join me as we learn a little more about two people from our past that left their imprint on our here-and-now...

Alexander Hamilton:

From Orphan to Founding Father

by Monica Kulling

Illustrated by Valerio Fabbretti

9781524716981

Random House

Here, we have a glimpse of the life and times of Alexander Hamilton.  So many facts are threaded into a story that is inviting, yet not overwhelming.  Did you know he was an orphan?  Or ran a business at 14 years of age?  Or sent to America to go to college?  Or that his most famous written work is our Constitution?  Or even how he passed on from this life?  Betcha didn't, at least not all of it, and guess what?  This little beauty filled with illustrations to bring his woe-filled tale to life will leave you with a new understanding of the challenges accepted, faced and conquered.

Sky High:

George Ferris's Big Wheel

by Monica Kulling

Illustrated by Gene Barretta

9781101934524

Random House

So many facts in such a short span of pages, but the impact they make is what really counts.  Did you know George Ferris designed the bridge that spans Allegheny River in my home state? Or that the design for the ride came from his childhood days of watching a waterwheel?  How about that his original wheel was set for the 1893 World's Fair...but he didn't finish in time?!  That's right...and they thought he was out of his mind for even attempting to build such a thing!  Did that stop him?  No sir!  He kept going until the job was done and so the Ferris Wheel made its debut in June to much aplomb and still continues to be a staple enjoyed by the masses at fairs and the like, the world over.  The story combined with the colorful illustrations bring that journey from idea to reality to life in a way that readers of all ages will leave not only informed but with a new appreciation for the ingenuity behind the invention.

So step into history with the STEP INTO READING series and make a place on your shelf for Monica Kulling's latest releases!  They are BOTH available now via Random House, so be on the lookout for them on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Special thanks to author Monica Kulling for the SIGNED copies for review.  (THANK YOU!)  For more information on these titles, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.

Until next time, remember....if it looks good, READ IT!

HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY: A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison

Psst!

Guess what?

It's Friday!

You made it!

Another week behind you and THAT much closer to...Thanksgiving...and Christmas.

Egads!  I know, I know.  The holiday season can be rather daunting what with work, family, reading, bloging, shopping, cooking, shall I go on?  Wouldn't it be great if someone could, oh I don't know, say lighten the load a bit this holiday season?  You know, maybe help you take care of a present for that reader in your life that loves nothing more than another jaunt through the pages.  Wouldn't that be just smashing?  Well then, you're about to be VERY excited.  ^-^

Thanks to the fab folks over at FSB Associates (Hi, Leyane!), I have the privilege of extending that very opportunity to all of you.  Now just hold your holiday loving horses a moment.  I've got to introduce things first!  You might remember a few months back, I journeyed through the pages of a new release by author Jan Ellison.  Here's a little snapshot of the title and author...

A Small Indiscretion

by

Jan Ellison

9780812995442

Random House

About the book...

At nineteen, Annie Black trades a bleak future in her washed-out hometown for a London winter of drinking to oblivion and yearning for deliverance. Some two decades later, she is married to a good man and settled in San Francisco, with a son and two daughters and a successful career designing artistic interior lights. One June morning, a photograph arrives in her mailbox, igniting an old longing and setting off a chain of events that rock the foundations of her marriage and threaten to overturn her family's hard-won happiness.

The novel moves back and forth across time between San Francisco in the present and that distant winter in Europe. The two worlds converge and explode when the adult Annie returns to London seeking answers, her indiscretions come to light, and the phone rings with shocking news about her son. Now Annie must fight to save her family by piecing together the mystery of her past -- the fateful collision of liberation and abandon and sexual desire that drew an invisible map of her future.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

About the author...

Jan Ellison is a graduate of Stanford University and San Francisco State University's MFA Program. She has published award-winning short fiction, and was the recipient of a 2007 O. Henry Prize for her first story to appear in print. Her work has also been shortlisted for The Best American Short Stories and the Pushcart Prize. She lives in Northern California with her husband and their four children. A Small Indiscretion is her first book.

SITE   |   FACEBOOK   |   TWITTER

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Intriguing, no?

I shared my experience once upon a time, and invited you to do the same...to revisit my thoughts, simply CLICK HERE.  

Now, reading about another's experience can be charming, but nothing is as exhilarating as reading through those pages yourself.  So, my fair readers, now it's your turn.  Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win a SIGNED COPY of this very title for your own shelves or to give to another this holiday season.  The choice is yours...

Open to US residents only; no P.O. boxes please.  Entries will be accepted through November 28th, 2015, midnight CST.  Winner will be contacted and have 48 hours to respond with their full name and mailing information to be passed on to the publicist for prize send out.  SFIR is not responsible for lost or prizes not received.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time...GOOD LUCK...and happy reading!

Playful Pigs From A to Z by Anita Lobel

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're jumping aboard the edutainment train with a title that's part Picture Book, part ABC Primer, adding up to a whole lot of enjoyment for readers of all ages.  So, if you're ready, join me in the sunny meadows of imagination as we discover today's book of choice...

Playful Pigs from A to Z

by

Anita Lobel

9780553508321

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

This is a journey through your ABC's like none you've taken before.  With an earthy, rich color palette and soft, gentle illustrations, your eyes will be delighted with every turn of the page.  Right from the start of the text, we discover that these 26 piglets are not only here for educational purposes, but are ready for an adventure.  Boy do they deliver!  From Amanda in her adorable outfit Admiring an "A' to wonderful Wanda watering her "W", there is fun to be had from A to Z...and a few surprises too!  (Hint:  Look at the bottom corners in each frame.  There's something added that starts with the same letter as featured on each page!)

So whether you're interested in harnessing the learning power it possesses or simply an adorable venture through the alphabet with some porcine friends to lead the way, this is definitely a Picture Book/Primer that should be on your wish list...or even perhaps on your wall.  How so?  Right back to those illustrations.  I could easily see with no stretch of the imagination these pages becoming framed images in a child's nursery, classroom, or library.  Just a thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the author...

Author self portrait

Anita Lobel is well known and well loved by picture-book fans young and old, most recently for Taking Care of Mama Rabbit, 10 Hungry Rabbits, and Lena’s Sleep Sheep. She received a Caldecott Honor for her illustrations in On Market Street, and her memoir, No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War, was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Ms. Lobel lives in New York City. She enjoyed revisiting the alphabet and painting an ABC parade of pigs in costumes for this book. You can visit her gallery of animals and other paintings, as well as see a complete list of her books, at anita-lobel.com.

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Special thanks to Cassie at Random House Children's Books for the review copy and chance to bring this title to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or their growing catalog, be sure to click through the links provided above.  This title just reached publication July 14th, 2015 via Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: R is for Rocket: An ABC Book by Tad Hills

Morning everyone!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

 

Today, school is back in session as we throw a pre-publication celebration for the latest Picture Book release slated for author Tad Hills.  Perhaps you've heard of him?  If not, I KNOW you've heard of the wonderful little dog that stars in his children's series.  His name rhymes with POCKET...

Ladies and gents, boys and girls of all ages.  Please join me front and center as we welcome today's book of choice to the spotlight....

R is for Rocket:
An ABC Book
by
Tad Hills
9780553522280
Schwartz & Wade

About the book...
From finding acorns, to balancing on a ball, to offering a cookie and a crayon to a crow, readers will love exploring the wonderful world of Rocket and his friends. The whole cast is featured, among them the little yellow bird, the owl, Bella the squirrel, and more. Even Goose from the beloved and bestselling Duck & Goose books makes a cameo appearance! With charming and delightful scenes for every letter, here’s an ode to the wondrous, mighty, gorgeous alphabet.

Take off the dust jacket to find a fun alphabet poster printed on the inside!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





That's right!
Rocket, that lovable, spunky, adorable little fur baby is back and this time, he's teaching the kiddos their ABC's.  A fitting way to lead into his reading adventure, wouldn't you say?  With full color illustrations throughout chock full of eye catching imagery and lettered words even the littlest tykes can identify, you'll have a delightful time bouncing through the alphabet from A to Z. 




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


About the author...

Tad’s interest in art drew him to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he studied painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, creative writing, and poetry, but his greatest education came with the arrival of his children. “Spending time with my kids helps me remember what it’s like to be a child. I try to capture that innocence and enthusiastic vision of the world in my books. I want kids to see themselves in my characters.

“I find the process of creating a book similar to making sculpture. It is a constant adding and taking-away. The words and pictures are like pieces of clay. Some ideas come from experience and observation and some seem to come from thin air. Sometimes an idea builds out of an overheard conversation, or sometimes an idea comes to me when I’m cooking dinner. The real trick is to take all those ideas, like chunks of soft clay, and build something. Throughout the process the sculpture may hold itself upright, or more likely it might sag in places, or even collapse completely. The tough part is getting all that clay to stand up and not sag or collapse. Standing, of course, isn’t all there is: you have to make sure that it is fun and interesting from all angles, because kids will be walking around it, squinting at it, sniffing it, touching it–inspecting it from all sides.

“As an author and illustrator of children’s books, my greatest satisfaction comes from visiting schools. The kids’ excitement and enthusiasm for books is very real. I especially enjoy the responses I get from children when I ask if they have any questions or comments. ‘Where do you get your ideas? What’s the difference between a book and a story? My birthday is June 12th. How do you make the cover shiny? My Dad has socks like yours. Do you have an agent? Do you write the story first or draw the pictures? How do you make a book?’ But what I love most is when a lower school kid smiles and says proudly, ‘I’m writing a book.’”



SITE   |   FACEBOOK




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Special thanks to Jillian at Random House for the chance to bring this book to the spotlight for all of you. (THANKS!)  For more information on the title, author, publisher, or to pre-order your copy, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release JULY 7th, 2015, so make a place for it on your wish list for it today.

Until next time...happy reading!

HI-YAH! Book Birthday Celebration for Ninja Bunny by Jennifer Gray Olson

Hi gang!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're throwing a HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY celebration for a Children's Picture Book that's hitting shelves as we speak, or rather as you read.  It stars a precocious little fuzzy forest critter that is determined to make it on his own...in the way of the NINJA!  So, grab your shinobi and steel your courage!  It's time for today's book of choice...

Ninja Bunny

by

Jennifer Gray Olson

9780385754934

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

With a HA and a HI-YAH!

This is one bunny who means business.

He is prepared to take on the world following the ancient ways of those set before him.  No, not of bunny kind mind you...he has loftier aspirations.  To become one with the ways of the ninja.  Can't be done you say?  Well, he's ready to bet his cutesy little cottontail he can and he has his trusty book on 'How to be a Super Awesome Ninja' to guide him through.

Every rule he needs is in there to train himself to be one with nature, to blend into his environment, to achieve the stealth of a leopard and the speed of a cheetah....and to take on any foe, anywhere, anytime, by...him...self.  Even this BIG OLD GRIZZLY BEAR that just happened upon him...*gulp*  Don't worry kiddos, he's not really alone.  He discovers that while the practices of the ninja are for some and a life of solitude can be gratifying, he's much better suited to be among his friends who've always got his back.

I absolutely LOVED this adorable and adventurous story!  While making sure little ones (and wee ones at heart!) walk away with a reminder that doing things for oneself is grand, but on your friends you can depend, you are also treated to a visual buffet of awesome-ness.  The sparsely illustrated pages add to the feel of aloneness, while the bunny populated ones show the numbers in which his friends come when needed.  The add in puffs of words (such as HI-YAH and UH-OH) add further action and smiles to the scenes as he makes his way through some precarious situations in his ninja training.  There's not a soul that won't be lightened by this funny and fuzzy tale, nor a bunny walking away without some new skills.  Recommended for readers of all ages, boys, girls, and bunnies alike. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the author/illustrator....

Jennifer Gray Olson is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree in art education. She is a glassblower and sculptor. In addition to writing and illustrating, Jennifer is also the co-coordinator of the SCBWI Orange County/Riverside/San Bernardino illustrators’ schmooze. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two boys, and baby girl. Learn more about Jennifer and view her illustrations at JenniferGrayOlson.com.

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Special thanks to Cassie at Random House Children's Books for the review copy.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, please feel free to click through the links provided above.  Remember, this book is celebrating its BOOK BIRTHDAY TODAY, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...HI-YAH....and happy reading!

A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to another week here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, where we strive to help you kick off each and every week right.

In the book spotlight today is a title that released at the start of the year via Random House.  It's the first book from an author that's had her short story work already in print, and stars a tale of passion and pain, romance and entanglements, secrets and misplaced revenge.  Sound good?  I'll let you be the judge but one can't even begin if not introduced, so let's get on with the show!  Today's book of choice is...

A Small Indiscretion

by

Jan Ellison

9780812995442

Random House

About the book...

At nineteen, Annie Black trades a bleak future in her washed-out hometown for a London winter of drinking to oblivion and yearning for deliverance. Some two decades later, she is married to a good man and settled in San Francisco, with a son and two daughters and a successful career designing artistic interior lights. One June morning, a photograph arrives in her mailbox, igniting an old longing and setting off a chain of events that rock the foundations of her marriage and threaten to overturn her family's hard-won happiness.

The novel moves back and forth across time between San Francisco in the present and that distant winter in Europe. The two worlds converge and explode when the adult Annie returns to London seeking answers, her indiscretions come to light, and the phone rings with shocking news about her son. Now Annie must fight to save her family by piecing together the mystery of her past -- the fateful collision of liberation and abandon and sexual desire that drew an invisible map of her future.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INDISCRETION:  

Behavior or speech that is indiscreet or displays a lack of good judgment.

Oh there are so many places I could go with a definition like that as it applies as much to the story and individual characters as it does to my overall experience...but we'll leave that alone for a moment.  Let's jump in with two feet, shall we?

Annie Black is a curious woman.  Much like any other, she lived a life filled with curious happenings (work/study abroad, romantic engagements with an older MARRIED gent and a playboy involved with the wife!) and worldly wanderings (London! Ireland!) in her younger days, only to land in a safe harbor of a life with a loving husband, children, and a family dog.  Yes indeed, she was living the life until a series of events played out (a strange picture's arrival, a young woman seeking refuge, a crash, and potential loss of all she holds dear) and the past caught up with her in a most unexpected way.  I'm sure you've heard a phrase along the lines of don't do today what you may regret tomorrow...well, let's say that although most of what was done was certainly without regret, that lingering tinge of guilt would prove a point of undoing.  Getting to know Annie was a multi-layered task and the glimpses we catch are never fully developed but by book's end, we come to see as does she that some things can stand the test of time as well as those of life.

The gents in her life all have starring roles as well.  From the married Malcolm to the strangely enticing Patrick, the handsome manly Jonathan and her beloved son Robbie, they all have parts to play in this mystery in the making...some don't even realize it.  The roles they had in her younger days all mix and mingle to created a woven tapestry that is certainly hard to unravel, but unravel it does as Robbie is drawn unwittingly into the web with potential deadly consequences.  I can't allude to much without spoiling it all, but some things are best left in the past for a reason, and some things are best left said rather than made permanent in ink and paper form.  Now, we've discussed characters and story, let's talk writing style and overall experience....

For the life of me, I could not connect with the story on any permanent level.  Nope.  Try as I might, it wasn't happening.  The narrator felt distant, just outside of my grasp, despite it being our leading lady.  The story bounced between past and present as promised but in leaps and bounds that weren't always easy to follow.  The present as it was was being told as if reading her personal thoughts from a journal about the day, not as they transpired so in essence you were constantly in the past tense of things.  It just didn't work for me.  

In the end, my thoughts on the read were a bit scattered.  Did I get the overall story?  Yes.  Was a captivated by each and every page?  Not until the final few chapters...and those I was certainly hanging on every word.  Would I recommend it to fellow readers?  Yes, so long as you go in knowing about the jumps and story telling style so it doesn't take you unawares.  I enjoyed the final assembly of Annie's pieces at book's end, but the journey was more task than joyride.  There, I've said my piece...but, I am MOST curious to hear what other readers say.  So if you've read it, DROP A COMMENT!  If you haven't but do, stop back by!  I've love to see what you took from the narrative and compare notes.

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About the author...

Jan Ellison is a graduate of Stanford University and San Francisco State University's MFA Program. She has published award-winning short fiction, and was the recipient of a 2007 O. Henry Prize for her first story to appear in print. Her work has also been shortlisted for The Best American Short Stories and the Pushcart Prize. She lives in Northern California with her husband and their four children. A Small Indiscretion is her first book.

SITE   |   FACEBOOK   |   TWITTER

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Special thanks to Leyane at FSB Associates for the review copy and the chance to bring this promotion to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on the title, author, publicist, or publisher, please feel free to click through the links above.  This title is available now via Random House, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Christmas is almost upon us but there is plenty of time still to work in a few holiday reads.  Today, we're diving into a selection from my personal library from the land of Storybooks with a festive title indeed.  It's a book I discovered while browsing my local library's bookstore and as soon as my eyes lit on the cover, I was sold.  Wanna know a secret?  I think you will be too.  So, friends and family, gather round, it's time to meet and greet today's book of choice....

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

by

Robert Barry

9780385327213

A Doubleday Book for Young Readers

As the title states, this is the story of a Christmas tree but not just ANY tree mind you, for it belongs to Mr. Willowby.  This fine old gent is full of holiday spirit and ready to decorate his home, nay mansion, with some festive flair.  What better way than a Christmas tree, right?  Right!  He gets the biggest, the bestest, the most Christmasy one ever delivered straight to his parlor.  But what's this?  Upon standing it up to its full height....it's TOO TALL?!?  Egads!  It seems his eyes where bigger than his ceiling!  No worries though, his butler knows just what to do and so a few moments later its OFF with the tree top.  

*blink blink*

The tree top?

Yes, the tree top!

Whereas you or I usually take a little off the bottom, he cut a fairly large amount off the top.  Though it might seem strange, it all works out rather well for you see in this tale, nothing goes to waste.  The previously attached tree top turned mini tree ends up with the maid, who finds it too large and chops it down to size again.  Again!  Ah, but wait for it...that newly formed mini tree makes it way to the trash pile where the gardener finds it and continues the cycle until the smallest of the small, little Mistletoe Mouse, has a tree just like our dear old Mr. Willowby.

It's a VERY sweet story with amazing illustrations.  The color palette chosen works perfectly for the time of year depicted while the line work and detail put into each scene makes it clear this was a labor of love versus just another story.  I love the lessons shared along the way from waste not want not, sharing is caring, and one man's trash is another man's treasure.  Add to those the joy that the little trees bring to each barer and recipient, and you have a book that's a perfect addition to anyone's holiday reading list.

This title is available now via Random House Children's Books, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy holidays and happy reading!

Anatomy 101 with author Daria Snadowsky

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…the site that loves to read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read….and read some more….all the live long day.  Too bad I’ve got to keep my day (and night) job though because honestly, imagine the reading time!

Today, we’re heading back to the land of Young Adult literature with a dual book review of what I can only call an “edgy” series.  Why that particular adjective?  Well, it’s a content thing…you’ll see, but before we dissect things too closely, let’s meet and greet these titles properly.  Since the beginning is usually the best place to start in any situation, let’s jump right into the first story…

Anatomy of a Boyfriend

9780440239444

Okay, okay.  I know what you’re thinking.  How could I have POSSIBLY even thought this series would be anything other than edgy with a Barbie-Man doll on the front cover with only a title sticker strategically placed to cover, well…I’m pleading the fifth on that one.  No, really…the description of the book drew me in.  It sounded like a fun YA romp through a teenage “wonderland” and it was…just a LOT more sexually oriented than I imagined.  I’m not saying it was bad.  I’m not saying it was over the top.  I AM saying that I would recommend it be read by the elder teens in the target YA audience as opposed to those just claiming the teen moniker as their own as it’s a bit explicit.   

Meet Dom (short for Dominique).  She’s a high school student ready to shed her skin and experience all that being a teen has to offer.  Some are on the straight and narrow, like expanding her circle of friends, going to a party or two, and maybe breaking a curfew by a few minutes tops.  Others are a bit more in the shades of grey area, like meeting boys, dating boys, and well, I think you see where my train of thought may be leading here.  *ahem*  Not judging any of those that test their limits at that age, just saying…be careful, be safe.  Anyway…

Our girl Dom doesn’t go all “red light special” on us or anything, but she does try to catch up to the status quo, even perhaps surpassing it in some cases.  It was interesting to read as she and her chosen mark of affection, Wes, experienced many firsts and attempts at firsts.  Honestly, the outcome here was not fun for all and yet expected to some degree if you paid attention to the situation at hand, though I could have sworn it was heading in another direction.  Something along the lines of closets being opened and all (hey, it could still happen…book two doesn’t really cement anything for us)…but I digress.

By this story’s end, Dom has learned a lot from personal experience as well as her friend Amy (more on her in book two) and is ready to cut ties and head off to the BIG HOUSE…as in college (where did YOU think I meant?).  Which is just where we’re heading as well…

Anatomy of a Single Girl

9780385737982

TADA!  We’ve landed in college.  The land where futures grow on trees and success is there for the taking…right?  Umm…right, sure.  *ahem*  Truth be told, things aren’t that hot for our leading lady, but she’s got her head on straight and is determined to take the academic world by storm…or at least get her studies back together again; she was an A+ student after all….anything less, hurts!  She’s also not letting her head be turned by any handsome faces this year.  Enough is enough.  Time to work on herself, get ahead, and allow her newly claimed good name to carry her to the heights of the medical elite. 

Only, it’s college…and it’s about to be summer.  Does anyone else remember the Legally Blonde Musical where Elle Woods is studying through Spring Break (etc) to get her 174 LSAT score and the cute guys keep barging in to distract her?  (Not that I remember it…at all….WHAT?! No judging….)  Yeah, well that’s sorta what’s in store for Dom and while she manages to keep her head around Calvin (the RA that wants to be more than friends), Guy is not as easy to ignore.  What kind of name is Guy exactly?  A perfect one for this dude in fact.  He seems nice enough, sensitive enough, smart enough…and yet the boy is a commitment phobe (okay, not exactly….he just doesn’t want to be tied down in a relationship at the moment), much like his name.  Sorry!  I know, I’m harsh….but I’m split on my decision to totally side with Dom’s initial reactions or adopt that “live in the moment” philosophy.  Whichever way you vote, it’s still fun to follow Dom along as she finds herself in more ways than one.  *ahem*

Now, even though Dom is the one we’ve spoken of most often here, I also have to give props to her BFF Amy.  True, they grow apart a bit in this story.  True, Amy discovers both the joys and sorrows that come along with being attached.  True, we get to know her a bit better, or rather another side of her, and can’t help but like her all the more for it.  She’s not merely a flavor of the day sorta girl anymore; she’s developed substance.  I like how it wasn’t instantaneous nor was it completely expected of this character but it felt real.  The author seems to have a knack for that.

When all the story is said and done, the drama played out, the challenges met, learned from and/or dealt with, things draw to a close with a brush from the past and a reconnection of hearts.  It wasn’t the ending I was hoping for (nor the one you might be assuming from what I just said…don’t assume, READ!), but you know what…it made sense.  It worked for the characters, both where they were at personally as well as their personalities.  It worked for the story, falling in line with everything that transpired as well as all that still could.  It worked for the author’s writing style, promising us a good read not necessarily the happiest of happy endings.

Author Daria Snadowsky

In conclusion, a two part series that takes the world of teens by the hormones, shakes things up a bit for the sake of first time experiments and leaves you with the results to measure and weigh in your own time.  With characters you grow to love and stories you’ll want to share in (as well as a few you’d wish to forget), you’re left with an overall feeling that despite what life looks like at the moment, things can still be changed for the better.  In short, it’s not a read for every one, but for those that are open to the option, it’s definitely one you’ll not want to miss.

Review copies received courtesy of author Daria Snadowsky.  (THANKS!)  For more information on these titles as well as her current goings ons, be sure to visit her online or stop by the publisher’s official page for the “anatomy” series.  These titles are both available now via Delacorte Press, a division of Random House, so be on the lookout for them on a bookstore shelf near you.

Until next time…happy reading!