Feature and Follow Friday #6 AND Cry for Help!

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

This weeks features are Jake @ Teen Fiction Centre and Steph @ StephLikesBooks and the question is:

How has your reading habits changed since you were a teen? or If you are still a teen what new genres are you in love with currently?



I’ve always love reading.  My mom says that I read entire books by myself when I was in Kindergarten, so I started at an early age.  I moved from the age-appropriate reads of my elementary school years, to required reading, to choosing my own reading material.  In my late teens and early twenties I started reading romance and some mystery/thrillers (when I had time, you know how it is when you’re in college.)  I read anything from Harlequin romance to Julie Garwood, Lavyrle Spenser, Catherine Coulter and more.  I guess I rediscovered YA when the first Harry Potter movie was about to come out, I think the first four books were already published by then and I read them back-to-back.  Since then I have concentrated mostly in YA literature.  Within the genre like contemporary, historical, fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian (I’ll give anything a try as long is not preachy or horror.)  And of course I can read a lot faster now and in Spanish and English.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

I am taking advantage of the Feature and Follow Friday traffic to make an announcement and a cry for help:

I start classes for a graduate certificate in a few weeks and for the next year I will not have as much time to read to leisure.  I expect that I will be lucky if I can read one book a week, therefore I need HELP.  If you are interested in being a reviewer (even if you can do it periodically) or guest blogger at ‘Reading with ABC’ please leave me a comment here with your email and I will contact you.  Thank you so much!

Review: Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw (Wintercraft #1)

Title: Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw
Published: June 21st, 2001 by Greenwillow
Source: Library
Grade rate: B


Kate Winters isn’t who she thinks she is. Burned out of her family bookstore by a suspicious fire, she will be pursued across a country riddled by fear and war before she discovers the extent of her skill and her destiny. Her pursuers include Silas Dane—one of the most compelling villains since Rowling’s Professor Snape and Pullman’s Mrs. Coulter—and Edgar, a young man who worked at the bookshop and who seems to know much more about the secrets of Wintercraft (a mysterious book that has been in Kate’s family for generations; a book responsible for the disappearance of her parents years ago) than he lets on.


My Review

This novel was published in the UK last year under the name ‘Wintercraft’, which makes a lot more sense that ‘Shadowcry’.  This is a fantasy book with some mystery thrown in the mix for good measure.   I felt the story was original, even if the concepts were a little hard to grasp. 

The characters are very complex, each with their own agenda and strong personalities.  Kate comes across as an open-minded, practical young woman with a power that she neither understands nor wants.  Despite his cruelty and lack of remorse and empathy, Silas Dane was my favorite character.  He was product of an experiment gone badly and even if I didn’t like his methods, he had his own brand of honor.  Edgar was elusive and I hope we get to know him, and well as Artemis and Tom, better on the next installment.

‘Shadowcry’ is told from a third person point of view that is refreshing to see in YA.  The writing was a little slow at the beginning but it picked up at the end, and easy to read, and the plot was, as I said before, very original.  Ms. Burtenshaw is a brilliant writer and I am looking forward to more of her books.  One thing I didn’t like was the multiple attempts at escaping and the multiple times they got caught and / or separated.  It was a little irritating, but on the other hand, if someone was holding me against my will I know for sure I will do whatever it takes to gain my freedom and the freedom of my loved ones.  

Overall, an interesting read with an original story line.  I am looking forward to the sequel (‘Blackwatch’ in the UK.)

About the cover:  The cover was pretty, but other than the arcs, the architectural detail, and the air of mystery, I feel that the UK cover was probably a better fit for the story.

Waiting on Wednesday: Wanderlove by Kiersten Hubbard

Title: Wanderlove by Kiersten Hubbard
Published by: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release date: March 13, 2012


No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Why I want to read it: It's a stand-alone book (hard to come by,) contemporary, and the setting is different. 

Top Ten Underated Books

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Graceling by Kristin Cashore – I didn’t hear a lot about this book before I read it, but I loved it.  There is another spin-off from this series called ‘Fire’, which I also loved.

Deamhunter (duet) by Elizabeth Knox – I saw this book in a blog (I don’t remember which one) and quickly bought both books.  It’s not an easy read, but I was thinking about the story for weeks after I was done.

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schoeder – This is the first book in verse that I’ve ever read and I loved the rhythm, the plot, the story.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson – This is a very different story of what is usually found in YA.  I don’t think it’s easy to read either, but the message raises many questions and I kept thinking about it for days after I finished reading it. 

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson – You’ve probably noticed that this makes it to a lot of my Top Ten, that it’s because I love it.  It describes the feelings of ‘first love’ so clearly and beautifully.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – This is also a very unusual book, it’s actually a series I haven’t had time to read ‘Behemoth’ yet (although it’s patiently waiting for me on my bookshelf.)  It’s an alternate world during World War I and the world is divided between Darwin vs. Machines (sort of.)  Very interesting and the illustrations are great too!

Eyes Like Stars series by Lisa Mantchev – I love this series, it’s a mix of ‘Night at the Museum’ meets Shakespeare.  A fantasy book like no other, and it’s so funny.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale – I love Shannon Hale’s books, and this one is no exception, it’s full of adventure and romance. Love it!

Sorry folks, but that’s all I could think about.  What is in your Top Ten?



In My Mailbox (#10)

IMM is a weekly meme inspired by Alea at the Pop Culture Junkie and hosted by the wonderful Kristi at The Story Siren.  All links are to Goodreads.

From the Library

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong - Loved the Darkest Powers series, so this one should be great.

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw - This paranormal sound awesome.  I have seen it before in the UK blogs with the name 'Wintercraft'.

Succubus Blues by Richelle Meade - This one is an adult book, but since the Vampire Academy series is one my favorites of all time I wanted to give this series a try.

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz - I haven't heard too much about this book, but the synopsis was interesting and the cover is very pretty.

Rushed to the Altar by Jane Feather - Another adult book, in this case audio book, to keep me entertained during my commute :)

For Review

Jennifer's Garden by Diane Venetta - Received this contemporary adult romance from the author for review.