Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Jane and her best friend Allison have always been outsiders. This becomes even more evident when there is the Big-Little ceremony at the girls' school, St. Theresa's School for Girls. This ceremony is where freshman, or transfer student, pick a senior to be their mentor, really all it is though is a popularity contest. When Allison accidentally vomits on a freshman girl's head she knows that her social life is over and rushes off to hide. Jane immediately goes and tries to help her, but just can't seem to get through to her. Then all of a sudden a new girl, named Lanalee, comes in and declares herself as Allison's "little" and makes Allison feel a whole lot better. The next day Allison has been transformed. She's dyed her hair, has a whole new wardrobe, even a Coach purse. Jane starts to sense that Lanalee may not exactly be the friendliest person and could be bad news. Jane's suspicions are confirmed when Allison confides in her that she made a contract with a demon. Allison doesn't even have to tell Jane that the demon is Lanalee. In order to save her friend Jane makes a deal with Lanalee. If she can get her ex-boyfriend, who's with Allison, kiss her by midnight on Halloween then Allison and Jane's soul will be saved, if not - Jane's soul will be sucked out of her body. With the help of a very interesting boy named Owen and a teacher at her school Jane embarks on a journey to stop the evil Lanalee and dig herself out of the grave that she has just dug for herself. Will her efforts be in vain, or will good conquer evil?

I thought this book was really good. Maureen Johnson is such a good author. She packs her books full of humor and the stories are completely original. The characters are also very different. For example, Jane is described as being 4'11 with short spiky blond hair. For some reason this made me laugh every time that she was described. I don't know if this was the author's intention, but I loved it. Like I said before, the story line was very original. I've heard a lot about vampire books, but none about demons disguised as teen girls! All in all I really liked the book, and look forward to reading more from Maureen Johnson.

An Interview with Melissa Walker

In honor of the release of Violet by Design I have a super wonderful interview with the fabulous Melissa Walker. I had such a great time talking with her, as she is a wonderful person. Also check out Melissa's blog for chances to win a copy of Violet by Design and many other wonderful books. Now read on and enjoy!

What started your love of fashion?

Hmm… well, probably working in magazines sparked it. But really, what I love is fashion people. They’re fun and funny and smart and crazy—it’s a buzz to be around them! And as for the clothes, well, who doesn’t love a perfectly cut dress in the right color and fabric? Fashion is hard not to love because it’s so visually captivating, at least for me. (But I still balk at some of the prices!)

What made you become an author instead of a magazine editor, or do you juggle both?

I do both. I love writing and editing magazine features, but I always regret that parts of the stories inevitably end up on the cutting room floor. I really wanted to tell a longer story than magazines can hold, so a book was the logical next step.

I still make most of my living writing for magazines… and I love it!

Doe the character Violet resemble you in any way? Did you want to be a model when you were Violet’s age?

At 17, I knew I wasn’t model material. When I was about 10 though, I had this dream that my semi-high cheekbones could take me places. I think lots of girls fantasize about modeling at some point in their lives.

And as for Violet, she is like me in many ways, yes. Her likes, dislikes, pet peeves… mostly mine. But in the end, she turned out to be incredibly different from me, too, and that is a good thing.

What influenced you to write this story?

My time at ELLEgirl gave me insight into the fashion world and how newer models live in NYC (which can be glamorous, scary, thrilling and a little dark all at the same time). That knowledge kind of overlapped with my long-time dream of writing a teen novel about a small town girl in the big city (original, right?). The fashion world thing gave it more focus and helped me nail down the plot.

Are you planning on writing more than 2 books about Violet and her fashion adventures?

Yes! The third book, VIOLET IN PRIVATE, will come out in August!

What’s one of the hardest parts of being a writer? The best?

It’s really hard to make yourself write every day, but it’s key. If you sit there long enough, the words will come. (Sometimes I had to shut off my wireless, and I NEVER have IM on while I’m writing, unless I’m totally kidding myself about doing work.)

The best part—hands down—is getting emails from readers who liked the book. It’s crazy to me that people are actually reading what I wrote! So those emails are like proof, and I totally cherish them.

What experiences have shaped your writing style? Your ideas?

My writing style has a lot to do with great magazine editors whom I’ve worked with—including Brandon Holley of ELLEgirl and JANE fame, and Christina Kelly, teen queen of Sassy, YM and ELLEgirl. They both made me better by asking hard questions in pink or purple pens (all over my drafts!).

As for my ideas, well, as soon as I started peeking behind the scenes of modeling and fashion as a magazine editor, I knew that I wanted to put a "real girl" in the middle of this crazy world, a girl who would see it from the outside and be like, "Holy crap!" It’s an insane environment, so there’s lots of fodder for adventure, humor and drama, especially from the point of view of a small town girl who’s not yet jaded.

What is your favorite book?

Four little words that are impossible to respond to! Okay, here is my favorite book MOMENT (does that count?): I was in a city park, and I saw a book vendor selling an old copy of JD Salinger’s Franny and Zooey. I bought it for $1, sat down in the park, and read it twice in a row! The sunshine was so warm that day, my perch so comfortable, and the book so delightful that I didn’t want to leave the world it created.

What’s one crazy fact about yourself that you want to share?

Hmm… crazy… well, I went swimming in a formal dress this year, just for fun!

Are there any other questions you wished I had asked?

Nope—you’re a pro!

Violet by Design by Melissa Walker

At the end of Violet on the Runway, Violet swears that she's quit the modeling industry. That is until she is offered the opportunity to walk the runway in Brazil. Violet has always wanted to travel and she sees this as her ticket. Deferring college for a semester Violet heads to Brazil while her best friends, Julie and Roger, head of to their respective colleges. While in Brazil Violet meets up with Veronica, and realizes that Veronica is one of the best friends that she has in the industry. When Violet's not catching up with Veronica, she's putting on a spectacular show and designers are all wanting her to walk for them. Then there's Paulo... An up-and-coming designer who is extremely hot, and whom Violet can't help but fall helplessly in love with. She almost feels that she could go all the way with Paulo, that is until she finds him in bed with another woman. Mortified she hops back on a plane to the States and wallows for two weeks, feasting on ice cream and cheeseburgers. Her brother finally convinces her to get her act together and she does. She flies up to New York and hangs out with Roger and his highly annoying girlfriend Chloe. After her outing Violet knows she's ready to go back into the modeling world, and calls up her agent, Angela. When she sees Angela, she wishes she had never called. Angela immediately starts picking Violet apart for putting on 5 pounds. Violet's ashamed of herself, but continues trying to get rid of that blasted ice cream weight. Her dream of traveling comes true again when she is whisked off to Spain. Here she is still pestered about her weight, but when she speaks up she gets into a lot of trouble. Will Violet ever be satisfied with her body? Is her modeling career over?

Wow! This book was just as good as the first one. For me that rarely happens. Violet was as strong as ever in this book and I loved how she stood up for what she believed in. Throughout the story Violet is pressured into losing weight even though she's already skinny. This deals with the whole models are too skinny issue that real world models are facing today. I thought that Melissa Walker did a fantastic job getting the message across that we all need to be comfortable with our bodies and that being skinny definitely has it's negative side. Once again I couldn't put the book down and was riveted by the story. I stayed up until all hours of the night to finish it and it was so worth it! One thing that frustrated me during the whole book is Violet and Roger's relationship. I believe that they are destined to be together. Why, o, why does he have to be with that Chloe girl? Why Melissa Walker did you have to leave us hanging with their whole relationship? So many questions left unanswered. Hopefully they will all be answered in the third book in the series Violet in Private, which comes out in August. I absolutely can't wait:)

Wake by Lisa McMann

Usually when parents tuck their kids in at night they tell them to have sweet dreams, right? According to Janie that's wrong. She can't remember ever having a dream. Instead she falls into other people's dreams. Some may think this is really neat, but for Janie it's horrible. Janie can't spend the night at other people's house, and when people fall asleep at school she's also sucked into their dreams. Janie's been having this problem since she was eight years old. Now she's seventeen and a senior in high school, and the whole dream thing is getting very old. The worst thing is she can't tell anybody in fear that they'll think she's crazy. Lately it seems all the dreams are the same, being naked in front of a crowd or falling into an endless pit. Then she starts falling into the same dream, actually more of a nightmare that hits way to close to home. She can't really make sense of it, but she hopes it will soon stop. Aside from the dreams though her life seems to be looking up. Her grades are good, she has an amazing boyfriend who understands her and knows her secret, and her alcoholic mother mother has started to be a little more motherly. Just as life is looking up, a cloud comes and rains on Janie's happiness. Her and her boyfriend Cabel have an unofficial break up, and her favorite patient at the nursing home she works at, Ms. Stubin, dies. Then Cable is all of a sudden dating rich girl Shay and Janie doesn't understand this at all, and it seems that everything else is confusing her. Will Janie find some answers to her confusion, or will she plummet into darkness with only other people's dreams to keep her company?

I. Loved. This. Book. Wake gives the term "page-turner" a whole new meaning. From the moment I opened the book it was glued to my hands and I was on the edge of my seat, anxious to read what happened next. The story was completely original and was absolutely fascinating. There were so many twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very last sentence. Even then it wasn't enough, there are still so many questions buzzing around my head. It is so not fair that the book had to end! The characters were also amazing. Janie was great and I am so jealous of her relationship with Cabel, for the most part! To me all the characters had their own unique personality which made the book have great depth. What stunned me even more about this book is that Lisa McMann is a first time author. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next, especially the sequel to Wake, Fade which comes out next year.

Vegan, Virgin, Valentine by Carolyn Mackler

Mara Valentine is an overachieving high-school senior. She's been awarded early-acceptance to Yale and is in a neck in neck race with her ex-boyfriend for valedictorian. Her life seems to be smooth sailing until her parents inform her that her niece, yes niece, V will be coming to live with them. V is the complete opposite of Mara. She does drugs, she doesn't do well in school, and she is most definitely not a virgin! The first day that V starts school she hooks up with Mara's ex-boyfriend. This makes V's and Mara's relationship even more strained. Mara soon learns to ignore V, even though it is quite difficult, and immerses herself in her schoolwork and job over at a local coffee shop. Over the course of the year there are even more changes in Mara's life. One, she falls in love with the owner of the local coffee shop, a.k.a her boss, her relationship with V takes a turn for the better, and she isn't as focused on college anymore. Through her senior year Mara learns many life lessons and forges many new relationships. She transforms herself into a great person. Will V do the same?

I thought this book was cute. It wasn't fabulous, but by no means was it boring. I could really relate to Mara, especially the whole over achiever thing! I learned that school isn't everything and that sometimes it's o.k. to let loose. V was also a fun character. There are some twists thrown in with V's character that I would never have guessed, but they made the book interesting.

Thirteen by Lauren Myracle

Winnie has finally reached her thirteenth birthday. She doesn't think life could get any better. She has two wonderful best friends forever (BFFs), Dinah and Cinnamon, and a super hot boyfriend, Lars, who held her hand just last week! Everyday is a new adventure for this fun teenager. Her six-year old brother Ty always has intriguing questions, and it seems that some times he will only listen to Winnie. Then there's her sister Sandra who's in her senior year of high-school and is moody most of the time, but at other times can offer some great sisterly advice. Winnie soon begins to realize that being thirteen has its ups and downs. She's on the rocks with Lars, and doesn't quite know how to handle it, as it is her first real relationship. And then there's Joseph, the little boy in her brother's class who has leukemia. Even though she doesn't know him Winnie feels sorry for him. This makes her look at life in a whole new way. Over the course of her thirteenth year, Winnie faces lots of new things, each one exciting in its own way. Even though life sometimes gets a little hectic, Winnie knows she loves being thirteen!

This book was really cute. There are two other books that come before it, Eleven and Twelve, but I don't think it's necessary to read them before reading Thirteen. I loved how Lauren Myracle made Winnie such a real character. It seems that characters in other books like Thirteen have really unrealistic goals or outlooks on life. Winnie seemed to be really down to earth and very likable. I could relate to a lot of the issues that she faced, and it was easy to laugh along with her. This is a great book for any girl, young or old, and makes you see growing up in a fun way. I look forward to seeing if Winnie's story continues.

Also, from March 2-10 chat with Lauren Myracle on BookDivas! Ask her any burning questions you have about any of her books and see what others are asking too! Hurry on over because she'll only be there for a week.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

A couple years after Isi's marriage to Prince Geric, Enna returns to the forest after being in the city of Bayern for so long. Her original return was to tend to her sick mother, but after her mother dies, Enna can't seem to leave her brother Leifer alone in the forest. Little does she know that Leifer has truly changed. He seems to know the language of fire, just like Isi knows the language of the wind. The fire seems to overtake Leifer and he goes as far as threatning to kill Isi and burning Enna's ankles. Bayern soon goes to war and all men, including the forest folk, are asked to join in the fight. Enna is also asked to go, not to fight, but to be Isi's maiden. At the first major battle, Leifer uses his fire and burns, and kills, many enemy soldiers. In this same battle the king of Bayern is killed as well as Leifer. Geric mourns the loss of his father, as does Isi, and Enna mourns the loss of her brother. Except Enna mourns in a different way. When saying her final goodbyes to Leifer she finds a piece of vellum that teaches the fire language. Curiosity gets the better of her and she begins to read the cryptic story. Soon the fire seems to take her over, and she seems to have changed, just like Liefer. Enna soon realizes that she must use her newly discovered power to help Bayern win the war. She gets a little ahead of her self and finds herself captured by the enemy. Just as she has finally given up hope that no one will come to her aid, she starts to discover she may have feelings for her capturer. In the back of her mind she knows he is the enemy, but all she wants is someone to love her. All changes when Isi helps her escape. Enna learns the truth of why her captor was being so nice, and she knows she must get to Bayern immediately if she still wants to succeed in her goal of helping them win the war. Will Enna's power get the better of her, or will she learn to control it?

Usually I am not so keen on follow up books, but I was definitely wrong with this book. This is a great companion to one of my favorite books, The Goose Girl. Enna Burning is told through the point of view of Enna, which I loved. I thought it was great that we got to hear another characters to voice in the follow up novel instead of the same character from the first book. Shannon Hale did a phenomenal job creating the character of Enna. She is a strong and funny character that is instantly likable. I felt myself pitying her at times, and laughing with her at others. As for the story line is was once again fabulous. There is adventure, war, and romance, which is enough for me! All in all this was one of the better books I've ever read, and for me it almost lives up to The Goose Girl, but hey nothing really can top that so I'd say it's pretty good.

This is my third book for the Royalty Rules Challenge!!