Book Review: ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

by Jesse Andrews

Release Date:  March 1, 2012

Publisher:  Amulet Books

Format: ARC

Source:NetGalley

Get it: Anderson's Bookshops, Amazon, B&N and don’t forget your local library!

Up until senior year, Greg has maintained total social invisibility. He only has one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time—when not playing video games and avoiding Earl’s terrifying brothers— making movies, their own versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics. Greg would be the first one to tell you his movies are f*@$ing terrible, but he and Earl don’t make them for other people. Until Rachel.

Rachel has leukemia, and Greg’s mom gets the genius idea that Greg should befriend her. Against his better judgment and despite his extreme awkwardness, he does. When Rachel decides to stop treatment, Greg and Earl make her a movie, and Greg must abandon invisibility and make a stand. It’s a hilarious, outrageous, and truthful look at death and high school by a prodigiously talented debut author. (Summary from Amazon.com)

Fictitious Delicious Rating: 3.5

I have a feeling that many, many people are going to be head-over-heels crazy about this book.  As much as I wanted to fall in love with this book, I just didn't.  I am, however, still in love with this colorful cover.

Let’s do a breakdown on a few of the main aspects of ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL, shall we?

We have a self-degrading male POV that makes for hilarity through crude humor and shocking statements (and quite a bit of cussing).  This kind of setup is usually right up my alley!  But here’s the thing: I didn’t like the main character, which is post-ironic because I think we’re supposed to like him even though he doesn’t really WANT us to like him.  He’s quite self absorbed and I kept waiting for some character growth through the incredible situation he finds himself in.  Alas, it did not happen.  I thought the end was quite anti-climatic, in fact. 

On the other hand, we have Earl.  Earl is a character I really loved.  Earl comes from an incredibly dysfunctional family yet is the voice of reason throughout the book.  Another piece of irony! Earl knows who he is and owns it.  This is complete contrast to Greg and was a welcome addition to the story.

Our dying girl is just….there.  We don’t get to know much about her because Greg doesn’t take the time to get to know her like I really wish he would.  This was one of my biggest frustrations with the story, honestly.  I want to know more about her!  This goes back to the fact that our main character is a little too self absorbed to care about this missing piece.

There is a nice switch up in writing formats in this book.  A good majority of this story is told in first person POV, but every so often the dialogue is presented in movie script format.  This ties in nicely with the movies Greg and Earl make, which was probably my favorite thing about this story. I may not be a fan of Greg, but I am a fan of the movies he makes with Earl.  Well, all except one.  Here’s the movie that started it all for them: 

Source: http://oldhollywood.tumblr.com/

Yup, that’s Klaus Kinski.  It’s a riot watching these Greg and Earl remake Aguirre: The Wrath of God.

After writing this review, I’ve come to realize that I like this book more than I originally thought I did.  Huh, funny how that works.  That just goes to show that just because I wasn’t head-over-heels crazy about it doesn’t mean it isn’t a good book.  I hope you find it to be an enjoyable read!

Winner, Winner, Haggis Dinner!

Mr. St. Rand just picked the winner of our ALL THINGS SCOTTISH BLOG HOP GIVEAWAY hosted by For What it's Worth.  As a reminder, we were giving away one incredibly awesome "Certified Kilt Inspector" T-Shirt and a "Kilt Inspector" Certificate.  The winner is...

Mandie Baxter

Congratulations, Mandie!


Now I know you're busy jumping up and down over this win, Mandie, but wait. There's more.  


You may remember us mentioning that the winner of this giveaway would also get their name passed on to Jeri Smith-Ready to be entered into the grandest prize of all...A SHINE ARC. So, Mandie!  You're in for the grand prize drawing, too!  *jumps up and down with you*


We've sent an email to Mandie and will post a new winner if no response is received in the next 48 hours. 

Thanks to everyone who stopped by for all the Burns Night festivities.  What a fun night, huh? Can't wait to do it all again next year!  

All Things Scottish Blog Giveaway Hop

Happy Burns Day! 


We are proud participants in the "All Things Scottish Blog Giveaway Hop" hosted by the mah-valous Karen at For What it's Worth. It's a blog hop where we all declare our favorite Scottish things to celebrate this important cultural holiday.

Our favorite thing about Scotland better come as no surprise to our regular readers. For our new readers, we'd like to say...

Hi!  We're Jen and Amy and we love KILTS!

We're not going to be giving away a kilt today, guys, but we are giving away the next best thing.  Check this out:

Now you can show the whole world (or at least the people in your general vicinity) that you, too, love the kilt.  But let's be clear about something, ok? 

*Jen puts on serious face* It's NEVER okay to inspect a kilt without permission.  I mean, you wouldn't want someone to inspect your skirt without an invite, right? *Jen puts serious face away*   

So back to business.  What do YOU love about Scotland? AND YOU CAN ONLY PICK ONE THING! None of this, "Oh, I love me some colcannon and bannocks, but nothing really hits the spot like some stovied tatties!" Seriously.  Pick one thing and tell us what it is in the comments of this post.  

Your answer to the above question is your entry for an "Offical Kilt Inspector" t-shirt and "Kilt Inspector" certificate.  One entry per person. Contest ends on Saturday at 11:59PM EST.  Winner announced on Sunday.  And guess what?

If you win our giveaway, we're passing your name on to Jeri Smith-Ready and you'll be entered into the grandest prize giveaway she's doing for a rare SHINE ARC!  How cool is that?!?!  (Answer: VERY)  Be sure to enter all the giveaways on this kiltastic hop!

Hope to see you all at the special events throughout the day!  You can see a schedule of events HERE on Jeri Smith-Ready's blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

HEY!  Hit the brakes real quick!  Did you link up to our GET YOUR SCOT ON post?  You should.

GET YOUR SCOT ON!

You may have heard that there's a Team Kilt party happening on Wednesday, January 25 to celebrate the Scottish holiday of Burns Night.  If this is the first you've heard of said party, you must check out this post on Jeri Smith-Ready's blog.  There's A LOT going on.  

Source: www.icanhascheezburger.com

In addition to all the fun that will be had at the planned festivities of the day, the second to last SHINE ARC will go to one lucky participant in the day's activities.  This is big news because SHINE ARC's are a rare commodity. 




To celebrate Burns Night, we're hosting a contest in which you can win an entry into the drawing for one of those SHINE ARC's. All you have to do is show us how you...GET YOUR SCOT ON.  If you've been to Scotland, share some of your favorite photos with us!  Do you play a mean bagpipe? Send us a video! Are you adventurous enough to make and *gasp* EAT Haggis? Keep a straight face, document it and send it in!  Heck, maybe you've got scientific proof that the Loch Ness Monster exists? We want to see that!  STAT.  You get the idea. Multiple entries are acceptable and encouraged!

Source: www.icanhascheezburger.com

If you have a blog, write up your post and give a shout out to Team Kilt (Link to: www.fictitiousdelicious.com) and the SHADE Series (Link to: www.jerismithready.com). Then link yer post to the linky tool at the end of this post.  Easy, aye?


If you don't have a blog, you can either post a link to your photo/video hosted on an online service (Photobucket, flickr, etc.) on the linky tool or simply email them to us (amyojens at gmail dot com) and we'll get them up on this post as soon as possible. 


Contest is open all day Tuesday and Wednesday so GO GET YOUR SCOT ON!

Book Review: DARK SEEKER by Taryn Browning

Dark Seeker (Seeker #1)

by Taryn Browning

Release Date:  October 24, 2011

Publisher:  Self Published

Format: eBook

Source:Received from Author in return for review

Get it: Amazon, B&N and don’t forget your local library!

She's the Seeker. He's the hunted. What's at stake could kill them both... 

For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. Seeker Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead. After her father’s tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn’t worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn’t know what he is. As Janie’s intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It’s a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie. (Summary from Goodreads)

Fictitious Delicious Rating: 3.5

Once again, the YA Sisterhood has introduced me to a new series through the magic that is their fun filled tournaments. See, there was this heroine named Janie Grey who popped onto my radar when she not only made it into the YA Heroine tournament, but won her first round.  I LOVE a strong heroine so I just had to find out who she was.

So….who is Janie Grey?  I am happy to report that Janie Grey is everything I hoped she would be. *cheers* She’s a heroine that is strong not only because the author tells us she is, but because we get to see her strength in action.  

Speaking of action, Taryn Browning writes an action sequence REALLY well.  I’m the kind of girl that gets easily confused when the fighting starts, but it was easy to visualize these scenes and Taryn made me feel like I was right alongside the gang kicking some demon hybrid booty.

Now, let’s just mention the few items that seemed a little awkward to me.  First and foremost, some really key scene changes were, well, I guess "abrupt" is about the best way to describe it. There were a number of times when I was surprised to see the scene end and actually had to go back to be sure I didn’t miss a page.  The story line felt too rushed at times.  I’d have been happy with a lengthier book to get that extra “oomph” I longed for.

And you know there’s some lovin’, right? The relationship between Janie and Kai starts the way I LOVE to see romances start.  You know the type...girl meets boy, girl hates and wants to kill boy, girl starts to like boy, girl grows to love boy.  All while boy sits back and smirks while looking HOT.  I bought into this tension filled romance until a devastating secret is shared.

**SPOILER ALERT**

We’re talking about a secret so shocking that Janie decides to end her relationship with Kai, and rightfully so.  But here’s the thing.  It bothered me that Janie forgave him so soon.  To me, her rush to forgive and kiss those luscious Kai lips didn’t feel genuine and also made it difficult for me to buy into her anger and sadness of said shocking secret. (GAH! Those lips ARE luscious!  Errrr, emmmmm, back to the point I was trying to make)  And maybe that’s the point my blabbering post is getting to:  Janie’s character growth includes understanding that she CAN love Kai and give herself to him completely.  It just felt forced to me.  I think it goes back to wishing for a longer book to get that character development over a longer period of time.  Cripes, is anyone still reading this to even understand what the heck I’m trying to say?

**END SPOILER**

All in all, I enjoyed DARK SEEKER and will pick up DARK RETURN when it’s released later this year.  The blurb on this sequel promises more action and lovin’ of the Jen approved type.  I’m looking forward to hitting the Baltimore streets with this heroine that is very worthy of her nomination in and round one win of the YA Heroine Tourney. 

Candy Box Confession: Book Blogger Confessions{1}

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme co-hosted by Karen from For What It's Worth and Tiger from All-Consuming Books on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month to discuss some of the frustrations that are unique to book bloggers.  Read all about the feature here!

Question:

Have you ever had reading/blogging slumps? How do you work through them or work around them?


Amy's Answer:

I have to admit that there are times when I pick up book after book, and no matter what I try to read, nothing is speaking to me, calling my name, tickling my fancy, or any other figurative expression I can think of. This saddens and frustrates me to think that with all the amazing books in the world, I can't settle on one to enjoy. After pondering this circumstance, I have come up with two reasons why I am occasionally a very fickle pickle:

1.  I read so much that sometimes it takes a really different book to grab my attention. The books that stand out for me from 2011 are the ones that have a quirky story, a unique protagonist, or a different perspective than things I have read or experienced in the past.
   
   Often, these books end up being particular favorites of mine just because they gave me a stand-apart reading experience. This does not mean that the other books I started and put down were "bad," but more like they weren't right for me to read at that time. 

Which brings me to reason #2...



1. How I react to a book depends on what is going on in my life at the time of reading. It also depends on my past life experiences. I believe this is universal for all readers, and it is the reason why there can be so many different reactions to the same book. Our reading experience is as individual as we are.
   
   (I will spare you my urge to get all technical, but this whole concept is part of the Reader Response theory of literary criticism: Reader-response criticism encompasses various approaches to literature that explore and seek to explain the diversity (and often divergence) of readers' responses to literary works. There is a great article here for those who want to read more about it, if you are a scholarly nerd like me!)
   
   This is an important consideration for me when I feel like nothing I try to read is the right book. I have learned to be more aware of what sort of book I'm "in the mood for", and to take that seriously. If I force myself to read something because of a library due-date or a committed review, it usually doesn't go well.
   
   For example, I just finished a string of fantasy/paranormal books, and I'm starting to crave a good contemporary. All of the books I read were fantastic (THE SCORPIO RACES, HALLOWED, WOLFSBANE, BLOODROSE, and INCARNATE), but I know if I went ahead and read FROI OF THE EXILES (a book I have been waiting on for months and whose author I worship), I would not enjoy it as much. So I am doing myself, Froi, and Melina Marchetta a favor and opting for something from my to-read pile of John Green novels or finally start the Jessica Darling series.

I hope this post, which turned into more of an essay (my grad school professors would be so proud!), is a help for you bloggers and readers that find yourself in a reading slump.

In light of recent blogger-author controversial events, I also add my hope that everyone involved in the book world will take to heart why different people have different reactions to the same books, and not just respect those differences, but celebrate them as well. We all know that words are powerful, and we should use these words, whether written in books or in blogs, to create a community of understanding, support, creativity, and diversity.

Book Review: HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed (Unearthly #1)

by Cynthia Hand

Release Date: Jan 17, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins

Format: ARC and Galley

Source: The fabulous Mindy at Magical Urban Fantasy Reads (THANK YOU, MINDY!!) and Netgalley

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss.

Fictitious Delicious Rating: 5+

HALLOWED is one of those VERY RARE perfectly written 2nd books in a series! I loved, loved, loved it!

With middle books, I sometimes feel like all I am reading is filler to build up to the ending. This is just fine in some cases, but I am often left feeling like I could've skipped that middle course and gone straight to the final dessert. With HALLOWED, however, it was like eating a delicious appetizer, incredible main dish, and then I find out that the dessert is FREE! It was THAT good!

Cynthia Hand takes everything fabulous about UNEARTHLY and expands it perfectly. The characters are even richer and more dynamic. There is humor and heart and brilliantly written conflict. The plot is unique to itself while still building on book one. Any new world-building elements were implemented subtly and believably, instead of coming out of nowhere like some stories. I LOVED that we get to see more of the secondary characters and a few new faces, too. It is just really, really good!

Cynthia Hand is one of the sharpest writers I've ever read. There are often parts of books that I find myself skimming, or at least parts where I feel like reading every single word is not necessary. I am an impatient reader and will read a lot faster in those parts. But with Cynthia's writing, especially in HALLOWED, I am sucked into reading every word. I don't even want to skim! I don't know what you can call this in literary terms, so I'll just call it smart. She expounds when she needs to and summarizes when she doesn't, all the while weaving this incredible story and making you fall in love with the players in it.

Look at me sounding all technical! It's time to get FANGIRLY!!

TUCKER! TUCKER! TUCKER! TUCKER!!!! SQUEEEEE!!! *drool* *pant* *faint* *swoon* *sigh*

I fell in LOVE with Tucker in UNEARTHLY, and I love him even more in HALLOWED. While I have heard many early readers of HALLOWED have switched teams and fall for Christian, I am telling you right now that is it 100% possible to read HALLOWED and still LOVE TUCKER.

Consider it a test. Only those worthy of the rodeo-riding, oreo-scented, gentlemanly cowboy will be left standing on the Team Tucker side of the fence. Sure, I liked Christian more this time around, and I don't know who the better man for Clara is. But I do know that if Tucker came to life, I would jump right into Midas' saddle, and Tucker and I would ride that horse off into the sunset. I'd even be okay listening to country music. And that is saying something.


HALLOWED will be released on Tuesday, January 17th!! So giddyup on over to your indie bookseller, or Amazon, to preorder it NOW.

Waiting on Wednesday: ANGEL FIRE by L.A. Weatherly

At Fictitious Delicious, this week's most-anticipated read is...

ANGEL FIRE (Angel #2)

by 

L.A. Weatherly

Publisher: Candlewick

Expected U.S. Release Date: 

January 24 , 2012

In Book Two of L. A. Weatherly’s wildly romantic, action-packed trilogy, the angels are back with a vengeance . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

In the wake of the Second Wave, the angel menace has exploded, and Alex and Willow are on the lam. Willow’s prophetic dream points them to Mexico City, where they connect with a fledgling group of angel killers led by the exotically beautiful Kara, an Angel Killer from Alex’s past. But the team remains suspicious of Willow, even after the more-experienced Alex takes over as leader, training them hard for a rush attack on the Seraphic Council, or “The Twelve.” This elite group of all-powerful angels is also under the scrutiny of Willow’s angel-father, Raziel, who has his own sinister plan to defeat them.

What Willow hasn’t told Alex is that there was also a mysterious boy in her dream, one she felt overpoweringly attracted to. When brooding, gorgeous Seb shows up in the flesh, he turns out to be another—possibly the world’s only other—half angel. He’s been searching for Willow all his life, and when Alex enlists this rival to help keep Willow safe, he can’t predict what chemistry will pass between them . . . or how far Willow might go to keep Alex safe. Will their love endure or spell doomsday for the human race?

I recently reviewed the first book in L.A. Weatherly's Angel series, ANGEL BURN, over the weekend.  And so I thought it very fitting to list ANGEL FIRE as the book I am waiting on this week!  Although there were elements to ANGEL BURN that weren't my favorite, I think the sequel sounds very promising!!  I've vowed to give the series another chance, and I'm really looking forward to delving into this scary and strange angel-filled world Weatherly has created.

ANGEL FIRE is already out in the U.K., but, according to Goodreads, it will be available for purchase on January 24th in the U.S.

Book Review: ANGEL BURN by L.A. Weatherly

Angel Burn (Angel #1)

by L.A. Weatherly

Release Date: May 24, 2011 (First published Sept 30, 2010)
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal Collection

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful.

They’re out for your soul . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

Fictitious Delicious Rating: 3.5

ANGEL BURN was a very different sort of angel book, and I really liked the idea and storyline. The idea behind the book is interesting to me, that angels are the opposite of their name, that being an angel does not mean you behave angelically. ANGEL BURN's angels are monsters that can control humans, but humans are obsessed and in love with them. This idea was deliciously creepy, and I loved the new take on good vs. evil.

However, for me, ANGEL BURN was missing that wow-factor. It's a really cool concept with pretty likable characters. But beyond that, there wasn't anything remarkable in the story. Nothing that really left me pondering and wondering and daydreaming about. And, unfortunately, the insta-love factor is pretty high. I enjoyed Willow and Alex's budding relationship up until they admitted their feelings for each other. Which was then followed by an awkward period of hiding out alone from the bad guys. I would have liked to see less pining "I-can't-live-without-you"'s and more... well, I don't know what exactly. Something that makes the relationship feel real because we see it's true, not because we're told it's true.

Regardless of this factor, which I know has more to do with reader preference, ANGEL BURN is a series I plan to continue, and a book that I think a lot of people will really enjoy! The sequel, ANGEL FIRE, is set to release in U.S. hardcover at the end of the month, and it offers a promising premise and more character development. I am very excited to see if ANGEL FIRE builds on the great things set up in ANGEL BURN. If so, this is definitely a series to read!

Reasons to Read HUNGER GAMES: A Middle Grade Perspective

Olivia, our middle grade blogger, is back with a special report on one of her favorite series, THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins. Instead of reviewing the books, Olivia has decided to share with us some reasons she thinks the series should be read by those of you that still haven't picked them up and read them.



The first reason why you should read the Hunger Games is because it is a totally heart-warming story. To me, Katniss and Prim’s relationship is just how two sisters should act towards each other. The whole act of her volunteering so she wouldn’t get hurt, warmed my heart. Don’t even get me started on Katniss and Rue’s relationship! The way they helped each other out, even made their own song, was adorable.

The second reason to read the Hunger Games is the characters! Every character has their own unique personality. Cinna is special because he actually chose to represent district 12, even though no one wanted to design for the coal mining district. He made Katniss and Peeta look amazing on interview night. He invented the girl on fire. He stood out to Katniss.

The third reason to read this fantastic trio, is because it’s so suspenseful! My eyes were glued at the part in the cornucopia with Clove, Thresh and Katniss. I cried afterwards (Because I forgot to blink!) I would never, in any part in the story, willingly put the book down.

The last, but not least, reason to read the Hunger Games, is the movie! Have you seen the new, official trailer? It comes out in March of 2012. Thirty seconds into the trailer, and I’ve already got goose bumps! The interviews, the training segments, the parts with Haymitch, the reaping, It’s endless!

Here's that trailer just in case you live under a rock and haven't yet seen it.  Or....here's the trailer just in case you love it as much as we do and you'd like to watch it again. (And again.) It's interesting to see the trailer contain all the elements that Olivia mentioned in her reasons to read the book.  That girl knows her stuff, yo!

Thanks, Olivia, for reminding us how awesome this series is.  We can't wait to see this movie!

"Kilt & Keeley" Kickoff Starts Tomorrow!

Have you heard?

We, along with Brooke from Brooke Reports and Karen from For What It's Worth, set up a fan site for the SHADE series by Jeri Smith-Ready.  And January is official KILT & KEELEY KICKOFF MONTH!

Giveaways, chats, interviews, trivia....enough fun to fill an entire potato bin!!

Check out the details here, and don't forget to grab the "K&K Kickoff Month" button for your blog!

BOOK REVIEW: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races 

by Maggie Stiefvater

Release Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: Audiobook & Hardcover
Source: Library & Personal Collection

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Fictitious Delicious Rating: 5+

I have not read a book this beautiful in a long, long time.

One of the things I am ALWAYS impressed with is when an author can write very different books. THE SCORPIO RACES has everything fantastic about Maggie Stiefvater's writing, yet is so different than the SHIVER series. Despite being a big fan of SHIVER, and of Maggie herself, I waited a while to read this book. Maybe it was the cover (and I am *so ashamed* to admit this) but I kinda wrote it off as just a horse book.

THIS. IS. NOT. A. HORSE. BOOK.

At all.

Honestly? I can't even tell you what kind of a book this is...just that it's beautiful and different and so good that I cannot think of anything I did not like! It was magical without really being fantasy, and realistic without really being historical. THE SCORPIO RACES has a storyline that is as universal as it is unique. It is one of those books that I cannot stop thinking about, and that is just fine by me.

AND HOLY MOSES, this book has one of the most suspenseful scenes I've ever read (three boards, three nails, anyone?). And one of my most favorite heroines of all time. And one of my most favorite heroes of all time.

THE SCORPIO RACES is proof that young adult authors are producing some of the best books out there, and if I were on the ALA's Printz Award committee, I would not rest until Maggie's latest had that golden seal.

Anyone looking for an amazing, serious-but-not-stuffy, book that leaves an impression in your soul must read THE SCORPIO RACES.