Kick Back and Enjoy a Rollicking Good Time in WHAT I REMEMBER by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Kylie wakes up in Mexico the morning of graduation, miles away from home where she is scheduled to give the valedictorian speech later that day. As Kylie remembers the previous 24 hours, she learns more about life and herself than the last four years at school taught her.

Here's your quickie synopsis: Just before her graduation from La Jolla's exclusive Freiburg Academy, valedictorian and scholarship student Kylie Flores inadvertently ends up in Ensenada, Mexico, with Max, one of the most popular boys in school, where, in twenty-four jam-packed hours, their lives dramatically change.

At first glance, you may think this is a stereotypical "last day of school" type of book. But the authors bring a lot more than that to the table. First of all, The alternating points of view gave the story more depth. There were some characters that I wouldn't have liked at face value. But, seeing their point of view helped me to sympathize with, or at least understand them, and grow to like them. Mostly, though, the characters were all interesting and fully formed, not stock characters. Kylie is an unexpected feisty little firecracker. Max is also deeper than you would expect, with issues of his own, even with being the most popular senior in school.

In addition to the fun, realistic characters, the action kept me laughing all the way through. It reads very much like an action movie, which is funny, since Kylie is an action movie screenwriter. And she makes blatant references to it, while the action is happening. You'd think that wouldn't work, but it actually does. As Kylie and Max get deeper and deeper into their predicament, the more fun I had being immersed in it. I feel like I was trapped in Ensendad, Mexico for a few days!

I had a great time. FROM WHAT I REMEMBER brought back all the fun times from my own high school days. (Okay, so maybe not the kidnapping or the armed criminals, but you know, lots of other stuff...)

You'll get a kick out of it too, trust me!

I'm so sad that I can't post a trailer for you, but I couldn't find one. :( The only one I found was posted by a student for English class, and I sometimes will post those, but this one had the cast from That 70's Show in it and I didn't like it.) Sorry! Check out the authors' website here.

Gripping Action with Beautiful Storytelling in HOSTAGE THREE by Nick Lake

When a book starts with, "There is a gun pointing right at my head" it's certain to grab my attention. But lately, I've been kinda ADD with books. I've started several and put them down after a few chapters, so keeping my interest has been a mighty task.

This one kept my interest. In fact, I read it mostly in one afternoon.

Here's the synopsis:

As Amy sets out to sea with her family on a yacht, she's only thinking about the peaceful waters and the warm sun. But she doesn't get either after a group of pirates seize the boat and its human cargo, and the family becomes a commodity in a highly sophisticated transaction. Hostage One is Amy's father--the most valuable. Hostage Three is Amy, who can't believe the nightmare she's in. But something even stranger happens as she builds a bond with one of her captors, making it brutally clear that the price of life and its value are two very different things.

There is a lot to love about this book. It has suspenseful - edge of your seat action, along with some deep meaningful storytelling. And I'm not spoiling anything here by saying this (see above), Amy forms a bond with one of the captors and learns about his life back in Somalia. The striking difference between her very wealthy life and his starving family is startling to her. You begin to understand, if not sympathize with, the pirates. There are some gruesome moments. There are many more meaningful and enlightening moments. All the way around, I highly recommend this beautiful book. 

I do want to address something unusual about the writing style. The author does not use quotation marks, but uses dashes/hyphens for dialogue. This was confusing at first. Sometimes you aren't sure if the latter part of the section is still dialogue or internal monologue. SEE:

I was so annoyed at first, that I stopped reading it. Then I thought, oh this is an ARC, so maybe it's just something in the manuscript. So I bought a copy and...it was the same. I finally realized that I was being childish, got over it, and read the book. I totally got used to it after a while. I'm glad I did - it was worth it. But I did want to point that, so you aren't surprised when you see it. 

By the way, if the author is familiar, you may remember that his book IN DARKNESS just won the Printz award this year. (And I checked. Yes, he employs the same dialogue method in that book.)

It was released in the UK in January, but isn't releasing here in Hardback until November. You can buy the ebook now, though. Enjoy!

New Full Cast Audio Play of ENDER'S GAME

Just in time for the movie release, Skyboat Media has released a new full cast audio play of Ender's Game called ENDER'S GAME ALIVE. Check out the video below of OSC explaining how he likes this version of his iconic story better than any others. It sounds like he wrote a new screenplay for this production.

And by full cast, we mean full cast including: Kirby Heyborne, Stefan Rudnicki, Theodore Bikel, Scott Brick, Samantha Eggar, Harlan Ellison, Susan Hanfield, Roxanne Hernandez, Janis Ian, Rex Linn, Richard McGonagle, Jim Meskimen, Emily Rankin, John Rubinstein, Christian Rummel, and a full cast.

Did you notice Harlan Ellsion in there? Yep, he narrated the original Ender's Game audiobook too, as well as books for other authors such as Arthur C. Clark and Terry Pratchett. Cool.

There's even an original score. Can't wait to hear it!


Orson Scott Card - Author of Ender's Game Alive from Skyboat Media on Vimeo.

For more about the production of the audioplay, go here.

BITTERSWEET by Sarah Ockler, Cupcakes and Hockey Make a Delicious Combination

One thing I'm certain about when I pick up a Sarah Ockler novel is that the writing will be beautiful. I adored her book Twenty Boy Summer, so I knew I'd like this one too. She paints a scene like nobody else. She sets the atmosphere so well in this wintry setting that I could almost feel the snow falling on my face.

Here's your quickie synopsis: Hudson Avery gave up a promising competitive ice skating career after her parents divorced when she was fourteen years old and now spends her time baking cupcakes and helping out in her mother's upstate New York diner, but when she gets a chance at a scholarship and starts coaching the boys' hockey team, she realizes that she is not through with ice skating after all.

I really enjoyed this one! Hudson is a spunky girl who makes the best of the difficult situation their father created after leaving. The way she takes on the hockey players is hilarious and bold. The relationship between Hudson and her little brother, Bug, is one of the best parts of the entire book.  As I said earlier, the writing is fabulous! The dialogue is witty and the characters are well developed and memorable. Another satisfying story from Sarah Ockler!

Check out Sarah Ockler's other titles here. Watch the trailer below:

TEMPEST by Julie Cross, Fasten Your Seatbelts For This Time Travel Adventure, No DeLorean Necessary

This caught my eye because - time travel, obviously. But what kept me intrigued was how it was different from your typical run-of-the-mill time travel stories where you have to worry about changing things. In fact, it kind of reminded me of FRINGE in some aspects, because there are multiple timelines. Before I get to far into it, here:

Your Quickie Synopsis:  Nineteen-year-old Jackson uses his ability to travel through time after his girlfriend, Holly, is fatally shot during a violent struggle, but his journey two years into the past leads him to make a startling discovery about his father and the powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to recruit him for their own purposes.

Jackson finds out that his father is involved in a secret society that fights against another organization filled with time travelers trying to wreck havoc on the planet. Or maybe they're trying to save the world. It's not really clear in the beginning. In fact, the more you read, the more questions pop up. But, it's an adventurous story with a lot of puzzles. The relationship between Jackson and Holly is well developed, as is the complicated relationship between Jackson and his father.

Fair warning though, don't take three weeks to read it, like I did. Read it quickly, because if you don't you'll get confused with all the different time periods Jackson ends up in. I had to re-read a lot.

Bottom line: It's a fast paced adventure with good characters. If you like time-travel, you'll enjoy it. Also, it sets itself up to be a great trilogy. The second book, VORTEX, is out now, and the third will follow in January. Check out the author's website here.