Top Ten Tuesday: Smells like Spring

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Spring is around the corner and with it comes all these anticipated new releases. Without further ado, here is my list of Spring Wants

1. The Rising

2. The Elite

3. Unbreakable

4. If I Should Die

5. Towering

6. All I need

Caught my Arrow # 9

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to In my mailbox and  Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

This week I got a steal! I found all of these hardcover books (Anna and the French Kiss is a paperback) at Chapters for under 5$. Can I let you in on a secret? Except for The Dead-Tossed Waves, I have read all of them. But they are so good, I don't mind re-reading them.

The Bad Queen

Keep Sweet

Anna and the French Kiss

The Dead-Tossed Waves

What are you reading this week?

Review: Boys, Girls and other Hazardous Materials

Remember all the high school drama? Well, this book will take you on a trip back in time: crushes that crushed back others that didn't, backstabbing friends, true friends, hazing, pressure to belong... You can even read some of Charlie's school news bulletin. Yup, it's high school alright.

Is Charlie a mean girl? In a way, yes.

She doesn't insult people or put them down, but she will stand by quietly while a friend hurts someone who didn't do anything to deserve it. People like that sometimes seem meaner than the bully itself -- if only they would have your back maybe the bullying would stop. It's important Charley finds her voice. Not everyone will hate her if she speaks her mind. I enjoyed watching her struggle and progress, and desist. Change is never easy.

Will also made a nice male lead, dealing with his own pressure to make a sports team.

This is the first book I read from Wiseman although I am a big fan of Mean Girls and appreciated all the research she put into this novel.  Her new book Masterminds Wingmen filled with stories and advice  for boys will be released on September 2013.

Feature and Follow Friday: Hot and Cold

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: What is a book you didn't like and all your friends raved about or what book did you love that wasn't popular?

As a Bookcupid, my joy is to spread book love. However, it's impossible to love everything all the time and if you don't believe me ask Tom -- he is sleeping on the couch right now.

I didn't like...

Switched. 

To be fair, I read the first edition (not hardcover or paperback). I read it on the computer and it was filled with spelling mistakes. The premise was great, a troll, I mean you don't read that everyday... but the character kept switching from her home to her troll family back and forth. Until I couldn't hack it and offered to buy her a U-Haul. 

I liked...

Keep Sweet.

It is not that raved about, but it should be. This little book of 215 pages is wrapped up with so much action, it's hard to put down. It took me one sitting to know this character would never leave me. We need more girls to be strong and brave like Alva Jane when she gets punished by a cult for kissing her lifelong crush. 

Author Spotlight: It's your time to shine

I'm happy to be receiving author Anna Adams today to promote her new YA novel, A French Girl in New York.

Maude Laurent is a spirited 16 year-old orphan who grew up in a small, provincial town in North of France with a passion for piano and a beautiful voice. One day in Paris, she is discovered by an American music producer who takes her to New York to live with him and his close-knit family while producing her first album, with help from teen pop star, Matt. Maude will dive into a new fascinating world discovering New York City, music, family, love and the truth about her past. 

Find it on Amazon

Hello Anna, it's a pleasure to have you here. Please tell us, what inspired you to write this book?

What inspired me for this book is my love for music first of all. That's why in this book Maude uses her classical music background to enrich her new pop career.

But also what inspired me are the two countries closer to my hear, the two countries in which I grew up and became what I am today: France and America.

Can you name some of your favorite authors?

Anne Bronte for one -- she is a lot less famous than her two sisters, but I think she is the best of the three -- Charlotte Bronte, J.K.Rowling, George Eliot, Toni Morrison.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Travel, travel, travel! In your own country in foreign countries, everywhere you can! It is an inextinguishable source of inspiration. 

 

What are you working on now -- or would you rather surprise us?

Surprise, surprise....

Just kidding!

Currently, I'm working on the sequel of the Maude Laurent series. In A French Girl in New York we get to know Maude on her road to fame. In the second installment, Maude will learn to deal with her newfound fame, she'll learn to assert herself and find her place in the music industry. Her romantic relationships won't be a smooth ride either!

I'm also working on a short story that focuses on street art.

Best of luck to you Anna and thanks for stopping by. You can follow Anna on:

• twitter: https://twitter.com/ADAMSANNA1 
• facebook:https://www.facebook.com/anna.adams.14606936
• blog:http://annaadamsya.wordpress.com/