Guest Post: Savita Kalhan (and a Giveaway!)

Today, I have a special guest for all of you. Savita Kalhan, author of The Long Weekend, is here! She is going to share some young adult book recommendations, so enjoy and give a warm welcome to Savita Kalhan!

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YA Books that I recommend as must-reads for Elizabeth

I love reading and I read a lot, but where to find the time to read more can be a problem. I’m sure you all know what I mean! I try to read as many teen and YA books as I can, but I do get left behind and end up stockpiling books for holidays and even then I don’t get through half as many as I want to.
I don’t read YA when I’m writing. I’m not really sure why, but I think it’s to preserve the integrity of the voices of my characters, or not to be influenced by other styles within teen and YA writing.
So this is by no means a definitive list, but very much a work in progress! I’ve enjoyed all the books on this list and would highly recommend them.


1. Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
I love everything this man writes, but if I was forced to pick one it would be Revolver, which I’ve just read!
2. The Noughts and Crosses series by Malorie Blackman
I love everything this woman writes, but again I was forced to pick one, so I picked her compelling trilogy, which is utterly brilliant!
3. Before I Die by Jenny Downham
I hadn’t read anything quite like this before. I cried buckets all the way through it, but it’s much more than a simple sentimental read.
4. Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
A brilliant novel by a talented writer for teens. It is both thought-provoking and moving, and tells the story of neglected child and how she tries to move forward with her life after committing a terrible crime.
5. I’m Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti
This book was published a few years ago, but recently re-published as a YA book. It’s a gripping portrait of a nine year old boy who uncovers a terrible secret, and with that knowledge his life begins to fall apart.
6. The Survival Game by Tim-Wynne-Jones
This story stayed with me long after I had put the book down. It is a tense, vividly-drawn portrayal of a boy’s struggle to escape his bullying father by running away, knowing that no matter how far he runs, he will be tracked down.
7. The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
I love fantasy epics and this is one I really enjoyed recently. The characters are brilliant, the djinni is inspired, and the story hooks you instantly and you fly with it.
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Who doesn’t love Katniss and the many trials and tribulations of the dystopian world she defies death in? The series is easy to read and great fun, thrilling and quite brilliant. I wish there was a fourth!
9. The Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly
I read this a couple of years ago, but it made an impression on me. Beautifully written, multi-layered and completely absorbing. I loved it.
10. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
A very important book for any teenager and young adult to read. The isolation and pain of the central character and her inability to deal with the crime that has been done to her is poignant. You really want her to speak.


When this blog is posted, I’ll probably kick myself as several other books will have come to mind! I think I might try to do this list every three months so I don’t forget anything important...

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Thank you, Savita for your recommendations! I am definitely going to have to some of those out.

Savita Kalhan is also offering one of Swords for Fighting's readers to win a copy of The Long Weekend! If you would like a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment. Oh, and make sure to leave your email adress, so I have a way to contact you. This contest is international, and it ends on March 1st.

Swords are for fighting,

In My Mailbox (47)

First, let me say that I am sorry for the lack of posts. School has been extremely hectic, and I am definitely feeling the stress. That being said:

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where I share what books I got in the past few weeks:

 Won:

• Signed Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler from Fire and Ice by Little Red Reads
• Rombies by Tom Taylor and Skye Ogden from vvb32 Reads
• Signed Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl plus a bunch of swag from Bewitched Bookworms

For Review:

• Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray

Traded using PaperBack Swap:

• Flip This Zombie by Jesse Petersen

That is what I got! Feel free to let me know what books you received this week in the comments.

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (47)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 26 of The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan:

"But Sam found that his legs had gone a bit jellylike, all wobbly and hard to control. Lloyd had infected him with his nerves."

What is your teaser for this week?

Make sure you come back here on February 22nd for a guest post from Savita Kalhan herself! Plus, there will be a giveaway of The Long Weekend!

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Soul Stalker (Timeless #2) by Laura Kreitzer

Synopsis:
Being the Illuminator is not all happiness and light, especially when everyone thinks you are dead. When Gabriella decides to finally let her angels know that she is alive, Joseph and an unexpected friend help her. The Darkness Illuminator is not as in control of her power as she believes, which makes for a very comedic and endearing relationship that blooms between the three. A fender-bender debacle, a run-in with the cops, and a hiccup at the airport seem to all be worth it until Gabriella finds out her plan has backfired.

The three angels are missing, more mysteries pile up, and a new evil is brewing--so terrifying, in fact, that even the Soul Stalker herself is cowering in fear. Our heroine begins a jarring, romance-filled, heart-breaking journey that will lead her back to Italy, and ultimately to the answers she is desperately searching for. What will she do when they aren't the answers she expected? What happens when she unveils a truth, so deeply hidden, that it causes an angelic war?


Review:
Soul Stalker is a wonderful addition to the Timeless series. It is full of action and adventure. I could not put this book down! It is just that awesome. I loved that I never knew what was going to happen next because there were so many twists and turns. The book is fast-paced and most definitely thrilling and exciting. Of course, it is also entertaining.

I also love the characters because they are amazing and lovable. Gabriella is a strong heroine who has a great sense of humor with some sarcasm thrown in. What she says and does had me laughing many times throughout the book. I love Joseph in this book more than the first one because he has become the best friend every girl dreams of having. He is there for Gabriella when she needs him even though it can be considered too dangerous for a human. Some of my favorite scenes involved Gabriella and Joseph's bantering. Those two together are just too great for words.The only thing I did not like about this book was that Andrew was not in it that much. I can honestly say that I missed him.

Gabriella changes a lot in this book. She comes back after dying the the first book, Shadow of the Sun (you can read my review of Shadow of the Sun here). It is no surprise that her death ends up changing her in many ways. She is still determined to Illuminate the Shadows, but she has the Soul Stalker to watch out for. The ending has me a bit worried about Gabriella, so I must read the next book when it is released to find out how she deals with her changes.

If you have not read Shadow of the Sun, I definitely recommend that you do so that you can read Soul Stalker! This story is amazing. Laura Kreitzer has created an epic world where the supernatural is possible. I am positive you will fall in love with the characters just like I have. I am excited to see where Laura Kreitzer takes the story in the next book because I NEED to know what happens next. In fact, I cannot wait to read the next book!

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting On Wednesday (46)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I am eagerly anticipating.

This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is:Those That Wake by Jesse Karp


Publication Date: March 21, 2011

Synopsis:
New York City’s spirit has been crushed. People walk the streets with their heads down, withdrawing from one another and into the cold comfort of technology. Teenagers Mal and Laura have grown up in this reality. They’ve never met. Seemingly, they never will.
But on the same day Mal learns his brother has disappeared, Laura discovers her parents have forgotten her. Both begin a search for their families that leads them to the same truth: someone or something has wiped the teens from the memories of every person they have ever known. Thrown together, Mal and Laura must find common ground as they attempt to reclaim their pasts.


This book sounds interesting. I love the dystopian feel of the synopsis. I can't wait to see what it is all about!

What is your Waiting on Wednesday pick?

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (46)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 1 of The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan:

"It's tough being the new kid, but when you're not the only one it's not so bad. The problem was Sam was always the new kid and always the only one."

What is your teaser for this week?

Make sure you come back here on February 22nd for a guest post from Savita Kalhan herself! Plus, there will be a giveaway of The Long Weekend!
 

Swords are for fighting,

Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Synopsis:
Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Review:
The Replacement is an unique story. I have never read anything like it. The main character is Mackie, who is a replacement. He was not supposed to survive, but against all odds he did. Unfortunately, living in the human world is killing him because he is allergic to metal and blood. Clearly he lives a hard life, and he is determined to keep on living his life.

When I first started to read The Replacement, I was kind of confused in the beginning. In fact, I am still confused. (here comes a rant) Mackie's parents know that he is not their actual son, but they pretend that he is. Why? Even though a child is abducted once in a while and replaced with a changeling, the town just pretends everything is normal. Why do they do this? Why don't they fight back? I felt I never got the answers to these questions like it was never explained well enough. I just could not wrap my mind around it. (end of rant)

There are many things I did like about this book. Especially the parts in the Underworld of Gentry because they were definitely dark. Some parts of this book were just so creepy! Yovanoff conveyed the antagonists in such a way that they freaked my out a few times. The Cutter is the creepiest character, in my opinion. The description of him and what he does and can do is a little scary.

The Replacement is beautifully written thanks to Brenna Yovanoff's talent. I loved the dark, creepy vibe. The descriptions definitely gave it a Gothic feel. The story was interesting and intriguing. The ending may have been a little too perfect, but I love a happy ending. Besides what I ranted about it previously, I liked it.

Rating: 3.5/5

Swords are for fighting,

Character Interview: Gabriella from the Timeless Series by Laura Kreitzer

Stopping by today is Gabriella from the Timeless series by Laura Kreitzer. You can read my review of the first book in the series, Shadow of the Sun, here. My review of the second book, Soul Stalker, will be up on February 13th! I was lucky enough to get her to answer a few questions:
 
Elizabeth: Your life has changed so much in such a short period of time, but you seem to take everything pretty well. What is it that keeps you so together?

Gabriella: I was looking for an adventure—my “divine intervention.” My whole life, that I can remember, I’d always wanted the paranormal to be real. Of course, I was kind of hoping for the amazing side and less of the dramatic, but I guess a world like this was bound to have as many wars, political issues if you will, and problems of their own. What I wasn’t expecting was to be this chosen one, immediately thrown into what feels like the Twilight Zone. One thing I have noticed with this world was nothing as it seems, so it keeps me on my toes and, surprisingly together. I work well under pressure. And I guess there was always a part of me, deep down, that knew I was different. Beyond my IQ there was always something else pulling me to this world. I was meant to be here, through all the drama and pain. And I will do whatever I have to do to protect both worlds I walk in; my new immortal, angelic life, and my old human self.

E: I found your job as a supernatural specialist to be extremely interesting. What kind of training/ qualifications do you need to be a supernatural specialist?

G: I’d say that the minimal requirements would be  a PhD in a field pertaining to anatomy. A medical doctor down to an anthropologist. When I was in school, I studied cellular and molecular physiology and biomedical sciences at Yale. My training was more concentrated on what makes a body tick. Or my personal agenda of finally discovering that one thing that would change my world. That was why Darren Halistor hired me. I’m sure rumors of the weird girl in school echoed through the grapevine, because he was the one who contacted me.

E: As you grew up, did you always suspect you were different from your peers?

G: Ah, see the first answer above. Maybe it wasn’t always suspect; maybe it was just the fact I was so different and such an outcast that I wished it to be true. As a scientist, I'm a true skeptic—it took a man saving me from a crashing plane for me to finally believe in the supernatural (which I'm still trying to figure out how it crashed . . . or who helped it along). But now that I look back on my life, I know this was the part missing all along. My true self so deeply hidden in the red blood of a human that I couldn’t see my true nature.

E: What is your favorite thing about being an angel? What is your least favorite thing?

G: My favorite thing, besides Andrew and my Angels that have become my other family, is my powers. My least favorite is my powers. Hah hah. It’s been an uphill battle as I’ve tried to figure out my whacky powers. Really it all stems from my emotions that I still haven’t learned to tuck away. One day I will.

But really . . . Andrew. Sigh. He’s extraordinary. Words can’t even begin to explain what he does to me, what he is to me. Instant love sounds so strange and . . . unrealistic. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to happen though? All I know is now that I have him and the others in my life, I never want to be far from them again.

E: I know that you have read many supernatural books. Which one is your favorite?

G: I must admit I enjoy this series where the main character was hit by lightning and can now feel a dead person’s emotions from the last few moments of their life. She can tell how they died, just not who killed them (if they were murdered). It’s the Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris. Ironically enough—I’ve got lightning at the tips of my fingers.

E: How does it feel to be the Illuminator?

G: Scary and thrilling. How many people can say they have a predestined journey that includes saving the Angels? But at the same time I’m frightened I won’t accomplish all that everyone thinks I will. People have faith in me, some willingly sacrificing their lives so I can fulfill my destiny. If I fail it will all be for nothing. So it’s the scariest thing you could think of, but the most rewarding. I get to bring light to the Shadow of the Sun, and can help save the Angels from a life lived in darkness. With every Shadow I Illuminate, my heart grows even larger, just like the Grinch.

E: How did you wrap your head around being dead and coming back to life?

G: I’m still not certain what happened. When I woke up in the morgue . . . it was . . . words fail me. I felt petrified, grateful, mystified, joyful, and depressed all at once. A part of me did die that day—and I always said it was the Illuminator in me and all that was left was Gabriella. In fact, it was the opposite. The old Gabriella is gone; her ferocity is still there but I’m not the same, nor will I ever be the same.

Oh, and I’ll let you know when I wrap my head around it, because I still haven’t! According to Zola, things happened while I was dead that I don’t remember. Makes it even more difficult to comprehend.

E: There have been so many things you have had to do ever since you knew you were an angel. What has been the hardest thing to do?

G: Besides burying a loved one, seeing my Angels and family mourn me when I was still alive was brutal. Jenna’s little speech, Andrew’s tears spilling onto a coffin that was empty. I’ve been killed, abused, locked up, been on the run, lost people I loved, and the worst was thinking I had lost myself. That I had let all of those people down in my life by not being this person they all suspected. By letting my adoptive parents and my sweet sister, Jenna, going through pain that was unnecessary. Though, really it was. To keep them all safe. Too bad it all ended up being in vein.

E: Is there anything you would like to add?

G: Just that I am excited to continue my journey into the Abyss with my Angels. I hope that everyone will continue with me on my journey into the unknown. You can read the next chapter of my story on March 31, 2011!

You’ve been a wonderful interviewer, Elizabeth, and I hope you have a brilliant day!


To follow the rest of the Timeless series blog tour, you can check it out here. You can read my review of the first book in the series, Shadow of the Sun, here. My review of the second book, Soul Stalker, will be up on February 13th!

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (45)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 68 of Soul Stalker (Timeless #2) by Laura Kreitzer:


"His head fell back as he looked at the ceiling and muttered under his breath. When he was done with studying the ceiling, he looked at me and said, 'I deserved this, didn't I?'"

You can read my review of the first book in the Timeless series here. Also, I am extremely excited to announce that the angel Gabriella from the books is going to be here on Thursday! Be prepared for an awesome interview.

What is your teaser? Let me know in the comments.

Swords are for fighting,