Louise Terrace is a shy, young 7th grader who lives with her grandparents inside their apartment in South Pottsboro. One day, she received a special letter at her door signed by her secret admirer. But the sweet surprises don’t stop there. She also receives pink chalk hearts drawn specially to her outside her doorstep, and story books written by the admirer. Louise and her two best friends, Reni and Henderson, go on a mission to crack the code to see if Benny McCartney, the local pizza deliverer, is sending her these mysterious surprises. But, in Louise’s life, it’s not all fun and love. Sure, she goes to school, has friends, likes to do cartwheels and flips, and regrets things like quitting gymnastics, leaving Cinnamon Street, and losing her old neighborhood friends. But there’s one thing that haunts her the most… her old family secret. She has been hidden in a turtle shell for her whole life since the horrifying event, and needs to come out. Does the secret admirer have the power to get her out of her shell, or does it take a real, true friend to give her confidence again and forget the past?

First of all, I would say that this was a very good book when it neared the end. The beginning and middle of the book were a bit slow and didn’t provide as much detail as I would have liked. When Louise kept receiving the surprises from her admirer, I was very curious to know if Louise liked this guy or not! I eventually did find out later in the book, and that’s because that was when the author provided a lot more detail about Louise’s feelings. In fact, she provided so much detail that I actually felt like I was IN Louise’s shoes! For example, when she has mental breakdowns from heartbreak, her old family secret, and her mom, I felt her pain so truly that I actually wanted to jump into the book to comfort her and make her feel secure. Also, the love story in this book is so sweet that it brings you on a rollercoaster ride with butterflies twirling in your stomach. So, if you haven’t read this book, I would definitely drive to your nearest library today to check it out! Literally!

I was lucky enough to get a chance to talk to author Phoebe Stone! Here’s what she had to say about her book, her inspiration, and more!

1 – What inspired you to write this book?

I was living in Boston, Mass. And it was a new place for me and that is always inspiring. Sometimes a character will sort of appear on my page and I’ll let my imagination go and I follow along! One day Thumb just popped up and so did Henderson and Reni. I had wonderful and healing friendships when I was a child and I cherish them still and I think I used that understanding, that sense of friendship in “The Boy on Cinnamon Street.”

2 – What was the message you were trying to give your readers?

Basically I see “The Boy on Cinnamon Street” as a love story. It’s about finding your way to falling in love. That often entails opening up your heart to everything, even past trauma. The message is also about the great healing power of friendship. It is a plea for unthawing, expressing sorrow and facing trauma, rather than burying it. Only then can you find and feel love.

3 – How long did it take you to write this book?

A novel takes me at least a year with revisions and rewrites. It’s a big process and the book always changes and gets better with work. Rewriting a scene is like getting a chance to live twice. Of course the second time around everything gets better because you know where you are going and what you are doing!

4 – What’s your writing routine and how much do you try to write a day?

Well, the ideal routine would be to wake up after a very good night’s sleep and sit outside in the sunlight with a notebook and write. It is best to work in the morning and to answer no phone calls or talk to anyone at all until the writing for the day is finished. I never know whether I will find inspiration or not. It is a fickle thing and can not be counted upon…Inspiration comes when it comes. Being rested is crucial and praise from a reader can help too! Taking a walk alone often unlocks the doors and sets your mind working.

5 – Who or what inspired you to be an author?

I have always written stories and novels. I think I tried to write a novel when I was eleven. I still have part of it in a notebook. I think loving to read and reading always made me want to write. I also love using my memories and experiences in a new way in my books. It is certainly a way to stay close to my childhood and my past because I really loved that time in my life!

6 – Besides writing, what do you do in your free time?

I love to paint and listen to an audio book at the same time. I also love to go to flea markets and find neat old treasures that no one else wants. I like to walk in the rain and garden and I adore riding bicycles with my husband and stopping for a picnic. I want to take a long train ride across the country and write about it! Another favorite thing of mine is visiting France. I love French art and speaking the French language. I guess I love a lot of stuff!!

7 – In the story, Louise makes a lot of connections to Mount Everest, why so?

I remember watching several documentaries on Mount Everest when I was a child and it just really fascinated me. I do not like to do dangerous things like mountain climb but I do like to read about the experience. I think I like the idea of a great challenge. I also was completely shattered while watching the movie on Everest that included Marty Hoey. I wanted to write about her because I thought she was brave and wonderful and I wanted people to remember her. In “The Boy on Cinnamon Street” I used a lot of snow and ice imagery because Louise’s feelings were frozen and she was in the process of unthawing during the book.

8 – Have you ever had the same experiences as Louise? Is she like you?

Louise is less like me than some of my past characters. It was fun for me to try to be someone else entirely, someone very different from me. I really like Henderson in “The Boy on Cinnamon Street.” It is his book really and I think he’s probably a bit like a boy I once loved.

9 – Who are your favorite YA authors and what are your favorite YA books?

I think I mostly like middle grade novels like Charlotte’s Web and Alice in Wonderland. I am also a huge Beatrix Potter fan. She is a genius illustrator and writer for younger kids. But I am a fan of the old classics like Jane Eyre too. I used to love the Nancy Drew books when I was eleven. I also loved “The Secret Garden.” I love old fashioned romantic nostalgic books with lots of atmosphere.

A huge thank you to author Phoebe Stone for spending some time with us!

For more info about Phoebe and her other amazing novels, check out her website – http://phoebestone.com/

Katelyn T., EMS Blogger

In the book, Shelter, by Harlan Coben, Mickey Bolitar has led a very unhappy life. His father is dead, his mother is in intensive therapy and, to make matters worse, he has to live with his least favorite uncle. Now, feeling as though his life could not get any worse, he also has to start in a brand new school. Fortunately, things finally start looking up when Mickey meets a girl named Ashley, who is also new in his school. She turns his whole life around, and suddenly he is feeling on top of the world. However, his world abruptly turns upside down again when Ashley suddenly goes missing. Mickey starts to feel even worse about his life. Mickey’s uncle is also trouble for him as he stops letting Mickey do anything, as if he were protecting him. Determined not to let anything stop him, Mickey is willing to risk everything as he races with his newfound friends to find her. That also leads him to find what seems like a completely new world that is dark and full of violence, forcing him to start questioning the life he thought he knew.

Megan says…Seriously, once I started reading this I could not put it down. The characters, the suspense, the plot….it was all so fun to read. The story line was so unique- unlike anything I’ve ever read. I mean from the beginning when Mickey described his horrible life to when he started breaking into houses and buildings, I just could not believe it! I loved how the book made me feel as though I was standing right by Mickey the whole time with its action-packed chapters. The mystery of Ashley and her whereabouts was what really kept me reading, and Mickey’s undying love for her had a great twist. One thing I didn’t particularly like was that I didn’t feel as connected to the other characters as I would have wanted. Ashley especially and that’s who all of Mickey’s thoughts were about. She was nice and pretty, but then all of a sudden she disappeared. From what Mickey said she seemed interesting, and that made me want to know what she thought of this whole situation. Overall this book is definitely a must read. Its flowing words and very detailed descriptions will have you reading non-stop, and to anyone who hasn’t read it yet- it’s awesome!

Melanie says…I honestly think this might be one of my favorite books. I haven’t read anything with the same type of suspense and plot as Shelter. I never wanted to put this book down because it was so thrilling. The book made me feel like it could be on the news because it was so realistic. The way the author told the story wasn’t like other books because the story line was so cool and creative! One thing I liked was that the main characters in the story had very different personalities. For example, one had a very dark and ominous side, while another had a very upbeat and joyful side. This helped the story become more out of the ordinary because you never got bored with them. The whole story was full of suspense; I was at the edge of my seat from start to finish. When Ashley went missing to when Mickey snuck into a house, it was all so well written. Overall, this book was so suspenseful; It was thrilling throughout the whole book!

Megan A. and Melanie M. – EMS Bloggers

Have you ever had that feeling that something is off but you can’t quite put your finger on it? Well that’s how Alex felt in the Wacaumaw wilderness and then she stumbled across the Changed. What are the Changed? They are brain zapped; murdering, cannibalistic kids and they eat every human in their path. How would you feel if you were being hunted by your own kind and you could trust no one?

Alex escaped from her normal everyday life to spend some time in the Wacaumaw wilderness. While camping she meets an odd pair along with their dog Mina. Soon after they meet, an electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the air killing Grandpa Jack and leaving her with Ellie, his bratty 8 year old granddaughter, and Mina, their dog. She ventures towards the edge of the woods, with the bratty little girl and her dog in tow. They venture away from where they were staying only to stumble across two teenagers, a girl, and a boy. They are the Changed. They were having a quick snack. But they weren’t having a normal afternoon snack; they had killed an elderly woman and were munching on her remains. After they escaped and got closer to their destination, vicious hounds came upon them and started to attack them. Just when they thought their end was near, an army veteran named Tom comes to the rescue and brings Ellie, Alex, and Mina to his camp so they could rest. A couple of days later they head out in search of the ranger station, where they find it abandoned. They decide to stay there for a while to think of how to avoid the Changed and stay alive in the new world that they live in.

Kendall…I loved this book but a few key points that I didn’t enjoy were all of the gory details. For example when they stumbled across two of the Changed eating an old woman! The skin was ripped, the knobby tube of her windpipe sloping out like a fleshy tapeworm. Yuck! The things I liked were the good detail and it was very descriptive. In addition, Ilsa J. Bick is great at adding suspense and the book had me gasping involuntarily every few minutes. This part made my heart race…Elated, she ducked out of the trunk, shovel in one hand and the matchbox held high in the other-and then the stink of rotted flesh cut right through the lingering aroma of stale tobacco.   Also, I wanted to read no matter what was going on around me. Finally, I liked how after everything Alex has been through; she’s still a trooper and still thinks there’s hope.

Emma…There was only one thing that I did not enjoy about this book and that was how gory it was. There were parts where the author described when the Changed were eating a human being and I got a little queasy there! Like when Tom gets injured and it explains in detail about how bloody his leg was and how Alex had to cut away the dead skin to allow the new skin to grow in. The fleshy lips of his wound gaped, and his thigh was streaked with thin rivulets of bright-red blood, but there seemed to be very little pus left. The air reeked with the stink of dead meat, boiled pus, and cooked blood.  I thought that there could have been a little less of that. Other than that one thing, the rest of the book was amazing. I loved how suspenseful it was. Say hypothetically, there’d been two rangers. Say one had changed and the other hadn’t. Had the normal one set the trap hoping to kill the ranger who’d changed? Or-. The author left you hanging at the end of each chapter and especially at the end of the book. I also loved how action packed this book was, when the dogs were chasing and trying to attack Ellie and Alex. There was always something exciting going on and there never was a dull moment. I also loved how the main characters changed throughout the book. In the beginning of the book Alex was very negative and wasn’t all that happy. But throughout the book she became a nice, caring person, especially towards Ellie, who in the beginning of the book was whiney and stubborn. Nevertheless, she became much more grateful after all of the things that she went through with Alex.

Michelle…I loved this book but agree with Emma and Kendall - I didn’t enjoy all of the gross parts of the book! Like when Tom told Alex to cut through his leg so that he could take the poison that was in there out, it was a little much. But what I liked about the book was that it was interesting throughout the whole story. There was so much action and they were continually having battles with the Changed. Another thing I liked was how Alex came a long way, she almost lost everything, and she didn’t let that keep her down.  She still did what she had to do, the best that she could, in order to stay alive and safe.

Overall, we loved Ashes by Ilsa Bick, and would recommend this book to everyone. The author really kept you guessing obout what was going to happen next and it was always full of action. Just beware, do not read this book if you have a weak stomach!

Emma J., Kendall S., and Michelle S. – EMS Bloggers

Day is a teenage criminal who seems to always slip from the government’s grasp. But when his brother is infected with the plague, he breaks into a hospital to steal the antidote. Day makes a daring escape from the hospital but, in the process of doing so, has to defend himself and throw one of his good knives at a soldier. June is the government’s newest prodigy who is always trying to improve herself. When she arrives at the crime scene she sees her brother, a top soldier and official in the government, dead with a knife in his chest. June is convinced Day has done this, so she sets out to find him. And when she does, they are both in for a surprise. When these two stories collide, they create a fantastic, thrilling story with a hint of romance!

When these two stories combine they create a fantastic thrilling action with some romance.

Luke’s thoughts…

I love the book. There are so many surprises, twists, and a lot of exciting action. I loved how Day and June come together to find out life-changing things about the republic. I also like how Marie Lu sets up the book with a futuristic split nation. It really sets the scene and constantly has you wondering. I like how you slowly get the idea of what the republic is doing and how sick-minded they really are.

Sean’s thoughts…

I really liked this book. I liked it so much because June was such a great, dynamic character. I could never predict what she would do. It was really interesting to see what would happen in the relationship of a cop and a criminal. Another thing I really liked was how the author let us in on what happened to June’s dead brother. I hated the character Thomas, I cannot say too much about him but if you read this book I bet you will dislike him too! One reason I dislike him is because of the way he acts towards other and the way he acts when he is pressured. I don’t think that he made this book bad – he made it better because of the way he affected the actions of others. I really loved this book.

Zach’s thoughts…

I think the book is thrilling and among the best books I’ve ever read. I really liked how Day and June were so athletically skilled and could perform amazing actions. It really added a lot of suspense and excitement to the story. I also liked how Marie Lu showed the point of view of Day in one chapter and then June’s point of view in the next chapter. It was interesting to read how they both saw and interpreted the same events. Finally, I liked the mystery in this story – did Day do it? If not, who was really responsible for the death of June’s brother?

Overall we loved the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes action, romance, and suspense!

It was our honor to be able to interview Marie Lu! We are big fans and appreciate her time with us!

What helps you write? Do you have any routines, rituals, etc.?

Before I became a full-time writer, I was an artist for several video game companies. So I love to draw! Before I start writing any story, I always have to sketch my characters out. If I don’t, I can’t get a good grasp of who my main characters are. I also am a morning person, so I prefer to do all of my writing before noon.

How does it feel to see your book in stores and hear all the amazing things people are saying about it?

It’s absolutely amazing and surreal! I never get tired of running into the book in a bookstore–it’s something that I’ve fantasized about for so many years, so to see it finally become a reality is awesome.

Are any of the characters based off of people you know in real life?

Bits and pieces of my characters’ personalities do come from people that I know in real life. Day, for example, has several personality traits that my boyfriend has. And Tess is pretty close to who I was as a high schooler.

We’re excited to hear about a possible movie – will you be working closely with the director on this project? Will you have input on the script, selecting actors, etc.?

Thank you, I’m excited too! CBS Films and Temple Hill have been very kind to keep me updated on what’s happening so far, although most of the work and decisions are left to them. I’m so excited to see what they come up with, though, as well as our director (Jonathan Levine)’s vision. I think they’ll do a fantastic job!

Thanks again to Marie Lu!  All of us at Larkin’s Book Bloggers are anxiously awaiting the sequel to Legend, called Prodigy, due out early in 2013.

For more about the author and her books, visit her website at http://marielu.org/

Luke M., Sean J., and Zach W. – EMS Bloggers

After ten-year-old Hastin’s family borrows money to pay for his sister’s hospital bill, he leaves his village in northern India to take a job as an elephant keeper and work off the debt. He thinks it will be an adventure, but he isn’t prepared for the cruel circus owner. The crowds that come to the circus see a lively animal who plays soccer and balances on milk bottles, but Hastin sees Nandita, a sweet elephant and his best friend, who is chained when she’s not performing and hurt with a hook until she learns tricks perfectly. Hastin protects Nandita as best as he can, knowing that the only way they will both survive is if he can find a way for them to escape.

Larkin’s Book Bloggers had the pleasure of talking to author Lynne Kelly and the character of Nandita.  Yes, that’s right, we had the opportunity to interview an elephant!  Check it out!

1. What did you think of Hastin when you first saw him?

He doesn’t know this, but I saw him before we met. He used to hide in a tree near the river to watch my herd, but we knew he was there. We knew he wouldn’t hurt us so we stayed there.

When we first met face-to-face, I was scared because we were in the trap. But he was there too, and I understood that he meant to stay with me.

2. What’s your best memory of your family?

I remember one night that was so cold, I didn’t know how I’d be able to sleep. I was really little then. But other members of my family snuggled up on all sides of me, like big walls. I didn’t feel the cold anymore.

3. What’s your least favorite thing about being here?

Practicing for the shows. I’m trying my best and we work all day long, but it seems like I’m not doing anything right. And there’s the hook. That’s the worst part of all.

4. We know you want to go home to the jungle, but what’s something you do like about living at the circus grounds?

I like it when training is over for the day and Hastin takes me to the spring. Swimming makes any day better. And of course I have to roll in the dirt after getting out of the water.

5. What do you miss most about home?

Going to the river with my herd. The spring here is nice, but it’s not the same. I loved playing in the river with my friend. I was old enough to wander away from my mother, just for a short distance, as long as she could still see me. She did her best to protect me from danger. The whole herd did.

Thanks to Teen Book Scene for arranging the tour, and a huge thank you to author Lynne Kelly – we appreciate her creativity and allowing us to interview the character of Nandita.  Don’t miss Chained!

“You know me, you don’t know how, but you definitely know me.”

Brittany, a child actress and commercial star, is stuck up and thinks the world revolves around her. While Brittany was away in Hong Kong for a year, she took a year off from commercial auditions. When she returns, she expected to still get all the lead roles in commercials. But Brittany struggles trying to find any role in the commercial biz! While Brittany is trying, she comes across a friend named Phoebe who is now taking the roles away from her. Brittany comes up with a plan so she can destroy Phoebe’s career. Will Brittany destroy Phoebe’s career or will she end up failing? Will Brittany ever get a chance to be in another commercial? Or will Phoebe keep taking all her chances?

We like…

We like how P.G Kain kept us wondering if Brittany was ever going to get a lead role in the commercials!

We loved how the author, P.G Kain, showed us how Brittany was feeling in parts of the book. We knew when Brittany was feeling hurt, confused, and angry. One part that really showed us this is when Brittany found out that not only was Phoebe taking her career, but she was taking her wardrobe as well!

We also really liked how the author used suspense to help us understand the book and make us not want to put the book down! The end of the chapters were suspenseful so we wanted to keep reading. For example, “But before I can make my way out, I hear a very familiar sound that stops me dead in my tracks.” This was so suspenseful, we didn’t want to put the book down, we just wanted to keep reading.

Overall, the book was amazing! Everyone will enjoy this book.

OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY P.G KAIN…Welcome PG!

First, I want to thank you girls for reading the book. I hope you enjoyed it. I really appreciate you taking the time to write a review and send me these excellent questions.

 1. What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have any hobbies?

Besides being a writer, I am also a teacher. So when I’m not writing, I’m teaching. When I’m not teaching, I’m writing. Besides that, I like to bicycle, travel to new places, make up recipes for cakes and spend time with my orange cat, Biscuit. He looks sweet and gentle but he is actually quite ferocious.

2. Are your characters based on real people?

Some are, some aren’t. Brit and none of the main characters are based on anyone I know but all of the people who work in the casting offices in the book are pretty much based on the people who worked at the casting offices when I was auditioning. I changed their names just a little bit but my hunch is that they would recognize themselves if they read the book.

3. Is there a character who is based on you?

There isn’t in this book but in “The Social Experiments of Dorie Dilts” the character of Dixie is based on me.

4. What do you think you would be doing if you hadn’t become a writer?

I’d still be a teacher because I love trying to figure out how people learn things and I love being in the classroom with students.

5. Have you always wanted to be an author? Even when you were younger?

Honestly, not really. I always thought writing was hard. When I had to write in school I would always get good marks for my ideas but terrible marks for my grammar. I’m still a terrible speller! I never thought writing would be something I would be able to do. However, I’ve always loved telling stories and making people laugh so eventually I focused on that part of writing and the other part just sort of took care of itself eventually.

6. How did you come up with the idea behind Commercial Breaks?

I’ve been on hundreds and hundreds of commercial auditions and I’ve even booked a few. The thing about working in commercials is that you spend a lot of time waiting. I don’t write about this part in the books because it’s pretty boring. It was during all that waiting that I came up with the idea for these books.

7. How many books will be in this series? How many others have you written?

I don’t know how many total books there will be in the series. I’ve written three so far but this is a different kind of series. Each book is a stand-alone novel so you don’t have to read them in any order. They all take place in the same world and the characters know each other from book to book but the main character in each book is different and you read her story from her point of view. You might remember the girl from the commercial for the amusement park, Cassie. The second book is her story and in that you read about the shoot at the amusement park but from Cassie’s point of view.

8. Was it difficult to write this story from a female character’s perspective?

All writing is difficult but I think if you know the point of view of the character and you understand her you just rely on your imagination.

A HUGE thank you to author PG Kain for spending some time with us at Larkin’s Book Bloggers!  And be on the lookout for book two in the series, Commercial Breaks – Picture Perfect, due out on July 24th!

And now, a contest…win a copy of Famous for Thirty Seconds!  Simply comment here and tell us why you want to win.  The winner will be announced on May 24th.  Good luck!

Shannon M., Alyssa R., and Marley B. – EMS Bloggers

I was thrilled to be a part of the Tribute Books Blog Tour for Shannon Duffy’s new novel, Spectral.  And can I just tell you?  I LOVED this book!  I’m a huge fantasy fan and this book was so different from what I’ve recently read…

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe—the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

I don’t know what it is about books with witchcraft, but I’m addicted to them.  If you’ve read the blog you know that I love the Once a Witch series – and Spectral is now up there as one of my favorites.  The beginning of this book grabbed me right away – the family claiming to be running from the mob and a part of the witness protection program was a switch and I liked that Jewel had no idea who she really was.  It added to the total suspense of the book…who is she really?  And that question kept coming up!  Jewel makes a new friend, Taylor, but it’s Taylor’s mother who becomes important later on in the story.  I loved the part when Jewel stumbles across her while visiting Taylor, that scene really had me wondering what was going on and who Mrs. Snow really was.  So many characters ended up being not who you expected – Aunt Eva was the only one who I hated from start to finish – no surprises with her.  But the others constantly had me guessing – it really kept me on the edge of my seat.  And then of course, there’s Roman…who also keeps you guessing, and has Jewel guessing as well.  And again, suspense, suspense, suspense – this book was filled with it, from the “raid” at the party, to the dramatic rooftop escape in Russia, to Jewel stumbling through the city streets of Italy – I had to keep reading.  So what else can I say – for me Spectral had it all…romance, constant action with kidnappings and across the globe traveling, covens and mysterious powers, bite-your-nails suspense – it’s a definite read!

A huge thanks to Tribute Books for making us a part of this awesome blog tour!

To find out more about the book and author Shannon Duffy -

http://spectralwitch.blogspot.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13319632-spectral

http://www.shannonduffylit.com/

Mrs. L, EMS Blogger

Has this ever happened to you? Hopefully not… but all of this became Perry’s reality in the novel Au Revoir Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber.

Perry Stormaire is just an average boy until Gobi arrives. Gobi is a foreign exchange student from Europe who lives with Perry and his family. Perry thought she was just a socially awkward but nice girl, until he was forced to take her to the prom…that night he met the real Gobi, a trained assassin who took him on a crazy adventure through NYC! From stabbing people while slow dancing, to crazy bear fights and frightening police chases, well… you get the idea. There is a reason why Gobi goes on a crazy killing spree, but you’ll have to figure that out on your own.

Maddie: I love the action in this book and how you cannot stop turning the page. For example, Gobi ran in on a drug dealing bear fight. But where was Perry when all of this action was happening? This is a scene I was not expecting, it kept me turning pages. I had to know what happened! I love how Gobi is a girl and is killing all of these grown men. You have to give her credit; she must have trained really hard to be able to take down a grown man with bare hands. GIRL POWER!!!!

Natalie: I love how the book is a mystery on why Gobi is so crazy. No, like crazy crazy. Crazy like you have never seen before. She is a girl who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants, even if it involves bombs… you do not find out why until the very end. It made the book so suspenseful and amazing. I also like how the beginning of each chapter starts with a college essay question. For example, the title of chapter 12 is, “What have you undertaken or done on your own in the last year or two that has nothing to do with academic work? (Northwestern College)” In this chapter Perry is about to do something drastic and it relates perfectly to that question!

Abby: I love the part when Perry goes to a club with Gobi and Perry gets to play with the band. You think it would be party time! But Gobi messes it all up for Perry. I thought it was so funny and how it was total destruction of Perry’s night. I also love the part when Gobi and Perry were at the Sherry Netherland Hotel and Gobi was slow dancing with someone who she thought was necessary to kill. Gobi does the most unexpected thing during the dance. I thought it was crazy and so funny.

All in all, we thought that this book is funny, intense, amazing and crazy! We would read it again in a heartbeat.

WARNING: FYI this book is very bloody and gory…

Maddie G., Natalie H., and Abby W. – EMS Bloggers

The book Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin is about a girl named Kelsey who decides that freshman year is going to be her year and that it’s going to be unforgettable, and it is, but not in the way Kelsey imagined. Faced with mean bullies, backstabbing friends, and embarrassing moments, Kelsey will just have to learn to make the best out of things.

I really enjoyed Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters, it had realistic situations and Meredith Zeitlin did a great job creating the characters and the book itself. So read the book to find out how Kelsey deals with her freshman year!

I recently got a chance to chat with Meredith Zeitlin and ask her a few questions about the book:

Q.1 – Where did you get the inspiration for Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters?

A: When I first got out of college, I used to babysit for an awesome little girl named Zoe. Sometimes when she did her homework, I’d read her books, and for the most part I found them really disappointing. They weren’t at all like the YA novels I’d grown up with, which were about girls I could relate to; these were all about rich, sophisticated girls with unlimited spending accounts and wild sex lives. I decided to try my hand at writing about a REAL girl in NYC, based on my memories of high school and my observations of Zoe and her friends. And since I’m always getting into ridiculous situations that my friends find very amusing, I thought readers would enjoy a main character who had a similar affliction.

Q.2 – Why did you want to become a writer and how did you get started as an author?

A: I come from a family of writers – mostly television shows, though my aunt is also a novelist – and it’s something I’ve always done as well. It just came naturally to me and I loved doing it. I entered poetry competitions as a kid, wrote for the high school paper, and later became its Editor in Chief. I was in a 12-person screenwriting program in college. I wrote essays, articles and reviews for various publications and websites after I graduated, and was usually working on something creative of my own as well. “Freshman Year…” was the first big project I completed and decided to move forward with, tho – I really wanted to get the book out there.

Q.3 – How did you get the inspiration for Kelsey? Is she based on you or someone you knew in high school?

A: Kelsey is basically me when I was her age (though if you ask my friends what they think, they’d probably say I’m exactly the same today). And almost everything that happens to her in the book actually happened to me, too… though some details have been changed to protect the innocent!

Q.4 – Where did you grow up? And what were you like in high school?

A: I was born in NYC, but my family moved to South Orange, NJ when I was six. It’s a pretty typical suburb about 30 minutes outside the city. In high school I was involved in a lot of different groups at school – I did all the plays, was on the lacrosse team (I was TERRIBLE at it), wrote for the school paper, hung out with my friends, agonized over guys, took everything very seriously, and ultimately had a lot of fun. I hung out with lots of different kinds of people instead of being in one clique, really… and I’m still good friends with a lot of my high school friends today. Many of the characters in the book are named for them!

Q.5 – What do you like to do in your free time…when you aren’t writing?

A: Well, writing isn’t my main job, actually – I’m a voiceover artist. (You can find out more about that here, if you’re interested: www.mzspeaks.com.) So I go on auditions and to recording sessions most days. The rest of the time I’m a pretty typical Brooklynite, I suppose – I hang out with my fabulous friends, see theatre and films, watch way too much TV, sing showtunes with my actor friends, check out restaurants and stores and go to the park and explore the city!

Q.6 – Are you going to make a sequel to Freshman Year? If not, what is your next book about?

A: I don’t know if there will be a sequel to Freshman Year… for now I’ll have to say “maybe.” The new book I’m working on does feature some of the same characters, though – including a cameo with Kelsey herself! It’s about a girl who is in Kelsey’s class named Zona Lowell, whose father decides they’re going to live in Greece for six months right in the middle of her sophomore year. Hjinks ensue!

A huge thanks to author Meredith Zeitlin for talking with us and sharing her amazing book with all of us here at Larkin’s Book Bloggers!

Ciara D., EMS Blogger

In a dystopian Chicago, Beatrice Prior lives in the faction of Abnegation, which concentrates on Selflessness. There are four other factions, Amity, Dauntless, Erudite, and Candor. When she turns 16, she has to take a test which determines if she goes to a different faction or stays in her own faction. If she goes to a different faction, she might disgrace her family. When she gets a Divergent result in the test, she has to choose between all factions. Being Divergent means, you have all the characteristics of each faction, meaning bravery, selflessness, intelligence, peacefulness, or honesty. It can also be dangerous because you cannot keep true to any of the faction’s values. She chooses to become Dauntless. When she gets to the Dauntless Compound, she decides to rename herself Tris. During the first phase of initiation, she is struggling to survive because all of her life she has been trying to be selfless. Now, she has to be concentrate on bravery. In addition, she is a stranger and struggles to fit in. As initiation continues, Tris struggles to keep her secret of Divergence from her newfound friends, because she knows it might mean horrible consequences, and maybe even death.

Lukas likes…

How each faction has different values such as bravery, intelligence, and selflessness because it shows that everyone is different, but in some way we all have some similarities that describe large groups of people. I also likedhow Tris understands what being Dauntless and Divergent really means because it shows the readers how Tris feels about being Divergent and why she picked Dauntless.

Jack’s favorite part was…

The author, Veronica Roth, kept the book interesting. She would leave the reader hanging off the edge of their seat. To get to the Dauntless compound, Tris had to take a train. To be able to get off the train, she had to jump off the train onto a building. Once she got off the train, she had to jump off the building to get to the compound. A whopping 60 feet! She could have almost died, which was an obvious “Hanging off your seat” moment.  I loved how Veronica Roth made us hang off our seats, chapter after chapter.

After you read Divergent, be sure to read the sequel, Insurgent. Insurgent comes out May 1, 2012 – today!

Jack C. and Lukas M., EMS Bloggers