Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen (May 31st, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 496 pages
Source: Author (Thank You!)
Series: Starcrossed #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Review: I L-O-V-E-D this book! No really, loved it so much that I kept re-reading parts a day after finishing it. This will be one of my top books of 2011. I'm sure of it! I've been a complete fan-girl over this book all week and I will try to get my head together enough to write a review. But first, I must get all of the random, crazy, fan-girly thoughts out of my head. 

Lucus *swoon*...HOT! Other hot boys with kick butt powers..*le sigh*. Must plot strategy for how to get book 2 from Josie's house..Hmm....will think of that later.

Okay, here goes. Helen Hamilton is beautiful. She tries to stay as closed off as possible because she hates attention. She has an adorable best friend named Claire who keeps her sane throughout the high school experience. Then one day she sees the new boy in school and can't seem to figure out why she wants to rip his hot little head off. I couldn't help but crack up at some of their first interactions. Josephine really brought some creativity to their struggles with each other. 

From that point on Helen is only focused on Lucus and his family, no matter how hard she tried to go on with her daily life. She's not normally a violent person but she knows she wants them all dead. Spooky hallucinations seem to appear when they are close to her and she is sure she has gone insane. The more Helen tries to avoid Lucus, the more fate brings them together until one night all heck breaks loose and she finds out way more about her history than she would have ever thought possible.

Josephine's writing is beyond explanation. I experienced a full range of emotions while reading this book. From giddiness, to fear, to heart-pounding anxiety due to the intense action and passionate romance. I was hooked from the start! Helen was a wonderful character. I enjoyed seeing her spunk come out as the story progressed. She had a lot of power behind the cute face. 

I am new to books that involve Gods and Greek mythology but Josephine did an amazing job weaving it into this book. It didn't feel forced or "too much" at one time. All the pieces slowly came together. Along with that, she introduces us to so many secondary characters that will steal your heart. Even though we don't get to learn everything about each of them, they were all so critical to the story and they really help bring everything together. It's rare to see a story with a "big family" and still know what is going on and who's who. Each family member had a distinct personality and after reading the book, I couldn't imagine even one of them not being part of this story. 
Starcrossed is a book where I could picture everything in detail as I read it. The beauty of the Delos house, the view from the water, the sky, each character; everything was picture-perfect. It was like watching a movie. 

Josephine Angelini was a master at presenting this new YA story that is sure to capture the hearts of many and only get more fantastic as the series continues. Starcrossed was much more than a "boy meets girl" type of story. The flow of the writing, action-packed plot, and outstanding characters make this book impossible to put down. A brilliant read with a captivating romance and a nice dose of mythology. It is a must read! 

Find Josephine Angelini

Website    |     Blog     |     Twitter    |     Facebook    |     Goodreads

Purchase Starcrossed

Amazon    |     Barnes & Noble    |    The Book Depository

Book Trailer (UK)

Interview & Giveaway: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Today is the release day of Starcrossed, and I have the wonderful author, Josephine Angelini, here today to tell us a little about her debut novel. 


She has also offered up a beautiful signed copy for one lucky reader!

1. Starcrossed explores ancestry, myths, powers, and more. Can you tell us how you first began forming this story?

I started with the idea of taking Homer's characters and (loosely) retelling the story of the Iliad in a modern-day setting. But unlike Homer's characters, I always knew that mine would know what was in
store for them if they made the same choices as their famous predecessors. After all, they've all read The Iliad so they knew what's coming. The next thing I decided was that when my characters tried to choose differently, they would get the Oedipus work-over the old  "you meet your fate on the road you take to escape it" chestnut. Once I got those two general themes set in my head, I realized I had enough material to write at least three books.

2. What books did you enjoy reading while growing up?

Fantasy, sci-fi, romance. I read everything from Jane Austin to Douglas Adams, Herman Melville to Marion Zimmer Bradley. I read whatever was on the bookshelves at home, anything with a cool cover. And if one of my sisters said I was too much of a baby to understand something, I read it whether I liked it or not!

3. I read that you have a lot of sisters. What was it like to have so many women who could give you feedback on your book? Did you often turn to them for advice?

Here's the thing about having 6 big sisters. You get advice whether you ask for it or not. Lucky for me, my sisters are insanely intelligent and insightful women (if a bit outspoken) and they usually have something brilliant to say about pretty much anything. But, strangely, they don't give me feedback on my books. I think the
reason for this is that my big sisters and my lone big brother all love me (the baby of the family) with such blind devotion and pride that they gush whenever they talk about my book. Gushing isn't feedback. I do, however, know exactly what 2 thirds of my family thinks about putting kale in chicken soup, and exactly how much is acceptable to each. Like I said. I get a lot of advice.


4. If you had to describe Helen and Lucas in one word, what would it be?

Starcrossed. I'm serious. That really sums them up!



5. If you could have one special power, what would you pick?

I usually say flying, but right now I'm leaning toward pre-cognition.
I really can't wait for May 31st!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen (May 31st, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 496 pages
Series: Starcrossed, book #1

How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends June 21st.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.   

Find Josephine Angelini

Website    |     Blog     |     Twitter    |     Facebook    |     Goodreads

Purchase Starcrossed

Amazon    |     Barnes & Noble    |    The Book Depository

Tour: Interview with Camille from The Eternal Sea

I am kicking off the tour for Angie Frazier's new book The Eternal Sea. This is the 2nd book in the Everlasting series and it is released tomorrow. 


I'm happy to have one of my favorite characters, the lovely Camille, here with me today to give us an update on her adventures.

Hello Camille. So happy you could be on my blog today.

J: What was it like when you found out the truth about your mom and brother? 

C: I felt like such a fool. I’d spent my life putting together a picture of my mother—a picture I loved and cherished—only to discover she was nothing at all like I’d imagined. I’m glad to have a brother, though I’m starting to realize that family isn’t always easy.


J:  How were you doing emotionally once you were able to settle in at your mother's home and think about what you had been through? 

C: I think I slept for two full days once I arrived back in Port Adelaide. Not just because I was exhausted from everything I’d been through, but because I also didn’t want to think about my father. I wasn’t ready to accept that he was gone for good.


J: What hurt you the most when Oscar started acting differently? 

C: Everything, really. But maybe the most hurtful thing was thinking I’d been lied to. That I’d been tricked in some way. My father had kept secrets from me, my mother hadn’t been the person I’d always imagined she was, and then, it seemed as if Oscar was going to let me down as well.


J: What were the first words that popped into your head when you saw Randall? 

C: “No, no, no!” Followed by a few unsavory expletives that don’t necessitate repeating.


J: Did you ever think that the stone would let you go after you had first used it? 

C: I can honestly say that I did. I think I was so wrapped up in actually being able to get to the stone before McGreenery, and then get my father back, that I never pondered what price I might have to pay. I admit now to how naïve that was.


J: What are you hoping for now? Any future wishes or goals? 

C: I had just wanted to be able to go home, and a part of me still does want that. But another part of me knows the stones aren’t finished with me just yet. I feel caught. Maybe, like Ira usually suggests, a change of scenery is in order.

The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier
Publisher: Scholastic Press (June 1st, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Series: Everlasting, #2

Romance and adventure are just around the corner . . .
After the thrilling journey that led Camille through the dangerous discovery of love, secrets, and a magical stone that grants immortality, Camille has everything she wants. She's escaped the men who wanted her dead, and now she is ready to build a new life with Oscar, her one true love. But things are not to be so simple. Oscar is acting strangely, and before they can even board a ship from Australia back home, to San Francisco, Camille learns that the journey is not over. If she does not follow the magic of the curse of Umandu, her life and Ocar's could be in grave danger.

Find Angie Frazier

Website     |     Blog     |     Twitter     |     Goodreads

Purchase The Eternal Sea

Amazon    |    Barnes & Noble    |    The Book Depository

 

In My Mailbox (46-51)

It has, literally, been forever since I have done an IMM. I've been swamped with homework and last week we took my daughter to her first concert (post on that to come later). It was a blast! Here are the books I have received over the past month. Special thanks to Random House, HarperTeen, Bloomsbury, Simon & Schuster, Penguin/Speak, Shelley Workinger, Jennifer Echols, and Ednah Walters.

Review
Every Little Thing in the World by Nina de Gramont
She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott
Promises to Keep by Charles De Lint
The Forever Crush (Pink Locker Society) by Debra Moffitt
Dark Eden (ARC) by Patrick Carman
Flawless (ARC) by  Lara Chapman
Tighter (ARC) by Adele Griffin
Wake Unto Me (ARC) by  Lisa Cach
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Bitter End by Jennifer Brown
The Lucky Kind (ARC) by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) (ARC) by Sarah Mlynowski
Wildefire (ARC) by Karsten Knight
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (ARC) by Michelle Hodkins
We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook
Bite Club by Rachel Caine
Ordinary Beauty by Laura Weiss (2 copies- one for giveaway)
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (2 copies- one for giveaway)
Forgiven (ARC) by Janet Fox
Nocturne (ARC) by Christine Johnson
Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
Betrayed (signed) by Ednah Walters
Everfound by Neil Shusterman
Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson
Tighter by Adele Griffin (2nd copy)
The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Eileen Cook
Passion by Lauren Kate

Swag
Betrayed by Ednah Walters(signed) bookmarks
Sabine and Kisri by Moira Rogers (signed) bookplates
Bitter End by Jennifer Brown (signed) bookplate and bookmark, plus bracelet (not pictured)

Gift
Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Signed
Love Story by Jennifer Echols
Settling by Shelley Workinger (NOTE: I'm blurbed!!)

Other Goodies
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt (book and signed poster)
A giveaway is going on now for a poster just like this one!

Starcrossed Book Trailer

And I just had to share a brand new book trailer I saw yesterday. I just read Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini and it was beyond amazing!! If you haven't added this book to your goodreads list, do it NOW! This book just jumped into my top 3 of this year so far. Check out the UK book trailer!









What did you get in your mailbox this week?

*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.