August Book of the Month: Sass and Serendipity

                                                  

Title: Sass and Serendipity

Author: Jennifer Ziegler

Release Date: July 12, 2011

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Synopsis (from Goodreads)-

             For Daphne, the glass is always half full, a situation is better managed with a dab of lip gloss, and the boy of her dreams—the one she's read about in all of her novels—is waiting for her just around the corner.
              For Gabby, nothing ever works out positively; wearing any form of makeup is a waste of study time, and boys will only leave you heartbroken. Her best friend, Mule, is the only one who has been there for her every step of the way. 
           But when the richest boy in school befriends Gabby, and Daphne starts to hang out more and more with her best friend, Mule, Gabby is forced to confront the emotional barriers she has put up to stop the hurting. And for once, her sassiness may fall prey to her definition of stupidity.

Erin's thoughts-

Sass and Serendipity was a very cute and quick summer read!  If you have a sister (like moi (M-W-A)) you will feel like you are the most peaceful sibling on the planet after you read this book because Gabby and Daphne fight A LOT (that's an understatement). My sister and I have the capability of driving each other mad every once in a while, but we've never driven each other as insane as Gabby and Daphne do. 


Overall the moral of Sass and Serendipity is good, and towards the end you can tell that Gabby and Daphne have some affection for each other. Sass and Serendipity had my eyes glued to the pages for hours because I couldn't put it down. There were lots of different relationships being put to the test throughout this book, creating unique story lines. My only critique is that some parts of the book were very redundant, and Gabby & Daphne fight a tad bit much.


Although I couldn't completely relate to either Gabby or Daphne, I could still feel their pain as they went through tough situations. Sass and Serendipity is easy to follow, addictive, and (like Sarah Mlynowski's quote on the cover) will make you want to hug your sister!


Meredith's Thoughts-


This was a cute, fun read! And while the book looks long, it goes by quick. I definitely recommend it if you have a sister. And if you don't have a sister, you should read it too, it will make you want one.


Like, Erin, while I enjoyed reading about the sisters Gabby and Daphne, I couldn't really relate to either of them much as individuals. Also, I have two (!) sisters, and I definitely don't fight with them near as much as Gabby and Daphne fight. Other than that, their sisterly relationship is definitely realistic. If your lucky enough to have a sister, you may find you and your sister among the pages.


This book definitely shows all the ups and downs of sisterhood and how sisterhood is one of the most important relationships you'll ever have. If you have a sister, feel free to share your sister stories in the comments section. :)

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Blogger Detour {1}

    
 Blogger Detour is a brand new interview feature at Mint Tea & A Good Book. Basically it's a great way to get your blog promoted and it has a fun little road trip twist added as well.






     This is our very first Blogger Detour so things are still being finalized and worked out. Thanks for understanding!

This Week's Blogger Detour Contestant is...

Willa from Willa's Ramblings!

First Stop: Reading! How old were you when you learned to read?

I was in first grade in Ms. Cherry's class.

Remember where to go: What is your earliest memory of reading?

I remember always loving when my mom would read Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel to me as a kid. I don't know what it was about that book, but I adored it. I also loved the series of Toot and Puddle (they're pigs), and I've got a few of my copies lying around somewhere.

Turn Right: Was there a specific book that really turned you onto reading?

Hmm... Well, one of my first memories of reading a chapter book was the book called Boston Jane. It's about this girl from Philadelphia who goes to live on this island with Indians and she becomes this incredibly strong woman. I think she might have been my idol for a while.

2nd Stop: What made you decide to start blogging?

I actually had no clue that book review blogs even existed until I went to yours, Meredith. That's when I realized that I too could write book reviews and turn my wise book recommendations into actually helping people. :) I soon visited some more blogs as well.

Ask for directions: Are there any blogs/bloggers in specific that inspire you?

Hmm.. Am I aloud to say you? I think you, Meredith, simple because you are always right behind me supporting and commenting on everything. Secondly, Kristi of The Story Siren, Ginger of G-Reads, and Alex of Electrifying Reviews.


Meredith's Comment: Aww, thanks Willa!

Detour: What else do you do besides blogging?

I read, write, play piano and trombone, play with my adorable dogs, bake delicious food, laugh at all possible times, and spend time with my amazing friends.

When to get there: What are your goals for blogging? And what do you hope to see from blogging in the future?

I would really love to become a more well known blog, and be able to attend Book Expo America next year.

Additional Questions

Decisions, Decisions: If you had to go on a road trip- where would you go and who would you go with?

Hmm... A road trip... Well, I would probably want to go to New York City, simply because I am in love with the city, and I would want to go with every single one of my friends. Oh, and I'd love to meet some awesome authors while I'm there. Does that all count?


Meredith's Comment: Yes Willa. :)

Pit Stop: And now for the Mint Tea & A Good Book tradition- what’s your favorite kind of tea?

I'm not a huge tea person, but the one tea I will drink is Tazo Awake Tea. It's caffeinated, but delicious.

Thanks for having me, Meredith! Love you, girlie!


Willa is one of my best-blogger-buddies and I'm super thankful that she let me interview her. So I owe Willa a big thank you! And you can visit her adorable blog here- http://willasramblings.blogspot.com/ And we have another fabulous Blogger Detour scheduled for next Tuesday!


For more information on Blogger Detour, click here.

In My Mailbox (22)

     "In My Mailbox" is a weekly event hosted by the super fabulous, Kristi at The Story Siren. "IMM" is a way to share thoughts on the books you've received throughout the week with readers. To read more about "In My Malbox," click here. 

     This week I have a really tiny IMM, but I'm happy about that because it gives me time to catch up a bit more on my TBR pile. The only book I got this week was...

  

 1. Supernaturally by Kirsten White- I won this book from a giveaway on another blog. I don't know too much about it but it looks "super" good! Let me know if you've read it. I know it's part of a series. 














     That's all that's in this my tiny IMM this week! Feel free to link/html link to your IMM in the comments!

TGIF (11)- What's Your Style?

 TGIF is a feature hosted by the ever fab Ginger over at GReads! Ginger asks a fun question every week and bloggers post their answers. And honestly, this is one of my favorite features because it's just so fun! And I love reading everyone's answers! Plus, the picture is pretty cute too. This week's question is...

Book Associations: 

Which genre, authors, or particular books do you think 

people associate with your reading style?

     I get asked this question a lot, but usually it's in the form of: What kind of books do you like to read? 

Quick Answer: "Cute" Contemporary YA

Longer Answer: Well, if I'm at the bookstore I tend to pick out a contemporary YA book with a cute cover. I don't usually pick out fantasy/dystopian/paranormal for myself because... well I don't really know why. A lot of times I enjoy fantasy and dystopian and all that jazz, but I never pick them out for myself. When I do read those kinds of books, it's usually for review and I usually enjoy them. :)

Books/Authors People Associate with My Reading Style:

I know for a fact that my reading style as been associated with this book before because I've witnessed it! (aren't I fancy!) And it's no lie that I absolutely ADORE this book! If you haven't read it, go read it now. :)

 I also know that my reading style has been associated with Ally Carter's books before. I've been "that girl who likes Ally Carter" quite a few times. :)

Apparently my reading style has also been associated with Stephanie Perkins/ Anna and The French Kiss! I mean, who doesn't want to be associated with one of the best books on the planet!

One last thing- TGIF at GReads! has been nominated for Best Book Blog Meme for Book Blogger Appreciation Week!! So if you get the chance, stop by GReads and congratulate Ginger!

Introducing Blogger Detour!

     Today I have some exciting news to share with you all! Mint Tea & A Good Book now has it's very own interview feature called Blogger Detour! Blogger Detour will have a fun road trip theme to go along with some interview questions. See look, it even has a cute little button!

Now here are some things you may or may not be wondering about Blogger Detour.

1. Why is Mint Tea and A Good Book doing this?
     Well, I've received quite a few interview requests lately and I thought it would be fun if I had a little feature for interviews instead of just posting interviews randomly.

2. How often will Blogger Detours be posted? And when will they be posted?
     We're still working all the details out, but right now it looks like they will be posted every other Tuesday.

3. How can I be a blogger featured on Blogger Detour?
     This is also something we're still working out. For the first few I times, I will selectively ask people if they would like to be interviewed. After that you can send me an email at mintteaandagoodbook(at)gmail(dot)com and ask if you can join. We're still not final about that yet though.

4. Why should I want to be featured on Blogger Detour?
     Good Question! Wow, you guys are so good at asking questions! Well, to answer that fine question- Blogger Detour will also help promote your blog.

5. What kind of questions will be asked in the Blogger Detour interviews?
     Questions will vary depending on the interview, but Blogger Detour's main focus is why you started blogging. Kind of the road trip to blogging. Of course, it's definitely not just limited to those sort of questions.

The first Blogger Detour will be posted next Tuesday. Oh wait, looks like we have another question.

6. What if you didn't answer my question about Blogger Detour?
     If you have any more questions about Blogger Detour, leave a comment, or email me at mintteaandagoodbook(at)gmail(dot)com.

     I hope all your questions were answered and stop by next Tuesday for the first ever Blogger Detour Interview!

Putting Make Up On Dead People

Title: Putting Makeup on Dead People
Author: Jen Violi
Release Date: May 24, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion Books




Goodreads Synopsis (shortened)

Since her father’s death four years ago, Donna has gone through the motions of living: her friendships are empty, she’s clueless about what to do after high school graduation, and her grief keeps her isolated, cut off even from the one parent she has left. That is until she’s standing in front of the dead body of a classmate at Brighton Brothers’ Funeral Home. At that moment, Donna realizes what might just give her life purpose is comforting others in death. That maybe who she really wants to be is a mortician.

           This discovery sets in motion a life Donna never imagined was possible. She befriends a charismatic new student, Liz, notices a boy, Charlie, and realizes that maybe he's been noticing her, too, and finds herself trying things she hadn’t dreamed of trying before. By taking risks, Donna comes into her own, diving into her mortuary studies with a passion and skill she didn’t know she had in her. And she finally understands that moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting someone you love.

My Summary-- 

After Donna Parisi's father died, Donna became a mopey, empty, lifeless mess. She never felt like she was part of something in high school, and she wasn't enthusiastic or excited about anything. During her senior year Donna got accepted into the local college, where everyone else from her high school was going. Her mother decided that Donna would major in Communications, something very sensible and useful. When Liz, (who is open minded, confident, and nice)  moves to Donna's high school in the middle of Donna's senior year, Donna befriends Liz, and she starts to open up after four years of being closed in to the world. As Donna starts to open up she realizes that she wants to become a mortician and help people go from life to death peacefully. This book is Donna's journey and feelings as she becomes a mortician and finally accepts her father's death.

My thoughts--

When I received this book for review I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was definitely pleasantly surprised, and impressed with Jen Violi's debut novel. Before I read this book I never thought about someone actually wanting to become a mortician. Putting Makeup On Dead People made me realize the reasons that some people may decide to go into this field. This book also made me think about how when you're a mortician your not just putting makeup on the deceased and sticking them in a casket, you are also helping the family of the deceased grieve, and in a way (if you believe in this) getting the person ready for their second life.

Putting Makeup On Dead People isn't all about morticians and death, it has a lot to do with acceptance of other people, family, moving on, and new beginnings.  All of the characters in this book were very well developed, and believable. Although I couldn't relate to Donna all that much, I could understand her thoughts and her outlook on things. 

Although Putting Makeup on Dead  People wasn't a bucket of laughs, it was different than most YA books, which made the read enjoyable. Putting Makeup on Dead People wasn't dense, but it also wasn't a light pick-me-up type of book. If you're looking for a book that is a little different than most YA books, has well developed characters, and good writing, I highly recommend Putting Makeup on Dead People!

In My Mailbox (21)

"In My Mailbox" is a weekly event hosted by the super fabulous, Kristi at The Story Siren. "IMM" is a way to share thoughts on the books you've received throughout the week with readers. To read more about "In My Malbox," click here. 

     I got back from vacation late Thursday night, to find some packages waiting for me. So, I didn't actually buy any books this week. And thats always a good thing! :)

1. The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler (ARC)- I'm so excited for this book! It sounds so amazing! I've never read Carolyn Mackler before, but I really enjoyed 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, so I'm really excited for this one!

2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (ARC)- I've heard great things about this one and it was in the Wall Street Journal the other day as (possibly) being the next Harry Potter, so I'll see what happens with this one.

3. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (ARC)- I have been seeing this one EVERYWHERE! I was really sad b/c I probably wouldn't get to read it until it came out, but then (dun dun dun) the super fabulous Farrah sent it! YAY! I just started (literally) and already it has me hooked!

4. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (ARC)- I hadn't heard too much about this book before I got it. But now that I have it I keep seeing in everywhere! That always happens doesn't it! Well, I have had read a few other books by the author that I enjoyed so I'm ready for this one! Looks like a cute middle grade read.

5. Cold Case by Julia Platt Leonard- This one is a mystery that Simon and Schuster sent. I haven't read a mystery in a while, so I'm ready to start this one! I haven't heard to much about it. but it sounds good, so I'll see what happens with it!

That's all for this weeks In My Mailbox! I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer! Feel free to link to your IMM in the comments. :)

TGIF (10!)- Reviews We Don't Want To Write and I'm back!

   Yes, I am back from the west coast! And I have returned with quite a bit of jet lag and weariness for the new school year. I also came back with quite a few (ok, really a TON) of emails. Fortunately I was able to answer some urgent ones while I was on vacation, but I still have a lot more to get through. So if I owe you an email, its coming. Now TGIF.


     TGIF is a feature hosted by the ever fab Ginger over at GReads! Ginger asks a fun question every week and bloggers post their answers. And honestly, this is one of my favorite features because it's just so fun! And I love reading everyone's answers! Plus, the picture is pretty cute too. This week's question is...

The Reviews We Don't Write: 

Have you ever read a book and not wanted to review it? Are some books too personal that we want to keep our thoughts our own? 

 1. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher- Well, it ended up that I DID write a review for this book after writing 3 or 4 drafts. I think I held off reviewing this one for so long because I just really didn't know what to say and I knew that no matter how hard I tried I would not be able to do the book justice.

 2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- I don't know why I didn't want to review this one. It's probably just because I loved it so much and it made me feel so good inside. But I eventually did review it, of course I didn't do the book justice though.

 3. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han- I just finished this one while I was on vacation. I'm hesitant or not on whether or not to review it just because I can relate to it on so many levels. While I was out of town reading this book, I was at MY cousins beach. Of course my cousins beach isn't called cousins beach, but you know what I mean. This is such a special book for me, I don't want to ruin it by reviewing it I guess. Maybe I will review it though. We'll see what happens. :)




That's all for TGIF this week! Stop by next week to see which book genre represents me! :)

Giveaway Reminder :)

        Hello Mint Tea and A Good Book blog readers! Meredith and I just wanted to remind you about our two giveaways that are currently going on. We have our wonderful 200 followers, 100th post, 10,000 page-views, 6 month anniversary giveaway, and we have our Au Revoir Crazy European Chick Giveaway.

In our 200 followers Giveaway we are giving away: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen, Heist Society by Ally Carter, and Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson.

Before the fun begins remember

- You must be 13 years or older to enter

- You can only fill out the form once

- You do not have to be a follower, but it is always appreciated and there is extra pointage for followers

- You must live in the USA or Canada (sorry, this one isn't international)

- Giveaway ends August 27th, 2011 at 12 AM Central Time

To enter click HERE.

AND we have our great Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick Giveaway where we are giving you (can you guess?) Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber.

The same rules apply to this giveaway as our 200 follower giveaway, but this giveaway ends on 8/31/11 at 12 AM Central Time. 

To enter click HERE.

I hope you enjoy these reads!

&

Why We Don't Rate

     Hello Everyone! I am currently out of town and this is a scheduled post, so I apologize in advance if I don't get back to your comments and emails right away. But today, we're talking about the star rating system. (if you didn't figure that out from the title of the post)

      I've been asked a few times recently why I don't use the star rating system or a rating system at all. Here's my answer.
      I had a Goodreads account long before I started Mint Tea and A Good Book back in February. And I never liked the star rating system. I felt like I couldn't compare books with stars. I could rate one book 3 stars and another one 3 stars and have completely different feelings about them. And sometimes I would feel like a book was more than 4 stars, but definitely wasn't 5 stars. What do you do then? Goodreads doesn't let you do half or a quarter of a star. Another thing is, one day I rated a book 3 stars on Goodreads, and I got a comment asking why I disliked like book. But the thing was, I DID like the book. That person just viewed the stars differently then I did.
     So when I started Mint Tea and A Good Book, I decided not to use a rating system. I still use he rating system on Goodreads but I don't really like it. I figure, that if you read the review, you can figure out how much I liked/disliked the book without the rating system.
     I'm definitely not against the rating system though. I know for some people it works great! It just never clicked with me. If I had to use a rating system, I would use the grade rating system (A-, B+, you know) because there are more options then just 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 stars. I don't regret not using the rating system and again, I most definitely am NOT against blogs who use it. Some of my absolute favorite blogs use them.
     So what do YOU use? Ratings? Stars? Grades? No Ratings?

Angel Burn Review

Title- Angel Burn
Author- L.A. Weatherly
Publisher- Candlewick Press
Date Published- May 24th, 2011









Snyopsis (from Goodreads)-

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful.

They’re out for your soul . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

My Thoughts-

     Well, I'm kind of weary of these kinds of books. There's so much paranormal romance these days, a lot of times I just overlook them. Especially when the covers are all dark and gloomy looking. When I was sent an ARC of this book, I was reluctant to read it, but after the first 50 pages or so, I decided I liked it.

     The idea of the whole story is very intriguing. The Church of Angels idea is very interesting. The main character, Willow, is also pretty neat. She's good at fixing cars, and even though she's kind of outcast, she's still pretty cool. And then there's Alex. At first I enjoyed Willow talking about Alex, but then it began to drag on and become a tad bit boring.

     For me, the last part of this book, really seemed to drag on, but I'm kind of impatient when it comes to book endings, so that very well, might just be me. I know other people who loved the ending. So, I really think it just depends.

     If you're looking for an intriguing fantasy read, then you should definitely try Angel Burn!

IMM (20)

"In My Mailbox" is a weekly event hosted by the super fabulous, Kristi at The Story Siren. "IMM" is a way to share thoughts on the books you've received throughout the week with readers. To read more about "In My Malbox," click here. 

Bear with me here, Meredith is out of town so I (Erin) will be taking over IMM this week.

1. Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jennifer Violi- I received this book for review and I am very excited to read it. I'm not quite sure if I should think the title is humorous, or take it seriously, so I guess I will find out.

 2. Wildefire by Karsten Knight- I also received this book for review. All I know is that it has something to do with gods and goddesses enrolling in a high school. This one should be good.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- I am a little late getting to this one. I made a run to my library and finally picked it up. Definitely looking forward to reading Anna and the French Kiss!

4. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han-  Meredith and I must have had some sort of telepathy (must have something to do with the mint tea we drink) because I also picked this book up at the library (this was on Meredith's IMM last week). Need to get this one in before summer ends!

5. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson- Mint Tea and A Good Book's July book of the month, so I must read it! Amy & Roger's Epic Detour also seems like a good summer read.

Thats it everybody! Thanks for reading, I'm looking forward to seeing some of your IMM posts :)

TGIF (9)- Author Block Partay!!

  TGIF is a feature hosted by the ever fab Ginger over at GReads! Ginger asks a fun question every week and bloggers post their answers. And honestly, this is one of my favorite features because it's just so fun! And I love reading everyone's answers! Plus, the picture is pretty cute too. This week's question is...

Author Block Party- If you could gather a handful of authors to hang out with, who would you choose?

     First of all, let me just say, I think an author block party would be awesome! Especially if there were some other book bloggers there. That would be EPIC!

1. Ally Carter- Yess! Ally Carter books turned me onto YA! I would love to hang out with her! Especially if we could pretend to be thieves or spies like the characters in her books!

. 2. Stephanie Perkins- Stephanie Perkins is the author of Anna and The French Kiss and Lola and The Boy Next Door! I have yet to read Lola and The Boy Next Door, as it hasn't come out yet, but Anna and The French Kiss is one of my favorite contemporary YA romance novels! Plus, Stephanie Perkins has blue hair! How awesome is that! And if all goes well, I may be meeting Stephanie Perkins in October! EEP!

3. Lindsey Leavitt- Lindsey Leavitt is the author of my favorite middle grade series, Princess for Hire, and one of my favorite YA books, Sean Griswold's Head! I would love to meet her and hang out with her!

4. Sarah Dessen- How cool would it be to hang out with Sarah Dessen?! Very Cool! She has also written some of my favorite contemporary YA's.I think I may be meeting Sarah Dessen in the fall too, which will be AWESOME! 

 5. Robin Benway- Author of Audrey, Wait! and The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June, both or which I enjoyed thoroughly! Plus, Robin Benway just seems like a pretty cool person in general.

6. Maureen Johnson- Another author, who just seems pretty awesome all around. Maureen Johnson wrote 13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Little Blue Envelope, both of which want to make me rush to London right now! I will also hopefully be meeting Maureen Johnson this fall! 

7. John Green- John Green! I love John Green's vlogs and the books of his that I've read so far! It would be so very cool to meet him!

. 8. JK Rowling- I can't believe I almost forgot JK Rowling! It would be the most amazing thing in the world to get to hang out with JK Rowling! Especially if she brought along the Harry Potter actors! That would be so awesome!

     Honestly, this list could go on and on because YA authors are just so amazing! But I think I better stop here before I get too carried away.