Angieville Book

I am always looking for novels to bring into pieces that I teach. I feel that it gives the piece credibility that extends past the author's own words. It's as if I can say to students, "Well, you may not think this piece is important, but let me introduce you to others who would disagree..." I especially love it when novels I introduce are YA novels because they speak my students' language. This is why I had to buy and read this novel. I had to find other ways to connect Shakespeare to modern times, to prove to my students he is not antiquated nor are his ideas. He lives on...even in the world of YA lit.  Summary (from Goodreads): Meet Ophelia: a blonde, beautiful high-school senior and long-time girlfriend of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. Her life is dominated not only by her boyfriend's fame and his overbearing family, but also by the paparazzi who hound them wherever they go. As the devastatingly handsome Hamlet spirals into madness after the mysterious death ...

Good morning readers! I hope all is well in your worlds. Spotlight on... is a celebration of books that are no longer new to the bookshelves but deserve a continued interest in reading them because they are worth it. A book will be featured each Saturday, so check back to see what will be next. I am two days late with this week's pick, but I am pleased to bring Entwined back into the spotlight! This retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses will captivate you. Before you know it,  you to find yourself a part of its alluring plot. I "read" this book via audio, and it was a fantastic reader. She kept me completely engaged with the plot, making me feel as if I was becoming a part of the entwine, finding Keeper especially tempting.  For those who have read the Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray and enjoyed it, you have to add this book to your list of reads, seriously.  With the combination of intriguing plot, fantastical setting, and twelve dancing sisters, this novel w...

Title & author: Beautifully Broken by Sherry Soule Publisher: Moonlight Publishing Genre: Young Adult Sub-genre: Paranormal Reading age: 14 years and older Pages: 330 Release Date: August 2011 ISBN: 9780615508122 Source: The author Summary (from Goodreads):   Thirteenth Daughter. Heritage Witch. Demon Slayer. They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Whispering Pines. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse. Sixteen-year-old Shiloh Ravenwolf is a heritage witch from the Broussard family, a family both destined and cursed. After she takes a summer job at Ravenhurst Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan. But Trent may be the next victim on the supernatural hit list, and Shiloh is the only person with the power to save him. Complicated much? After receiving cryptic messag...

  Thank you Sherry for taking time to stop by the blog and answer a few questions about your debut novel, Beautifully Broken , as well as a few about yourself. 1. Paranormal novels are hot right now. What do you think it is that lures readers to this particular type of storytelling? The possibility of the impossible. The romanticism of the genre. The fantasy of a world with magical beings that have superpowers. 2. Why did you decide to write a witchy YA tale instead of an adult one? I’m basically a big kid at heart. I love reading YA novels, and after watching reruns of “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer” and “Charmed” I had an idea for a series based on those old TV shows. However, my series will be more about a group of supernaturally gifted teens (each character will have their own unique powers and be a different type of paranormal) that work together to fight evil. And YA is the “hot” genre right now, so it seemed like a good fit. 3. What kind of research did you conduct to get the...

Happenings in Hodgensville is sharing myself with you - not reviewing a book or discussing what I am reading - but sharing what I am doing in my classroom and/or in my life. This post deals with life. Okay, cooking. In the last month, a lot has happened: I have traveled to Dallas, TX to spend six days to learn and present for a chance at being  an LTF-endorsed trainer (I succeeded) while in Dallas, my husband saw his mom, grandmother, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc. for the first time in thirty-one years while in Dallas, I visited the site of JFK’s assassination I have read several amazing books I have been raising two puppies I have been planning for next school year, which is a month away I have received an amazing job opportunity that would take me out of the classroom and into classrooms of other teachers, but due to my husband starting nursing school, I have to turn the job down ( tear ) I have started cooking again - and I like it The last bullet is what I want to share today...

Good Saturday morning readers! I hope all is well in your worlds. Spotlight on... is a celebration of books that are no longer new to the bookshelves but deserve a continued interest in reading them because they are worth it. A book will be featured each Saturday, so check back to see what will be next. beautiful cover For my first Saturday pick, I'm going with one of favorite tween/YA authors, Lauren Myracle. All of her books should be on your reading lists, but for this week I am going to feature Shine .  With bullying being such a topical discussion on an almost daily basis, Myracle shows readers what can happen when it goes unchecked. This realistic-fiction novel reminds readers of three things:  (1) it is important to fight for your friends and for yourself; (2) there is no wrong decision when doing the right thing; (3) intolerance will destroy a community. This novel is gritty, it is gripping, it is worth another moment in the spotlight.  Have you read and/or rev...

Okay ebook readers, if you have not yet discovered the Matched series by Ally Condie, Sunday is the day for you to bring it into your world. On Sunday, July 15th,  Matched will be available for just $2.99. Download it - you won't be sorry. I mean, look at that beautiful cover. It was the reason I picked it up in a bookstore. I wanted to know why that girl was wearing a beautiful dress in a bubble. I could not put this book down. Still not sure? Here is the trailer, which will give you a miniscule view into Cassia's world. Don't have an ereader but love audiobooks? This makes a great audio as well. Dystopian readers, YA readers, readers, if you haven't already, check out this series. Happy Reading!

If you love dystopian reads, you might want to check out this book trailer for The Forsaken , a debut novel by Lisa Stasse. Find it at your local book store. Do the beating drums get to you too? Talk about eliciting fear into a prospective reader - and I love it! I haven't even cracked open the book, and I already I feel as if I've been forsaken. Summary (from Goodreads): As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet—having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can’t help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up. The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alen...

love the cover Title and author: Scary School by Derek the Ghost Publisher: HarperCollins Pages: 237 Date: June 21, 2011 ISBN: 9780061960925 Source: The author Summary (from Goodreads): You think your school's scary?  Get a load of these teachers: "Ms. Fang," an 850-year-old vampire "Dr. Dragonbreath," who just might eat you before recess "Mr. Snakeskin"--science class is so much more fun when it's taught by someone who's half zombie "Mrs. T"--break the rules and spend your detention with a hungry "Tyrannosaurus rex" Plus Gargoyles, goblins, and Frankenstein's monster on the loose The world's most frighteningly delicious school lunch And The narrator's an eleven-year-old ghost  Join Charles "New Kid" Nukid as he makes some very Scary friends--including Petunia, Johnny, and Peter the Wolf--and figures out that Scary School can be just as funny as it is spooky My Thoughts: This novel is quite a cleve...