Happy 4th of July!

Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

 ♥ Eat ♥

♥ Party ♥

♥ Eat some more ♥

♥ Read ♥

♥ And Have FUN ♥

The Gals @ YAN wish you all The Best Independence Day Ever.

Top Books of 2012 and Giveaway

We've been incredibly blessed this year with so many amazing books! In honor of this year, we've decided to have a giveaway for our top 2012 books! Check it out down below.

Jenny's Fave Books of 2012:

I adore this series! Currently I'm reading Onyx (Book 2 of the Lux series) and I also love it. Since I read these novels, I'm liking aliens more and more. JLA is amazing. She's probably one of my fave authors of 2012! LOVE the Covenant series as well:)

Click HERE for my review of Obsidian. 

I can not say how much I loved reading this novel! Katie McGarry's novel is definitely one of the best contemporary novels that I have read ever! 

Click HERE for my review of Pushing the Limits!

~M's favorite books of 2012 

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer was possibly my favorite novel of 2012, if not my favorite then in the top two. I choose Cinder because, well, I absolutely loved it. Not only is there a kick-ass heroine, but the plot is very original. It involves cyborgs, aliens, romance, and a lost princess. Most books that I've read I don't remember very well, but for me, this book clearly stood out.

Rosie also gives this book a thumbs up! Click HERE to see her review!

The second choice was extremely hard, but after a lot of agonizing and debating with myself, I picked Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth.. The reason why I choose this book, and not the many others, was because it was a great second book in the Divergent series. For sequels, I'm usually disappointed, and the second book usually doesn't live up to my expectations, but Insurgent did and even surpassed my hopes and dreams of it.

Rosie's Top Hooyahs 2012

Okay, now I know that PP is a bit cliché, but who doesn't need some predictability in their life? I really enjoyed PP because it was one of the first YA books in a long time that I couldn't predict the ending! I was delighted that all the details that I assumed were useless in the beginning became very important factors that wove together to form a flawless conclusion. It was a pleasant surprise for me to find  that the characters were quite likeable. I understand Kresley Cole is currently and formerly an erotica novelist, and that PP is one of the first YA novels she's ever written, so to have written such a breathtaking YA novel on her first try is simply amazing. I can't wait to read Cole's sequel! While Poison Princess may seem a little strange in the beginning, but stick with it! Trust me, it only gets better and better.

Click HERE for my review of Poison Princess!



The Immortal Rules is yet another beautifully written book by Julie Kagawa. Kagawa's sarcastic, descriptive, free-flowing style pulls the reader in in such a way that it's practically impossible to stop until the book is finished. Utterly human in stuck in the body of a vampire, Allie must find a way to survive in the now apocalyptic remains of Earth, while balancing her teetering love life on the side. Allie is a lovable heroine that isn't afraid to give ya a nice butt whoopin' if you get in her way. As an avid fan of Kagawa's stories and a critical reader, I emphatically and highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.


Click HERE for my review of The Immortal Rules!

Angie's Obsessions of 2012:

Throne of Glass wasn't a perfect read. It had flaws, quite a few in fact. Yet, I still had an extremely difficult time removing myself while reading it. There's something entrancing about a girl forcing those around to her to see for who she really is, not just dismissing her in her former glory or as a weakling. 

Recommended: For those who want a classic kick-butt heroine, even with the clichés.

Click HERE for my review of Throne of Glass!

Let me just scream in frustration that this book doesn't get the attention it deserves. Very few books succeed with a plot circled around dragons, let along having the protagonist being half-dragon. It's a refreshing high fantasy with the warmth of a girl rediscovering herself, as well as the depths of evil in society. The writing style is so beautiful and colorful, I pick up my copy of this book frequently and gladly to revisit the vivid world of Seraphina.

Click HERE for my review of Seraphina!

In honor of the many amazing 2012 reads of this year, we are having a giveaway for one of these books! (USA only, sorry. We're planning something good soon!). One winner shall choose one of these fabulous reads to win. Good Luck!

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WinterHaven Sleigh Tour: The Magic of Christmas

Today YA Novelties is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week, we are posting our favorite Children's, Winter or Christmas story. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour  for a list of participating blogs.

OK, all of us are super excited for Christmas to be literally right around the corner! Unfortunately, we're totally killing ourselves with procrastination, aka. high school. There's unfortunately a chorus concert for our poor Jenny, Rosie and ~M to suffer at, so I get complete control of this post! MWA HA HA HA!! Not to mention, Maya's killing herself over an essay!! So yes, now you must endure this terrible post about my favorite Christmas stories... 

So My Favorite Christmas Stories Are:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Cruel miser Ebeneezer Scrooge has never met a shilling he doesn’t like...and hardly a man he does. And he hates Christmas most of all. When Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, he learns eternal lessons of charity, kindness, and goodwill. Experience a true Victorian Christmas!

Charles Dickens is a total genius with this one! It's beast! A creepy old guy who learns to give presents to kids. This is what we need more of! Especially for my pocketbook. (yes, I admit, I'm greedy).

I also totally appreciate the movies, especially the Disney version. I can't take ducky Scrooge seriously at all, but still! He's adorable! Just think! He's Donald Duck's ancestor. DONALD DUCK! THE FLIPPIN' (pardon the pun) DUCK WHO TRIED TO BLOW UP SLEEPING BEAUTY'S CASTLE AT DISNEY WORLD! (memories of mine when I was 5).

Anyway....

The Grinch by Dr. Seuss

The Grinch hates Christmas, and wants to stop it from coming. So he forms a devious plan: to impersonate Santy Claus and to steal the Whos’ Christmas presents. But come Christmas morning, the Grinch is in for a shocking surprise. He did not stop Christmas from coming! And the Grinch realizes something new. That maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. That maybe Christmas . . . perhaps . . . means a little bit more!

Look! It's Jim Carrey again! I swear, this guy has a total monopoly over these Christmas films, playing cranky, old geezers (at least I think Grinch is old). Grinch has always been a fave of mine as well, it's nice to see more people in need of boosting their Christmas spirits!



In conclusion: My life at Christmas consists dudes turning good and giving out presents at the end, right? Well, yes. I admit that these are technically the movies, but I have read both books, and loved them of course. It's just that the movie posters are so much more eye-catching! Not to mention, I really want to know how long Jim Carrey was forced to stand in those ridiculous poses. Suffering is such a beautiful thing for those who ruin Christmas! 

Whoo! Time for Giveaway (Not really for you)! 

As part of The Magic of Christmas, WinterHaven Books is hosting a give-away that will include two book bundles to be shipped to an elementary school or library of the winner's choosing. The winner will be offered a few options and they can choose what 2 bundles and location to ship to within the United States. Good luck and happy holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WinterHaven Sleigh Tour: Dear Santa Wishlist Plus Giveaway

Today, I’m excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week, I am writing Santa a letter for my book wish that I hope to receive this season. To see who else has written to Santa, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour for a list of participating blogs.

WinterHaven Books will gift a random commenter their book wish as well, so comment your book wish down below!

Dear Santa,

Hi, this is ~M, and I just wanted to let you know how (pretty) good I've been. I'm great, and thankful for so many things, but I do have one wish for Christmas. If it is possible, I would like Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. It is the second book in the series (The Grisha #2). I really loved the first book, Shadow and Bone, and cannot wait 'till 2013 to read the sequel. I know it may be rough for you, but if I could get this book I would be forever grateful.

Yours truly,
~M

Dear Santa,

This year went by fast for me! I can't say I've been good, nor bad. I was neutral this year. Yes, why, you should give me lots and lots of gifts because being this neutral has never been so hard in my life. It was a struggle; a desperate struggle you see, a sort of tug-o-war between the good and bad. Each side wanted me so badly, but I...couldn't, I-I, well, I just couldn't turn either one of them down. So you see Santa, you see which of us is the better person here. Yep, it's this girl!  Well, Santa, now that you've asked, I think that if I were to have something this year, it'd be the sequel to Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1), Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2). Both of which are by Marissa Meyer. If that were remotely possible, why, I'd kiss your rosy cheeks myself and bake you exactly 3.5 cookies. And a carrot- you know, for Rudolph.

Thanks ever so much,
Rosie

Dear Santa,

I don't ask for much, but this year I'm hoping for the novel Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready. This is the second book in the fabulous trilogy and since I loved the first book and I have the last book, I really need the second book to continue this series! Hopefully I see this book under the tree the 25th! Happy holidays to everyone!!!

Sincerely,
Jenny

Winter Haven Sleigh Tour Review: Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

YA Novelties is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week, we are posting our choice of a Winter Book Review. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour for a list of participating blogs.

As part of the festivities, WinterHaven Books is hosting an international giveaway  

that will include a copy of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Signed by Levithan and Cohn) and a copy of Let it Snow to four lucky winners. Good luck and happy holidays!

Winter's Passage (Iron Fey #1.5) 

By Julie Kagawa

Published: June 1, 2010

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

ebook, 49 pages

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat.... -GoodReads

4 Stars

Review

As an avid fan of Julie Kagawa's unique, and comical series, The Iron Fey, it was an obvious choice that I'd choose this book of all the others for the Winter Haven Sleigh Tour. You know, because of the "Winter" part? I couldn't help but notice that the title did indeed include a hint as to whether I should read it or not. You can guess where that lead me. (Considering the fact that Kagawa's other novella was called Summer's Crossing, you can tell that WP was a shoe-in.)

As usual, Kagawa's cute, comical, teenage writing style fits perfectly as Meghan's voice. I could practically hear her voice as my eyes glided across the page like nobody's business! Kagawa never fails to leave me entertained at the end of the day. Some people can't stand Kagawa's writing at all; they thought the Iron Fey was quite cheesy and the characters were quite flat. I do see and understand why they might argue that, but, well, who doesn't want a little cheesy in their life? I think the Iron Fey series is a guilty pleasure; not exactly great for you, but you get addicted.

Because the novella was only about 50 pages, there clearly wasn't enough room for crucial things, like character development, or the technical details of the plot. This book was mostly likely (no doubt about it) written as a sort of "fan service" for Iron Fey fans out there, and was to show the relationship development  between Ash, Meghan, and Puck. Yet again, the interaction between the three are quite hilarious. 2 jealous boys arguing over some ditzy blondie-summer-girl? What's not to laugh about? (Oh, for pete's sake, take that stick out of your butt.) Tee, hee.

GO TEAM PUCK. Spoiler ahead. Oh, Puck, I pity thee. Thy love (Meghan) chooses, not theyself, but thy competitor (Ash.) I'm going to go on a mini-rant about these 2. Puck is a perfectly nice, cute guy! If you were wondering who he was, he's the best-friend guy (that always gets friend-zoned by the girl) and cracks jokes and always plays pranks. Puck has known Meghan for years, and has always been by her side, cheering her up when she's down, and making her laugh. Ash is the cool, i'm-so-bad-ass-and-dangerous-stay-away-from-me-baby guy, and always pushes Meghan away. But what does little missy do? She goes for the guy who pushes her away.

As Cookie Monster says, "What the hell is this crap?"

Is Meghan really THAT STUPID? I always can't help but feel sorry for guys like Puck, who get rejected at 1st base. Poor guy. (NOT that I advocate going past 1st base in a YA novel!!!!!)

Ah well. What can ya do? Overall, I enjoyed Kagawa's writing, and would definitely recommend this for a light read.

If you'd like to check out my other review on the Iron Fey series as a whole, click here.

Thanks, and Happy Reading!

Purchase this e-book at: Amazon (Kindle)/ Barnes&Nobles (Nook)

Winter Haven Sleigh Tour Review: The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan

YA Novelties is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week, we are posting our choice of a Winter Book Review. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour for a list of participating blogs.

As part of the festivities, WinterHaven Books is hosting an international giveaway  
that will include a copy of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Signed by Levithan and Cohn) and a copy of Let it Snow to four lucky winners. Good luck and happy holidays!

The Legend of Holly Claus
By Brittney Ryan
Published September 26th, 2006
Publisher: Harper Trophy
Paperback, 544 pages 

Santa Claus is the King of Forever, Land of the Immortals. When one special boy writes to Santa asking what no other child has ever asked, a miracle occurs: Santa and Mrs. Claus are blessed with a daughter. But the birth of Holly Claus also brings about a terrible curse--from an evil soul named Herrikhan. Holly's heart is frozen, and the gates to Forever are locked, barring exit or entry.  

As she grows into a beautiful and selfless young woman, Holly longs to break the spell that holds her people hostage. With four faithful and magical animal friends, she escapes to the wondrous world of Victorian New York, where she will face countless dangers, adventures, and a miracle all her own. -GoodReads

Review

 The story of Holly Claus is just the sweetest thing ever. Although it is also suitable for younger children, I enjoyed it none the less. 

Holly Claus is the most pure hearted person, and so endearingly naive with the immense desire to help humankind, spreading hope, joy, and Christmas cheer. Everyone who meets Holly is touched by her in some special way, she seems to have a talent of bringing light to others. You can't not like Holly, it is impossible.

Christopher is mysterious and intriguing. I wanted to know more about him and his back story, and I felt like only the surface was brushed with his character, giving us enough information to go along and understand the plot, but there could have been so much more. I was sort of disappointed about the lack of detail in Christopher's story, considering he is arguably the most important character in the book.  


The Legend of Holly Caus is an enchanting story. The word choice is excellent, and helps everything flow smoothly. Although the 544 pages may seem daunting, it is an easy read. The beautiful pictures in it were a great supplement to the story, making the story even richer and fuller, bringing life to your imaginings. The message of this story is amazing, too often people forget about love, compassion, faith, and courage in their everyday lives. They go about very self centered, not bothering to notice anything else, while this story sheds light on the little ways to make other people's lives better.This book also centers around faith, in believing without seeing, and calls to the many people who still have hope to recognize their dreams and aspirations.  

One of the only things I have to fault this book is that it was just a little too cheesy, layering it on a bit thick. Other than that, I loved it, especially the happy fairytale ending, I'm a sucker for those. I would highly recommend this book, for everyone of all ages, and older people might especially enjoy this as a way of looking back on their childhood.  

Purchase at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Holiday Gift Ideas for (Bookish) People

If you celebrate any holidays this month or if you need a gift for someone who has a birthday coming up this month or next, this post will hopefully help you! Sorry in advance international folks! Most of the links for the ideas are US only, but hopefully the ideas will still help you guys!

Gifts for Pollyanna(aka Secret Santa) / Stocking Stuffers / Small Gifts for Acquaintances:

-Candles: Candles are awesome! If you live in the US, Bath and Body Works has some awesome deals going on with mini candles with all of their holiday scents. Also candle sleeves are super cute!
Click HERE for link.

-PocketBac: These are amazing!!! No joke, I LOVE getting these. Mini hand sanitizers are perfect for your purse, backpack, or just randomly in your car. You never know when you might need to clean your hands! Also PocketBac holders, they have really cute ones for the holidays. Example a penguin one :)
Click HERE for link!

-Lip Balm: Any lip balms or chapsticks! EOS is one of the best lip balms! They currently have an Alice in Wonderland set!
Click HERE for link!

(I just realized if I have pictures for every single idea I will have a reallly long post, so I for the rest I'm just going to list the idea!)

-Candy: Who doesn't love candy? Speaking of candy, Chocomize is such a cool site! You can design your own chocolate bar! Perfect for your chocolate obsessed friends and/or family!
Click HERE for link!

-Nail Polish Sets: Great stocking stuffer and/or general gift!
Click HERE for link.

Book Sets and Other Book Things:

- Sarah Dessen Sets (for contemporary lovers):

This one comes with a key necklace as well! :)
Click HERE for link.

Click HERE for other Sarah Dessen sets. I personally have this set and I love it!

-Pretty Little Liars Set: If you know someone who loves PLL you can either get them a book set or a season of PLL. 

Click HERE for book set.

Click HERE for season of PLL.

-Hunger Games Set: The Hunger Games is a trending movie/ book, so this is a great gift for a lot of people! 

Click HERE for link for movie.

Click HERE for link to books.

-The Mortal Instruments Set: So who else is excited for this movie? I know I'm excited for this movie! 

Click HERE for book set link.

-There are tons of book sets or TV show seasons out there you guys can get. Friends is a great show! If you have never heard of Friends you should watch a few episodes!

-Reading Lamp: Reading lamps are currently on my holiday list! 

Click HERE for link.

(Larger sized) Gifts:

- Nook or Kindle: For anyone who loves books this is a perfect gift! (well maybe not everyone. Some people like the feel of actual books better, so keep that in mind while gift shopping.) If the person who you are shopping for is eco-friendly this is a great gift for them! :) 

Click HERE for B&N link to buy Nook.

Click HERE for Amazon link to buy Kindle.

-Kindle Sleeves or Nook Sleeves: If the person already has a Kindle or a Nook then get them a sleeve! :)

Click HERE for link for Kindle sleeve.

Click HERE for link for Nook sleeve.

- iPods or any other Apple products: Apple products in my opinion are just generally amazing. If you order online I believe you can get a customized message on the back of the iPod! 

Click HERE for link.  

Maybe I should've posted this earlier, since I know many of you have already started to shop. Oh well, anyway these are just some ideas of what you can get people!

WinterHaven Sleigh Tour Review: Ex-mas by Kate Brian

Today, YA Novelties is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted byWinterHaven Books. This week, we are posting our choice of a Winter Book Review. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour  for a list of participating blogs.

Ex-mas 

by Kate Brian

Published: October 6, 2009 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Paperback, 224 pages

WinterHaven Sleigh Tour Review: Decked with Holly by Marni Bates

Today, YA Novelties is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted byWinterHaven Books. This week, we are posting our choice of a Winter Book Review. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour for a list of participating blogs.

As part of the festivities, WinterHaven Books is hosting an international giveaway that will include a copy of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Signed by Levithan and Cohn) and a copy of Let it Snow to four lucky winners. Good luck and happy holidays!

Decked with Holly
By Marni Bates

Published: September 25, 2012

Publisher: Kensington Teen

Paperback, 272 pages

                                        

Holly Dayton is about to go way out of her comfort zone. . .

Spending Christmas vacation on a cruise with her two cousins from hell isn't Holly's idea of a good time. And when in a moment of seasick-fueled desperation she lurches into an open suite--she's greeted with an eyeful of pepper spray. The culprit? A gorgeous guy calling himself Nick. But when Holly goes to make her exit, she gets the shock of her life: a corridor crammed with screaming teenage fans. Because Nick just happens to be Dominic Wyatt, drummer for ReadySet--one of the hottest bands in America.

Suddenly rumors are swirling, and Holly's face is captured on countless phones and plastered all over the Internet. But the band can't risk a scandal destroying their family-friendly image, so Dominic convinces Holly to be his fake girlfriend--just for two weeks. How bad could it be to be fauxmantically involved with one of the cutest rockstars on the planet? Holly's about to find out. . . --Goodreads

3 Stars

Review

This kind of stuff was never my kind of thing. The whole "fauxmance," celebrity falling in love with average girl, and the Christmas timing didn't really seem to be possible to spin together a decent paragraph, let alone a contemporary novel. To my surprise, Decked with Holly succeeds in being a cohesive novel with tons of laughs, snark, and cheers. However, this doesn't mean I really enjoyed reading this book.

Decked with Holly is basically a pity party for poor Holly, a girl who is suffering under circumstances that aren't really explained, except for the fact that her aunt and two girl cousins enjoy bullying her. Yeah, I hope that I'm not the only one who is wondering why. Don't bother wasting your energy on that, it's never explained. Just letting the story flow was the key to me being able to finish this, but not fully enjoy this book as so many others have. When Holly and Dominic meet, nothing really sparks between them, except maybe pepper spray, vomit, and heated words. The story really starts going from there, as Holly is forced to have a fake relationship with Nick with the typical hijinks that occur with jealousy, paparazzi, and pride.

There, however, was some character growth for the main protagonists that really drew me in. We see poor little Holly, "the Mess," with the tendency to always find herself in the most ridiculous of situations, grow up to becomes a somewhat confident girl who doesn't feel hurt as much by her bullying cousins. Note: there wasn't much character development for any character due to the ridiculously short amount of time fleshing out the characters, but what we've seen with Holly is good enough for this book. Nick, meanwhile, is the one who I really enjoyed reading about. He begins as a sort of bully, with his high and mighty tails of greatness following him everywhere. Holly is able to put Nick down without much effort multiple times, which allows Nick to become a more relatable and sweet character.


This book is a cute and fluffy read Nothing really made this stand out compared to the other thousands of contemporaries with rock stars and fauxmances. We have the ever-arguing twosome that are way too arrogant to ever admit that they're falling in love. Then there's this clique of blondies with their ability to destroy everything, but actually just make everything ten times more ridiculous (and hilarious). Their over-the-top antics to hook up with Nick are just some of the more cliched routes that this book chooses to go. Basically, this book was a nice pile of fluffy cliche all rolled into one punny title. I won't say that I found it yucky, but this book is definitely one of the thousands of books that come and go with the same plot that are fun, enjoyable reads to pass the time.

Purchase this book here: Amazon/ B&N/ TBD

Don't forget to check out WinterHaven Sleigh Tour's Giveaway of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares and Let is Snow here!

WinterHaven Sleigh Tour Review and Giveaway: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Today, YA Novelties is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week, we are posting our choice of a Winter Book Review. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour  for a list of participating blogs.

As part of the festivities, WinterHaven Books is hosting an international giveaway that will include a copy of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Signed by Levithan and Cohn) and a copy of Let it Snow to four lucky winners. Good luck and happy holidays!

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
By Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Published: October 26, 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Paperback, 272 pages

“I’ve left some clues for you.

If you want them, turn the page.

If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

--Goodreads

4.5 Stars

Review

It turns out there are actually a limited amount of good Christmas books, which makes absolutely no sense to me because who wants to read a bad book over Christmas? Thankfully, Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares is a thoroughly enjoyable and amusing read and goes really well with a cup of hot chocolate with exactly two large marshmallows.

The book alternates the point of view every chapter; Levithan writes Dash’s chapters and Cohn writes Lily’s. Dash is slightly pessimistic and cynical, and is most often described by other characters as “snarly”. This is mostly a result of his parents’ terrible divorce. At the beginning of the story, he is at home alone, having told his mother he was going on vacation with his dad and his dad that he would be with his mother. He is also highly intelligent, and Levithan writes a little too intellectually and philosophically for the reader to actually believe it’s being written by a fifteen year-old. It’s the worst in the first few chapters; he dumbs down to the level of a normal super-smart teenager as the story goes on.

Lily, by contrast, is incredibly optimistic about everything (she goes caroling during Christmas time) and she comes from a large, incredibly loving family. Her brother Langston and his boyfriend Benny write some dares in a red notebook which they leave in the Strand in hopes that it will help Lily get a boyfriend. The notebook is picked up by Dash and he writes his own dares and leaves it for her. Most of the book follows each of them finding the book and carrying out the dares before writing their own. Neither of them meet each other until later on in the book.

The book would not be nearly as good without Lily’s many relatives and Dash’s friend Boomer, who are all very strange but lovable people. All in all, this is a great read for Christmas break and for anytime when you just want to relax with a happy book.

Purchase this book here: Amazon/ B&N/ TBD

Giveaway Time: As part of the festivities, WinterHaven Books is hosting an international give-away that will include a copy of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Signed by Levithan and Cohn) and a copy of Let it Snow to four lucky winners. Good luck and happy holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Hey guys! This season YAN is thankful for all of you who support us! We can't thank you enough for taking the time and reading our posts! 

What are YOU thankful for this season?

(Let the turkey wave to you!)

Happy eating everyone! Hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving! 

Happy Labor Day!

We all wish you a Happy Labor Day and hope you eat some of these.

Meanwhile, we will be dreading the start of the school year tomorrow.