Gossip Time...SLIDE

I devoured SLIDE by Jill Hathaway. What a page turner.
The main character Sylvia, better known to close friends and family as Vee, has an affliction that most people think is narcolepsy with some OCD.

If Vee touches an object that someone has a strong emotional connection or reaction to, Vee will pass out and literally slide into that person's body. She can't read their mind or anything like that, sometimes she doesn't even know whose body she's slid into, but she sees the world through their eyes.

Usually this involves sliding into annoying situations like someone cheating on a math test or a teacher taking a swig of a burning clear liquid from a flask in between classes, or slipping into her Dad's head when he's performing life saving surgeries on children, but when Vee accidentally slides into the body of someone holding a bloody knife over her sister's best friend's body things start getting complicated.

Whenever I read or watch a good murder mystery on tv I find myself always trying to guess who the perp is. As I read SLIDE, just when I thought all the clues pointed to a certain character, the author would prove me wrong and have me guessing all over again.

Switching Gears

I've spent so much time writing paranormal/fantasy and reading paranormal, fantasy, and dystopian young adult novels that I've decided it's time to take a break and switch gears.

I'm going contemporary all the wall and it's a breath of fresh air. I'm reading books by Gayle Foreman and Sarah Dessen. I'm playing around with a novel about a figure skater who has real life problems that don't revolve around super human abilities, vampires, or anything paranormal.

I still love paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian, but for now it's fun to take the time to delve deep in some characters who are firmly grounded in reality.
What genre are you gravitating towards these days?

Gossip Time...SHIFTING

SHIFTING by Bethany Wiggins is a young adult novel based on the Navajo legend of Skinwalkers. From page one I found myself rooting for Maggie Mae, a teenage girl on the verge of graduating high school, who has been bounced around from foster home to foster home. Maggie Mae's hard life has molded her into a proud, tough girl, and yet also someone who is grateful for the little things that many teenagers wouldn't think twice about.

When Maggie Mae moves in with her social worker's mother, Mrs. Carpenter, in Silver City, New Mexico, it seems Maggie Mae may have finally found a place she can call home. Mrs. Carpenter looks past the many marks on Maggie Mae's record for indecent exposure.

No, Maggie Mae isn't working the streets.

But she does have a tiny problem that seems to occur around every full moon--she morphs into an animal. Unfortunately, when she shifts back to her human form, her clothes are shredded in the process.

It's hard enough fitting in when you're the new girl at school, but even harder when you've got an unstable condition, such as shifting, to hide. When rich, athletic, handsome Bridger starts paying attention to Maggie Mae it places her in an interesting predicament. How can you become close to someone when you have so much to hide?

To add to Maggie Mae's woes a mysterious man has arrived in Silver City looking for her, a girl at school is spreading rumors about Maggie's past, and a pack of scary, angry dogs seem to be after her.

If you're looking for a book that has paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, and romance elements, I recommend SHIFTING by Bethany Wiggins.

Chocolate Everywhere

Looking at the movie poster on the left you're probably thinking the title of this blog post should be: Blood Everywhere.

But, no. I actually mean chocolate.

I've listened to the series on audio book (which I highly recommend) and watched the movie twice. The first time I watched the Hunger Games I thought a bag of peanut M&Ms would go nicely with the occasion.
The problem is that at some point during the movie I forgot there were M&Ms in my hand. Apparently, I was so into what was happening to Katniss I didn't even realize I was smashing the chocolate into a melted mush in my fists. And then while Katniss was dodging fireballs or trackers jackers or mutant dogs, I was bringing my hands to my face, repeatedly.

When the movie was over I felt something dry and crusted along the side of my neck, my chin, my cheeks, and on my white fleece jacket.
Yup. I had smeared chocolate EVERYWHERE.
My friend and Mom laughed at me. When I told Sarcastically Delicious (aka boyfriend) about it he was like that must have been some movie.
Yes, the Hunger Games was an amazing movie.

Note to self: Do not eat chocolate when I watch Catching Fire.