Superpowers are awesome – unless you actually have them, as Avery does. There’s only so much he can pass off as “adrenaline” before people start to get suspicious. Probably it’s best to lie low so guys in white lab coats don’t come and carry him away, to find out what makes his freakish body tick. Who wants to be vivisected? But flying under the radar is a whole lot harder when you can actually fly. It’s dangerous to be different, so for now he’ll pretend to be normal, unremarkable Avery – a dull boy – anything to keep his secret safe.

It’s not every day you wake up and realise that you can fly, wake up and realise that you’re actually a whole lot more ‘special’ than you first thought you were. Avery isn’t stupid; he knows that he has to hide his powers from the world. Hiding his true self is something Avery becomes an expert at and soon learns that constantly having to cover for yourself can be the most isolating thing in the world.

Enter Cherchette. She’s the keeper of secrets – everyone’s secrets. She knows about Avery, and she wants to help. Suddenly Avery finds himself surrounded by people like him, people who are miraculously gifted in ways similar to his own talents. Suddenly, being special doesn’t feel so lonely anymore. But can Avery trust Cherchette? And what about his new friends? He’s not stupid, he’s seen the superhero movies a thousand times over: revealing one’s secret identity always lands the hero in trouble. Always.

This is one of those novels where I feel like I can’t say too much, or I’ll give the whole thing away. What I can tell you, though, is that Dull Boy has all the elements of a good superhero tale.

A nerdy kid turned superpro? Check!
Superpower? Check!
Secret Identity? Check!
Crazy costume? Check (sort of!)
A secret mission or desire to save the world? Check!

Avery displays all the qualities audiences expect of hero tales. He’s kind and passionate, just like Clark Kent. He harbours a thirst for justice, just like Batman. And deep down he’s just your average, run of the mill American kid, just like Peter Parker. I’m almost certain that readers will be able to relate to Avery on many levels, and I’m even more certain that you’ll become invested in his story. I mean, if someone like Avery can be ‘super’, why can’t someone like you?

A true superhero tale in all its glory! A must read for ‘super’ fans everywhere.

Rating::

Holland has it made: she’s pretty, popular, and she’s got Seth – the most popular boy in school – all to herself. Sounds perfect, huh? Well, we all know what happens to perfect stories: they don’t stay perfect for long.

Perfection, though, depends on your perspective.

Enter Cece Goddard. She’s new at school and Holland can’t help but notice her. Actually, Cece makes it her business to ensure that she’s definitely on Holland’s radar. Cece is beautiful, confident, and much to Cece’s delight, Holland can’t stop thinking about her. Cece makes no attempt to hide the fact that she’s gay and when Cece and Holland start spending time together, people start talking.

When Holland breaks up with Seth, people really start talking and suddenly, no one wants to be Holland’s friend anymore. The talk gets back to Holland’s folks and suddenly Holland finds herself without a home. Life doesn’t seem so perfect anymore. Then Holland realises something very important: her life didn’t feel perfect before, either, because things never felt quite right. Although life is tough now, Holland is strong. And she has the support of an awesome girlfriend to help her though her troubled times.

It’s a sad, but true fact, that more than a handful of gay and lesbian teens experience similar circumstances when they finally decide to come out to their friends and family. Books like Keeping You A Secret offer these people hope: there is a light at the end of the very dark tunnel. Holland’s lesson resonates clearly and I’m sure is one that queer teens everywhere (and adults, for that matter) could relate to: if you’re true to yourself, real happiness will always ensue one way or another.

I long for the day when books containing gross acts of homophobia, like that displayed by Holland’s parents, are a shocking and unacceptable occurrence. While Western society has come a long way in these kinds of matters, we still have a hell of a long way to go.

Julie Anne Peters is a National Book Award Finalist and a gifted writer that has touched the hearts of many.

Rating::

Rachel Caine is the author of the popular Morganville Vampire series. The sixth book, Carpe Corpus, was released this week. Being the huge supporters of the Morganville books that we are, yaReads couldn’t pass up an opportunity to sit down and pick Rachel’s brains… enjoy!

For those that might not understand, can you please explain the title ‘Carpe Corpus‘

Seize the Body?  ☺  Well, it refers to a couple of things … first, Bishop’s struggle to take over Morganville, and the fighting that goes on around it.  Second, the relationship between Claire and Shane.  And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

For Latin purists:  Yes, technically it should be Carpe Corpum.  But that just didn’t look nearly as cool.

The cover is spectacular – did you have any input into the design?

No, I didn’t, my wonderful publisher deserves all the credit!  I honestly wouldn’t have had any idea what kind of image to go with for this one.

Which Morganville cover is your fave?

In terms of the US covers, I’d have to say Feast of Fools, just because Michael looks so *gorgeous* on it.  In terms of British covers, the new, awesome design for Lord of Misrule is just spectacular and luscious.

This is book six in the Morganville series – do you feel like you know your characters a lot more these days? Do you have trouble (still) writing any of them?

Oddly enough, the Morganville books have never presented that much trouble for me.  The characters, town and situations seem very clear, and it’s a great experience writing them.  Certainly I’m delving deeper and deeper, both into the characters and into the town itself.  So it continues to be fun and fascinating work!

Do you have a fave Morganville character?

I always feel so guilty when I say this, but … Shane.  Yes.  It’s Shane.  Although I truly enjoy writing ALL of them, from Oliver to Eve to Amelie to Myrnin.  And Michael is just adorably fun, like the big brother I never had.

Have you always known exactly how the Morganville books are going to end, or are you writing it as it comes to you?

A mixture of both.  I knew my ending, but I didn’t know all the twists and turns it would take to get there.  The thing is, after book 6, I’m on my own.  No more roadmaps.  Although I think FADE OUT (the next book) really is a true stand-alone story.

What life lessons do you want your readers to take from Morganville (if any at all)?

I don’t know if I’m a “lesson” writer, but if I am, it’s all about friendship and sacrifice.  About keeping a good heart in the face of bad things.  I’m an optimist, and I think the stories reflect that, as dark as they get.

Why do you think teen vampire novels are so popular right now?

Vampires are, and always have been both cool and outside the mainstream … which is extraordinarily attractive when you’re a teen.  Party all night.  Sleep all day.  Never grow old.  It’s the Lost Boys mantra, and it completely describes what’s so great about the idea of being a vampire.  (The liquid diet part, not so much.)

Having said that, though … there’s a lot of variation in the way writers are approaching the theme, which is great!  There are relationship-driven vampire books.  There are dark suspense books.  There are adventure books (which is probably where mine fall).  Funny vampire books.  So there’s room for everything.

What was the last book you read?

I’m currently reading Lee Child’s ENEMY, which is a Jack Reacher novel.  I’m about to start CEMETERY DANCE by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.  Prior to that, I read John Maddox Roberts’ SPQR book THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE.

*********SPOILERS AHEAD************

You’ve been teasing fans with Shane and Claire for four entire books now – how does it feel to finally give us what we want?

Honestly?  Terrifying.  I really felt the weight of responsibility in trying to make that moment seem real and right, but also have lasting impact and consequences to their lives.

You wrote the “Shane and Claire” scene perfectly. Did it come easily or did you write and rewrite it a lot before you were happy with it?

I am so relieved you think it came out well!  I worried a lot about it.  I think it came out as I wanted it on the first draft, and then I worried about whether or not what I wanted out of it was the right thing.  So … yes and no.  I fiddled with it a lot, but it was mainly just nerves rather than real rewriting.

Although one of my fabulous beta readers did point out that Shane’s been in prison for a long time.  He WILL want to take a shower.  And we WILL want o him to.

Are you worried about parental pushback about the sex issue in this instalment?

Yes, of course.  It was an issue that I really had to think about and talk over with my publisher, and we are prepared for some negative comments about it.  But I did take the step of asking for blind readers who self-identified as conservatives, with children, and sent them the book for pre-read to see whether or not they would find it appropriate.  9 out of 10 thought it was a positive approach, so I feel fairly confident that I was in the right place with it.

Are we going to be seeing more of Dean? Something tells me that we might…

You might.  ☺  And not in a good way.

The Morganville books are famous for their nail biting cliffhanger endings. Carpe Corpus does not have a cliffhanger. What made you decide to do this?

I really had planned to finish the series in Book 6 – that was my original contract length with the publisher.  So I had planned the story arc to finish there, which is why there isn’t a cliffhanger.

Also, I was tired of being pelted with tomatoes.  ☺  No, seriously, I never intended it to become such a thing … it just did.  And I was kind of relieved to stop doing it.

I was truly overjoyed that my publisher wanted to continue to explore Morganville for another 3 books!

Can you give us any hints about what is coming in Fade Out?

Sure!  You’ll find out that the town of Morganville puts on an annual play, and Eve gets a prominent role, which is a life-long dream for her.  She also becomes instafriends with a fellow Goth girl named Kim, who is kind of Morganville’s resident Rebel Without A Cause.  But Kim delivers loads of complications between our heroes … Claire can’t stand her, Shane might have had a history with her, Eve loves her, Michael just wishes it all would go away, which leads to all kinds of distress.  Oh, and there’s trouble from an unexpected quarter.  Of course!

Thank you so much for letting me talk to you today!  It’s been a treat!

Actually, Rachel, the treat was all ours!

Click here if you want to read our review of Carpe Corpus

Carpe Corpus is the sixth book in Rachel Caine’s popular Morganville Vampires series.

For Bishop, it seemed easy.
“No,” said Shane. “No, stop.’”
Right there, right in front of them Frank Collins coughed, choked, and came back to life. It looked painful, and it seemed to take forever for the thrashing and the screaming to stop.
When it did, he wasn’t Frank Collins. Not anymore.

Morganville has always been a pretty shady place to live. But that was before Bishop rolled into town; now it’s something much worse. Boys and girls, welcome to hell.

Carpe Corpus finds Claire Danvers in more trouble than ever before. Her boyfriend is locked up in jail, Eve isn’t talking to her, Amelie appears to have lost her nerve (and control of the town) and Michael has switched teams, preferring to ride with Bishop and his bad boys. Things couldn’t get much worse than that, right?

Wrong.

Bishop is out for blood – anyone’s blood. Morganville is headed for a full-scale war, and poor little Claire is right in the thick of it. With Amelie out of action, Claire now works for Bishop – a fact that she utterly despises. But things don’t stay that way for long, and before she even realises what’s happening she’s back at the Glass House, Shane is out of prison, and they’re all fighting for their lives. Again.

People die. Vampires die. Tears are shed. Bonds are broken, and eternity is stolen from a few worthy contenders. But there is also hope, too. Claire learns that love can heal even the deepest wounds. Oh boy, can it ever. Love is perfect, even if ‘perfect’ isn’t what everyone always said it was.

Carpe Corpus taught me not to underestimate the underdog – which I suppose is the whole point of an underdog anyway. It’s those sneaky characters that lurk in the shadows that really take you by surprise. In more freaking ways than one. There were so many things that were right under our noses, so many things that I should have anticipated, that I just didn’t. I suppose Rachel has done her job well, as I was so distracted by what was right in front of my face, so caught up in the now, that I forgot to ask those questions like “hey, what’s he doing here?”

Carpe Corpus stays true to the Morganville way of things. I guarantee that you’ll be on the edge of your seat while you read. I guarantee that there are at leat two scenes that you’ll re-read – over and over and over. And I guarantee that when you get to the last page, and you realise that you’re going to get at least some closure this time, that Rachel isn’t going to leave you mid-scene with your mouth hanging wide open in shock, you’ll be smiling for days. I was. In fact, I think I still am!

Rating::

Check out our review of the previous Morganville book, Lord of Misrule, here

Closed.

Summer is finally here!  (Well, for some parts of the world at least.)  And boy have we got a treat for you guys.  We are giving away Twenty Boy Summer and The Clique series to 6 winners!

The Clique: Summer Collection

The Pretty Committee is spending the summer apart, but they’re never far from drama… Five girls. Five stories. One ah-mazing summer.

One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive:

–> The Clique: Summer Collection Series (5 books!)

• The Clique Summer Collection: Massie

• The Clique Summer Collection: Dylan

• The Clique Summer Collection: Alicia

• The Clique Summer Collection: Kristen

• The Clique Summer Collection: Claire

Twenty Boy Summer

Hardcover Book Release

“Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it.”
“Okay.”
“Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?”

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie—she’s already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

Five (5) winners will receive:

* Twenty Boy Summer hardcover Book

How to enter:

- Leave a comment in this post with your name and e-mail address.

- +1 entry if you post about this contest.  Post the link for proof.

The contest is open to US and Canadian readers only and will end on June 30, 2009.

For the month of June, yaReads will be featuring books and resources specifically for gay and lesbian teens and readers of gay and lesbian teen books. This is the first of many reviews that are scheduled to appear this month. Rainbow Boys is the first book in a three part series.

Jason Carrillo is one very confused kid. On the one hand, he’s got it made. He’s the star of the basketball team and is most likely heading to college on a basketball scholarship. He pulls good grades and he’s also got one killer hot girlfriend. He’s been dating Debra for almost two years now and everyone thinks they’re the ultimate golden couple. That would all be totally perfect if it weren’t for one thing: Jason thinks he’s gay. To some kids, that might not be a problem, but for Jason it’s the mother of all problems. You see, Jason’s dad is seriously homophobic and Jason knows that his father would never accept a gay son. Life at home is already hard enough, what with the way his parents fight all the time, and Jason doesn’t want to cause his mother any additional stresses on top of the ones she’s already dealing with. And what about the kids at school, his friends, and his team mates? How would they react to his being gay? Life for Jason is painfully confusing.

But then he starts hanging out with Kyle. Kyle is gay – and everyone knows it. Kyle is soft and kind but also fiercely protective of his and his own. Kyle believes that he shouldn’t have to hide who he is … so he doesn’t. He’s also had a huge crush on Jason Carrillo for ages, so when Jason starts hanging out with him, Kyle can’t believe his luck. He didn’t even know Jason was gay, but he showed up at the gay youth group meeting so he has to be, right? Well, he sure hopes so. Suddenly, Kyle decides to make it his business and he provides a safe, comfortable space for Jason to be honest with himself about who he is. The events which unfold leave Kyle feeling a little spellbound.

Nelson, however, is less than happy about Jason’s appearance in Kyle’s life. Nelson and Kyle have been besties forever, not to mention Nelson has been in love with Kyle for almost as long as they’ve been friends. But Nelson isn’t like Kyle and he’s not like Jason, either. He’s an individual of great colour and personality who is totally unapologetic about everything and anything. Nelson is emotionally rock solid. He refuses to let people pierce his rainbow heart, but how will he deal with this new third wheel that seems to be entering his precious twosome?

As their worlds collide, Rainbow Boys documents the events with profound emotional maturity. Alex Sanchez is a gifted writer whose vibrant, dynamic characters and keep-it-simple prose will have readers turning the pages at an impressive rate. I read Rainbow Boys in just a couple of hours, and then went straight back to the beginning and started again. Because each character is at a different stage of their emotional development, there is something for almost any adolescent reader. While these boys are quite clearly gay, I believe the messages that are delivered are universal ones applicable to all society regardless of sexuality. Gay kids need more resources like this available to them, and straight kids need access to more books like this so they too can understand, love and respect gay people and their relationships in the same way that straight people expect society to treat their relationships.

The message is simple folks – peace, love, unity and respect.

And the winners are…

Erika from the USA and Rana from Jordan. Congratulations guys! If you could contact us at yareaders(at)gmail(dot)com and give us your postal details, we’ll get this out to you as soon as possible

Dull Boy review coming soon - watch this space!

And the winners are…

Dawn M

Jannsen

Stephanie Hedgespeth

Chellebelle

Jaime H

We have some of your email addresses but not all. So if you want to collect on your prize, please email us with your details at yareaders(at)gmail(dot)com. Congratulations guys!

Some of you may have noticed that our forums went a little haywire over the weekend. We’re happy to announce that they’re back up and running again. Thanks to Ivy for weaving her magic once again!

The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaser and Darcy Vance tells the story of Bethany and Moni, two geeky best friends who support and encourage each other when an unusual set of circumstances lands them on the varsity cheerleading squad.

The two authors are running an awesome competition.

The contest:

Send the authors an email at geekgirlx2 @ gmail.com (remove spaces) telling us the story of how you met and why your BFF deserves to win the prize. (And yes, you both can enter to double your chances!)

And what is that prize? Two bags, one for you, one for your BFF which include:

• An autographed copy of The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading
• The new iPod Shuffle
• A mix tape (CD) of songs about friendship
• Debrands Chocolates
• Matching T-shirts
• And a few geeky surprises

Yes, that’s right. You each get a bag with all of the above.

Want more than one entry? Here’s what you can do:

• Let us post your BFF story here on Geek Girl’s Guide (first names/initials are fine if you’re internet shy) = 2 entries
• Spread the Geek love and post a link on your blog to the contest (send us the URL) = 1 entry
• Post on Twitter (send us the Tweet URL) = 1 entry
• Facebook/MySpace/other social networks (send us the URL/friend us so we can see the link) = 1 entry each

The contest will run from May 23rd through the end of our blog tour on June 30th. On July 1st we’ll draw one lucky entry and post the name of the winner (and her/his BFF) here.

Click here for more information.