Teaser Tuesday: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate! All you have to do is:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser this week is from:

The blade might have reached

bone, but my little

brother, Bryan,

barged into the bathroom,

found me leaning against

Grandma's new porcelain

tub, turning its unstained

white pink.

You should

have heard

his scream.

Page 22

... *shudders* Ahem... This is my teaser, what's yours?

"Waiting on" Wednesday: Collateral by Ellen Hopkins

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly even hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we're super excited about. This week, my pick is:

Collateral

Ellen Hopkins

Expected Publication: November 13th, 2012 by Atria Books

The gripping story of a woman torn between love for her boyfriend, a dedicated Marine deployed to Afghanistan, and the resentment she has for the war that is tearing their lives apart.

Written in Hopkins's stunning poetic verse style, Collateral centers on Ashley, an MFA student at San Diego State University. She grew up reading books and never dreamed she would become a military wife. One night she meets a handsome soldier named Cole. He doesn't match the stereotype of the aggressive military man. He's passionate and romantic. He even writes poetry. Their relationship evolves into a sexually charged love affair that goes on for five years and survives four deployments. Cole wants Ashley to marry him, but when she meets another man, a professor with similar pursuits and values, she begins to see what life might be like outside the shadow of the war.

Collateral captures the hearts of the soldiers on the battlefield and the minds of the friends, family, and lovers they leave behind. Those who remain at home may be far away from the relentless, sand-choked skies of the Middle East and the crosshairs of a sniper rifle, but just at the same time, all of them will sacrifice a part of themselves for their country and all will eventually ask themselves if the collateral damage caused by war is worth the fight. (Goodreads)

I am a major Ellen Hopkins fangirl, and I found out about Collateral at the book signing I went to a few weeks ago. Hopkins was lively and excited when she talked about this novel, and told us of a LOT of research she did to write it. She's very proud of this book, she said, and I cannot wait to read it. Though I have a really bad feeling I'm gonna need a LOT of tissues....Eep.

This is my "Waiting On", what's yours?

Review: Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Burned

Burned #1

Ellen Hopkins

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books

I felt angry, frustrated. I felt like I didn't belong, not in my church, not in my home, not in my skin.

Raised in a religious--yet abusive--family, Pattyn Von Stratten starts asking questions--about God, a woman's role, sex, love. She experiences the first stirrings of passion, but when her father catches her in a compromising position, everything spirals out of control. Pattyn is sent to live with an aunt in the wilds of Nevada to find salvation and redemption. What she finds instead is love and acceptance--until she realizes that her old demons will never go away. (from the paperback edition)

Burned is a book. Obviously. Said book (a lovely, innocent little paperback) got itself chucked across the room of my place of work, skidded all the way to the dog-bed display, and startled a very unaware customer much. While I was embarrassed, I do not regret it. Burned deserved the harsh smack of concrete after that ending. >.<

Burned is the story of Pattyn Von Stratten, the eldest of seven daughters, and the daughter of an absent mother and a drunk father, in her mormon household. I am not a mormon, myself, so I am not positive about how the religion was portrayed. However, the abuse in the home was palpable, leaping off the page and making me shudder at more than one point. This is written beautifully, even if it darker than a cave at midnight on a new moon.

I will tell you all, this book is not to kindle hope, or some sense of peace that things really do get better. Burned made my skin crawl, made me feel sick and want to leap in and hug Pattyn and Jackie and Ethan (hullo) and everyone, with a blunt smack that no, I can't. Damn. Hopkins has made me cry in PUBLIC again.

No, I am not telling you the ending. But I am going to hint that it will leave you DYING to hear something more, even though it is definite. I'm very glad I got Burned so late in the Hopkins game, because I might've plum lost my head if I had to wait 7 years (yes, YEARS) to get ahold of the sequel (Smoke, coming out sometime in 2013 :3)... *shudders* That is a disheartening concept. 

If you think you have the stomach to handle this gut-wrenching story, I definitely recommend it to ANYONE looking for a good cry. A good, long, cry... And then a serious book hangover... And then bursting into random fits of RAGE... 

Ahem. Great read!

My Rating:

Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, Fallout, Perfect, Triangles, Tilt, and Collateral. She lives in Carson City, Nevada, with her husband and son.

Find Ellen:

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Website 

Event: Ellen Hopkins Signing at The Tattered Cover

Ellen Hopkins reading from "Tilt"
Photo taken by Lana

In July, I was at The Tattered Cover's website for my weekly visit, checking to see if there were any authors I wanted to see stopping in Highlands Ranch. I hadn't been to a book signing for a while, and I was desperate to see someone. When I saw that Ellen was coming, I choked. After that, I checked back every day to make sure it didn't disappear- I just couldn't believe it!

I've been a fan of Hopkin's book since I read 'Crank', about two years ago. I hadn't been able to get any of her other novels, unfortunately, due to time and money, but when I saw she was coming, I ordered every single one. Figuring it would be good to have read more than one of her books, I started 'Burned', and finished it in all of three days. I am currently half-way through 'Triangles' and enjoying it much.

Ellen reading from "Tilt"
Photo taken by Lana

 Ellen was full of life and very sweet. As she was reading 'Tilt', I found myself wanting to finish 'Triangles' all the more quickly. Each character sounded different, her facial expressions told more than just words could. I almost wished she'd just finish the book right there, and stop tormenting us.

Ellen taking about Shane and Alex in "Tilt"
Photo taken by Lana

Like she just so happened to do when asked about "Smoke", the sequel to "Burned". 

"All I can tell you is the book opens with Pattyn's father dead on the floor, and she is on the run... Tease, tease, tease!" -Ellen Hopkins on "Smoke"

As if the wait wasn't bad enough...? I'm just glad I wasn't one of the people who read it when it first came out- I would've died waiting so long!

Ellen Answering Questions

 "The reason I wanted Alex to have HIV is because everyone seems to think we have it completely under control, so no one is talking about it anymore... Well. I'm talking about it." -Ellen Hopkins on Alex from 'Tilt'

Ellen talking about Collateral

 She also let us all in on a few secrets about Collateral, her latest adult novel (due out November 13th, 2012!). I am very excited about this book, though I am almost 100% positive Hopkins will make me cry (that's just what her books do- Which is a reason why she's on of my favorite authors). She told us she spoke to several military families; the spouses, the kids, the survivors. She dug deep, and it makes me very excited to dig into this!

Ellen reading from Collateral

"This book is gonna freak people out- That's what I'm good at." -Ellen Hopkins

While waiting in line to sign my whopping thirteen books, I had the pleasure of meeting two very awesome girls, Bridget and Rahie, who were freaking out just as bad as I was. Which, honestly, I was thankful for. We fangirled in line for the entirety of the wait, and yet, when I got to the line, I was still having a hard time...you know...inhaling?

[Left to right] Ellen Hopkins, Tattered Cover Employee (I did not catch her name), and me.
Taken by Bridget (Thank you!)

 I usually have some sort of social skills at these things. Now, I am well-aware I always sound like some creepy fangirl, but I can usually get out more than a, "Hi!" ...Well. That's not the case here. I was standing there stammering like a total nincompoop. Thankfully, Ellen didn't seem to mind. *phew* (Told you she was a sweetheart..)

Ellen Hopkins and me!
Taken by Bridget (Thank you!)

I haven't had this much fun in a long time, even if my brain wasn't working right. Ah, well. It was great meeting Ellen, Bridget and Rahie! Definitely a great event!

Review: Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina -- she's fearless. Through a boy, Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul -- her life. 

Lemme start off right now by saying: I don't care if you don't like novels written in verse. You will like this book! 

Alright, now that I got that out of the way (though I know someone is reading this and scowling), lemme tell you about the novel.

Crank is the story of Kristina Snow, a perfectly normal, excellent teenager. Until she visits her dad. Kristina is introduced to drugs, (crystal meth, to be specific, also called crank) by a boy, and becomes a wild and fearless girl named Bree, who is nothing like the girl she used to be.

It's a hard book to read, I will admit. It deals with Bree's addiction and Kristina's struggle to control it and hide it, it deals with Bree's actions and how Kristina has to deal with it. I found myself reaching for the box of tissues more than I ever have when I've read a book.

That being said, I will tell you wholeheartedly I believe parents should read this book with their teenagers. It is not for the weak-stomached, I say, but it is a subject that needs to be tackled -- attacking this issue could save a life.

This novel has stuck with me since the moment I finished it, and I believe I won't ever forget Kristina Snow. Now, onto Glass.

My Rating:

I definitely recommend it! Just...have the tissues ready.

Author Appreciation Day 29: Double Dose: Laurie Halse Anderson And Ellen Hopkins Doin' It Real

Author Appreciation Day 29 greet y'all with a double dose of the hardcore realness, with Ellen Hopkins and Laurie Halse Anderson.

Laurie Halse Anderson's Website

Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times bestselling author of Speak, Catalyst, Wintergirls, Fever 1793, Twisted, Prom, Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving, The Hair Of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes To School, The Wild At Heart series, and Seeds Of America.

To be honest I have only read Speak so far, but Catalyst, Wintergirls, Fever 1793, and Prom are on my TBR pile, and Twisted is sitting on my bookshelves. I really need to catch up.

Speak broke my heart. I would love to talk about it for hours, but I'm not sure how to do so without completely ruining the whole story. I remember I decided I needed to buy it, when some jerk who was afraid of life decided it should become banned from public schools. I thought this was a stupid thing, and decided I needed to find out what all the hubbub was about.

I was not disappointed at ALL, and I am in love with this novel so much. So hardcore...unf. Beautiful.

Ellen Hopkins Website

Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Glass, Fallout, Impulse, Perfect, Burned, Identical, Tricks, Triangles, and Tilt.

I found Crank while on a verse kick. I was also in a what-is-so-realisticly-dark-that-I'll-be-doubled-over-bawling mood. Crank, written in verse, is the book that makes my verse-hating friends love it.

The novel is based off the real life story of Ellen's daughter, who also danced with the monster (as Ellen would phrase). Knowing this makes it all the more gut wrenching, and I adore every minute of it.

The Crank trilogy is currently the only novels of Ellen Hopkins' that I have purchased, as of yet. Ugh, I need more money.

Anyhow. I shall meet you all at the bookstore to pick up the rest of my books! I'll see you, there!