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Never Been Kissed by Melody Carlson

Posted on January 29, 2011 by CherryBlossomMJ

Summer is ending, and for once that doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to Elise. She’s hoping that starting fresh at a new high school will turn her first-kiss prospects around. New guys, new friends, and a new lease on life.

What she wasn’t counting on was all the new pressure–to hang with the right crowd, wear the right clothes, and date the right guy. Just when it seems she’s on top of the world, everything comes crashing down. Could one bad choice derail her future? Continue reading →

Jane and the Raven King by Stephen Chambers

Posted on January 6, 2011 by CherryBlossomMJ

Outside the window, a squirrel in a tree popped out with a little black suitcase. At first, Jane was sure she must be mistaken, but as she watched, the squirrel opened the tiny suitcase and began arranging nuts and acorns inside…

The animals clearly knew something was wrong. Even her pet iguana scrawled a warning in the sand of his tank: He is coming.

Soon all the animals are fleeing the suburb where Jane lives. But they aren’t the only ones acting strange. Jane’s parents seem to be hypnotized by their cell phones and the TV. And her grandma starts controlling the weather and speaking in a funny language. But when Jane meets an old blind man who can drive a car and claims Jane is the only one who can save the world, well, that’s when things really start to get weird…
Continue reading →

GIVEAWAY & Interview with Teen Talk Radio Nicole O’Dell

Posted on November 8, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Wow! What a great resource in Teen Talk Radio. Thanks to Brillhart Publicity and Nicole O’Dell one reader of Creative Madness Mama will win a two signed copies of the Scenarios: Interactive Fiction for Girls books (winner’s choice). Continue reading →

INSPY Shortlist

Posted on October 27, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Have you heard of the INSPY Awards? I’m absolutely delighted to be a judge for the Christian Historical Fiction category. The original announcement of the shortlisted books was October 1st, but I wanted to go ahead and share them with you in full again here. The INSPY Advisory Board is pleased to announce the shortlists for the 2010 INSPY Awards. We thank you for your enthusiastic nominations of books and acknowledge the difficulties in narrowing the field with so many quality nominations. General & Literary Fiction The Christmas Glass by Marci Alborghetti, Guideposts, 1st October, 2009 Life in Defiance by … Continue reading →

Jackson Jones {Preview}

Posted on September 30, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Jackson Jones: The Tale of a Boy, an Elf, and a Very Stinky Fish by Jenn Kelly illustrated by: Ariane Elsammak Genre: Christian Juvenile Fiction Pages: 272 Trade Paperback Date Published: August 6, 2010 Publisher: Zonderkidz, a division of Zondervan *Thanks to Pam Mettler of Zonderkidz for providing an ARC for review through FIRST Wild Card Tours.* You never know when I might play a wild card on you! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jenn Kelly lives in Ottawa, Canada, but her heart lives in Paris. Or Hawaii. She hasn’t decided yet. She is an undercover garden guru, painter, and chef, which … Continue reading →

Catwalk by Melody Carlson

Posted on August 10, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Catwalk (On the Runway Book 2) by Melody Carlson Genre: Christian Teen Fiction Pages: 208 Trade Paperback Date Published: May 7, 2010 Publisher: Zondervan Book two in the dynamic fashion-themed On the Runway teen novel series by favorite young adult fiction author Melody Carlson. The Forrester sisters take their hit TV show to New York, learning that success in the big city comes with big challenges. Also check out the preview of the first book in the On the Runway series, Premiere. ***Special thanks to Krista Ocier of Zondervan for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Melody Carlson … Continue reading →

Premiere: On the Runway by Melody Carlson

Posted on August 4, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

A recipe for success or a design for disaster?Although they’re sisters, Paige and Erin Forrester are like oil and water, night and day, denim and silk. Paige is an outgoing fashionista who loves to be the center of attention, while Erin is more comfortable sporting vintage garb and recording the action around her. When a near disaster turns into the opportunity of a lifetime, these two very-different sisters are given the chance to star in their own fashion-TV show. A guest spot on a hot teen-reality series and their first big red-carpet assignment give this unlikely partnership plenty of room for success—and even more for failure. Continue reading →

Final Touch by Brandilyn & Amberly Collins

Posted on August 3, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

The day Shaley O’Conner has dreamed of all her life is shattered by a nightmare.On a lavish estate in California guarded from the media, Shaley’s mom,…more The day Shaley O’Conner has dreamed of all her life is shattered by a nightmare.On a lavish estate in California guarded from the media, Shaley’s mom, rock star Rayne O’Connor, is marrying her teen sweetheart and Shaley’s father, Gary Donovon. It’s a dream come true for Shaley, who has always longed for the father she never knew.But minutes before the wedding, Shaley is kidnapped. Who is this man who has taken her—and why? As Rayne and Gary race against time to find their daughter, Shaley’s abductor eludes the FBI at every turn. Fearing for her life, Shaley wills herself to stay strong. But as the days pass, she realizes that no one can save her but herself. Continue reading →

Katy’s Debate by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Posted on August 2, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Katy’s Debate is the second book in the Katy Lambright Series by bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer, which follows sixteen-year-old Katy as she adjusts to life outside her Old Order Mennonite community in Kansas. Katy’s dad is courting Rosemary Graber, and Katy decides to use her new debate skills to end the romance before it can go any further. At the same time, Katy is developing a crush of her own Continue reading →

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl {Preview}

Posted on July 21, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl Genre: Christian Fantasy Pages: 368 Trade Paperback Date Published: July 1, 2010 Publisher: Bethany House The Dragon King Seeks His Princess–Who Dares to Stop Him? Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon be married. She dreams of a handsome and charming prince, but when the first suitor arrives, she finds him stodgy and boring. Prince Aethelbald from the mysterious land of Farthestshore has traveled far to prove his love–and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be approaching Parumvir. Una, smitten instead with a more dashing … Continue reading →

Motorcycles, Sushi, & One Strange Book by Nancy Rue

Posted on July 13, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Motorcycles, Sushi, & One Strange Book by Nancy Rue Genre: Christian Teen Fiction Pages: 208 Trade Paperback Date Published: April 16, 2010 Publisher: Zondervan Publishing Fifteen-year-old Jessie Hatcher can no longer use bubbly charm to cover up her problems, and when her biological father appears from nowhere and takes her from her suburban home in Birmingham, Alabama, to his home in Maine, Jessie finds she needs the help of a mysterious book to get her life back together. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nancy Rue has written over 100 books for girls, is the editor of the Faithgirlz Bible, and is a … Continue reading →

Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck

Posted on July 12, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Perfectly Dateless: A Universally Misunderstood Novel by Kristin Billerbeck Genre: Christian Pages: 256 Trade Paperback Date Published: July 2010 Publisher: Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group My rating: 5 of 5 stars The prom countdown has begun. Daisy Crispin has 196 days to find the right date for the prom. There’s only one problem–her parents won’t let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she’s totally invisible at school, wears lame homemade clothes, and possesses no social skills. Okay, so maybe there’s more than one problem. Can she talk her parents into … Continue reading →

Boyfriends, Burritos & and Ocean of Trouble by Nancy Rue

Posted on July 7, 2010 by CherryBlossomMJ

Boyfriends, Burritos & an Ocean of Trouble (Real Life) by Nancy Rue Genre: Christian Teen Fiction Pages: 208 Trade Paperback Date Published: April 20, 2010 Publisher: Zondervan Publishers Bryn’s life has been falling apart for a long time, and when it’s discovered her boyfriend has been abusing her, the final threads come undone. Through the help of her surfing teacher grandma, a few new friends, and a beat-up book she finds in the airport, Bryn begins to piece her life back together. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nancy Rue has written over 100 books for girls, is the editor of the Faithgirlz … Continue reading →