Lauren Mechling on MY DARKLYNG

Hello book (blog) lover!


Lauren Mechling, author of the Dream Girl books, here. I have hijacked Harmony's blog in order to convey some Very Important Information.

You might not know it by looks alone (no pink hair, no metal bar through my septum), but I've become a total hacker worthy of her own "Dragon Tattoo" installment. And I'm not just talking about how I've cracked the code and broken onto Harmony Book Reviews. My new book MY DARKLYNG, which I co-wrote with Laura Moser (my hilarious co-author on the "10th Grade Social Climber" books), is a YA thriller chockablock with multimedia awesomeness that will be appearing in serialized form on the awesome website Slate.com. The first installment runs today, and there will be more excitement every Friday for the rest of the summer. Also: it's free!




Slate is calling MY DARKLYNG its "juicy summer read for vampire lovers (and haters!)." It's about a normal 10th grade girl named Natalie Pollock whose own fiction addiction gets her into major trouble. She's been reading Fiona St. Claire's yummy "Dark Shadows" book series since middle school and when she sees a post on Fiona's blog about an open casting call for the model for the next book's cover, well, she can't resist. What she had thought was just a random field trip turns into a dark and terrible new-best-friendship, scarier and more thrilling than any of Fiona St. Claire's vampire novels.


MY DARKLYNG is different from anything you've ever read before--it's a first-of-its-kind story told in simultaneous platforms. Huh? you ask. Okay, so here's the deal: While you are perfectly free to follow the MY DARKLYNG chapters on Slate and leave it at that, we have been milking the magic world of the Internet for all its worth. Why limit a story to mere words? What about pictures and videos and weird Tweets and scary Facebook wall posts that bring texture to the story and bring the characters to life? With that in mind, we found real (and really awesome) teenagers to play our characters. Here's a picture:




Pretty, right? Expect to get to know these faces really well over the course of this book.


Without further ado, this is the Slate page that will host the chapters.

Here is Natalie's Facebook page--well worth "liking" so you can follow when weird things start happening on it.

Natalie's Twitter page is here.
Fiona's (the vampire writer) Twitter page is here.
Natalie's best friend Jenna tweets here.
James (the vampire model) tweets here.
And Fiona's loving sister Tilly uses this Twitter page.

Natalie and Jenna post Youtube videos here. Here's a sample video that shows them getting ready for the audition that will change their lives.


Now YOU can help make our great experiment in Internet fiction even more amazing. There is an upcoming scene that has a missing detail. We need to come up with a weird thing that Natalie's teacher Mr. Trachtenberg keeps in his briefcase. Again, we are desperately seeking A SUGGESTION FOR A WEIRD THING THAT A TEACHER TOTES AROUND IN HIS BRIEFCASE. Please write in your suggestions in the comments section. The winner will be chosen in a week and featured in MY DARKLYNG--if your answer is selected, it'll be like the story is actually winking at you from the screen.


I know this is all a bit much to wrap your head around. Sorry for any confusion--just read the first installment and take it from there. Please please post comments or send us emails telling us how you're finding the series. We can be reached by my website.


And if you find yourself feeling afraid, don't say I didn't warn you!

your humble hacker,
Lauren Mechling

PAYA Book Drive

I'm sure most of you know about the book organization I started, PAYA, which is dedicated for raising money and collecting books for Pennsylvania libraries, which are in pretty desperate need after facing recent budget cuts.

We've started our latest fundraiser, which is a month-long book drive. We're currently collecting any and all books. YA or MG books in good condition will be donated to libraries and other books will be sold in a used book sale and the proceeds will go to the libraries.

So please, take the time to go through your books and get rid of any you don't want or will never read again. These libraries could really use it!

If you're interested in donating, send an email to bringya2pa[at]yahoo[dot]com or harmonybookreviews[at]yahoo[dot]com.

PAYA Spring 2010 Auctions

The PAYA Spring 2010 Auctions began on Monday. For those who don't know, PAYA is something I started to raise money and collect books for Pennsylvania libraries. The auctions are one of our biggest fundraiser. They'll continue until May 14th, with new items being posted each Friday. Right now, there's a bunch of great items available, like:

-a FULL manuscript critique by author Jennifer Brown, currently under $30

-3 pairs of GORGEOUS earrings, all under $15 (two under $10!)

-Signed books by Janette Rallison, currently at $10

-A Marked-up copy of The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott (marked-up means she wrote notes in it!)

-Plus lots of other goodies!

Following weeks will be bringing items including more query and manuscript critiques, including one by an agent, a Skype visit with an author, an author site design package, and more!

All the money goes to help libraries across Pennsylvania so it would be really, really appreciated if everyone would go check it out!

Sid the Science Kid: The Trouble with Germs and A Cavity is a Hole in Your Tooth

Sid the Science Kid: The Trouble with Germs (an I Can Read! Stage 1 book)
The Trouble With Germs breaks down the importance of washing hands as well as giving a small explanation of what exactly germs are. I do think this would be used as a learning tool in a classroom than a book for a child just learning to read as it's definitely more of a learning book than a book to keep a child reading. However, the very bright and 3-D-looking illustrations, as well as the simple breakdown of germs, make it the perfect book to be read in a classroom.







Sid the Science Kid: A Cavity is a Hole in Your Tooth (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 1 book)
A Cavity is a Hole in Your Tooth explains why it's so important to brush your teeth. It also explains the different kind of teeth you have and what the job of each kind is. As with the Trouble with Germs, I definitely recommend it as a learning tool in a classroom or perhaps in to a parent of a child that refuses to brush. My favorite thing about this book was the vibrant illustrations. They'll grab the attention of any young child. If you're looking for a book to teach children about teeth and brushing, this is definitely the book you want.

Update to Review Policy

I just wanted to let everyone know that I've updated my review policy. I now accept picture books for review. However, these reviews will be slightly different than my other reviews - I will be doing short reviews and posting two or three at a time. I'll be posting an example shortly.

As always, if you have any questions, please email me at harmonybookreviews[at]yahoo[dot]com.

PAYA Spring 2010 Auctions

I'm sure most readers of my blog have heard about the project I started back in November - PAYA. If not, it's a project I started to raise money and collect books for PA libraries.

One of our major fundraisers is an online auction. Our first one was last November and it was successful. This time, I'm hoping to double the success. The next auctions will take place from April 9th - May 14th. If you're interested in offering an item, whether it's something you made, a manuscript critique, some books/cds you have lying around, whatever, please email me at harmonybookreviews[at]yahoo[dot]com or bringya2pa[at]yahoo[dot]com. General book donations are also accepted and highly appreciated.

For more info on PAYA and all the information on the auction, please go to bringya2pa.com

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White

Title: Forget-Her-Nots
Author: Amy Brecount White
Publisher: Harpercollins
Rating: 8/10

Summary: (Taken from BN.com) Something—some power—is blooming inside Laurel. She can use flowers to do things. Like bringing back lost memories. Or helping her friends ace tests. Or making people fall in love.

Laurel suspects her newfound ability has something to do with an ancient family secret, one that her mother meant to share with Laurel when the time was right. But then time ran out.
Clues and signs and secret messages seem to be all around Laurel at Avondale School, where her mother had also boarded as a student. Can Laurel piece everything together quickly enough to control her power, which is growing more potent every day? Or will she set the stage for the most lovestruck, infamous prom in the history of the school?

My Thoughts: Forget-Her-Nots is, hands down, one of the most original books I've read in a long time. From the first page I was instantly drawn into the unique world that White creates and honestly, when the book ended, I was left hoping for more.

The characters were enjoyable to read about, though not completely unforgettable. However, as I mentioned above, it's the world White creates that drives the novel. The idea of flower magic is so unique and I loved how she created a world that was completely realistic with just a touch of magic. I never knew flowers could be so interesting! I really, truly hope that White returns to this world very soon because I would love to read more!

Overall, fantastic debut. I would definitely pick up a copy if you get the chance!