Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett – Countdown to Christmas 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 152011
 

10 days until Christmas

10 days!

 

Cindy lives in Utah with her high school sweetheart turned hubby of 25 years and two of her four kids. (The other two are still around, they just no longer live at home) She is the author of the new release from Sweetwater, Geek Girl, a contemporary young adult novel, as well as Heart on a Chain and Immortal Mine. When not at her keyboard–which is rare–she can be found either reading, resting, or riding her Harley. Those are her “three R’s”. She feels very blessed and grateful for the opportunities life has afforded her so far.

Connect with Cindy: BLOG | Twitter | Facebook

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LDSWBR: What Christmas-related activity would you like to do this year that you have never done before?

CINDY: This year I would like to stay home and not have to go anywhere for the whole day. I would like to have all of my extended family come to my house where I can feed them, give them gifts, and share in the holiday spirit without the usual hurry and open gifts, grab whatever food you’ve made and run to grandmas, run home to pick up more food, go to the next grandmas, get home and be exhausted from all the running around. I just think it would be relaxing and keep me in the right frame of mind if I weren’t so stressed about getting places on time. I’d like to try it once, anyway.

LDSWBR: If you could find one book under the tree this year, what would it be?

CINDY: Anything antique. I love old antique books that are faded, yellowed, and cracked – especially if it has pictures or drawings in it.

LDSWBR: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

CINDY: My favorite memory is every year going to the Christmas tree place to pick out the perfect tree. It had to be full with lots of bushy branches. Then we’d wait while they flocked it, and return home with this amazing, pure white tree that looked like it had been snowed on, where we then decorated it while listening to Christmas music with a fire in the fireplace.

LDSWBR: Thank you, Cindy. Have a great Christmas!

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Buy Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

AMAZON | WEBSITE | CEDAR FORT | BARNES & NOBLE

 

Read Mindy’s review of Geek Girl.

 Do you visit family members’ homes on Christmas or do they visit you?

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To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:

  • **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
  • Bonus entry (+1) – Go read Mindy’s review of Geek Girl and leave a comment. Don’t forget to leave a comment on this post first!
  • Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
  • By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.

 

***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***

 

Book prizes donated by their authors:

  • Winners choice of  Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, or Minor Adjustments by Rachael Renee Anderson (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Winner’s choice of Secret Sisters, Dearly Departed, or Hang ’em High by Tristi Pinkston (new addition to the prize list!)
  • Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller
  • Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
  • Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
  • Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
  • The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
  • Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
  • The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
  • Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
  • Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
  • Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
  • Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
  • Identity by Betsy Love
  • The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
  • Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
  • Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
  • The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
  • Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett–Blog Tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
Nov 122011
 

Geek Girl

Author: Cindy C. Bennett

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Expected Publish Date: December 2011

ISBN13: 9781453663318

FTC FYI: I got my copy from NetGalley

Reviewed by Mindy

“”Think I could turn that boy bad?”

My two best friends–my only two friends, really–Ella and Beth follow my gaze and laugh.  We’re sitting on the outskirts of the cafeteria, outcasts physcially and socially.  We’re proud of this.  We strive for this.

“Trevor Hoffman?” Beth scoffs.  “No way, Jen.”

“I bet I can,” I say, chewing a painted black nail as I gaze at my intended target.

“No way,” they both agree.

I look at Trevor Hoffman and my grin widens.  He is such a nerdy, goody two-shoes.  Kinda cute actually, but with his shirt always buttoned to the top, a straight-A student who all of the teachers adore.  He’s the junior class something or other, not the president but one of the other officers.  He’s a little different than the other geeks in that he’s sort of . . . cool geek, I guess.  No glasses, asthmatic wheezing, or too-short pants for him.  But he’s firmly entrenched with the geek squad, a nerd to the core himself.

“I bet I could,” I say shrugging.  “Might be fun.”” (page 1)

Jen takes on the challenge of turning Trevor bad, if she is successful, Ella and Beth will pay for her lip to be pierced.  Currently Jen is in a foster home that doesn’t allow piercings.  She’s not worried because she expects to be gone from there soon.  The girls go to the school stomp that night and Jen immediately finds Trevor and asks him to dance.  In his geeky ways, he thanks her for the dance and she turns away. Dork.

At school, Jen continues to flirt, always watching and smiling at him.  After a couple weeks of this,  Jen asks Trevor to a party.  He has plans already, but asks Jen if she wants to come over and watch movies with him and some friends.  She agrees.  After, they continue doing things together.  Trevor takes her with him to the senior center where he volunteers, their families meet up at the bowling alley, and even go camping together.

Jen is a great character.  She’s very snarky and snide at times, but after hanging out with Trevor a lot, they start to like each other and she start to slowly change.  I enjoyed the way the author showed their growing relationship, and the subtle changes that Jen takes in her appearance and attitude towards her foster family soften her up.  Jen had a rough start in life, and needs to come to terms with scary things.  My favorite was Trevor, he may have been a geek in her eyes, but I thought he was just a great kid.  I thought the book was well written and I really felt sorry for what awful stuff Jen had to endure growing up.  I loved the many science fiction references.  Lots of my favs were mentioned: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, X Files…

4 out of 5 stars.  Cindy Bennett wrote Heart on a Chain that was released last year.  Read more about the author here. Friend her on Facebook, and Like Geek Girl’s Facebook page.  Follow on Twitter.

Thanks to Cedar Fort for allowing me to part of this Blog Tour.