RANDOM HOUSE BLOG TOUR: Notes from a Spinning Planet - Mexico by Melody Carlson

WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House is pleased to present:

The Notes from a Spinning Planet - Mexico by Melody Carlson Blog Tour, August 20th - 24th

This is the latest book in Melody Carlson's series, "Notes from a Spinning Planet", which is a Young Adult Fiction series. "Mexico" is available to the public August 21, 2007 from WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House.

This book is a delightful read as well as challenging to your feelings on certain subject. The feelings that twenty-year old Maddie experiences when meeting up with an old friend is typical of what a young adult experiences when their feelings turn toward romance.

Maddie and her Aunt set out on a vacation to remember with romance blossoming. Scenes in the book come alive with detail descriptions that make you feel as if you are standing there along side them enjoying the beauty of Mexico. Geared toward young adults, the author keeps your interest in Maddie's life by delving into relationship issues as well as moral issues.

Although the overall them of the book is inviting and a delightful read, there is an issue in same that does not sit well with me. A few of the scenes in the book has Maddie and some friends consuming alcohol. Albeit they are in a foreign country where the legal drinking age is lower than here in the United States, but it still sets a bad example for teens and young adults that may be experiencing peer pressure to drink. I guess the old saying goes... "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" holds for this particular part of the book. As a Christian, I don't condone drinking alcoholic beverages at any age and especially not in young adults as alcohol can impair one's judgment. I do however commend the Author for tackling the subject of alcohol abuse in young adults.

If this book interests you, be sure to look at your local bookstore or online at Amazon for all the books in this series.

From WaterBrook Press - Notes from a Spinning Planet series

Notes from a Spinning Planet--Ireland	Notes from a Spinning Planet--Papua New Guinea	Notes from a Spinning Planet--Mexico

About The Author

Melody Carlson is the winner of the RITA Award and the Gold Medallion and has published over ninety books for adults, children, and teens, including Finding Alice, Crystal Lies, and the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. Carlson is the mother of two grown sons and lives in a "cabin in the words" near the Cascade Mountains in central Oregon with her husband and a chocolate lab retriever. A full-time writer and part-time gardener, biker, skier, and hiker, Carlson can be found on the Internet at http://www.melodycarlson.com/.

You can read another review by Lyn at Bloggin' Outloud and one by Lisa at Our Seven Qtpies.