The Zealous Reader

The Future of The Zealous Reader

2011-12-24T12:17:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

After a very hectic first term of university I've sat down to write about my blogging hiatus and the future of The Zealous Reader. I'd appreciate if you would read about my dilemma and help me decide what to do next.

I planned for a brief 2-3 week hiatus in late August so I could pack, move, and settle in to university life. Unfortunately by the time I was settled in I had no time to read, let alone review and actively participate in the book blogging world. I've only had time to start using Goodreads again in late October. While my academic schedule will be lighter for the winter term I don't want to commit to something only to disappoint once projects and assignments pick back up again.

One main reason for not reading is a lack of motivation. I look at my bookshelf, at the library, at other blogs, and wonder how people can read a whole book. Are you serious? I used to read 3 per week and now the thought of reading just one seems like it will take months. I've managed to read a few non-fiction books over holidays but my only foray into fiction since university have been my novels for English. Jane Eyre, anyone?

Another main reason for not returning is embarrassment. I left all my followers with no warning or explanation for months. Though many of you have said it's understandable and it happens to most bloggers, I feel like such a disappointment. What book blogger doesn't have a drive to read? Before I left for hiatus I wanted to redesign my blog because I felt it didn't accurately portray my reading style or what my blog was about, but now I have no funds to help with this. I feel like even if I started up the blog again, no one would read it because it doesn't look up to par with the other flashier sites.

I considered leaving the blog alone till the summer and running it from April to August every year but I don't see my motivation for reading returning. Also my schedule will possibly be even more hectic with work and theatre, and that would be even more disappointing to have all this hype only to disappoint again.

Another option is to start blogging again in January with a new focus. A lighter emphasis on reviews that means I can read what I want, when I want, with no pressure to be on a deadline. Guest posts, interviews with other bloggers or authors, reading lists and recommendations, advertising lesser known titles and 2012 debuts. An easier blogging schedule so I can post 1-2 posts a week with lighter content. I only wonder if anyone would read that and if it has a place next to all the other big-name bloggers who mainly focus on reviews. Would anyone read mine?

So here I am at my fork in the road. I think the best decision will come from you, my followers and readers, since you are who I blog for and you are who I am to impress. What do you think I should do?

Option 1: Stop blogging. Remove the URL. Say goodbye to the blogging world formally. Perhaps start again sometime in the next few years when I have more time.

Option 2: Summer blog. Plan to run the blog from April to August, reading as much as I can and reviewing all the time. Hope that my followers won't leave during the hiatuses.

Option 3: Start blogging again in January but with no reviews or reading lists. If I happen to read a book I'll review it but no pressure to read every book on my shelf. Instead a focus on book recommendations, interviews with authors, guest posts with other bloggers, advertising 2012 debuts, etc.

Comment below, write me an email, send me a tweet, let me know which option sounds best for you. Feel free to elaborate! I want this blog (or lack of) to serve you the best.

Thank you all so much for your continued support and following. Hoping you're all having a wonderful holiday season!

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley - Blog Tour

2011-08-23T07:30:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the bonus stop in Lena Coakley's Witchlanders tour!

I received a copy of Witchlanders for review from Simon & Schuster earlier this summer. Check out my review and summary! Today I'm interviewing Lena Coakley about some of her inspirations and her writing process.

1. How did you come up with the world of Witchlanders and Baens? Has it been an idea always floating around in your mind?

There is nothing like writing a novel to see what your subconscious is worrying about. If someone had told me before I started that I’d be writing about religious clashes, drug addiction, and racism, I would have run for the door, but I think a fantasy novel is a great place to explore difficult subjects.

I wanted to create two opposite sides, Witchlander and Baen, that both had rich and interesting cultures, but that were both far from perfect. If I’d written a realistic novel about two warring cultures, every reader opening the book would already have a pre-conceived notion about one side or the other. But no one has a pre-conceived notion about what it means to be a Witchlander or a Baen. I wanted readers to eventually be able to see both sides of the conflict—and I hope they do!

2. Witchlanders left off on a bit of a cliffhanger. Will it have a sequel or be part of a series?

I’m honestly not sure. I haven’t been contracted for a sequel and I think the book stands alone, but it would be really interesting to see what Ryder and Falpian do in the Bitterlands, wouldn’t it?

3. What are some of your favourite fantasy novels? Do you read much YA fantasy?

Fantasy is pretty much all I read! (But I’m trying to branch out.) My YA must-reads are:
Sabriel by Garth Nix
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
The Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner
The Kingdom Series, especially The Wings of a Falcon by Cynthia Voigt
I could go on and on!

4. Tell us about your writing process! Do you have a writing desk? Can you only write in the A.M.?

I don’t want to say that I can ONLY write in the A.M. I think sometimes writers make up these rules for themselves and then they become hard to break. When I have to, I can write at night, but I certainly prefer to write early in the morning, right after a swim. I usually get so into it that I skip lunch and end up starving at about 3:00.

I have a desk, but I also have a little HP mini that I can take to coffee shops or to the Toronto Reference Library, where I sometimes write with other authors. I writing on it right now!

5. Favourite flavour ice-cream?

Green tea!

About Lena Coakley
Lena Coakley was born in Milford, Connecticut and grew up on Long Island. In high school, creative writing was the only class she ever failed (nothing was ever good enough to hand in!), but, undeterred, she went on to study writing at Sarah Lawrence College. She got interested in young adult literature when she moved to Toronto, Canada, and began working for CANSCAIP, the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers, where she eventually became the Administrative Director. She is now a full-time writer living in Toronto. Witchlanders is her debut novel. Check her out on Twitter!

Contest

Since I'm one of four secret blog tour stops I don't have a question for the grand prize Kindle giveaway. If you'd like to enter to win please check out my partner Missie at The Unread Reader.

However I will be giving away one copy of Witchlanders! Contest is open to US/Canadian residents only. To enter please leave your name and email address in the comments. Contest closes September 13th at 11:59 PM EST.

Be sure to check out the other tour stops for August & September!

Monday, August 22nd -The Page Turners
Tuesday, August 23rd- The Unread Reader
Wednesday, August 24th - Books Complete Me
Thursday, August 25th - We Fancy Books
Friday, August 26th - Read.Breathe.Relax
Monday, August 29th - EmilieÆs Book World
Tuesday, August 30th - The Mundie MomÆs
Wednesday, August 31st - Enchanted Ink
Thursday, September 1st- Well Read Wife
Friday, September 2nd - A Journey of Books
Monday, September 5th- The Story Siren
Tuesday, September 6th - One A Day Y.A.
Wednesday, September 7th - Reading Angel
Thursday, September 8th - Soul Unsung
Friday, September 9th - Alice MarvelÆs
Tuesday, September 13th: Announcement of the big prize winner on Lena's Site!

Short Hiatus

2011-08-17T11:30:00.000-04:00

Hello followers!

For almost a week I've taken a short vacation from blogging to sort out some last minute details and start packing for my move to university. I have tons of reviews to finish writing but hadn't scheduled any for the time I was gone.

I left a vacation notice at the top of the screen ending today but I've realized that I need some more time to reevaluate how I'll continue blogging once I'm at school. I'm starting to doubt how much time I'll have to read, write reviews, make posts, host giveaways, etc. I'll probably be severely cutting down the number of books I read and as a a result, the number of the posts per week.

I have a Witchlanders tour stop scheduled on August 23rd but other than that previously scheduled post I probably will not be posting regularly for the next 2 weeks or so. Hopefully when school starts up I'll have a handle on my schedule and be able to tell you what the blog will look like.

Thanks to everyone who has continued to follow during this "hiatus" period. Love you all!

Every Little Thing in the World by Nina de Gramont

2011-08-11T07:30:00.050-04:00

Title: Every Little Thing in the World

Author: Nina de Gramont

Publisher: Atheneum

Release Date: March 23, 2010

Date Read: July 25 - 29, 2011

Rating: 5/5 stars

Source: Library

Goodreads

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Sydney Biggs is a “good kid”—smart, pretty, self-aware. No one doubts that she’ll go far in life. But lately her mother worries that Sydney is wandering down the wrong path and getting all caught up in petty teenage rebellion and shenanigans. When Sydney and her best friend, Natalia, “borrow” a car to go to a party and then get escorted home by the police, their parents pack them up and ship them off to a hard-love wilderness camp to stop this behavior before it gets out of hand, before things go too far. The problem is, they already have.

Sydney the “good kid” is pregnant.

In the wilds of Canada—where the girls are to spend the next four weeks canoeing, camping, and foraging for food—time is ticking, because Sydney isn’t sure what she wants to do about this baby. And she certainly isn’t expecting the other heady issues that will confront her as she forges friendships with her adventure mates, including a guy who makes it no secret that he is a major thug, and a teen television heartthrob with a secret of his own, not to mention her own best friend—who is very adamant about what Sydney should do.

Review

You know when you wake up at 5 in the morning to finish a book, that it's one of the best. Not as deep as The Breakfast Club, the quirky cast of characters in Every Little Thing in the World will tug on your heartstrings. An amazing story of self-discovery and self-worth, Sydney's journey in the Canadian wilderness is not only about her pregnancy but also about morality, life, and death.

Many people have complained that there are too many Mary Sues in YA lit. Sydney totally breaks the stereotype of a typical female protagonist. She's a "good girl" but has sex. Shocking! How she starts dating her boyfriend, has unprotected sex, isn't in a committed relationship, and doesn't know what to do with the baby was refreshing in the sea of virgin and sex-crazy narrators. I love how she wasn't cut and dry about her opinions of teen pregnancy and actually took the time to think about them all. Right from the start I thought I knew how she would end up at the end but I was so wrong. Her journey was amazing!

Some of my favourite things in Every Little Thing in the World revolved around the crazy cast of characters at Sydney's camp. I learned so much about the pressure put on teenagers by the rest of the world to define themselves at an early age and always stick to their beliefs. As Sydney struggles to define herself as both a daughter, friend, and possible soon-to-be-mother, we're introduced to other teens facing similar problems. The huge parallels between Natalia and Margit, Sydney and her baby, Sydney and her mother, and Sydney choosing abortion vs Mick killing a man create huge emotional waves and themes for readers to think about. In a very Breakfast Club-like scenario we see how strangers cope when flung together in a survival scenario and how those bonds can never be broken, and are often stronger than the love we share for people we've known our whole lives.

One thing I really dislike in reviews is when readers let their personal opinions cloud their judgment of a book. I've read a bunch of reviews on Goodreads hating on Every Little Thing in the World because Sydney routinely considers abortion as an option. If you aren't open to the concept I suggest you either don't read it or find it within you to write a review based on the actual plot, character development, and themes rather than what choice you'd actually make. I'm glad that more YA authors are open to discussion abortion rather than always shoving it off as not an option or immoral.

Recommended: I Know It's Over (C.K. Kelly Martin), Someone Like You (Sarah Dessen), Tripping (Heather Waldorf)

Waiting on Wednesday (30)

2011-08-10T07:30:00.000-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Wednesday meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Participants highlight an upcoming unpublished novel they're interested in.

Title: Dust & Decay

Author: Jonathan Maberry

Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Goodreads

Summary

Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them.

Sounds easy. Sounds wonderful. Except that everything that can go wrong does. Before they can even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town. But as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, insane murderers and the horrors of Gameland –where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?

In the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you. Everything…and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will make it out alive.

I actually have a copy of this sitting on my shelves TBR but it's so far down on the list that it'll take me forever to get to it. I can't wait for it to be released and everyone to check it out. If you haven't read Rot & Ruin yet definitely check it out!

Did you do a Waiting on Wednesday this week? Post your link below and I'll check it out!

Top Ten Tuesday (7)

2011-08-09T07:30:00.075-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a Tuesday book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish to make lists of our favourite books or book-related topics. For this week's theme I picked my favourite underrated books from my old spring feature Wannabee Book Hipster. I only chose books published before 2011 though since they're usually the most neglected. Great theme idea!

Top Ten Underrated Books

1. The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz. Probably the most popular book from my list, The Vinyl Princess is a hilarious summer read. The spunky, fiesty protagonist will win over your heart in the first few chapters. If you're a music junkie you'll love the band and lyric references and chances are you'll make your own playlist with the mixed tape songs, just like I did!

2. Waves by Sharon Dogar. A poetic summer novel, Waves is the perfect beach read for anyone bored with shallow gossip novels. Also if you're looking for something with more of a family feel to it rather than romance, yet another great choice.

3. My Life: The Musical by Maryrose Wood. As many of you know I'm a fan of theatre and will be pursuing a degree in it this fall. My Life the Musical is the perfect book for a theatre geek. It's filled with show references, lyrics, and a plot that makes me heart swell.

4. After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr. It's really hard to describe After the Moment because it leaves you with such intense emotions and thoughts. A deeply poetic novel about a boy and a girl who meet one year and the aftermath. Garret Freymann-Weyr is a wonderful author who definitely deserves more recognition for her work.

5. Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby. One of my favourite LGBTQ books by an awesome Canadian author. I loved how it both enforced and broke down the stereotypes of "gay people". If you're not particularly open to LGBTQ literature this might be a good starter.

6. Grace by Elizabeth Scott. Elizabeth Scott is the opposite of an underrated author but for some reason her 2010 novel Grace has received next to no reviews. Maybe it's because it's not her typical contemporary or comedic romance, but it's an amazing novel nontheless. I applaud Elizabeth Scott for taking the plunge into a different genre and rocking it!

7. Flavor of the Week by Tucker Shaw. I love this book! This was the first non-cookbook food-related book I read and I fell in love. The recipes are awesome and the plot is cute. More people should read Tucker Shaw novels.

8. After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy. One of my favourite prose novels of all time! A thought-provoking tale about cheating from both sides of the act, from the perspectives of the two girls it affects.

9. How I Spent My Last Night on Earth by Todd Strasser. This was one of the first books I ever read that truly tugged on my heart strings. Some people have read it and totally missed all the references, poetic messages, and quotes that make the book so amazing. If I ever found out the world was going to end, this is exactly how I'd want to spend my day.

10. Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony. Another great book by a Canadian author. A very mild dystopian about a futuristic yet rural USA. If you want to take a dip into dystopian without going hardcore, this would be a great choice.

Did you do a Top Ten Tuesday? Post your link in the comments!

Nowhereville by Sean Campbell

2011-08-08T07:30:00.042-04:00

Title: Nowhereville

Author: Sean Campbell

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: June 8, 2011

Date Read: August 3, 2011

Rating: 3/5 stars

Source: Author

Goodreads

Summary

After his mother's death, sixteen year old Seth Bradley chooses to leave behind his friends, his school, and his entire life within the rusted, broken down space station Ticonderoga. With his sister Jenna in tow, he sets out to join a father he barely knows in the orbital city of Grass Valley, a monument to human achievement floating three hundred miles above the Earth.

Ava Morales is a girl with a mysterious and violent past. The soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Mars sing praises to her name, but to her family she is a terrible secret.

When Grass Valley is caught in the crossfire of an all-out war between Earth and Mars, Seth, Jenna and Anne must work together to survive as they find themselves trapped in a world that is literally crumbling around them.

Review

This is my first of many reviews celebrating self-published authors for Indie Author Month hosted by Nikki at Wicked Awesome Books. I would definitely recommend Nowhereville if you love YA science fiction or love books with huge cliffhangers for the next books in the series.

As with many science fiction novels, Nowhereville had an amazing premise. I was immediately enamored with the fast-paced, action-packed plot filled with fancy futuristic references. I loved how it took place in an off-world colony where Martians were simply people who lived on Mars in political turmoil with Earth and the Allies rather than an alien race. I liked the silent nod to futuristic ethics with the treatment of robots and how attached Seth became to Anne.

As a Martian, Ava was my favourite character because she was the reason the whole battle was started. So little was explained of her family and history that I was dying to read more about her. Unfortunately her alternating chapters ended about halfway through the book and she just disappeared from the story. Hopefully in the next book she plays a larger role because she was fascinating, fierce, courageous, and mysterious. Exactly what I like in my female characters!

In keeping with the air of mystery and suspense, Sean Campbell left many questions unanswered that will hopefully be addressed in the sequel. However this meant I was confused for most of the book about the history of the off-world colonies, the reason behind the political rebellion, and why there was a farm. A flashback, a prologue, or a map would've helped a lot. Sometimes the suspense worked perfectly because things were revealed in bits-and-pieces to keep you reading, which is always fun when you're reading about a new world and civilization.

Recommended: Across the Universe (Beth Revis), I Robot (Isaac Asimov)

In My Mailbox (25)

2011-08-07T07:30:00.018-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly Sunday meme by The Story Siren where participants show what books and swag they received this week through a store, library, or publishing house.

Won

Swag from Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog, & Angela at Reading Angel
Swag from Joelle Anthony & Denise Jaden

Bought

The Ivy (Laura Kunze & Rina Onur)
Silver Phoenix (Cindy Pon)

Did you do an In My Mailbox today? Post your link in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out!

Another Pan by Daniel & Dina Nayeri

2011-08-06T07:30:00.048-04:00

Title: Another Pan

Author: Daniel & Dina Nayeri

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Release Date: October 12, 2010

Date Read: July 20 - 25, 2011

Rating: 4/5 stars

Source: Personal ARC

Goodreads

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her insecure freshman brother, John, are hitting the books at the Marlowe School. But one tome consumes their attention: THE BOOK OF GATES, a coveted Egyptian artifact that their professor father believes has magical powers. Soon Wendy and John discover that the legend is real—when they recite from its pages and descend into a snaking realm beneath the Manhattan school. As the hallways darken, and dead moths cake the floor, a charismatic new R.A. named Peter reveals that their actions have unleashed a terrible consequence: the underworld and all its evil is now seeping into Marlowe.

Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri return to reimagine Peter Pan as a twisty, atmospheric, and fast-paced fantasy about the perils of immortality

Review

I adore fairy tale retellings. They're so magical and reminiscent of childhoods long forgotten. I loved Peter Pan as inspiration rather than a direct retelling. Throw in Egyptian mythology and some readers might shy away thinking the Nayeris are trying to shove too much into one book. Instead it's such a creative explanation for Peter's immortality and gave the original Peter Pan so much more depth. How they incorporated Tina as Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys, happy thoughts, and Peter's shadow were brilliant!

I have one small complaint. I would've liked more prose or emotional reflection to describe Wendy and Peter's relationship. Since the characters weren't "cookie-cutter" stereotypical there needed to be more development, maybe using flashbacks, to establish everyone's motives and perspectives. For example, I didn't really understand why Wendy was attracted to so many terrible men and some sort of hint from her past would've helped a bit.

Another Pan is a companion novel to Another Faust. While it isn't necessary to read Faust first I would definitely recommend it. They work wonderfully together as sequential plots. I love that both of them are technically standalones. There needs to be so many more standalone fantasies and paranormals in YA lit.

Recommended: Another Faust (Daniel & Dina Nayeri), Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie), Sisters Red (Jackson Pearce)

Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston

2011-08-05T07:30:00.034-04:00

Title: Roadside Assistance

Author: Amy Clipston

Publisher: Zondervan

Release Date: April 11, 2011

Date Read: July 17 - 19, 201

Rating: 3/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

A very bumpy ride.

Emily Curtis is used to dealing with her problems while under the hood of an old Chevy, but when her mom dies, Emily's world seems shaken beyond repair. Driven from home by hospital bills they can't pay, Emily and her dad move in with his wealthy sister, who intends to make her niece more feminine---in other words, just like Whitney, Emily's perfect cousin. But when Emily hears the engine of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, and sees the cute gearhead, Zander, next door, things seem to be looking up.

But even working alongside Zander can't completely fix the hole in Emily's life. Ever since her mom died, Emily hasn't been able to pray, and no one---not even Zander---seems to understand. But sometimes the help you need can come from the person you least expect.

Review

I'm really glad that there are still YA authors willing to write religious fiction. It seems to be a bit of a taboo to include any religious affiliation so I'm happy that there's books available for people who want them. Unfortunately I am not one who really enjoys Christian books and found Roadside Assistance to be really preachy. I didn't like how everyone convinced Emily that the only way to cope with her mother's death was through trust in God rather than a school counselor or any other option.

I love reading about assertive, proactive, kickass female protagonists. While Emily was mostly shy and insecure, her fascination with cars was awesome! I know next to nothing about them so learning all about engines and whatnot was great. My feminist side adored Amy Clipston for making this such a big part of Emily's life. I also love narrators that appreciate and love their families, so while Emily didn't exactly fit into that category, a lot of emphasis was placed on the importance of family. It was great to read about a loving family rather than the oh-too-common alcoholic, distant, ignorant, or abusive ones in YA lit.

The most unrealistic thing were the coincidences. I know that a love interest has to be presented somehow but he the car-loving, Christian, next-door-neighbour who goes to the same high school seemed way too obvious. A few more things not in common would've been appreciated. I also thought it was highly unlikely that everyone Emily befriended or met had the same faith and went to the same church except for one girl at school. There should have been way more people of varying faiths and beliefs.

Quote: "'And neither of you,' I began, looking between them, 'asked me how it felt to have my first birthday without Mom.'

Recommended: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares), Angels Watching Over Me (Lurlene McDaniel)

Swag: How Do You Display It?

2011-08-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

Swag.

We love getting swag from our favourite authors, publishers, and bloggers. It's awesome! But how do you display it?

I recently won two huge bags of swag from giveaways. Wahoo! I was just going to put it all in a ziploc bag with the rest of my swag but now it seems sort of pitiful that it's all in a bag on the bottom of my bookshelf.

I've heard that some people are putting their buttons on corkboards which sounds awesome! Great idea! It's something I can take with me to university and display it. Plus it's super easy to add more buttons.

Bookmarks are pretty self-explanatory. Use them to bookmark things! I found a cute little container to put all of mine in on the bottom of my bookshelf. Now they're all neat and organized.

But what about postcards? Notepads? Mini-posters? Keychains? Business cards? Haven't found too much about that!

I'd love to see how you display your swag! Write a post, send me a tweet, talk about it in the comments! Let me know how you show it off.

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

2011-08-03T10:09:00.000-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Wednesday meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Participants highlight an upcoming unpublished novel they're interested in.

Title: Betsy Wickwire's Dirty Secret

Author: Vicki Grant

Release Date: August 16, 2011
Publisher: Harper Trophy Canada

Goodreads

Summary

Betsy’s life is officially over: Dumped by her boyfriend, betrayed by her best friend . . . how is she ever going to show her face again?

Determined to avoid everyone and everything from her previous life, Betsy stumbles into an unusual café and an even more unusual girl. Dolores Morris—a mouthy, green-haired outsider Betsy can’t quite remember from school—talks her into starting a cleaning service. Before she knows it, Betsy is down on her knees, dressed like a dust bunny, scrubbing strangers’ toilets.

It’s a long way for the most popular girl in school to have fallen. But Betsy finds comfort in the wine bottles and prescriptions and other dirty secrets she finds hidden in her clients’ homes. She also finds love with a client’s son, friendship with Dolores and a liberated sense of herself. Her new life soon falls apart, though, when valuables begin to go missing from some of the homes she and Dolores have been cleaning. Betsy discovers the hard way that not all dirty secrets can just be swept under the rug

I found this one on someone's In My Mailbox post last week. Sounds very cute! And it's Canadian!

Did you do a Waiting on Wednesday this week? Post your link below and I'll check it out!

Top Ten Tuesday (6)

2011-08-02T00:07:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a Tuesday book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish to make lists of our favourite books or book-related topics. For this week's theme I picked five trends I'd like to see more of and five trends I'd like to see less of in YA lit. Great theme!

Top Ten Books Trends You'd Like to See More/Less Of

More Of

1. International settings. While fictional locations in fantasy books are the most enchanting and desirable, I still find real-life settings to be great. I'd love more variety though. I haven't read many books set in international countries without them being about cultural differences or history (i.e. Germany in World War II). Anything not set in the States would be awesome!

2. Mythology. There's been a recent uprising in mythology-based novels but barely enough to make a dent with all the contemporary and paranormal romances. Maybe something based in Rome rather than Greece? Or something Chinese? There are so many myths and stories to use as inspiration!

3. Platonic/non-romantic relationships. In almost every YA book the main character is in a romantic relationship. That's why books like How to Say Goodbye in Robot or Witchlanders are so shocking and different. Purely platonic relationships? No hints of romance at all? So refreshing! I'd love to see more authors explore friendships as relations rather than romance as the default.

4. Adult authors writing a YA novel. There's been a few adult authors writing their first teen novels lately and producing some top quality lit. They're bringing over their adult audience, being recognized by a larger audience, and usually arriving with a bigger reputation than most debut YA authors. I hope more adult authors take the plunge and try it out!

5. Based on true stories. Freaks and Revelations was the first YA book I read based on a true story and I was immediately drawn to the reality of the scenario. I did a bit of research afterwards into the lives of the protagonists and it was great to find out more about their lives. YA novels are a great way to introduce teens and YA readers to real events like the Ecuadorian slavery (Queen of Water) or the Holocaust (Anne Frank).

Less Of

1. Unplanned series. When writing a book I would assume that the author intends to end it at the end or leave it open for more books. I understand that not all books are sold as series or sequels but it's frustrating when so many books are becoming 5-10 book series when it's obvious there were only supposed to be 2 or 3. I wish authors stayed true to their original thought about "I want a quartet!" straight from the start.

2. Best friends falling in love. While it's the age old romance that makes your heart soar, it's really annoying and predictable when the best friends end up together. Why can't people meet at school and go on dates, or be introduced by friends? There doesn't always have to be some magical revelation that we all saw from the first chapter.

3. Hypersexuality. Teenagers have sex. Yes. But it's not necessary to portray all your main characters as sex-crazed maniacs. I've read one too many books where the characters can't wait to finally have sex for the first time, or all they do with your partner is sexually related. There's more to teenage relationships and while many of them do involve sex, not all of them are to this extent.

4. Forgiveness. This might seem like an odd one to add but I'm a little bored of protagonists making huge life-altering choices/mistakes and everyone else just forgiving them right away. Killing someone? Oh, it's okay, you were possessed, no harm done. No! Even in paranormal fantasies we shouldn't just expect supporting characters to rally around the protagonist after they do terrible things just because they're the main character. There should be more consequences for actions.

5. Love triangles. Everyone else was gonna include it so I had to too. Girl emotionally torn between her nerdy best friend and handsome "new-kid-at-school"? Yawn. I'd love to see it reversed to one guy torn between two girls. That'd be awesome! Or maybe something like in Love Inc. where the main character dates several people and has many love interests sequentially. It does happen in real life!

Did you do a Top Ten Tuesday? Post your link in the comments!

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

2011-08-01T10:11:00.001-04:00

Title: Inexcusable

Author: Chris Lynch

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: May 8, 2005

Date Read: July 17, 2011

Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads

Summary

I am a good guy.

Keir Sarafian may not know much, but he knows himself. And the one thing he knows about himself is that he is a good guy. A guy who's a devoted son and brother, a loyal friend, and a reliable teammate. And maybe most important of all, a guy who understands that when a girl says no, she means it. But that is not what Gigi Boudakian, childhood friend and Keir's lifelong love, says he is. What Gigi says he is seems impossible to Keir....It is something inexcusable — the worst thing he can imagine, the very opposite of everything he wants to be.

As Keir recalls the events leading up to his fateful night with Gigi, he realizes that the way things look are definitely not the way they really are — and that it may be all too easy for a good guy to do something terribly wrong.

Chris Lynch has written a no-holds-barred story about truth, lies, and responsibility — a story that every good guy needs to hear.

Review

I found Inexcusable at the library and was drawn to its stylistic and engaging cover. I really wanted to like it, especially after so much hype for Chris Lynch books. Unfortunately while there were many excellent points about the ethics of the book, I didn't connect to the writing or the characters.

There are a number of YA books about rape incidents but not that many from a male perspective, so I applaud Chris Lynch for taking the plunge. I'm glad that the focus of his novel was to understand what might drive a boy to rape and what he might be thinking, rather than justifying his actions. While technically there is no gray area in rape (i.e. if she says no, it's rape) it was interesting to see how people could make gray area and therefore semi-complicated events to try in court.

Inexcusable was told in alternating chapters between Keir's past and the present. I thought the present chapters were too predictable and repetitive and it would've been better if it had been maybe 3 chapters of history per 1 chapter of present. There was a great analysis of good vs. evil as Keir tried to argue his whole life that he was a good person who just happened to make wrong choices and do terrible things. Another really good point was throwing alcohol into the scenario. In a few YA books alcohol is something fun and it's awesome to get plastered, so this was great to read the opposite where drinking it contorted Keir's mind to an unforgivable point. Once again Keir used this to his advantage to say that he was a good person who just made a mistake by drinking too much.

Unfortunately, these awesome points aside, there wasn't much else I really connected to in Inexcusable. I thought the dialogue was too dry and straightforward, sounding forced and out-of-character most of the time. If there had been more metaphors, emotional turmoil, descriptive paragraphs about thoughts, or a complex plot that mirrored a recent/past event I might have been more drawn to Keir's life. Instead I couldn't justify or empathize with him at all and it's very frustrating to constantly hate the narrator/protagonist.

Recommended: Freaky Green Eyes (Joyce Carol Oates), Speak (Laurie Halse Anderson)

In My Mailbox (24)

2011-07-31T07:30:00.026-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly Sunday meme by The Story Siren where participants show what books and swag they received this week through a store, library, or publishing house.

I filmed this when I got back from the beach on Saturday and I am so burnt! Excuse my lobster face. Also the video cuts out at the end *grumbles* so I'll add my swag to next week's IMM.

Won

The Fox Inheritance (Mary E. Pearson)

Review

The Berlin Boxing Club (Robert Sharn)
Summer on Fire (Kevin Craig)

Library

Forgotten (Cat Patrick)
Imaginary Girls (Nova Ren Suma)
Compulsion (Heidi Ayarbe)
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (Morgan Matson)

Did you do an In My Mailbox today? Post your link in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out!

TGIF (6)

2011-07-29T06:46:00.000-04:00

A book-question and weekly recap meme hosted by Ginger at GReads.

"Character Envy: If you could be one character from a book, who would you choose & why?"

Ack! This question is so hard. I always admire authors that can make me yearn to be a part of their stories, especially for fantasy or supernatural worlds. I chose three characters from my favourite fantasy series'.

Daine, The Immortals series by Tamora Pierce. - She's so amazing! I would love her ability to both interact with and become animals. Daine also sold me on Tamora Pierce and I'd kill to live in Tortall for a day.

Hermione, Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. - Hermione is the best. As a kid I always looked up to her and admired her. I'd love to slip into her shoes, especially when they were younger and still at Hogwarts, and see what a normal day was like for her. So much emphasis was put on Ron & Harry's shenanigans that often Hermione was left in the dark until needed so I'd love to check out her classes and see if she had any other friends.

Calwyn, The Chanters of Tremaris series by Kate Constable. - Calwyn was one of my first female heroines I ever read in the fantasy genre and I absolutely fell in love. It would be awesome to sing like she does and control the world around her in such an awe-inspiring way. Similar to Tamora Pierce, I'd love the opportunity to explore Tremaris and live in rather than read about the culture. Plus Darrow was really hot in my imagination so cha-ching!

Did you do a TGIF today? Post your link in the comments below and I'll be sure to check it out!

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

2011-07-28T10:35:00.000-04:00

Title: Fury
Author: Elizabeth Miles

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: August 30, 2011

Date Read: July 15 - 17, 2011

Rating: 3/5 stars
Source: Publisher

Goodreads

Summary

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Review

I received a copy of Fury for review from Simon & Schuster Canada. There's a lot of hype surrounding Fury and I was worried that it would've live up to it's expectations and accolades. While it was an enjoyable read I didn't love it as much as most readers.

I don't live by it but I love reading about the concept of karma so a YA book dedicated to it was fascinating to me. Chase's plotline worked perfectly with this because there aren't many books about Facebook and intellectual property yet, so having him suffer the repercussions of his actions in a similar way seemed appropriate. I'm also glad that Em couldn't just steal her best friend's boyfriend and had to atone for her sin. I don't really like boyfriend stealers in YA books, especially when they try to justify "Oh but I'm so much better for him", etc.

By leaving the reveal of the Furies to the end of the book Elizabeth Miles may have been wanting to set up suspense or mystery. Unfortunately I was just confused and kept thinking I'd missed the part where their presence was explained. I thought it would all make sense in the end but there were a lot of unanswered questions that I hope will be acknowledged in a sequel. I'm really happy that more YA authors are delving into mythology to find inspiration and Fury has definitely got to be one of the more original mythological books I've read.

One thing stood out to me as unrealistic. With so many characters dying I assumed death would be a bigger theme in Fury. Something for other characters to reflect on, thinking about their own morality or the loss of a friend. Instead Em and Chase both ignored anything that didn't directly affect their romantic lives. Beyond them I assumed that the school and town would be in constant mourning but there wasn't really much of that either. It seemed like things were continuing on as if nothing had happened. Even Em's parents didn't really show much concern over the events. Maybe in the sequel there'll be more emphasis put on paying tribute to those who died.

Recommended: Bliss (Lauren Myracle), Choker (Elizabeth Woods), Falling Under (Gwen Hayes)

Waiting on Wednesday (28)

2011-07-27T07:30:00.000-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Wednesday meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Participants highlight an upcoming unpublished novel they're interested in.

Title: Under the Stars

Author: Rebecca A. Rogers

Release Date: August 1, 2011
Publisher: Indie

Goodreads

Summary

After seventeen-year-old Andrina’s home is demolished by meteors, she encourages her family to relocate to Legora, one of the few remaining cities that promise a new life to weary travelers. But Legora’s food and supplies are in shortage—too many refugees have sought protection behind its gates—and the only option is to appeal to the King of the New World for provisions. When the town assembles a lottery to choose who will plea to the king, Andrina holds the ill-fated ticket.

Her arrival in Valyad, the royal territory, sparks intrigue from King Zarek. Andrina can’t imagine herself acting like the other girls, who flounce after Zarek’s affection and money, but she considers giving in to her flirty side if it’ll guarantee that her family is fed. So when Zarek leaves Andrina with a bitter decision—marry him or he’ll strip Legora of its supplies—she has no choice but to accept being Queen of the New World.

Soon, though, Andrina uncovers that Valyad is smothered in deceit. Days after their wedding, Zarek is found stabbed to death and all fingers point to Andrina. Betrayed by Valyad’s governor, who wants the crown for himself, Andrina learns that it’s the people who will cast a vote on her fate; people who don’t want a commoner operating their kingdom. Andrina must not only convince Valyad that their king didn’t die by her hand, but also outsmart the sly politicians of the realm with a surprise they can’t outrun.

This cover and title combination sold me on Under the Stars. I can't wait to read it!

Did you do a Waiting on Wednesday this week? Post your link below and I'll check it out!

Top Ten Tuesday (5)

2011-07-26T00:34:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a Tuesday book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish to make lists of our favourite books or book-related topics. For this week's theme I picked one book per "tough" issue that really stands out to me. For the purposes of my list a "tough" issue is something highly controversial or something that would be hard to experience as a teenager.

Top Ten Books Tackling "Tough" Issues

1. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Laurie Halse Anderson is renowned her her novel Speak but I'd like to remember her for her 7th book. A novel that redefined what it means to have an eating disorder to me, Wintergirls opened my eyes to a terrifying world of sadness and angst. A beautiful novel about one of the most heartbreaking forms of self-harm.

2. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal. A 2011 debut author, Lorraine Zago Rosenthal has captured the attention of YA readers this year with her stunning novel about growing up in New York in the 1980s. We meet Ari who is unaware of the AIDS and STI risks around her as she begins her emotional awakening in high school and are drawn to her discovery of love and sex.

3. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins. Ellen Hopkins is the queen of controversial issues. It was hard to narrow it down to one novel to choose, but in the end Impulse won out. This is one of my favourite books about teen suicide because for once it looks at it from the perspective of attempted cases rather than the lives of friends and family post-suicide.

4. Exposure by Therese Fowler. A YA/adult crossover, Exposure delves into the modern day world of sexting and its serious implications in today's legal cases. After two teenagers in love are caught sending each other nude photos they fight to prove their innocence and right to privacy versus new and up-and-coming laws about the internet.

5. No and Me by Delphine de Vigan. A French novel about homelessness, some YA readers might shy away from such a "pointless" or "boring" but No and Me is nothing but heartbreaking and passionate. The tale of a homeless teenager in modern day Paris will open your eyes to the world of those forgotten by society with no one to comfort them.

6. Sister Wife by Shelley Hrdlitschka. As polygamy becomes a national issue in both Canada and the USA many YA authors have taken to giving their perspective on the FLDS' lifestyle choices. Sister Wife offers three perspectives: a daughter who wants to get out, a "lost boy" who is kicked out, and a sister who years to be married. I appreciated the originality compared to other novels who only paint one side of this very complex issue and fail to comment on the lives of those left behind.

7. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. We've all heard the news stories of young girls kidnapped and raped but rarely do we hear what actually happens during those terrifying hours, days, months, or in this case, years. In Living Dead Girl readers are subject to the harsh realities of sexual abuse and the startling affects on the personality and behaviour of young Alice.

8. Stay by Deb Caletti. Deb Caletti's most recent novel Stay is about a young girl escaping her present by running away to the sea. While there are many other facets to this complicated novel the most prominent is teenage relationship violence, a topic that needs to be addressed more in the media and literature.

9. Becoming Anna by Anna J. Michener. Becoming Anna was one of the first books I ever read about mental illness, especially when the narrator was the one being diagnosed. A terrifying story of misdiagnosis and foster care, Anna's memoir erased most of my stereotypes about mental patients and their circumstances and replaced it with a heart wrenching honesty of fear and isolation.

10. I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin. Teen pregnancy is a very common topic in YA literature but rarely are readers able to hear the male perspective. In I Know It's Over, Nick learns that his ex-girlfriend Sasha is pregnant. I bawled through most of this book due to it's beautiful prose and metaphor, and the shocking emotional anguish a teenage boy must feel when faced with such a situation.

Did you do a Top Ten Tuesday? Post your link in the comments!

The Taker by J.M. Steele

2011-07-25T07:30:00.020-04:00

Title: The Taker

Author: J.M. Steele

Publisher: Hyperion

Release Date: September 1, 2006

Date Read: July 12, 2011

Rating: 3/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

Carly Biel's future is right on track: she's a great student (mostly A's and B's); her boyfriend, Brad, is captain of the lacrosse team; and she's a shoe-in for Princeton (her dad's an alum - love that legacy status!). She's never been great at standardized tests (so nerve-racking!), but she always figured she'd do well enough on the SAT to get by. Guess what? She tanks. Really tanks. Now she only has one more opportunity to take the test, and she's sure she can't pull her scores up by much. That's why, when she gets a mysterious note from "The Taker," she can't resist. Now she's hired someone to take the test for her - but what if she gets caught? And what if she doesn't?

This debut novel from J.M. Steele will have every test-taker chewing their pencils

Review

SATs. I know absolutely nothing about them. In Canada to apply for university you just submit your senior grades each term. Apparently in the US there's fancy essay writing and tests? Eek! As soon as I heard The Taker was about SATs I jumped at the chance to delve into the magical world of American standardized testing. The scenario? Very cute and probable. The execution? Less than likable, but the ending chapters left me with a warm fuzzyish feeling so 3 stars!

If I could've made some small adjustments to The Taker my biggest change would have been humour. I love to laugh! The whole scenario of cheating on your SATs is actually quite cute and funny rather than melodramatic. I think the plot would be a little less slow and boring if there'd been more joking and bantering, or even awkward moments and escapades between Carly and Ronald. It seemed too serious and angsty rather than fun and flirty and I think a younger audience could have understood the novel better that way.

Lately a lot of the YA books I've read seem like Disney Channel Original Movie scripts. Popular protagonist, always a shy male love interest, quirky supporting friends and characters, some sort of jock boyfriend. While the plot is interchangeable you can always see through to the "copy-paste" skeleton of the novel. While there were some differences in The Taker I found it too much like Lizzie McGuire for it to be truly original.

Recommended: Hacking Harvard (Robin Wasserman), A Novel Idea (Aimee Friedman)

In My Mailbox (23)

2011-07-24T07:30:00.002-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly Sunday meme by The Story Siren where participants show what books and swag they received this week through a store, library, or publishing house.

Won

Wondrous Strange (Lesley Livingston)

Review

The Beast Call (Anne Tibbits)

Library

Because I Am Furniture (Thalia Chaltas)
Enthusiasm (Polly Shulman)
Fade (Lisa McMann)
Wake (Lisa McMann)

Did you do an In My Mailbox this week? Post your link below and I'll check it out!

So Shelly by Ty Roth

2011-07-23T07:30:00.000-04:00

Title: So Shelly

Author: Ty Roth

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Release Date: February 8, 2011

Date Read: July 11, 2011

Rating: 4/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

Until now, high school junior, John Keats, has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.

After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.

Review

This is a textbook example of how not reading the summary can make for a better reading experience. I had absolutely no idea what So Shelly was about and based on the cover I assumed it was some sort of paranormal romance. Instead I was completely surprised when it was an angst-filled contemporary romance.

I absolutely love analytical reads. You've probably noticed if you're a follower but the majority of my reviews are really wordy and intellectual. I love analysing my books to look for symbolism and character development. Books like So Shelly already have the analysis waiting on the pages for me and deciphering it even further is almost like a gift. While some reading might find that the intellectual writing takes away from the heart-breaking dialogue and romance I argue that it adds an extra oomph to the tragedy.

I found many circumstances in the novel to be highly unrealistic or improbable based on today's social norms and typical teenage behaviour and was all ready to complain for the rest of the book until I read the epilogue/author notes. Ty Roth tried to mirror Shelly, Keats, and Gordon's lives as much as possible and back in the 1800s, they led very... interesting lives. I don't think it would've been as much of a tribute to them if he'd edited them out but it made for a very scandalous novel.

If you didn't like reading Frankenstein in English or hate poetry, please try So Shelly. Reading about the lives of the authors in a semi-fictional world inspired me to read more of their works and I absolutely fell in love. YA literature is a great way to introduce teens to great topics especially other authors' works. Oh! And if you loved Bright Star as much as I did, this is the icing on the cake.

Favourite Quote: "He ignores me because he loves me."

Recommended: How to Say Goodbye in Robot (Natalie Standiford), The Secret Year (Jennifer R. Hubbard), Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher), The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (E. Lockhart)

TGIF (5)

2011-07-22T11:05:00.000-04:00

A book-question and weekly recap meme hosted by Ginger at GReads.

"Bookshelf Tour: Where do you keep your books at home? Are they organized?"

Awesome question! I've been dying to do a proper bookshelf tour since my blog was started in January, especially after I got new bookshelves in early July.

Here's my video! I try to list all the titles/authors but end up giving up half way through. LOL

Did you do a TGIF today? Post your link below and I'll be sure to check it out!

Me, Penelope by Lisa Jahn-Clough

2011-07-21T07:30:00.025-04:00

Title: Me, Penelope

Author: Lisa Jahn-Clough

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Release Date: April 23, 2007

Date Read: July 11, 2011

Rating: 2/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

Penelope Yeager is like a lot of sixteen-year-olds—she wants more independence from her crazy mother; she wants to get her driver’s license; and she wants to get out of high school, away from her town. More than anything, Lopi wants to find someone to really connect with, someone to love— but short of that, she wants to have sex. She’s already figured out how to graduate a year early, but the rest isn’t so easy. For one thing, her mother, Vivian, isn’t just crazy: she’s young, vivacious, and beautiful. No one can resist Viv’s charms, but Lopi knows it’s all just an act. Viv is only pretending to be happy, trying to ignore Lopi and the horrible accident that changed everything between them. Lopi tries to pretend too, as she navigates the murky waters of sex and love and growing up, but she can’t fool herself— Lopi has a secret that sets her apart: the accident was her fault, she is evil . . .

Review

Unfortunately I left writing this review until a few days after I'd finished reading it and no matter how many times I read the summary or my review notes, I couldn't for the life of me remembering reading this. Memorable? I think not. I feel like in all of my "under 3 star" reviews I always comment on the same things. A lack of creative characters, an unoriginal plot, and something literary that I didn't particularly like.

Once again I beg authors to think about their parental characters. Not every parent is irresponsible, flimsy, rude, self-centered, or ignorant of the main character. It's very typical in YA books for grieving parents to completely disregard parenting their other children and just wallow in self pity for years. While this is a legitimate and realistic reaction to a child's death, it's boring to read over and over again. It would be awesome to have a strong, reflective parent or perhaps even a family that discusses events before the climax of the book?

I found it very intriguing that Lisa Jahn-Clough chose to have a very sexually-driven plot and main character. Often in YA literature the protagonist is a virgin wary of sex. Instead Penelope is eager to "get it over with" and feels left out that all of her friends and classmates have already had sex. While her perception is obviously biased based on her own virginity and her friends' sexual lives, I'm glad that it was finally expressed that protagonists can be eager to have sex without being sluts or whores. Wanting to have sexually experiences can be liberating, and even if it's illegal at 16, there's nothing wrong with exploring those feelings and emotions,

Recommended: Leap (Jodi Lundgren), The Freak Observer (Blythe Woolston), Forever (Judy Blume)

Waiting on Wednesday (27)

2011-07-20T07:30:00.000-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Wednesday meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Participants highlight an upcoming unpublished novel they're interested in.

Title: Stay With Me

Author: Paul Griffin

Release Date: September 8, 2011
Publisher: Dial

Goodreads

Summary

An urban romance that will capture your soul, break your heart, and restore your faith in the human spirit

Fifteen-year-olds Cece and Mack didn't expect to fall in love. She's a sensitive A student; he's a high school dropout. But soon they're spending every moment together, bonding over a rescued dog, telling their secrets, making plans for the future. Everything is perfect. Until. Until. Mack makes a horrible mistake, and in just a few minutes, the future they'd planned becomes impossible. In this stark new reality, both of them must find meaning and hope in the memories of what they had, to survive when the person they love can't stay.

From award-winning writer Paul Griffin, Stay with Me is both heartbreaking and uplifting, filled with characters (both dog and human) that will forever change the way you look at the world

As soon as the cover was released a few weeks ago I was hooked on Stay With Me. I read an ARC review this week and now I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Doesn't it sound amazing?!

Did you do a Waiting on Wednesday this week? Post your link below and I'll check it out!

Top Ten Tuesday (4)

2011-07-19T11:53:00.000-04:00

I'm loving Top Ten Tuesday lately and will probably make it a regular meme for the rest of the summer. If you don't know, Top Ten Tuesday is a Tuesday book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish to make lists of our favourite books or book-related topics.

Top Ten Books That Should Be Required Reading for Teens

1. Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. In many Canadian school districts teachers are not allowed to teach Merchant of Venice because of it's antisemitic views. I think it's an amazing play that happens to touch on many "taboo" topics including homosexuality, antisemitism, and racism that students should study and learn about rather than be ignorant of.

2. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Being completely biased on this one because I love it more than air sometimes, but I think everyone should read Harry Potter. There's amazing character and plot development, plus great themes to study like good vs evil, nature vs nurture, the journey of the hero, sacrifice, responsibility, racism, prejudice, bullying, destiny, etc. I would've killed to do a paper on Harry Potter in high school.

3. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. One of Jodi Picoult's finest works, Nineteen Minutes focuses on many issues teenagers face including bullying, peer pressure, and relationship abuse in a strong literary style. A great novel about the consequences of actions it's main topic is a school shooting, something teens should read about and be aware of especially in a decade where so many have occurred.

4. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. I read this when I was about 13 or 14 and bawled my way through the final chapters. An amazing ethical novel told through the eyes of a mentally challenged man given an operation to "be smart". I don't want to ruin the plot for anyone who hasn't read it yet but the transformation is tear-jerking and a must-read for any young person.

5. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. A novel about a young boy but definitely not for young readers. I would recommend this to a mature English class studying Holocaust literature because it gives a fresh perspective on concentration camps through the eyes of a child. Whittling World War II down to the simplest it can be taught me how truly horrifying the entire war was.

6. Crank by Ellen Hopkins. Poetry and dug abuse are two things rarely covered in high school curriculum, so why not combine them both in one book! Crank is an excellent way to convey metaphor, simile, and any other fancy literary terms English teachers argue can't be found in YA books without the "boringness" of most required reading today.

7. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This one doesn't really have an explanation. It's just an amazing novel that I think all teens should read, especially boys just to gain a female perspective on rape. While some might argue it's a book with "heavy" content, I think it's important for teens to read at least some "dark" books at some point before they turn 18.

8. The Giver by Lois Lowry. This was required reading in my elementary school but I found out that no other school other than mine chose it so most teenagers at my high school had never read it. Everyone should read this! One of the first great dystopia novels written for teens, The Giver changed my perspective of government, responsibility, and communism.

9. So Shelly by Ty Roth. A bunch of people would probably disagree with this, but I'd choose this for recommended reading to introduce young people to some of the most famous authors and poets who ever existed. Why not read a modern day intellectually written book about them rather than subject students to reading poetry and books that they'll probably grumble about because they don't understand the language? This is a great introduction and would probably spark a lot of interest in people that otherwise would've ignored poetry and the classics all together.

10. Anything. As Anna said, teenagers should have the opportunity to read anything they want. Every year in my high school English classes we had one required reading novel (The Hobbit, To Kill a Mockingbird, Frankenstein, and Fifth Business) but in 3 of those classes we were allowed to choose our own ISU novel. It was a great opportunity to showcase and analyse YA fiction and I hope more English teachers do the same in the future.

Did you do a Top Ten Tuesday? Post your link in the comments!

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler

2011-07-18T07:30:00.032-04:00

Title: Scrambled Eggs at Midnight

Author: Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Release Date: May 4, 2006

Date Read: July 8 - 9, 2011

Rating: 4/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

Calliope (Cal to her friends) wants nothing more than to stay put, to stop traveling cross-country with her mother, sleeping in a tent, abandoning all belongings whenever they pull up with stakes. Eliot misses the happy times he left behind when his father decided to make a business out of spreading the gospel. When Cal and Eliot meet by chance in the mountains of North Carolina, they feel an immediate connection.

Against the quirky backdrops of a Christian fat camp and a Renaissance Faire, Cal struggles with her mother’s waning interest in parenting, while Eliot wrestles with his father’s misplaced faith. Cal and Eliot’s bond grows stronger as they face such challenges as a missing camper, a flood, and a self-absorbed jouster who has his eye on Cal’s mom. Will Cal and Eliot find a safe home in each other? Or is their relationship destined to be short-lived?

This smart novel, featuring unforgettable characters, sparkling dialogue, colorful settings, and even a few recipes, is as funny as it is romantic.

Review

Lately I've been very critical and judgmental of the books I read, expecting above-and-beyond creativity and originality in both plot and character. I've been very cynical towards melodramatic and insta-love romances and have tried to steer clear of any plain old contemporary romances. Scrambled Eggs at Midnight swooped right in and melted my stubborn heart. It's disappointing to think that because this was published 5 years ago, people might never read this.

I absolutely fell in love with Cal and Eliot. Two (stereotypically) broken, angsty teenagers who catch each other's eyes one day at a street corner end up being the best thing that ever happened to each other. Their old-fashioned romance of no technology, throwing rocks at windows, chaste kisses and holding hands made me want to believe in true love. With beautiful written run-on sentences usually reserved by Laurie Halse Anderson, Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler created the perfect summer romance story that makes your heart swell.

There were so many things in this book that I would normally not like: insta-love, yet another poor parenting book, religious references, overly emotional romance. But I totally forgot about all of them until I was done reading and even then, it didn't really matter anymore. While I would love to read a book where two characters meet and get to know each other before falling in love, and maybe for once someone could have a supportive and caring parent, I thought that Scrambled Eggs at Midnight was fine just the way it was.

Quote: "Dreams are like that: they go in and out of memories and scenes, but they are never real. They're never real, and I hate them because they aren't."

Recommended: Rosie & Skate (Beth Ann Bauman), Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (Rachel Cohn & David Levithan), The Truth About Forever (Sarah Dessen)

In My Mailbox (22)

2011-07-17T11:16:00.001-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly Sunday meme by The Story Siren where participants show what books and swag they received this week through a store, library, or publishing house.

This week I only received one book. A bunch of my review copies are in-transit so hopefully next week I'll have more to share!

Won

Wondrous Strange (Lesley Livingston)

Thanks to Chrystal at Snowdrop Dreams of Books.

Did you do an In My Mailbox this week? Post your link below and I'll check it out!

Leap by Jodi Lundgren

2011-07-16T07:30:00.049-04:00

Title: Leap
Author: Jodi Lundgren

Publisher: Second Story Press

Release Date: March 1, 2011

Date Read: July 4- 7, 2011

Rating: 2/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

When life is changing, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith in yourself.

Natalie Ferguson has just turned fifteen, a momentous age that, happily, means that she's officially a grown-up. But while her mom doesn't seem to have got the memo, Kevin, her best friend Sasha's older brother, has. The school year is over, and Natalie is looking forward to a summer of perfecting her technique at dance camp. Caught up with the excitement of Kevin's attention, their relationship quickly becomes intimate and all-consuming.

Natalie's summer is a mix of amazing highs and dramatic lows. She goes from being in love and lust with Kevin to realizing that he is not the guy she thought he was, and she may have lost her friendship with Sasha in the process. Then, just when she's ready to turn to her single mom for advice, she learns that her mother is now in love with a woman. Losing her virginity, dealing with her new understanding of her mother, and trying to renegotiate her relationships, Natalie clings to her dancing as the only sure thing in a life suddenly full of questions

Review

I hate when I start a book and have certain expectations of how the plot will turn out because usually they don't come true. In the case of Leap, it really tainted my opinion of the book when my predictions didn't turn out and I feel really bad writing a negative review about it. I assumed the book would be about one summer when Natalie finally grows up and gains independence, but Jodi Lundgren put a different spin on "growing up" and extended the book into the school year which I wasn't really expecting. I also assumed that the main topic of the book would be self-discovery but instead there were many smaller topics never expanded on like legalization of marijuana, divorce, teenage sexuality, and LGBTQ parenting.

I'm really conflicted about the language writing style in this book. While it's true that there is no one "way" a teenager talks I'm annoyed when authors write only slang and swearing, because many of us actually have a vocabulary beyond that. I was really glad that Jodi Lundgren showed the repercussions of those words though because too often it goes uncritisized in YA literature. On the other hand, teenagers do use casual language and don't speak like "I did this and then I did this. It was jolly good."

I didn't connect to Natalie, the main character, at all. I found her to be a very naive, spoiled, disrespectful, and disobedient protagonist. While I'm glad that Jodi Lundgren didn't make her a "goody-two-shoes" I couldn't empathize with Natalie's lifestyle choices at all. I really struggled to conceptualize the dancing aspects of the book. As a non-dancer I didn't understand most of the vocabulary and found the descriptions of the dance sequences to be very long and melodramatic. I found it fascinating to watch dance affect Natalie in such a positive and inspiring way but I wish I could have fully understood and experienced that transformation with her.

Quote: "Educators make sex sound like a dentist appointment, right down to the hygienic rubber gloves. They talk about 'getting swept away in the moment' like it's a health risk and not the point of the whole experience. I can't help it: I want sex to be romantic."

Recommended: Forever (Judy Blume), On Pointe (Lorie Ann Grover), Fractures (Budge Wilson)

TGIF (4)

2011-07-15T10:44:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was featured at Daisy Chain Book Reviews for Summer Spotlight. I wrote a guest post about older YA summer favourites and selected some of my favourites. Check it out!

Also due to a lack of interest as of this week I will be discontinuing my Wannabee Book Hipster weekly meme. I might be bringing it back in the late fall or early winter if more people are interested in participating. Saturdays will now be another review day.

TGIF

A book-question and weekly recap meme hosted by Ginger at GReads.

"Book Blogger Appreciation: Which book blogs have inspired you or made a difference in your blogging exprience?"

According to my Google Reader I'm following about 70 blogs. It's so hard to keep everyone straight! A few have made an amazing impact on my book blogging experience and I really hope you'll check them out. (Also see my blog roll on the right sidebar for more blogs)

Kristi, The Story Siren - The queen of YA blogging. This was the first book blog I ever read and I absolutely fell in love with her style, her outlook, her connections, her love of literature, her amazing blog design, her memes, etc. I followed her for a few months before deciding to take the plunge and start my own blog.
Ari, Reading in Color - I'm a fan of just choosing books off the shelf and I don't really think too much about the statistics and what the books represent. Ari, on the other hand, seeks out multicultural books and POC main characters. She challenges authors and publishers to not white-wash their casts and include realistic portrayals of POC characters. I've been inspired by her to diversify my reading and think critically about the YA publishing world.
Christy, The Reader Bee - I love Christy! She was one of the first people to reach out to me when I first started blogging. She's a wonderful, efficient, caring blogger who runs one of the nicest blogs I read. She was my first "friend" in the book blogging world and helped me make connections with other bloggers.

Did you do a TGIF? Post your link in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out!

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

2011-07-14T13:28:00.000-04:00

Title: Witchlanders

Author: Lena Coakley

Publisher: Atheneum

Release Date: August 30, 2011

Date Read: July 7 - 8, 2011

Rating: 3/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—

Are about him.

Review

I received a copy of Witchlanders from Simon & Schuster Canada as their new YA book reviewer and this is the first book I'm reviewing for them. I'm so excited! I'll be featuring Lena Coakley in late August for an interview so be sure to check back. I absolutely love to support debut authors, especially Canadians.

Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy Witchlanders as much as I would've liked to because I kept making comparisons to Singer of All Songs. A similar YA fantasy series by Kate Constable where the characters also use singing as their "power", I couldn't help but note one too many similarities between the fantasy worlds. Even though there were several pages in Witchlanders dedicated to describing the music and how it produced, I didn't understand it at all and thought it made a lot more sense in Chanters of Tremaris.

I appreciated Lena Coakley's attempt to bring back high fantasy to a reading trend dominated by urban fantasy. I found her village setting rather unoriginal as most high fantasy books take place in old-fashioned towns. I can't wait to read a high fantasy set in a technology developed society or perhaps one that mirrors our modern world. I also am not a fan of books about destiny or prophecies (Harry Potter exempted, of course) because I find them rather stereotypical and melodramatic.

I absolutely loved Falpian's character! What an awesome choice to have two male protagonists and perspectives rather than the usual girl-boy or girl-girl. I can't wait to read more about his family, childhood, singing abilities, and interests in a future sequel. On top of having two male main characters I thought it was awesome that Lena Coakley didn't write a romantic interest for either character. I don't think I've ever read a fantasy book before with absolutely no hints of romance!

Favourite Quote: "An assassin's first murder is himself. He kills the man he was."

Recommended: The Singer of All Songs (Kate Constable), The Golden Compass (Philip Pullman)

Once Upon a Read-a-thon: Wrap-Up

2011-07-13T17:12:00.001-04:00

Final update for the read-a-thon! Let's start with some mini-challenges.

Sab at YA Bliss asked us to list our top 3 favourite love triangles. Love triangles are quite possibly my least favourite possible romantic scenario but these three triangles have stood out to me as absolutely fantastic. If you haven't had a chance to read them, go!

1. David + Tally + Zane, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

2. Becca + Alec + Camille, After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy

3. Jared + Melanie/Wanda + Ian, The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Ashley at Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing asked us for book recommendations!

1. You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin

Everyone should read this because it's in my current Top 3 Reads for 2011 and quite possibly my favourite male narrator novel. With so many female protagonists it's always refreshing to read from a male perspective. I loved You Killed Wesley Payne for its fast paced mystery filled with lots of action and adventure, but Sean Beaudoin put a unique noir-film spin on it. Loved it!

2. So Shelly by Ty Roth

I absolutely loved this book! Unfortunately I didn't particularly like the other two books I've read so far in the read-a-thon but So Shelly would stand out anyways in my monthly reading selection. Ty Roth did an amazing job of taking three brilliant poets and converting their dark, mysterious old-fashioned lives into deep, metaphorical journeys as modern day teenagers. Anyone who loved English class will gush over this one!

Books Read: 3. The Taker (J.M. Steele), So Shelly (Ty Roth), and Me Penelope (Lisa Jahn-Clough)

Pages Read:906

Fun Had: Tons!

Unfortunately due to some extenuating circumstances my read-a-thon was not as productive as it could have been. My fridge shut down sometime last night and I've spent the entire day throwing out almost all the food in my house. No reading done! Oh well, I still had a blast!

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

2011-07-13T07:30:00.001-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly Wednesday meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Participants highlight an upcoming unpublished novel they're interested in.

Title: Burnout
Author: Adrienne Maria Vrettos

Release Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Goodreads

Summary

On the day after Halloween, Nan wakes up in a subway car. She is not dreaming. She doesn’t know where she’s been or what she’s done. She’s missing a whole day from her life. And she’s wearing skeleton makeup and a too-small Halloween costume that she doesn't remember putting on.

Nan is not supposed to wake up in places like this anymore. She’s different now, so far from that dangerously drunk girl who hit bottom in the Nanapocalypse. She needs to find out what happened to her, and fast. As she tries to put together the pieces of the last twenty-four hours, she flashes back to memories of her previous life. But she would never go back to her old friends and her old ways. Would she?

The deeper Nan digs, the more disturbing things get. This time, she may have gone one step too far. This time, she may be a walking ghost.

In my quest to find books to add to the list YA Novels of 2011 I came across this haunting cover. I can't wait to read it this fall!

Top Ten Tuesday (3)

2011-07-12T07:30:00.070-04:00

Wahoo! It's that time of the week again! Laura's attempt at trying random memes at random times! Yay! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Authors I Would Die to Meet

I absolutely love meeting authors! I have a post schedule in...September I think talking about all the different author events and people I've met, from Kelley Armstrong to Lesley Livingston. I'll also be attending a few author events this fall. Yay!

1. J.K. Rowling - I'd probably just start bawling as soon as I see her and then try to gargle out some sort of "thank you for making my childhood amazing" speech. After seeing her speech at the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere all I want to do is give her a hug.

2. Sarah Dessen - The queen of contemporary. I'm meeting her this fall! Eek! I'm super excited! She is one of the few authors whom I'm read every one of their works. Except for Whatever Happened to Goodbye because I suck. I really should get on that.

3. Tamora Pierce - While Harry Potter is considered fantasy, not quite in the same way as Tamora Pierce's Tortall. She redefined the genre for me and introduced me to my first real heroines: Alanna, Daine, Kel, Ali, and Beka. I think I'd just scream if I ever met her.

4. Jodi Picoult - As a YA reader I shy away from the adult section like it's full of malaria. Jodi Picoult introduced me to the world of YA/adult crossover and I'll be forever grateful. To sit and have a chat with the woman behind Nineteen Minutes? Stop my beating heart! (Plus I have like 6 of her books that defs need to be signed.)

5. John Green - Nerdfighters unite! I'm a huge fan of not only John Green's books but his vlog channel and ability to constantly communicate with his fanbase. He goes above and beyond with Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube to interact with his fans and hear their input on his works. If I ever met him (or his adorable son) I would just die.

6. William Shakespeare - While not technically an author I would kill to have dinner with Shakespeare. To find out what inspired his plays, how he developed the characters, whether any of it was based on real life events or happenings. Also to get his opinion on Shakespeare in Love would be stellar. Love him to death.

7. Gregory Maguire - Some people can't wait to meet Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth but I 'm dying to meet the man behind the curtain. (pun!) Gregory Maguire taught me that there's always more than one side to a story and long before Snape's reveal in Deathly Hallows taught me to love the anti-hero as much as the hero.

8. Dr. Seuss - I saw Jen at The Broke and the Bookish add this one, so Nick Hornby was bumped out. Dr. Seuss would be epic! Gah! I'd make him write me on a poem on the spot and show him Horton Hears a Who and it would be amazing. Absolutely love the Seuss.

9. Laurie Halse Anderson - I love Laurie Halse Anderson. She's seriously such an amazing author. I bawled my eyes out during her 10th anniversary of Speak video. I'd desperately like to thank her for what she's done for YA literature, especially books dealing with "dark" issues and content.

10. Maureen Johnson - When I think Maureen Johnson the first word that comes to mind is "cool". She's such a cool author! While I haven't read all her works I've read enough to be a huge fan and desperately want to meet her. Oh! And give her a high-5 for her super awesome radio conversation about #yasaves.

Did you do a Top Ten Tuesday? Post your link in the comments!

Once Upon a Read-a-thon: Monday Update

2011-07-11T22:13:00.002-04:00

First day is done! *phew*

I participated in the two mini-challenges for the day. Hosted by Bailey at IB Blogging, there was a challenge about Greek mythology!

1. What is your favourite type of myth?

Egyptian! As a child I was absolutely obsessed with Egypt and loved reading all about the gods and goddesses. I find that entire culture fascinating and wish there was more YA fiction.

2. What's your favourite book with some type of mythology in it?

I haven't actually read any mythology books in years! I've been dying to read The Goddess Test but haven't had a chance yet. But my favourite mythology book so far is Troy by Adele Geras. Great interpretation!

Books Read : 2 (Me Penelope by Lisa Jahn-Clough / So Shelly by Ty Roth)

Pages Read: 554

On a side note, I was featured today at The Crazy Bookworm for her feature Interview With a Blog. Check it out!