Tahleen's Mixed-Up Files

Audiobook Review: "Robopocalypse" by Daniel H. Wilson

2012-02-25T00:51:00.000-05:00

Title: Robopocalypse
Author: Daniel H. Wilson
Publisher: Random House Audio, 2011 (print available from Doubleday, 2011)
Narrator: Mike Chamberlain

In the not-so-distant future, robots are everywhere. There are ones that act as servants, smart cars and buildings that can operate on their own, military robots, and hundreds more. They are everywhere, performing millions of functions. When man's quest for knowledge goes too far and a powerful artificial intelligence, known as Archos, is summoned, this is the beginning of the end. Archos takes control of all robots that are online, and humankind is under attack by the things it depends on in everyday life. This is the new war, in which billions will die. But humans aren't going down without a fight.

Told as a framed narrative by Cormac Wallace, who, at the end of the war, finds what he calls the "black box" of the whole robot uprising. It contains the stories of what it calls human heroes, starting from the very beginning and going to the very end. Cormac decides he needs to write these stories he sees played by this surviving robot in order for future generations to know and understand what their ancestors endured, and what was sacrificed.

This book has been getting a lot of praise, including winning an Alex Award (given to exceptional adult books with teen appeal), and it is all deserved. I have been wanting to read this since before its Alex Award, and I'm so glad I finally got around to it. This is a sci-fi book that belongs up there with the classics. Slowly building up to what becomes known as Zero Hour with isolated incidents having to do with what are dismissed as malfunctions, all hell breaks loose when Archos unleashes the full power of robot kind on humans.

I loved how the narrative was constructed. Cormac recounts each person's story either in their own words as he hears them on the recordings, or as he sees them from captured video. It was incredible to see how each person or group affected the rest of the characters or how they helped humanity with their actions. I loved seeing them all come together or connect through the course of the book. Though this book is filled with carnage and unspeakable tragedy, there is an undercurrent of the fierceness of the human spirit and the unbreakable hope that comes with it. It is filled with the deepest pain and love; when it comes down to it, we see what each character is made of.

My only problem with the book as a whole was how each first-person narrative was told in the present tense. I couldn't imagine people recounting these events in the present tense out loud, which is what we are told they are doing. But that's my only problem.

Mike Chamberlain did a decent job at narration. He made voices just different enough that the different speakers could be distinguished from one another, and he did a great job at unrolling the story at the right pace. Nothing stood out too much to me, but he told the story well and never took me out of it unnecessarily. And really, that's all this book needed.

Be warned, this is not a book for those who get queasy easily. There is a LOT of blood and guts. People die in horrible ways, in great numbers. But if you can get past that, I promise this book is worth it. It certainly deserved its Alex Award, as I can easily see teens reading and really enjoying this, and I hope more adults will pick it up too.

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from the library.

Review: "The Name of This Book Is Secret" by Pseudonymous Bosch

2012-02-12T22:41:00.002-05:00

Title: The Name of This Book Is Secret
Author: Pseudonymous Bosch
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company, 2007

Technically I guess I'm not supposed to tell you what this book is about. The narrator makes that very clear in the first chapter; this is a SECRET and s/he shouldn't even be TELLING us the story. But said narrator can't keep a secret, so there you go. Basically this is the story of how survivalist Cassandra (she is always prepared for a disaster, though to date she hasn't had to deal with a real one), along with unlikely collaborator Max-Ernest (classmate and aspiring comedian), wind up trying to crack they mystery of an Italian magician's suspicious death. Along the way they find out what synesthesia and alchemy are, and why they are connected. (Yeah, I don't know either.)

This is the kind of book that you have the be a specific kind of person to enjoy. I was not one of them. I didn't like how the narrator kept interrupting the story to talk about how s/he shouldn't be telling us this, s/he was stopping, whatever. I found it irritating. I also wasn't too thrilled about the plot itself. The mystery didn't really draw me in, and I found myself skimming the last 50 pages just so I could finish it. I don't think I'd have liked this when I was a kid, either, so it's not just me being a grown-up and not appreciating it because it was written for children.

I didn't particularly like the characters, either. Everyone seemed pretty flat to me, with personality traits thrown in here and there in an attempt to round them out. It just wasn't for me.

That said, readers who enjoyed The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart might enjoy this. There's a lot about codes and logic and puzzles, which can be really fun. I know that people must buy and read this series, since there are five of them now and the keep being published, so maybe I'm missing what makes this series special. *shrugs*

Disclosure: I bought this ebook from B&N.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins

2012-02-10T18:07:00.001-05:00

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Speak, 2011 (paperback)

Okay, okay, I know. What took me so long. Life got in the way, kids. But I finally made it, months after everyone else. And of course, everyone was right.

Anna is being sent to France against her will for her senior year of high school. At least it's an American boarding school, but still, she's pissed at her dad (a famous author who sounds suspiciously like Nicholas Sparks) for taking her away from everything she knows and sending her to some foreign country on her own. But she eventually settles in, makes friends, and is forced to get to know the city by said friends, especially St. Clair (that's his last name, first name Etienne). Friendship gets complicated between these two though, when both start to feel something more but, oh hey, St. Clair has a girlfriend. Then throw in a mean girl, another dude, and the excitement only Paris has to offer and you get one awesome book.

There's really not much more I can say about this book that hasn't been said, but I'll do it anyway. Yes, St. Clair has a British accent and is a super nice guy and is extremely attractive (and short—my fiance would approve), but he also has his baggage. This includes a truly awful father and the inability to be alone at this time in his life (you'll see why). Anna is equally down to earth, and she has an appreciation for film that is rarely seen in YA novels—her aspiration is the be one of the few female film critics. Their relationship is incredibly real and exactly what a friends/more-than-friends relationship is like. Anyone who's ever been in that sort of situation will feel the same way, I'd guess. And I love that it takes the appropriate amount of time for them each to fall for the other.

Did I mention there are serious issues in here too? No? There are serious issues. Bullying, for one. At one point Anna has to deal with some truly terrible people and I actually cried at how they were treating her. That's not the only real-life issue in here, but that's where I'll stop because I don't want to give any spoilers for the few who have yet to read it.

And how could I forget the setting? This book made me want to go back to Paris, since hey, I was there for only 7 hours between trains. The food, the people, the excitement are all intoxicating. Even though it rained most of the days in the book, I still wanted to be there.

I stayed up late to finish this, something I wasn't expecting to do, and that doesn't happen very often for me. So yes, this book is everything everyone has been saying it is. It's truly worth the read, not only because of how utterly delightful it is, but because of it's depth and the truth behind every relationship.

I know the American cover isn't the best, one of the reasons I didn't read it sooner, but let me show you an alternate cover I found:

Isn't that so much cuter?

Side note: Did anyone else think the way Anna was described sounded exactly like Anna Paquin in X-Men? Gap between the front teeth, bleach in the hair, her name is Anna...

Disclosure: I got this book from the library.

Audiobook Review: "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

2012-02-03T21:21:00.001-05:00

Title: Out of My Mind
Author: Sharon M. Draper
Publisher: Recorded Books, 2010 (print available from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010)
Narrator: Sisi Aisha Johnson

Melody knows thousands of words. She is pretty sure she has a photographic memory, and she has synthesthesia—to her, music has color and taste. But even though she's 10 years old, no one in her life knows any of this. She has never spoken a single word in her life and has no way of communicating to her teachers, parents or anyone else. Melody has cerebral palsy, making it impossible for her to move or speak.

Sharon Draper brings us inside Melody's mind in this novel, told from Melody's own perspective. Her struggles, frustrations, and pain grabbed hold of my heart while I listened to Sisi Aisha Johnson's lovely narration. I became really invested in Melody and her family. I got angry when people treated her poorly, I got frustrated when people couldn't figure out what she wanted, I got sad when she knew she'd never be able to tell her parents with her own voice that she loves them. When bad things happen to anyone she loves, I got sad and sick with her. Often after I shut off the car to go to work, Melody's story stayed with me and I wondered what would happen to her when I finally returned to the story.

But ultimately, this is a story of survival and of hope. There is help for Melody, and she and her family do their best to get it. Melody begins to integrate into the regular schoolrooms, not just in the special education classroom, and begins to be challenged in her schoolwork for the first time. And finally, she finds a way to communicate better than she ever has in her life, leading to a whole new set of challenges for her.

Johnson does a wonderful job narrating. She sounded like a young girl, giving distinct voices to the different characters in Melody's life. She gives Melody a voice full of yearning and anger and sorrow and hope.

Out of My Mind not only is a great book to read if you're looking for the perspective of someone physically disabled, whether you use it in a classroom or suggest it to a library patron, it also is just a great book to read, period.

Disclosure: I checked this audiobook out from the library.

Winner of "Love Unlisted"

2012-02-01T19:32:00.000-05:00

Soooo I know it's been like half a week since I was supposed to post the winner, but the winner of Love Unlisted by Stephanie Haddad is....

Andrea L from MA!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Review: "Love Unlisted" by Stephanie Haddad + giveaway

2012-01-21T00:18:00.003-05:00

Title: Love Unlisted
Author: Stephanie Haddad
Publisher: Stephanie Haddad, 2011

Grace makes lists. Lots of them. Lists for her favorite things, the pros and cons about certain decisions she makes, even about the men she dates. She has to be in control of situations, and the lists help her do that. But her life is beginning to get much more complicated when her brother invades her three-bedroom apartment that she shares with her best friend, Bernsie; she's got the chance to become a full-fledged event planner instead of just as assistant, but she needs to prove herself first; not to mention she keeps bumping into Colin Kilbourne, a sexy musician with the geek look Grace so loves (Pro) but with unfortunate facial hair (soul patch) and the tendency to spill coffee on her (Con). She needs to figure out a way to get a handle on things—or just lose control completely.

So let me start my review with a story. I walked into a local coffee shop with my fiance where Stephanie Haddad had set up a table with her books, selling and signing. I approached her just before we were about to leave and asked if she would consider giving me a book for an honest review, and she accepted my offer. I'm glad I went up to her—she definitely has talent as a writer and gives Grace a fun, quirky voice that won me over.

I enjoyed Love Unlisted for the most part. The story was nothing too crazy, just a twentysomething woman at a crucial moment in her life and trying to get through it (though her compulsion to list is a main part of how she deals with it, not something typical of most people). The plot itself was not really what kept me reading, since the only things happening were at Grace's job, the stuff going on with her brother moving in, and the relationships going on. Though it was fun to see all the ways things turned out wrong for Grace in the party planning stuff.

What I really liked was watching how Grace and Colin developed their relationship, and watching the secondary characters' going about their own business. Grace also really has to wrestle with her listing habit, especially when it gets in the way of not only her relationship Colin but the rest of her life, as well.

Being from Boston, I loved reading a book set in my city. I don't live in the city, but if I were to pick one to be mine, I'd definitely pick Boston. I've been to the places Haddad writes about, so it was just a little extra fun thing for me.

This is technically an adult book, and I would classify it as chick lit, but I could easily see teens reading this. There are no explicit scenes and I think the only obstacle for teens reading this would be the inability to relate to Grace's situation as a young woman in the workforce.

My biggest gripe about this book is all of the typos throughout. It wasn't enough to drive me crazy, but there were more than normal. Granted, this is a self-published title and the typos were mostly things a spell-check wouldn't catch, but they were there. But that's my biggest problem, and it wasn't really too big of a deal.

Overall, I liked this book. Not the greatest I've ever read, but it had a fresh feel, the language had some kick to it, and it was nice to just sit down with a fun book.

If you'd like to read this or any other books by Haddad, check out her website. She lives in my hometown, which is of course how I met her, so if you're in the Boston area check to see if she'll be anywhere nearby anytime soon. She's a nice lady.

If you'd like a copy of Love Unlisted, I'm going to pass on my (signed!) copy to one of you! To enter, just leave a comment on this post with a way to reach you (email would work just fine for that). I'll announce the winner on Friday, January 27. And also, her other book A Previous Engagement is available free right now in ebook form pretty much everywhere they sell ebooks. Here's a link if you have a nook, and here's one if you have a Kindle.

Disclosure: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to People Who Don't Read Children's Literature

2012-01-17T09:59:00.000-05:00

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, as always hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is sort of open—the topic is Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to People Who Don't Read (fill in the blank). Instead of choosing young adult/teen books as I originally planned, I thought I'd go back to children's literature, specifically middle grade books. There are a lot of beautiful and fantastic stories told for this age group and I think it is too easily dismissed by many. Click on the links to see my full reviews.

1. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine: This book moved me so much that I wish I could give everyone a copy. Told from the perspective of a girl with Asperger's, she tells her story of how she and her father come to Closure after her brother is killed in a school shooting. Just a beautiful book.

2. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex: I listened to this on audio, and am actually relistening to it right now. Gratuity Tucci, 11 years old and left without a guardian after her mother is abducted, has to find her way to Florida after the Boov invade Earth. Not only is this really funny, the print version has pictures and comics, and there is actually a lot of parallels to history told through this invasion. If you like Douglas Adams, I bet you'd like this. Also, the audio is without compare—Bahni Turpin is brilliant.

3. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia: A quick read, but one you'll want to let sit for a while. 11-year-old Delphine is the oldest of the three girls in her family, and one summer they all go stay with their estranged mother in California, who is involved peripherally with the Black Panthers. I love that this talks about a period in history that isn't usually in children's books.

4. Diamond Willow by Helen Frost: This novel in verse is very short but is just full of emotion and heart. This is one of my favorite books I read last year, and I had to good fortune to meet Helen Frost this summer, which I am very grateful for. I am looking forward to reading her other books.

5. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck: Every summer, Joey and Mary Alice visit their grandmother in her small Illinois town. Episodic in nature, each chapter is a different story from each summer they visit during the Depression. Grandma Dowdel is not a sweet little old lady—she's large and in charge and takes crap from no one. Lots of humor in this one, with an air of nostalgia since Joey is telling these stories from present day.

6. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle: This will always have a special place in my heart. I think adults can appreciate this just as much as children. No one writes the way L'Engle did.

7. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech: This is due for a reread for me soon. A road trip mixed with a story and some romance, mixed with a mystery. Just a great book.

8. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead: This would probably be more up the alley of someone who has already read A Wrinkle in Time, but you can certainly appreciate it if you haven't. Time travel is mixed into a realistic historical fiction (historical, yes, but it takes place in 1979, so not too far in the past). Hard to explain, but again, a great story.

Okay, I didn't quite make it to 10 before running out of steam, but these are among the best I've read in a long time. Pick them up if you get the chance!

Review: "Winter Town" by Stephen Emond

2012-01-14T10:00:00.002-05:00

Title: Winter Town
Author: Stephen Emond
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company; 2011

Lucy visits New England every winter, for Christmas and New Year's, before heading back down to her new home in Georgia. Every year her best friend Evan looks forward to hanging out and catching up, drawing comics and going on walks, just like when they were growing up. But this year is different. This year, Lucy's hair is short and dyed black. This year, she has a nose ring and a bleak attitude. Evan doesn't know what is going on, but he tries just the same, all while trying to get his dad to back off from hounding him about his school work and getting into an Ivy League school. But will Evan and Lucy be able to overcome their differences that are now even more pronounced than ever? And what is going on between them, anyway?

I had trouble getting into this book. Though I loved all the artwork interspersed throughout the pages, especially the comics, I had a hard time connected with either of the main characters. Evan seemed dull and bland, while Lucy and her story seemed overly dramatic. Evan seemed to be defending his position that his life was hard too, just in a different way, which always seemed a bit weak to me considering what he was up against (abandonment, addiction, severe depression, etc.). Sure, there is a lot of pressure placed on him by his parents, but it seemed very whiny to me. All of this disconnect with the characters is particularly unfortunate because this book is most definitely character-driven, with most of the plot dealing with Evan's reactions to Lucy and vice versa.

As I mentioned earlier, I did really enjoy the artwork, though I liked the comics more than the more realistic illustrations. It all is very reminiscent of comic books and newspaper comic strips, and the loose line drawings are a lot of fun to look at. Emond made them a vital part of the story, including a sort of web comic that Evan creates at the beginning of each chapter, a symbolic story set in a fantasy world about Evan's own life.

I liked how the relationship between Evan and Lucy is never perfect. It doesn't tie up nicely most of the time, and it's clear that they are still just kids despite what they've been through, Lucy especially. This part of the narrative felt very real to me, and I appreciated that. I would like to check out Emond's other work to see how it compares to his latest.

Disclosure: The publisher sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: "Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)" by Sarah Mlynowski

2012-01-13T15:05:00.000-05:00

Title: Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher: HarperTeen, 2011

When April's dad and stepmom drop the bomb that they're moving to Cleveland, she can't even begin to comprehend or accept it. In fact, she'll do anything to stay in Connecticut, where her friends, her school, and her boyfriend Noah are. The problem is, her mother and brother are all the way in Paris and there's no where else she can stay. Well... except for her friend Vi's place. Where her mom will be leaving her unsupervised for the semester since she got the leading role in a traveling production of the musical Mary Poppins. All April has to do is tell a few little lies. But there are definitely some things she wasn't expecting to happen, like getting a hot tub, adopting a kitten, throwing the biggest party ever...

When I saw this book was only 99 cents for my nook, I knew I had to take advantage of that. I'd heard great things, and this book didn't disappoint. I couldn't believe some of the things these girls did, or that they had the guts to do them—at some points I was actually a bit upset at their decisions. But overall it was a fun book that had a lot of serious moments and issues teens deal with on a regular basis. Well, besides the whole living without guardians thing.

I loved that this is sort of a framed narrative. It starts off the morning after the big party, with April getting a phone call from her father saying he's 15 minutes away from the house to surprise her for her birthday. Needless to say, she is very surprised and goes into panic mode. Then we cut back to right before New Year's Eve, when we find out her father is leaving. The rest of the book goes through the time they are without parents, with a twist following the scene where the book started. I loved this.

What I'm most impressed with is how Mlynowski handles sex in her writing. April loses her virginity (one of the 10 things), and the way Mlynowski writes it is not only completely believable, but probably pretty normal. I was incredibly impressed with how responsibly she treats the subject—April and Vi both go on the birth control pill to start, use condoms, etc. Yet Mlynowski makes it clear that there can be consequences to sex, both emotionally and physically, and for that I am grateful that this book exists. I can think of a few people who should have read this.

I also really liked how April tries so hard to manage her love life and do the right thing, even though she is starting to have feelings for her friend Hudson and it's clear he likes her too. She stays loyal to her boyfriend, but there is that thought in the back of her mind that maybe she would be happier with someone else, especially when Noah starts to act differently toward her.

Overall, this was a quick, fun read that teens can easily relate to, despite the abnormal circumstances. I would certainly recommend this to teens, as well as those of us who read young adult novels well into adulthood.

Disclosure: I bought this as an e-book from Barnes & Noble.

John Green came to Boston!

2012-01-11T07:51:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the good fortune to attend the John Green event in Wellesley, Massachusetts (okay, so not quite Boston but close enough). I'm so happy I was able to make it, and that there was enough parking, and that we all had a place to sit down and enjoy the Nerfighteria in the auditorium.

When I got there at 5:30, about an hour and a half before the event was supposed to start, the line was already reaching waaayyyy far back. I tried to get a picture but cell phone cameras are not the greatest. Anyway, it was really long. We stood around for about half an hour before the doors opened and they started letting people in. By the way, kudos and thank you to Wellesley Booksmith for organizing this event, and for keeping it so under control. Everything went so smoothly, especially considering the 700 people or so that attended. But then again, those who attended are all Nerdfighters, so I wouldn't have expected a riot or anything. :)

When we finally got in, got our books and wristbands, and found seats, we did some more waiting. But it's okay because we each had at least one book to occupy our time, not to mention the program that was written especially for Boston. (Thanks, John and Hank, for doing that.) Also, there was a crossword puzzle in it! Unfortunately I didn't have a pen or pencil, but that's okay.

And finally, Hanksock the puppet introduced John who took the stage, looking dapper in a suit and reading from his new book, The Fault in Our Stars, for which, of course, he is currently on tour. Hank came out after and played a few songs, and then John came back out, this time in T-shirt and jeans, to answer questions for exactly 7 minutes. He timed it. And told us if he was still answering a question when the buzzer rang he'd get a mild shock, which he wasn't kidding about. Luckily we didn't have to see it!

John Green answering questions and trying not to get shocked. Also, note the puppet stage for Hanksock.

Hank came back out to play some more, and then the two brothers answered questions for exactly 10 minutes. This time someone would have to get electrocuted a bit, because they decided whoever was answering a question when the buzzer rang would be punished. It was Hank (who was answering a question for John, but still).

Also, we got Rickrolled. Not joking.

We were told we'd meet John's wife, but we got Hank dressed like Malibu Barbie singing Rick Astley.

Anyway, there was dancing, singing, excitement and just an all-around sense of belonging and community last night. Then it came time for the signing. Wellesley Booksmith had the brilliant plan of numbering the wristbands we were issued at the beginning and called up people in groups of 25, starting at 34501. I was super lucky and got 34570, so I only had to hang around for an extra half hour, which was just brilliant. :) And I got my books signed! Well, I got Paper Towns and my nook cover signed, and TFiOS personalized. And John Green liked my name! And kept the sticky that had it written on it! Hooray!

Thank you John and Hank for coming to Boston, thank you Wellesley Booksmith for making sure everything went without a hitch and for keeping the signing line organized and manageable, and thank you Nerdfighters everywhere!

Review: "Sweetly" by Jackson Pearce

2012-01-08T21:36:00.001-05:00

Title: Sweetly
Author: Jackson Pearce
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 2011

In a modern telling of Hansel and Gretel, Jackson Pearce brings us to Live Oak, South Carolina, where Ansel and his little sister Gretchen, ages 19 and 18 respectively, run out of gas on a cross-country road trip after being kicked out of their home by their stepmother. Gretchen, still scarred from her twin sister being snatched by what she remembers as a witch one fateful day in the woods, is very withdrawn yet desperately wants to stand out so she doesn't disappear too. Ansel has always been her rock. Things look like they might be changing for the better when they find a temporary home with Sophia Kelly, the young woman who owns the local chocolatier. Yet there are secrets in these woods, and Sophia isn't telling them everything. What seems like paradise starts to look more and more like the woods Gretchen left behind.

In her second fairy tale book, Pearce has once again taken an age-old tale and brought it to the modern day. I love fairy tale retellings, but I was a little disappointed with Pearce's Sisters Red. But here, I think Pearce has improved as a writer. I liked the characters much more, and the language she uses for her characters is pitch-perfect.

I was intrigued by the mystery, and Pearce unraveled it at just the right pace. I was never too far ahead of the characters (I hate it when I can figure it out too soon), and I really like how she tied her two novels together. And man, did she bring on the action. My favorite part of Sisters Red was the fighting, and I was glad to see it return.

Oh, also? Delicious candy. I wanted chocolate pretty much the entire time I was reading this.

One thing I couldn't stand, though, was how often Pearce used certain words. The most memorable one was the word "tease." I felt like everything anyone said to anyone was followed by "I teased" or "she teased." It got so bad that I started rolling my eyes when I came across it—it was just aggravating. But I guess if that's my biggest complaint, that's not so bad.

I'm looking forward to the third novel, a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" titled Fathomless, later this year. There were hints about part of the plot in Sweetly, and I'm eager to see how the series will continue and for the introduction of new characters.

Disclosure: I got this book from the library.

Top Ten Books I'm Excited to Read in 2012

2012-01-03T12:49:00.000-05:00

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish as always, is a look at which books we're most excited to read in 2012.

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth. This was my personal pick for The Broke and the Bookish (which you can check out by clicking the link above). Roth's Divergent was so refreshingly different as far as YA dystopian, and I'm excited to see where her story will go.

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. No, I haven't read it yet. But I will. And I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Thinking back on it, this should have been my personal pick for TB&TB. Everything John Green writes is gold, and this is sure to be a winner. Also, I'm super excited about seeing him on January 10 in Wellesley! Yay!!

4. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. See above. I need to read this.

5. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. See above.

6. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness. I can't believe I haven't already read the final book in the Chaos Walking trilogy, but I will make it happen this year.

7. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. This won the Newbery Award the previous year, so I have to read it.

8. The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. I have had this ARC since my friend picked it up for me at BEA. I really liked 13 Reasons Why by Asher, and I have the feeling I'll like Mackler's writing too.

9. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. I've heard so many great things about this one. It's waiting for me in my car; I took it out of the library and is overdue. But I'll get to it. I swear!

10. If I Stay by Gayle Forman. People have been raving about this one for forever. I bought it a while ago, but I still haven't set aside time to read it. This year will be the year!

What are your picks?

Top Ten Books I've Read in 2011

2011-12-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

I had to take part in this week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted as always by The Broke and the Bookish. This week we're taking a look at the top ten books we've read in the past year. Here are mine:

1. Diamond Willow by Helen Frost. This is probably one of the best books I've read in the past few years. You can read my review here, but all I'll say is that this book was just so good on so many levels. It's a verse novel, but the formatting is incredible. And I had the good fortune to meet Helen Frost this summer, which was amazing.

2. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine. Another one that really was incredible. It's a children's book, probably around middle-school level, but it goes so far beyond most children's books I've read. My review is here.

3. Dairy Queen, The Off-Season and Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. I'm putting this trilogy down as one, despite the very different natures of all three books. I loved D.J. Schwenk and her family, and I loved the way she told her story. Plus I listened to this on audio, and Natalie Moore was perfect to narrate.

4. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. I loved this book. I loved that it focused on the Black Panthers, and that the narrator was this no-nonsense girl who had to deal with a reluctant mother. I loved the summer setting. Pretty much everything. My review is here.

5. Paper Towns by John Green. Okay, so this might be cheating since this was a reread. But really, this book. Is. Just. Awesome. My review can be found here.

6. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. This one won the Newbery Award a couple of years ago, and it was very deserving of the honor. I love Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, and this book references it a lot. This is another children's book that transcends age. Again, here's my review.

7. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. A hilarious and incredibly rich story of the alien invasion of Earth. I listened to the Odyssey Award–winning audiobook, and I'm about to do so again for a middle school book club I'm helping to run at the library. Seriously, this book is fantastic. My review is here.

8. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol. This graphic novel is just fantastic. The art coupled with the creepy story make this a quick but absorbing read. I started this one again immediately after finishing it. Here's my review.

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. This was one of the few nonfiction books for adults I read this year, but it was definitely a good one. I listened to the audio (it's easier for me to finish nonfiction that way). This is such an incredible story, and I recommend it to anyone interested in science, race relations, or the history of medicine. Or people who like good stories.

10. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. This is one of the few books I actually raced through, and the only one I stayed up all night to finish. Johnson is a master at blending suspense and humor. Plus, it's a ghost story. So, that's awesome. My review, ladies and gentlemen.

That's it for me! Lots of great audiobooks this year. Let's hope 2012 will be just as great!

Review: "Eve" by Anna Carey

2011-12-26T17:08:00.000-05:00

Title: Eve
Author: Anna Carey
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2011

In the not-so-distant future, a plague has wiped out most of the world's population. Eve has grown up at School, where she has led a simple life filled with education—literature, math, science, and Dangers of Boys and Men. Her whole life she has been warned not to go beyond the wall that keeps the men out, and keeps the girls in. But the night before graduation, Eve learns a truth that shocks her to her core and forces her to flee a tortured future. But she doesn't know what the wild will bring, or what the men beyond the wall will do to her.

This is another post-apocalyptic novel with not much new material to offer the already saturated genre. Basically Eve is traveling a road to a place called Califia, where she believes she will be safe. Along the way she must avoid the government, since she's being hunted down by the king himself (yes, of America), while also trying not to get raped or killed. It's a rough road, but she meets a man near her own age who is willing to help her and her friend along the way. Of course there is a love story in there, and sacrifices and misunderstandings and tragedy. It's all fairly predictable, to be honest.

That's not to say it's not entertaining. It is, and I finished this very quickly. I wanted to know what happened to everyone and whether Eve would succeed.

Eve made me really angry, though. She made some really stupid decisions that had really bad consequences, and I wanted to shake her a lot while I was reading it. I didn't particularly like her, and so I never really connected with her or the other characters.

I don't think I'll be picking up the sequels that will be coming out down the road, despite the cliffhanger ending of the first one. This was really just a mix between Cormac McCarthy's The Road and all the other post-apocalyptic teen books out there right now.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library.

Review: "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling

2011-12-07T00:21:00.000-05:00

Title: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2008

This collection of fairy tales from the wizarding world of Harry Potter were written by J.K. Rowling, creator of one of the most popular, widely read and well-loved series to ever exist. Here she brings together a handful of "favorite tales" from the world she created, beloved by wizards and witches for centuries. From "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" to "The Tale of the Three Brothers" (the latter of which readers of the Harry Potter series will be very familiar), each story gives its own spark of magic, as fairy tales tend to do.

I can't believe I'm just getting around to reading this collection, but I'm honestly glad I waited until after my storytelling class to read this. It's clear to me that J.K. Rowling has studied folklore and fairy tales, both their history and their form. Notes from Dumbledore at the end of each story really show this, as he goes into theory and history of the tales, something which it would be impossible for Rowling to write about to such a degree without prior study.

The tales are delightful and clever, though one or two have a darkness that is more along the lines of the later Potter books—"The Warlock's Hairy Heart" being the first and foremost that springs to mind on that front. I loved how the heroines of the tales are rulers of their own fates, unlike the Grimm or Perrault tales we are so familiar with, as Rowling points out in her introduction.

These stories would be great to tell fans of the series, or even those who haven't read the Potter books yet, during a storytelling event or at bedtime (again, excluding the darker tales). The appeal is wide.

Winter holidays, crazytimes, and relaxing.

2011-12-01T10:58:00.001-05:00

I am trudging through.

I have one more week of classes after this one that I'm sitting in (that I neer pay attention in, if you didn't know). I have about 5 1/2 months until I get married. I'm looking for a home with my fiance. It's December, and it's Christmastime. I am probably going back to Barnes & Noble to work during the holiday season in addition to working at the library.

I feel like I'm nuts.

But through it all, I go on. I am taking life one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time, and it seems to be working. Unfortunately, my blogging is lagging a bit. But I know you all understand. That's why I like you guys. :)

So I will continue to take time for me, as well as do all the things I need to do. I will not disappear, but I my presence here will not be as great as my presence on Twitter (my handle is @Tahleen, if you would like to talk with me; I love conversation!). Feel free to drop me a line if you want to chat—I'll be happy to provide my email to anyone who wants to be friends. :)

My best wishes to you all this holiday season. Take care of yourselves, and enjoy each day you have!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T23:20:00.001-05:00

Best Thanksgiving wishes from me and my baby, Lucy.

Top Ten Authors I Want At My Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-22T09:39:00.001-05:00

So yes, this week is my week over at The Broke and the Bookish for Top Ten Tuesday, but here is my list over on my own humble little blog anyway. It's word-for-word, but whatever. What if you don't follow both blogs??? :)

This week we're celebrating Turkey Day, Bookish style. Here are my top ten authors I would want to be at my table on Thanksgiving.

1. Bill Bryson. Duh. Number one, always. If you all know anything about me, you know that I want this man to be a member of my family/my best friend. I'm sure we would spend Thanksgiving listening to hilarious stories of Thanksgivings past, and learn a lot about the history of the holiday too, told in an entertaining manner of course.

2. Maureen Johnson. Another fun house guest I'd love to host. Things would not be boring, and my life would be richer for it.

3. John Green. If the Nerdfighter videos and his books are anything to go by, John Green would make another fun guest. Plus, he's already friends with Maureen Johnson, so they would know someone! :)

4. Libba Bray. Another one I've met in real life, and another lovely person who is also funny and a good conversationalist. Also, friends with John Green and Maureen Johnson. The banter would be never-ending and awesome. BTW, Libba, I would tell you if you had something in your teeth. ;)

5. Madeleine L'Engle. If she were still alive, I'd be honored to host her in my home. She and her books have made a huge impact on my life.

6. Jane Austen. Since I'm including authors who've passed on, what the hell. I love her books and she seemed like she'd be a real kick to have around, if her biographies are telling the truth. (I'm sensing a theme here—I like fun people.)

7. Sherman Alexie. I love his books, especially The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and he seems like a really nice guy from what I've read of his personal writing and Twitter. (Have I mentioned how much I love Twitter? I love Twitter.)

8. Laurie Halse Anderson. I've actually met her before and can attest to her awesomeness first hand. She is a wonderful lady and I would love to have her at my table. Plus her books are pretty fantastic.

9. Veronica Roth. She is just so adorable.

10. Rebecca Rasmussen. Such a sweetheart. She always has the nicest things to say and would bring warmth to any gathering she attends.

It's too bad that my authors either are dead or have families of their own to spend Thanksgiving with. I hope you all have a lovely holiday with your family and friends! Enjoy the time around the table and with your loved ones.

Review: "The Blood Lie" by Shirley Reva Vernick

2011-11-20T19:16:00.000-05:00

Title: The Blood Lie
Author: Shirley Reva Vernick
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press, 2011

It's 1928. Jack Pool is 16 and desperate to move away from his small town of Massena, New York, to attend a prestigious music school in Syracuse. He is an excellent cello player and stands a good chance at his audition in a few days. But all that changes when he is accused of a terrible crime, based solely on lies and his Jewish heritage and religion. Will a town's prejudice ruin the lives of the Jewish community?

I had the pleasure of meeting with Vernick at Barnes & Noble for my teen book club the other night. We talked about how this novel is based on actual events that took place in Massena in the 1920s. What occurs in this book is scary enough, illustrating what happens when mob mentality takes over, but what is really scary is Vernick's afterward. She reports on incidents that have happened very recently; one might think that events like this won't happen in today's day and age, but it's not true. People are susceptible to rumor and will believe what they want to.

This story is very short and simply written, but the ideas within it are not something to be glossed over. The hatred within the pages is frightening enough, but what I found more appalling was the indifference the instigators of the rumor showed toward their victims. They simply capitalized on the prejudice that already existed in the community, basically just lighting the fuse.

Everything is completely realistic, and as Vernick told me, there is no Hollywood ending. It's as close to the real story as she could make it, and the characters realize what horrors lie within our world.

Breaking Dawn is perhaps the greatest theater experience I've ever had and ever will have.

2011-11-18T03:02:00.000-05:00

Please Google "Breaking Dawn" in images
to see the terrible fan art out there. This is
the official movie poster, believe it or not.

There is a good reason for midnight showings of movies, and tonight was one of them. I am not a huge fan of the Twilight book series. I think Bella is a terrible role model and abuse abounds throughout. BUT. This movie was just beyond words.

I have wondered since I read book four how they would go about THE SCENE. All of you who've read it know what I'm talking about. And let me tell you, the gag-inducing lovey-dovey-ness in the beginning was so worth sitting through for like the last half hour. THOSE MINUTES WERE GOLD. They left nearly NOTHING to the imagination and it was everything I could have possibly dreamed. I was so excited they didn't shy away from it that I was literally yelling in the theater, along with the rest of the audience. (Another great reason for midnight showings.)

One of my favorite things about this were the two ladies sitting to my right. They felt pretty much the same way I did, if I am to judge by their comments, and I honestly couldn't help but laugh and joke with them throughout the movie. My favorite was when Bella was arguing for keeping the baby, the woman next to me said "Bella, your body your choice!" and shook her fist at the screen.

Some parts were so ridiculous that I just had to giggle. I AM THE GRANDSON OF EPHRAIM BLACK. I AM THE GRANDSON OF A CHIEF.

I would also like to say that I TOTALLY called the exact moment of the ending. To the point where I feel a disproportionate amount of triumph.

All I can say is, I can't wait for the DVD so I can watch the unrated version. Next up: BREAKING DAWN PART II: NOT NEARLY AS AWESOME BUT TAHLEEN WILL WATCH IT JUST THE SAME.

P.S. In trying to find an appropriate image for this post, I discovered that there is a lot of really terrible fan art out there for this movie. Like, really really terrible. I decided on the not revealing but pretty image with no characters on it.

Wedding Wednesday: TONS of stuff goin' down

2011-11-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

Wedding Wednesday is a weekly feature created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner. She's planning her wedding, and so am I, so I'm taking part in this feature too!

Bah! I just got my invitation mock-up in the mail and it is AWESOME. It's purple with a silver backing behind the words, and it's so pretty! It's pretty much just what I wanted. (I'm not going to post a picture just because I don't want all my info to be out in plain view—not that I don't trust you all, but you never know what weirdos are lurking!)

It's a tri-fold with a pocket on the inside of the right-hand flap, where the inserts will go (you know, reception details, response cards, directions etc). We'll be ordering the save-the-dates soon too.

I also went to see a florist today to talk about my wedding flowers (obviously). I don't know if I'm going to use her, but it does help that she's right down the street from where I live. I'm going to meet another one on Friday to compare. Right now I'm really liking lisianthus and calla lilies, among others.

It's all starting to get real! So crazy. I'm almost 6 months away and have been engaged for longer than that already. People weren't kidding when they said the time would fly.

We're also in the process of booking our honeymoon in Hawaii, which is super exciting too. *squee!* We'll be there for just about two weeks! AND we get to stay in Marriotts for just about half the trip for free, since we'll be getting mucho points from the reception.

AND next week we're meeting with the officiant, my Der Hayr at my church (what we call the priest). Things are coming along!

Review: "The Name of the Star" by Maureen Johnson

2011-11-03T17:37:00.000-04:00

Title: The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2011

Rory is excited about spending her senior year at Wexford, a boarding school in London, instead of her hometown in Louisiana. It also happens to be right near where the Jack the Ripper murders occurred more than 120 years ago—and where they seem to be occurring again. Murders that are eerily similar to those committed by the Ripper are happening at the exact times and dates of the first murders, causing a morbid fascination and slight panic in the city. When Rory starts to see someone who no one else can, she thinks it's strange, but then he seems to be the prime suspect in the case—and she's his next target.

Let me just start this review by saying, every positive thing about this book you've read is dead on. This is one of the best books I've read in a while. I couldn't put it down once it started going and ended up going to bed at 4 in the morning. I don't remember the last time I actually stayed up to read a book, let alone finish one.

Setting is fantastic. I spent time in London when I was in school, so I was familiar with the places Johnson mentioned. And I really enjoyed the characters, especially Boo. She was so much fun.

Maureen Johnson writes excellent suspense, mystery and humor. I just love how great this whole thing was. I can't wait until the next Shades of London book comes out—I read the last sentence, going on to the next page for more only to be confronted with the acknowledgments. Which I did read, anyway, but MAN what a great way to end it. I'm so excited!

Top Ten Books Over Which I Had Strong Emotions

2011-11-01T11:16:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I'm doing a Top Ten Tuesday again, yay! It's been a while. But today I have time (and wi-fi, no thanks to the stupid storm that shut off my power for 72 hours). For those of you knew to this meme, it was created by The Broke and the Bookish, another blog I write for. If you have your top ten, hop on over and join in!

Here are the top ten books I cried over/got pissed at/laughed myself silly over/etc.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling: No spoilers here, but really. SUPER sad but so satisfying to have it all wrapped up.

2. The Crown of Dalemark by Diana Wynne Jones: I have no idea why I cried so much near the end of this one, probably something about being separated from a loved one. But all I remember is while reading this, I was sobbing my little heart out. I rarely do this.

3. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer: I got SO ANGRY reading this. I wanted to throttle Bella and smack her until she woke up out of her stupid coma she put herself in. REALLY. JUST STOP.

4. Anything by Bill Bryson. As most of you know I have a deep and abiding love for this man and his work. Everything I read by him is full of humor and incredible insight. I laugh and I think a lot about the way we live our lives. Favorites include A Walk in the Woods, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, and I'm a Stranger Here Myself.

5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle: This book means a great deal to me. Love, loyalty and faith have never been better portrayed in a children's book, as far as I'm concerned. To this day I get goosebumps when reading it.

6. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater: I will never know why all the adults in this book are so despicable. I felt my anger and hatred overcome me a few times while listening to this audiobook.

7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: A favorite of mine. Just everything about this book made me feel.

8. Appetites: Why Women Want by Caroline Knapp: It's probably because I identified so much with this woman and her struggles, but this book made me realize I needed to change the way I was living my life. I'll be forever grateful to my professor for having us read this.

9. The Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness: Okay, so I haven't read the final book yet, but the first two had me glued to my seat. I can't remember the last time I was so captivated by a story before this. I raced through these pages like it was my job, and Todd's problems became mine.

10. The Bible: I know it's cliche, but this book holds all of my beliefs. It's got every emotion in here.

A Late Wedding Wednesday: Bridesmaid Dresses!

2011-10-27T09:48:00.000-04:00

Wedding Wednesday is a weekly feature created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner. She's planning her wedding, and so am I, so I'm taking part in this feature too!

Sorry I'm a day late; I completely forgot to post yesterday, since I was scrambling to get ready for my very first program (that I designed and led!) at the library. :)

Sooooo great news! We have our bridesmaid dresses!! After three shopping trips (first the one with everyone except my MOH, then just me and my MOH, then the first group again), we found it. Let me just say, the best thing I did was go just with Rachel when she came to visit me Columbus Day weekend. It was SO MUCH EASIER to find options with one person, let me tell you. What we did was pick three dresses, and then the rest of my BMs went on another trip with me to pick out of the three.

Here's what we picked, but not in this orange color (we got plum):

I am told it is also very comfortable. They won't be strapless either, we're going to put on spaghetti straps. I'm debating on whether they should have a shawl too—I'm afraid it's too much skin for a church. At least they will have the straps.

In other news, I need to call the guy I was going to use as my florist. Unfortunately he will be selling the business and might not be able to do the flowers for my wedding anymore; luckily I haven't given a deposit or anything, but I have to talk to him to see what's going on. Wish me luck!

Storytime! La Llorona: The Weeping Woman

2011-10-25T00:27:00.000-04:00

Hi all. As you might glean from my quick intro in the following video, I'm taking a storytelling class, and a big part of that class is telling stories. I've already told one, but I'm a bit more nervous about my second story. So I decided to practice in front of the camera and ask you guys what you think. It's the story of La Llorona, a well-known folktale told throughout Latin America.

Thanks for listening! I know it's not perfect, and please excuse my disheveled appearance. Yes, I am in my pjs, and yes I am on my bed.

Review: "The Monstrumologist" by Rick Yancey

2011-10-21T15:09:00.000-04:00

Title: The Monstrumologist
Author: Rick Yancey
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2009

This is what you should be reading this October 31st.

The diary of Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with the eminent, albeit known only within certain circles, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, monstrumologist and scholar. Will's tale begins in 1888, when he is 12 years old. Dr. Warthrop has been told, secretly and in the middle of the night, of a strange and horrific creature found during a grave robbing. This monster, which he quickly identifies as an adult male Anthropophagus, is only one of a pod of the enormous, man-eating predators in the New Jerusalem area. Certain questions arise: Why are they in New England, when their natural habitat is in Africa? Why are they so many? And why have they suddenly emerged from hiding to feast on human flesh once again? Warthrop and Will must find out these answers, but they also must end this infestation before it is too late for the people of New Jerusalem.

There is a blurb on the front of this book from VOYA, which calls this novel "A cross between Mary Shelley and Stephen King." I really can't think of a better description. The horror and gore in here is so intense and ever-present, yet philosophy is threaded throughout all of this in Will's musings as he writes down his experiences years later. Morality, loyalty, duty, and inheritance are at the heart of the novel, interspersed with the action and horror.

I love that this is a framed narrative. The book begins with a modern-day author who is given the notebooks found in Will Henry's room after his death—the proprietor of the home he was staying is interested in looking for clues within the writing to the identity of the man who called himself Will and claimed to be 131 years old, born in 1876. The first narrator then shows us this first part of Will's diary, and when he is finished with that, tells us about his often fruitless research about finding more information or ways to corroborate the story within Will's notebooks. This hearkens back to Mary Shelley and Frankenstein, for sure, a nice tip of the hat to early horror literature. It also provides us with a mystery and second storyline to follow in the subsequent books of the series.

The setting of the late 1800s makes this book seem much more like the classics we read in school, giving it an authentic taste of the Gothic that used to be so prevalent. The language is sublime and eloquent, yet still accessible for teens today. Not to mention the often breakneck pace of the story.

This is a perfect book to read around Halloween. Scary and creepy, full of suspense, plenty of blood and guts, and exquisite writing. I'll definitely be getting to The Curse of the Wendigo soon!

Disclosure: I won this book in some giveaway I never remembered entering. Seriously, this and the next book in the series just showed up at my house one day with a note telling me I won them but not what I won them for. Whatever. I'll take it.

Hocus Pocus is the greatest Halloween movie in existence.

2011-10-20T22:41:00.001-04:00

Title: Hocus Pocus
Release year: 1993
Production company: Walt Disney Pictures

That is not an exaggeration, folks. I mean it. At least it is my very favorite movie for the season, along with the Halloweenie episode of Pete & Pete (which I also own on DVD). I may have blogged about this last year, but I don't remember and honestly I don't care.

There is nothing like some good old-fashioned nostalgia in the form of classic movies from my childhood. Bette Midler is priceless, what with her fabulous rendition of "I Put a Spell On You," backup vocals provided by Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, and her overall wackiness.

Honorable mention goes to SJP, by the way, for being the most sexy she's ever been and ever will be in this movie. It never happened again. Then again, she was next to Better Midler and Kathy Najimy, and had the best hair.

I'm also going to take a few lines to say Salem is not like that AT ALL. It's not nearly so cute and New England-y, since there are SO MANY college students around. It's got a more urban feel. The police cars do all have witches on the sides of them, though. I'm not kidding.

Some say this movie is not good if you didn't see it when you were little. I highly disagree. And I hope you do too.

There are so many great '90s references too. If anyone is interested, check out my tweets from watching this tonight. My twitter handle is @Tahleen.

Wedding Wednesday: House? Dresses?

2011-10-19T15:44:00.000-04:00

Wedding Wednesday is a weekly feature created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner. She's planning her wedding, and so am I, so I'm taking part in this feature too!

I've been super busy lately. We've been seriously considering one of the houses we looked at a week ago, which is great, but there are a few things about it. First, they want more than we want to offer. Second, oh hey, they moved next door. So I'm just worried that they might not be happy with us if we do move in and don't give them the amount they want. I don't want it to lead to bad feelings. We would just have some work to do if we took the house, like replace all the windows and appliances.

We're also going to pick out bridesmaid dresses this Saturday, hooray. Finally. You might remember my maid of honor and I picked out three during Columbus Day weekend, so it should be much faster than the last shopping trip!

Anyway, that's about it. We had to reschedule our engagement photo shoot for next Friday, so I'll let you all know how that goes.

Audiobook Review: "Glow" by Amy Kathleen Ryan

2011-10-13T23:09:00.000-04:00

Title: Glow
Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrators: Matthew Brown and Ilyana Kadushin

On the Empyrean, life is routine in deep space. Grow the crops, raise the livestock, and prep yourself for the life you are supposed to lead—repopulating the human race on a new planet, which you'll reach in about 40 years. Waverly and Kieran have known this their whole lives, as they were the first two successful births in deep space. When Kieran proposes, Waverly knows she should be happy to accept, but a part of her is hesitant.

But all this changes in an instant.

The New Horizon, the Empyrean's sister ship, has somehow managed to rendez-vous with them, something that should never have happened. A vicious attack and a traumatic separation force the children, especially Waverly and Kieran, to grow up a lot faster than they have had to thus far. Now, their main concern is survival.

This book was really intense. I listened to the audio version, and I found that I got too stressed out listening to it at night, so I would turn it off and put on Bedtime Magic instead. The situations in Glow were truly awful to think about. True manipulation, sabotage, violence, sinister motives, all of them were in here. And yet, ethics are always at the root of each issue. At what point does a person become an accomplice if they do nothing while watching atrocities? To what extent should someone go to do what they think is right? I was always eager yet afraid to find out where the action was going, and how one character would triumph over another. And that's what it came down to at the end. There was no compromise, only a winner and a loser.

The book is split between Waverly's and Kieran's perspectives, in the third person. Kieran, still on the Empyrean, is caught in a really bad situation. As the captain's protege, he tries to assume control, but finds that not all the boys are willing to let him. What ends up happening is a Lord-of-the-Flies-like breakdown, which was really terrifying to hear about for me.

Waverly, on the other hand, is stuck on the New Horizon, where there are no children. Fertility disappeared among the women on this ship, and that is the reason the girls from the Empyrean are brought aboard. For a woman, listening to how the pastor Anne Mather manipulates her congregation/ship and the girls is downright despicable. That said, she has this humanness that is startling at points—you're not sure when to trust her, if you can at all. She was very complex, and I really liked that.

One problem was with Kieran and Waverly, though more so with the former. I never really connected with Kieran, only because he is pretty dull. Waverly seemed a bit distant to me as well, though I could understand her better since she's a girl. It was really nice to see her stick to her guns, too.

What I didn't like much was the how anti-Christian a lot of the book seemed. I understand what Ryan was trying to do, but I think she missed the mark. She made it seem like all Christians are manipulative and controlling. Some are, sure, but not all, and I personally would have liked to see a positive instance in there.

As for the narrators, Ilyana Kadushin again did a great job. She is just a delight to listen to. Matthew Brown was all right. I wasn't crazy about his voice, but it did the job, and I got to listen to Kadushin for half of the book anyway.

I'm interested to see where this series goes. It wasn't my very favorite, but it certainly got my attention and I enjoyed listening to it.

Disclosure: The publisher sent me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Wedding Wednesday: MOH Visit!

2011-10-12T23:37:00.000-04:00

Wedding Wednesday is a weekly feature created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner. She's planning her wedding, and so am I, so I'm taking part in this feature too!

This weekend my maid of honor, my cousin Rachel who lives in Chicago, came for a visit to meet my fiance and go gown shopping with me! It was a lot of fun, not only because we did fun things like to to the Samuel Adams brewery (free keychain, glasses and beer!), but because it's just nice to see her. I don't get to see her that often, since she grew up in Michigan and now lives in Illinois, so this was a treat.

We went to La Reine again for bridesmaids dresses, and it was just the two of us and my mom. It's just so much easier to go with a few people—not quite so many opinions to worry about. We picked out three dresses for my other maids to choose from, so hopefully I'll have my bridesmaids' dresses finished with on October 22.

In other news, Steve and I looked at a house today that we liked very much. Stay tuned to see how that turns out!

Review: "Latte Daze" by Erynn Mangum

2011-09-29T10:14:00.000-04:00

Title: Latte Daze
Author: Erynn Mangum
Publisher: NavPress, 2010

This post is a review of a Christian fiction book, and is also slightly personal; just a warning!

Maya Davis is back in this second book in her trilogy, this time as maid of honor for her good friend and roommate, Jen. And now that Maya is dating Jack, her best friend in the world, she's got much more on her mind than just what coffee roast to serve at Cool Beans, the coffee shop where she works. Jack's left the shop to work in a zoo, Jen is getting married, and on the heels of all this, her brother and sister-in-law announce their pregnancy. Maya's life is changing rapidly, and she doesn't like change. Can she trust God to get her through this, and trust He knows what He's doing?

Again, this is a Christian fiction book, which I'm finding I'm really enjoying at this point of my life. I love that Maya is 24, my own age; it's hard to find books with characters in their early to mid-20s. It's nice to read about someone going through the same points in their life as I am.

This book not only is really fun to read, and a story on the lighter side, it also challenged me in my own life. I'm going to be completely honest in this review, and I know not many of my readers are Christian, but I'm finding myself becoming a stronger Christian when I read about other Christian's journeys and their quests to better serve God. It makes me want to work harder, and realize I should be working harder to be a better person and a better Christian.

I do want to call foul on a couple of things, though. Jen's wedding planning happened WAY too easily. I know what it's like to plan a wedding, and it seems way too lucky for Jen to be able to find her wedding dress on the first day after being engaged. Everything fell into place surreally easily and felt fake. But whatever! Maybe it is that easy for some people. They are lucky.

I also felt it was really weird how Jack and Maya never really kissed in this book, despite the fact they've been dating for months. MONTHS.

I'm also annoyed that this is pitched as a book for teens. Teens are not in the place in life Maya and Jen are in, and I'm not sure they'll be able to easily connect to the story or characters as a whole. I'm sure a few would, but I think it's hard to bill this as an adult title since the characters are so young and the story is so tame.

I'm really enjoying Maya's story and am invested in her and her family and friends at this point, so I will most certainly be finishing up this trilogy when I get the chance.

Disclosure: I bought this from bn.com as an e-book.

Review: "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness, based on an idea from Siobhan Dowd

2011-09-28T00:28:00.000-04:00

Title: A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness, from a story idea from Siobhan Dowd
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2011

Conor's mother is not dying. At least, that's what he tells himself, and what she tells him as well, despite her cancer that is making her waste away. Nothing is going right; he's being bullied at school, his extremely proper grandmother is starting to spend more and more time at his house, and he is having trouble coming to terms with all of this. But one night, at seven minutes past midnight, an ancient monster pays Conor a visit. What he wants is the truth.

This is a story about stories and truth—their power, and how they can be twisted, unexpected, or denied and hidden from view. The yew tree in Conor's back yard, one his mother always comments on, is actually a very ancient being who has seen much in its life. When he visits Conor, he asks for the truth, but also tells him a story each time. And each time, the story varies wildly from what Conor expects.

The stories help lead Conor to his own realizations, but it's much more than a coming-of-age story or the finding of oneself. Conor has to look deep within himself and admit a truth that he wants to bury under guilt and pain.

I love the stories, and the value the monster puts on them. I'm taking a storytelling class right now, and I know they have been a part of culture since humans could speak—yet, Ness veers off from the normal motifs and shows a side to human nature that I wasn't expecting, and one Conor definitely was not.

The illustrations by Jim Kay are absolutely brilliant. Haunting, richly textured black-and-white images creep up toward the words on the page until they completely take over in stunning double-page spreads. They perfectly complement the prose.

If you're a Patrick Ness fan, don't expect this to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller like his Chaos Walking trilogy. This is a much gentler and more subtle book, despite it's darkness and occasional violent emotions. It's a short book, but very rich and worth reading, especially if you're a story lover, which I think most of my readers are.

Siobhan Dowd's premature death made her unable to write this story herself, but we are lucky that Patrick Ness, an incredibly talented writer and someone I think is a gift to young adult literature, was able and willing to pick up the pen and write it for her.

By the way, as a coincidence (?) I started writing this review at seven minutes past midnight. Or maybe there are no accidents.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this from the publisher. Thanks!

Review: "Millie's Fling" by Jill Mansell

2011-09-23T11:46:00.000-04:00

Title: Millie's Fling

Author: Jill Mansell

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark, 2009

Millie has not had the best of luck in the man department, especially lately. But when she stops bestselling romance novelist Orla Hart from hurling herself off a cliff, things are gonig to change. But Millie isn't sure it's for the better. Orla decides she wants to make a departure from her normal writing, namely about glitzy celebrities and high living, in favor of normal, everyday people. And she's willing to pay big money to Millie to tell her ALL about her love life. Trouble is, Orla isn't going to let Millie go on her own, and tries to set her up with any number of men.

This British chick-lit is great fun. It is full of what I can only describe and crazy shenanigans. Millie's trying to keep her attraction to Hugh, a young widower, secret, especially from Orla, since the novelist already told her he was off limits. Millie's flatmate, Hester, is super annoying and can be a total slut when she wants to be, since she's got the hots for Lucas Kemp, a guy they both knew in high school who is now back in Newquay and sexier than ever--despite her boyfriend Nat, who is miles away in Glasgow working as a chef in a restaurant.

Seriously, the things that happened in this book were fantastic. One twist after another, and misadventures galore. One of my favorite scenes had to do with a kitchen fire, a mud wrap, and some missing clothing. There were so many delicious misunderstandings, and the humor was rife with British slang, which is funny to me regardless.

Just to let you know, this is an adult title, but I think older teens would really enjoy it. Millie is only 25, after all.

If you're just looking for a feel-good romantic comedy type book, I'd definitely check out Jill Mansell's stuff. I'm sure her other books are just as good and funny, and I am looking forward to reading them.

Disclosure: I got this as a free nookbook from bn.com.

Wedding Wednesday: I found my gown!

2011-09-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

Wedding Wednesday is a creation by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner, who is getting married next August. She decided she wanted to share her wedding excitement on her blog, and I really liked that idea so I'm copying her. :)

This post is exciting for me. I finally found my gown! After a couple of months of searching, I went with my mom to a place called La Reine Bridal in Waltham. The girl who helped me was fantastic; she asked me what I wanted and went and found so many gowns that could have worked for me. I couldn't believe it. I've been having so much trouble finding what I want, but not here. Hooray!

Next up: Bridesmaid gowns. I hope this will be as easy to figure out at La Reine as my gown was. I'm super excited!

A special thanks to my friend Nina, who suggested the place to me. She got married in June and told me where she got hers. Fate!

For those of you who are interested, by the way, I started a tumblr for all things wedding and house hunting. It's at tahleen.tumblr.com.

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me

2011-09-20T08:47:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish, a blog I contribute to. This week's topic is:

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me

1. Macbeth. For some reason this one was never required reading for me, even in my Shakespeare class. I guess the prof figured everyone had read it already.

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Yeah, I have read pages and pages of praise for this one, but I never find the time to read it/obtain it.

3. Anything by Jonathan Safran Foer. I do own Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, though. Sitting on my shelf. Surprise.

4. A History of Love by Nicole Krauss. Another one I grabbed at a library book sale but haven't got around to reading yet. Heard it's great, though!

5. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I'm ashamed I haven't gotten to this one yet, seeing as how it's one of the very first young adult novels written for young adults. (Yes, I own this one too.)

6. Most things by Sarah Dessen. I almost finished Lock and Key on audio, but the discs were defective. Booo. I also read This Lullaby years ago. But I feel woefully behind on the works of an author considered to be YA canon.

7. If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I bought this a little while back, brand spanking new, because of how wonderful everyone (EVERYONE) says it is. Having no time to read stuff is no fun.

8. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I really like her poetry, and I feel like this is considered required reading for women, since pretty much everyone has read it.

9. Ellen Hopkins. Another author considered YA canon who I haven't gotten around to reading. Shameful on my part.

10. Anything by Marlina Marchetta. Read so many wonderful things about her. But as you can see, my backlog is immense.

What's your list? Hop over to The Broke and the Bookish to post your link.

Review: "All These Things I've Done" by Gabrielle Zevin

2011-09-15T11:41:00.001-04:00

Title: All These Things I've Done
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners, 2011
Narrator: Ilyana Kadushin

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal substances. Manhattan is rife with crime, and speakeasies and black market trade are rampant. Sixteen-year-old Anya Balanchine is caught up right in the middle of everything, not because she happens to be alive in this time, but because her family owns the famous Balanchine Chocolate company, and because her father, now dead, was one of the most notorious crime bosses in the city.

Still, Anya tries her best to keep a low profile, since she doesn't want to bring attention to the fact that her bedridden elderly grandmother is their sole guardian, and her brother Leo is a bit mentally handicapped due to an accident when he was a boy. Unfortunately, when her ex-boyfriend is poisoned by chocolate that she gave him, she's all over the news and in a lot of trouble. It doesn't help that she starts a relationship with the district attorney's son. And all the while, she needs to maintain some sort of control of her brother and younger sister, Nattie, and keep them away from the influence of her mafia family.

The feel of this book is a mixture of dystopia and old-school gangster, what with the prohibition on chocolate and coffee. I never really read anything about organized crime, but I found the way Anya handles things and the way her family operates fascinating. She is incredibly cool-headed, and mostly seems completely in control, even when she's going crazy inside. I truly admired her character, and I loved how she took all of her father's words to heart. She was always recounting some piece of wisdom her father imparted when he was alive, and I actually found them to be truthful and/or valuable.

All of the characters are well-written, and I found myself caring for even the most dangerous characters. Except Gable; he's a jerkface.

The dystopian society itself is not too far off from where we could be headed. There is a water problem, but one not large enough to have water rationed—yet. It's just very expensive, sort of like gasoline today. And the illegal substances of our time parallel very well with the illegal substances of this world. Organized crime developed around the chocolate and coffee industries because of their illegality, and people get a "high" off both of them, much like drugs and alcohol today. Interestingly, alcohol is widely available for all ages here.

Zevin's language is, for lack of a better word, delicious. Something I want to sip slowly. I loved the atmosphere of her world.

As far as the audio version goes, Ilyana Kadushin does an excellent job. She sounds spot-on for Anya, not too old or young. Her voice is soothing with no annoying quirks that I find happens often in audiobooks. And, she does a great Russian accent for Anya's older family members. It's very easy to tell the difference between each character's dialogue.

I highly recommend the audio version of All These Things I've Done, and certainly recommend the book itself. I fully plan on reading the rest of the Birthright series when they are released.

Disclosure: Macmillan sent me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Here are some worthy causes that need some help.

2011-09-15T00:04:00.001-04:00

Hi all.

As some of you know, I like to run on occasion. I am happy to say I've been able to sign up for a few races in the coming weeks, and I'm actually on a team for one of them (which is exciting; I've never done anything like this on a team before). The team one is called the Samaritans' 5K, taking place Oct. 1 this year. This is organized by the Samaritans, a group that works to prevent suicide in the Greater Boston area. Our team leader lost her mother to suicide 25 years ago, and every year she runs this race to raise money for the cause. I'm joining this year, and I'm hoping to raise a little bit of money as well.

If anyone would like to donate, please click here to get to our team page.

Since we're talking about fundraising, a church group I belong to is also trying to raise money, but for a different cause. We're trying to raise enough money to build a well somewhere that one is needed, a place where people have to travel miles to find any kind of water at all, let alone clean water. We need to raise $2,500 to build it, and we've got about $600 more to go. If you would like to donate to this cause, click here for that page. (By the way, I'm the one in the orange in that picture in case you were wondering.)

I know it's a lot to ask during such a tough economic time, and I don't expect anyone to donate, but I figured I would ask you all just in case someone is able and willing to give a little something to either or both of these causes. Thanks for reading! I'll be back to reviewing and bookish things soon.

Wedding Wednesday: The House Hunt

2011-09-14T12:28:00.000-04:00

Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner started this once-a-week feature on her blog, since she's getting married next summer, and as I'm also getting married in the near future (May), I'm piggy-backing off of her idea!

Sorry for the long absence folks. It's been a busy couple of weeks. Would you like to know why?

Steve and I are looking for a house.

Yes, that's right, we're on the house hunt. It's been very educational too, I might add. I never knew how many things could be wrong with a house. Like a tree being on top of one, for example. That actually happened; we went to see a house in Westford and when we got there, surprise! A tree must have come down in the hurricane. I don't think there was much if any damage, but still, not a great way to sell a house. Also, the house itself was a hideous shade of mint green and there were eight (eight!) computer monitors in the garage.

We saw some nice ones, but we haven't found "the one" yet. But we continue to look. For the record, we're looking in Westford and Chelmsford, MA, if any of you are familiar with that area. There are beaches in Westford! Who knew? Not me, but I'll take it.

Our realtor is very nice, too. She doesn't try to sugarcoat anything or diminish flaws, and we really like that about her.

I'm also learning a lot about what heating systems are most efficient, architectural types of houses, and measurements. I'm especially keen on getting a nice kitchen, but we'll see what happens.

Winner of "All These Things I've Done"

2011-09-13T15:40:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Kayla, who has won a copy of Gabrielle Zevin's All These Things I've Done! I hope you enjoy it. I certainly did—watch out for my review later this week.

"All These Things I've Done" Trailer and Giveaway

2011-09-06T22:12:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! I've been given the great opportunity by Zeitghost Media to bring to you the trailer for Gabrielle Zevin's latest book, All These Things I've Done. See if this dystopian story is something that could intrigue you by checking out the video below. Long story short, chocolate and coffee are illegal, New York is rife with crime, and our main lady Anya Balanchine is the daughter of a notorious (and dead) crime boss, though she is not involved in that part of her family's business herself.

If you'd like the chance to win a copy of your own, please fill in the form below the trailer. Enjoy!

Interested? Fill it out, but only if you're over 13, live in the US or Canada, and do it before Friday, September 9 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Review: "Ashes, Ashes" by Jo Treggiari

2011-09-05T09:30:00.000-04:00

Title: Ashes, Ashes
Author: Jo Treggiari
Publisher: Scholastic, 2011

In a world that doesn't seem to be too far into the future, global warming has melted the ice caps and most of the coastal world is now underwater. This wasn't such a big deal for Lucy at first, since she was fine in her New Jersey town, but three years later an even deadlier enemy claimed 99% of the population of the planet: the plague. Lucy somehow managed to survive without contracting the disease at all, but her family was not so lucky. After a year of wilderness survival on her own in the Wilds of what used to be Central Park, Lucy finally finds a group of people who she might be able to live with. But she could spell the end for them all; there is something about her that makes her very valuable to those who are barely holding on to power.

While reading Ashes, Ashes, I often found myself thinking how awful the lives these people led sounded. I was very creeped out during the beginning of the book, when Lucy was still on her own, but I kept flipping the pages, eager to discover Lucy's past and what would happen next.

I didn't find out much as far as back story, unfortunately. We learn that Lucy is largely unremarkable (this is repeated many times), with no special talents other than survival. I can tell there is more to her, but I never found her history besides brief flashes of memory, which was disappointing for me. The same is true for the secondary characters in this book—we get clues, but no real stories.

What didn't disappoint was the action. There was a lot of it, and Lucy was nearly always at the center of it. I was compelled to find out the mysteries behind the Sweepers, what I'm assuming are government officials, who kidnap survivors of the plague. Those kidnapped are never seen again. And when Lucy becomes their target, I wanted to know what made her special.

The next part might be a bit spoilery, just a warning. We never really get the answers to the burning questions in the book, kind of a letdown, especially when much of the book focuses on this aspect of Lucy and how the Sweepers are after her for some reason. I'm guessing there will be a sequel to answer some of these questions.

Overall, I don't feel strongly about this book one way or the other. It provided entertainment while I was reading and did give me something to think about as far as how the way we are treating our planet might turn out, but I don't think the story or the characters will stay with me too long afterward. If a sequel does come out, I will most likely pick it up to find out the secrets behind the characters and the government that were left unrevealed in Ashes, Ashes.

Disclosure: I received an ARC from the publisher at one of their events.

Wedding Wednesday: My Wedding Weekend in Pittsburgh

2011-08-31T08:39:00.000-04:00

Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner has decided to chronicle her wedding planning and stuff about weddings in weekly blog posts, and since I'm also planning a wedding I thought I'd join in on her idea!

This week I'm going to take a break talking about my own wedding and share my wedding experience from this past weekend. Last Thursday Steve and I went to Pittsburgh for a wedding, as one of Steve's good friends from college was getting married. It was a much different kind of wedding than any I had ever been to, but it was really nice.

The ceremony and party were in the couple's back yard, which had just been finished that week. Their house was still not finished yet, we and many other people worked on it the week or so before the wedding, but they did a great job at cleaning it up for the roughly 80-90 people who came.

All eight (yes, eight) of their parents gave them marital advice (they were surprised and skeptical when their children asked them to do this, since all but one have been divorced), and following this the couple exchanged their own vows. Then they exchanged rings and all of their families pronounced them husband and wife, and their siblings all said a toast. And that was the ceremony! Short, simple, sweet. (They did get officially married at the justice of the peace beforehand, but no one is sure exactly when this happened.)

We all mingled in their beautiful backyard, looking at a photography project the groom completed that ended up chronicling his first year with his new wife, eating delicious food and drinking wine and beer. Steve got to spend a lot of time with people he hasn't seen in years, which was great, and I got to meet all his friends from college, which was fantastic.

For us, Irene was a blessing in disguise. Our flight on Sunday was canceled, and though it seemed like a huge pain at first, we got to spend more time in the city with his friends and more time away from home and the pressures that go with it.

We were talking about how we were a little jealous of the newly married couple; we can't have a small, simple wedding because of how large our families are and our parents' expectations. I don't think I would want to get married in my backyard without an officiant, but part of me wishes it all didn't have to be such a production. (Another part of me is excited by that, but it is exhausting.)

We're going to be spending a lot more time planning, and we're going to spend money on things we probably wouldn't have spent as much on 15 years ago, but I know in the end I will remember my wedding day with only happiness and joy, and that's what counts.

Wedding Wednesday: Magazines

2011-08-24T12:40:00.000-04:00

Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner started this little feature for her own wedding, and since I'm planning mine at the same time (we're getting married three months apart almost to the day!), I figured I'd piggy-back on the idea. :)

No news on the wedding front yet, except I've set up all the hotel room blocks for our guests. (Hooray!) What I'm going to talk about today is the number of magazines out there for brides and wedding stuff.

The one that may come to mind first is The Knot, which not only has a national issue that comes out quarterly, but a regional issue as well. I'm really digging all things The Knot so far, especially their website—it's super helpful to have a timeline of things that need to get done, even if you don't necessarily do all the things on the list. Plus it's nice to just get the ideas in the magazine! I started to plan out the bouquets after this past Boston issue because there was so much in there about them and I got excited.

Then there's Real Simple Weddings, which isn't so much a magazine as a special issue of their magazine that costs around the price of a book. BUT my favorite part about this one is that I got a FREE subscription to Real Simple Magazine with the purchase! And I've discovered I'm a little bit in love with Real Simple Magazine. Oh, and there are great ideas in the wedding issue too.

And finally, Bride's magazine rounds out my mag experience. This is a monthly publication, which is great because there are so many more ideas and articles I can look at on a monthly basis. And I can get them out of the library! Well, not my library, but one nearby. Lots of fantastic little ideas for the details are in this one, as well as TONS of pictures of wedding gowns, which is great for inspiration. (Side note—having lots of trouble finding one of those for me. Been to three places with no dice.)

Anyway, that's my Wedding Wednesday! Check out Jamie's too! She's talking about her venue today.

Review: "Cool Beans" by Erynn Mangum

2011-08-18T08:00:00.001-04:00

Title: Cool Beans
Author: Erynn Mangum
Publisher: NavPress, 2010

This is a Christian fiction book, just letting you all know that up front because I know not everyone likes that kind of thing.

Maya Davis loves her job at Cool Beans, a coffee shop in Hudson, California, which is perfect since she's absolutely addicted to caffeine and coffee. She works with one of her best friends, Jack, and lives with her other best friend, Jen. Throw in Calvin the beagle and her life seems pretty perfect. Until her ex-boyfriend from high school/first year of college shows up. The one that she went ring shopping with. The one that Jen is now dating and who doesn't recognize her. When she lets it go a little too long without telling Jen, she feels stuck. Throw into that the fact her perfect, hard-to-live-up-to doctor brother is moving back with his wife. God has thrown her some curveballs. Where is He when she needs Him?

I loved Maya and her friends. I loved reading about her exploits, and I loved that she would say "yay" all the time. I want to be friends with her, and I'm really looking forward to the other two books in the series!

There was nothing major plot-wise, besides the whole omgmyexisdatingmybestfriendwhatdoidoooo!!!! thing. I just really enjoyed Maya's personal journey, her getting over the ex (years later), and her relationship with God. I also loved her relationship with Jack! Jack is pretty fantastic, I must say. He is studying to be a zookeeper! And is funny and supportive and just an overall great guy. I loved their banter and his little nicknames for Maya.

Also, love Calvin. He does pilates and loves ice cream. (Side note: One thing that really bothered me was that it sounded like Maya fed Calvin chocolate, which is a big no no. It annoyed me each time I read it.) Anytime there is an adorable doggie it makes me happy.

And the descriptions of coffee? It made me crave mochas and lattes to no end. Cinnamon mochas sound delicious.

Totally looking forward to reading more from Erynn Mangum, especially the continued adventures of Maya! The next book, p.s., is all about a wedding (not going to say whose so I don't spoil it!), but this is going to be great for me since I'm getting married soon too.

Disclosure: I got this e-book for my nook from bn.com.

Wedding Wednesday: "The Bride's Survival Guide" and looking for a stationer

2011-08-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

Over at The Perpetual Page-Turner, Jamie has started to write posts every Wednesday about her upcoming wedding one year from tomorrow (!). As luck would have it, I'm also planning my wedding at this time! I'll be getting married May 19, 2012, right here in the Boston area, so I'm going to take this opportunity to talk about wedding stuff with Jamie. Sorry for all of you who are not interested about my personal life, but I just can't pass this up!

For this first Wedding Wednesday, I'm going to highlight a book that has proven to be pretty helpful to me. It's called The Bride's Survival Guide, written by Sharon Naylor, and it's got a ton of information and helpful hints about planning your big day. I was really glad to get something like this, since I had absolutely no clue what I was doing to begin with. Who'd have thought to ask about renovations your possible reception venue might be undergoing at the time of your wedding? I need to go back to it for a refresher soon.

As far as other plans so far, I've got my venues (both church and reception), I've got a band, a photographer, and working on finding a stationer for invitations. I've been talking to two people and I think the end result will be based on cost. But look at their websites!

Today I went for a consultation at Smudge Ink, a stationer in Charlestown, MA. Deb there is super nice, and I love their designs and the letter-press printing they do. It can be formal, but with a little bit of funk.

My other choice is Phillips Street Stationers out of Wayland, MA. Their invitations are very elegant and formal, and I love the pocket invite idea. Shirra there has been very helpful and has created a few PDFs for me to take a look at what she would be able to do! I hope to go see her in person soon.

That's all for now, folks! Hope I haven't bored you too much!

Review: "Ruby Red" by Kerstin Gier

2011-08-15T18:14:00.000-04:00

Title: Ruby Red
Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co., 2011
Translator: Anthea Bell

Gwyneth is in a fine mess. Her perfect, know-it-all cousin Charlotte was supposed to have the time travel gene in her family and has been preparing for time travel since childhood. But as luck would have it, turns out some secrets are revealed when Gwyneth is the one to jump back in time, completely unexpectedly, instead. Sure, she could talk to ghosts, but time travel? So with no training whatsoever and only a quick run-down of what's going on and what their mission is, Gwyneth is thrust into the role of the ruby, last of the time travelers and the one to complete the circle. But is everything what the Guardians say true? Why did her cousin Lucy and Paul de Villiers run off 16 years earlier? Who can she trust?

To be honest, I was not expecting much from Ruby Red when I picked it up. I thought it would be a fun, light read, but I underestimated it. Not only is the text funny, engaging and full of British slang (win), it is a fast-paced adventure bundled up in mysteries. I loved Gwyneth's reactions to pretty much everything. She's funny, and she has a backbone, willing to listen to others when no one else will. She doesn't really take anything lying down, which is good since everyone around her is trying to control what she does.

Anthea Bell, the translator, does a wonderful job. I couldn't tell it was translated at all—it's like it was written in English by a Brit, the language is so spot-on.

Unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of the cover. It's pretty boring, and doesn't really reflect the spunkiness of the main character or the plot very well. It's very plain.

I'm very intrigued by where this is going. I certainly will want to read the sequels, the next of which is Sapphire Blue, out next spring.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me by Zeitghost Media in exchange for an honest review.

Review: "Saving CeeCee Honeycutt" by Beth Hoffman

2011-08-07T12:23:00.001-04:00

Title: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
Author: Beth Hoffman
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books, 2010

Cecelia Rose Honeycutt, or CeeCee as her Momma calls her, has been stuck as the caretaker of her psychotic mother whose mind is stuck in her days of being crowned the 1951 Vidalia Onion Queen back in Georgia. Her father is mostly absent, always traveling for "business" and refusing to acknowledge that her mother needs help that he hasn't already gotten for her. But tragedy strikes, and CeeCee finds herself in Savannah, Georgia with her Aunt Tootie, someone she had never known even existed. But in Savannah, she finds a home and a family of women she never even dreamed of in Willoughby, Ohio.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a lovely little novel full of maxims and life philosophy, all from the mouths of wise women in this new world into which CeeCee is thrust. She is so used to being alone, to being an outcast and a laughingstock because of her mother, that she doesn't know what to make of her new home at first. But CeeCee eventually makes friends with the ladies of the neighborhood, including Oletta, the woman who runs Aunt Tootie's household, Miz Goodpepper, her eccentric and exotic next-door neighbor, and of course, Aunt Tootie herself, a warm and welcoming relative that I would love to find out was my long-lost aunt.

This is certainly a character-driven novel. The setting plays an incredibly important role as a character too; Savannah makes its residents who they are, even CeeCee's mother who was stuck up in Ohio and pined for her home down South. The lushness of the setting comes through on nearly every page, opening CeeCee's eyes to the natural world.

CeeCee was okay as a narrator. Hoffman got the dialogue for her right, but something felt just slightly off about her narration. I'm assuming she is telling the story years after the events of the novel, which take place in the late 1960s, but I still felt unsure about where CeeCee was coming from.

Overall this book was enjoyable, but I think I was expecting too much. There was less plot than I expected, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I sometimes wished more things would happen. I think I was expected something more along the lines of something by Fannie Flagg, who by the way is fantastic and I wholeheartedly recommend Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. I would also recommend this book if you're looking for something strictly character-driven and you enjoy a Southern setting.

Disclosure: I bought this book at a library book sale.

Foverever Giveaway Winner!

2011-08-03T03:48:00.000-04:00

I've picked a winner for my Forever giveaway with the ever-handy random.org, and the magic number made Annette from Annette's Book Spot my winner! Congratulations, Annette! I hope you enjoy your signed ARC of Forever by Maggie Stiefvater!

On a side note, I'll be in Michigan for the rest of the week, with limited Internet access. And by limited, I mean strictly from my phone. So you will not be seeing much of me, though I hope to be on Twitter fairly often. Oh by the way, it's quarter to four in the morning and I'm awake so that I can get to the airport on time. BOOO.

Anyway, have a good week everyone!

I will post later on the awesomeness that was The Body Electric

2011-08-01T23:56:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be an attendee of the annual Simmons College Children's Literature Institute, this year the theme being The Body Electric. The weekend was chock-full of author goodness, with names including Jacqueline Woodson, Jack Gantos, Sharon Draper, Sara Pennypacker and M.T. Anderson.

It is late now, however, and I would like to curl up in bed with a book. I will do my best to put up a more full post later, but I might need some prodding on this. Don't let me slack now! I can't miss telling you about Jack Gantos's idea for the children's lit graveyard, now, can I?

Audiobook Review: "Linger" by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-07-26T09:24:00.000-04:00

Title: Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Audio, 2010 (print from Scholastic, 2010)
Narrators: Dan Bittner (Cole), Pierce Cravens (Sam), Emma Galvin (Isabelle), Jenna Lamia (Grace)

**Spoilers for Shiver follow. You've been warned.**

In this second installment of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series, Grace and Sam are getting used to the fact that Sam is a human for good now. Things seem wonderful on the surface, but something is happening inside Grace, something resulting from the original wolf bite she got as a child. Meanwhile, new wolf Cole can't stay wolf, as he so desperately wants to do, and Isabelle is still wracked with guilt over the death of her brother. They find they are drawn to each other despite their frosty exteriors and complicated interiors.

Though this isn't my favorite series, I did enjoy Linger, more so than I liked Shiver. Stiefvater goes much more into depth with the science behind the werewolf shifting, the characters were more interesting, and it ends on a nice little cliffhanger.

Grace and Sam are very eyeroll-inducing; they're so damn sweet it made me sick. But the book was saved by Grace's mysterious illness, throwing a wrench into their paradise, and by Cole and Isabelle's narrations. I really loved Cole and being inside his head, and his fame added a delightful problem into the plot. This book needed drama and problems, and luckily we got them.

The narrators did a nice job reading the different voices. Again, my favorite was Cole's narrator, Dan Bittner. Everyone else seemed to put a little bit too much inflection into their performances, which annoyed me at first but I got over it pretty quickly.

What I can't understand is why EVERY. SINGLE. ADULT. was so incredibly awful. I hated all of them, except the bookstore owner who was only in one scene. Grace's parents are absolutely detestable and, p.s., are horrible parents. Isabelle's father is a disgusting man and truly a villain. I can't understand why adults are painted in such a horrible light as a general rule here. I know it's supposed to be the teens against the world, but really.

Overall though, despite my misgivings, I am curious to see where the story will go. I love the werewolf mythology Stiefvater created and will certainly pick up Forever at some point.

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from my library.

Top Ten Books I Think Every Teen Should Read

2011-07-19T08:53:00.000-04:00

Another top ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke & the Bookish. Today is my day over there, so if you go over you will... see exactly the same thing as what I post below. Here are my top ten books I think every teen should read. (Let's face it, only librarians and bookish people consider 12- to 19-year-olds to be young adults.) This is a hard list to compile, since every teen is different. I'm going to try my best to cover a wide range, so bear with me. Let's see how I do.

1. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It's important to know that the gossiping you do and the little ways you affect others can have much more impact than you realize. And it's finally out in paperback. It's worth it, trust me.

2. Paper Towns by John Green. Not only does this awesomeness in book form have themes of identity and the way we look at others, it is just a good time all around. I love this book.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. A coming-of-age classic with the simple message of looking beyond the outside of a person.

4. Feed by M.T. Anderson. Teens today will see eerie similarities between Anderson's future and our present, especially with the way we see the world decay around narrator Titus. It's very sobering, at least it was for me.

5. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. A tough but all too common issue in our world is expertly handled here. A great conversation starter.

6. Any Shakespeare. There are too many references to the Bard in EVERYTHING we consume via the media, it would only help to read some of his stuff.

7. Grimm's Fairy Tales. Again, so many references in everyday life come from the fairy tales, especially those compiled by the Grimm brothers. And it's dark stuff too. Scholars have studied fairy tales for years, and for good reason: they tell us a lot about our selves.

8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Probably one of the best books I've ever read in my entire life. A look at life in poverty on an Indian reservation, as well as an examination of identity. And despite its heartbreaking moments, it is chock-full of humor.

9. Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. This gem of a novel shows how each individual in a neighborhood comes together to create a community where there wasn't one before, thanks to a garden. Oh, and it's super short.

10. Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden. One of the first (if not the first—please let me know in the comments if you know this) books focusing on a homosexual relationship where one of the two lovers doesn't die. I thought this book was a great way to see (and better understand) a homosexual relationship if you are used to a heterosexual point of view.

There you have it, my top ten. Let me make clear that this is not my top ten YA books that I love the most. Though I do love these. What are your top ten? Link to your post over at The Broke & the Bookish!

Giveaway of "Forever" by Maggie Stiefvater!

2011-07-18T20:56:00.001-04:00

Hi all! In apology for being so inactive on here, I'm giving you all an "I'm-sorry" present. Here's a giveaway to win a SIGNED ARC of Maggie Stiefvater's Forever, out this month!

I had the pleasure of meeting Maggie, along with Libba Bray and Meg Cabot, at a Scholastic lunch celebrating This Is Teen! earlier this summer. Again, I'm sorry for the terrible posting job I'm doing talking about these events.

Anyway, if you'd like to enter to win this lovely autographed ARC, please fill in the form below! Some rules:

Must be 13 years or older to enter.

This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on July 31, 2011.

US or Canada only.

Only one entry per person. I will find out if you enter more than once; trust me, I check.

Good luck my friends! No need to be a follower to enter, but it would be appreciated.

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Review: "Withering Tights" by Louise Rennison

2011-07-14T09:04:00.000-04:00

Title: Withering Tights (Misadventures of Tallulah Casey)
Author: Louise Rennison
Publisher: HarperTeen, 2011

Tallulah Casey is off to the Yorkshire Dales for a summer college course at Dother Hall, a performing arts school. She goes for a laugh and to escape her brother's butterfly sandwiches, as she has never really had much experience performing and has very knobby knees that are too high on her legs. But she's surprised to find that she quite enjoys it there, and with her new friends and a number of boys around, thanks to nearby Woolfe Hall and the village of Heckmondshire, she hopes she can pass the summer course so she can return. She hopes the end-of-summer performance of Wuthering Heights, inspired by their location in the English moors, will be her ticket.

Withering Tights has no real coherent storyline or plot aside from Tallulah making it through the summer, but that doesn't really matter. That will only affect you if you do no like the funny, because Louise Rennison is hilarious. The wit in this book is sharp and delicious (I realize that also can describe cheddar but bear with me). I found myself laughing out loud a lot—Rennison's comedic timing is often perfect.

The setting was great, especially if you're an Anglophile. Rennison doesn't shy away from using English slang, and she adds a helpful (and also very funny) glossary at the back of the book. I love the words she uses; it adds so much to the book as a whole, and it probably wouldn't be as funny without the language.

Like I said, there's no real storyline, Tallulah just chronicles the summer. Of course, characters and little subplots are followed, like Ruby and the baby owls ("hooray!") and Tallulah's encounters with at least four boys (there is a lot of boy stuff, but it's more like Tallulah is just trying to figure out how to deal with them, since she's only 14). And speaking of characters, I don't think there is a dull one in the bunch. Every character is individualized, and some might be described as "normal," but in here that term is relative. The only one I really dislike is Cain, for reasons you will all realize if you read it, but I have a feeling he'll play a pretty big part in the following books in the series.

I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the Misadventures of Tallulah Casey series. I found that I'm more fond of Tallulah than I ever was of Georgia Nicholson, though I do like those books too. And side note: Georgia is Tallulah's cousin. Maybe we'll see a cameo later on!

Disclosure: I won an ARC of this title from Steph Su (thanks Steph!).

Review: "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

2011-07-07T08:55:00.002-04:00

Title: Elijah of Buxton
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Listening Library, 2008 (print from Scholastic, 2007)
Narrator: Mirron Willis

Elijah was born free in Canada, in a settlement called Buxton. His parents escaped slavery in America, making it to the security and relatively happy life—and Elijah was the first baby to be born in this new country, away from the shackles America would have placed on him and his family. But life isn't perfect for the people of this community. Many still have family members who didn't make it to Canada, others have lost family to death, and most still bear the scars, both physical and psychological, of slavery.

Elijah lives in relative peace and security because of his ignorance of the way it is in America, but when one of his neighbors is robbed of the money he was going to use to free his family, Elijah makes a dangerous journey down south, past the Canadian border. He sees horrors he hopes to never see again, if only he can make it back home.

I first read Christopher Paul Curtis last summer for my children's literature class, and I've been meaning to read more of his work ever since. His books, though they have roots in racism and slavery in America, also tell incredibly engaging stories full of humor. In this Newbery Honor–winning book, also the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Book Award, Curtis does an incredible balancing act, pacing the drama and danger with the more lighthearted parts of the story, and does not shy away from the horror to which slaves were subjected. Elijah of Buxton is a funny and alternately searing account of life during the mid-1800s for black people in both America and Canada. Vile characters interact with good-hearted ones, and men with good intentions make bad decisions. I couldn't often couldn't stop listening, even after I had reached my destination in my car.

Curtis also includes an excellent author's note at the end, giving a brief history of Buxton and what in his novel was real and what he fictionalized (which should always be included in a work of historical fiction). As a bonus, Curtis reads this himself in the audio.

Mirron Willis's narration was perfect. He read the dialect with authenticity and just the right amount of emotion, portraying Elijah's confusion, naivete and conviction with all the charm Curtis gives Elijah. I fell in love with Elijah through Willis's voice and excellent portrayal.

If you're looking for a way to while away the hours of your morning and/or evening commute or on a long road trip (especially with kids who have the patience to listen to audiobooks), I highly recommend this one to keep you company.

Disclosure: I got this from my local library.

Review: "Anya's Ghost" by Vera Brosgol

2011-07-05T13:04:00.000-04:00

Title: Anya's Ghost
Author: Vera Brosgol
Publisher: First Second, 2011

Anya, daughter of a Russian immigrant, insecure in her body, and just trying to fit in at her private school, ends up finding a friend in the most unlikely of places. After falling down a well, Anya discovers a skeleton... and its ghost that's been hanging out down there for about 90 years.

At first, Anya is obviously freaked. But she escapes from the well, with help from Emily (the ghost). Who ends up following her out. Emily turns out to be a great friend, helping her with school and boys, but Anya soon figures out that Emily is here to stay... whether she likes it or not.

This graphic novel is beyond awesome. The illustrations are outstanding, all in black, white, gray and muted purple. The pacing of the story is excellent too—we jump into the story right away with Anya's fall, discovery of the skeleton, and subsequent befriending of Emily Reilly, who died 90 years ago after she fell down the well herself.

This is also a mystery. Anya promises to search for Emily's murderer, who she says killed her parents and then chased her through the woods the night of her fall. But Emily seems strangely uninterested and not very eager for Anya to start her search. She's much more interested in finding Anya a way into the heart of her crush, basketball star Sean. Even when Anya isn't interested anymore. Slowly we begin to see Emily's true personality and psychosis, and Anya tries to uncover Emily's history.

I had to keep going back after finishing this to just look at the illustrations and relive parts of the story. There is true terror within the pages, but a more subtle terror than you might expect in a ghost story.

There's also a lot in here about acceptance of yourself and your culture, with Anya's denial of her background and attempts to keep her family out of the line of sight of her schoolmates. She avoids another Russian student at her school because he acts too "fobby," without giving him a chance at any sort of friendship because of his social status. Throughout the plot, she has to come to terms with all of this.

Whether you read graphic novels or not, this is one you should go out and read immediately. The story and illustrations are in perfect harmony to make for one scary and mysterious ride.

Disclosure: I got this from my local library.

Review: "Amy and Roger's Epic Detour" by Morgan Matson

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2010

Since Amy's father died in a car crash, her life has been flipped upside down. Her mother decided to take a job in Connecticut, far away from the memories of how their family used to be; her brother Charlie is sent away to a rehab clinic in North Carolina; and now Amy has to drive her mother's car from California to the new house. The only problem? Amy can't bring herself to drive after the accident. Enter Roger, friend from childhood (and whom she hasn't seen since), who has to get to Pennsylvania to spend the summer with his father. After reviewing the route Amy's mom mapped out for them, they decide it is much too boring and plan to drive wherever they feel like going.

I had heard a lot of good things about Amy and Roger's Epic Detour before finally picking it up, thinking it would make for a good book club choice (by the way, if anyone is interested and lives near Burlington, MA, it will be July 8 at 7 p.m.). It did make for a good summer read, enhanced with a bevy of visuals and what I'm sure are excellent playlists, but overall I didn't think it was anything truly remarkable.

I think I was most annoyed at how we didn't find out about the actual accident until the book was almost over. I understand why Matson structured it that way, but I found myself just getting frustrated and annoyed that Amy couldn't bring herself to reveal what happened until then. It's not like it was a big surprise; I guessed at the basics, and the full story revealed very few details.

The writing and character development didn't do much for me either. No phrases struck me as noteworthy, and the characters themselves didn't really have much personality besides their music interests and Amy's grief. I couldn't feel any chemistry between Amy and Roger, either.

But despite all this, Amy and Roger makes for a great road trip book. I learned a lot about the states the duo drove through, thanks to the handy dandy travel journal Amy filled out during the trip (loved how Matson used and included this) and random facts—not too soon after finishing the book, I impressed my fiance with my knowledge of bourbon. I also really enjoyed the scrapbook stuff like receipts, pictures and postcards sprinkled throughout.

The journey is not only physical, but metaphorical in this book. Not anything too outstanding or even different, but it does the trick. Plus it can just be plain old fun. It certainly made me want to get in my car and go.

Disclosure: I got this from my local library.

Top Ten Bookish Websites/Apps

2011-06-28T11:50:00.001-04:00

Today's Top Ten Tuesday, which is hosted by the other blog I write for, The Broke and the Bookish, has to do with top ten bookish websites and apps. As I just got a smart phone the other day, I'm a bit behind on the bookish apps (so I will read all about them in others posts to get ideas, yay!). Most of the following will be websites.

1. The nook app for Android: I did download the nook app on my new Android phone (yay), which is pretty nice. I can read any of my ebooks whenever on my phone now. I think that's pretty cool.

2. GoodReads.com: This website is where I met many of my online bookish buds, including Jamie who leads us Broke and Bookish folk. It's a great social website for book lovers, and a great place to find book recs.

3. Google Reader: I know this isn't totally a website, but I figured this was easier to list than all the blogs I follow. I follow a lot, and this helps me manage them and read them all in one place. (By the way, I love blogs.)

4. My library's website: Any time I want to get a book that I've read about or seen a review for, I check to see if it's in the Minuteman catalog first. It's free to check books out of the library, you know! And it's super quick to request it. Plus no buyer's remorse.

5. Book buying websites: When I know I want to own a book, I go to Amazon first (I get free shipping because I get free prime because I'm a student!). Then I'll check other ones, just in case.

6. YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) website: This is for my library professional development. They have awesome webinars that I can watch after they take place for free, since I'm a member. It also has lots of helpful lists and articles for teen services.

7. Mike the Bookseller webcomic: As an employee of an unnamed major book chain, these comics make me smile. They're pretty awesome.

8. Unshelved webcomic: As a library worker, this comic is fabulous. I love it and it's hilarious and TRUE.

9. Twitter: This is where I get all my news, including most of my bookish news. Twitter is like an appendage for me when I'm online.

Okay, well I didn't quite get to ten, but I'm close. Hop on over to The Broke and the Bookish to weigh in on your favorites.

Blog Tour: "War and Watermelon" by Rich Wallace

2011-06-27T08:03:00.001-04:00

Thanks for joining me today at Tahleen's Mixed-Up Files for the blog tour of Rich Wallace's War and Watermelon!

Title: War and Watermelon
Author: Rich Wallace
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 2011

It's the tail end of the summer of 1969, right after the moon landing and before Woodstock, during the Vietnam War and while the Mets started getting hot on their way to the World Series. Twelve-year-old Brody is growing up in New Jersey at this time, anticipating the jump from elementary school to junior high, playing on the football team, and trying to figure out girls—while also trying to come to terms with the bigger issues of the time. Joining his older brother Ryan at Woodstock starts him thinking about peace, love and rock and roll, and how his brother might not always be there—especially once he turns 18.

I enjoyed this story. I mean, once Woodstock was mentioned, I was all over it—I have this great fascination with that insane and incredible concert (I own one of the two CD sets of the concert's recording). There were a lot of music references, including periodic top tens listed by Brody, and very brief descriptions of Joan Baez during Brody's experience at Woodstock.

The setting is so important in this book. We see not only New Jersey during 1969, but also the attitudes of the time—racism is slipped into the dialogue like a whisper, and opinions about the Vietnam War are often vocalized by Brody's father in response to Ryan.

I did have a few minor quibbles with this book. I loved all the music references because of my love for the music of the time, but I wish there was some sort of appendix or something in the back with a little bit of info on all the musicians mentioned. A lot of kids probably won't know who Joan Baez is, or what the songs mentioned sound like (I know I didn't recognize all of them and was too lazy to look them up at the time). I also got pretty bored with the long descriptions of Brody's football games; they seemed unnecessary. I did, however, like the football game in which Brody's female classmate played touch football and did a nice job at beating the other team.

This book would make a really nice companion to a school unit about America in the late '60s. There are themes that are for more mature audiences (there are a lot of references to marijuana and partial nudity), but the language is simple and easy to understand. It's a great way to give younger teens a look at what life was probably like for their parents. I'd recommend it to lovers of the '60s, music lovers, or sports fans looking for a good read.

Audiobook Review: "The True Meaning of Smekday" by Adam Rex

2011-06-19T19:22:00.001-04:00

Title: The True Meaning of Smekday
Author: Adam Rex
Publisher: Listening Library, 2011 (print available from Hyperion, 2007)
Narrator: Bahni Turpin

Starting off with a short essay on what she thinks is the "true meaning of Smekday," 12-year-old Gratuity Tucci tells a short story of how she knows the reasoning behind the new holiday—only to be told by her teacher that she needs to elaborate. So she tells a more full version of her story, basically how her mother starts talking about aliens who talk to her through a mole on her neck, how she ends up with a Boov (the aliens previously mentioned) named J. Lo, and their trip in a floating car named Slushious to Florida, the land allotted to humans by the Boov. After that abridged essay is written, she continues a secret, full-length version of how she and J. Lo cross the country to Arizona in Slushious, meet a number of colorful (and often eccentric, to put it mildly) characters, learn about a bigger threat to Earth than the Boov, and attempt to save the world.

This book is so incredibly rich in symbolism it's fantastic. I could not listen to Rex's words without thinking of Native Americans and relocation; it's pretty much impossible to not think of it if you know the history. It's an incredibly smart and often hilarious post-colonial piece of literature, disguised as a science-fiction story about alien invaders. Oh, did I mention all the satire Rex slips in about American culture? It's great.

Don't be scared away by that description though. This is also a fast-paced road trip story, complete with alien weaponry and battles, and lots of humor. Rex is truly a genius when it comes to poking fun at fantasy cliches, my favorite involving a blob of taco sauce. He also incorporates themes of family and friendship incredibly well, without making it hokey or sappy.

As for the audio version, Bahni Turpin is a master. She gives the Boov great voices, to the point where I believed it was J. Lo talking each time she read his dialogue. Everyone had a distinct voice, and her sound effects added so much to it all. This was one of the best performances I've listened to in a while, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good way to pass the time on their commute.

If you're looking for a smart and incredibly entertaining sci-fi novel, look no further. I've become a huge fan of Rex after this beauty of a book.

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from my local library.

Short hiatus and giveaway winner

2011-06-15T07:17:00.001-04:00

First things first. I know you're all dying to know who won my Ruby Red giveaway, and here it is!

Anna Freud of My Open Books! Congratulations, Anna!

sodahead.com

In other news, I will be on a short hiatus probably for the rest of the week. You might have noticed I sort of disappeared recently. That's because my poor little laptop wasn't working right and is in the computer hospital to get all better. I'm hoping to have it back by the end of the week.

"Ruby Red" Giveaway!

2011-06-09T10:32:00.029-04:00

I've been presented with the opportunity to host a giveaway of Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red for all of you, my lucky and loyal readers. Haven't heard of the time-travel adventure yet? Here's a quick summary provided by the publisher:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

I personally enjoy time travel stuff, especially when paired with London stuff. Especially when it's London of the past AND the present. So I have good expectations. The trailer is pretty cute too.

Look out for my review later this summer. In the meantime, sign up to win your own copy of Ruby Red! Also, many thanks to Zeitghost Media and Macmillan for providing me with said copy.

Fill out the form below the rules.

Rules
*This giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on June 13, 2011.
*Entrants in US or Canada only.
*One entry per person.
*Must be 13 or older to enter.
*You do NOT have to be a follower to enter.
*If I contact you as the winner and you don't respond within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner.

The YA Darkness Maelstrom

2011-06-09T00:27:00.002-04:00

I was going to not write a post about the whole Wall Street Journal article that pretty much bashes and dismisses young adult literature, but I feel like I should at least say something about my stance. Especially when I see it's gotten more than 8,000 Facebook "likes" from people.

If you know me, you will know that I am distraught by the complete ignorance and lack of empathy Meghan Cox Gurdon displays in her article, titled "Darkness Too Visible." She basically claims that teens don't need to worry about the dark themes that are present in many young adult titles today.

Unfortunately, she is very wrong.

Let's just look at a few statistics. According to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), someone in the United States is sexually assaulted every 2 minutes. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide was the third leading cause of death in young adults ages 15 to 24 in 2007. According to Childhelp, a report of child abuse occurs every 10 seconds. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.8.

Do we see something here?

Teens and tweens do not always have lives full of sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. I actually have yet to meet a teen whose life is that awesome. I remember what it was like when I was in middle and high school, and life sucked hardcore. I went through a period of pretty intense depression (though it was never diagnosed or anything), and I felt so alone and miserable, despite my loving family and decent economic standing. I did not get the idea to be miserable from books. Books helped me to escape, and to see that I wasn't alone.

This is the reason why I'm studying to be a librarian and hope to work with teens. I want to find books for them that will help them, that are relevant to their lives and are something they can hold on to. Now, don't read this to say I will give every teen that walks through the library doors books about rape and suicide. No. I will assess the situation and use my training to see what interests the teen, to see what they are looking for and what they want or need. Then I will do my best to find a book that is a match for them, and, if necessary (and if possible), one that fits with their parents' desires too (it can be done, believe it or not). The good news is, there are too many books to count in the world. There is one out there to fit nearly every situation.

It will just be my job to find them.

Review: "Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

2011-06-08T11:38:00.000-04:00

Title: Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie
Author: Jordan Sonnenblick
Publisher: Scholastic, 2004

Steven Alper's life is fairly typical of your average 8th-grader. He plays drums (and he's really great, not to mention dedicated), he gets decent grades, and he's annoyed by his (totally adorable) 5-year-old brother Jeffrey. But Steven's life, and those of his family, are thrown into a whirlwind of hospitals, medications and constant anxiety when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia. Not only does Steven have to process the fact that his younger brother may not live to see middle school, he has to deal with a father who can no longer communicate, a mother who must quit her job to care for her younger son, and Jeffrey's own fears and uncertainty of what will happen to him. And he still has to worry about grades and stuff. That's a lot for a 13-year-old to deal with.

It's not easy to write a funny book about cancer, but Sonnenblick did. Let me just clarify: the cancer is not funny, but humor is still a part of the writing and is present in the characters' lives, despite the grim issues Steven has to deal with. Steven has a keen sense of humor, and I often found myself smiling while reading certain passages. His voice is also perfect, and I love that he's so intense about his drumming, and so fiercely protective of Jeffrey (even if he doesn't realize it).

The way Steven's parents deal with the news and Jeffrey's treatment are wildly different. While his mother drops everything, including her job as an English teacher, to take care of Jeffrey and learn everything she can about his disease and the treatment, his father shuts down emotionally and immerses himself in his accounting work. The Alper's financial situation is dire because of Jeffrey's leukemia, and Steven becomes very aware of this.

Sonnenblick never forgets his main character is in middle school and is just trying to get by without looking like an idiot (he's not always successful). His grades start to slip, and his image is still super important to him (keep an eye out for the school dance scene).

And the "girls" part in the title? Those girls are Renee, gorgeous neighbor and girl of his dreams; and Annette, friend and fellow musician (basically she's a piano genius). I loved watching Steven's relationship with both girls grow and change over the course of the year—not only do we learn a lot about each girl and their little complexities, we learn a lot about Steven by how he reacts to each one. Also, he can be super clueless when it comes to girls, but hey, I guess that's understandable. He's only 13, after all.

Alternately funny and heartbreaking, this is a great read. There aren't many books that tell the story of the sibling of a cancer patient, and I'm very glad to know this one exists. Humor is so important to have in the face of tough times, and this book serves as a good reminder of that, especially for teens who don't know what to do when faced with such horrible, life-changing things.

Disclosure: I bought this book from my local bookstore.

Review: "The Time-Traveling Fashionista" by Bianca Turetsky

2011-06-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Time-Traveling Fashionista
Author: Bianca Turetsky
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 2011

Twelve-year-old Louise is ready for a change. She is bored of the way she looks, the food her mom cooks (doused in vinegar, always), and the plain old boring life she leads. It's a good thing the school dance is coming up to give her something to look forward to, and to shop for. You see, Louise loves vintage clothing—the feel of the fabric, the style, the stories each garment holds. So when she gets an invitation to the Traveling Fashionista Vintage Sale, she figures this is the perfect place to find The Dress of her dreams. And she's right. But she has no idea just how far she will "travel" once she puts it on.

Basically, this is a simply written but engaging story of a girl who is sent back in time to 1912 into the body of another woman, who just so happens to be on board a glamourous ship going from England to America. Guess which one. It's full of fashion and descriptions of high living, from the perspective of a 12-year-old girl from 2011.

The writing is, again, simple, especially for something labeled "teen." I would categorize this more as a middle-grade novel, though it masquerades as teen. This isn't necessarily a bad thing either. It actually worked pretty well for one of my Girl Scouts who is less confident as a reader, and whose teacher would only look at reading level when she judged its appropriateness.

By far my favorite aspect of this book was the artwork. Beautiful illustrations by Sandra Suy are scattered throughout the book, showcasing the fashion designs Turetsky describes. It really brings the story to life, and I relished each piece of art.

All in all, this was a fun historical fiction with a contemporary character thrown out of her world and into one she (mostly) wished she could live in. Real people are characters in the novel, so we even learn a bit about the people aboard the great ship. (By the way, I did find myself tearing up toward the end; I got attached to some of these characters, even if they were only minor.) If you are looking for a quick read and you love fashion and color, by all means go find copy of this book. If you're looking for something with a bit more depth, you might want to consider another historical fiction novel.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher.

Review: "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead

2011-05-31T17:18:00.001-04:00

Title: When You Reach Me
Author: Rebecca Stead
Publisher: Yearling (Imprint of Random House), 2009

Miranda, sixth-grader and native New Yorker, knows how to live in the city, especially since her mom has been telling her how to be safe for pretty much her whole life. She deals with the older boys who hang out near her apartment building, the crazy man on the corner who kicks at the street and lies with his head under a mailbox, and she knows to keep her key out at least a block before she gets to her door. But her constant companion, her best friend Sal, starts acting really weird; after he gets punched by one of the kids on the street for no reason, he stops talking to her and walking home with her and basically just ignores her. She's not sure why or what she did, or how to get him back.

This is all made way more complicated and frightening when she starts getting the notes. The notes that tell her pieces of the future. And the notes that tell her she needs to help the note-writer before it's too late and a person close to her dies.

When You Reach Me has stayed with me long after I finished the last page. It's a fast read, but it's also one that I will probably revisit again soon. There is a gentleness to Stead's writing, a mystery just out of reach that only comes together when it should. I did guess at things, but I often found myself second-guessing and turning to pages to see if I was right or not.

And let me tell you, that ending is beautiful.

I also need to tell you all that, if you have read and liked (or loved—better if you love it, as I do) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, you need to read this book. Miranda loves it to the point where she's read it too many times to count and her copy is falling apart. She calls it her book, and I think any reader knows what she means. It's the book that means the most to her, the one she carries with her always (be it figuratively or literally).

Miranda isn't perfect.. She has a mean streak if the mood strikes, if she's jealous of someone. And she doesn't always make the best decisions. But she is all the more real for it, even if we don't want her to do what she chooses to do.

Oh, and the story takes place during 1978-9, giving it a slightly different feel. It's a New York of a different time, but not so different. There is just a dash of science fiction, but it's nothing that takes you out of the real setting or out of Miranda's day-to-day experiences.

I truly loved this book and wholeheartedly recommend it to those who enjoy books about time travel, friendship, A Wrinkle in Time, and possibly game shows.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book from Barnes & Noble.

Blogging About Blogging

2011-05-27T14:51:00.001-04:00

So here we are, the final day of Armchair BEA. It's been pretty fun, though I wish I had had more time to peruse all the different blogs and get to know bloggers participating. Lots going on this week (wedding venue hunting... not fun).

Anyway. Today's Armchair BEA topic is blogging about blogging.

When I blog, I mostly try to put quality content up here. I write reviews as often as I can, though I don't review every YA/MG/children's title I read (sometimes you just gotta enjoy it). I also try to keep the memes to a minimum, unless I know it will increase the quality of my blog.

I would really my readers to get to know me and like when other bloggers are able to include personal information in their posts, but I often find it difficult to know how much to put in. I don't want this to be a blog about ME, but about the books I enjoy (which is part of me, true, but not all). I think in the future I'll try to include a bit more about librarianship and what I value in the career path I've chosen to pursue. I do a few posts here and there but nothing to write home about. (On a side note, I just renewed my memberships to ALA [American Library Association] and YALSA [Young Adult Library Services Association], so I'm kind of excited about that.)

I use Twitter a lot to promote and to get to know other bloggers, and have them get to know me, too, but maybe someday I will be more comfortable and confident in sharing more here.

I really like blogging. It's fun and it's useful to me, especially since I can keep track of all the books I read and review much more easily (provided I keep up with cataloging them. Bad librarian!). I just khave to remember that it's something I do for fun and not an obligation! Sometimes I get too stressed from it all, but I eventually make it back to where I need to be.

Anyway, that's me and blogging. Do you have my same issues, or different ones? What does blogging mean to you?

Armchair BEA, Days 3 and 4

2011-05-26T08:09:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I missed yesterday... my bad! In my defense I was real busy.

Let me start off with the discussion topic from yesterday: Networking!

I don't have an interview for you all, but I will share the best networking tool for bloggers that I've come across: Twitter. I don't know what I'd do without it. It's a great way to get into conversations with others, be they bloggers, publishers or authors. I have made so many contacts through this social networking site, and I love getting to know people better through it.

Some of my favorite bloggers? That's a tough one, as there are so many (I'm sure that's been said by most people), but I need to give a shout out to Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner, as well as The Broke and the Bookish, which I also write for. She is always so encouraging and fun to talk to, plus she's awesome. I'm also quite fond of the Boston Book Bums, who are super fun to tweet and chat with, and I love their Bookish Intelligence Reports (gotta keep up with the bookish news). Plus they're from my neck of the woods, so that's pretty great.

Okay, on to today's topic: Nurturing Blogger Relationships.

Actually, I'm going to go with Twitter again here. Love getting into the conversations. It's pretty much the only way I talk with other bloggers, except for in comments (though I don't write comments as frequently as I should). I also use a lot of e-mail stuff, but only with publishers and other bloggers in The Broke and the Bookish (*coughJamiecough*).

I also like to meet bloggers in person, but alas I have few opportunities to do so since not many live in the Boston area. Though I did just join a Facebook group for us Bostonians, so I have hope.

As far as book pitches go, I get annoyed when I'm approached to review books for adults. This is primarily a young adult/children's review blog; I only review adult titles if I think they'll appeal to teens. This is not just because I just enjoy YA/children's, it's because this blog is also professional development for me. I am hoping to be a YA librarian at some point (sooner rather than later, fingers crossed) so it just wastes time if I start reading a book and find out that it's not for teens. I have a lot of books that I really should read, considered classics in YA, that I should be reading instead.

Sorry about that rant! Whoo. Glad to get that off my chest! :)

Just thought I'd randomly throw in some happy sunflowers.

Anyway, that's my story. Pretty much it revolves around Twitter. How do you network/keep in touch?

Armchair BEA, Day 2

2011-05-24T08:02:00.000-04:00

On this, the second day of Armchair BEA, our question is: What are the best books you've read in 2011?

Here's my list!

First up: Diamond Willow by Helen Frost. A wonderful book of diamond-shaped poems, with a deeper message buried in the heart of each (a few words are bolded to spell out that message). You can read my review here.

Heartbreaking yet inspirational, this lovely middle grade book won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature for 2010, and for good reason. My review is here.

The Dairy Queen Trilogy are some of the best contemporary YA books I've ever read. Er, listened to. I love D.J. Schwenk and her farm and her sports-crazy family and her relationship angst! Every part of this series is fantastic. Oh, I listened to the audiobooks, by the way, and Natalie Moore is the most perfect narrator for this series. You can read my reviews of the audiobooks here, here and here.

Rita Williams-Garcia's One Crazy Summer deals with a part of American history that is usually glossed over in the middle grade literature I usually read, and that is the Black Panther movement of the 1960s. Told by 11-year-old Delphine, this is the story of how she and her two younger sisters spend the summer with their reluctant mother in Oakland, California. Check out my review here.

Those are the best books I've read this year, no doubt about it.

Armchair BEA: Late to the game, but I made it.

2011-05-24T00:22:00.002-04:00

I'm Armchair BEA-ing it up this week.

So this first post is supposed to be about me, and why I am armchairing it this week.

I'd have loved to be at BEA, but unfortunately I can't take time off work right now. I'm saving up my vacation hours for... my wedding! Hooray, getting married!

Anyway, here's a little bit about me. First, my name is Tahleen, in case you weren't sure. I live in Massachusetts, I am 24 years old, and I started blogging last summer because I wanted to use it in my professional development. I'm in library school right now, with a concentration in Youth Services; I hope to one day work with teens in a public library. Here's hoping!

I also love to read (duh), and I like to sing too. What else can I say about me? Oh, I have a really cute doggy. Her name is Lucy and she is pretty fantastic if I do say so myself.

She is about a year and a half old and is a Toto dog. Hi Lucy!

This blog is the manifestation of my love for young adult and children's literature. I hope you stop by time and again to read a few of my posts!

Review: "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

2011-05-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperTeen), 2011

In a futuristic Chicago, people belong to factions and exhibit the trait most valued by the one they belong to. Beatrice has just turned 16 and therefore must make a choice that will affect her life forever. Should she stay in the faction of Abnegation, where selflessness is valued, and where she has grown up and lives with her parents and brother? Or does she dare to abandon everything she knows for what she most desires? Once her choice is made, she plunges into an adventure she never imagined, not even after all the thinking she has done. And she has one very dangerous secret she must keep... if she wants to survive.

In the influx of dystopian novels out recently, it's hard for one to stand out from the crowd. Surprise! Yep, this is another very positive review of this book. Divergent succeeds in being original, suspenseful and completely enjoyable. In the world Roth has created, people are put into strict groups, which is not a new concept. What is new (at least to me) is the concept that the people of each group have ONE trait or quality that they value above all others (selflessness, peacefulness, courage, intelligence and honesty) and live their lives accordingly.

What I loved about this so much was that the characters aren't on a grand mission to overthrow their government or society or whatever because they recognize it's a flawed society or that they want to be FREE, dammit. No. I'm pretty tired of that, honestly. These characters all completely accept their lives and do the best they can in the world their given, which is what I would expect. Sure, things happen that show these flaws, but it's not like a light bulb ever goes on about how awful their world is. Only hints here and there. (This might change in the other books of the series, I don't know, but I liked that part of this volume.)

And speaking of characters, I loved how flawed they all are. No one is perfect, ever. In fact, I hated Tris, our narrator, a few times during my reading. But I was glad for it. Tris is often something of an anti-hero, though she shows some cojones quite often. I admired her and despised her, which makes a pretty good case for Roth's writing. And another awesome thing: There is some diversity in this cast of characters, hallelujah. What's interesting is people's skin color is not noticed so much as their way of dress, which indicates their faction. There is still prejudice in this world, just a different kind than we're used to.

Oh, did I mention I could barely put the book down for all the action and layers of mystery within the plot? Yeah, that was pretty great. This book has nearly 500 pages but I flew through it.

I am very impressed with Roth's debut, and I will most definitely be picking up the next book when it comes out (whenever that may be—soon please?).

Disclosure: This book was sent to me by the (very awesome) publisher.

Review: "The Greedy Sparrow" by Lucine Kasbarian

2011-05-21T09:15:00.000-04:00

Title: The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale
Author: Lucine Kasbarian
Illustrator: Maria Zaikina
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children, 2011

When one thinks of folk tales, familiar ones from childhood are first to come to mind. Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella. But this depends on the child. Armenian children's author Lucine Kasbarian remembers the story of a greedy sparrow she learned from her father and grandmother when she was little. As an adult, she decided to turn that story into a picture book, and with smashing results.

In this tale, starting with the traditional Armenian folk tale beginning of "There once was and was not" (explained in a helpful author's note at the beginning), a sparrow starts off with a thorn in its foot. It asks a nearby baker if she will remove it, and she does it, "with pleasure!" The sparrow flies off and the baker tosses the thorn into her fire. But then in a twist, the sparrow comes back later and demands the thorn back. Clearly it's impossible to retrieve it, so he demands a loaf of bread in return. So the baker does.

In a pattern of lending and replacing, the sparrow goes from bread to a sheep (how hilarious is that cover picture of the sparrow flying with the sheep?), and on to other replacements, until his greed gets him right back where he started.

I loved the predictable pattern of the storytelling, and yet despite knowing that each person the sparrow asks to watch over the items will fail him, I was sometimes surprised at what the sparrow asked for in return! It's really delightful, and we get the beautiful illustrations to show us the funny results (sheep!).

Speaking of the illustrations, there couldn't have been a better artist than Maria Zaikina for this book. Her unusual style of using layered wax and oil paint brings us striking, textured representation of each scene in the story. It definitely lends it a folksy feel. And the clothing! I love the traditional outfits of all the Armenians she illustrated, especially in the wedding scenes. I loved that little bit of my culture brought to life.

Kasbarian mentions a number of real places that are or were in Armenia, such as Lake Van, Mount Ararat, and Aghtamar. In a discussion guide I received with the book, it asks readers to do some research and find out which ones are no longer in Armenia.

My only regret about this book is there is not much background information in the actual book. I would love to see another, longer author's note at the back explaining some of the traditions that were explained in the supplementary material I received with this, like the importance of minstrels in Armenia back in the day.

I will most certainly be keeping this picture book through the years, and when I have children some day, I'll share this part of their heritage with them in the form of The Greedy Sparrow.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author for review.

Audiobook Review: "I, Emma Freke" by Elizabeth Atkinson

2011-05-21T00:50:00.000-04:00

Title: I, Emma Freke
Author: Elizabeth Atkinson
Publisher: Recorded Books, 2011 (print version available from Carolrhoda Books, 2010)
Narrator: Ali Ahn

Emma Freke considers herself to be, well, a freak. She is almost 6 feet tall, has bright red hair and has a name she can't believe her mother gave her. "Am A Freak"? What could be worse? She doesn't know who her father is and never gets a straight answer out of her mother or grandfather. Plus, her mother Donatella won't win any prizes for mother of the year. After a huge misunderstanding about Emma starting to homeschool, she feels worse than ever. At least she has her friend, 10-year-old Penelope, to cheer her up; she also is able to finish up the school year with a hip librarian tutor at the library.

When she gets an unexpected invitation to the annual Freke Family Reunion, however, things really start to look up for Emma. Will she finally feel like she's found where she belongs?

The audio version was good. Though I thought Ahn sounded a bit too mature to narrate for 12-year-old Emma at first, she grew on me. She did a great job at giving each character distinct voices, though at times I thought I would probably have read dialogue in a different way than she intoned it on the recording.

This was a short, sweet book about a girl who can't seem to find her place in the world. Very big in size and trying to be very small in all other ways, Emma feels like an outsider in her own family. She looks nothing like her 5-foot-tall mother, an aging yet lively and eccentric (albeit flakey) Italian with lots of boyfriends. Though she's very intelligent and kindhearted, Emma can only see her flaws and what makes her different. Though this sounds like a sad story, it's got a lot of heart and happiness with the message to be happy with who you are, minus the cheese.

The characters are certainly not stock. Differences abound, from a tattooed lost cousin to a spunky adopted girl from Liberia with lesbian parents (PS this is not made into a big deal, it just is, and I love that), to the loud-mouthed and irresponsible Donatella to the joke-cracking black sheep of the Freke family. It's a varied and entertaining cast that I enjoyed reading about.

And through it all, Emma finds her voice and, as the "gray moms" said, her "joyla."

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from the library.

Audiobook Review: "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" by Ann Brashares

2011-05-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Author: Ann Brashares
Publisher: Listening Library, 2007 (print available from Delacourte Books for Young Readers, 2001)
Narrator: Angela Goethals

The summer they all turn 16 will be their first summer apart. Lena, Carmen, Tibby and Bridget have been best friends since before they were born, when their mothers met in a pregnant ladies' aerobics class. While they're usually joined at the hip during the summer vacation, it's not possible this year. Lena will be going to Greece to visit her grandparents, Bridget is off to Baja California (in Mexico) for soccer camp, Carmen will be spending the summer with her dad in South Carolina, and Tibby is stuck at home in D.C., alone.

Basically, they find this incredible pair of pants that manages to fit all of their very different bodies perfectly. So they make a pact to send the jeans to each other throughout the summer (and exchange letters, of course). But things don't go exactly according to plan for them all, and they will need the pants and each other to get through it.

I wasn't the biggest fan of this book. I can't see what so many others love about it, but I appreciate that it is loved. I just couldn't bring myself to really connect with any of the characters, and in fact didn't really like any of them. They were all pretty bratty, even though they did grow up a little over the summer. Mostly, I was just bored with it all. That said, there were a few good points, and I even teared up once.

Goethals was a good narrator for this story. She managed to make each girls' voice slightly different, and was calm and smooth throughout the narration. She put emotion into the reading when it called for it and did an overall great job.

I don't think I will be picking up the sequels, though I am glad I finally can say I've "read" this. It's sort of a modern classic YA book. Anyway, if you have read it and liked it, please comment below. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from the library.

TGIF: Book Blogger Identity

2011-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Today is Friday, and thank goodness. Every week Ginger at GReads! hosts TGIF, with a question about books, blogging or whatever. This week's question:

Book Blogger Identity: What occupies your time when you are not reading/blogging?

I have a lot that I do in my non-blogging/non-reading moments. I'm studying to be a children's/YA librarian at Simmons College (yesterday was my last day of the semester, woohoo!), and I work at a public library in my area. I also work VERY part-time at Barnes & Noble, mostly for the discount (not gonna lie).

I am a singer too. I sing in a small Armenian chorus (there are currently 9 of us) and in my church choir.

Let's see, what else? I hang out with friends and my fiance quite a bit, when time permits. I'm also the assistant troop leader of a middle school Girl Scout troop. (Side note: We are going camping this weekend, so I will not have access to the Internet. Sad.)

Oh yeah, I'll also be planning my wedding in the next year or so. That I'm guessing will take up a big chunk of my time.

So what do you do in your non-bloggy/booky time? Link up at GReads!

Audiobook Review: "Front and Center" by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2011-05-05T21:38:00.000-04:00

Title: Front and Center
Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Publisher: Listening Library, 2010 (print version available from Graphia, 2009)
Narrator: Natalie Moore

**Possible spoilers follow in summary**

D.J. Schwenk is back again, this time looking forward to her basketball season in her junior year of high school. Things are getting sort of back to normal, at least, as back to normal as they can after her brother Win ended up in a wheelchair and with her mom with him in a rehab facility. But things quickly get hectic again, as D.J. not only has to deal with navigating high school, but also with worrying about college scouts, getting a basketball scholarship, and having a new boyfriend. Plus there's Brian Nelson, who keeps showing up out of nowhere, even though she is darn sure she's through with him. Right?

**Spoilers done**

Again, Natalie Moore does a superb job narrating as D.J. in this final installment of the Dairy Queen trilogy. D.J. has more dealt to her in this novel, but instead of it focusing on how she deals with everyone else's problems, this plot focuses strictly on D.J. and how everyone is expecting so much of her when it comes to her basketball playing. She's an excellent player but is incredibly intimidated by Top Ten college ball, mostly of screwing it up and letting everyone down.

I was never sure what D.J. would decide when faced with complicated and difficult situations. She is so unused to be in the spotlight that she isn't sure how to react or what to choose, and I really felt for her. I wanted her to be happy but I also wanted her to make the right decision for her, and it was hard to tell what that was. Either way, I was rooting for her.

It's rare that I grow so attached to a group of characters. I felt like I wanted to be a part of the Schwenk family, even though it's made VERY clear that they have a lot of faults. I'm very sad that I won't be able to follow D.J. through her senior year and on to college. (Fingers crossed for another book!)

If you haven't read/listened to this trilogy, please do yourself a favor and do. There is humor, wonderful three-dimensional characters, great relationships and realistic everyday issues. Love love love it.

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from the library.

TGIF: Series vs. Standalone Novels

2011-04-29T08:01:00.001-04:00

Today at GReads! it is TGIF time. Have an opinion about today's question? Go to her site and link up to take part!

Today's question is: Standalone vs. Series: What's your stance?

Honestly, it depends on the book and the series. I'm completely fine with a book being a series, but it is true that it's hard to find the standalone novel right now. I love those as well, and it's nice to know that authors won't go changing things on you after you finish a story, especially if you loved it. Also especially if you were only lukewarm about it.

That's one of the biggest problems for me with it. If I liked a book okay and then find out there is another one after it, I might feel obligated to read it to see what happens. It makes it more tedious for me, knowing that I have ANOTHER book I feel like I should read. It's like an auto-add to your TBR and I'm not always okay with that.

Another problem I ran into recently is I received ARCs from a publisher only to discover two of them were later books in series. So now I have to go out and get the first books both series in order to read these ones I was sent!

I appreciate series and enjoy following the lives of characters I like, but right now it's overkill. I don't want every single book I read to be part of a series, and I wish there were more standalone novels out there right now.

Audiobook Review: "Revolution" by Jennifer Donnelly

2011-04-27T08:00:00.003-04:00

Title: Revolution
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Listening Library, 2010 (print version available from Delacourte Books for Young Readers)
Narrators: Emily Janice Card (Andi) and Emma Bering (Alex)

Andi is spiraling down. It's been two years since the death of her brother, which she blames on herself, and her mother is slowly losing her mind. Andi is constantly fantasizing about her own death, imagining the one step she could take to end all the pain. She tries to use her music to forget, but she can't play her guitar forever, try as she might. She doesn't even want to attempt to graduate. But her father, who is more concerned with her going to a good school (not for music) than with her as a person, drags her along to Paris with him when he goes for work.

Though sullen at first, Andi eventually finds the diary of a girl named Alexandrine Paradis, who wrote during the thick of the French Revolution and took constant risks for the benefit of one small boy locked away in a tower. Told as a story within a story, we see Andi's trials in modern-day Paris and those of Alex, and how they weave together against all odds.

So, first things first. I listened to this on CD, so my experience is probably very different from that of the person who just read the book. I was instantly put off by Andi's voice and Emily Janice Card's narration; Andi seemed over-the-top angsty, even for someone as grief-stricken as she is. I was annoyed, frankly, which sounds cold, but it's true. I was also distracted by Card's English accent when she narrated for Nick, a minor character in the beginning. This was all I could think of (skip to 2:30). That said, Card did have some wonderfully performed sections, most notably when Andi is in the deepest part of her grief and it starts to consume her.

However, once I got over that, I started to really like the story and how the two girls' lives fit together. There is so much history in here, so much I never learned about the French Revolution. Oh yeah, and about music. There is a lot of music in here, as Andi is very serious about it. I do wish there had been a note in the audio somewhere (not sure if there was one in the actual book) about how the composer (Malerbeaux? No idea how to spell it since I only heard it) is fictional. I found that out later in a Publisher's Weekly review.

My favorite parts were Alex's. Bering does an excellent job at her narration, even if I thought she sounded a bit too old at first. Her accent adds much to the performance (she's French, so I'm assuming it's real), and her characterizations are distinct and incredibly fitting for each person to whom she gives a voice.

And let's talk about Virgil for a moment. He is just awesome. So cool, and so incredibly intelligent about music and life. Plus he's the only person who could penetrate Andi and get to the heart of her. I must admit, Card's French accent is excellent as well, and she puts it to good use with Virgil (pronounced "Veer-zheel" in the recording) and the other French characters.

At times the narration seemed to drag a bit, and I felt like the book could have been shorter—I wouldn't have minded one less CD. But I enjoyed listening to this for the most part, aside from the gripes I mentioned above. If you don't think you have the time to sit down and actually read this, it would be worth getting the audio version and listening to it on your commute (or wherever else you listen to audiobooks).

Disclosure: I got this audiobook on CD from my local library.

Review: "What My Mother Doesn't Know" by Sonya Sones

2011-04-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

Title: What My Mother Doesn't Know
Author: Sonya Sones
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2001

Happy National Poetry Month! Here's a little something to give you your poetry fix.

What My Mother Doesn't Know is a verse novel, narrated by 14-year-old Sophie. She tells us her story of that particular time in her life; she meets boys and has boyfriends, she has a tumultuous relationship with her mother and an almost nonexistent one with her father, and has two very close best friends.

The poetry is lovely, though at times I didn't see how the free verse helped move the story forward. It worked much of the time, with the line breaks being just perfect, but there were points when it felt like this part of the story had to be told as a poem since the rest was—it filled in information we needed to know, but the free verse seemed unnecessary. Some of the poems had rhyme schemes, which was nice and different to see, and one had a shape to the words. I always like when poets to play with form like that.

Sophie deals with a lot during this half year in her life. She has one boyfriend, meets another (sort of), and then (possibly) another. But it's not like she's boy crazy—it all seems very natural and normal. Plus Sones isn't afraid to talk about things like sexual desire (not sex, at least in this book), which might be why she's been banned so often, even if the situations in the book are pretty tame.

I did enjoy the bits with Sophie and her mother. I got just as angry at her mother as she did, and I wish I could have jumped into the story to help them. But yet, her mother was very human and showed multiple sides that made it impossible for me to hate her. I'm glad we got to see this relationship develop a little.

This was an honest look at the life of a girl blooming into maturity and discovering all the sides of love—the love between a mother and child, between friends, and between a girl and a boy. What My Mother Doesn't Know is a sweet coming-of-age story as well as a quick read.

Disclosure: I got this book (with the pretty new cover) at my local library.

Review: "13 Little Blue Envelopes" by Maureen Johnson

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

Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes
Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: HarperTeen, 2006

Ginny is an average girl. Quiet, shy and as normal as you could be. So when she sets off to London under the direction of her recently deceased runaway aunt, it takes her by surprise. This is completely out of the ordinary, but then again it's right in line with what she should expect from Aunt Peg, who ran off to Europe years earlier. Following the directions of letters in blue envelopes that her aunt wrote before she died, Ginny goes on a tour that starts off in London and takes her across the continent. Along the way, she meets some old friends of her aunt's, some new friends of her own, and a fun and funny English guy, of course.

I loved reading about Ginny in all the different countries; in fact, I was swept away immediately when she first set foot in London. Having spent a semester there, I fondly remember many of the places and sites Ginny saw and visited. It's also great for people who haven't been to any of these places, since Johnson does such a great job at setting the scene. It's a European tour from your bedroom (or backyard, or wherever you're reading it).

Johnson has a very gentle tone to her storytelling, and it was a nice change. Most of the YA I've recently been reading has been, for lack of a better word, tense. But the third-person narration (also a nice change) was unhurried and relaxing. That's not to say nothing exciting happened; it was just written in such a way that lacked urgency, which I found to be a good thing.

All of the characters were great fun to read about, whether it is the mischievous Keith, the nutso artist Mari, or the houseboat-dwelling Knud. I found myself smiling a lot while reading about them all.

Throughout, there is also the sadness Ginny feels about her aunt, who disappeared without so much as a goodbye. Because she was absent so long, her death doesn't quite feel real to Ginny at first, and we see the progression of her grief as she travels around Europe.

I'm looking forward to the sequel, The Last Little Blue Envelope, which will be released on Tuesday. I'm eager to see what happens to Ginny in this last adventure her Aunt Peg will send her on.

Also, for a limited time, 13 Little Blue Envelopes is a free e-book for both Kindle and Nook. I'm guessing it's free for Sony too, but I'm not sure where to look for that link.

Disclosure: I got this e-book for free from bn.com.

TGIF: Explicit YA

2011-04-22T08:41:00.000-04:00

Every Friday at GReads!, Ginger hosts TGIF and asks us a question relevant to the book and blogging world.

This week's question: Explicit Material: How do you feel about explicit language and/or sexual content in YA books?

I feel like every story is different. So long as the author stays true to his or her characters and world (be it fantasy or teens in high school), I don't have too much of a problem with a little bit of cursing or sexual situations.

That said, I don't like to read material that is obviously just gratuitous. Not all teens are having sex; everyone does not do it, and that was something I wish I had known back in high school.

I suppose I don't like too much swearing either... I know it is completely realistic for swearing to be gratuitous (I used those words far more often as a teen than I do now), and it's completely reasonable and natural for them to be in YA books. But I don't want to see one in every sentence. Then it might start to get away from the actual story.

So to sum up, I don't mind that kind of stuff being in the YA material I read. It will bother me if it's completely unnecessary and the author just seems to be using it to get "cred" with teens or because they think that's the way all teens act and need to include it, forcing it in. I just like some balance in there—not all teens are the same and that should be reflected in their literature.

Silent Auction items that might be of interest to you all.

2011-04-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hi all! So I met this awesome lady last week who works for Pine Street Inn, a pretty prolific charity that caters to the homeless in and around Boston. Most of the people there are just kind of ignored in society (be it for mental illness, alcoholism, drug addiction, whatever you can think of) and they won't turn anyone away.

Right now they are having a silent auction online with some pretty awesome items up for bid (for the Boston area), including a $50 gift card to Brookline Booksmith and a meal with Arthur Golden (yeah, the same one that wrote Memoirs of a Geisha. That Arthur Golden).

Here's a link if any of you are interested! www.biddingforgood.com/pinestreetinn

Movie review: "Jane Eyre"

2011-04-20T20:13:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are wondering about the new adaptation of the great Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, let me give you a quick rundown. For those of you who haven't read the book, you might not understand some of my references, so you could probably just skip to the final paragraph for my final word.

Many of you know the story. As a young girl, Jane, despised by her living relatives, is sent off to a cruel boarding school where she at least gains enough education to later become a governess. Governess to the ward of one Mr. Edward Fairfax Rochester, who is not the most handsome of men but dreamy in that broody moody Gothic lit way. Jane keeps all emotion out of her affairs with others, as they never seemed to help her before, until Rochester admits the unthinkable: he loves her! But a terrible secret is revealed, and Jane must make the biggest decisions of her life.

Okay, so I have to admit, when the movie started I looked over to my friend (who also loves the book) and said, "What the hell is going on?" We open with a clearly upset Jane who eventually ends up sobbing in the grayish British moors, for no apparent reason. What part are we on, I wondered? Is this supposed to e 12-year-old Jane running from the house of her awful cousins? No, it's not—it is 17-year-old Jane, surprise! And she is running away from Thornfield. Far too early.

You see, the people of Focus Features decided to kind of tell the story in flashbacks. Jane is telling parts of her story to the Rivers (you'll find out who they are, sort of, by the end of the movie/book). But after my initial confusion on this front, I started to get into the movie a bit more.

I loved the casting they did. Sure, Rochester might have been a bit too pretty, but he wasn't too good-looking or too old. And Mia Wasikowska is lovely. I thought she did an excellent job in her portrayal, and her looks fall right into one would expect for Jane. At least they did for me. And Dame Judi Dench!!! Score right there. Also, Amelia Clarkson, who was little Jane, did a great job. I hope she has a career ahead of her, she's got some talent.

I know it's hard to do justice to a tome like Jane Eyre, but a one-and-a-half hour movie just doesn't cut it. The movie felt too condensed; Jane's childhood was glossed over, with parts completely cut. And and IMPORTANT scene with a VEIL was cut too!! I was a little upset about that.

But again, considering they couldn't make this five hours long, I thought this was a good adaptation of the novel, though of course it is no substitute for reading the book itself. So much is missed with just the movie.

Final word: If you have read and loved the book, this is worth seeing, though you could probably just wait to get it on Netflix or the library instead of dropping $10. If you haven't and are too lazy to read it, at least you'll get the gist of the story. But if you have the time to read it, do it—it's a much more fulfilling experience.

Review: "Bumped" by Megan McCafferty

2011-04-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Bumped
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: HarperTeen, 2011

Note: This title will not be published until Apri 26, 2011.

Set in a very near future (2035), the world of Bumped by Megan McCafferty is a world where only teenagers can have babies because of a Virus that prohibits anyone over the age of 18 from conceiving. As a result, teenagers are not only needed but enthusiastically encouraged to have lots of sex and babies. In fact, it's common for teens to "go pro," or enter into contractual agreements with older couples who want children. Preteens and young girls buy FunBumps, or fake bellies. Teens have masSEX parties that are basically orgies in hopes that the girls will end up pregnant. Popular songs talk about sperminating etc. And there is a lot of language that we would mostly find gross, but are normal here.

The main plot is told alternately by Melody and Harmony, twin sisters who were separated at birth and recently reunited with each other. Melody grew up in the pregnancy-worshiping world, while Harmony grew up in a very strict and isolated Church community where early marriage and procreation are highly valued. Melody has signed a pregnancy contract and is waiting to be paired with someone to "bump" with (you figure out what that means), while Harmony wishes to convert her newfound sister and save her soul by stopping her from doing this. As might be expected, things don't go according to plan and there are a few major cases of mistaken identity.

A lot of people have been buzzing about Bumped in the blogging world. Most of the reviews I've seen so far are lukewarm at best, but I think McCafferty deserves more credit than she seems to be getting. I think she handles the satire very well. I've read about people being uncomfortable with the glorification of sex and pregnancy, but it's not that far off from what we're experiencing in our own society. Though it might not be with explicit sex, girls are certainly gaining knowledge of sexuality earlier and earlier. If you doubt this, just take a look at this Jezebel post about Kotex's new line of maxipads aimed at 8- to 12-year-olds. No joke.

I also wasn't as grossed out by all the semen and pregnancy puns and phrases thrown around in typical conversation. In fact, the language kept me engaged in the text. I doubt many teens will be too put off by it, either—it's just a part of this world that McCafferty has created. And it's beyond clear that McCafferty is in no way endorsing sex or teen pregnancy. This is a future in which a new way of living is forced upon everyone, but most especially teens and, in particular, teen girls. Yes, it's disgusting, but that's the point.

In any case, this was a short read with a lot to say. However I was not impressed with all of it. I could not believe that this was all taking place in 2035, a mere 24 years into the future. It was easier for me to ignore this detail while reading. I also was not a huge fan with how religion is treated in the book.

Perhaps the biggest question for me is this: How does the LGBTQ community fit into this society? I'm betting teens are not allowed to be in these relationships or to explore these possibilities in their lives. It's briefly touched upon, but only very briefly. I'm pretty sure this will be explored more fully in the sequel(s), but it was something I wondered about while reading.

Bumped is not going to be for everyone, but it's not without merit. I foresee a lot of challenges in this book's future because of its content; I'm sure it will be deemed "inappropriate" by many. But I think it's worth checking out. It will certainly be unlike any of the other futuristic (I blanche only slightly from calling this a dystopia) books popular at this point in time.

Disclosure: I received an e-galley of this via NetGalley.

Audiobook Review: "Half Brother" by Kenneth Oppel

2011-04-16T08:00:00.010-04:00

Title: Half Brother
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Publisher: Brilliance Audio, 2010 (print version available from Scholastic)
Narrator: Daniel di Tomasso

After being dragged across the country from Toronto to Victoria, Canada, Ben's thirteenth birthday isn't what one might call normal. You see, the reason he was dragged across the country arrives on that day—a tiny bundle of chimp they name Zan. Ben's parents are planning to experiment and study Zan by teaching him sign language to see if species other than humans can communicate with actual language. At first Ben wants nothing to do with the experiment and Zan, but gradually, as he signs with Zan, he begins to love him as he would an actual brother,—even if Ben's behavioral psychologist father sees Zan as only an experiment. But what will happen to Zan once the experiment ends?

I enjoyed this story. Ben really grows attached to Zan, loves him like a real brother, and it's truly touching to see what lengths Ben goes to in order to protect his little brother. Oppel also brings the serious issues of animal rights and ethical practices in working with animals to the table. This takes place in the 1970s, so there aren't as many concerns in Ben's or his parents' minds, or in the university's that funds the project, as there might be in today's world.

The secondary characters made the book for me. I loved Peter—a hippie-like dude who takes care of Zan in the best ways possible, and who can talk to Ben like an equal. Peter becomes a big ally for Ben, and a champion for getting what's best for Zan. It was also interesting to follow the relationship dynamics between Ben and both his parents. His dad tends to be jerkish and cold, but his mother is kind and gentle with both Ben and Zan, to the best of her ability.

I thought the whole Project Jennifer sideplot was hilarious. Ben has this huge crush on Jennifer, the daughter of his dad's boss, and so (in true scientist fashion) keeps a notebook he labels "Project Jennifer" and takes notes on her likes, dislikes, things he might say to her, etc.

I couldn't figure out it was taking place in the 1970s right away. It took me until after the first CD (or somewhere around there) to figure it out, from some sort of reference to the time. The beginning would have made a lot more sense to me had I known this from the start, since I was bothered by the fact that Ben's parents were just given a chimp like they were. I felt like no one thought about the potential dangers Zan would pose to his caretakers once he wasn't a baby anymore.

As for the audio, it wasn't that great. I felt like it was sloppily produced. It was clear at points that the actor had stopped recording one part and continued later, with a distinct vocal difference. At times it sounded like a different person talking, the difference was so pronounced. I didn't think di Tomasso put much emotion into the performance, and it fell flat as a result.

If the premise intrigues you, I would pick up a copy of Half Brother and read it; skip the audio version.

Disclosure: I got the audio version of this from my local library.

Rock the Drop today!

2011-04-14T15:01:00.000-04:00

So you all know how I'm studying to be a teen librarian? Well, today is Support Teen Lit Day, a part of National Library Week. And readergirlz is hosting Rock the Drop, a day when all YA lit lovers spread the love! As I love teen lit like it's my job (oh, wait...) I have released two teen books into the wild.

This first book is ttyl by Lauren Myracle, great YA author and often found on top banned books lists! Automatically she is awesome. And this book is the reason she makes it on there, though it is a shame some people are deprived of it. It's written all in IMs, which is really fun, but deals with tough issues and growing up (apparently this is a good reason to ban books). I hope someone finds it who will enjoy it! It's on a bench in the center of Burlington, near the gazebo.

This second one is a mystery, Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams. I left this one in True North Cafe on Cambridge St. I hope someone who will appreciate it finds it!

Go ahead, world, spread the YA love today! Even if it's just reading a YA book or talking about them. Teen Lit Power!

Review: "Shine" by Lauren Myracle

2011-04-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Shine
Author: Lauren Myracle
Publisher: Abrams, 2011

Note: This title will be released May 1, 2011. That said, I've seen it for sale in stores, so who knows.

Cat hasn't spoken to her once best friend, Patrick, in years, ever since an incident that caused her to stop talking to pretty much everyone. But when Patrick, who has not made any efforts to hide his homosexuality in their small Appalachian town, is the victim of a brutal hate crime, Cat thinks she knows who did it. She also knows justice won't be served in Black Creek, and resolves to find the perpetrator at any cost. But as she digs, she's learning much more about her community and the people in it than she thought she would, in addition to having to revisit and start resolving what happened to her three years earlier.

Not for the faint of heart, Myracle gives us a true-to-life and bluntly honest look at life in rural Appalachia. Cat's town of Black Creek is a place of addiction, alcoholism, school drop-outs, and poverty. It's also a place of secrets, ones that most of the people in the small town want kept secret. The characters mostly want to sweep the unseemly parts of their lives swept under the proverbial rug, unless it's really juicy gossip they can share at church. But for those involved or affected, they usually just look the other way.

Cat has looked the other way for too long. After a sexual assault, which two members of her family witnessed and said nothing about, she has learned to block out the rest of the world. But as she tries to help a comatose Patrick, she begins to gain confidence and becomes what one character calls "fierce"—a term she is surprised to find she not only likes, but agrees with.

I loved how Myracle slowly reveals what happened in Cat's past and what is going on in Black Creek. Suspense is ever present, and once the momentum gets going, boy, does it really get going. Twists and turns are everywhere, and I was honestly surprised at how things progressed, though I did guess what happened a while before Cat did.

The foreshadowing is incredibly subtle, and I wondered at some points if it was too subtle, if certain character traits or plot points were so understated that they were underdeveloped. In the end I think they were realistic, making for a more believable story.

Myracle's writing is, as I said earlier, blunt. She does not shy away from domestic abuse, drug addiction, bullying, intolerance, or the results of a severe beating. Her vivid descriptions provide a clear setting and atmosphere for the story being told. She also writes in the vernacular, adding to the authenticity of the story.

The LGBTQ themes in the text are relevant and topical, providing readers with a look at how ugly intolerance and gay bashing can be, especially in a small town.

This is a great page-turner, full of suspense and mystery. Yet it is also a well-done portrait of a poor Appalachian town and community, burdened by deeply buried secrets and the fierce desire to keep them hidden.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book from NetGalley.

Rock the Drop!

2011-04-13T09:56:00.000-04:00

So, remember how I told you about National Library Week? Well, YA lovers, rejoice, because Thursday, April 14 is Support Teen Lit Day! And the awesome readergirlz are hosting Rock the Drop, an initiative designed to help readers of teen lit spread the love.

Basically, on April 14, the idea is to take any YA book, put one of the nifty bookplates (available for download at the readergirlz site, linked above) inside, and let it loose into the wild. Leave it on a bench, at the mall, wherever, and hope whoever finds it will love and appreciate it as much as you. They're also encouraging everyone who does this to take a photo and send it to them (e-mail available on their post).

Oh, and did I mention that people who send in a picture will be entered into a drawing for the entire Ruby Oliver series by E. Lockhart? If that's not incentive, I don't know what is.

Spread the love, people!

National Library Week!

2011-04-10T16:41:00.000-04:00

Hooray for libraries! Free access for all!

So today kicks off National Library Week, which provides us all with a chance to take a moment and think about how awesome libraries are. I mean, free book rentals! It's like Netflix, but for books and free. And okay, you have to go pick them up. But still. FREE.

Not to mention all the things libraries provide for the community. Internet access for those who don't have computers, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, a place to go to just sit and read for hours. Databases, if you're a student or a researcher. Historical documents if you live in a town with the means to keep them. A meeting place for clubs, groups and just a few friends who like to quilt and chat (yes, we have that group in Lexington). They're community centers and champions of the right of each individual to have free access to materials they might not be able to otherwise.

Right now I'm reading a lovely book about librarians and libraries, and how now more than ever we are needed in this Google-crazed world. It's called This Book Is Overdue! and it's by Marilyn Johnson, who, by the way, is not a librarian. And just look at this picture!

Superlibrarian to the rescue!

Anyway, I just wanted to bring attention to the fact that this is being celebrated this week. For a much better and funnier post about National Library Week and some cool facts about libraries check out my friend Nicole's post over at her blog, The Librarian in the Cupboard.

Review: "Paper Towns" by John Green

2011-04-09T01:01:00.000-04:00

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books, 2008

Margo Roth Spiegelman is a legend. She has led mass TP-ing efforts; has gone to Mississippi for days with the only clue being the four letters M-I-S-P she left in her alphabet soup; has broken into many of the theme parks around her subdivision in Orlando, Florida. Quentin, known as Q, has loved her for pretty much his whole life. And so when she comes to his window around midnight with the proposal of helping her with a revenge-seeking mission, he only hesitates for a moment before agreeing. What follows is an incredibly awesome night.

But the next day, Margo isn't at school. After a few days it becomes clear that this isn't like when she ran off before. And then Q starts to find the clues. With his friends Ben and Radar, and the indispensable online user-generated encyclopedia Omnictionary, Q begins to piece it all together. But the closer he gets to an answer, the more nervous he gets. Where is Margo? And will he want to find her?

Let me just start out by saying John Green is one of the greatest teen writers of all time. I love him and the craziness he comes up with in his books. All of Margo's pranks? Pure genius. Not to mention the easily grasped philosophical musings Q has in his internal monologues. There's a lot of deep thinking going on here, and this in turn makes the reader consider his or her own life and the way they live it. In particular, how we all imagine others to be what we expect them to be without ever really getting to know them. Green keeps coming back to this over and over in the book, in a bunch of different ways.

Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" is a key part of the story and Margo's clues. Not only does he use it in a clever and incredibly useful way for the plot, he also does a lot of analysis with it that readers can actually begin to understand what Whitman is talking about (and believe me, that poem is not easy). How many readers went out and read some Whitman after reading Paper Towns? I know the answer is at least two—I did, and so did one of the (12-year-old!) girls in my teen reading group. This is awesome; I mean really, how many authors can get teens interested in American poets like Whitman? I feel like I'm a better person for it, and I actually learned something about poetry (sidenote: hooray National Poetry Month!).

The characters are so much fun. Ben is absolutely hilarious and completely over the top in pretty much everything, and Radar is a nerd-tastic Omnictionary-obsessed dude whose parents own "the world's largest collection of black Santas." No joke. Q is also very likable, but unfortunately his personality kind of pales in comparison to his even more eccentric friends. That said, their friendship might be the best part of the book in my opinion. The dynamics of their interactions and snappy dialogue make me all smiles—I certainly laughed out loud at parts (in public, I might add). I was glad to see so much of them in the story.

My only complaint is that, despite all his philosophizing, I feel like I didn't really get to know Q, or rather he lacked personality. At times it almost felt like Green was using him as a mouthpiece for his (admittedly outstanding) ideas. But this complaint is not enough to make me like this book less than I do.

About a year ago, I listened to this on audio, and I have to say the narrator, Dan John Miller, was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. All of his voices were different for each character, and his characterizations were superb. I would absolutely listen to this again.

Disclosure: I bought this book from Amazon.com for my personal library.

Review: "Jane Austen: A Life Revealed" by Catherine Reef

2011-04-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

Title: Jane Austen: A Life Revealed
Author: Catherine Reef
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011

This title will be published on April 18, 2011.

Jane Austen is a part of literary history, with classic novels such as Pride and Prejudice and Emma finding their way not only into the classrooms, but into the hearts and minds of countless fans throughout the world. Her novels are not just romances—they describe everyday life for middle- and upper-class members of rigid English society during the Georgian period, the time in which she lived (around the turn of the 18th century). But not much is known about the woman behind these stories. In this compact biography, Catherine Reef gives us some insight into the life of this elusive literary figure.

Reef tells Austen's story chronologically, starting with her birth and ending with her posthumous novels and her legacy. We are given what facts are known to the world through the letters and diaries of Austen's family and through Austen's own letters, of which only a fraction survived after her death—her sister (and closest companion) Cassandra, for some unknown reason, decided to destroy most of them. Austen is given character, personality and ambition.

I especially liked how we learned of each of Austen's family members and their personalities. I had forgotten how many siblings she had, and I had never known anything about them, aside from Cassandra.

I also enjoyed the overviews of each of her novels, though if you haven't read them and don't want spoilers, I'd skip the synopses. Reef goes into the history behind each novel, and speculates about Austen's reasons for writing the stories as she did, though Reef makes it clear these are speculations. The author never assumes what Austen was thinking when she wrote certain things without some sort of proof from Austen's own life.

Not only do we learn about the famous authoress, we are given a context to Austen's world. Reef shows us each story as Austen's contemporaries and peers would have seen them. Words are defined according to Georgian standards, and the culture is explained thoroughly enough to give readers an idea of the kind of world Austen was writing about (and that she was writing in). A bibliography in the back provides further reading and shows the sources Reef consulted while researching Austen's life.

Images—including illustrations, movie stills (yes, including Clueless), and letters—are sprinkled throughout the pages with informative captions. The images certainly added to the text, both in understanding of the era and in sparking interest in Austen's works (even if it is in just the movies her books inspired). Plus who doesn't want to see a little Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy? I know I wasn't complaining.

This is a perfect introduction to Jane Austen and her time, and gives a great context for her novels. It would make a good addition to any course about Jane Austen, and would especially be useful for teens who are either learning about Austen in school or who just like her books. Short, simple and to the point, yet with all the information you need.

Disclosure: I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley.

Grammar know-how.

2011-03-31T21:51:00.000-04:00

Hi all. I have been thinking about this for a couple of months ever since I learned about it in one of my classes, and I've seen it enough times in the blogging community to feel the need to say something about it. It's a nitpicky grammar thing, and it's not something you'd normally think about, but here it is.

"Relatable" does not mean easy to relate to. It means it's tell-able. Easy to relate, rather than relate to.

I know, blew me away too. But now every time I see it misused, I get that crawly feeling under my skin. The same crawly feeling I get when someone says something like "He's going to the city with Steve and I." That drives me nuts.

Anyway! Yeah. So, characters are not relatable to readers—readers can relate to characters. Grammar lesson done!

Villette Readalong: Done!

2011-03-31T11:48:00.000-04:00

Aaaaaand DONE. I did it! I finished Villette after 2 whole months of reading! Thanks again to Wallace at Unputdownables for hosting this—I don't think I would have been able to finish it without the discussions and the others who were right there with me.

My thoughts on the last 7 chapters of Villette contain **spoilers**, just a warning!

So as most of you who've read this, I'm sure, I was not surprised about Polly or Dr. John/Graham. Graham's a good guy, and he ended up with a good, intelligent lady who is not too intelligent. They're pretty much perfect for each other and they love each other, so that's that. It was sweet how Polly's dad was so sad about how she wasn't a little girl anymore and would be leaving him, sort of. But that's just the way it is!

As for Ginevra, yikes. Talk about selfish and self-absorbed. At least she was fairly happy in the end, or seemed to be from Lucy's recounting her letters from the following years. And I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed the NUN (was anyone else amused by how Bronte always put that in ALL CAPS?) wasn't actually a ghost, but stupid suitor boy that stole away with Ginevra.

And Madame Beck and Pere Silas? Mean mean mean. I have to say I wasn't surprised about Madame; I don't think I ever really liked her. Tolerated, maybe, since she wasn't going through MY things, but boy was she nasty. And Pere Silas was right up there with her, unwilling for his "student" to fraternize with a *shudder* Protestant. How un-Christian. He is a bad priest! What with sending M. Paul off and all.

That second-to-last chapter was lovely. I was so happy for Lucy, and I got a flavor of Jane Eyre and the romance bit from that. It really shows how much love there was from M. Paul, how much he cared for Lucy. And Lucy's reaction was great. I loved that she couldn't remember what she said, because honestly I have no idea how she remembered the rest of the dialogue (unrealistic, but necessary). It gives the two of them a bit more privacy.

And then of course comes the tragedy in the last chapter. M. Paul is lost at sea, and Lucy never sees him again. I wasn't surprised by this either; I was fully expecting something terrible on the horizon, since Lucy keeps talking about how unhappy she is throughout the entire narrative. I do have to say, though, I didn't expect it to end like that. It certainly harkens back to Mrs. Marchmont and the tragedy that changed her life. The final two sentences showed the injustice of it all; the three who sent M. Paul away to the West Indies lived long and fruitful lives. So unfair. Lucy must be one sad old lady.

Thanks for sticking through to the end to those of you who did! I think I'm going to take a break from readalongs for now, though I might pick them back up when I find one I'd like to jump into.

Review: "Angelfire" by Courtney Allison Moulton

2011-03-23T18:45:00.001-04:00

Title: Angelfire

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperTeen), 2011

Ellie considers herself to be a normal girl, nothing too out of the ordinary. She is not the best in school but tries her hardest, has a group of close friends, and enjoys going out and having fun. But she has been having the strangest nightmares for weeks, and there's a strange guy hanging around her school who seems interested in her. Then, on the eve of her 17th birthday, her worst nightmares come to life.

It turns out she is the Preliator, the biggest defense Heaven has against Hell. She is destined to hunt reapers, monsters that drag human souls to hell, a job she has had for centuries and has died for countless times, always coming back in another life. The strange tattooed guy she's been seeing around her school is her Guardian, Will, who has known her for 500 years. But it seems like this life, as Ellie, is different from her past ones; according to Will, she is more human than she has ever been, and she is having a harder time remembering her past lives. Plus, a deeper evil exists that could to destroy Ellie forever—if it awakens.

The concept for this book is a good one. Mystery surrounds Ellie, her past, and what she is, something not even Will is sure of. She can destroy demons with an awesome set of blades that can light on fire (angelfire, a special kind that won't burn anyone except demonic reapers) when she wishes it. There is forbidden romance. On paper, it looks pretty good, but the execution was not particularly spectacular.

Despite the book's length (the ARC has just over 450 pages), I felt like there was too much crammed in too fast. Much of the worldbuilding was done through dialogue via Will, though Ellie would have the occasional flashback, which I wish there had been more of. Those were much more interesting than listening to Will explain everything. It's clear Moulton knows her world well, but it all felt rushed and confusing.

The writing was a bit clunky, as well. There were a lot of cliches, and certain phrases and words were used far too often, especially "my heart sank," and there was a lot of perking up and scoffing going on. It got to the point that I winced whenever I saw one of those phrases.

There was a lot of materialism in the book, in the form of consumption and name-dropping, especially with cars, that seemed very out of place. Ellie comes from wealth, as do her friends, and this is made abundantly clear throughout the book. The gross consumerism was just a hair shy of the fantasies that can be found in series like Gossip Girl and Blue Bloods—the consumption in those books are deliberately over the top and fun to read about, but here it just seemed unnecessary and forced.

Some people will find Ellie and Will's relationship romantic, especially fans of forbidden paranormal romance. Though I found it tiring and got bored with the long descriptions of how Will looks and the way he makes Ellie feel, I'm sure there will be at least some swooning over Will by others.

But despite all the negative aspects of the book, it was certainly a page-turner. There were a lot of action scenes that kept me interested, and the mysteries of who each character might be made me want to keep reading to find out what I could.

Overall, I don't think there is anything particularly special about Angelfire. It's a typical paranormal romance with a mixture of folklore, mythology and Biblical influences. The action makes it a page-turner, but I found myself skimming and not missing a whole lot. I'm not sure I'll pick up the sequels, but this book will find a number of fans because of its inclusion in an increasingly popular subgenre.

Disclosure: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.