In Between the Lines

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Release Date: January 10^th 2012

Publisher: Dutton

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 313 pages

Source: Purchased

Series: Stand alone

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

I finished it just now.

And let me tell you that I am depressed. This book was sad but happy. I got invested with the plot and the characters. This book helped me to pick up the small beautiful things that adds up to different elements…we call it life. This book is deep like an ocean yet realistic like anything the naked eye can see.

Its my first time reading a book by John Green and I don’t think it should be the last one.

The writing was like it just came out of a 17 year old girl for real. So realistic and so beautiful

The love between Hazel and Gus was the most beautiful thing ever. It was real love, not peppy love. I loved everything about it.

I don’t know what else to say other than: Thank you, John Green, for writing this book. It's what all of us need to awaken our almost dead emotions.

And by the way, it maybe a young adult book but any age range will enjoy it, for sure.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

2012-01-24T19:49:00.000-08:00

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine to put a spotlight on upcoming books.

This week's title is:

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

A powerful debut novel about a young Marine's return home from Afghanistan and the new life and love he finds while fending off the ghosts of war.

When Travis Stephenson returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and his car, and nightmares of his best friend getting killed keep him completely spooked. But when he runs into Harper Gray, a girl who despises him for trashing her reputation with a middle school lie, life actually starts looking up. As Travis and Harper see more of each other, he starts falling for her and a way through the family meltdown, the post-traumatic stress, and the possibility of an interesting future begins to emerge.

His sense of humor, sense of his own strength, and incredible sense of honor make Travis an irresistible and eminently lovable hero in this fantastic and timely debut novel.

I am sure it will be a powerful debut as it states because I have been reading Trish's WIP on tumblr and its driving me crazy (in a good way).

Top ten list about anything book related that I want.

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Top ten list about anything book related that I want.

iPad: Ok. This might sound werid. But I swear, I will use it to read e-books. I don’t have an e-reader, so an iPad would make a great fit for my need.

Kindle: It's a subsitiute for the iPad. Options are always good.

Lap Desk: I don’t know what is its use for but I guess I can figure it out when I get it.

Book lighter: the pink one, please. Though, that would mean reading in the dark. Which means ruining my eyes.

Bookmark: I got a Glee bookmark last Christmas and its pretty. But I want one like that (Link)

A mug: I love drinking tea/coffee while reading so that counts. Close enough to that (Link)

A lamp: better lighting is always good anyways.

Bookshelf: the number of books I own are growing. My room is going to explode.

A journal: ones with the cool designs. Like that (Link)

Cant come up with the last one. If you have a suggestion, leave it to me in the comment section.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

2012-01-23T17:27:00.000-08:00

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Release Date: October 4^th 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 438 pages

Source: Purchased

Series: 3

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Patch oh-patch. I am glad you are back in Silence more mature than ever. Love is definitely teaching you that sometimes you need to sacrifice especially if you fall in love with Nora.

Nora is one of my favorite heroines. She is so brave, powerful and independent (even though she has patch). You're not supposed to be independent when you have patch(ok just kidding). I didn’t look at nora as a teenager girl. She was mature too, just like Patch. She had really grown up in this book. I don’t want to talk about the hots between Patch and nora, its still there.

Now that I am done admiring Patch and nora, I need to confess something. Silence was my least favorite book in the series. It was not as good as Hush, Hush or Crescendo(draw hearts over these titles).

But that’s ok because Silence is not the last book in the series. There is still more to come. You heard me right. More to come.

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

2012-01-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine to put a spotlight on upcoming books.

This week's title is:

Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school's staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide.

Fellow cast member, Stephen Langford, has other plans for Miranda. When he steps out of the backstage shadows and asks if she'd like to meet Shakespeare, Miranda thinks he's a total nutcase. But before she can object, Stephen whisks her back to 16th century England—the world Stephen's really from. He wants Miranda use her acting talents and modern-day charms on the young Will Shakespeare. Without her help, Stephen claims, the world will lost its greatest playwright.

Miranda isn't convinced she's the girl for the job. Why would Shakespeare care about her? And just who is this infuriating time traveler, Stephen Langford? Reluctantly, she agrees to help, knowing that it's her only chance of getting back to the present and her "real" life. What Miranda doesn't bargain for is finding true love . . . with no acting required.

I love Shakespeare, but kissing him never occurred to me

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend To Someone Who Doesn't Read Young Adult

2012-01-17T10:39:00.000-08:00

This week's Top Ten hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is about books I am excited to read in 2012.

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend To Someone Who Doesn't Read Young Adult

1. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand: It has the romance element that will harm anybody's heart.

2. White Cat by Holly Black: It has the mystery/Awesomeness element to it.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: You will fall in love with each character. It will make you sleep without having a worry in the world.

4. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger: its so realistic and wow-y book.

5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis: She takes science fiction unto a whole different level.

6. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles: Bestttttttt greattttttttttt awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeee amazinggggggggggg

7. 13 Reasons why by Jay Asher:

8. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: The description in this book is breath taking

9. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting: Mysterious and great

10. Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schreoder: easy read but deep.

Ingenue by Jillian Larkin

2012-01-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

Ingenue by Jillian Larkin

Release Date: August 9^th 2011

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 368 pages

Source: Library

Series: 2

Power . . . love . . . scandal . . .
There’s never enough to go around.

In the city that never sleeps, Lorraine Dyer is wide awake. Ever since she exposed Clara Knowles for the tramp she was—and lost her closest confidante in the process—Lorraine has spent every second scheming to make her selfish, lovesick ex–best friend pay for what she did. No one crosses Lorraine. Not even Gloria.

True love conquers everything—or so Gloria Carmody crazily believed. She and Jerome Johnson can barely scrape together cash for their rent, let alone have a moment to whisper sweet nothings in the dark. And if they thought escaping Chicago meant they’d get away with murder . . . they were dead wrong.

Clara was sure that once handsome, charming Marcus Eastman discovered her shameful secret, he’d drop her like a bad habit. Instead, he swept her off her feet and whisked her away to New York. Being with Marcus is a breath of fresh air—and a chance for Clara to leave her wild flapper ways firmly in the past. Except the dazzling parties and bright lights won’t stop whispering her name. . . .

INGENUE is the second novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic Flappers series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . where revenge is a dish best served cold.

Ohhhh historical fiction. What did I ever do to you?

First of all I had hard time remembering all the characters from the first book. Like, this book is written in 4 girls point of view and a girl like me could get confused between them. It happens.

Again, I found a problem in not thinking that's how people of the 20s spoke like that. They speak in a such a modern way ( but hey what do I know)?

The good points: there were still the elements of mystery, love and passion all over this book. I was getting excited in every chapter but not till the end. At the end of the book, I felt like the story line had taken forever to build up. And so I skipped most of the ending.

It reminds me alot of gossip girl, the show.

Maybe historical novels are not for me. Maybe.

In My MailBox (52)

2012-01-14T18:45:00.000-08:00

HeyHiHello

I havent posted IMM since ever. So glad to post IMM back yay

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

In each In My Mailbox post, I will be posting the books I will be reading and reviewing.

Purchased: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (signed)

ARC: Dont Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala (signed)

Dont Breathe A Word Swag

Should I have a giveaway? hmmm....

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams- Interview and Giveaway

2012-01-13T18:24:00.000-08:00

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams is the story of four best friends: Piper,Cassidy, Mei, and Izzy--the misfits of Paris, Texas. Their whole lives, they’ve dreamed of escaping small-town life and seeing the world. So when Piper is the victim of an embarrassing prank that goes viral online, she gets the idea that the girls should escape via the school’s international exchange program, in search of fun, love and internet redemption.

Emily McKay, Shellee Roberts and Tracy Deebs write under the pseudonym Ivy Adams.

They shop, gossip and watch movies in Austin, Texas.

Around the World in 80 Kisses: Smooch Stop #47

1.If you would describe The International Kissing Club book in a

sentence, what would it be?

Four best friends go international and have a fun, flirty, romantic time.

2.How is it like to write with three other writers? What are some of the

criteria that needed to be in an author to write with others?

There are actually three writers who wrote IKC—Shellee Roberts, Emily McKay

and myself. It was amazing fun, to be honest, but also a lot of hard work. I

think if you’re collaborating on a book, you need to be organized and have good

communication skills. You also must be flexible and have a lot of discipline. We

were great with the first three and lousy with the last one. Most of our meetings

ended up being two hours of fashion/movie/gossip talk followed by an hour of

frantic work, lol;)

3.Since the girls from The International Kissing Club uses Facebook

page anonymously to stay connected with each other, do you think its the

best method for the girls to update one another using a facebook page or not?

Why?

I think it worked for the girls really well, simply because it was a venue that all four could

use to keep up with each other at the same time—something texting and IMing doesn’t

really provide. Also, it accommodated for their very different time zones/schedules, so

that one could log on leave a message and then the others could pick it up whenever

they got the chance.

4.In the book ,The International Kissing Club, each girl travels to a different

country, so what is the one country you cant wait to visit?

I’ve been to a lot of countries all ready—most of Europe, parts of Africa, Latin

America. But if I had to choose one country (besides France, where my girl

goes and where I’ve already been) to visit, I guess it would be Brazil. I would

love to see Rio during Carnaval.

5. What inspired the idea behind The International Kissing Club?

We were actually at another writer’s house for a Chinese dumpling party and

we were sitting around talking about a friend’s love life (she’s kissed a guy from

like twenty-five different countries) and Shellee pipes up with “Geez, you’re a

veritable International Kissing Club.” Emily and I looked at each other across

the table and said, “That is an incredible title.” The party went on, but we

couldn’t let the title go and within two weeks we’d plotted out The International

Kissing Club :)

Thanks for having me today.

Giveaway:

Now tell me your favorite way to keep up with friends in the comment section (leave your email so we can

contact you) to be entered to win the Around the World In 80 Kisses daily and weekly

prize and also become eligible to win the Grand Prize, a Kindle Fire. For a list of all our

Smooch Posts you can visit and earn more entries to win, visit us here.

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

2012-01-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine to put a spotlight on upcoming books.

This week's title is:

The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Pretty cover. pretty dress. I am hocked.

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

2012-01-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

Release Date: September 6^th 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 294 pages

Source: Library

Series: 2

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

This book came in with a huge disappointment. Firelight was one of my favourites in 2010 but Vanish is definitely my least in 2011. I just felt the plot was rushed through and Jacinda's actions weren’t rational.

However in this book, the love triangle had left me wondering: which team am I on? In Firelight, I was team Will all the way. But I felt myself leaning towards Cassian in this instalment. I shouldn’t be like that. Once I pick a team, I should never go back to the opposite team. I am with Jacinda that it is a tough choice.

I was expecting more depth into the draki's world. More history aspect to it. It wasn’t there.

Anyways, I will be anticipating the 3^rd instalment because I know it will be good as the first.

In My MailBox (51)

2012-01-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

HeyHiHello

I havent posted IMM since ever. So glad to post IMM back yay

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

In each In My Mailbox post, I will be posting the books I will be reading and reviewing. 

Gift:The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

(Finally read it and OMG it was good)

Gift: Glee bookmark

(Its just awesome)

For Review: Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows by Molly E. Johnson

For Review: My Own Worst Frenemy by Kimberly Reid

Gift: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Me love this)

Won it: My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Update: I just noticed that I had included Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows in a IMM post from before. So yea, its the same copy. Too late to remove it.

Top Ten Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

This week's Top Ten hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is about books I am excited to read in 2012.

Top Ten Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012

1. Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala: I feel like this book is unique and will be, probably, like nothing I had read from before.

2. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler: I haven't read anything written by Sarah but this book tells me its about time.

3. Something Like Normal by Trish Doller: I have big fat faith in this book. I know its going to be unique and nothing like I ever read from before. Go Trisshhhh.

4. A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger: its by Kody for god's sake. I am her biggest fan.

5. Wanderlove by kirsten Hubbard: read the first few chapters of this book and I am in love.

6. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson: I read Matson's debut and oh my god it was good.

7. Live Through This by Mindi Scott: It sounds good to me.

8. Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer Hubbard: Just look at the cover

9. The Calling by Kelley Armstrong: read the first one+met the author=tooexcitedtoreadthisbookicantwait

10. The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting: Its the last one *Tears, Tears*

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

2012-01-01T21:14:00.000-08:00

Release Date: January 3^rd 2011

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 304 pages

Source: e-ARC

Series: None

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.

But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

I finished Unraveling Isobel two days ago and for some reason, its still lingering in my thoughts. Not that it was a complex read or anything. But it was more like a really cute, fun, quick read to me. It had all the elements that could be found in a novel (and if you follow my review, you will know that it is something that I always pinpoint at it in my reviews if it exists in a book). It has the romance element, which was really realistic to teenagers. It wasn’t hot or steamy. It was just cute. And sometimes I miss that kind of innocent relationships. And I did find it in this book.

Also, there was the mystery and ghosts and creepiness going on. Especially in the last few pages. The pace just went by so fast. Or maybe you will end up reading so fast because you just want to know the ending. So muchhh.

One of the other things, that I liked about this book is the relationship between Isobel(the main character) and her dad. We don’t get to see her dad at all. But he is always thinking about him and I loved the fact that she feels guilty and sad over not being with her dad.

Also, I really liked the setting. The writing made me feel like it was set in a fairy tale world.

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

2011-12-21T08:55:00.000-08:00

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine to put a spotlight on upcoming books.

This week's title is:

Dont Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala

Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

This book got me at 'a homeless boy'. Excited for that.

Burned Books in Egypt

2011-12-20T08:23:00.000-08:00

Few days ago in Egypt, the Institute d'Egypte went on fire. This institution contained 200 year old manuscripts. This centre was established during Napoleon's (France) invasion, from 1798-1801. There is even a compilation that includes 20 years worth of observation of Egypt that was part of this amazing library.

Personally, as an Egyptian and a bookish person, I was shocked with the news. If you follow me on twitter, you would have noticed the number of tweets regarding the centre caught on fire, that I retweeted. I didn’t believe the news at first but they were confirmed...finally.

However, there is good news which aren't confirmed but I hope they are true anyways. The news is that there might be unharmed copies identical to the burned manuscripts in the Alexandria library, isn’t that great?

And finally I would like to share photos of Egyptians trying to protect the books. It was really heroic moment in the Egyptian history. They went inside a caught on fire centre, all to save their country's history.

Source: Global News

Photo: Mahmoud El-Ragheb

My favorite books of 2011

2011-12-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

I've read so many amazing books this year. They are in no particular order. Here is the list of my favorite books in 2011:

1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2. Wither by Lauren DeStefano

3. Across the Universe by BethRevis

4. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

5. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

6. Red Glove by Holly Black

7. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

8. The Gathering by KelleyArmstrong

9. A Need So Beautiful bySuzanne Young

10. Where She Went by GayleForman

Kimberly Reid's Top Ten favorite places in the world

2011-12-16T01:51:00.000-08:00

We asked the author of MY OWN WORST FRENEMY, Kimberly Reid, her top favorite places in the world.

Top Ten favorite places in the world.
In no particular order:

Colorado – just about anywhere as long as I don’t have to drive in the snow
Atlanta, Georgia
Bora Bora, French Polynesia
New York, New York
Maui, Hawaii
San Juan, Puerto Rico
New Orleans, Louisiana
Seattle, Washington
Montreal, Quebec
Georgia coastal towns and islands

So what do you think? Do you have any places that matches Kimberly own list?

Win A Manuscript Critique

2011-12-14T18:02:00.000-08:00

I have a great contest to share with you all of you who want to win a manuscript critique.
Here is a version of an email I had received that is full of more details.

"Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Good luck and best wishes,

Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

2011-11-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine to put a spotlight on upcoming books.

This week's title is:

Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole

The summer after high-school graduation, a year after her mother’s tragic death, Anna has no plans – beyond her need to put a lot of miles between herself and the past. With forever friend Kat, a battered copy of Kerouac’s DHARMA BUMS, and a car with a dodgy oil filter, the girls set out on an epic road trip across the USA. Maybe somewhere along the way they’ll prove or disprove the existence of God. Maybe they’ll even get laid . . .

It’s a journey both outward and inward. Through the Badlands and encounters with predatory men and buffalo. A crazy bus ride to Mexico with a bunch of hymn-singing missionaries. Facing death, naked in the forest with an enraged grizzly bear . . . Gradually, Anna realizes that this is a voyage of discovery into her own self, her own silent pain – and into the tangled history that she and Kat share. What is love? What is sexual identity? And how do you find a way forward into a new future – a way to declare openly and without fear all that lies within you?

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

2011-11-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

Release Date: September 13^th 2011

Publisher: Knopf Books

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 245 pages

Source: Library

Series: None

In this high school-set psychological tale, a tormented teen named Evan starts to discover a series of unnerving photographs—some of which feature him. Someone is stalking him . . . messing with him . . . threatening him. Worse, ever since his best friend Ariel has been gone, he's been unable to sleep, spending night after night torturing himself for his role in her absence. And as crazy as it sounds, Evan's starting to believe it's Ariel that's behind all of this, punishing him. But the more Evan starts to unravel the mystery, the more his paranoia and insomnia amplify, and the more he starts to unravel himself. Creatively told with black-and-white photos interspersed between the text so the reader can see the photos that are so unnerving to Evan, Every You, Every Me is a one-of-a-kind departure from a one-of-a-kind author.

Now this is my second time reading a book by David Levithan. Now I can confirm that David has his own writing style. It is very distinguishable from others. He builds incredible setting by using simple words that include great emotion. One of the things that threw me off reading this book is the fact that half of the book has strikethrough paragraphs; I found it hard to read. However, the strikethrough helped in understanding the story bit by bit.

The novel had pictures in it. Each picture cried emotion. In fact, David was inspired by the pictures to write the plot.

The book was what I like to describe light dark. It was full of raw emotion and regret. Evan (the main character) is sad and depressed for the loss of his friend. He tries to find out who is behind sending him random pictures of Ariel. Ariel: we don’t get to see her at all, but we read all about her from Evan's point of view. He lost his friends and apparently the loss of a friend was so hard on Evan, it stopped him from living.

Levithan successfully made this novel a unique one. I will be thinking about it for a little while.

Author Guest Post: Richard Due and Carolyn Arcabascio

2011-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Gibbering Gnome Press Presents a Tale of Epic Fantasy

For Lily and Jasper Winter, the Moon Realm began with a single secret bedtime tale. As the children grew older, Uncle Ebb enthralled them with thrilling tales of the Dragondain riding horse-sized, catlike Rinn; mysterious tales of peerin-wielding lunamancers manipulating the magic that lies just beneath the surface of reality; exciting tales of flying dragons, swimming merfolk, stomping giants, and troublesome faeries. But as the magic of their childhood faded, so too did the tales. Eventually, they were just . . . good stories.

Or were they?

Now, nine years after it all began, Uncle Ebb is missing.

Lily and Jasper search for clues, but their uncle's mansion is full of distractions. A Tesla generator thrums in the basement. Prismatic electrimals flit around walls resembling underwater reefs. Then a most unexpected friend comes to their aid, leading them to a hidden room where they find a mysterious coin—the moon coin. Before the night is out, Lily is transported to the real Moon Realm. But the moons are in trouble. The Rinn of Barreth are under siege, and the lunamancers of Dain are beset by the very dragons they once loved. Most horrifying of all, the moon Darwyth has fallen to a villain named Wrengfoul, whose creeping evil now threatens to overshadow all the Realm.

Are Lily and Jasper too late to save the Moon Realm, or will they have enough time to write an ending of their own?

Featuring twenty-two stunning full-color illustrations by Carolyn Arcabascio. Volume One of the young adult fantasy adventure series The Moon Realm.

***

For me, getting to work with Carolyn Arcabascio was a dream come true. On The Moon Coin, we worked from a master list of scene options, with Carolyn picking out scenes she liked and making sketches. For the prologue, Carolyn drafted three options. All three were great, but two in particular were spectacular. I first went with option 3 (one of my scene suggestions). I think we spent more time on this sketch and subsequent color drawing than on any other piece. But it never seemed right. At the eleventh hour, I asked Carolyn how hard she’d hit me if I suggested scrapping the thing and instead going with the pinky promise scene you see below (one of her scene suggestions). Carolyn responded: "There would be no hitting involved!" and told me it wouldn't be a problem. You sure can't ask for better than that.

From the Prologue: Bedtime Tales.

Richard: Did you make all these sketches in the same location, Carolyn?

Carolyn: Yes, I do all of my work at a drafting table that's situated in a little nook of my apartment in Acton, Massachusetts. There's a bookshelf to my right and a wall of "inspiration" to my left, where I hang prints of other artists' and illustrators' work. On either side of my drafting table are drawers of supplies, and stacks of sketchbooks and old paintings. The drafting table faces a window overlooking a quiet street and the woods beyond it.

From Chapter Two: A Coin of the Realm.

Richard: Do you use models when you're sketching?

Carolyn: I use a combination of models and photo references. If I need to work out the nuances of a character's posture and really understand the perspective of it, I'll ask whatever friend or family member is handy to pose for a sketch. Often, I'll get into the position myself or mimic the facial expression I want to portray in order to get the feel of it. And sometimes, if there's a character being portrayed multiple times across scenes, I'll make a rough model of their head out of clay so I'll have it to refer to.

From Chapter Four: To Barreth.

Richard: When drawing fantastical creatures, do you use bits and pieces of real animals for inspiration, or have you actually seen a wirtle and you're just not telling us? ;)

Carolyn: No wirtles native to Massachusetts, fortunately! When figuring out the look of fantastical creatures, I use photo references of different animals to understand the way the anatomy might work, and then combine features as I see fit and as the story calls for. To understand the wirtle's legs and paws, for example, I referred to a series of photographs of show dogs leaping over hurdles. The severely arched, scruffy back was influenced by photos of hyenas on the prowl. The bone-structure of the face ended up being something of a cross between a cow and a warthog, and I wanted the snout to be bare—kind of gross and raw-looking. Add it all up and, voila! We have a wirtle.

The Moon Coin, by Richard Due, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the iBookstore for $2.99.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

2011-10-31T11:26:00.001-07:00

Release Date: September 29^th 2011

Publisher: Dutton

Age group: Young Adult

Pages: 338 pages

Source: library

Series: Companion Novel

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

What can I possibly say about this book? Lola oh Lola. I wish my name was Lola. I wish I had Lola’s same fashion style. She really didn’t have a specific style. She wore something different every day, not wanting to be like everyone else…she is not your typical female main character. She is liberated but at the same time respects her parents. I say liberated because she is dating someone who is older than her. Like old. At the same time, this boy shows up that changes Lola’s life. This boy name is Cricket. I pictured Cricket as prince charming. He was perfect but not too perfect. He made mistakes but who doesn’t.

Stephanie Perkins created this dreamy, cute, and intense chemistry between Lola and Cricket that I think readers will find it hard to forget about it for a long while. Just like in Anna and the French Kiss (Perkins’s first book) I just wanted to jump inside the book and dissolve into one of the characters. It doesn’t matter which character, they were all unique and awesome…as long as I am in the book, I am fine.

And speaking of Anna, you got to see Anna and St. Claire in this book (and yes I say see, instead of read because they are real people to me). They are still so cute together. As a huge fan of Anna, you get to see her relationship with St. Claire from Lola’s point of view which was a great addition. At times, I missed getting inside Anna’s head.

Whatever I say though won’t make this book any justice. Stephanie Perkins left me with high expectation after Anna and she didn’t fail me in Lola. The book was cute and heart- warming, leaving smiles all over my face. Each word was sugar coated.

Also, in this book I am taught that a happy ending do exists but it might not find your way right away.

Love this book sooooo much. Please read it.

In My MailBox (50)

2011-10-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

HeyHiHello

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

In each In My Mailbox post, I will be posting the books I will be reading and reviewing. 

Purchased:

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

(I had to buy this. This series is my favorite.)

Author Interview with Molly E. Johnson

2011-10-25T03:49:00.000-07:00

I asked a couple of questions to the author, of Spartacus and the Circus Shadows, Molly E. Johnson and here is the full interview.

What should readers take out of Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows story?
Under all the ridiculousness, there is kind of an adult message: not everything is always as it seems, and that includes people—even people you think you know really well, like family. This is something I think we’re constantly learning, over and over again, but no one really emphasizes how important the message is: Knowing that you could be wrong doesn’t mean failure; in fact, it opens your world up to every sort of possibility.

What inspired the world of Spartacus and the circus?
The locations came from places I’ve been or lived. I moved to a small Oregon town when I was twelve. I created Brenville to match the views I had about the town when I just moved there, before I figured out there were people—and more than one radio station. And because I grew up with an older brother much like Spartacus’s brother, I definitely knew what it felt like to be trapped in the middle of nowhere with someone who knew I was very gullible. That being said, most of the running away parts came from daydreams I had as a kid, of escaping home with a bag of essentials. In the daydreams I was always part-spy, part-ninja, part-action hero. I tried to feed that longing into Spartacus’s character.

And as for the circus, I’m a huge fan of Cirque du Soleil, and that’s the feeling I was hoping to give to Bartholomew’s. I always liked the allure of regular circuses, even as a kid. But to me, it was really just the idea of a circus that was more romantic and interesting than the actual event itself. The striped tents, the travelers, the fake glamour with a dirty underbelly. A circus was a place where you could go as a kid where you knew there was more happening than you could comprehend. There was something happening behind the scenes and if you were clever enough, you might be able it figure it out. Like being seven and watching a mall Santa from a distance—there must be some trick, but what is it??

If you were to give an advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?
I know this seems lame there is so much to be said about putting your head down and just writing. I can’t say how much time I’ve wasted, wanting to be a writer but simply not writing like someone who wanted to be a writer. So write. And when you’re done with one thing, start something else. And when you’re done with that, find a fellow writer you trust you give you feedback. Rewrite, edit, and repeat. And repeat…

What are your rituals (if any) you follow during writing, editing, revising?
I can’t ever sit down to something I’m in the middle of without revising what I wrote the session before. With a clear head, you can see flaws you didn’t see before. And while this sometimes (often) leads to me not creating anything new during that session, it really tightens the writing for next time.

But I enjoy being in the middle of something. I like having something to work from—which means I really hate starting new stories. It actually scares me to sit down and start something new. I know, unheard of, right? And if I do start something, I’ll more than likely spend a good part of the writing session deleting. Since I have no editing/revising self-control, I’ve started writing new stories on a typewriter. That way, I can’t go anywhere but forward—and there is nothing better than giving into that sweet, sweet typewriter flow. After a few hours, I’ll have written maybe thirty pages and will have created at least one idea, one conversation, or one character that I like. I then use the best parts of that writing session to start from the next time I write.

'It's up to Spartacus to be the hero'... what quality he needs to become a hero to find his mother?
I know this is generally not listed amongst traits of middle grade heroes but the key to finding his mother is critical thinking. Spartacus is walking a tightrope of trust issues (trusting himself, his best friend, and strangers), while juggling bravery and his gut feelings that something is wrong—but without the ability to logically think things through, he’d never have a chance to save anyone. This is something he begins to develop toward the end of the book, but as with all of us, it's a work in progress.