The Reading Fever

Review: The Hunger Games Tribute Guide by Emily Seife

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:30:00 PST

The Hunger Games Tribute Guide by Emily Seife (Official The Hunger Games Companions)
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: Paperback
Genre: Companions
Publication Date: Feb. 7, 2012

Here is the ultimate guide to the twenty-four Tributes participating in Panem's 74th annual Hunger Games. Follow the Tributes' journey from the Reaping to the Games, with a look at all the highlights along the way--the Tribute Parade, the stations of the Training Center, and the interviews with Caesar Flickerman. Plus you'll find profiles of President Snow and Seneca Crane, portraits of each tribute, and detailed information on each district's industry. This unique guide to the tributes contains never-before-seen photos and quotes from the film, and is a must-have for any Hunger Games fan.

I was so excited to read this book! From the moment it was first announced, I was almost crazy with the knowledge that when I read this book, I would finally be able to know more about the tributes, their districts, and the film--all things promised in the description. Sadly, it didn't hold up to its promise.

At most, this book is a lavishly-worded summary of the first few chapters of The Hunger Games. Instead of a tribute guide, we hardly learn anything about the tributes that we haven't already been told in the books. Tributes without names remain nameless. Weapons used in the games are a mystery, unless they were mentioned in the story. And instead of following "the tributes' journey from the Reaping to the Games" like promised, we only follow Katniss' and Peeta's journey; not bad, except that their journey only includes things that we've already read about.

I was upset to find that the "detailed information on each district's industry" is actually just a sentence or two about each district, and that except for a handful (under 12), even the "never-before-seen" photos--while nice to look at--were already available for free online weeks before the book came out (months, in some cases). I also have a bone to pick about the tributes' photos, but I think that would just be adding more flame to the fire.

On the positive side, the photos that were actually new to me, were of some pretty great scenes. These include: a photo of Katniss getting a blood test before the Reaping (something added in for the movie), the first photo I've seen of Katniss and Prim's mother at the Reaping, good headshots of Katniss and Peeta in their chariot outfits, a picture of Katniss' room in the Capitol, a new training center pic, katniss putting together a snare, two pictures from the interviews, a few close-up shots of some of the weapons in the training center, and one pic of Katniss in-flight, on the way to the arena.

In conclusion, this book didn't really add anything to my knowledge base of The Hunger Games, and it didn't sate my desire for all things Hunger Games. I think this is a book you would buy if you are: a) looking for something to refresh your memory of the story without having to read the actual book, or b) an uber fan (like me) who likes to have every Hunger Games related item ever created. I'm so sad that I had to begin this Hunger Games countdown with a negative review, but I just cannot recommend this book to anyone else.

Luckily I review the Official Illustrated Movie Companion tomorrow, and THAT is a book you want to get your hands on!

Read this if:
...you want a refresher of THG's plot, or you want to add it to your collection.

Content Warning
*This section may contain some spoilers about content!*
Clean Read

Other Books in the Series:

The Hunger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion / The World of The Hunger Games

Purchase The Tribute Guide:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

Emily Seife:

Goodreads

Foreign Cover Friday: The Hunger Games [Re-Posted]

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:00:00 PST

In honor of The Hunger Games movie, I am re-posting this edition of Foreign Cover Friday (which also happens to be the very first one I ever did!), with a few changes.
You can see the original post here.

----------------------------

This week's featured cover is:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I like the US cover, although I didn't at first. I never would have picked Hunger Games up, if I hadn't met the coolest woman in the aisle of the bookstore who changed my life by talking me into buying it, promising that I would love it, and telling me that the cover made sense for the story but NOT to judge the book by it. She was right on all accounts, and I totally wish I had gotten her name. (Edit: See? I didn't just make that story up for yesterday's post. I've been talking about it for forever.) :)

So what's wrong with this cover? If you've read the book, you'll know that there's nothing wrong with it. The pin on the front, and the shapes around it that look like targeting cross-hairs signify exactly what the book is about. Even the font fits the book. It's a genius cover, really. But if you haven't read it yet, you might be put off by the cover since it looks like a book about highly advanced war...and The Hunger Games is about SO much more than that!

These, on the other hand, are some variations that I would have picked up purely based on the cover (if I were, you know, someone who does that....).

From left to right:

German cover - title: The Tribute of Panem

Taiwanese cover - title: (No idea)

Russian cover - title: The Hunger Games

I like the face on the German cover. I'm not always a fan of books with faces, but I think the leaves and blood dripping makes it work...even if she has green eyes, instead of grey. The Taiwanese (is that correct?) cover sort of looks like a movie poster to me. I love the trees and sky, and the silhouettes of the girl and boy running. It makes me think of action and desperation. That coupled with the title, The Hunger Games, totally would have made me pick it up. The Russian cover looks more like the cover of a fantasy novel to me, but since fantasy is my favorite genre, I would have at least picked it up and browsed the pages.

These three covers are from Italy, another variation from Russia, and Denmark. I'm not going to lie; the Italian cover pretty much scared me when I first saw it. With the title, it makes me think of some cannibalistic girl playing games with her victims. Not a pretty picture. I love this other Russian cover (the guy makes a good Peeta), but it would never appeal to most of the men I know. It looks too much like the cover of a romance novel. The Denmark cover is interesting, and the translated name is pretty accurate, too. It means Death Game. The cover actually captures the book pretty well, with the girl running through the dark forest with a bow.

These UK covers are so smart, I could kiss whoever was in charge of their marketing/designing/decision-making. Want to capture the attention of both genders? Just do this! The left cover is geared towards boys, complete with a blurb from Stephen King, and the right cover is geared towards girls, complete with a blurb from Stephenie Meyer. Although I'm sure this isn't the first time something like this has been done, I think they were able to capture the tone of the book, while remaining gender neutral. The only problem I see is that the characters look a little young for Katniss and Peeta.

These last three are from Sweden, Greece, and Japan, all literally translated to mean Hunger Games. My first reaction to the Swedish cover: *ooh, fire. Pretty....* I actually like it, especially since it ties in with the whole "girl who was on fire" thing. The Greek cover has the same feel as the US cover, but is laid out differently. I like that, especially the outlined letters. It makes it look cool. And not much to say on the Japanese cover, except that I know some people who would seriously appreciate the art.

And as a final note: It was hard to choose just a few covers for this one, because (as I discovered with many popular books of this caliber) the book is available in a lot of countries, and there is one, maybe two or three, different covers for each country. I have collected at least 22 different covers for Hunger Games so far, and that's not counting the Catching Fire and Mockingjay covers. It's safe to say it's a popular book.

What are your thoughts?

Which covers do you like? Which do you hate?

Thanks for joining me for Foreign Cover Friday.

If you have a FCF post to share, include your link below.

Hunger Games Countdown Kick-Off + Reaping (Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:30:00 PST

I was a newly-proclaimed avid reader, standing in a brightly lit bookstore back in 2008, fresh off the Twilight bandwagon (just setting the stage a little). I was in need of a good book; something to keep my interest so I wouldn’t lose hold of the ever elusive reading bug, which I had finally caught. I knew only two things: I apparently liked sparkly vampires, and I especially liked love stories. I read cover after cover, but without knowing what I liked, I had no way of knowing which of the many books to spend my precious money on.

And that’s when she approached me. I’ll never forget the way she swooped in like some bookish angel, and stuck The Hunger Games in my hands. “Read this,” she said. “DO NOT judge it by the cover. Once you read the book you’ll understand the cover, but until then, just give it a chance. You’re going to love it.” I wasn’t so sure that a book about hunger could be the answer to my reading needs, but I decided to be patient. She must have seen the apprehension on my face. “It’s got a weird name,” she said. “But it all makes sense once you read it.”

She was friendly and cheerful, and so I opened up to this stranger and divulged my dirty secret: Twilight was the first book I had read in years, along with just a few others in the year or so afterward. I was a complete newbie when it came to books. We talked about books for a few minutes, before I gave in and asked what The Hunger Games was about. She gave me a basic summary of the plot, and added, “my sister recommended it to me, and I’ve been recommending it to anyone who will listen. It just came out, so we have to wait a year for the next one, but this book is worth it. I promise you will not regret it.” I bought two of her recommendations that day.

Later that night, I cracked the cover of The Hunger Games, and began reading about a girl with a horrible name. As I read on, I discovered a nation with a horrible tradition...and later discovered the girl who was on fire; the girl who would change it all.

And I did not regret it.

The time has come to...party!!

For the next 22 days, TRF's focus will be on a countdown to The Hunger Games movie! Most (but not all) of my posts will be Hunger Games related...and I have some pretty cool things in store, beginning with a Reaping Giveaway!

Okay, not that kind of Reaping. In this one, you'll WANT to enter your name in the bowl as many times as you can. At the end of the month, I'll draw one name from ~~Rafflecopter~~ the glass bowl, and that person will be announced the winner!

What can you win?

Official Mockingjay pin

World of The Hunger Games book by Kate Egan

Jabber Jay card game

How to enter:

Enter once using Rafflecopter, below. (If you are reading this in a feed reader, you'll need to click through to the post to view the Rafflecopter entry form.)
You can take out up to two tesserae and gain extra entries for tweeting about the reaping, and/or leaving a comment on this post.

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY

Ends 3/23/2012

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HPRC: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban + Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:01:00 PST

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Discussion questions:

What is your favorite line from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban?
If the Knight Bus hadn't been summoned when it was, what might have happened? Would Harry have believed Sirius if he had introduced himself?
In this book, Voldemort doesn't play a major part. What do you think the purpose of this was? Do you think it was for the better, or worse?
Why do you think Professor McGonagall gave Hermione the time-turner? Was it to allow her to learn a lesson, or do you believe she thought Hermione could handle taking so many classes?
What do you think Hermione learned from trying to do too many things at once? What did YOU learn about her character after learning about all the classes she was taking?
What is one emotion you felt strongly, while reading this book?
Is there something that bothered you about this book? Why?
What important relationships did Harry form in this book, and why are they important?
Just for fun: What part of the book made you laugh the most? If you've read it before, does it still make you laugh?

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Links

Please leave links to your reviews, thoughts, comments, or updated kick-off posts in the following format:

Name - Blog - Format

(Penelope - The Reading Fever - Blog Comment)

(Janie - The Reading Bug - Review)

HP #3 Discussion Links:

Please leave links to your discussion posts in the following format:
Name - Blog
(Penelope - The Reading Fever)

The winner of the Harry Potter character wand is:

Rhee @ A Life Pixelated!

Congratulations, Rhee! I'll be sending you an email soon.

And thank you to everyone who entered.

There will be more chances to win Harry Potter items, throughout the reading challenge!

Waiting Next Door: What's Left of Me

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:43:00 PST

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Visit Breaking The Spine to see more entries!

This week, I am eagerly waiting on:

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang (The Hybrid Chronicles #1)

Publisher: Harper Teen

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Publication Date: Sept. 18, 2012

Goodreads / LibraryThing

Eva and Addie live in a world where everyone is born with two souls, but where only the dominant one is allowed to survive childhood. Fifteen years old, and closer even than twins, the girls are keeping Eva, the ‘second soul’, a secret. They know that it’s forbidden to be hybrid, but how could they ever be apart?

When a dramatic event reveals what really happens to hybrids if they are discovered, Eva and Addie face a dangerous fight for survival, neither wanting to be the one left behind…

This sounds equally strange, and appealing. It seems to be pretty different from other books out there, and after reading the description, I am just dying to know what really happens to hybrids. I can't wait to read this one!

What are you waiting on?

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:30:00 PST

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #3)
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Young Adult
Publication Date: First published 1999

Harry's ongoing exploits, along with those of his contemporaries, teachers, and relatives, are as imaginative, entertaining, and mysterious as ever. For during Harry's third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he must face his greatest challenge yet: a confrontation with Sirius Black, an escaped convict and madman who is rumored to be in cahoots with Harry's archenemy, the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort. This alone would be daunting enough, but Harry's task is made even more trying when he discovers that Sirius is suspected of being the one who killed Harry's parents.

For Harry, the Hogwarts campus has always been a sanctuary, but when Black escapes from the horrifying clutches of Azkaban Prison, all clues suggest the madman is headed for Hogwarts and Harry himself. As a result, the school starts to feel more like a prison than a sanctuary as Harry finds himself constantly watched and under guard. What's more, the terrifying Dementors - the horrifying creatures who guard Azkaban Prison - are lurking about the campus looking for Black. And their effect on Harry is a devastating one.

Still, life at school offers plenty of distractions. Harry really likes the new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin, who might be able to teach Harry how to defend himself against the Dementors. But Professor Snape's behavior toward Lupin has Harry wondering what secrets the two men are hiding. Harry's friend Hermione is also acting very strangely. And, of course, there is the tension caused by the ongoing Quidditch competition between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins and the never-ending bullying of the Slytherin leader, Draco Malfoy.

*Spoilers ahead*
This is definitely my favorite book of the series, so far. I can't believe ALL the stuff that is in it that wasn't in the movie! I love the history this story provides. It definitely made for a much richer reading experience; now I not only know about Harry, but I know a little about his family, and how they influenced his future, even before they passed away.

I really like that we took a break from the Voldemort plotline, and got a better look at Harry's parent's past. It added to his character arc in such a unique way, because this is the first book that I have felt like Harry was able to be well and truly happy. Knowing even just these small parts of his past (and things like why his father was nicknamed prongs--so cool) seemed to add pieces to his own identity, enough to change his entire demeanor. And I was so happy for him, finally having Sirius and Lupin to look to as proper family--people who he knows really care about him. I love that part on the last page where Harry tells the Dursleys about Sirius, saying, "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of Wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though . . . keep up with my news . . .check if I'm happy . . ."

A few other things I liked are the Marauder's Map--which is the coolest thing ever invented--Dumbledore, who is just awesome--especially since he always knows everything, and how hilariously funny it was to imagine Lee Jordan (is the person? I don't have the book right now) announcing the quidditch matches. I also think the twist with the time-turner seemed much more thrilling in the book, than in the movie. I never doubted everything would be pulled off when I watched the movie, but there seemed to be a more immediate need for the time-turner in the book, and that translated into more suspenseful reading.

I gave this 4.5 stars when I first finished, because I was sure I couldn't have loved the book enough to be giving it 5 stars. But after trying to come up with something negative to say about it, all I could come up with was one thing. So I'm giving it the 5 stars it deserves. :) And about that one thing: Maybe I just missed this while reading, but my question is: if the Marauder's Map "never lies," why didn't Professor Snape see Harry and Hermione sitting at the edge of the woods after they used the time-turner, at the time when he saw Professor Lupin disappear into the tunnel? He should have seen them.

Although out of the entire book, I'll take that one inconsistency and move on. I was much too enthralled to be held up by one small thing.

Read this if:
...you like heartfelt adventures.

Content Warning
Clean read.

Other reviews from this Series:

Book 1 / Book 2

Purchase Book 3:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

J.K. Rowling:

Website

Waiting on Wednesday: Blind Spot

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:07:00 PST

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Visit Breaking The Spine to see more entries!

This week, I am eagerly waiting on:

Blind Spot by Laura Ellen

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult

Publication Date: Oct. 23, 2012

Goodreads / LibraryThing

There’s none so blind as they that won’t see.

Seventeen-year-old Tricia Farni’s body floated to the surface of Alaska’s Birch River six months after the night she disappeared. The night Roz Hart had a fight with her. The night Roz can’t remember. Roz, who struggles with macular degeneration, is used to assembling fragments to make sense of the world around her. But this time it’s her memory that needs piecing together—to clear her name . . . to find a murderer. This unflinchingly emotional novel is written in the powerful first-person voice of a legally blind teen who just wants to be like everyone else.

Debut novelist Laura Ellen's own experiences with macular degeneration add powerful authenticity to this suspenseful and emotional page-turner for teens.

Doesn't this just sound like a powerful story? I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

What are you waiting on?

Mini Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:26:00 PST

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #2)
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Young Adult
Publication Date: 1998

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and WIzardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girl's bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone - or something - starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects... Harry Potter himself?

Rowling packs this tale with plenty of adventure and action, keeping the pace fast and furious. There's plenty of humor, too - both subtle and bold - as well as a few moral lessons. With overlapping themes that range from the simple to the sophisticated, Rowling's Potter tales should appeal to readers of all ages - the young as well as the young at heart.

Things I Didn't Love:

Professor Lockhart. He's supposed to be over the top, but he made my blood boil everytime he came on the page. He was much worse in the book, than I remember him in the movie. Some of it is good characterization, but some of it just seemed blatantly obvious, and I wasn't sure how so many in the world could be so enamored with his books. Anyway, I'm glad I won't be reading about him anymore.
When Ginny goes missing, Harry and Ron turn to the one person who they have both complained about and loathed through the entire book because they could see through his sham, to help them: Lockhart. Why would they go to him (as opposed to Dumbledore) when Ron's own sister's life is on the line? I wouldn't trust him at all!
Once again, events at Hogwarts happen to coincide with the school year. Does this happen each year? I can see events beginning at the start of the school year, since it usually has to do with a student or teacher. But taking 8 or 9 months to come to a head (just enough time for Harry to solve the problem), and ending in just enough time for everyone to go home, isn't very believable to me.

Things I Did Love:

The Weasley twins. They are hil-ar-i-ous! They appeared a lot in the beginning of the book, and then there wasn't much of them towards the end, but each time they appeared on page, I was laughing. I absolutely love the way they made light of the fact that people thought Harry was the heir of Slytherin. "...seriously evil wizard coming through...." Hahaha.
Ron's howler. Best. Moment. Ever.
How people's names, and the names of charms and such are starting to come together. I love that everything means something, and that shows a certain level of genius on J.K. Rowling's part. It is clear after this book, that plots that happen later on, began during the stages of these early books. Small elements now, become big things later on (at least, from what I can tell from the movies).
The Burrow! I just love the Weasleys so much, and I love the descriptions of the home. De-gnoming, Mr. Weasley's obsession with muggle artifacts, and the way their family interacts, makes it feel just like home to me.
Fawkes! (Self explanatory.)
I also like that the scene with the basilisk was shorter in the book. There wasn't any running and hiding, near-misses, etc. That scene in the movie has always seemed unbelievable to me. Snakes are amazingly fast, and I have no doubt that Harry would not have been able to outrun a basilisk--even a blind one. Although that scene was probably better for audiences visually, I like the book's version better. Short, to the point, and much more realistic.

Overall, I liked this one more than the first, but I cannot wait to read the third!

Side note: I don't remember seeing much of Percy in any of the other movies. Does he not have that big of a big role after this book?

Read this if:
...you want magic, adventure, and a base for good morals.

Content Warning
*This section may contain some spoilers about content!*
Clean read.

Read my review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (HP #1)

Purchase Harry Potter book 2:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

J.K. Rowling:

Website

Foreign Cover Friday: The Maze Runner

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:00:00 PST

Foreign Cover Friday is a weekly meme hosted by me (The Reading Fever), where foreign covers of the books we know and love are spotlighted and discussed. To join, either pick your favorite foreign cover, or pick many foreign covers, and start discussing!

This week's featured cover is:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

English language editions - US & UK

Indonesian & German language editions
German translation: The Chosen - The Labyrinth

Greek & Polish language editions
Greek translation: The Test
Polish translation: Prisoner of the Maze

Portuguese language edition
Portuguese translation: Run or Die

Spanish language editions
Spanish translation (left): Running or Die
Spanish translation (right): The Maze Runner

What are your thoughts?

Which covers do you like? Which do you hate?

Thanks for joining me for Foreign Cover Friday.

If you have a FCF post to share, include your link below.

Watch The Hunger Games With the Utah Book Bloggers!

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:30:00 PST

Hey Utah Hunger Games fans!

Want to watch The Hunger Games with people who understand and appreciate your obsession?

Come watch it with the Utah Book Bloggers!

We're all getting prepared to watch it as a group, and that's something you really don't want to miss; I'll be having a panic attack from excitement, Enna will sob like a baby, Suey will give you a ride (or you can check the carpool list), Emily will let you meet her husband, and we'll all get to laugh, gasp, cringe, and cry together like one big Capitol-hating, Katniss/Peeta/Rue-loving, support group.

There are other bloggers, friends, and family members attending as well, so come join us! Bring anyone you want. I'm bring my brother, sister, and few friends. You could bring yours too. Or just bring yourself, if your friends refuse to stay up past their bedtimes. ;)

Deadline to join is Feb. 21st. Email me for the deets:

ReadingFever@gmail.com

Did I mention we'll have reserved seating? Lines are a thing of the past.

Email me!

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:30:00 PST

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1)
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publication Date: 01.01.1997

Harry hates living with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and their spoiled-rotten son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny closet beneath the stairs, and the entire family treats him with disdain. What's more, Harry keeps getting into trouble for making strange things happen - things he seems to have no control over. But then Harry discovers the truth about himself when a determined messenger delivers an enlightening message. It turns out that Harry's mother was a witch, his father a wizard. And not only is Harry also a wizard, he's a famous one! His survival of the attack by the evil wizard who killed his parents has marked him as a legendary hero - as has the lightning-bolt-shaped scar on his forehead.

Soon Harry finds himself attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he receives training in some magic basics, masters riding a broomstick, and discovers his incredible talent for a game called Quidditch, which is played in the air on flying brooms. And for the first time in his life, Harry has friends who care about him: his fellow students Hermione and Ron and a giant named Hagrid. But all is not rosy when Harry discovers his true destiny and finds he must once again face the evil one who killed his parents. His survival will depend upon the help of his newfound friends, as well as his own wit and powers.

It's easy to see why Harry Potter has caught the reading public's fancy. Not only are his adventures an entertaining mix of fright, fantasy, and fun, his triumphs over everyday adversities offer a heartening lesson to kids everywhere.

I'm sure everyone and their dog has already read Harry Potter, or has at least seen the first movie. You know the basic storyline, you've seen the characters, the costumes, the wands, and have probably heard a lot about the storyline. Maybe you've even read a few books that were influenced by Harry Potter. I have just read it for the first time (I'm not counting the time my 6th grade teacher read it to the class). I'm not sure what I can add to what has already been said, but here are my two cents anyway. Enjoy!

If there was one thing I didn't expect Harry Potter to be, it was funny. While I think this first book was lacking in some areas (I'll get to that), it was not lacking in humor. I laughed through the entire book, and yet I don't think I have ever come across such natural, less-forced humor. Each character is equipped with their own sense of humor, making their jokes and sense of sarcasm very different from everyone else. I could actually tell each person by their sense of humor. I appreciate that, because I know a lot of thought went into creating each character.

Which brings me to my next point, which is that these characters could be real people walking around today, and I would not be surprised. This is the first book in the series, and I already feel like I understand the characters--or at least their reasons behind their actions. Those I don't understand, I am significantly intrigued about, wanting to know more about them and their actions in the story. I won't talk extensively about this (it's been covered many times), but I will say that J.K. Rowling did an amazing job creating them.

There are some things that keep me from absolutely loving this book, and one of them is one of my biggest pet peeves: telling, not showing, important parts of the story. Before I offend anyone, it's true that J.K. Rowling does a fantastic job describing the wizard world, and the things that go on there. The imagination she was able to bring out in my mind with her descriptions of Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, Gringott's and Quidditch, is just fantastic. What bothered me though, is that events the characters plan and talk about were often glossed over in a few sentences. I can't think of a specific example right this moment, but there were times when the characters would discuss an important step in their plans...and then the next sentence would be a quick line saying that they finished the step.

My next reason is one that I think is only a reason because I have seen the movies, and know the storyline. I just expected...more. I didn't feel the nail-biting, adrenaline-rushing, feelings that I did when I watched the movie for the first time, and that was kind of a letdown.

In conclusion, this is definitely a great book. I think anyone who hasn't read it yet, definitely should. I felt something while reading--like I was suddenly a part of something important. I look forward to knowing what happens to these characters (even though I already do, I want to know each and every detail). I look forward to experiencing the next adventures with them. And I'm pretty sad I did't buck up and do it along with the rest of the nation. I can't help but feel like I missed out on something big because I didn't.

Read this if:
...just read it! It's a must.

Content Warning
*This section may contain some spoilers about content!*
Clean read.

Purchase Harry Potter book 1:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

J.K. Rowling:

Website

HPRC Books 1 & 2 Linkies + Giveaway + A HUGE Apology

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:30:00 PST

First, I owe an apology to everyone who signed up for the Harry Potter Reading Challenge. I completely dropped the ball. I didn't read Harry Potter last month like I planned, got sidetracked and forgot to post the linky for everyone who did, and then got so embarrassed about it all that I put it off until I gathered the wits to admit my shame...which took WAY too long. So to all who signed up: I am really sorry.

You can expect the posts to be on time from here on out. In fact, I now have a schedule for the upcoming posts, Twitter parties, and giveaways, so that we're all on the same page (and so that I have something to hold myself to). You can find it all on the 2012 HPRC page.

----------------------------

Links

Please leave links to your reviews, thoughts, comments, or updated kick-off posts in the following format:

Name - Blog - Format

(Penelope - The Reading Fever - Blog Comment)

(Janie - The Reading Bug - Review)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Links

(discussion posts have their own linky below)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Links:

(discussion posts have their own linky below)

Book 1 & 2 Discussion questions:

I haven't read The Chamber of Secrets yet, so a lot of these have to do with The Sorcerer's Stone.

What was your first very first impression of Harry Potter himself? Did your impression change at the end of the first book?
At what point in either book did you decide that you did, or didn't, like the story?
Is there anything you dislike so far? Something you would change if you could?
What is it about J.K. Rowling's writing that makes her books so appealing to so many people? Is it the characters? The plot? Something else? What do you love most about her writing?
In the first book, we are introduced to a very different world than the one we live in. What were some things that blew your mind when you first read about them?
Despite being so different, what do you think makes the wizard world so believable? What makes it a place that people want to escape to?
In The Sorcerer's Stone, Professor Quirrel tells Harry, "There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it." What does this statement tell us about Professor Quirrel? Do you agree or disagree with him?
In The Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore tells Harry, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." The sorting hat also suggested Harry could fine great fame and glory in Slytherin House. What choices does Harry make that lead him away from darkness? Could he have been the good wizard that he was if some of those choices were different?
If you're re-reading the series, what are some differences you've noticed this time? Are there things you didn't pick up on before? Or did you find you liked/disliked something differently this time?
Just for fun: If you could make your own polyjuice potion, who would you disguise yourself as, and why?

Discussion Links:

Please leave links to your discussion posts in the following format:
Name - Blog
(Penelope - The Reading Fever)

And it's about time for a giveaway! I planned a giveaway of a book for this month, but as a way of saying sorry, I made it a WAY more awesome giveaway.

Enter below for the chance to win your choice of wand!
Choose from Harry's, Hermione's, Ron's, Neville's, Draco's, Voldemort's, or Dumbledore's wand.
Open Internationally.
You must be 13 or older to enter.
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email, once it is sent.

Open to all, but only challenge participants get an extra 5 entries. for entering their link.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Foreign Cover Friday: Life As We Knew It

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:00:00 PST

This week's featured cover is:

Life As We Knew It
by Susan Beth Pfeffer

English language editions (US/CAN hardcover & paperback)

I thought this one had more covers to show, but it turns out most of them were repeats, or different printings with the same cover. There is also a Bulgarian edition out there which I could not track down a cover for, which is pretty crazy because I can usually find at least one, even if it's way tiny. If you happen to have a picture of it, I would love it if you would send it my way! :)

I fell in love with the cover on the left the moment I saw it, and was so curious I convinced my book club to read it just so I could justify buying it. The moon is obviously out of proportion with the world, and that title is killer. I'm a sucker for covers with dramatic titles and that are fun in person; this one is embossed wherever the moon craters show, and the color is just so gorgeous. Bonus points for pulling it off without having a person in sight.

The paperback cover on the right leaves a lot to be understood. While there is more to look at, I don't think most of it would make sense unless you've read the book.

English language editions (UK hardcover & paperback)
Love the cover on the left; Maybe not as much as the one above, but I think they did a good job getting the point across. The one on the right is cool, but doesn't have much to do with the actual story, aside from the fact that tidal waves are mentioned.

French language edition
French translation: Initially
Love it!

German language edition
German translation: The World As We Know It
This one is pretty cool. I like the way the orange contrasts with the grey and black of the moon, and when you realize how close the moon is to the Earth, it's pretty startling.

What are your thoughts?

Which covers do you like? Which do you hate?

Thanks for joining me for Foreign Cover Friday.

If you have a FCF post to share, include your link below.

He Kicked Cancer's Trash!!

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:27:00 PST

I don't post many personal things on this blog, but I just wanted to let everyone know the good news! I've been semi-MIA for the past two weeks, and it's because some very important things have been happening.

You see, just yesterday my son received the very last of his treatments for cancer!!

He was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma--an extremely aggressive brain tumor that is always stage 4, because of how severe it is--in November of 2010. He wasn't expected to live. His tumor had spread so wide and deep that the neurologist (a man I would trust over and over again with my son's life) was sure that he couldn't reach the deepest parts. He was very honest, and let me know that he didn't expect to be able to get even half of it out (you can see how big it was here). My son immediately had two successful brain surgeries, where they found that the tumor had grown in such a way that it pushed his brain open and allowed the neurologist deeper access than he ever would have been able to get. This was the first of many miracles we have seen on this journey, and the most crucial first step to bringing us to this point today. I won't give you the long version of the rest; you can read his blog here and see the hard, yet rewarding, journey he's been on.

...because now he is done! No more radiation, no more chemo, and if everything goes alright, no more hospital stays!! We're celebrating like crazy, and have already purchased the post-cancer-trash-kicking t-shirts he picked out and will proudly wear forever.

He still has checkups every month, MRI's, a surgery to take out his port, and in a few days he'll need another blood transfusion because of low counts--but all of that is easy. The hard parts are over!!

This boy is the toughest kid I know, and he kicked cancer's trash!!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Girl Who Could Silence The Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:30:00 PST

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Visit Breaking The Spine to see more entries!

This week, I am eagerly waiting on:

The Girl Who Could Silence The Wind by Meg Medina

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Genre: Magical Realism, Young Adult

Publication Date: Mar. 13, 2012

Goodreads / LibraryThing

Sonia's entire village believes she has a gift, but it's only in leaving home that she finds out who she truly is. A compelling tale from a rich new voice in young adult fiction.

Sixteen-year-old Sonia Ocampo was born on the night of the worst storm Tres Montes had ever seen. And when the winds mercifully stopped, an unshakable belief in the girl's protective powers began. All her life, Sonia has been asked to pray for sick mothers or missing sons, as worried parents and friends press silver milagros in her hands. Sonia knows she has no special powers, but how can she disappoint those who look to her for solace? Still, her conscience is heavy, so when she gets a chance to travel to the city and work in the home of a wealthy woman, she seizes it. At first, Sonia feels freedom in being treated like all the other girls. But when news arrives that her beloved brother has disappeared while looking for work, she learns to her sorrow that she can never truly leave the past or her family behind. With deeply realized characters, a keen sense of place, a hint of magical realism, and a flush of young romance, Meg Medina tells the tale of a strongwilled, warmhearted girl who dares to face life's harsh truths as she finds her real power.

Sign me up for this one! The strong superstitions and utter belief that Sonia has protective powers, has me curious about what will happen in the story. Not to mention that the title and cover are superb! Can't wait for this one.

What are you waiting on?

Interview: Kim Culbertson + Figment Flash Fiction Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:30:00 PST

Today I am excited to have author Kim Culbertson here for an interview, and I must say that this is my favorite interview I have done so far.

I reviewed Kim's new novella, The Liberation of Max McTrue, on Monday. Be sure to check that out; It's a great story. And after the interview, I have information about the upcoming Liberation of Max McTrue flash fiction contest, hosted by Figment.com and Kim Culbertson.

Can you tell us about yourself?
I’ve been a high school teacher for 14 years and currently I teach in a small charter school. I teach Creative Writing, English and help with the college advising program. I’ve always seen my writing as an extension of my teaching – my first big love was writing and stories and my second big love was teaching; over the years I found a way to marry the two together. I feel grateful every day for the work I get to do. My students were the ones who initially encouraged me to write SONGS FOR A TEENAGE NOMAD, my first YA novel. It came out of a writing exercise we did in my fourth year of teaching.

How did you come up with the idea for The Liberation of Max McTrue? What is it about Max's story that compelled you to write it?
I’ve been a college advisor for over ten years and one night I woke up with this line in my head: “Two significant things happened to Max McTrue that day” and then the book just started pouring out of me. I wrote this book for my students. I love teaching high school. I love teenagers. People think this is really weird and have a ton of negative opinions about teenagers, but I think so many of those notions are created by a culture that assumes teenagers are going to be a certain way. In all the schools I’ve taught in – and I’ve taught in a big traditional high school model, a small private school, a charter model – I’ve found wonderful, unique, lovely teenagers in my classroom. I wrote MAX for the hundreds (gulp, thousands) of students I’ve had over my years of teaching who have taught me that we’re all built for something – the hard thing is identifying it when it doesn’t match up to what you’re “expected” to be doing. I’ve had so many Max McTrue-type kids over the years – great, sweet kids who were just sort of caught in the steady current that is the educational system, who never really had to make any dynamic choices about their futures until, suddenly, that’s all they’re asked to do.

The hunt Clara Jane's dad sends her on in the story is both creative and fun. Where did the inspiration for it come from?
I loved the idea that she was looking for her dog. This appealed to me for some reason. And I loved the notion that her dad had her doing this alternative assessment type of thing for their homeschooling that would baffle Max a bit, make him think about things in a different way.

I found the characters in the story to be very realistic. Are any of them based on people from real life?
In all three of my books, the characters are formed from my years of teaching – no one student is any one character but my characters are certainly inspired by many of the students I’ve worked with over the years.

In the book one character attends public school, one character is home schooled, and another character no longer attends school because she doesn't believe in it. How much influence do you believe the type of schooling one receives has on a person? Do you have any experiences with home schooling, or other alternative types of schooling?
Oh wow, yeah – you don’t want to get me started on this whole concept. J I have lots of opinions about the way a school environment influences a student’s sense of self. So much is wrapped up in what we learn in school – our self worth, our notion of what it means to be intelligent, our ideas of beauty and status. Whew. I wrote my Masters Thesis in Education on this topic. I currently work in a charter school that operates on a homeschool model with site-based support classes offered one, two or three days a week, but I’ve also worked in a private school where the students were on a rotating schedule and in a large, traditional public high school. I’ve taught in rigid schedules and also in flexible programs. Here’s what I’ve found to be true. There is no one-size-fits-all educational model. It doesn’t exist. There is no perfect school you could drop everyone into and everyone would be happy. But I believe there are multiple models out there for everyone if we’d only allow for them without suggestion that one is better than the other. People’s notion of school is so odd to me – they all seem to picture the same thing. They all think there is a “best version.” But we’re such a diverse society with such different tastes and values. We want to choose where we eat, what jeans we wear, what music we listen to but the second we want to offer different models of education, people freak out. We need to get rid of the concept of ‘best’ as it applies to a school and embrace the notion that each person has their ‘best fit.’ Life seems to me to be about each individual finding his or her right place. I think it would be incredible if, as educators, as a society even, we started this philosophy out with school.

I was taken away with your writing in The Liberation of Max McTrue. What do you believe are the most important elements to good writing?
Thank you for saying that – that’s so kind. You would think I’d have an answer for this as a creative writing teacher but so much goes into good writing; it’s nuanced. It’s a process. One thing I tell my creative writing students all the time is that good writing is about being a good listener. And I’m not naturally a good listener so I’ve tried really hard over the years to work on really hearing the world around me and watching for all the small details that build a world. I also think that you have to trust your own voice and not try to write like anyone else. I know that people have to say, “this writer reminds me of John Green or Sarah Dessen, etc.,” because that helps with marketing. I know that matters. But I think the truly wonderful thing about writing is that everyone has this unique voice like a fingerprint and that’s what I hope my writers work on honing.

As an author, what has been the toughest criticism given to you? What was the greatest compliment?
In some ways, I think my toughest criticism and my biggest compliment are the same thing. I’ve been told so many times that I’m “too sensitive” and this sensitivity bleeds into my work, but it’s also the foundation of my work. My sensitivity can create work that some people find too angsty or too emotional (I think I once got a review that just read ‘blech’), but then other people will tell me, “I love how emotional you are.” You have to just be who you are and know that some people will hate it and some people will love it and you write for the people who connect with it.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?
I spend as much time as I can with my family and friends. My seven year old daughter attends a program for elementary kids in the same charter school I teach in. Part of the time she’s in class, and part of the time she’s doing other stuff. It’s a hybrid homeschool model. Diet homeschool. J She has this amazing teacher but she also gets all this time to explore her own interests. She gets to have this super cool little community of kids where she does projects and art and such and then we can really focus on her specific stuff – reading lists, math, her self-selected passion projects, etc. My husband (who is the director of the school) and I really want her to see her education as something that exists all around her, not just as a building where she “goes” to “learn” things. As a family, we love to hike and cook and go to museums and travel and we don’t see any of those things as separate from “education.” Every day, I feel blessed that we found our “right fit.”

What project are you working on now?
I’m working on another young adult novel. This one deals with Hollywood and celebrity, and small town choices and what it means to love something. My work ultimately always seems to be about what it means to love something – a home, music, travel, education –and a teenager finding his or her way.

Just for fun: Who is your favorite fictional character, and why?
Hermione Granger. She’s a total know-it-all but she loves learning and her friends most of all. She has her priorities straight and she’s never afraid to stand up for her own ideas.

Thanks so much for answering my questions, Kim! I love the passion you have for teenagers and education. I'm also excited for that new YA novel. :)

Website / Twitter / Facebook

Kim Culbertson technically writes for teenagers, but some grown-ups like her work. Sourcebooks Fire published her award winning first YA novel Songs for a Teenage Nomad (2010, originally Hip Pocket Press, 2007) and her second YA novel Instructions for a Broken Heart (2011) which was named a Booklist Top Ten Romance Title for Youth: 2011. Kim's short fiction has appeared in Cicada, Canary, and The Smoking Poet. When she's not writing for teens, she's teaching them. She's a college advisor and teaches creative writing and English at Forest Charter School in Northern California. Kim wrote her eBook novella The Liberation of Max McTrue for her students who, over the years, have taught her much more than she has taught them. Kim lives in the Northern California foothills with her husband, daughter, dog and rabbit, and drinks more coffee than perhaps she should.

The Liberation of Max McTrue Contest

Brought to you by Figment.com and Kim Culbertson

Kim Culbertson is joining Figment for a whirlwind weekend of Flash Fiction to celebrate her new ebook, The Liberation of Max McTrue!

Enter the Max McTrue Flash Fiction Contest!

There will be a Total of three prizes: Each winner gets a free download of The Liberation of Max McTrue as well as a custom-made “beautiful things” journal. The first place winner will also receive a 30 minute manuscript review by Kim Culbertson.

All you have to do is write a super short story under 500 words that follows one of the four prompts below. Submit your entry between 11:00am on February 3rd, 2012 and 11:59pm on February 5th, 2012. The Figment editorial staff will choose the top ten entries as finalists, and Kim will choose the winners from those finalists.

The Prompts:

(1) Write a story set against the backdrop of a scavenger hunt.

(2) Write a story confined to the periods of a school day. The character can be in school or out of school.

(3) Write a story in which a character is deeply afraid of something.

(4) Come up with a totally ordinary character and then set him/her up to have an extraordinary day.

How to enter:

1. Go to www.figment.com and sign up.

2. Once you have received your confirmation email, go to your Figment profile page, click “My Writing,” and “Create Something New.”

3. Before you start writing, read the full rules on the Max McTrue contest page, which you’ll be able to find under the “Contest” tab on Figment on February 3rd, 2012.

4. Write an original story, under 500 words, that follows one of the four prompts above.

5. Go to the “Details” tab of your story, and put maxmctrue in the “Tags” section.

6. Wait the 2 hours it sometimes takes to see your story appear on the contest page.

Foreign Cover Friday: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:57:00 PST

This week's featured cover is:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

English language editions (left: US, right: UK)
I haven't read this book yet, but I am told by many that it is an absolute must. So it wasn't too much of a surprise when I saw that after only 3 months of being released, it is already available in 24 different editions. That's pretty amazing. I have included the ones with different covers here (excluding the ebook and audiobook editions, which have the same covers, and a few others that I couldn't locate covers for).
Out of the two covers above, I am really loving the UK edition. Those shimmery feathers are bold and eye-catching, and the fonts used and placement of the title and author's name are kept simple and neat. I was originally in love with the US edition until I went to do this post...that's when I realized that one of the girl's eyes is in shadow, making her look like she's missing an eye, and really creeping me out. Seriously, it's all I can think of when I look at that cover now.

German language edition
German translation: Between the Worlds
I like the detail in this one; the city line at the bottom, the wings, the swirls, and the girl's hair. It's not my favorite but it's a nice cover.

Polish language edition
Polish translatioN: Daughter of Smoke and Bones
Same thoughts on this on as on the US cover; I can't get over that eye!

Slovak language edition
Slovak translation: Daughter of Smoke and Blood
I like the grey cast to this cover with the gold title. Plus the guy is super muscly--always a plus.

Spanish language edtition
Spanish translation: Daughter of Smoke and Blood
I think you know what I'm think of this one by now....

What are your thoughts?

Which covers do you like? Which do you hate?

Thanks for joining me for Foreign Cover Friday.

If you have a FCF post to share, include your link below.

Waiting on Wednesday: Monument 14

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:30:00 PST

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Visit Breaking The Spine to see more entries!

This week, I am eagerly waiting on:

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Publisher: Fiewel & Friends

Genre: Post-apocalyptic, Young adult

Publication Date: June 5th, 2012

Goodreads / LibraryThing

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

A huge store isn’t the worst place to be stranded. There’s food and water, bedding and books. But what if it’s not safe to leave? Emmy Laybourne had us from the get-go with her utterly fresh and fast-paced debut.

Six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids are trapped together in a chain superstore. Together they build a refuge for themselves inside, while outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapon spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

This book just sounds awesome--not in the sense that cool things happen, but that things go horribly wrong, and you just know it's going to be scary, a bit thrilling, and probably emotional too. At least I hope it is! I can't wait to read it.

What are you waiting on?

Class of 2K12 Interview: Megan Bostic

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:30:00 PST

Today I have author Megan Bostic here to talk about her book Never Eighteen, which hits shelves today!

This is the second of 12 short interviews with various Class of 2K12 authors, which will be featured on my blog throughout the year.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and any hobbies you have?
I’m currently the marketing coordinator for a personal injury law firm and I like to dabble with video production and graphic and web design on the side. I’ve got two teenage daughters whom I adore even when they’re driving me nuts. I love spending time at the ocean, walking the beach or just getting away from the world. When my kids aren’t around sometimes I go out with my friends for dinner and maybe some karaoke, otherwise I like lying around in my pajamas watching Netflix.

What do you want readers to feel after reading Never Eighteen?
I want them to feel inspired and motivated to get the most out of life.

What was the hardest scene or chapter to write, and why?
To be honest, the entire novel was an emotional drain, but the hardest was probably Chapter Thirteen, the one about hiking up the mountain. It’s a very intimate time for Kaylee and Austin, one in which they share their feelings about life and death. I wanted to get it exactly right; every movement, every word, every emotion.

What has been the most rewarding part of having your book published?
Having readers connect with the book. It’s awesome to hear how the book spoke to someone, how it made them think, how it evoked emotion in them. I put so much of myself into Never Eighteen, it makes me happy when readers get a lot out of it

And just for fun: Everyone has a bizarre hidden talent. Care to share yours?
I can talk like the devil from The Exorcist, but I really don’t like to do it for people. :)

Thanks for taking the time to stopping by, Megan!

About Megan
Megan (that’s with a long “e”) Bostic is a mere human trying to find her place in the universe and an all-around great girl. Despite the rain and gray (she’s truly solar powered) making her extremely angsty, she’s lived in the Pacific Northwest her whole life, and still does, with her two crazy beautiful girls.

She thrives on the challenges faced in her journey to publication and has documented it vlog style. You can find her Chronicles of an Aspiring Writer on Youtube.

Find Caroline here: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Blog

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

Novella Review: The Liberation of Max McTrue by Kim Culbertson

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:45:00 PST

The Liberation of Max McTrue by Kim Culbertson
Publisher: Book Baby e-Books
Format: eGalley (courtesy of the author)
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Publication Date: Feb. 01, 2012

Have you ever had an extraordinary day?

Max hadn’t. Until one winter day when he met a girl.

THE LIBERATION OF MAX MCTRUE takes place in a single day. The classic Boy Meets Girl story. Well, sort of: Boy meets homeschooled girl. Boy ditches school. Boy finds his future. And there's an ice cream truck. And archery. It's a bit like what would happen if Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Alchemist had a kid, well...a kid who was a YA eBook novella. You get the idea.

Max took a day off and found his life.

Who changed your life today?

"People think being alone makes you lonely, but I don't think that's true. Being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in the world."

-Clara Jane, The Liberation of Max McTrue by Kim Culbertson, pg. 124

I love this story! The Liberation of Max McTrue may not be a full novel, but it manages tell a very important story in just 190 pages. I was sucked in by the seemingly random events of the first few pages, and made to keep reading by the subtle emotions the writing evoked inside me. The problem Max faces--suddenly realizing that he has no idea where he's headed in life--is one that many of us face sooner or later. But as he follows Clara Jane around, he discovers more about himself than ever before.

The book is full of interesting characters who are realistic and easy to like; Max, Clara Jane, Emmerson, Darcy. Many people make appearances in the story, and each one manages to leave an impression, no matter how short their appearance. Each person who comes into the story, and each conversation had changes Max and the way he looks at his life. Piece by piece, he begins to see his real self, and what he really wants out of life. He also begins to understand himself for the first time in his life.

I love the notion that so much can change in just a day; because it can. This story uses a fun setting to explore the emotional change one experiences while doing just so. It's about being who you really are. It's powerful and moving, but very subtle in its approach. A few of the events seemed a little too far-fetched to me, but maybe that's because I need to have a liberating day as well. ;) With strong characterizations and beautiful writing, I highly recommend it.

Read this if:
...you want to experience something powerful!

Content Warning
*This section may contain some spoilers about content!*
Clean read.

Purchase The Liberation of Mac McTrue:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Kim Culbertson:

Website / Twitter / Facebook

Foreign Cover Friday: The Two Princesses of Bamarre

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:00:00 PST

This week's featured cover is:

The Two Princesses of Bamarre

English language hardcover edition

This was one of my MOST favorite books growing up. Even more than with Ella Enchanted, I identified with these two sisters so much (probably because they were so like my sister and I--at least I thought so). I was sad to see that this book hasn't been translated into as many languages as I had hoped, but it's been translated into quite a few. This cover remains my favorite, though. It tells you so much about the story. My next favorite cover is the one on the French language edition. :)

Enjoy!

English language editions (left: US paperback, right: Canada/UK hardcover)

French language edition
French translation: The Two Princesses of Bamarre

German language edition
German translation: The Princess of Bamar

Indonesian language edition (I think; I couldn't confirm it on this one)
Indonesian translation: Adventures of Princess Palace Bamarre

Spanish language edition
Spanish translation: Two Princesses Without Fear

What are your thoughts?

Which covers do you like? Which do you hate?

Thanks for joining me for Foreign Cover Friday.

If you have a FCF post to share, include your link below.

Waiting On Wednesday: Harbinger

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:30:00 PST

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Visit Breaking The Spine to see more entries!

This week, I am eagerly waiting on:

Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

Publisher: Putnam's Son's BYR

Genre: Supernatural, Young Adult

Publication Date: Feb. 12, 2012

Goodreads / LibraryThing

Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

I had never heard of Harbinger before I came across the book trailer one day, but I was utterly convinced by the trailer alone, that I need to buy this book as soon as it comes out. It looks so creepy and cool; a little disturbing, very mysterious, and extremely dangerous. ~~Pretty much what I hoped Mara Dyer would be, but wasn't.~~ I seriously can't wait to read it!

What are you waiting on?

Class of 2K12 Interview: Caroline Starr Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:30:00 PST

Today I have children's author Caroline Starr Rose here to talk about her book May B., which hits shelves today!

This is the first of 12 short interviews with various Class of 2K12 authors, which will be featured on my blog throughout the year.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and any hobbies you have?
I’m a former middle school language arts and social studies teacher. I love reading,
running, and spending time with my husband and two boys. I love my quiet, simple life.

What do you want readers to feel after reading May B.?
I’d love for kids to know we all feel flawed in some way, but that this shouldn’t define who we are or what we’re capable of.

What was the hardest scene or chapter to write, and why?
The hardest scene to write shows May reading a poem called The Voice of the Wind
and the struggles she has with the whole process. It was a challenge to convey her
anxiety, show the stilted way she approached reading, and let her growing confidence
become apparent by the way I structured my own poem.

What has been the most rewarding part of having your book published?
I don’t know if I could name just one thing, though if I had to it would be getting a lovely
blurb from Karen Cushman. I’d taught her novels for years. To see she’d not only read
but loved my book was exhilarating and unbelievable.

And just for fun: Everyone has a bizarre hidden talent. Care to share yours?
I can still recite the fuel used in the space ship that visited The Mushroom Planet:
tetramethylbenzacarbonethylene.

Thanks for taking the time to stopping by, Caroline!

About Caroline
Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. As a girl she danced ballet, raced through books, composed poetry on an ancient typewriter, and put on magic shows in a homemade cape. She’s taught both social studies and English in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. In her classroom she worked to instill in her students a passion for books, the freedom to experiment with words, and a curiosity about the past.

Caroline has recently returned to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she lives with her husband and two sons.

Find Caroline here: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Blog

May B. is available today!

I watch the wagon
until I see nothing on the open plain.
For the first time ever,
I am alone.

May is helping out on a neighbor’s homestead—just until Christmas, her pa promises . But when a terrible turn of events leaves her all alone, she must try to find food and fuel—and courage—to make it through the approaching winter.

This gorgeous novel in verse by Caroline Starr Rose will transport you to the Kansas prairie—to the endless grassland, and to the suffocating closeness of the sod house where May is stranded.

May’s eloquent, straightforward voice, and her bravery, determination, and willingness to risk it all will capture your heart.

Purchase May B.: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

Book Review: The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:30:00 PST

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima (Seven Realms #1)
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Paperback
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publication Date: Nov. 19, 2009

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can't sell. For as long as Han can remember, he's worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They're clearly magicked--as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

Han's life gets even harder after he takes a powerful amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard. The amulet once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, the Bayars will stop at nothing to reclaim it from Han.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for a prince with a big castle and a tiny brain. Raisa aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.

He called her Briar Rose, he said, because of her beauty.
And her many thorns.

-The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima, pg 66

It feels so good to be back on a regular schedule! The past few weeks have been hectic (holidays, the tourney, and family & friends' parties), and then there was the reading-rut-to-end-all-reading-ruts. I thought I would never pick up a book again--even worse, I didn't want to ever pick up a book again. Sadly this blog has been the thing to suffer because of it all.

Luckily, The Demon King came along and put me back on track. Thank you Cinda Williams Chima!

I've seen a lot of my fellow bloggers talk about this series, using the words: epic, enthralling, or engaging; high-praise to be given, and definitely things I look for in a book. But being the non-believer that I sometimes am, I waited a long time to read it. When I had tried every other book in my entire home (this may or may not be an exaggeration) and couldn't find anything that stuck, I decided it was time to see what everyone was talking about. I was blown away.

In the first chapter we jump right into the story, and although I spent a few pages of that chapter a bit confused, I quickly picked up the rich details of the world and fell into pace reading. Cinda Williams Chima has a knack for imagination. She is especially good at bringing her world to life on the page.

The story is told by alternating between two characters who come from completely different worlds, branching off a few times to follow other characters as the need arises. And I love all these characters, from the two main characters, to the ones we only get to see a few times. Their personalities are so different and their lives so unique, but they each played a part in the story. No matter how far removed from the plot, their actions had an effect on the other characters in subtle (and sometimes drastic) ways. There is a lot going on in this world--so steeped in history, magic, and politics--that I am still quite amazed at how Chima managed to tell such an intricate story without confusion. Yet she really pulls it off.

I did find a few inconsistencies; things like the princess *SMALL SPOLIERS* forgetting to close the slab that conceals the outside entrance to her secret passageway one night--the opening of which is in a high-traffic area--and then having to open it up again the next time she uses it, with no mention of it having been left open before. So who closed it? Along that same line, the princess talks about how she can never use her secret passageway because of all the people who are always around, and yet the many times she is in that area, she is conveniently alone with the person she is meeting. *END SPOILERS* The inconsistencies were small and there weren't very many, but my mind kept coming back to them throughout the book, wishing I could just get the princess to fix them in order to calm my OCD.

The Demon King is full of action, adventure, magic, and is basically the fantasy-lover's ideal book. At 500 pages, I did find myself impatiently skimming through some of the more descriptive parts, especially towards the end as I began to find it a little lengthy. But with three-dimensional characters, a realm on the verge of war, and secrets all around, it kept me up all night reading...it will keep you up all night, too.

I guarantee it will be time well-spent.

Read this if:
...you like high fantasy or adventure (die-hard fantasy lovers, this is for you), or you just want to "get away" for a while.

Content Warning
*This section may contain some spoilers about content!*
Highlight between the brackets to reveal the text.
{Violence (though it is not very descriptive), and a couple swear words.}

Other Books in the Series:

The Exiled Queen / The Gray Wolf Throne / The Crimson Crown

Purchase The Demon King:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

Cinda Williams Chima:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Blog

Team Katniss Shirt and Sticker WINNER!

noreply@blogger.com (Penelope Lolohea) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:55:00 PST

Thanks so much to all who entered the Team Katniss shirt and sticker giveaway (see it here)!

The winner is:

Sierra from Happily Never Ending!

Congratulations, Sierra!

Be on the lookout for an email from me soon. :)