I’ve been talking on Twitter about doing (or finding) a classic book to do a read-a-long with. Most that I stumble on are already well under way and so I usually don’t join in. Then the other day I was talking to Liz from Consumed by Books about our mutual love of the BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South. (This is such an amazing mini-series and you must watch it if you haven’t already.) She also mentioned that while she’s seen the mini-series several times she’s never actually read the book. I’ve read the book but it was eons ago and so suggested that maybe we could do a read-a-long.

Therefore, starting on 01 November I am going to start reading North and South and posting weekly updates here on my thoughts. I’ll post my thoughts at the end of each week and read the book using the following schedule:

There is also a good chance that I will be re-watching the mini-series after this re-read of the book…because its on Netflix Instant View and I just can’t help but watch it on a regular basis. I am excited for this read-a-long because I last read North and South back when I was around 15 or so and haven’t read it since. So this will almost be like reading the book for the first time as I am sure there is much that I have forgotten!

I’ve included a Mr Linky just in case anyone else would like to join in the read-a-long….and will have one for each weeks thought post. If you don’t have a blog for the URL then you can always join via the comments. So feel free the grab the button above, the book from your nearest book store or library and join in the fun!

Source: BEA 2010

Publication Date: 02 Nov 2010

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 0316090530

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 352

Websites:

Daisy Whitney – Official Site

Daisy Whitney – Blog

Daisy Whitney – Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Providence, Rhode Island

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

First Line: Three things I know this second: I have morning breath, I’m naked, and I’m waking up next to a boy I don’t know.

I first heard about The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney at BEA this past May as it was one of the books that people were buzzing about. In the months that followed there was a lot of buzz about it and with each rave comment and review that I saw I became more and more excited to read it. I finally sat down recently to do just that and I thought that the opening chapter was just amazing. I read it and thought….man I am in for a treat. Sadly, the book took a nosedive from that point forward. Which was sad because I really wanted to like this book.

The first thing that I had issues with was that there was so much TELLING going on. As I read I often felt that Whitney was talking down to me and I didn’t like that feeling. I’d much rather be shown the little details. It also felt like there was too much telling to Alex that she was raped by other characters and less of her actually believing it herself. She just sort of sat, listened, and was like OK if that’s what you guys think then that’s what must have happened. And much of this telling was done by these cloak and dagger means. Secret meetings with her sister and then even more secret meetings with The Mockingbirds (more on them in a few.) Another thing that bothered me was how clueless Alex was. She first learned of the Mockingbirds before she started at Themis Academy as they group was founded by her sister. But other than that she didn’t know anything about them. She never cared to learn. So for most of the book every other character had to explain to her the groups history and their reason for being. I know that there had to be someone not in the know, but all the telling got to be old. I wish that Whitney had used several different means to tell the groups history. When Alex decides to go to the Mockingbirds with her case and begin to learn their purpose she then begins to get very upset when others in her school ignore the flyers and other signs of the group. Talk about your pot calling the kettle black.

Then there were the Mockingbirds themselves. On the surface they sound like a good and worthwhile group of students interested in justice and protecting others. When a student is wronged they can have their case tried by a council of their peers. I was part of a student mediation group when I was in high school. Its amazing how well students governing and interacting with students can work. However, that’s not what the Mockingbirds turn out to be. Instead if student A brings a case against student B then student B is guilty unless they prove they are innocent. And as they are guilty they have their rights systematically stripped away. Until they are unable to leave campus or have their birthday cake taken away from them. This is done so encourage the accused party to appear and follow the rules of the “court.” The Mockingbirds says this is all ok though because if the accused is found innocent then everything that he or she lost gets restored to them afterwards with a few extras to boot. Which is a little too little too late in my book.

Which leads me to the need for the Mockingbirds in the first place. They aren’t a group formed by the school, they are a secret society that was formed because the school never seems to notice the bad things that happen. It is very clear from reading this book that Daisy Whitney has no love of privatized institutions. There was a total lack of interest from teachers in this book. As long as the students….or “puppets” as Alex liked to refer to the teachers thoughts on students…so as long as the students preformed well on demand then they were happy. There were many complaints in Alex’s inner monologue about her disgust for the adults at her school and many times in which that voice didn’t seem like a teen. I’ve had several friends who attended a boarding school and each always said just how involved the adults were with the students. That many times they acted as surrogate parents. Its usually not until college that teachers and students have that separation. And I think that Whitney was taking her own college experiences and trying to force them into a more young adult sort of setting. The result are situations that just don’t ring true.

The one time that Alex actually trusts an adult much of the conversation is how she was drinking that night, and how as she’s underage it was so wrong for her to drink, that she hasn’t had a drink since and probably won’t drink again. With the adult saying what a wise and mature choice that was since drinking underage is never wise. She then says that Alex must do what she thinks is right and if she doesn’t want to report the incident then that is perfectly fine. What adult would say that? What teacher when hearing that a student had been raped would just sit there and do nothing? Not to mention that one of the reasons that Alex said she didn’t want to report the rape was because her parents would pull her out of Themis and send her to a different school. Again this book just lacked a sense of reality and believability.

Another thing that never felt real was the dialogue. It was always so stilted and disjointed and told woodenly by characters that never came to life for me. The only one I ever felt anything for was Alex and that was more annoyance than anything else as I was stuck having to listen to her inner monologue for the entire book. I think that this may have been a story that was told better using multiple points of view. The Mockingbirds wasn’t all bad though I did think that the flashback scenes were done well. They were believable (although that wasn’t always the case for the triggers) and made you really feel for what happened to Alex. I would have liked to have had them appear with a quicker frequency though then they did. If they had then there would have been less need for Alex to be told what had happened to her.

I managed to finish The Mockingbirds but it was a struggle of will. Normally this would have been a book that would land on the Did Not Finish pile. The only thing that really kept me reading was that The Mockingbirds was part of The Contemps Challenge. That and the few people that I talked with as I read told me to keep reading as it got better. Sadly, it just was never meant to be. I should be clear though the issues that I have with this book have nothing to do with Alex being raped. I felt for her because she went through that. My issues were all the details that occurred after that event. Especially the Mockingbirds. I do not like their sense of “justice”and as a result I find that this is not a book that I can recommend.

Welcome to the week 1 recap of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Unfortunately I don’t have much to add here as I’ve been sick the last several days and haven’t been able to focus on reading very much. Currently I am in the middle of Chapter V and I hope to finish it up either later today or tomorrow. It all depends on my ability to focus. (I really hate being sick!) But that is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to start sharing your thoughts. I’ve included a Mr Linky so that those who blog about the first 10 chapters can link to their post. For those that prefer the comments then start commenting! Also be sure to keep checking back here and I’ll revise this post once I’ve finished reading. I’m so sorry to slack off right at the start. Please forgive me.

If this is your first time hearing about the read-a-long you can learn more about it here.

Source: NetGalley

Publication Date: 26 Oct 2010

Series or Standalone: St John Family, Book 2 (Click here for Book 1 review)
Note: not sure if series has an official name so just using the family surname.

ISBN: 0061852066

Format: ebook

Pages: 384

Websites:

Place(s) Traveled to: London, England and Dunscroft, Yorkshire, England (1823)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

“Minutes later, Isabel was pressing her ear to the heavy mahogany door of the earl’s study. She could detect the low hum of masculine voices from within, but their words were impossible to understand. She leaned closer, cursing the ancestor who had selected such a sturdy portal. While she appreciated that had in question likely had goings-on that he had not wanted overheard, the choice of two-inch-thick wood showed an obvious lack of foresight when it came to the requirements of future generations.” (Note: Text is taken from the ARC and may not be the same as in the finished version.)

GFY: First off…tell us a little about you? 

CS: By day, I am a mild-mannered Canadian young adult author. By night, I am a mild-mannered Canadian young adult author in a cape! Because sometimes I like to wear a cape while I write novels and blow a fan on me so the cape billows so there is an illusion of movement…

GFY: Dude…I think everyone should wear a cape. Just think of all the sparkly goodness that could be spread.Note to self: look into buying a cape.  

Please describe your latest (or upcoming) release in as few words as possible. (Bonus points if you can do it in 5 words or less!)

CS: Dead dad, sad girl, photography. (Fall For Anything comes out December 21st 2010 from St. Martin’s Press.) 

GFY: Words can’t even begin to describe just how excited I am for FFA! Seriously. And the cover…its just so filled with awesome. Maybe my fave of yours yet. (That is until the next CS cover is revealed I am so fickle in my affections…lol). Also…you win a gold star for meeting the challenge of 5 words or less! Hee!

When you finish writing a book who reads it first? 

CS: My agent and a few very close critique partners, and of course, my editor. But no more than that. I don’t like too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak.

GFY: Those lucky few cooks!!

Which line do you find more difficult to write? The first or the last? 

CS: They both get equal amounts of angst. Maybe the first line gets slightly more angst because it sets the tone.

GFY: When you write, which comes first title, plot or character(s)?

CS: It depends on the book! With Cracked Up to Be, it was definitely the characters. Parker came to me fully realized. With Some Girls Are, it was the general concept. With Fall For Anything it was a combination of both. And with what I’m working on now, plot first, then characters. Titles never ever seem to come first for me though, ever.

GFY: Titles may not come easily, but they sure are worth the wait. All have been so filled with win so far.

Which of your characters is most like you? Are any based on real people?

CS: I’m not sure! I think all of them retain little pieces of me, but I’m not saying which pieces! None of my characters are based on real people. Well–maybe that’s not true. My sister and a few of my friends have made cameos in my books. Those characters are based on real people.

GFY: If we were able to take a peek at your nightstand, what book(s) might we find there?

CS: Right now, you’d find a couple of Archie comics (two Betty & Veronica Double Digests!), Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, which I’m slowly re-reading, and the second volume in the Complete Calvin & Hobbes.

GFY: I used to love reading Calvin & Hobbes…aw…who am I kidding. I STILL love Calvin & Hobbes. I also really need to make time for Battle Royale. I keep hearing about it and just need to sit down and read it.

What’s something that made you laugh out loud today?

CS: This comic by Kate Beaton: http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=61

GFY: What is the book that you most want to read again for the first time?

CS: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, hands down. The experience of reading that for the first time was mind-blowing. He just got it, everything.

GFY: This is a book that I’ve been hearing a lot about lately. Mainly because its a book that is frequently challenged. But after your endorsement, I’ll definately have to make a point of adding it to my bookshelf now.

What’s a book you’ve been a book bully for? (ie one you’ve liked so much that you practically beat people over the head just to get them to read it)

CS: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier! And also all of C.K. Kelly Martin’s books. If you don’t know C.K. Kelly Martin’s stuff, then I don’t know you.

GFY: You have been a bad author and annoyed your editor so much that you’ve been sentenced to spend 100 days with a werewolf. The werewolf is not to be killed, how do you spend the time?

CS: I actually have an anti-werewolf clause in all of my publishing contracts, so this would never happen! Also, why can’t I kill the werewolf? I’m totally killing the werewolf. I’m sorry but that’s just the way it is. They mismanage your finances, you know.

GFY: *sighs* The werewolf isn’t to be killed since it is a punishment. Hence why you must spend time with the werewolf. I am also not sure I believe you on this anti-werewolf clause…no wait…I take that back…knowing what I know about you it doesn’t surprise me in the least. There is probably mention of zombies in there somewhere too I am sure.

GFY: You’re trapped on a desert island, which swoon worthy book character would you want with you? (there are no ages on this island so that isn’t a factor. Also please say the book he/she comes from as well, thanks!)

CS: Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series. Yep.

GFY: OOOOHHHHHH good choice!! I love Snape…and best of all being a wizard he can congure up all the things you need to make the island all comfy cozy.

GFY: You have been selected for Survivor: Author Edition. How far do you think you’ll make it before you are voted off the island? Who would you like to see as your competitors?

CS: What! Despite the fact that I have no survival instincts, hate anything that remotely resembles camping and lose my mind if I start any morning without coffee, I think it is safe to say I would never be voted off the island. I would leave in the car with the other Survivor (or other TWO survivors depending on if it’s a final two or three) and then we would wait until the reunion show in New York where I would be awarded a million dollars, I assume. As for who I would like to see as my competitors? I am not sure, but I am pretty sure Heidi R. Kling HAS to be one of them.

GFY: What will your first meeting with Jeff Probst be like?

CS: Terrifying. For me. Who could not be intimidated by the greatness of Jeff Probst? I am still shaking from the day he said hello to me on Twitter!

GFY: The Zombie Apocalypse has started, do you have a zombie plan? Can you share your it with us? And if you could have any of your characters with you when the Apocalypse starts, which one would it be? Why?

CS: I have a zombie plan. It is AMAZING and FOOLPROOF and for these reasons, I regret to say I cannot tell you what it is. If anyone got wind of it, I’d have to think of a new one. But I will say , I think I would want Kara from Some Girls Are to be with me in the zombie apocalypse. She is vicious. I have a feeling that could come in handy. Or work horribly against me.

GFY: I think that Kara would be an amazing choice. That girl can probably kick serious zombie butt….and if she gets too out of control you can just toss her to the hordes and wipe your hands of the whole mess.

GFY: Can you share with us anything about your current project(s)?

CS: Nope. I wish! Book 4 is in very tentative, very early stages. All I can tell you it that is’ in the works and I’m excited about it.

GFY: I’m excited too…I am a FAN FOR LIFE of your writing. Any parting words?

CS: Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Gail! I appreciate it.

GFY: Thanks for stopping by Courtney! I really loved seeing your answers.  I hope that everyone did as well. If you haven’t read anything by Courtney Summers yet then I strongly urge that you do. Her books never cease to amaze me. 

Source: BEA 2010

Publication Date: 14 Sept 2010

Series or Standalone: Standalone, but ending leaves set up for series

ISBN: 1599905108

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 256

Websites:

Ivy Devlin – Official Site

Ivy Devlin – Blog

Ivy Devlin – Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Woodlake, ?? (state not mentioned)

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I really wanted to like Low Red Moon. I really did. I thought that the premise sounded really good. That here was a paranormal book that would be different from all the others that are flooding the market these days. Even the first chapter started out strong and mysterious and I was filled with hope. Oh how wrong I was to hope though as the story went downhill. Fast.

The whole story is told in this dream like state that I suppose is to heighten the mystery and the suspense. Its also very repetitive and with a book that is only 256 pages that isn’t a good thing. Its almost as if Low Red Moon was a short story and then expanded into a book by repeating a hundred times over all the key phrases and then some at any given opportunity. This is also a story about werewolves and yet the word is never mentioned. Avery is always going on and on about ‘men who are more than men’ in this breathy Kristen Stewart type voice that really starts to grate.

Low Red Moon is also supposed to be a mystery but there is no detecting in the book. Avery just stands around and wanders zombie like from place to place. Going on and on about how her parents were murdered and she doesn’t remember a thing from that night just the blood and she needs to remember. She needs to find out what happened. But all she ever does is go into the woods were this beautiful boy, Ben, tells her to stay away while his eyes flash silver. Avery can’t stay away though because she’s drawn to Ben by some mysterious pull…..only Ben is so mysterious that he could be the one who killed her parents. GASP!

It was such a struggle to finish this book. I kept reading in the vain hopes that there would be something to redeem it. That there would be something that I could point to and say YES! that part….THAT lived up to the promise that I had walking in. But that never happened. It soon became a challenge to finish. My innate stubbornness telling me that its such a short book I should be able to get through it. And I did. With much eye rolling and cries of “really?? you’re whining about that….again??” I did.  I managed to finish this book from start to finish and literally groaned aloud at the obvious set up for a sequel. This is not a story that needs more. At least, not in my opinion. Low Red Moon is not a book that I can in good conscience recommend to anyone. There are better paranormal books out there that are more deserving.

 Monday, August 2nd:  Shooting Stars Mag (HANNAH)
Tuesday, August 3rd:  The Brain Lair (RAE)
Wednesday, August 4th:  The Book Cellar (ALEXIS)
Thursday, August 5th:  Once Upon a Review (RAE)
Friday, August 6th:  A Good Addiction (HANNAH)
Friday, August 6th:  Bri Meets Books (ALEXIS)
Monday, August 9th:  Luxury Reading (ALEXIS)
Tuesday, August 10th:  La Femme Readers (RAE)
Wednesday, August 11th:  Luxury Reading (HANNAH)
Thursday, August 12th:  Book Junkie (RAE)
Friday, August 13th:  Peeking Between the Pages (ALEXIS)
Friday, August 13th:  Frenetic Reader (RAE)
Monday, August 16th:  Pop Culture Junkie (HANNAH)
Tuesday, August 17th:  Luxury Reading (RAE)
Tuesday, August 17th:  Frenetic Reader (ALEXIS)
Tuesday, August 17th:  Katie’s Book Blog (HANNAH)
Wednesday, August 18th:  The Book Scout (RAE)
Thursday, August 19th:  Carrie’s YA Bookshelf (HANNAH)
Friday, August 20th:  YA Book Queen (RAE)
Monday, August 23rd:  Frenetic Reader (HANNAH)
Monday, August 23rd:  Shooting Stars Mag (ALEXIS)
Tuesday, August 24th:  Peeking Between the Pages (HANNAH)
Wednesday, August 25th:  Ticket to Anywhere (ALEXIS)
Thursday, August 26th:  WORD for Teens (RAE)
Friday, August 27th:  Rundpinne (ALEXIS)
Monday, August 30th:  The Compulsive Reader (HANNAH)
Tuesday, August 31st:  Peeking Between the Pages (RAE)

So most of the buzz surrounding today is around the release of Mockingjay which is the third and final book in Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games trilogy. But that is just one of the amazing things you can buy today. You can also download the ebook version of Shadow Hills by Anastacia Hopcus!

For those who haven’t heard of this book here is the Indieboud.org synopsis:

Still not convinced then read my thoughts on it here. Shadow Hills is an excellent debut novel that is a wonderful addition to the paranormal genre – especially since it is one of the few that doesn’t focus on vampires or werewolves. So what are you waiting for visit your local bookstore and pick up a copy today or better yet download it to your eReader and start reading it instantly!.

~ pg 132 of Salvaged by Stefne Miller

And if all that wasn’t enough I came with a bag of some very delicious cookies handmade by the uber sweet and wonderful Victoria Schwab to celebrate the occasion. The cookies arrived the day before and after doing a very careful QC taste test I almost held back bringing them….you know…in case there was some latent poison or something mixed into the batter. I was only thinking of Rebecca and Danielle’s health in this decision…but they both overruled me saying they’d take the risk.

The store even had a chair set up for the reading that was fit for a queen, Lenah Beaudonte would have been pleased. You know, if she was real and could appreciate such things.

The event started about 20 min past 7 or so and took Rebecca’s sister ordering her to sit and do a reading. Rebecca was having a ton of fun greeting people and signing books. I also really wish I’d filmed this event because the interactions between Rebecca and her sister provided much comic relief. Seriously, these two should set up a comedy act if the whole writing thing doesn’t work out. Once Rebecca’s sister got her wrangled into the chair, Rebecca started by reading two sections of Infinite Days. She read from the opening chapter when Lenah becomes human again and then from a flashback scene that shows how Lenah became a vampire in the first place.

After the reading the floor was opened up for Q&A which I recorded as best I could. The questions and answers were all sent out rapid fire so any and all errors in this account are mine and mine alone.

Beaudonte is an old medieval name and Lenah is just a name she pulled from her head.

Where did you get the idea for Infinite Days?

Rebecca has been asked this in a few interviews and really wishes that she had some funny story to go along with it. Like how she slipped and fell in a stair well and the story and characters just appeared to her. The reality isn’t so funny though, she was at a writer’s institute getting her master’s and began free writing one day and that’s when Lenah appeared. She had a very distinct voice and she just wouldn’t go away. The audio version of Infinite Days captures Lenah’s voice almost exactly as it sounds in Rebecca’s head. 

How long did it take to write Infinite Days?

It took 8 months to write, which is really really fast for a book and certainly not the norm.  There were also very little changes made to the overall story as well and what you have in print is pretty much how it was written. With the exception of how it starts. The original opening was a lot more bloody and violent as Lenah is trying to kill a librarian. The sequel for Infinite Days, which is currently titled Stolen Nights (18 Mar 2011), took over a year to complete and was a lot more difficult.

The entire story for Infinite Days was motivated by Lenah’s voice. But when it came to book 2 Lenah’s voice just wasn’t there. Instead it was motivated by a character named Vicken – who has a larger role in book 2 than in Infinite Days, where he is a bad guy.

How did you get Lenah’s voice back?

Did a lot of improv to find her again. Both acting parts out, out loud and in writing them out. She would also improv for villians in the book and highly recommends the process for when a writer gets really stuck.

Rebecca writes from 7-10 am and then will take a break to go to the gym and do other errands. When she returns she’ll write for another 3 hours – along with checking Facebook, Twitter and email. So it should come as no surprise that she gets more work done during the first 3 hour block of writing.

Do you know how the Trilogy ends?

Yes, but she’s not entirely sure how she’ll get there. But she knows the last line and all the major things that will happen.

Ever think about writing a book from Rhode’s point of view?

Would love to write one one day as his voice is so strong.

Will all the books be told from Lenah’s point of view?

She can’t say. But she did let slip that the prologue form book 2 is from Rhode’s POV.

Did you always see the story as a series?

Her editor would like her to say yes.

What else are you working on?

She is working on a realistic fiction story that involves a 15 year old girl who pretends to be older when she meets a 22 year old guy.

*Rebecca is handed a note* Did you know your great great grandmother was named Lena?

No, she didn’t know that.

It was also around this time that Rebecca went off on a tangent and talked about Mercy Lena Brown, who was suspected of being a vampire in Rhode Island in the late 1800’s.

Do you have to be in any specific mood to write?

Not really. But when she does write she tends to choreograph scenes and doesn’t always write linerally. She tends to write the scenes that speak to her most and then figures out how they all work together. She’ll also sometimes use music to help choreograph scenes too. She’ll also take lots of walks and tends to write better after a run. And cupcakes, Victoria Schwab should like that.

After the Q&A even more food was brought out….including….you guessed it CUPCAKES!

These cupcakes where really really good and came in vanilla, chocolate and red velvet. Was so hard to eat just one! There was also a scrumtastic desert platter filled with lots of goodies.

As people were eating cupcakes and drinking champagne…yes there was champagne! Rebecca Maizel really knows how to host a launch party! lol Rebecca signed book after book after book. Some people brought books up by the armload and I think the store was  worried they might run out!