Wastepaper Prose

Perception & Embrace Winner

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Jennie

Congratulations! Your books will be in the mail to you shortly. Thanks to everyone who entered, and stay tuned for more giveaways.

More Author Insight: Coveted Characters

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000

What character in any book do you wish you had written?

"Roland Deschaines in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Because he's completely unlike any hero I would ever create, so I don't feel guilty about coveting him as a character." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"Is it cheating if I say Philip Pullman’s daemons from His Dark Materials? I just think that story element is brilliant. I associate people with animals all the time (usually birds), so I would have had great fun coming up with each character’s daemon." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"I don't wish I'd written characters in other books. While there are, of course, characters from other books that I love and admire -- some as much as I love my own characters -- what makes those characters special is the way their authors wrote them. They'd be different people if they were mine, and I wouldn't want to change them." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"Roald Dahl's Matilda. She's so clever! And so deserving of her happy ending!" - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"Turtle in the Westing Game. Because that book is brilliant and Turtle is likable, even while kicking people in the shins." - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"There are so many wonderful characters, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Lyra in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy. I find her curiosity and rebelliousness utterly disarming." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. There’s something rather amazing about a character that women are still swooning over two hundred years later. How many writers can claim that?" - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"Is it too obvious to say Harry Potter? As a writer, you always hope people will love your stories and your characters and the worlds you create. And of course you also hope your words will inspire readers to keep on reading. But to have people embrace your work in such a massive way that it becomes a global phenomenon? To watch your character inspire millions of readers, children and adults alike, to discover the joy and the fun of reading? To know that your words will live on for generations, long after you’re gone? I’m honestly not sure I can imagine anything cooler." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"The twins Castor and Pollux in Robert Heinlein’s Rolling Stones. They’re hilarious and smart and cool, all at the same time." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"Edmond Dantes, from The Count of Monte Cristo. He’s funny, dark, charismatic, intelligent... perfect!" - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"I wish I had created the character Harry Potter. No explanation necessary." - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"Oooh, I wish I’d created Nancy Drew. She’s the ultimate heroine: strong, fearless, adventurous and supersmart. She’s my absolute favorite and she was always the girl I wanted to be!" - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"I love Nick’s voice in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. He phrases things brilliantly." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"Jo March from Little Women will always be one of my favorites." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Come back Tuesday to learn how the authors known what story ideas are worth spending time on!

<< Previous

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Release Date: Feb. 7, 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Purchased
Pages: 272
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / Fountain Bookstore
Description: Goodreads
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.

I have not heard one bad thing about Born Wicked, and I know the reason why. It’s because it’s a beautifully written and perfectly paced story full of engaging characters, heart-wrenching romance, and just the right bit of magic. It feels simultaneously familiar and original, taking recognizable supernatural elements and adding the alternate historical timeline to twist things up a bit.

In this version of 1890’s New England where a group of men called The Brotherhood rules with an iron fist and women in general are considered to be lesser beings, Cate Cahill and her sisters Maura and Tess do their best to hide in plain sight, all the while keeping their witchcraft a secret from everyone but themselves.

Their oft-absent father decides to hire a governess to ease them back into society, as they’ve been largely out of the public eye since the death of their mother years before. Cate’s intention ceremony date is looming ever closer, her friend Paul McLeod is back in town after years away at school and ready to make her an offer she might not want to refuse, and the new gardener/former classmate Finn Belastra is causing both her head and heart to race in ways she doesn’t quite understand. Secrets pile up left and right, not only for Cate but for her sisters, her new governess, and her friends as well. Just when you think you know what’s coming… well, that’s when things get interesting. With feathers.

I really like Cate’s voice. Jessica said on the Breathless Reads tour that she was inspired to write a book about independent women living in a society that didn’t value independence, which definitely comes through in Cate. She’s very modern, very stubborn, and very engaging. I think the sisterly dynamic is right on the nose, especially for Maura. Oh, she’s got Middle Sister Syndrome worse than Jan Brady. I also like the way the love “triangle” is shown: as a battle to choose with her head or choose with her heart. You can’t fault Paul for trying, and he does give it the old college try… but I’m always on the side of the tall, broad-shouldered redhead who reads. Always.

I also think the writing is just perfect. The whole story is paced so well that I never found myself getting distracted. Even though this takes place in 1896, there is a modern feel and tone to it. It reads like historical fiction for people who aren’t fans of historical fiction. I would have liked to see more use of the magic or more explanation of the power behind the different spells, but I also understand that, in this setting, teaching spells can’t really happen because it’s a society that openly hunts and punishes witches. I hope (and expect) that more witchcraft will show itself in the next installment of the Cahill Witch Chronicles.

I would definitely recommend Born Wicked. In fact, I already have recommended it multiple times. It’s got a little bit of everything- romance, history, magic, heartbreak, action, suspense, feminism, and a cliffhanger that’s sort of killing me! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Author Insight: Coveted Characters

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

What character in any book do you wish you had written?

"Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. He's so complex and multidimensional, and I always view him as both Frodo's shadow side and his true opponent in the story. Writing truly morally ambiguous characters is a gift and something that makes every story more interesting and true to life." - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"Susan Voight, from Emma Bull and Steven Brust's Freedom and Necessity. You need a good background in philosophy to read so much of that book, but it's so terribly brilliant, and at least half of that brilliance is how Susan can be strong, stubborn, smart, and then fragile in ways that aren't written to compensate for the rest, but are just make-sense human. I want to be her. Or maybe have lunch with her. But I would settle for having written her." - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"Harry Potter. Because then I would be a billionaire." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"Elizabeth Bennett. IMHO all reasonable women want to be, know, or have written Elizabeth Bennett. Because there is nothing about her that isn’t wonderful, but she’s still three-dimensional and believable." - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"Meg Murray, in the Wrinkle in Time series. I truly believe she’s the perfect fictional teenager, rough edges and all." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"That's easy. Harry Potter. Why? Because he's completely awesome, of course." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"Morgaine from The Mists of Avalon. Absolutely. She's so incredibly complex, so incredibly tragic and strong, bound and free. A monster of a character. A monster of a being." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"Roland Deschain, from Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. He’s the last gunslinger in a dying world, and he won’t let anything or anyone stand between him and the Dark Tower. He’s tough, single-minded, utterly practical, ruthless. I admire him, and I love seeing him soften when he makes friends from alternate dimensions of earth." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"I wish I had written Death from The Book Thief. I adore the depth of that character and the courage and invention it took for Mark Zusak to embrace this force as a character." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"I’m often envious of other people’s villains for their complexity. Bad guys I’ve equally loved and loathed—and would’ve liked to have written—include The Man, Jack from Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book; the kidnappers in Room by Emma Donoghue and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold; and someone from Lev Grossman’s The Magicians (I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read the book)." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"One of my favorite characters from any book is Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre. He's so broody and complex." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"Dorian Gray—absolutely gorgeous, thoroughly amoral, and really stupid." - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Stop by Thursday to find out what characters the rest of the authors wish they'd written!<< Previous

Perception & Embrace Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Just fill out this FORM to enter! Giveaway ends at 11:59 EST on 2/28.

Perception by Kim Harrington

When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

US Cover

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2012 (UK: Feb. 7, 2012)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Purchased
Pages: 384
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / Fountain Bookstore
Description: Goodreads
Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

UK Cover

I first heard about this book a very long time ago. I’m talking the beginning of 2011 when it was announced in Publisher’s Weekly and I made a mental note to look for it in the future as I was dying to read it. I was delighted when more details were finally released about the book, including the cover. I should say at this point that both UK and US covers are beautiful but I prefer the US cover (left) which is more of an accurate image to the book. Under the Never Sky is an impressive debut novel set in a dystopian world that I read in ONE SITTING. Yes, I couldn’t put it down and I enjoyed it immensely.

Under the Never Sky reminds me a little of Crossed by Ally Condie as it shares the same sort of harsh landscape and desperate fight for survival. The world building was fantastic, very easy to visualize and the idea of the Smart eye was fascinating. This is a little device that the wearer fastens over one of their eyes so that they can fraction themselves and effectively co-exist in a virtual reality. A form of escape for those lucky enough to have one.

I have to say that I had no difficulty getting into this book and was immediately transported to Reverie in the first few pages. I loved how Aria and Perry were first introduced and how their relationship developed slowly over the course of the book in a very natural way. Society has conditioned them to be enemies and so they had a hard time warming up to each other at first but they needed each other to survive. I’m glad to say that there was no instalove here and whilst it was what I like to call a “slow burn” it wasn’t agonizingly slow; Veronica got the balance just right.

I also liked how Perry was the outsider, rugged and strong but far from perfect. His nose has been broken too many times and he has strangely coloured eyes but he does have talents. One of which is his strong sense of smell – he can literally smell emotions (which have individual scents) making it very difficult to hide anything from Perry. This makes for some interesting situations ;)

Aria is a dweller who comes from inside the protection of the domes. Cast into the outside world, this girl has not got a clue how to survive on her own but we see a subtle shift in her towards the end of the book as she learns from Perry and adapts to her harsh surroundings. She develops from someone who is naive and helpless to someone who is strong and fights for survival, just like Perry.

With regards to secondary characters, I have to give a shout out for Roar who I adored! He had a witty sense of humor which contrasted nicely against the seriousness of Perry and I would really love to see a conclusion with the plot surrounding him and Liv (Perry’s sister).

Running through everything is the aether and the deadly threat it presents. What is the aether I hear you ask? Imagine yourself in the worst lightning storm ever. And then multiply it by 100. That’s the aether.

Favourite scenes for me were when Perry first kisses Aria *swoon* and the final scene. Also, the idea of rendering? *more swooning*. What I loved about the ending was the fact that there was no cliffhanger. It could easily be a standalone book but you know there is more to the plot which we will see in the next book. I think you’ve probably gathered by now that I really enjoyed the book and I can’t wait to read more. The sequel entitled Through the Ever Night will be released in 2013 and the movie rights for Under the Never Sky have been optioned by Warner Brothers so we might just see it up on the big screen some day!

More Author Insight: Stumbling Blocks

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:40:00 +0000

What is your biggest stumbling block in the writing process and how do you overcome it?

"Self doubt, I often get ideas that I feel are beyond my abilities, and the challenge of trying to bring those ideas to life is often what keeps me writing, but then in the bad moments I tend to question whether I'm up to the challenge." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"I can’t sit still and focus on one thing for any length of time. I also will sit at my laptop deliberating over single words or sentences, instead of just getting the draft out like I hear you’re supposed to. But I think about my work constantly, writing in my head all the time, and I just have to be content if I don’t get that much down on paper each day." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"The hardest part every time is putting away all my distractions. Close Twitter, hide the email, and get to work. Especially when I'm on the last leg of revisions and I've gone over the manuscript so many times I have chapters memorized, it can be difficult to go in and take care of those last nitpicky issues.

Until recently, I just forced myself to close other programs on my computer, but with my last couple drafts of Incarnate2, I actually printed the manuscript and did edits on paper where there were no blinky lights to distract me." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"Self-doubt will always plague me, I think. However, I find that when my body is healthy - when I'm eating right, enjoying indulgences only in moderation, staying active, etc., my mind follows with a sort of calmness that allows me to be more productive and get over my self-imposed limitations." - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"Staying with the hard problems. When I hit a wall, I let myself walk around the house, get more coffee, pet the dogs, but I then always make myself come back to the problem, face the page, and find a way through the plot hole, the character rewrite, or whatever it is that’s mucking up the story." - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"Right now, the biggest stumbling block is trying to juggle marketing demands for the first book in the trilogy while writing the second, and trying to minimize my exposure to reviews. I love that people review. Of course I love good reviews most, but every review provides a potential reader with information that will help them decide if it’s the right book for them. As a writer, though, reviews can be a distraction. For me, it’s been a process of thickening the skin, and trying to hear only the feedback that will help the writing." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"Sometimes it can be too easy to ignore a plot hole or glance over a needed bit of information, in hopes that readers won’t notice—even though, deep down, you know they will! So whenever one of my beta readers or editor has a question, no matter how minor, I attempt to answer it as thoroughly as I can, first for myself, and then within the context of the story. It can cause a lot of headache upfront when you realize you have no idea what the answer is, but it’ll save a lot more headache down the line when readers and reviewers start bringing it up." - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"Life these days is so full of distractions that for a highly distractible person, it can be tough! Luckily, I’ve got a great group of friends (many of whom are also writers) and I think we inspire each other to keep at it. One day at a time. One page at a time. One book at a time." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"The biggest stumbling block is hanging onto the excitement that a new project brings. It’s really easy to get tired of a project after a few months, but you have to find a way to rekindle the spark that made you love it in the first place." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"My biggest stumbling block is finding time to work. I have three young kids, and they demand a lot of attention. Sometimes I have to remind myself that my job is 'real,' like any 9-5 position, and make sure I sit down and type." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"Time management. I have three teenagers at home (one with autism), so not getting sucked into time-consuming activities or distractions is almost impossible. Balancing my duties as mother and author is a circus act for me." - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"There’s nothing worse than having a classic Bad Writing Day, when you feel like you can’t string together any decent sentences and you want to throw your laptop out a window. The best thing to do is to get outta the house, clear your head. I usually go to the movies, preferably to see something sufficiently fluffy. Last time this happened I saw Prom." - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"I have a hard time coming up with new books. I just read, draw, collage, brainstorm, and watch movies until I come up with something, but I’m really hard to live with during that period." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"Having faith in myself and my ability as a writer was a huge roadblock. I wasn't sure I could write YA steampunk, which slowed down the process. Then I realized that yeah, I could do this, I will do this, and then I did it." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Find out Tuesday what characters the authors wish they'd written!

<< Previous

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Release Date: June 14, 2012

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Author Website: http://www.huntleyfitzpatrick.com/

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?

Description from Goodreads.

Why I can't wait?
I'm fascinated by stories that look across the tracks into other peoples lives. In My Life Next Door, two characters with vastly different lives and families don't just glimpse each others lives, they intersect. They fall in love. I'm drawn to stories like these and I hope this one knocks my socks off!

Author Insight: Stumbling Blocks

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

What is your biggest stumbling block in the writing process and how do you overcome it?

"Procrastination! And I'll think about how to overcome it... tomorrow." - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"I break books. I'll get them to 15,000 or 30,000 words and go 'Well, there's just really nothing here,' and stop writing. Generally, nursing a project solidly into the middle is the most tenuous, scariest thing for me: a lot of mine just die young. And I haven't yet figured out how to overcome that, aside from putting them away for a while, not pushing too hard, and lots of careful hope.

I hope I do overcome that someday. Because this is a process, and you're always learning, and that means there's always the good chance you'll learn your way out of the things that trip you worst." - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"I need really big blocks of time to write, like 5 – 7 hours minimum. I can’t just sit down and fire off a quick chapter, I need to gain some momentum before I really hit my stride. That’s sometimes frustrating because, well, it’s hard to carve out so much time on a daily basis. Sometimes I just have to shut the phone off and log out of Facebook." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"Perfectionism with respect to existing text. Manifesting in a tendency to edit what I’ve already written over and over rather than moving forward with new pages. I have yet to overcome it.
" - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"Once I hit the middle of a book (where, coincidentally I am right now), I have a really hard time convincing myself that the book isn’t a piece of crap that should be thrown into the trash immediately. This conviction strikes me every time, with every single book I try to write, and if I didn’t have a deadline – and the occasional supportive friend to tell me I’m crazy – then I’d probably give up on everything I set out to write. A friend once gave me a postcard that reads, 'That thing you are writing is awesome.' I try to keep it in sight at all times." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"I'm not a fast writer. I don't even attempt NaNoWriMo because of that handicap. I've started trying to outline because it does seem to make the writing process go a little bit faster, but I'm not a natural outliner." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"Procrastination. The fear that the idea I'm having isn't really a book. It's just a jerky short story pretending to be a book so it can run out of words around 35k and say, 'ha ha, got you, loser!' But you just have to get on with it." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"I hate plotting. This is not to say that I can’t plot, but I refuse to. Because of this, my revision process is much harder. But my best scenes are always the ones that aren’t planned, so I just have to continue to not know where I’m going until I get there." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"The middle. Always the $%^&* middle. I grow desperate and I start to hate the book. It feels as though I’ll never solve the problem or get another hundred pages written. I start to argue about the merits of very, very brief novels. In the end, I force myself to just write the next scene, the next chapter. It becomes an act of faith." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"Finding time is my biggest challenge. I’m a mom first and foremost, and often it’s hard to juggle my desire to get the stories onto the page with my desire to let two 3-year-olds dress me up in a superhero cape, a crown and an eye patch." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"I seem to just really get into writing when it's time to quit and go on to the next thing in my busy day, and when I have oodles of time planned for writing, nothing comes. I overcome by...forcing myself to write when I don't want to and being angsty when I want to write but can't." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"Chocolate. If not chocolate, then cheese. They’re always getting in the way. Sadly, I’ve found no cure. - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Come back Thursday to find out what causes the rest of the authors to stumble while writing. << Previous

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2012 (UK: Feb. 21, 2012)
Publisher: Philomel
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Purchased
Pages: 416
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / Fountain Bookstore
Description: Goodreads
Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

One of the good things about leaving a book to read long after publication is that you don’t have as long to wait for the next book and so when I finished reading Wolfsbane, I only had to wait 3 months before the release of Bloodrose. The Book Depository teased me by saying it had been made available just before Christmas but it wasn’t actually dispatched until 6th January. I was dying to read it but my desire was bittersweet as this is the final book in the series (well, sort of but I’ll mention that later). I’d teased myself by reading the first chapter of Bloodrose months ago and I was chomping at the bit to read the rest. It goes without saying that if you haven’t read Nightshade or Wolfsbane yet do yourself a favour and start reading the series before you read this review.

I think in a lot of ways, this is the best book in the series and I say that even with a bit of a chip on my shoulder but we’ll come to that. I really enjoyed the quest to find the elemental sword and how the searchers and the keepers worked together towards a common goal. Not all of them of course, there is still a war going on and with war comes inevitable tragedy and loss. With regards to the characters, in Bloodrose Calla strives to be the alpha she has been brought up to be, Shay is stronger than ever in his role as the scion and Ren accepts what he learns well, I feel he has matured nicely from the cock sure (yet sexy) teenage boy he started as. Connor and Adne remain some of my favourite secondary characters and I fully admit to having a soft spot for Connor. Whilst one of the strongest attributes of the series is the characters, I also feel this is also one of the biggest problems as especially in this book, there are A LOT of characters to keep track of and this sometimes became a bit confusing for me, trying to remember their individual histories. I would have liked some kind of guide at the front of the book with the names of the characters and whether they were a searcher, a keeper, a guardian or human or whatever.

Bloodrose is of course the final book in the Nightshade trilogy and so you can expect a lot of surprises but also a lot of tying up of loose ends. I mentioned that I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder and now I’m going to tell you why but as spoiler free as possible. I finished reading Bloodrose this morning (Feb. 8) and I have to say that I have been reeling all day from it. There has been a lot of controversy about the ending and all I can say is that on the whole, I liked it but there was one major thing I did not agree with and I really wish I could discuss it here, but there is no way I am going to spoil it for you. I don’t want to say this ruined the book or the series for me but I’m saddened by it and I truly did want to throw the book at the wall. There was also one thing I didn’t understand about the ending and I’m hoping that this might be addressed in Cremer’s upcoming book The Rift which is a prequel to the Nightshade series and explains how everything started. I’ve pre ordered this book as I’m a huge fan of the series and definitely want to read it.

I do realise that it’s Andrea’s story and she can and should write whatever she wants but still, I disagree with a major decision she made. If you’re curious, catch me on Twitter if you’ve read it and you want to discuss it. Just out of interest, Andrea’s own take on writing the ending to the series is here.

Bloodrose if full of action and adventure with some exceptional sceneworthy moments like the opening chapter and the shower scene *fans self*. If you’re a fan of the series then it goes without saying that you NEED to read this book.

Wastepaper Prose has a new team member!

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

It's been a few weeks in the making, but Lynsey from Narratively Speaking is joining Wastepaper Prose. She's an experienced blogger and friend I've known for a while, and she brings with her an abundance of experience and of course a love of books.

A couple months back she took an unofficial hiatus from blogging because life got hectic as it sometimes does and returning to blogging has been hard given the constant onslaught of the real world. But she doesn't want to give it up, and I didn't want the blogging world to lose her. That's why we've forged a partnership and she's agreed to post her reviews here at Wastepaper Prose. It's less stress for Lynsey and another set of hands to help Jess and I when the real world is getting the better of us.

Check Lynsey out on the About page, visit Narratively Speaking to read her post, and please join me in welcoming Lynsey to her new home here at Wastepaper Prose. We're thrilled to have her!

More Author Insight: Secrets in the Story

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Tell us a secret about your recently published or forthcoming novel.

"Masque of the Red Death isn't my favorite Poe Story. (The Fall of the House of Usher is my absolute favorite). Maybe that's more of a secret about me...when I first came up with the idea it wasn't historical, it was a generic post-apocalyptic future, and there are still a couple of reminders of that world in the book, that a I left because they were fun and a little mysterious, but maybe readers will be able to find them, who knows?" - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"One of my fellow Apocalypsies, Jessica Rothenberg, was an editor at Razorbill when my agent first tried to sell Neversink. She passed, but liked the book enough to give me some notes, which I used on the revision that sold. So I told her she should get at least partial credit for two 2012 debuts." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"Before I started writing Incarnate, I did a lot of worldbuilding, plotting, and character building. Since one of my favorite parts is the discovery of where the story will go next, I made sure to leave myself plenty of room for change. One thing I didn't expect, however, was the dedication of souls ceremony. There I was, writing along, and a character piped up about it, explained the romantic bits, and I knew it would be an important a part of the book. It came completely out of nowhere while I was working on the first draft, but the rededication scene ended up being everyone's favorite thing -- and the inspiration for the cover." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"For Envy, the sequel to Fury that comes out this September, I had to make 'class schedules' for the main characters to ensure that their school days made sense - that Em wasn't in History when when she was supposed to be in Spanish, that JD wasn't eating lunch when he was supposed to be in Physics. I'll have to refer to them again for the third book, Eternity, which I *just* started writing." - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"You’ll never make me talk, copper!" - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"It was originally meant to be a four part series, with a new pair of protagonists for each book. In the process of acquiring an agent and an editor, it morphed into a trilogy, staying with the same protagonists from book one." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"One secondary character—Konn Torin, Prince Kai’s adviser—went through two transformations since I started writing the book. In the first draft his name was Coen and he was actually a villain, secretly working for the evil queen. In the second draft I changed his name to Torin and he became Kai’s older brother, and the destined emperor. Finally, in the third draft, he settled on being just a plain helpful and loyal advisor. Talk about multiple personalities!" - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"One secret about Catastrophic History is that it was inspired (in part) by real life events. I don’t mean that I’ve died of a broken heart, obviously. But there was a time a few summers back when my heart ached so much for a certain someone that I certainly thought I might. Then I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about 'Broken Heart Syndrome,' a rare condition where a person really can die from the cardiac stress brought on by an intense emotional loss. And since first love tends to be all the more intense and emotional, I thought to myself, 'What if that happened to a teenage girl? What if you really could die from a broken heart?' And voila, The Catastrophic History of You and Me was born." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"I killed one of my favorite characters so that it would break two other characters’ hearts. I’m evil." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"I had a major revelation about the direction of Jessica Rules the Dark Side while running on the treadmill to REO Speedwagon’s 'Roll with the Changes' I used to hate that song, but now it’s a favorite." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"It’s not really a secret, but Shattered Souls was originally written in third person with a heavy portion of the story told from the hero’s point of view. It was rewritten in first person from the heroine’s point of view prior to publication. The rewrite took twice as long as writing the book in the first place." - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"There’s all sorts of crazy stuff that happens at the end of Illuminate and…that’s all I’m saying!" - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"The One That I Want is set in Atlanta. I was born there, and I lived there again from 2005 to 2007, but I haven’t been back much since. I had trouble picturing parts of the book. So one day not long before the book was due, I dropped my son at my mom’s house, went to Atlanta, and spent the whole day walking where the characters walk, riding the subway where they ride it, and driving around lost. Several Atlanta readers have told me I got the setting exactly right, and that’s why." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"The title was inspired by a quote from A Midsummer's Dream then voted on by my facebook friends." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Stop by Tuesday when the authors will talk about the biggest stumbling blocks in the writing process and how they overcome them!

<< Previous

February ARCs Winner

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Sorry I lost track of announcing the winner for this. Life has been a little crazy and wrought with medical issues and loss, so my brain has been elsewhere. Without further a do, the winner of the February ARC pack is...

Munnaza

Congratulations! I will put these in the mail for you ASAP. Again, my apologies for the tardiness on announcing a winner. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Author Insight: Secrets in the Story

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Tell us a secret about your recently published or forthcoming novel.

"Here's a secret that I myself recently uncovered: Bittersweet is a lot more autobiographical than I thought it would be. Of my three novels, Bittersweet hits closest to home in terms of my own emotional struggles and underlying fears and doubts." - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"There is a lot more to the disappearance of Matthew's father than anyone in this novel realizes. But they're all very busy with the problems they've got, and the trail's totally cold, and there's no way they'd have ever figured it out, considering how they think the world works in Safe. And this is not that story." - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"My last book was supposed to be called We’re Having More Fun Than You, but it got changed to I’m Having More Fun Than You. I think it makes me sound a bit cockier than I am, but I guess it makes more sense in hindsight." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"Here you go, a secret spanning Where It Began and the WIP: I get so into it and psycho, feeling as if I’m channeling my protagonists, that Gabby and the new p
rotagonist have taken to talking to each other. (Although, so far, on paper, they don’t actually know each other.) Don’t ask how. They just do." - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"One of the characters is named after the boy with whom I had my first kiss." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"The whole story of last year's novel, Popular, is a secret so I can't tell you anything about it. It makes it really hard to describe it to strangers. As for my new book, Ferocity Summer, one of those early fall off the horse drafts had a completely different main character. She's still in the book, but in a much smaller role." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"In the first draft of Anna Dressed in Blood, there was a scene where Anna ate waffles. No, seriously. Sometimes I'll just hit a small block and instead of stopping I'll fill it with crap. My editor and agent know this." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"Oh boy, I might regret this answer, but here goes. A number of the supernatural elements were inspired by the Mormon church. Now people can play 'Where’s Waldo' and try to figure out which ones." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind was originally called Jaibera, which is the Spanish slang for crab picker. It was the story of girls who traveled north to pick crabs each year. It was rejected by one publisher and worked on for many drafts with my current editor. In the final version, there’s not a crab anywhere – and I love the story just as much." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"I’m in love with Alan Rickman, and I picture him as the villain in Revived (May 2012)." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"My heroine is my least favorite character in the book." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"I’m an open book. No secrets here!" - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Learn more stories about the authors' books Thursday!<< Previous

Fever Winner

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

And the lucky winner of an advance copy of Fever by Lauren Destefano is...

Sarah W.

Congratulations! I will get the book into the mail ASAP. Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways!

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Release Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-Galley
Source: Publisher
Pages: 352
Buy: Amazon / Fountain Bookstore
Description: Goodreads
It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

I’m in love with Wanderlove.

There are oodles of reasons to immerse yourself in Kirsten Hubbard’s sophomore novel. First and foremost, it is brilliant in its simplicity: the tale of a middle class 18-year-old girl who takes a journey after graduating from high school to separate herself from her past and her debilitating break-up. Nothing about that feels original, but somehow Wanderlove still is. A substantial piece of that allure is Bria Sandoval.

Bria is so wise and self-aware while still managing to realistically be 18. She knows that she’s bitten off more than she can chew with her trip to Guatemala, and she really knows that she doesn’t want to go back to LA and back to friends who don’t understand what she’s going through or parents who can’t understand why she needed to leave. Yet, she is also very innocent and green, naïve and new. Essentially, she’s human and extremely relatable on many levels. Because of this, I became attached to Bria. Her occasional outbursts, her willingness to go along with a complete stranger like Starling, her musings about art school, her flashbacks to “happier” times with ex-boyfriend Toby—everything about her rings true. When she finally lets herself feel the pain she’s been fighting, my heart breaks right along with hers. You don’t have to be any artist to understand her quest to rediscover her joy.

The artwork throughout the book is another nice detail. Bria’s drawings (done by the author herself!) flit through the pages, giving the reader further insight into Bria’s world. The technique could have easily distracted from the plot, but it is used just enough to enhance rather than take away from the moment, allowing the reader to join into the adventure. And the scenery! I’ve never been an “off the beaten track” kind of girl, but that’s yet another reason to join Bria & Rowan. Hubbard gives excellent, rich descriptions of gorgeous locations through Guatemala and Belize, taking you along for the ride. The conversations and situations are spot-on, especially Rowan and Bria’s late night outpourings of their souls. And really, are there any other kinds of outpourings of souls besides the late night kind?

Speaking of Rowan… he’s quite the fella. He’s well-read, well-traveled, well-spoken; he is the best mix of sensitive intellectual and reformed bad boy. The slow build of their burgeoning relationship is particularly fantastic because, again, it’s believable. Too many books have that immediate “I just met you and I love you oh-so-much” kind of mentality that, frankly, doesn’t impress me. This relationship does. However, one of my only small complaints is that I wish Rowan’s entire secretive back story is completely revealed rather than mentioned. I get why it isn’t revealed in the big picture sense, but I feel it would have added another important layer to him.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my journey. Refreshingly realistic characters, inspiring locales, and gorgeous writing. Consider me afflicted with Wanderlove.

More Author Insight: Revising the Journey

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

If you could change one thing about your journey to publication what would it be?

"I would've gotten serious about writing years ago. I feel like I have too many ideas and too little time." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"I would have gotten published before my mother died. She’s the reason I grew up surrounded by books. And to use one of her phrases, it would have tickled her to walk into Lemuria Books in Jackson, Miss., and buy her son’s book. It’s painful for me that she doesn’t get to enjoy this." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"I wouldn't change anything, though if you'd asked me a few years ago I would have said 'Everything!' My journey to publication was difficult. It involved a lot of very complimentary rejections. 'You write well, but . . .' It was hard to take, and more than once I thought about quitting. Not quitting writing, just the quest for the elusive agent and book deal. I kept going, though, and eventually all the right people said yes. Having gone through years of writing, being rejected, and writing some more, I'm a lot stronger -- and a better writer." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"I would be more prepared. For the scrutiny, the pressure of self-promotion, for the work I'd need to do to maintain balance between my various professional endeavors and my personal life. My second book (Envy) comes out this fall - this time, I'm prepped and ready to go! (fingers crossed)" - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"Nothing. Though it was a long journey…it got me here! And made my book what it is." - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"I would have worried less before publication. There are new stresses now and so I’ve realized that the writing is the one constant in the journey—the only thing you can really control. I’m beginning to understand that the more I stay connected and dedicated to the work itself, the happier I am." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"Only that I would have tried to have my web site up sooner. Mine was still being built a week before the release date, and I didn’t know where to send people—my blog? My Facebook fan page? Twitter? A finished web site would have been really helpful. Besides that, though, every moment of my publication journey was an absolute dream!" - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"You know what? Not a thing. I have the greatest editor in the world and the most talented sales and marketing team around. I literally feel lucky every single day to have Penguin Young Readers behind me." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"It would be faster. I set aside my aspirations for write fiction for family and career, and while I don't regret that, I do regret hat I didn’t find a way to chase my dream at the same time." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"I would’ve worried less in the final stages. I was stressed the whole time between the sale of my first manuscript and the book’s production. It was wasted angst." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"I would have not signed with my first agent—the very first agent that offered. I would have interviewed her more carefully. It ended up a disaster. My current agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, is amazing, so it had a happy-ever-after ending." - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"I’d remind myself to chill out a little. Writers are sensitive to begin with and every part of the process brings some new fear: First, will anyone want to publish my book? Then, will anyone want to read it? Will readers like it? Will they want to read the sequel? It’s easy to drive yourself crazy. Worth noting: Illuminate is about a girl learning to have confidence. Clearly, I’m still not a total expert!" - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"I would make it shorter." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"I would have started sooner! It took be awhile to realize that in order to get published you have to sit down and write a whole book." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Come back Tuesday when authors will be sharing secrets about their books!

<< Previous

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Author Website: myramcentire.blogspot.com

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

Description from Goodreads.

Why I can't wait?
I am all about all things time travel- Back to the Future, Quantum Leap, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hourglass. I can't wait to hear more about the Hourglass Institute, about the powers of the characters from Hourglass, and about Emerson & Michael. I know I'm in Team Michael all by my lonesome over here, but I'd pick him over Kaleb any day. Plus, what an eye-catching cover! It's even more amazing than the Hourglass cover, which is really saying something. In my hands now plz.

Author Insight: Revising the Journey

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

If you could change one thing about your journey to publication what would it be?

"I might've gotten out of my own way and started on the road a little earlier. I spent a long time being afraid to dive into writing, afraid I wasn't good enough. My own doubts held me back. But generally, I don't like to mess with the past--even theoretically. Look what almost happened to Marty McFly! That's bad mojo, man!" - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"The giving up. About three months after we sent Above on submission, and after piles and piles and drifts of the most loving and complimentary rejection letters you ever saw, I realized that I had done my very best, and that this was probably not going to happen. And then I gave up, quietly mourned the idea of selling a novel, and started looking around in the rest of my life for something to chase; something to devote myself to instead." - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"My book has been done for a while, but we waited for a pub date that would give us the most buzz and exposure. Ultimately it’s the right thing to do, and I’m thrilled the publisher is dedicated enough to think about these things, but I’m very impatient and want it out already!" - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"I would start sooner. Way sooner." - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"I wish I had started earlier, taken a bigger risk, and been more sure that I had a story to tell and would find someone who wanted to hear it." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"Well, it would have been nice to sell the movie rights to my book first for a whole ton of money and then landed some super huge book deal, but other than that I wouldn't really make any changes." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"There was a long period when I was writing short stories and submitting like mad without selling a single one. I guess I could've done without that." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"I wouldn’t have put so much pressure on myself to sell a book. Then again, if I hadn’t put so much pressure on myself, I might not be published today. So I take it back. Revision: I wouldn’t have convinced myself that happiness, fulfillment, and validation hinged on publication. Because they don’t." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"I wish I had found the courage to start earlier. I kept waiting to give myself permission to write a novel, as though there would be a specific time that I would have something to say. What a waste of time!" - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"Nothing. It happened quickly, with the right agent and the right publisher at the right time in my life. I feel so lucky…even though it means that I frequently look over my shoulder to make sure a bus isn’t going to run me down in exchange for my publishing deal." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"My stress level! I'm still working on that. Neurosis is not conducive to good writing. Well, okay, obviously it worked for some of the literary greats, but in addition to publishing books, I'd like to also be a happy person." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"I don’t dwell on the past. It wastes the present!" - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Find out Thursday if the rest of the authors would change anything about their journey to publication.<< Previous

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Release Date: Jan. 17, 2012
Publisher: Graphia
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Pages: 204
Buy: Amazon / Fountain Bookstore
Description: Goodreads
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. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will.

It’s probably hopeless.

But he has to try.

Turning the last page of Never Eighteen and closing the book on Austin Parker’s life was incredibly hard. I felt like I had lost a friend.

In a brief 204 pages, I lived a lifetime with Austin, Kaylee, and all of Megan Bostic’s characters. Never Eighteen gripped me from the start and refused to let go, almost as if it, like Austin, needed to see things through to the end.

Leukemia has turned Austin into a shadow of his former self. He’s adjusted to the weakness and accepted what will come next, but there are things he needs to do before then. Some of them are for him. Most of them are for his friends and family.

Even though his will be over soon, Austin wants to give life back to the people around him. People who have suffered hardships, severed ties, withdrawn from the world or given up on everything, including themselves. He wants to make sure that when his life ends, theirs will go on.

Austin sets out on a weekend mission to conquer his fears, participate in high school rights of passage, and find out what happened to make some of the people he cares about most stop living. In the midst of pursuing the things he hasn’t experienced in his seventeen years, he tracks down each person he needs to talk to and offers the only things he really can – his thoughts and a sympathetic ear.

This easily could have been a novel about a dying boy. A pity party crafted around his one last goodbye. But Never Eighteen isn’t about death. It’s about life and living every moment of the one you have, however long or short it may be.

I think that’s what drew me into this story so deeply. I had the majority of the book to get to know Austin. To get attached to him. He’s open and honest and easy to relate to. His illness does not define him. All that just made it harder to let go.

You see, the trouble with Never Eighteen is that you know from the moment you read the jacket copy that the end of this novel is inevitable. Engrossed, I tore through most of the book. When I hit the last 20 pages, I cried.

Never Eighteen was a very emotional read for me. It struck a long-forgotten cord me and resonates with me still. Austin's journey made me realize that I've become somewhat complacement in my life and remember that the search for truth, beauty, and meaning in life is always worthwhile.

Yes, Never Eighteen is a sad story about the life of a dying boy. And yes, you might cry. But you should know up front that the message is worth all the tears.

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Release Date: Oct. 26, 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-book
Source: Purchased
Pages: 272
Buy: Fountain Bookstore / Amazon
Description: Goodreads
“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Occasionally, a book will fall into your lap at just the right moment. It doesn’t matter that it’s not the newest release, or that you’ve had it on your TBR list for months, or even that you’ve heard all the good things other trusted people have said about it. The bookappears in a flash of amazingness precisely when you need to read it. That’s exactly how I feel about Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, the third co-writing partnership of Rachel Cohn & David Levithan.

I had previously read both Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Naomi & Eli’s No-Kiss List a couple of years ago, back at the beginnings of my Reading Renaissance (aka when I started reading again voraciously). I adored Nick & Norah, but Naomi & Eli didn’t click for me. I think that’s why I sat on Dash & Lily for so long. It was a fifty-fifty chance of me liking it, and I didn’t like those odds. Amazingly, I completely loved Dash & Lily even more than I thought possible, and I blame/thank Lily for that.

It has been a ridiculously long time since I have identified with a character as much as I do with Lily. She acknowledges that she is aware of his weirdness and that she isn’t the most normal of teenagers. However, she also keeps being exactly who she is, and that’s why she is the freakin’ coolest. In fact, every time she isn’t being true to herself, things never work out for the best. Quirky, awkward, smart, and increasingly proud of it? This is a girl after my own heart. I could read a whole series of Lily.

Dash took a bit longer to win me over. While Levithan (of course!) does an amazing job of establishing Dash’s voice from the very beginning, I have to agree with Lily’s Great Aunt Ida/Mrs. Basil E.’s assessment: “His persnicketiness is not nearly as delightful as he’d have one believe, but he has his own charm nonetheless.”The more he allowed the reader behind his veil of snarliness, the more endearing he became. And Dash and Lily together?These two were meant to find each other. Every scene they share was magical, even the scenes where it was only one person and one red Moleskine notebook with the other person’s words.

Speaking of the infamous red Moleskine, I thought the scavenger hunt just this side of far-fetched. Really, if this story took place anywhere but New York, I wouldn’t have believed it so quickly. Instead, the zaniness of it- scouring The Strand, feeling up Santa, late night dancing to the sounds of a rockin’ klezmer band- kept a grin plastered across my face. Andlet’s not forget the incredible secondary cast of characters, from the aforementioned Mrs. Basil E. and the rest of Lily’s exceedingly large and bizarre family to Dash’s BFF Boomer (whether he wants him or not) and his group of loyal misfits. These people are more outrageous than the residents of Stars Hollow on Town Meeting Night.

I didn’t know I needed this book, but apparently… I really needed this book. Cohn & Levithan will not receive a doubt from me again. I know Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares will be one of my yearly holiday books, though it’s not just a holiday-themed story. It’s a tale of taking risks, letting your guard down, and accepting people for who they are. Obviously, if you couldn’t already tell, I’m mad about Dash & Lily.

Fever Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

I lucked into an advance copy of Fever by Lauren Destefano, and am passing it along to a lucky reader. The giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Feb. 9.

Just fill out this FORM to enter.

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

More Author Insight: People Watching

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Where is your favorite place to people watch?

"I don't know that I people watch. I interact with teens all day, as a teacher, and I wouldn't really call that people-watching, but it's the most social part of most of my days." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"Well, I live in Memphis, and the candlelight vigil on the anniversary of Elvis’ death brings out all sorts of interesting types. But on a day-to-day basis I’d have to say my Bikram yoga class. Nothing like watching people contort themselves in unbearable heat." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"I don't have a favorite spot, mostly because I tend not to hang out in any one place for a long time. I write at home (on a desktop computer) and when I go places that require me to wait (like the dentist office or something), I usually bring a book or knitting -- and watch people from the corner of my eye." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"The airport! It's the closest human equivalent we have to a zoo, I think, in that people are basically trapped and on display (at least until their seating zone is called). You've got families grappling with antsy children, robotic traveling businesspeople who haven't slept at home in weeks, military personnel, lovers in love and lovers fighting. It's the perfect place to build imaginary backstories for the people around you." - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"Restaurants. You get so many snapshots of different people, different situations. First dates, fights, gossiping friends. My husband and I often fall silent during dinner, because we’re listening to the strange conversations around us!" - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"I love people watching at the airport because there’s inherent drama. Time is winding down. People are anxious, eager, coming, going. It’s a point of transition and change, even tension, which is all interesting. And you see people of every age and nationality." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"The airport—I like to try and figure out where people are going or where they’ve just come from, and the reason for the trip." - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"I love sitting in cozy cafes, sipping tea, writing or reading the paper for hours and hours. (Colson in Brooklyn has become my newest regular spot.) I just love the warmth of the space and the friendliness of the people who come and go." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"The subway. We don't have one where I live, but when I'm in a large city like New York, Chicago, or Tokyo, I love watching the intersection of class, race, and sex that only public transportation can provide." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"The school bus stop, where I pick up my kids. We’re like a little evolving eco-system, with shifting friendships and alliances among the waiting parents. For the most part, it’s always the same players, but it’s always different, too." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"I like to watch people at the grocery store. It’s a familiar setting for most people, so they are fairly natural. It also throws people together who would not ordinarily interact. It gives me access to families as well as couples and folks of all ages and backgrounds. It’s my own forced 'elevator improv skit.'" - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"I happen to be a champion people-watcher. I live in DC and love hitting any of the Smithsonian museums. One of my favorite writing spots is the courtyard at the Portrait Gallery, and I’ll sit there with my laptop attempting to work but I’ll inevitably get distracted by every tourist, school field trip and lunching office worker that passes by. I love it!" - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"My husband is even more of a people watcher than I am. I love to sit with him on a bench at the mall and listen to his hypotheses about how this particular person ended up wearing that outfit, and why nobody at home stopped this person." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"I work at a college. The cafeteria is always an interesting place." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Stop by Tuesday to find out if the authors would change anything about their journey to publication.

<< Previous

Author Insight: People Watching

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Where is your favorite place to people watch?

"Coffee shops located near high schools. I'm always stalking--I mean observing teens for YA research purposes in a highly professional manner, and you can glean tons of insight and ideas over a nice caramel macchiato at your local house of overpriced caffeine." - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"The streetcar. Transit is this weird sort of null space, where you're not putting on your work face or school face or party face: you're in between personas, not just stops. There's a lot of acting that people just don't do when they're surrounded by strangers on the streetcar, and that's when they're fascinating to watch. Or eavesdrop on. I eavesdrop like Samwise Gamgee, yo.

" - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"In my head. I prefer not to engage with people as much as possible because they end up annoying me. So instead I stay home and imagine what it would be like if everyone acted exactly like I wanted them to." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"Urban restaurants, particularly restaurants with outside terraces where you get the combined pleasures of watching people walk by and making up their lives and listening to conversations at nearby tables. Although never so avidly that it could be considered, say, creepy…" - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"I’m the kind of oblivious person who is terrible at people watching—even when I set out to do it, I usually get distracted a few minutes in and am soon lost in my own thoughts. (Does that make me a narcissist?) But the one place I’m able to really focus on strangers and their strangeness is the subway, maybe because (if I’ve forgotten my book) there’s really nothing else to do but pretend not to stare. It’s also an excellent source of interesting people to watch. More than once I’ve seen a man with a pet chicken on a leash." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"At the moment, I think it's outside my window. There are some strange people in this neighborhood, and I don't know about you, but when my neighbors are strange, I feel like I need to keep an eye on their doings. Like, what is that man who never smiles making with all those power tools in his garage, and why is he out there at 10 o'clock at night sawing away? There's a story there, I'm sure." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"It's more fun to people eavesdrop." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"The Ocean Front Walk in Venice Beach! There’s no other place like it in the world." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"Train stations, I suppose, because there are a million reasons to be there and a million ways for unrelated people to intersect." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"'Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.' That’s from Love, Actually, one of my favorite movies, and it’s true for me. There’s so much happening at airports: I like to wonder what’s in people’s heads as they sit at the gate, waiting for their planes to arrive." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"There is a fountain at the Seattle Center (where the Space Needle can be found) that I really enjoy. It's a huge bowl with the fountain in the middle that shoots water in sync with music. In the summer, kids play in the bowl. When it's colder, you see more teens daring each other to touch the base without getting wet. I love to sit on the outside edge of the bowl and watch all the different kinds of people that gather. There are families, couples on romantic strolls, homeless people, hippies, dog walkers, teens, tourists...it's just a smorgasbord of humanity." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"The subway, especially going from south Brooklyn to the north Bronx, because you see everybody." - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

On Thursday, find out where the rest of the authors like to people watch!<< Previous

February ARC Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

This one is going to go quickly folks because I want to get them in the mail before week's end in hopes that the lucky reader who wins this bundle can read one or two of these before they release. Giveaway ends 2/2 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Just fill out this FORM to enter. GOOD LUCK!

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

Miseducation of Cameron Post
by Emily M. Danforth

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

*Descriptions from Goodreads.