A few years ago, a friend who shares my book tastes (almost exactly) told me I should read this book. I dutifully noted the title, but since it hadn't come out yet (he'd read an ARC), it got shuffled down in by TBR pile.
Last week I was browsing at the library and was delighted to finally see a copy! I checked it out, along with about twenty other books, and brought it home.
I finally started reading it last night and I almost didn't go to bed. I wanted to read the entire thing in one sitting. I finished it this morning and my emotions are all in a jumble. It feels personal, somehow.
Butter is a book you won't soon forget.
The main character, Marshall, is nicknamed "Butter" after a cruel incident involving an entire stick of butter. Butter is overweight, plagued by a silent father, a loving yet hopelessly ineffective mother, and a highschool full of unfriendly kids. His professor and doctor try to help, but Butter is convinced that no one cares about him.
So he creates ButtersLastMeal.com, a grotesque suicide mission with live streaming. What happens next is not what he expected: he becomes popular. People love the idea, it's novel, daring, and life-threatening. As Butter's popularity increases, so does his resolve to carry out his original plan. He spirals out of control and no one, the naysayers nor his adoring public, are ready for what follows.
The characters, while regular teens, are fully realized, three dimensional, making them all memorable. Butter's a musician, a brilliant saxophone player; the girl of his dreams, Anna, is a fake blond who secretly hates shopping. Jeremy, Butter's nemesis, is a semi-rich kid unliked by even his friends.
I loved Marshall (Butter)'s voice -- he is the kind of guy I'd love to spend time with. He's funny, charming, sweet, and incredibly smart and talented. It pained me to see his emotional journey, and it brought to mind some of my own darkest moments.
Butter is a deep, tragic glimpse into the life of someone who has suffered emotional, physical and mental damage at his own hands as well as everyone else's, driving his actions. It's a reminder to me to look beneath the surface when I meet someone. There's more to us than even we know.
Have you read Butter? If so, what did you think?
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Monday, May 6, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Beautiful Creatures, No. 1 by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
I was trying to decide which book to review today and realized I never talked about Beautiful Creatures apart from the first few lines!
Here, then, are my thoughts upon reading the first book of the Beautiful Creature series:
1. The setting is phenomenal. I feel like I know this town. Gatlin, South Carolina must be a a real place. Since I live in South Carolina, I was happily surprised at the authenticity of the novel's setting. Everything rang true to me, from the superstitions, pies, people, and small-town petty feuds. The muggy heat, the thunderstorms, the countryside...the landscape is impeccable.
2. The characters don't seem so much like characters as potential neighbors. Again, this could just be me, living in the South, but I also know people like this. Even though there's paranormal activity going on, even though some of these people aren't technically 100% human...these people are real, or at least they feel real. Even the teenagers are real, without being gross or risque (which I deeply appreciate, since I am squeamish when it comes to steamy scenes).
3. I loved the relationships between people. Ethan's heartbreaking relationship with his father, his humorous (and somewhat awed) relationship with Amma, his sweet relationship with Lena, and his dislike of the lives of the people around him. I can definitely identify with that last one.
4. The history presented in this book is a great middle-of-the-road view. It isn't anti-South, but it isn't exactly pro-North either. It presents the Civil War for what it was: a great tragedy in the history of our nation. Both sides suffered, in more ways than one. And some families haven't quite forgotten it.
5. My only nitpick is that there were so many words. I feel like there wasn't enough action to merit such a high word count (the book is enormous). I might be inclined to say it was because they had to ground the story in such a deeply complicated setting, but I've also just read a fantastic dystopian YA novel that had the bare minimum description and still managed to make me feel like I was there. So...I go back and forth about it. It only detracted slightly from my enjoyment of the story.
My favorite character right now is Lena. She's a very unique individual. I feel like we would get along. I feel like we have a lot in common (writing, keeping little things that we consider valuable, highly sensitive), even though she is vastly different from me (she has supernatural powers, which of course, no matter how much I want them, I do not possess).
I'm really enjoying Beautiful Darkness (book two), and I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out in a few weeks. Come back next Monday for a review on a different book!
Here, then, are my thoughts upon reading the first book of the Beautiful Creature series:
1. The setting is phenomenal. I feel like I know this town. Gatlin, South Carolina must be a a real place. Since I live in South Carolina, I was happily surprised at the authenticity of the novel's setting. Everything rang true to me, from the superstitions, pies, people, and small-town petty feuds. The muggy heat, the thunderstorms, the countryside...the landscape is impeccable.
2. The characters don't seem so much like characters as potential neighbors. Again, this could just be me, living in the South, but I also know people like this. Even though there's paranormal activity going on, even though some of these people aren't technically 100% human...these people are real, or at least they feel real. Even the teenagers are real, without being gross or risque (which I deeply appreciate, since I am squeamish when it comes to steamy scenes).
3. I loved the relationships between people. Ethan's heartbreaking relationship with his father, his humorous (and somewhat awed) relationship with Amma, his sweet relationship with Lena, and his dislike of the lives of the people around him. I can definitely identify with that last one.
4. The history presented in this book is a great middle-of-the-road view. It isn't anti-South, but it isn't exactly pro-North either. It presents the Civil War for what it was: a great tragedy in the history of our nation. Both sides suffered, in more ways than one. And some families haven't quite forgotten it.
5. My only nitpick is that there were so many words. I feel like there wasn't enough action to merit such a high word count (the book is enormous). I might be inclined to say it was because they had to ground the story in such a deeply complicated setting, but I've also just read a fantastic dystopian YA novel that had the bare minimum description and still managed to make me feel like I was there. So...I go back and forth about it. It only detracted slightly from my enjoyment of the story.
My favorite character right now is Lena. She's a very unique individual. I feel like we would get along. I feel like we have a lot in common (writing, keeping little things that we consider valuable, highly sensitive), even though she is vastly different from me (she has supernatural powers, which of course, no matter how much I want them, I do not possess).
I'm really enjoying Beautiful Darkness (book two), and I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out in a few weeks. Come back next Monday for a review on a different book!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
Has anyone read Brenna Yovanoff's book The Replacement? It's a spooky, weird, dark little fairytale about a boy who doesn't fit in -- not in this world, and not in the fae world he visits. It's a fascinating book but quite dark -- Paper Valentine continues that tradition.
Paper Valentine is unsettling. It ends unresolved, in some ways. It discusses a disturbing issue. And it's a really, really interesting psychological story.
I liked it.
Not in the "This-is-my-favorite-book-of-all-time" kind of way (like Blink & Caution or Shadow & Bone were) but "This-is-a-very-unique-book-and-wow-I'm-so-glad-I-got-to-read-this" kind of way.
Paper Valentine focuses on a girl, Hannah, who lives in a small town. It's summertime. And her best friend's ghost is following her around. Also...she might be attracted to Finney Boone, the guy who scrubbed her face with snow in elementary school.
As the plot thickens, dead girls begin cropping up, surrounded by plastic toys and childish paraphernalia. And a single valentine cut out of paper. Hannah catches glimpses of the gruesome scenes while working for her cousin, who develops the photos at her shop for the police.
Hannah's dead friend becomes obsessed with the murders, dragging Hannah along for the ride. Will Hannah be able to unravel this mystery, or will it be the end of her?
So: Hannah's dealing with her best friend's ghost, a constant reminder of the way she died (it is hinted that she died from complications due to bulimia or anorexia); a family who's freaked out by the serial killer (which means she's cooped up with her friend's ghost -- not a pleasant way to spend the summer); Finney Boone, who starts showing a gentle side; and her own guilt and feelings when it comes to her friend's death, the way she treated Finney in elementary school, and her friend's need to find the killer.
Paper Valentine weaves complex psychological elements into the characters early, but doesn't start pulling threads until you've made up your mind about the characters.
Do you like Hannah? Well, she's in a clique of mean girls who made fun of Finney when they were younger. She's never been able to get away from their influence. She's living in her head more than she's living in real life.
Do you like Finney? Well, we don't know much about him. He could even be the serial killer. Aren't they supposed to turn on the charm when they meet a potential victim?
It goes on like this for a while, beckoning you this way and that, tantalizingly giving you one piece of information at a time, never enough to put it all together until the very end.
While I didn't completely buy the ending, it has started to make sense now that I've had a few days to think about it. What I really loved is that it's a character that runs true to form for a serial killer. It's someone you know. You trust him. You don't even give him a second thought, since you've been in his house before. But once you really see him, you wonder why it never occurred to you why his eyes are so lifeless.
(And the only reason I didn't buy the ending was that we never got much time with that character. There wasn't as much of a build up as there needed to be.)
I loved that Hannah wasn't a reliable narrator. The more you learn about her and Finney you realize she's looked at him wrong her whole life. He's a hooligan and he steals from the gas station, but that doesn't mean he can't also be a sweet, gentle guy. And it doesn't mean he should be automatically pointed to as the main suspect.
Paper Valentine is full of mystery. It's creepy, scary, dark, and contains some thematic elements not for the younger crowd (there's a oujia board used for a seance at least twice, and there's a few romantic moments, although nothing graphic). It's a lot of psychology. It's about grief, anger, and hopelessness.
But the rays of hope emanated by Hannah and Finney's relationship are beautiful to behold. In the midst of this nightmare, they find each other and gently, kindly lead each other to a better understanding of each other.
Finney's the type of character I always gravitate toward -- the misunderstood antihero. He reminds me of a slightly younger John Bender (from The Breakfast Club) -- a guy who's got it rough and pretends that he's rough, while on the inside, he's actually sweet; he's a person yearning for love.
If you enjoy ghost stories, psychological thrillers, mysteries, or paranormal stories, you would probably like this book.
I'll be reviewing Cinder by Marissa Meyer next week. Stay tuned!
Paper Valentine is unsettling. It ends unresolved, in some ways. It discusses a disturbing issue. And it's a really, really interesting psychological story.
I liked it.
Not in the "This-is-my-favorite-book-of-all-time" kind of way (like Blink & Caution or Shadow & Bone were) but "This-is-a-very-unique-book-and-wow-I'm-so-glad-I-got-to-read-this" kind of way.
Paper Valentine focuses on a girl, Hannah, who lives in a small town. It's summertime. And her best friend's ghost is following her around. Also...she might be attracted to Finney Boone, the guy who scrubbed her face with snow in elementary school.
As the plot thickens, dead girls begin cropping up, surrounded by plastic toys and childish paraphernalia. And a single valentine cut out of paper. Hannah catches glimpses of the gruesome scenes while working for her cousin, who develops the photos at her shop for the police.
Hannah's dead friend becomes obsessed with the murders, dragging Hannah along for the ride. Will Hannah be able to unravel this mystery, or will it be the end of her?
So: Hannah's dealing with her best friend's ghost, a constant reminder of the way she died (it is hinted that she died from complications due to bulimia or anorexia); a family who's freaked out by the serial killer (which means she's cooped up with her friend's ghost -- not a pleasant way to spend the summer); Finney Boone, who starts showing a gentle side; and her own guilt and feelings when it comes to her friend's death, the way she treated Finney in elementary school, and her friend's need to find the killer.
Paper Valentine weaves complex psychological elements into the characters early, but doesn't start pulling threads until you've made up your mind about the characters.
Do you like Hannah? Well, she's in a clique of mean girls who made fun of Finney when they were younger. She's never been able to get away from their influence. She's living in her head more than she's living in real life.
Do you like Finney? Well, we don't know much about him. He could even be the serial killer. Aren't they supposed to turn on the charm when they meet a potential victim?
It goes on like this for a while, beckoning you this way and that, tantalizingly giving you one piece of information at a time, never enough to put it all together until the very end.
While I didn't completely buy the ending, it has started to make sense now that I've had a few days to think about it. What I really loved is that it's a character that runs true to form for a serial killer. It's someone you know. You trust him. You don't even give him a second thought, since you've been in his house before. But once you really see him, you wonder why it never occurred to you why his eyes are so lifeless.
(And the only reason I didn't buy the ending was that we never got much time with that character. There wasn't as much of a build up as there needed to be.)
I loved that Hannah wasn't a reliable narrator. The more you learn about her and Finney you realize she's looked at him wrong her whole life. He's a hooligan and he steals from the gas station, but that doesn't mean he can't also be a sweet, gentle guy. And it doesn't mean he should be automatically pointed to as the main suspect.
Paper Valentine is full of mystery. It's creepy, scary, dark, and contains some thematic elements not for the younger crowd (there's a oujia board used for a seance at least twice, and there's a few romantic moments, although nothing graphic). It's a lot of psychology. It's about grief, anger, and hopelessness.
But the rays of hope emanated by Hannah and Finney's relationship are beautiful to behold. In the midst of this nightmare, they find each other and gently, kindly lead each other to a better understanding of each other.
Finney's the type of character I always gravitate toward -- the misunderstood antihero. He reminds me of a slightly younger John Bender (from The Breakfast Club) -- a guy who's got it rough and pretends that he's rough, while on the inside, he's actually sweet; he's a person yearning for love.
If you enjoy ghost stories, psychological thrillers, mysteries, or paranormal stories, you would probably like this book.
I'll be reviewing Cinder by Marissa Meyer next week. Stay tuned!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Divergent by Veronica Roth
I won a copy of Insurgent a few weeks ago and had to scramble to find an available copy of Divergent (book 1) at the library.
Even though it has been out two years this month, I didn't have any friends who'd read it and didn't really know what it was about -- somehow, I had managed to avoid spoilers (a grand feat).
I am so glad I knew nothing about the story when I began it. I was sucked into the world immediately, emotionally invested from the beginning, and I'm not quite sure what magic Veronica Roth worked to assure this outcome.
Divergent speaks on the deepest need we humans have -- the need to belong. It explores that idea in a family setting and a societal setting, with friends, leaders, acquaintances and classmates. It's a powerful story of how we divide ourselves, and how dangerous that can be. The subcultures created in this setting are meant to separate, sometimes with tragic results.
It also explores our need for power, and the corruption that inevitably follows. A society of the type depicted in Divergent can only last as long as the leaders are able to keep control firmly in hand. When the people realize they can wield power (and aren't afraid to try), a revolution often occurs.
With this social and political commentary as a backdrop, one girl searches for her identity in the midst of a life altering decision, a budding romance, and familial expectations. It's breathtaking to watch unfold -- and sometimes horrifying.
Divergent is categorized as YA dystopian fiction, but there's a lot more it has to offer. There are several twists and turns, advanced science experiments, and danger in spades, so this story could also appeal to mystery lovers, thriller admirers and science fiction readers.
I'd recommend this story to just about everyone, really. You'll easily be able to empathize with the main character as I found myself doing, and you also might find yourself subconsciously attempting to philosophize on which faction you'd belong to.
It's an exciting ride and I can't wait to read Insurgent.
Even though it has been out two years this month, I didn't have any friends who'd read it and didn't really know what it was about -- somehow, I had managed to avoid spoilers (a grand feat).
I am so glad I knew nothing about the story when I began it. I was sucked into the world immediately, emotionally invested from the beginning, and I'm not quite sure what magic Veronica Roth worked to assure this outcome.
Divergent speaks on the deepest need we humans have -- the need to belong. It explores that idea in a family setting and a societal setting, with friends, leaders, acquaintances and classmates. It's a powerful story of how we divide ourselves, and how dangerous that can be. The subcultures created in this setting are meant to separate, sometimes with tragic results.
It also explores our need for power, and the corruption that inevitably follows. A society of the type depicted in Divergent can only last as long as the leaders are able to keep control firmly in hand. When the people realize they can wield power (and aren't afraid to try), a revolution often occurs.
With this social and political commentary as a backdrop, one girl searches for her identity in the midst of a life altering decision, a budding romance, and familial expectations. It's breathtaking to watch unfold -- and sometimes horrifying.
Divergent is categorized as YA dystopian fiction, but there's a lot more it has to offer. There are several twists and turns, advanced science experiments, and danger in spades, so this story could also appeal to mystery lovers, thriller admirers and science fiction readers.
I'd recommend this story to just about everyone, really. You'll easily be able to empathize with the main character as I found myself doing, and you also might find yourself subconsciously attempting to philosophize on which faction you'd belong to.
It's an exciting ride and I can't wait to read Insurgent.
Monday, April 1, 2013
The Legend of Eli Monpress (Books 1-3) by Rachel Aaron
Well!
I have finally finished reading the epic (I'm going to use that word a lot in this review) 3-book collection The Legend of Eli Monpress (and there's still two more books to go! I'm currently reading the next one, No. 4 -- The Spirit War).
And may I just say...
Well done, Rachel Aaron. *slow clap* Well done.
The first book, The Spirit Thief, is a great heist story. It's full of epic sword fights, kick-butt characters, witty repartee, etc. The ending is a big finish, a grand finale, and you think, "Oh, wow, that was really cool!" and then you go on to the next book, unaware of the depth of epic-ness that is to come.
Then you start in on The Spirit Rebellion. Really cool, thriller-type story with sneaking around, some character background, and a tyrant that *really* needs to be overthrown. Epic fight at the end that raises the stakes even more. We begin to see twists and turns in characters' stories, and the tangled relationships they're involved in.
And then you read The Spirit Eater and start to understand just what exactly is going on. It's waaaaaay bigger than you've imagined and things are getting pretty serious for our beloved trio. This one has more...darkness involved. An inkling of the danger our characters are in (pretty deep) starts trickling into your brain and you start worrying that one of them (any of them!) might just keel over and die. It's a mystery -- shadowy, with more threatening villains, and the answer to a question we never thought to ask. It's almost a throwaway conversation -- but it *isn't* and that's where Rachel's brilliance appears (like it has everywhere through the books) -- we've built up to this point and have barely noticed. And then WHAM! There it is. And then the stakes are raised EVEN HIGHER. FOR EVERYONE.
I kept reading each book and thinking, "HOW IS RACHEL GOING TO TOP THIS?!?!?!" And you know what? She topped each ending. Every. Single. Time.
I don't even know what could happen in books four and five.
Let's just say I scrambled to find a copy I could beg, borrow or steal so that I could finish the series stat.
I'm serious -- I literally begged friends for a copy of book four, The Spirit War, so that I could keep going.
What I love about Rachel Aaron is that she knows how to keep an epic story light while at the same time explore the depths of a fantasy world (and to some extent, the characters' backstories). She also handles multiple main characters extremely well -- I feel like I know the trio. I could travel with this group. I also know the person chasing them, and I can't help but sympathize. They are a slippery bunch to catch (and hold onto).
Her books feel big, expansive -- the universe she's created feels real. I can picture the countryside the trio travels through, I know what they look like, I can see the castles and buildings they thieve from, and I can feel the food they eat in my hands. I can see their world so clearly.
While the series isn't YA or middle-grade, it hits a nice medium -- it isn't 'adult' in theme. It's a really epic fantasy with elements of several genres mixed in (and is low on the romance scale, which of course you know delights me). It's a saga, a story whose scope is far greater than what you first see.
I think this series would be perfect reading for a long summer or winter. I'm already sad that it's more than halfway over. While I'm trying to rush through and see what happens, I'm also lingering because I know once I read the last book, I have to say goodbye to Eli, Josef and Nico (and Miranda and Gin).
And that's just gonna be a sad, sad day.
I have finally finished reading the epic (I'm going to use that word a lot in this review) 3-book collection The Legend of Eli Monpress (and there's still two more books to go! I'm currently reading the next one, No. 4 -- The Spirit War).
And may I just say...
Well done, Rachel Aaron. *slow clap* Well done.
The first book, The Spirit Thief, is a great heist story. It's full of epic sword fights, kick-butt characters, witty repartee, etc. The ending is a big finish, a grand finale, and you think, "Oh, wow, that was really cool!" and then you go on to the next book, unaware of the depth of epic-ness that is to come.
Then you start in on The Spirit Rebellion. Really cool, thriller-type story with sneaking around, some character background, and a tyrant that *really* needs to be overthrown. Epic fight at the end that raises the stakes even more. We begin to see twists and turns in characters' stories, and the tangled relationships they're involved in.
And then you read The Spirit Eater and start to understand just what exactly is going on. It's waaaaaay bigger than you've imagined and things are getting pretty serious for our beloved trio. This one has more...darkness involved. An inkling of the danger our characters are in (pretty deep) starts trickling into your brain and you start worrying that one of them (any of them!) might just keel over and die. It's a mystery -- shadowy, with more threatening villains, and the answer to a question we never thought to ask. It's almost a throwaway conversation -- but it *isn't* and that's where Rachel's brilliance appears (like it has everywhere through the books) -- we've built up to this point and have barely noticed. And then WHAM! There it is. And then the stakes are raised EVEN HIGHER. FOR EVERYONE.
I kept reading each book and thinking, "HOW IS RACHEL GOING TO TOP THIS?!?!?!" And you know what? She topped each ending. Every. Single. Time.
I don't even know what could happen in books four and five.
Let's just say I scrambled to find a copy I could beg, borrow or steal so that I could finish the series stat.
I'm serious -- I literally begged friends for a copy of book four, The Spirit War, so that I could keep going.
What I love about Rachel Aaron is that she knows how to keep an epic story light while at the same time explore the depths of a fantasy world (and to some extent, the characters' backstories). She also handles multiple main characters extremely well -- I feel like I know the trio. I could travel with this group. I also know the person chasing them, and I can't help but sympathize. They are a slippery bunch to catch (and hold onto).
Her books feel big, expansive -- the universe she's created feels real. I can picture the countryside the trio travels through, I know what they look like, I can see the castles and buildings they thieve from, and I can feel the food they eat in my hands. I can see their world so clearly.
While the series isn't YA or middle-grade, it hits a nice medium -- it isn't 'adult' in theme. It's a really epic fantasy with elements of several genres mixed in (and is low on the romance scale, which of course you know delights me). It's a saga, a story whose scope is far greater than what you first see.
I think this series would be perfect reading for a long summer or winter. I'm already sad that it's more than halfway over. While I'm trying to rush through and see what happens, I'm also lingering because I know once I read the last book, I have to say goodbye to Eli, Josef and Nico (and Miranda and Gin).
And that's just gonna be a sad, sad day.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Juniper Berry by M. P. Kozlowsky
(On Friday I posted a bit of the first page of Juniper Berry, so after you read this review you might want to check it out)
I was instantly drawn in by the first sentence of this middle-grade novel: "The house was a mansion, the lake was a pool, Kitty was a dog, and Juniper Berry was an eleven-year-old girl."
It's one of those magical first sentences that gives you the chills and envelops you in the world right from the start.
This is a story about the choices we make -- the choices that define us. It's about temptation to buy into being the same as everyone else, and it's about the terror of feeling alone.
Juniper Berry is an eleven year old with no friends and severely neglectful parents. The child of two movie stars, she spends her days distant -- from her parents and the world around her. With her dog, Kitty, and every kind of lense imaginable (monocular, binocular, telescope, periscope, etc.), she explores from afar and dreams of the day when her parents will notice her again.
She meets a strange boy named Giles whose parents are musicians, and together they solve the mystery behind their parents' meteoric rise to fame -- which includes a mysterious tree, a talking raven, and a handful of balloons.
This is a modern moral fable. It has a lot to say about the price of fame -- the changes, the loss of personal identity and privacy and the pressure of pleasing a constant audience.
It also speaks to the hardships one must endure to keep the essence of who they are, despite pressure to conform.
Although this might seem a heady subject for middle-schoolers, I think it is a perfect opportunity for middle-grade readers to begin understanding the cost of living a false life. Juniper Berry is a genuine, honest, heartfelt individual who remains true to herself despite the agony of being an outsider and the temptations to 'live a perfect life' by living shallowly.
I needed this book. It came at a time when I was struggling through what Juniper deals with -- wondering if, perhaps, being ourselves is too difficult and if embracing a life in the shallow end wouldn't be easier. But as we see in this story, our own lives are worth living, no matter what pain we experience. We are who we are, and if we lie to ourselves about that, we aren't going to be happy, even if we receive everything we ask for.
This is the third book I've received from Walden Pond Press (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) and I am continually impressed with the caliber of their authors (and illustrators!). This one might be my favorite of the three for the way its author words things, the front cover, and the themes expressed throughout the story.
Definitely put this one on your Goodreads list, and if you've read it, let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Note: my new website is almost ready! I need two more photos and a few more words and I'm good to go. I'll link to it once it's complete. Remember, I'll still be doing book reviews on this site.
I was instantly drawn in by the first sentence of this middle-grade novel: "The house was a mansion, the lake was a pool, Kitty was a dog, and Juniper Berry was an eleven-year-old girl."
It's one of those magical first sentences that gives you the chills and envelops you in the world right from the start.
This is a story about the choices we make -- the choices that define us. It's about temptation to buy into being the same as everyone else, and it's about the terror of feeling alone.
Juniper Berry is an eleven year old with no friends and severely neglectful parents. The child of two movie stars, she spends her days distant -- from her parents and the world around her. With her dog, Kitty, and every kind of lense imaginable (monocular, binocular, telescope, periscope, etc.), she explores from afar and dreams of the day when her parents will notice her again.
She meets a strange boy named Giles whose parents are musicians, and together they solve the mystery behind their parents' meteoric rise to fame -- which includes a mysterious tree, a talking raven, and a handful of balloons.
This is a modern moral fable. It has a lot to say about the price of fame -- the changes, the loss of personal identity and privacy and the pressure of pleasing a constant audience.
It also speaks to the hardships one must endure to keep the essence of who they are, despite pressure to conform.
Although this might seem a heady subject for middle-schoolers, I think it is a perfect opportunity for middle-grade readers to begin understanding the cost of living a false life. Juniper Berry is a genuine, honest, heartfelt individual who remains true to herself despite the agony of being an outsider and the temptations to 'live a perfect life' by living shallowly.
I needed this book. It came at a time when I was struggling through what Juniper deals with -- wondering if, perhaps, being ourselves is too difficult and if embracing a life in the shallow end wouldn't be easier. But as we see in this story, our own lives are worth living, no matter what pain we experience. We are who we are, and if we lie to ourselves about that, we aren't going to be happy, even if we receive everything we ask for.
This is the third book I've received from Walden Pond Press (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) and I am continually impressed with the caliber of their authors (and illustrators!). This one might be my favorite of the three for the way its author words things, the front cover, and the themes expressed throughout the story.
Definitely put this one on your Goodreads list, and if you've read it, let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Note: my new website is almost ready! I need two more photos and a few more words and I'm good to go. I'll link to it once it's complete. Remember, I'll still be doing book reviews on this site.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Storybound by Marissa Burt
It seems I have been inundated with middle-grade novels to read. While I do prefer YA in terms of subject matter (I am more drawn to the themes discussed in YA), the middle-grade books I have been reading are strong, appropriate, and fun.
Storybound is no exception.
The book started out slow, carefully world-building, introducing characters and spinning the beginning of a mystery, but as I reached the middle it began to pick up pace. (Much appreciated. An earlier middle-grade novel, while strong, was much too slow for my taste) Then came a GIGANTIC surprise twist that I didn't see coming until it was right up on me, but it was so ingenious that I instantly became a huge fan of the story and wanted the sequel immediately. Seriously. This new author has some guts.
Another thing I really liked was that I was able to tell what the author's influences were without the author having to spell out what type of books she read as a child. Multiple descriptions of food, references to other stories, and types of characters let me know that this author must have read Anne of Green Gables or Redwall as a child (I think her site mentions Anne of Green Gables).
The story focuses on Una Fairchild, a lonely orphan who often escapes her dreary life by delving into storybooks. Until one day she literally jumps into the pages of a mysterious book and enters the world of Story. She begins attending classes (Villainy, Heroics, etc.), attempting to figure out who brought her here and why. As the story unfolds, we realize that no one, not even Una, is who they seem.
There's a sly twist of Snow White's character (quite amusing and somewhat sad at the same time), a villain-who's-actually-a-hero, Muses, a talking cat, and two handsome boys. And then there's Una, with a backstory as mysterious as everyone else's.
Trust me -- this book (and its sequel) is well worth the read. I can't wait until Story's End appears on the shelves!
Storybound is no exception.
The book started out slow, carefully world-building, introducing characters and spinning the beginning of a mystery, but as I reached the middle it began to pick up pace. (Much appreciated. An earlier middle-grade novel, while strong, was much too slow for my taste) Then came a GIGANTIC surprise twist that I didn't see coming until it was right up on me, but it was so ingenious that I instantly became a huge fan of the story and wanted the sequel immediately. Seriously. This new author has some guts.
Another thing I really liked was that I was able to tell what the author's influences were without the author having to spell out what type of books she read as a child. Multiple descriptions of food, references to other stories, and types of characters let me know that this author must have read Anne of Green Gables or Redwall as a child (I think her site mentions Anne of Green Gables).
The story focuses on Una Fairchild, a lonely orphan who often escapes her dreary life by delving into storybooks. Until one day she literally jumps into the pages of a mysterious book and enters the world of Story. She begins attending classes (Villainy, Heroics, etc.), attempting to figure out who brought her here and why. As the story unfolds, we realize that no one, not even Una, is who they seem.
There's a sly twist of Snow White's character (quite amusing and somewhat sad at the same time), a villain-who's-actually-a-hero, Muses, a talking cat, and two handsome boys. And then there's Una, with a backstory as mysterious as everyone else's.
Trust me -- this book (and its sequel) is well worth the read. I can't wait until Story's End appears on the shelves!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
I don't usually read romance. Of any kind. Except for the occasional Jane Austen or L.M. Montgomery book. It just doesn't appeal to me. I prefer reading adventure stories, and, if romance must come into play, for it to be a secondary storyline.
But Unearthly, a paranormal romance, piqued my interest. So I entered the giveaway and, to my shock, won! The other exciting part is that the author was doing the giveaway so I won a signed copy and two signed bookmarks.
While it was exciting to win, this in no way formed my opinions presented below. Just in case you were wondering.
I struggled, at first, to get into Unearthly, although I'm not quite sure why. The premise was interesting, the world-building intriguing, and the characters pretty well developed and unique.
I think it was the romance part that made me halt. I just don't read romance. So there I was, waiting for it to happen, watching it all unfold pretty normally, no shocking twists or turns...
And then WHAM.
This book is not just romance. It's part family drama -- the tension between the daughter and mother was not expected but expertly crafted, especially near the end. Neither of them are 'bad' or unlikeable. But they are not communicating and it causes a wide rift between them that makes all sorts of problems.
The worry about the younger brother, although a side storyline, ramps up the tension even more. What will happen to him? What is he doing while we can't see him?
Then there's the whole new-girl-new-school-new-people thing. But it isn't the hackneyed "Everyone thinks she's perfect" or "everyone hates her". It's a mixture, just like in real life. She finds a friend pretty quickly, only to connect with another classmate later and realize she's made two very, very different friends. More tension.
Then comes the romance -- which isn't really *all* about the romance. On one side, you have the beautiful guy you're supposed to be saving -- who already has a girlfriend; on the other hand, you have this...cowboy version of Mr. Darcy who takes every opportunity to give the heroine a bad time (at first). Yeah, I have to admit, I like him a lot more than the 'beautiful guy' (even though they're both attractive, of course...which is my one nitpick about romance. Fall in love for someone other than their looks *first*, please. Realize they're attractive to you later), and liked him immediately. He had the whole Gil thing going for him (even calling the heroine "Carrots"). Although he's the brother of one of her friends, which adds another layer of tension.
Then you have the internal struggle -- what's my purpose? Who am I? What if I don't accomplish my purpose? What will my parent's reaction be? What will happen to me?
While typical teenagers don't definitely know their 'purpose', we can all sympathize with the "Who am I?/What am I here for/what will my parents' reaction be if I fail?" roller coaster of emotions.
I also really loved that the heroine wasn't "I'm perfect and awesome" or "I'm ugly and disgusting". She was a typical teenage girl (while also being paranormal). Happy and carefree some days, angry or sad other days, but all within reason giving the circumstances. She is a middle-of-the-road heroine, apart from her angelic good looks, somewhat content with her lot in life but still wondering just what life has in store for her.
To include all of that in a "paranormal romance" and then on top of it add detailed descriptions of the area that they live in (seriously, enough detail to make it feel like you've visited the area after reading the book while not letting the description drag the narrative down), along with a sweet, budding romance that is fresh and innocent (it was so refreshing to not read a bunch of sexy smut. I really, really appreciated it -- it was age appropriate without being cheesy or gross, which, in my opinion, is extremely hard to pull off) -- well, I was pretty flabbergasted at just how much was in this book, because it was effortless to read after the initial "I don't know that I can read romance" halt.
The ending definitely made me want to continue reading the series. I felt the emotion of the characters -- fear, love, hate, awe, disappointment, confusion...there's a lot of loose ends that I need tied up.
The only thing I am nitpicking is that everyone seemed to be good-looking. But I guess if you live in a resort area and some of you are angels, there are lots of pretty people around. So I'm only sort of nitpicking.
Props to Ms. Hand for writing a paranormal romance that even non-romance readers can enjoy. I'll be checking out the rest of the series from the library (or signing up to win the others -- hey, I'm poor).
If you like stories about the paranormal (particularly angelic beings), family dynamics, young romance, or Western imagery, you should give this one a try.
I'll be reading the Beautiful Creatures series next week, so look forward to a review sometime in the next few weeks. I'm also finishing up a few other books, but I'm not promising a review by next Monday. I will, however, be writing the normal Wednesday and Friday posts.
Still working on my other website, but I have decided to keep posting reviews on here irregularly. The other site will focus more on film and television and the craft of writing. I'll let you know when it's ready.
Have a great week!
But Unearthly, a paranormal romance, piqued my interest. So I entered the giveaway and, to my shock, won! The other exciting part is that the author was doing the giveaway so I won a signed copy and two signed bookmarks.
While it was exciting to win, this in no way formed my opinions presented below. Just in case you were wondering.
I struggled, at first, to get into Unearthly, although I'm not quite sure why. The premise was interesting, the world-building intriguing, and the characters pretty well developed and unique.
I think it was the romance part that made me halt. I just don't read romance. So there I was, waiting for it to happen, watching it all unfold pretty normally, no shocking twists or turns...
And then WHAM.
This book is not just romance. It's part family drama -- the tension between the daughter and mother was not expected but expertly crafted, especially near the end. Neither of them are 'bad' or unlikeable. But they are not communicating and it causes a wide rift between them that makes all sorts of problems.
The worry about the younger brother, although a side storyline, ramps up the tension even more. What will happen to him? What is he doing while we can't see him?
Then there's the whole new-girl-new-school-new-people thing. But it isn't the hackneyed "Everyone thinks she's perfect" or "everyone hates her". It's a mixture, just like in real life. She finds a friend pretty quickly, only to connect with another classmate later and realize she's made two very, very different friends. More tension.
Then comes the romance -- which isn't really *all* about the romance. On one side, you have the beautiful guy you're supposed to be saving -- who already has a girlfriend; on the other hand, you have this...cowboy version of Mr. Darcy who takes every opportunity to give the heroine a bad time (at first). Yeah, I have to admit, I like him a lot more than the 'beautiful guy' (even though they're both attractive, of course...which is my one nitpick about romance. Fall in love for someone other than their looks *first*, please. Realize they're attractive to you later), and liked him immediately. He had the whole Gil thing going for him (even calling the heroine "Carrots"). Although he's the brother of one of her friends, which adds another layer of tension.
Then you have the internal struggle -- what's my purpose? Who am I? What if I don't accomplish my purpose? What will my parent's reaction be? What will happen to me?
While typical teenagers don't definitely know their 'purpose', we can all sympathize with the "Who am I?/What am I here for/what will my parents' reaction be if I fail?" roller coaster of emotions.
I also really loved that the heroine wasn't "I'm perfect and awesome" or "I'm ugly and disgusting". She was a typical teenage girl (while also being paranormal). Happy and carefree some days, angry or sad other days, but all within reason giving the circumstances. She is a middle-of-the-road heroine, apart from her angelic good looks, somewhat content with her lot in life but still wondering just what life has in store for her.
To include all of that in a "paranormal romance" and then on top of it add detailed descriptions of the area that they live in (seriously, enough detail to make it feel like you've visited the area after reading the book while not letting the description drag the narrative down), along with a sweet, budding romance that is fresh and innocent (it was so refreshing to not read a bunch of sexy smut. I really, really appreciated it -- it was age appropriate without being cheesy or gross, which, in my opinion, is extremely hard to pull off) -- well, I was pretty flabbergasted at just how much was in this book, because it was effortless to read after the initial "I don't know that I can read romance" halt.
The ending definitely made me want to continue reading the series. I felt the emotion of the characters -- fear, love, hate, awe, disappointment, confusion...there's a lot of loose ends that I need tied up.
The only thing I am nitpicking is that everyone seemed to be good-looking. But I guess if you live in a resort area and some of you are angels, there are lots of pretty people around. So I'm only sort of nitpicking.
Props to Ms. Hand for writing a paranormal romance that even non-romance readers can enjoy. I'll be checking out the rest of the series from the library (or signing up to win the others -- hey, I'm poor).
If you like stories about the paranormal (particularly angelic beings), family dynamics, young romance, or Western imagery, you should give this one a try.
I'll be reading the Beautiful Creatures series next week, so look forward to a review sometime in the next few weeks. I'm also finishing up a few other books, but I'm not promising a review by next Monday. I will, however, be writing the normal Wednesday and Friday posts.
Still working on my other website, but I have decided to keep posting reviews on here irregularly. The other site will focus more on film and television and the craft of writing. I'll let you know when it's ready.
Have a great week!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
FINALLY! A Review
Suffice it to say I'm feeling quite apologetic for not getting this review posted sooner.
But without further ado, here it is:
Kevin Emerson's The Fellowship for Alien Detection is a strong, standalone middle grade novel (although I could see a sequel happening). While it is quite long for middle-grade (over 400 pages), the pacing is such that it never really drags. There are lulls in the action, but I appreciated the lulls because it gave the characters time to think and reflect instead of having them rush through a bunch of action sequences.
The two main characters, Haley and Francis ("Dodger") are typical middle-schoolers in different ways. Haley wants to get away from her boring home life and find an adventure. Dodger just wants to find a place where he fits in.
When the kids win a Fellowship based on their research of possible alien visitations, they convince their family members to go along for the ride. Starting at either end of the U.S., both kids struggle with how much they tell their families and how much they should keep secret. Because aliens are real, and close by, and what parents are going to let their kids get close to an extraterrestrial?
The story also focuses on one Suza Raines...one of The Missing. She wakes up every morning with a distinct feeling that something is 'off'. And then something goes wrong. And the day starts all over again.
The book is somewhat about identity (who am I/why am I here?), somewhat about family (acceptance, affection, and trust), and a little bit about how small we are in the universe. The themes are age appropriate for middle school while never being heavy-handed. There was one conversation I thought would start heading that direction but it cut off and gave you food for thought instead of completing the sentence, as it were.
I also liked that there was a hint of romance, but it didn't completely materialize. Again, age appropriate. Also, there was stuff to do, like save the planet from aliens. So, you know. No time for kisses.
There was a shocking twist (at least, I thought it shocking) that in the aftermath, made sense. It deepened one family's backstory and made them more sympathetic.
While there are characters who aren't as fleshed out as others, that was the only thing I noticed that I wasn't 100% happy with -- but most of the characters are unique, with at least some backstory.
All in all, this is a fun, entertaining read without being too light. There are themes I connected with (the search for identity), the characters were a delight to read about, and the conclusion was satisfying without being tied up with a pretty bow.
If you like middle-grade or YA sci-fi novels, definitely give this one a chance.
But without further ado, here it is:
Kevin Emerson's The Fellowship for Alien Detection is a strong, standalone middle grade novel (although I could see a sequel happening). While it is quite long for middle-grade (over 400 pages), the pacing is such that it never really drags. There are lulls in the action, but I appreciated the lulls because it gave the characters time to think and reflect instead of having them rush through a bunch of action sequences.
The two main characters, Haley and Francis ("Dodger") are typical middle-schoolers in different ways. Haley wants to get away from her boring home life and find an adventure. Dodger just wants to find a place where he fits in.
When the kids win a Fellowship based on their research of possible alien visitations, they convince their family members to go along for the ride. Starting at either end of the U.S., both kids struggle with how much they tell their families and how much they should keep secret. Because aliens are real, and close by, and what parents are going to let their kids get close to an extraterrestrial?
The story also focuses on one Suza Raines...one of The Missing. She wakes up every morning with a distinct feeling that something is 'off'. And then something goes wrong. And the day starts all over again.
The book is somewhat about identity (who am I/why am I here?), somewhat about family (acceptance, affection, and trust), and a little bit about how small we are in the universe. The themes are age appropriate for middle school while never being heavy-handed. There was one conversation I thought would start heading that direction but it cut off and gave you food for thought instead of completing the sentence, as it were.
I also liked that there was a hint of romance, but it didn't completely materialize. Again, age appropriate. Also, there was stuff to do, like save the planet from aliens. So, you know. No time for kisses.
There was a shocking twist (at least, I thought it shocking) that in the aftermath, made sense. It deepened one family's backstory and made them more sympathetic.
While there are characters who aren't as fleshed out as others, that was the only thing I noticed that I wasn't 100% happy with -- but most of the characters are unique, with at least some backstory.
All in all, this is a fun, entertaining read without being too light. There are themes I connected with (the search for identity), the characters were a delight to read about, and the conclusion was satisfying without being tied up with a pretty bow.
If you like middle-grade or YA sci-fi novels, definitely give this one a chance.
Monday, February 18, 2013
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Idea by Siobahn Dowd)
A Monster Calls was not what I expected.
...but it was good.
I love Patrick Ness' ability to bring you close to the emotion the characters are feeling. It's something I've noticed in his writing that I haven't picked up on in a lot of other stories.
(It's the British vs. American, very generalized thing about external vs. internal action that I've been blabbing about for the past few weeks)
A Monster Calls is about grief, anger, regret, and death. It's also about hope, letting go/peace, and forgiving yourself.
In the story, a young boy is confronted by a monster who tells him three stories, all containing a twist. Then the monster asks for the boy's story.
Between the stories, we read about this boy's life and the things that have happened to him that created a monster inside him.
It's a powerful story about how much of a monster we can be to ourselves, and how complex the emotions of loss can be.
I don't tend to read general fiction like The Faults In Our Stars (although it looks lovely) because I'm not interested in 'real life'. I'm interested in communicating about real issues, couched in a fantasy or science fiction world.
Patrick Ness is a master and his stories are excellent study material for the writer wanting to bring more to the table than a general romp in fantasyland.
I'll be moving to a new blog in March -- I'll still be talking about stories, but I'll be widening the field to include film and television (and the occasional play). Details to come.
...but it was good.
I love Patrick Ness' ability to bring you close to the emotion the characters are feeling. It's something I've noticed in his writing that I haven't picked up on in a lot of other stories.
(It's the British vs. American, very generalized thing about external vs. internal action that I've been blabbing about for the past few weeks)
A Monster Calls is about grief, anger, regret, and death. It's also about hope, letting go/peace, and forgiving yourself.
In the story, a young boy is confronted by a monster who tells him three stories, all containing a twist. Then the monster asks for the boy's story.
Between the stories, we read about this boy's life and the things that have happened to him that created a monster inside him.
It's a powerful story about how much of a monster we can be to ourselves, and how complex the emotions of loss can be.
I don't tend to read general fiction like The Faults In Our Stars (although it looks lovely) because I'm not interested in 'real life'. I'm interested in communicating about real issues, couched in a fantasy or science fiction world.
Patrick Ness is a master and his stories are excellent study material for the writer wanting to bring more to the table than a general romp in fantasyland.
I'll be moving to a new blog in March -- I'll still be talking about stories, but I'll be widening the field to include film and television (and the occasional play). Details to come.
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
I finished reading the Chaos Walking trilogy today. I kept putting the book down after only a chapter or two the last few weeks and then it occurred to me why I wasn't finishing it up as quickly as the other ones. I didn't want to say goodbye.
This series has opened my eyes to the possibilities of science fiction -- most older sci-fi is dry, dusty, high ideals and ideas with little personal investment.
The Chaos Walking trilogy, while full of ideas, is also filled to the brim with personal investment.
For starters, it is told in first person with two (then three) POV's. The emotional investment is heightened because we are *in* the characters' heads instead of watching from the outside. Everything that happens to them gets experienced by you second hand, instead of from a distance. It's real. Personal. Intimate.
Next, the book speaks to several issues we deal with today -- overload of information, terrorism, racism/sexism, and the horrors of war. All of this is wrapped up in a story about a boy and girl who find each other and will do anything to protect the other.
Yes -- amidst all the horror in this story, the deepest part of the story is love -- romantic, paternal/maternal, friendship, etc. Everything links back to what we'll do for the ones we love and how strong their love makes us.
I don't know that I can properly sort out for you everything I think is wonderful about these books. I'm not quite distanced enough yet to see the entire story (I'm still crying about the penultimate chapter) but I'll give it a shot.
One thing I really, really appreciate is the character of Todd Hewitt. The story focuses on Todd and the difference between him and the Mayor. The difference between a good man and a man. The choices Todd makes, the mistakes he regrets making...he regrets, he tries to do better. Only a good man learns from his mistakes and calls them by that name. He strives to do better. He is redeemable.
I also appreciate the main female character, Viola. She's strong, independent, and willing to risk everything for the man she loves. And then realizes what happens when you make war personal. She is brought to a world where people are living apart, in fear, and as the world crumbles around her, she grits her teeth and does what she can to prevent the entire world from falling into chaos.
They suffer through so much, together and apart. They're always there for each other, even if they're separated by distance. They struggle together to come to terms with the changes of the world around them and to find their places in it. They're heroic without trying to be, fully aware of their brokenness.
Another thing I really appreciated was that through all of the horror of the series (terrorist attacks, enslavement, betrayal, beloved characters' deaths, civil war, etc.), the ending concludes with hope. The hope that we can do better, the hope that peace is still attainable, even after everything that's happened. Oftentimes if you're reading a war story, the hopelessness drags you down into the muck and there's no escape. Fortunately, Chaos Walking ends with a hopeful message about the strength it takes to find peace, to forgive and work together for a better life. Hope for the future.
It's such a thrilling, terrifying, electrifying ride to see the characters change and be changed, make choices, choices they have to make to survive...I wonder if we would have done any better?
What I think this series really boils down to is the choices we make and the reasons behind them.
“That's the thing I'm learning about being thrown out on yer own. Nobody does nothing for you. If you don't change it, it don't get changed.” -- The Knife of Never Letting Go
“We are the choices we make. And have to make. We aren’t anything else.” -- The Ask and the Answer
“Choices may be unbelievably hard but they're never impossible. To say you have no choice is to release yourself from responsibility and that's not how a person with integrity acts.” -- Monsters of Men
I'm really sad to see the end of this story...my only consolation is that my library has a standalone novel by Patrick Ness that I'm going to read next weekend.
What are your thoughts on the Chaos Walking Trilogy? I'd love to hear them.
This series has opened my eyes to the possibilities of science fiction -- most older sci-fi is dry, dusty, high ideals and ideas with little personal investment.
The Chaos Walking trilogy, while full of ideas, is also filled to the brim with personal investment.
For starters, it is told in first person with two (then three) POV's. The emotional investment is heightened because we are *in* the characters' heads instead of watching from the outside. Everything that happens to them gets experienced by you second hand, instead of from a distance. It's real. Personal. Intimate.
Next, the book speaks to several issues we deal with today -- overload of information, terrorism, racism/sexism, and the horrors of war. All of this is wrapped up in a story about a boy and girl who find each other and will do anything to protect the other.
Yes -- amidst all the horror in this story, the deepest part of the story is love -- romantic, paternal/maternal, friendship, etc. Everything links back to what we'll do for the ones we love and how strong their love makes us.
I don't know that I can properly sort out for you everything I think is wonderful about these books. I'm not quite distanced enough yet to see the entire story (I'm still crying about the penultimate chapter) but I'll give it a shot.
One thing I really, really appreciate is the character of Todd Hewitt. The story focuses on Todd and the difference between him and the Mayor. The difference between a good man and a man. The choices Todd makes, the mistakes he regrets making...he regrets, he tries to do better. Only a good man learns from his mistakes and calls them by that name. He strives to do better. He is redeemable.
I also appreciate the main female character, Viola. She's strong, independent, and willing to risk everything for the man she loves. And then realizes what happens when you make war personal. She is brought to a world where people are living apart, in fear, and as the world crumbles around her, she grits her teeth and does what she can to prevent the entire world from falling into chaos.
They suffer through so much, together and apart. They're always there for each other, even if they're separated by distance. They struggle together to come to terms with the changes of the world around them and to find their places in it. They're heroic without trying to be, fully aware of their brokenness.
Another thing I really appreciated was that through all of the horror of the series (terrorist attacks, enslavement, betrayal, beloved characters' deaths, civil war, etc.), the ending concludes with hope. The hope that we can do better, the hope that peace is still attainable, even after everything that's happened. Oftentimes if you're reading a war story, the hopelessness drags you down into the muck and there's no escape. Fortunately, Chaos Walking ends with a hopeful message about the strength it takes to find peace, to forgive and work together for a better life. Hope for the future.
It's such a thrilling, terrifying, electrifying ride to see the characters change and be changed, make choices, choices they have to make to survive...I wonder if we would have done any better?
What I think this series really boils down to is the choices we make and the reasons behind them.
“That's the thing I'm learning about being thrown out on yer own. Nobody does nothing for you. If you don't change it, it don't get changed.” -- The Knife of Never Letting Go
“We are the choices we make. And have to make. We aren’t anything else.” -- The Ask and the Answer
“Choices may be unbelievably hard but they're never impossible. To say you have no choice is to release yourself from responsibility and that's not how a person with integrity acts.” -- Monsters of Men
I'm really sad to see the end of this story...my only consolation is that my library has a standalone novel by Patrick Ness that I'm going to read next weekend.
What are your thoughts on the Chaos Walking Trilogy? I'd love to hear them.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Gunn's Golden Rules by Tim Gunn (with Ada Calhoun)
I have long been an admirer of Tim Gunn, mentor of the fabulous fashion reality show Project Runway. He is always dressed to the nines, he's objective, and he's nice. Which is a rare combination to find in the fashion industry.
Tim has inspired me to stick to my guns when it comes to good manners. I was raised with a higher etiquette than I needed, I think, but most of the rules I still believe in (but I don't serve dinner with three forks, although I know which ones to use should an opportunity arise).
This is Tim's second book (his first is an excellent look at creating your own style -- Tim Gunn's Guide to Quality, Taste & Style) and might be my favorite because it's like sitting down with Tim for a little chat about people, fashion, and some life lessons about 'making it work'.
This is quintessential Tim -- amused at his own quirkiness (and others'), practical, somewhat fatherly advice about the hard lessons you need to learn, and sharing just enough about his life to make you curious.
Some of my favorite advice: "The World Owes You...Nothing". Work for what you want. And 'make it work'. The sense of entitlement these last few generations have is...rather mind boggling. Most of them think they're going to be famous (!!). And a lot of people, in general, don't take the time to think about others. Wouldn't the world be a much nicer place if we took care to have good manners, be kind, and take the high road?
Although there are some gossipy bits in this book (they're mostly a tongue-in-cheek poke at the fashion industry), the overall outlook is one of "Aren't we silly? Let's do better" instead of a raking through the coals.
Thank goodness for people like Tim who still believe in the niceties of life.
If you've ever wondered about Tim's background, the craziness of the fashion industry, or what happens behind the scenes at Project Runway (or if you feel, like Tim, that more people could be better), you should read this book.
See you all on Wednesday!
Tim has inspired me to stick to my guns when it comes to good manners. I was raised with a higher etiquette than I needed, I think, but most of the rules I still believe in (but I don't serve dinner with three forks, although I know which ones to use should an opportunity arise).
This is Tim's second book (his first is an excellent look at creating your own style -- Tim Gunn's Guide to Quality, Taste & Style) and might be my favorite because it's like sitting down with Tim for a little chat about people, fashion, and some life lessons about 'making it work'.
This is quintessential Tim -- amused at his own quirkiness (and others'), practical, somewhat fatherly advice about the hard lessons you need to learn, and sharing just enough about his life to make you curious.
Some of my favorite advice: "The World Owes You...Nothing". Work for what you want. And 'make it work'. The sense of entitlement these last few generations have is...rather mind boggling. Most of them think they're going to be famous (!!). And a lot of people, in general, don't take the time to think about others. Wouldn't the world be a much nicer place if we took care to have good manners, be kind, and take the high road?
Although there are some gossipy bits in this book (they're mostly a tongue-in-cheek poke at the fashion industry), the overall outlook is one of "Aren't we silly? Let's do better" instead of a raking through the coals.
Thank goodness for people like Tim who still believe in the niceties of life.
If you've ever wondered about Tim's background, the craziness of the fashion industry, or what happens behind the scenes at Project Runway (or if you feel, like Tim, that more people could be better), you should read this book.
See you all on Wednesday!
Monday, January 7, 2013
A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine
Sorry the review arrives so late today...
I was working a wedding with my husband today (video). :D
I always try to read everything Gail Carson Levine writes because:
a) she writes strong heroines
b) she infuses her story with magic
c) and she always includes a surprise
(If you haven't read her, she's written such brilliant re-tellings as Ella Enchanted and Fairest, as well as a fantastic book on writing called Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly)
A Tale of Two Castles is about a young girl journeying to a new land in hopes of being a 'mansioner' (actor). She arrives and through several misfortunes, loses her opportunity to apprentice to a troupe. Instead, she's given an opportunity to work with a rather large and formidable employee -- what she doesn't know is that this will lead to the greatest acting challenge of her career...if she doesn't die first.
Ms. Levine is a fantastic author because she understands the need for conflict, especially internally. She builds it up slowly, smoothly, seamlessly, and then WHAM! A finale with gain and loss (bittersweet endings are the best, I believe) and a new perspective.
I really appreciate the amount of work she's put out (a funny series of absurdist re-tellings, interesting takes on old stories, etc.) and this book, while still retaining the flavor of a Gail Carson Levine book, is her own fairytale.
The story of a girl who knows what she wants and tries her best to reach out for it, in a world where people looked down on her because of who they thought she was...it recalls to mind the great fairytales -- Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.
Also, you know what a sucker I am for beautiful illustrations, and the front cover is just...spectacular.
Have you read anything by Gail Carson Levine? Did you enjoy it?
See you on Wednesday -- we'll be discussing the differences between writing screenplays and novels!
I was working a wedding with my husband today (video). :D
I always try to read everything Gail Carson Levine writes because:
a) she writes strong heroines
b) she infuses her story with magic
c) and she always includes a surprise
(If you haven't read her, she's written such brilliant re-tellings as Ella Enchanted and Fairest, as well as a fantastic book on writing called Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly)
A Tale of Two Castles is about a young girl journeying to a new land in hopes of being a 'mansioner' (actor). She arrives and through several misfortunes, loses her opportunity to apprentice to a troupe. Instead, she's given an opportunity to work with a rather large and formidable employee -- what she doesn't know is that this will lead to the greatest acting challenge of her career...if she doesn't die first.
Ms. Levine is a fantastic author because she understands the need for conflict, especially internally. She builds it up slowly, smoothly, seamlessly, and then WHAM! A finale with gain and loss (bittersweet endings are the best, I believe) and a new perspective.
I really appreciate the amount of work she's put out (a funny series of absurdist re-tellings, interesting takes on old stories, etc.) and this book, while still retaining the flavor of a Gail Carson Levine book, is her own fairytale.
The story of a girl who knows what she wants and tries her best to reach out for it, in a world where people looked down on her because of who they thought she was...it recalls to mind the great fairytales -- Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.
Also, you know what a sucker I am for beautiful illustrations, and the front cover is just...spectacular.
Have you read anything by Gail Carson Levine? Did you enjoy it?
See you on Wednesday -- we'll be discussing the differences between writing screenplays and novels!
Monday, December 17, 2012
Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck
Well, here's an unexpected tale...
I picked up Secrets at Sea because of the cover -- a delightful illustration of mice enjoying the high seas. Since I love both mice (having thrilled to the tales of Miss Bianca and Bernard as a youngling, as well as the tales of Redwall, The Mouse of Amherst, and the Rats of NIMH) and the open sea, I expected to fall in love with this book.
But I almost didn't.
And I think the font is largely responsible (although I think the author's voice had something to do with it as well).
It is difficult for me to read some fonts -- isn't that rather unfair to poor storytellers who don't choose their own fonts? I have no idea why it's so terribly hard for me, but it is, and that's all there is to it.
The voice felt very slow as well, and I had to pick the book up and put it down several times before I finished the story.
But, if you're unlike me in that you can read any font, you might really enjoy this story.
(Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it -- the last half of the book was hilarious while also thought-provoking)
This is the story of Helena -- a mouse, her sisters and brother, and their journey across the ocean with "their" humans (their families are intertwined -- the Upstairs Cranstons are the humans, and the Downstairs Cranstons are the mice, and they've lived in the same houses for generations), whereupon they meet several mice of distinction (and humans as well) in an attempt to make a new life for themselves -- and their humans. It's the story of an eldest sister who feels left out, the decisions we must make to be happy (and let others be happy), and the surprises life brings our way just when we think we've got it all figured out.
It's sort of a Jane Austen high society satire with a look into the impoverished side of things as well as racial -- speciest? (well, mice vs. people) differences.
If you like madcap capers, romantic intrigue on the high seas, society weddings, witty dialogue and light-hearted, screwball comedy -- try this book.
See you on Wednesday!
P.S. Not quite done with the thrilling fairytale so that'll have to wait until after Christmas. I'll be taking a break next week and will return on Jan. 1.
I picked up Secrets at Sea because of the cover -- a delightful illustration of mice enjoying the high seas. Since I love both mice (having thrilled to the tales of Miss Bianca and Bernard as a youngling, as well as the tales of Redwall, The Mouse of Amherst, and the Rats of NIMH) and the open sea, I expected to fall in love with this book.
But I almost didn't.
And I think the font is largely responsible (although I think the author's voice had something to do with it as well).
It is difficult for me to read some fonts -- isn't that rather unfair to poor storytellers who don't choose their own fonts? I have no idea why it's so terribly hard for me, but it is, and that's all there is to it.
The voice felt very slow as well, and I had to pick the book up and put it down several times before I finished the story.
But, if you're unlike me in that you can read any font, you might really enjoy this story.
(Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it -- the last half of the book was hilarious while also thought-provoking)
This is the story of Helena -- a mouse, her sisters and brother, and their journey across the ocean with "their" humans (their families are intertwined -- the Upstairs Cranstons are the humans, and the Downstairs Cranstons are the mice, and they've lived in the same houses for generations), whereupon they meet several mice of distinction (and humans as well) in an attempt to make a new life for themselves -- and their humans. It's the story of an eldest sister who feels left out, the decisions we must make to be happy (and let others be happy), and the surprises life brings our way just when we think we've got it all figured out.
It's sort of a Jane Austen high society satire with a look into the impoverished side of things as well as racial -- speciest? (well, mice vs. people) differences.
If you like madcap capers, romantic intrigue on the high seas, society weddings, witty dialogue and light-hearted, screwball comedy -- try this book.
See you on Wednesday!
P.S. Not quite done with the thrilling fairytale so that'll have to wait until after Christmas. I'll be taking a break next week and will return on Jan. 1.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Although it probably looks like I've been reading only YA for the past month or so, that isn't really the case. I've peppered my reading with the Dresden Files (Jim Butcher -- amazing writer) and a few grown-up books here and there (including an ill-fated turn in Rowling's new book -- A Casual Vacancy) -- including this one, Why We Broke Up.
I was surprised and delighted to find that Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) had paired up with an illustrator to tell the tale of a break-up.
I know that sounds disheartening. A story full of young love, woe, and several objects relating to the relationship -- a book of matches, beer bottle caps, rose petals, etc. All the trappings of a bad romance.
But the book is surprisingly delicate, sensitive, and hopeful.
I loved it.
It spoke to me in a way I've never been spoken to before except in the occasional, and quite rare, beautiful indie movie.
It spoke to me about my own bad romance, painful breakup, and the happiness of finding love again.
It spoke to me about the fragility of relationships and the care you must take in keeping them, no matter if they're friendships or romantic entanglements.
It reminded me of a past I'd tried to push down and forget instead of processing.
It helped me heal.
It's a beautiful portrayal of life at the age where everything seems magical up until that moment when everything goes dark and you reach adulthood.
There are gorgeously written descriptions, spare bits of dialogue, and an overwhelming feeling of "I remember this..." enclosed in these pages.
And although there are, of course, a few things that might offend (although not in detail), the overall message is one of hope, and I'm deeply grateful it chose to end in such a way instead of taking the overused (and abused) typically indie ending of "No one is happy, and that's life."
Instead, this brilliant and illuminating story ends with an affirmation -- that you will love again, that love will find you, when you least expect it.
This is going on my Christmas list.
I can't wait to read it again.
I was surprised and delighted to find that Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) had paired up with an illustrator to tell the tale of a break-up.
I know that sounds disheartening. A story full of young love, woe, and several objects relating to the relationship -- a book of matches, beer bottle caps, rose petals, etc. All the trappings of a bad romance.
But the book is surprisingly delicate, sensitive, and hopeful.
I loved it.
It spoke to me in a way I've never been spoken to before except in the occasional, and quite rare, beautiful indie movie.
It spoke to me about my own bad romance, painful breakup, and the happiness of finding love again.
It spoke to me about the fragility of relationships and the care you must take in keeping them, no matter if they're friendships or romantic entanglements.
It reminded me of a past I'd tried to push down and forget instead of processing.
It helped me heal.
It's a beautiful portrayal of life at the age where everything seems magical up until that moment when everything goes dark and you reach adulthood.
There are gorgeously written descriptions, spare bits of dialogue, and an overwhelming feeling of "I remember this..." enclosed in these pages.
And although there are, of course, a few things that might offend (although not in detail), the overall message is one of hope, and I'm deeply grateful it chose to end in such a way instead of taking the overused (and abused) typically indie ending of "No one is happy, and that's life."
Instead, this brilliant and illuminating story ends with an affirmation -- that you will love again, that love will find you, when you least expect it.
This is going on my Christmas list.
I can't wait to read it again.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Nevermore by James Patterson
?!#$%@?!?!?!?!?!@#$*&?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?@#$@%&(@%@#$!?!?!?!
The above shows an accurate image of my brain while reading Nevermore.
Nevermore is the last Maximum Ride book (No. 8) by James Patterson and...it does not disappoint. I read all the Max books earlier this year and was shocked and dismayed to learn I'd have to wait for the last one to appear (I hate waiting).
My emotions had been wrung to the extreme during the prior books and having to wait to resolve them was...absolutely the worst torture imaginable (I survived by reading probably 50 books in between, if not more).
All that to say, if you haven't read Maximum Ride, buckle up and borrow them ALL AT ONCE.
One of my favorite things about James Patterson's writing (at least in this series) is how FAST it goes. He writes so smoothly that you don't even notice the pages flipping OR how much time has passed. I've read these usually all in one sitting because once they hook, they hook hard (And usually right away). If you ever sit down and say, "I'm just going to read one chapter," you realize how short the chapters are (usually a few pages) and allow yourself to read half the book before you realize what's going on.
So, this was the end for Max. I thought I knew where Patterson was heading with this. I was really, really worried and prepared to be devastated by the loss of my favorite characters.
AND JAMES PATTERSON IS THE WORST because right near the end he writes a beautiful, tragic moment and it's "The End" and you're all like "HOLY CRAP THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING WHERE'S MY THERAPIST'S NUMBER?!?!?!?!" and then you turn the page -- "And then..." I don't think my heart has ever plunged to the depths and flown into the stratosphere with such speed!
The unexpected, crap-your-pants twists (there's really no other way to say it!) were breathtaking (in good and bad ways).
Although I love this book, there were a few tiny things that weren't wrapped up to my satisfaction:
-- one character just decided to switch loyalties at the last second (not a major character so not a major problem with me) and I still have a hard time trusting them (the explanation was "Brainwashed" and we don't get an explanation of how they just happen to change their mind)
-- one character just decides to not care about a VERY BIG ISSUE anymore (less of a problem since I'm happy with the way things ended between two other characters because of this)
That's basically it. The ending, while completely unexpected, is a refreshing change from all the heartache, running, fighting, and killing the team has had to do for THE ENTIRE SERIES. So I'm cool with it.
Although I'm really sad I'll never read a new Maximum Ride book ever again. It really is one of the best series I've ever read, for its characters (exceptionally real), its pacing and plotting (excellent material for writers to study), and the emotional gut-wrenching that has probably given me health problems.
I am now driven to drawing Maximum Ride fan art and re-reading the entire brilliant story over and over again.
The good news? Patterson has written lots of books, including adult fiction. I shall seek out more. AND, the even better news, Patterson is co-writing a new series entitled Confessions of a Murder Suspect and included the first few chapters in Nevermore. I'm already hooked.
Thanks for the amazing Ride (ok, that was lame and I'm sorry), Mr. Patterson.
Notes: I figured out why the photos in the tutorial I posted are not showing up (are they showing up for you?) so I'll be fixing that this week. Remember, no Wednesday or Friday posts, but I WILL have another review for you on Monday.
Also, there's still a day or two left of Rachel Aaron's Eli Monpress Raffle! Enter here to WIN FREE BOOKS!
Happy Thanksgiving week!
The above shows an accurate image of my brain while reading Nevermore.
Nevermore is the last Maximum Ride book (No. 8) by James Patterson and...it does not disappoint. I read all the Max books earlier this year and was shocked and dismayed to learn I'd have to wait for the last one to appear (I hate waiting).
My emotions had been wrung to the extreme during the prior books and having to wait to resolve them was...absolutely the worst torture imaginable (I survived by reading probably 50 books in between, if not more).
All that to say, if you haven't read Maximum Ride, buckle up and borrow them ALL AT ONCE.
One of my favorite things about James Patterson's writing (at least in this series) is how FAST it goes. He writes so smoothly that you don't even notice the pages flipping OR how much time has passed. I've read these usually all in one sitting because once they hook, they hook hard (And usually right away). If you ever sit down and say, "I'm just going to read one chapter," you realize how short the chapters are (usually a few pages) and allow yourself to read half the book before you realize what's going on.
So, this was the end for Max. I thought I knew where Patterson was heading with this. I was really, really worried and prepared to be devastated by the loss of my favorite characters.
AND JAMES PATTERSON IS THE WORST because right near the end he writes a beautiful, tragic moment and it's "The End" and you're all like "HOLY CRAP THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING WHERE'S MY THERAPIST'S NUMBER?!?!?!?!" and then you turn the page -- "And then..." I don't think my heart has ever plunged to the depths and flown into the stratosphere with such speed!
The unexpected, crap-your-pants twists (there's really no other way to say it!) were breathtaking (in good and bad ways).
Although I love this book, there were a few tiny things that weren't wrapped up to my satisfaction:
-- one character just decided to switch loyalties at the last second (not a major character so not a major problem with me) and I still have a hard time trusting them (the explanation was "Brainwashed" and we don't get an explanation of how they just happen to change their mind)
-- one character just decides to not care about a VERY BIG ISSUE anymore (less of a problem since I'm happy with the way things ended between two other characters because of this)
That's basically it. The ending, while completely unexpected, is a refreshing change from all the heartache, running, fighting, and killing the team has had to do for THE ENTIRE SERIES. So I'm cool with it.
Although I'm really sad I'll never read a new Maximum Ride book ever again. It really is one of the best series I've ever read, for its characters (exceptionally real), its pacing and plotting (excellent material for writers to study), and the emotional gut-wrenching that has probably given me health problems.
I am now driven to drawing Maximum Ride fan art and re-reading the entire brilliant story over and over again.
The good news? Patterson has written lots of books, including adult fiction. I shall seek out more. AND, the even better news, Patterson is co-writing a new series entitled Confessions of a Murder Suspect and included the first few chapters in Nevermore. I'm already hooked.
Thanks for the amazing Ride (ok, that was lame and I'm sorry), Mr. Patterson.
Notes: I figured out why the photos in the tutorial I posted are not showing up (are they showing up for you?) so I'll be fixing that this week. Remember, no Wednesday or Friday posts, but I WILL have another review for you on Monday.
Also, there's still a day or two left of Rachel Aaron's Eli Monpress Raffle! Enter here to WIN FREE BOOKS!
Happy Thanksgiving week!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Who Could That Be At This Hour?
If you've never read A Series of Unfortunate Events, you're missing out. And this review might not make as much sense (as amidst the SQUEE-ing and EEK-ing there'll be a few minor spoilers or plot points only recognizable by those who've been keeping track of the V.F.D. and the whereabouts of the Baudelaires). So go to your local library and check them out!
Who Could That Be At This Hour? is Mr. Snicket's first book in his new series, All The Wrong Questions, which uncovers the beginning of Mr. Snicket's life for all of us who were wondering just how he got involved with the V.F.D. (and the Baudelaires).
First off, I love the writing style -- reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events but more like...Lemony is developing his style (a quite clever 'beginning' in and of itself). He's quite young in this story (thirteen) and hasn't become the slightly embittered, sad older man, although he does have a prolific vocabulary and is already secretive.
Second, the surprises in the book (the truth about Lemony's parents, the reveal about who he was going to meet in the city, the mysterious question-mark creature -- an answer to a question from A Series of Unfortunate Events!) were brilliant -- most I didn't see coming but made sense (which is my favorite).
Third, I love the names he comes up with. Ellington Feint is a new favorite.
Fourth, of course Lemony would leave us with MORE questions rather than fewer. But I believe some of our questions in regards to A Series will be answered obliquely throughout this new series.
Fifth and last, His worldbuilding is fantastic. I feel as if I know the places, can see them, and that they are very close by...Lemony can create atmosphere in just a few words. I don't know many authors who are as capable.
I'm very much looking forward to reading the next book in this new series!
Also, if you haven't already done so, visit Mr. Snicket's site and sign up for the newsletter -- I've been receiving delightfully mysterious illustrated rhyming notes about the books. You can sign up HERE. (Exploring the site further will get you access to the first two chapters of Who Could That Be At This Hour?)
See you all on Wednesday -- as well as Thursday for a Special Post (With Pictures)! Friday will still be First Lines.
Keep reading!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Sorry I didn't post this yesterday -- le husband has a sinus infection and I'm desperately trying to not get sick as the musical I'm in is being performed in a few days (!!!). So I was taking care of him, running errands, in rehearsals...you get the idea.
BUT
I have a nice new review for you, AND, next week, we'll take a look at Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket! I have a wonderful friend who let me borrow their copy!! Exciting!!!
And now, for a review of Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi:
I found it a bit difficult at first to get into this book. The story switches between two characters and they are so different that going back and forth took real effort. I put the book down for a few days and did other things and when I came back to it -- something had changed.
I'm not sure if I just got to the point of the story where it became easier to switch between characters or if I was just too interested in what was happening to care, but whatever the reason, Under the Never Sky sucked me in and didn't let go until I'd turned the last page.
Literally -- I was laying on my couch reading and when I was done my arm hurt so badly from holding the book! I was sore for hours. It was ridiculous.
Oddly enough, one of the big things I liked is that the characters are so different. There's the Insider and the Outsider and the way they see each other. Of course, when they are thrown together, they have to learn to survive (each other and the elements) and throw their prejudices to the wind. They're all each other has. This makes for great story because you have internal and external conflict and there's so much you can do with that -- not just life-and-death situations, but the day to day living with someone you don't know/trust.
Over the course of the story, things take a romantic turn, but it wasn't a mushy, gooey, cheesy high school romance. These are two people who have survived -- almost being killed, starved, living in the wild, etc. They are tough. They are brave. They are willing to do whatever it takes to find their loved ones -- even if it means having to go their separate ways. This means the love story is also tough (they know they probably won't be able to stay together), brave (they decide to be together anyway) and take the risk to be with each other, which ends up making them better people -- it brings about healing in their own lives, which is what real love should do.
It isn't completely tragic, but I know the book is the first of a series, so I'm wondering what the eventual conclusion is -- everything is set up as if they won't be able to stay together -- they're from different worlds, really.
I also want to mention how real the world felt, even though, again, there are two very different ways of life portrayed in the books -- one sci-fi and one primitive. It made me consider how hi-tech parts of our world are, some right next to still primitive settlements.
The story isn't as much about the romance (thank goodness) as it is about the human spirit and what we'll do for love (familial love, romantic love, love of friends, etc.).
If you like science fiction, survival stories, epic romance, or exploring strange new worlds -- Under the Nevery Sky is for you.
Check it (and the sequels' covers) out here: Under the Never Sky
See you on Wednesday -- I'll be discussing writing habits and more from Writing The Breakout Novel by Donald Maass!
BUT
I have a nice new review for you, AND, next week, we'll take a look at Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket! I have a wonderful friend who let me borrow their copy!! Exciting!!!
And now, for a review of Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi:
I found it a bit difficult at first to get into this book. The story switches between two characters and they are so different that going back and forth took real effort. I put the book down for a few days and did other things and when I came back to it -- something had changed.
I'm not sure if I just got to the point of the story where it became easier to switch between characters or if I was just too interested in what was happening to care, but whatever the reason, Under the Never Sky sucked me in and didn't let go until I'd turned the last page.
Literally -- I was laying on my couch reading and when I was done my arm hurt so badly from holding the book! I was sore for hours. It was ridiculous.
Oddly enough, one of the big things I liked is that the characters are so different. There's the Insider and the Outsider and the way they see each other. Of course, when they are thrown together, they have to learn to survive (each other and the elements) and throw their prejudices to the wind. They're all each other has. This makes for great story because you have internal and external conflict and there's so much you can do with that -- not just life-and-death situations, but the day to day living with someone you don't know/trust.
Over the course of the story, things take a romantic turn, but it wasn't a mushy, gooey, cheesy high school romance. These are two people who have survived -- almost being killed, starved, living in the wild, etc. They are tough. They are brave. They are willing to do whatever it takes to find their loved ones -- even if it means having to go their separate ways. This means the love story is also tough (they know they probably won't be able to stay together), brave (they decide to be together anyway) and take the risk to be with each other, which ends up making them better people -- it brings about healing in their own lives, which is what real love should do.
It isn't completely tragic, but I know the book is the first of a series, so I'm wondering what the eventual conclusion is -- everything is set up as if they won't be able to stay together -- they're from different worlds, really.
I also want to mention how real the world felt, even though, again, there are two very different ways of life portrayed in the books -- one sci-fi and one primitive. It made me consider how hi-tech parts of our world are, some right next to still primitive settlements.
The story isn't as much about the romance (thank goodness) as it is about the human spirit and what we'll do for love (familial love, romantic love, love of friends, etc.).
If you like science fiction, survival stories, epic romance, or exploring strange new worlds -- Under the Nevery Sky is for you.
Check it (and the sequels' covers) out here: Under the Never Sky
See you on Wednesday -- I'll be discussing writing habits and more from Writing The Breakout Novel by Donald Maass!
Monday, October 29, 2012
A Girl Walked Into A Bar: Rachel Dratch's Autobiography
Happy Monday!
I have discovered this year that I love biographies/autobiographies/memoirs -- I've read the lives of Carol Burnett, Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, Elizabeth Taylor, Steve Martin, and more. And now, Rachel Dratch (I'm just waiting on Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiig's books).
Rachel was one of the gang of SNL comediennes in the era I started watching -- along with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph. These hilarious and beautiful ladies graced the screen and inspired me by being tough, intelligent and somewhat put together.
Rachel Dratch (famous for her Debbie Downer sketch, or the always exciting cameos on 30 Rock) was the one nobody seemed to know much about (I think she's more private than the others, although they are all pretty private) and so I was curious to see what she would be writing about in her new book.
It was quite a shock what she discussed -- the 30 Rock debacle (in which she had no hard feelings, she and Tina knew the network/show would be changing things up and Rachel and Tina are still friends), her dating disasters (really, she had the WORST luck) and the miracle of giving birth at 44 (by accidental pregnancy).
Not a shock in a bad way, just that someone would be so candid about their life. I guess I'm an extremely private person and I don't know just what I'd be comfortable sharing -- but maybe that's the point of an autobiography, that you're really sitting down with thousands of people who want to know you and allowing them a peek into your private life.
There were quite a few things people might be uncomfortable with (certain words or situations), but Rachel steers clear of nitty gritty details, which was a relief. Some people don't know when to leave something up to the reader's imaginations.
What she did write about she wrote with a funny, cheeky style and I feel like if I ever get to meet her, I'd love to spend an afternoon just listening to her stories. She writes things so easily and you really feel like you're getting to know her and see why she is who she is.
The ending did make me sad -- she got pregnant (she thought she was going through menopause) after dating someone for about six months and although he moved across the country to be with her and the baby (which is wonderful), they haven't really defined their relationship and are taking everything one step at a time as they try to figure out life with a newborn. I know Rachel says she's completely ok with this, but I know there are some nights where she must toss and turn, worrying about how Eli will grow up -- with a Jewish religious experience (her preference)? With/without married parents? With a dad who's around a lot? With a busy mom? The unknowns frighten me and I hope Rachel has the strength to face the unknown -- although, from reading her story, she's been doing that her whole life, so clearly, she's up to the challenge.
I'd love to meet her someday -- to thank her for all the laughs on SNL, for being candid, and for inspiring the rest of us to roll with the punches and take what life gives you.
See you all on Write Wednesday for a peek into pre-NaNo activities and a writing book that's currently blowing my mind (it is fantastic)!
Next week's review will be about Veronica Rossi's debut novel, Under the Never Sky.
Stay tuned!
I have discovered this year that I love biographies/autobiographies/memoirs -- I've read the lives of Carol Burnett, Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, Elizabeth Taylor, Steve Martin, and more. And now, Rachel Dratch (I'm just waiting on Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiig's books).
Rachel was one of the gang of SNL comediennes in the era I started watching -- along with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph. These hilarious and beautiful ladies graced the screen and inspired me by being tough, intelligent and somewhat put together.
Rachel Dratch (famous for her Debbie Downer sketch, or the always exciting cameos on 30 Rock) was the one nobody seemed to know much about (I think she's more private than the others, although they are all pretty private) and so I was curious to see what she would be writing about in her new book.
It was quite a shock what she discussed -- the 30 Rock debacle (in which she had no hard feelings, she and Tina knew the network/show would be changing things up and Rachel and Tina are still friends), her dating disasters (really, she had the WORST luck) and the miracle of giving birth at 44 (by accidental pregnancy).
Not a shock in a bad way, just that someone would be so candid about their life. I guess I'm an extremely private person and I don't know just what I'd be comfortable sharing -- but maybe that's the point of an autobiography, that you're really sitting down with thousands of people who want to know you and allowing them a peek into your private life.
There were quite a few things people might be uncomfortable with (certain words or situations), but Rachel steers clear of nitty gritty details, which was a relief. Some people don't know when to leave something up to the reader's imaginations.
What she did write about she wrote with a funny, cheeky style and I feel like if I ever get to meet her, I'd love to spend an afternoon just listening to her stories. She writes things so easily and you really feel like you're getting to know her and see why she is who she is.
The ending did make me sad -- she got pregnant (she thought she was going through menopause) after dating someone for about six months and although he moved across the country to be with her and the baby (which is wonderful), they haven't really defined their relationship and are taking everything one step at a time as they try to figure out life with a newborn. I know Rachel says she's completely ok with this, but I know there are some nights where she must toss and turn, worrying about how Eli will grow up -- with a Jewish religious experience (her preference)? With/without married parents? With a dad who's around a lot? With a busy mom? The unknowns frighten me and I hope Rachel has the strength to face the unknown -- although, from reading her story, she's been doing that her whole life, so clearly, she's up to the challenge.
I'd love to meet her someday -- to thank her for all the laughs on SNL, for being candid, and for inspiring the rest of us to roll with the punches and take what life gives you.
See you all on Write Wednesday for a peek into pre-NaNo activities and a writing book that's currently blowing my mind (it is fantastic)!
Next week's review will be about Veronica Rossi's debut novel, Under the Never Sky.
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Write Wednesday: Mixed Bag
Welcome back to Write Wednesday!
Today I'm going to be talking about:
A Beginning, A Muddle and an End -- Avi's unconventional book on writing (a sequel!)
Worldbuilding using The Five Senses (as discussed in Monday night's NaNoWriMo event)
AND the YAmazing Race -- a 50-blog hop around the web with PRIZES and introductions to new books!
Are you excited? You totally should be. (Mostly about that last bit, right??)
Avi's A Beginning, A Muddle and an End is a sequel to his thought-provoking The End of the Beginning -- but it isn't a typical sequel. The End of the Beginning speaks about the meaning of things, while A Beginning, A Muddle and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing is specifically about what it means to be a teller of tales (The books feature the same main characters, a snail and his friend, an ant).
A Beginning, A Muddle and an End is hilarious -- I laughed through most of the book. Avi cleverly twists words, offers advice and pokes fun at the way people look at writers (even writers themselves) and the process of writing.
If you want a fresh look at creating stories and living like an author instead of plodding through a dull and dusty text, try this one on for size.
In our local chapter of NaNoWriMo, we like to get together BEFORE November 1 and gab, gab, gab about what we're doing -- we also like to play games (Expando Sentence, Word Wars and role-playing as characters are among the favorites), eat more than our weight in candy, and buy waaaaay too many pristine and shiny new notebooks. And also, err, learn stuff that will help us in our crafting of novels come November 1.
SO, our MLs (chapter heads, municipal liaisons) produced a World Building Online Event. We eagerly logged on around 8:00 and chatted back and forth the entire time whilst 'listening' to the moderator about how to deepen our world using the five senses.
We took one character and plunged them into the busiest street in our world (for mine, that was in the middle of her city). We were told to write out:
3 things the character sees (landmarks -- particular to him/her)
3 things the character smells
3 things the character tastes (defeat, smoke, etc.)
3 things the character feels (pavement, jacket, etc.)
3 things the character hears
These were scattered throughout the chat, not all at once. It was a fantastic exercise because we had to close our eyes and take a good, hard look at how detailed our worlds were. I thought I had a pretty solid grasp on mine (I went through 30 Days of Worldbuilding, after all), but I realized I had left out a few of the senses. Grounding the character in the world will also help the reader, which is highly important since, you know, you want someone to enjoy your writing (even if it's just you and your family!).
It gave me a lot to think about and I might even go do some research (wander around downtown) so I can get the authentic take on a middling size city and its smells, sounds, sights, etc. It was also interesting to read everyone else's -- some were extremely detailed (the food descriptions were mouth-watering), some sparse, but all were unique and interesting.
We also did an exercise where we had to have the character overhear a line of dialogue (mine was, "Where is that glittery little freak?") -- VERY HELPFUL when establishing tone and pronunciation, vocabulary, etc.
another thing we did was discuss what made our stories OURS. What differentiates mine from my friend Mage Raven's story? What's the unique thing about my book? Being able to articulate that was encouraging and inspiring.
The last thing we did was to create a string of words that gave us the "feel" of our novel, something that will help us get 'in the mood' when writing as quickly as possible. For example: upon reading A Series of Unfortunate Events, I might say the string of words consisted of the following -- dreary, eye, mysterious, V.F.D., library/books, siblings, adventure. All of those would bring to mind the series and help me flesh it out. Does that make sense?
It was an extremely helpful and productive event, as you can see -- even for someone who's already spent a lot of time on worldbuilding!
OK -- so, the two most exciting parts of the post:
1. LEMONY SNICKET'S NEW BOOK CAME OUT YESTERDAY. (Who Could That Be At This Hour?, Book 1 of the All The Wrong Questions series) My friend texted me last night to say he had bought it and was halfway through AND IT HAD ALREADY ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE QUESTION MARK IN THE OCEAN. AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway...
2. Take part in the YAmazing Race! Project Mayhem (a collection of awesome middle grade writers) is doing a ridiculously cool blog-hop contest and the prizes are out of this world -- books, bookmarks, author-signed copies, stickers, mugs, tees, keychains, etc. YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS. Each leg of the race consists of about 12 books, then you fill out a quiz about the synopses you read and then you can complete the next leg of the contest (there are 4; I've done two already). Also, most authors are doing a separate giveaway on their blog, so remember to look for that as well. The rules and contest info can be found here: YAmazing Race
Hurry, it ends Monday, October 29th! Good luck!
...See you on Friday for First Lines!
Today I'm going to be talking about:
A Beginning, A Muddle and an End -- Avi's unconventional book on writing (a sequel!)
Worldbuilding using The Five Senses (as discussed in Monday night's NaNoWriMo event)
AND the YAmazing Race -- a 50-blog hop around the web with PRIZES and introductions to new books!
Are you excited? You totally should be. (Mostly about that last bit, right??)
Avi's A Beginning, A Muddle and an End is a sequel to his thought-provoking The End of the Beginning -- but it isn't a typical sequel. The End of the Beginning speaks about the meaning of things, while A Beginning, A Muddle and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing is specifically about what it means to be a teller of tales (The books feature the same main characters, a snail and his friend, an ant).
A Beginning, A Muddle and an End is hilarious -- I laughed through most of the book. Avi cleverly twists words, offers advice and pokes fun at the way people look at writers (even writers themselves) and the process of writing.
If you want a fresh look at creating stories and living like an author instead of plodding through a dull and dusty text, try this one on for size.
In our local chapter of NaNoWriMo, we like to get together BEFORE November 1 and gab, gab, gab about what we're doing -- we also like to play games (Expando Sentence, Word Wars and role-playing as characters are among the favorites), eat more than our weight in candy, and buy waaaaay too many pristine and shiny new notebooks. And also, err, learn stuff that will help us in our crafting of novels come November 1.
SO, our MLs (chapter heads, municipal liaisons) produced a World Building Online Event. We eagerly logged on around 8:00 and chatted back and forth the entire time whilst 'listening' to the moderator about how to deepen our world using the five senses.
We took one character and plunged them into the busiest street in our world (for mine, that was in the middle of her city). We were told to write out:
3 things the character sees (landmarks -- particular to him/her)
3 things the character smells
3 things the character tastes (defeat, smoke, etc.)
3 things the character feels (pavement, jacket, etc.)
3 things the character hears
These were scattered throughout the chat, not all at once. It was a fantastic exercise because we had to close our eyes and take a good, hard look at how detailed our worlds were. I thought I had a pretty solid grasp on mine (I went through 30 Days of Worldbuilding, after all), but I realized I had left out a few of the senses. Grounding the character in the world will also help the reader, which is highly important since, you know, you want someone to enjoy your writing (even if it's just you and your family!).
It gave me a lot to think about and I might even go do some research (wander around downtown) so I can get the authentic take on a middling size city and its smells, sounds, sights, etc. It was also interesting to read everyone else's -- some were extremely detailed (the food descriptions were mouth-watering), some sparse, but all were unique and interesting.
We also did an exercise where we had to have the character overhear a line of dialogue (mine was, "Where is that glittery little freak?") -- VERY HELPFUL when establishing tone and pronunciation, vocabulary, etc.
another thing we did was discuss what made our stories OURS. What differentiates mine from my friend Mage Raven's story? What's the unique thing about my book? Being able to articulate that was encouraging and inspiring.
The last thing we did was to create a string of words that gave us the "feel" of our novel, something that will help us get 'in the mood' when writing as quickly as possible. For example: upon reading A Series of Unfortunate Events, I might say the string of words consisted of the following -- dreary, eye, mysterious, V.F.D., library/books, siblings, adventure. All of those would bring to mind the series and help me flesh it out. Does that make sense?
It was an extremely helpful and productive event, as you can see -- even for someone who's already spent a lot of time on worldbuilding!
OK -- so, the two most exciting parts of the post:
1. LEMONY SNICKET'S NEW BOOK CAME OUT YESTERDAY. (Who Could That Be At This Hour?, Book 1 of the All The Wrong Questions series) My friend texted me last night to say he had bought it and was halfway through AND IT HAD ALREADY ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE QUESTION MARK IN THE OCEAN. AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway...
2. Take part in the YAmazing Race! Project Mayhem (a collection of awesome middle grade writers) is doing a ridiculously cool blog-hop contest and the prizes are out of this world -- books, bookmarks, author-signed copies, stickers, mugs, tees, keychains, etc. YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS. Each leg of the race consists of about 12 books, then you fill out a quiz about the synopses you read and then you can complete the next leg of the contest (there are 4; I've done two already). Also, most authors are doing a separate giveaway on their blog, so remember to look for that as well. The rules and contest info can be found here: YAmazing Race
Hurry, it ends Monday, October 29th! Good luck!
...See you on Friday for First Lines!
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