And that person is...
Janet Lefley!!
Congratulations, Janet! I'll get that book to you asap.
Tomorrow is a new month, and a new contest. I've got two books to give away this time, and I'll be announcing what they are tomorrow morning. Stay tuned!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Winner of the January 2011 Reading Challenge Giveaway!
And that person is...
Janet Lefley!!
Congratulations, Janet! I'll get that book to you asap.
Tomorrow is a new month, and a new contest. I've got two books to give away this time, and I'll be announcing what they are tomorrow morning. Stay tuned!
500 Word Critique: YA Paranormal
In case you were wondering, I'm still doing 500 word critiques. Most of you have asked me not to post your work to my blog, which is fine. But there are still some folks out there who are willing to share this with others, and this is the first person who's shared her identity! So, here's Sherry from Dark Angel's Blog, and her first 500 words. If you want to read more, here's a link to the entire first chapter.
In the past, I've just posted the story with my comments inline, but I'm going to do this one a little differently. I'm going to post the excerpt first, then put a second excerpt with my comments after that. This way you all can read without being influenced by my opinions. :)
YA Paranormal Excerpt:
For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard whispers in the shadows—dark, twisting shapes that chilled my blood. Evil things that gave me nightmares and made me fear the dark. During the day, I normally felt safe with the heat of the sun brushing my skin, but nightfall roused a trembling that traveled from my legs and vibrated up my neck.
When they showed up this morning, I immediately recognized the trace of chilling menace that limped up my spine, congealing my blood into ice. This primitive instinct, like a sixth sense, always hit me whenever the shadows appeared.
I’d been writing an essay for my English class on my deepest fears. On the floor near the desk lay my other crumbled attempts. I wasn’t thrilled by the assignment. Most of my friends were writing about their fear of not getting into a good college or asked to the prom. Me? I wrote about Nyctophobia, an irrational fear of the dark.
I stood up, scanning all the dim corners of the room. My gut clenched tight. Then I got on my hands and knees to check under the bed. Nothing. The closet door stood open a crack. I wavered, shoulders hitching.
Dragging myself toward the closet, I pushed the door open with my foot. The overhead light revealed nothing unusual. Why was I feeling so freaked?
Chill out, Serenity. I told myself it was just a case of overactive imagination when a rush on the edge of my skin made me shiver. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I’d forgotten to keep my telekinetic shield up. Again.
A maelstrom of shadows caught my peripheral vision. They murmured in an ancient language, covering the white carpet like an opaque stain. Within the inky blobs were glittering dots. Crimson eyes. Open and staring. Spiny obsidian fingers reached out to grab my ankles--anthracite things with darkling eyes, feeding off my fear, doled out like so much bitter candy.
Behind me, the floorboards creaked beneath the worn carpet.
I glanced over my shoulder--and froze.
An amorphous darkness crept along the wall, different from the others. The malevolent shape slithered closer, swirling in front of my wide eyes. As though the dark had come alive and coalesced while I watched, taking on form--human form. The figure pulsated like a nimbus of crude oil, growing until it nearly reached the ceiling. Muscles stretching over bones, skin twitching, a resurrection of glittering obsidian, smooth and razor-sharp, created out of darkness, out of shadows. It throbbed, altered, trickled into limbs, and flesh and...
Oh, God, the thing was almost touching me. I yelped and stumbled back, bumping into a chair. My heartbeat roared in my ears. He wasn’t a shadow. He wasn’t a ghost. Darkness Incarnate. A big bad evil. Whatever.
I shook my head hoping the image would fade away. The headshake didn’t make a difference. Only confirmed my worst nightmare…
Darkness had become corporal and was standing in my purple bedroom.
My Comments:
This is very intriguing! You’ve done a good job of introducing new elements, providing a little explanation so the reader isn’t confused, and also given a few new elements that prompt more questions—such as the telekinetic shield. My comments are in green below.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard whispers in the shadows—dark, twisting shapes that chilled my blood. [Evil things that gave me nightmares and made me fear the dark. During the day, I normally felt safe with the heat of the sun brushing my skin, but nightfall roused a trembling that traveled from my legs and vibrated up my neck.] These two sentences paint a picture that I’m not sure you want. It makes the main character seem fearful, crippled by the dark and by these shadow things that keep hounding her. It’s one thing to show a horrible enemy that hounds your character, but you also don’t want her to seem like a complete coward who’s afraid of her own shadow. I get the feeling that she’s not, based on later descriptions, but saying that she’s afraid of the dark can come across as cowardly. I think the reference to nightmares says it all, and implies the fear that would come with the dark without actually saying that she’s afraid of the dark. I hope that made sense. :)
When they showed up this morning, I immediately recognized (be careful with statements like ‘I recognized/saw/heard/noticed/realized/etc. These are classic telling phrases, and are implied because the story is being told from one person’s perspective. So, instead of telling us that she recognized something, show us how the thing appeared familiar to her) the trace of chilling menace that limped up my spine, congealing my blood into ice. This primitive instinct, like a sixth sense, always hit me whenever the shadows appeared. (The last sentence repeats a lot of the sentiments from the first. Is it possible to combine the two? For example: When they showed up this morning, the chilling menace limped up my spine and congealed my blood into ice. Just like they’ve always done.)
I’d been writing an essay for my English class on my deepest fears. On the floor near the desk lay my other crumbled (crumpled? Crumbled implies her other attempts are disintegrating into crumbs) attempts. I wasn’t thrilled by the assignment (this is implied by the other attempts littering her floor :) ). Most of my friends were writing about their fear of not getting into a good college or asked to the prom. Me? I wrote about Nyctophobia, an irrational fear of the dark. (it takes a good amount of bravery to discuss the things we fear deeply, so this is a bit conflicting. Unless she’s ready to deal with that fear, facing it head on and moving past it, I can’t see her choosing this topic. A more realistic response might be that she feels she ought to write about it, but is too afraid to.)
I stood up, scanning all the dim corners of the room. My gut clenched tight. Then I got on my hands and knees to check under the bed. Nothing. The closet door stood open a crack. I wavered, shoulders hitching.
Dragging myself toward the closet, I pushed the door open with my foot. The overhead light revealed nothing unusual. Why was I feeling so freaked? (little bit of conflicting info here—above, she’s telling us that she recognized the chilling menace as what happens whenever the shadows appeared, but here she’s not sure. This act of her questioning herself and searching the room has more tension than the earlier statement of the chilling menace and congealing blood, so perhaps keep this one instead?)
Chill out, Serenity. I told myself it was just a case of overactive imagination when a rush on the edge of my skin made me shiver.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! I’d forgotten to keep my telekinetic shield up. Again. (interesting twist...)
A maelstrom of shadows caught my peripheral vision (this is implied since the story is told through her eyes, so we know everything is going to come through her senses—it’s also telling. Instead of telling us that she caught something in her peripheral vision, show us how they caught her attention). They murmured in an ancient language, covering the white carpet like an opaque stain. Within the inky blobs were glittering dots. Crimson eyes. Open and staring. Spiny obsidian fingers reached out to grab my ankles--anthracite things with darkling eyes, feeding off my fear, doled out like so much bitter candy. (this is a perfect opportunity to show us her fear. How does it grasp her? How does it affect her? The focus of this scene is external—the way the shadows look and move. But, since she’s got an irrational fear of the dark, we need to feel her fear here. It should be thick and palpable, and the reader needs to feel his own heart beating and throat closing right along with her. Show those feelings to us)
Behind me, the floorboards creaked beneath the worn carpet.
I glanced over my shoulder--and froze.
An amorphous darkness crept along the wall, different from the others (how is it different? I know it’s has no form, but how does it move? What differentiates it from the others?). The malevolent shape slithered closer, swirling in front of my wide eyes. As though the dark had come alive and coalesced while I watched, taking on form--human form (seems like this description would come after the next few sentences?). The figure pulsated like a nimbus of crude oil, growing until it nearly reached the ceiling. Muscles stretching over bones, skin twitching, a resurrection of glittering obsidian, smooth and razor-sharp, created out of darkness, out of shadows. It throbbed, altered, trickled into limbs, and flesh and...
Oh, God, the thing was almost touching me. I yelped and stumbled back, bumping into a chair. My heartbeat roared in my ears. He wasn’t a shadow. He wasn’t a ghost. Darkness Incarnate. A big bad evil. Whatever. (this is good—it gives us her thoughts and some of her reaction to this shadow taking a human shape in her bedroom. We need more. Someone who has a phobia would have a violently emotional reaction to this. Heck, even a normal person would have a violently emotional reaction to this. :) Especially if it’s the first time she’s seeing it. If you took this much deeper, your story will grab your readers by the throat and demand that they keep reading. And they will, because they won’t be able to help themselves. :) )
I shook my head hoping the image would fade away. The headshake didn’t make a difference. Only confirmed my worst nightmare…
Darkness had become corporal and was standing in my purple bedroom. (be careful with these last two paragraphs because statements like these can sometimes come across as cliché. This kind of sounds like a chapter ending, except we’re still in the middle of a scene and at the start of some pretty serious excitement. So I’m not sure this works here. Perhaps take us directly into the confrontation instead? I’m guessing there will be a confrontation, seeing as there’s no clear escape for Serenity. Which is a very good thing. :) )
***
So? What did you all think? I thought this was great. With a little more depth, it could be amazing...
In the past, I've just posted the story with my comments inline, but I'm going to do this one a little differently. I'm going to post the excerpt first, then put a second excerpt with my comments after that. This way you all can read without being influenced by my opinions. :)
YA Paranormal Excerpt:
For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard whispers in the shadows—dark, twisting shapes that chilled my blood. Evil things that gave me nightmares and made me fear the dark. During the day, I normally felt safe with the heat of the sun brushing my skin, but nightfall roused a trembling that traveled from my legs and vibrated up my neck.
When they showed up this morning, I immediately recognized the trace of chilling menace that limped up my spine, congealing my blood into ice. This primitive instinct, like a sixth sense, always hit me whenever the shadows appeared.
I’d been writing an essay for my English class on my deepest fears. On the floor near the desk lay my other crumbled attempts. I wasn’t thrilled by the assignment. Most of my friends were writing about their fear of not getting into a good college or asked to the prom. Me? I wrote about Nyctophobia, an irrational fear of the dark.
I stood up, scanning all the dim corners of the room. My gut clenched tight. Then I got on my hands and knees to check under the bed. Nothing. The closet door stood open a crack. I wavered, shoulders hitching.
Dragging myself toward the closet, I pushed the door open with my foot. The overhead light revealed nothing unusual. Why was I feeling so freaked?
Chill out, Serenity. I told myself it was just a case of overactive imagination when a rush on the edge of my skin made me shiver. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I’d forgotten to keep my telekinetic shield up. Again.
A maelstrom of shadows caught my peripheral vision. They murmured in an ancient language, covering the white carpet like an opaque stain. Within the inky blobs were glittering dots. Crimson eyes. Open and staring. Spiny obsidian fingers reached out to grab my ankles--anthracite things with darkling eyes, feeding off my fear, doled out like so much bitter candy.
Behind me, the floorboards creaked beneath the worn carpet.
I glanced over my shoulder--and froze.
An amorphous darkness crept along the wall, different from the others. The malevolent shape slithered closer, swirling in front of my wide eyes. As though the dark had come alive and coalesced while I watched, taking on form--human form. The figure pulsated like a nimbus of crude oil, growing until it nearly reached the ceiling. Muscles stretching over bones, skin twitching, a resurrection of glittering obsidian, smooth and razor-sharp, created out of darkness, out of shadows. It throbbed, altered, trickled into limbs, and flesh and...
Oh, God, the thing was almost touching me. I yelped and stumbled back, bumping into a chair. My heartbeat roared in my ears. He wasn’t a shadow. He wasn’t a ghost. Darkness Incarnate. A big bad evil. Whatever.
I shook my head hoping the image would fade away. The headshake didn’t make a difference. Only confirmed my worst nightmare…
Darkness had become corporal and was standing in my purple bedroom.
My Comments:
This is very intriguing! You’ve done a good job of introducing new elements, providing a little explanation so the reader isn’t confused, and also given a few new elements that prompt more questions—such as the telekinetic shield. My comments are in green below.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard whispers in the shadows—dark, twisting shapes that chilled my blood. [Evil things that gave me nightmares and made me fear the dark. During the day, I normally felt safe with the heat of the sun brushing my skin, but nightfall roused a trembling that traveled from my legs and vibrated up my neck.] These two sentences paint a picture that I’m not sure you want. It makes the main character seem fearful, crippled by the dark and by these shadow things that keep hounding her. It’s one thing to show a horrible enemy that hounds your character, but you also don’t want her to seem like a complete coward who’s afraid of her own shadow. I get the feeling that she’s not, based on later descriptions, but saying that she’s afraid of the dark can come across as cowardly. I think the reference to nightmares says it all, and implies the fear that would come with the dark without actually saying that she’s afraid of the dark. I hope that made sense. :)
When they showed up this morning, I immediately recognized (be careful with statements like ‘I recognized/saw/heard/noticed/realized/etc. These are classic telling phrases, and are implied because the story is being told from one person’s perspective. So, instead of telling us that she recognized something, show us how the thing appeared familiar to her) the trace of chilling menace that limped up my spine, congealing my blood into ice. This primitive instinct, like a sixth sense, always hit me whenever the shadows appeared. (The last sentence repeats a lot of the sentiments from the first. Is it possible to combine the two? For example: When they showed up this morning, the chilling menace limped up my spine and congealed my blood into ice. Just like they’ve always done.)
I’d been writing an essay for my English class on my deepest fears. On the floor near the desk lay my other crumbled (crumpled? Crumbled implies her other attempts are disintegrating into crumbs) attempts. I wasn’t thrilled by the assignment (this is implied by the other attempts littering her floor :) ). Most of my friends were writing about their fear of not getting into a good college or asked to the prom. Me? I wrote about Nyctophobia, an irrational fear of the dark. (it takes a good amount of bravery to discuss the things we fear deeply, so this is a bit conflicting. Unless she’s ready to deal with that fear, facing it head on and moving past it, I can’t see her choosing this topic. A more realistic response might be that she feels she ought to write about it, but is too afraid to.)
I stood up, scanning all the dim corners of the room. My gut clenched tight. Then I got on my hands and knees to check under the bed. Nothing. The closet door stood open a crack. I wavered, shoulders hitching.
Dragging myself toward the closet, I pushed the door open with my foot. The overhead light revealed nothing unusual. Why was I feeling so freaked? (little bit of conflicting info here—above, she’s telling us that she recognized the chilling menace as what happens whenever the shadows appeared, but here she’s not sure. This act of her questioning herself and searching the room has more tension than the earlier statement of the chilling menace and congealing blood, so perhaps keep this one instead?)
Chill out, Serenity. I told myself it was just a case of overactive imagination when a rush on the edge of my skin made me shiver.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! I’d forgotten to keep my telekinetic shield up. Again. (interesting twist...)
A maelstrom of shadows caught my peripheral vision (this is implied since the story is told through her eyes, so we know everything is going to come through her senses—it’s also telling. Instead of telling us that she caught something in her peripheral vision, show us how they caught her attention). They murmured in an ancient language, covering the white carpet like an opaque stain. Within the inky blobs were glittering dots. Crimson eyes. Open and staring. Spiny obsidian fingers reached out to grab my ankles--anthracite things with darkling eyes, feeding off my fear, doled out like so much bitter candy. (this is a perfect opportunity to show us her fear. How does it grasp her? How does it affect her? The focus of this scene is external—the way the shadows look and move. But, since she’s got an irrational fear of the dark, we need to feel her fear here. It should be thick and palpable, and the reader needs to feel his own heart beating and throat closing right along with her. Show those feelings to us)
Behind me, the floorboards creaked beneath the worn carpet.
I glanced over my shoulder--and froze.
An amorphous darkness crept along the wall, different from the others (how is it different? I know it’s has no form, but how does it move? What differentiates it from the others?). The malevolent shape slithered closer, swirling in front of my wide eyes. As though the dark had come alive and coalesced while I watched, taking on form--human form (seems like this description would come after the next few sentences?). The figure pulsated like a nimbus of crude oil, growing until it nearly reached the ceiling. Muscles stretching over bones, skin twitching, a resurrection of glittering obsidian, smooth and razor-sharp, created out of darkness, out of shadows. It throbbed, altered, trickled into limbs, and flesh and...
Oh, God, the thing was almost touching me. I yelped and stumbled back, bumping into a chair. My heartbeat roared in my ears. He wasn’t a shadow. He wasn’t a ghost. Darkness Incarnate. A big bad evil. Whatever. (this is good—it gives us her thoughts and some of her reaction to this shadow taking a human shape in her bedroom. We need more. Someone who has a phobia would have a violently emotional reaction to this. Heck, even a normal person would have a violently emotional reaction to this. :) Especially if it’s the first time she’s seeing it. If you took this much deeper, your story will grab your readers by the throat and demand that they keep reading. And they will, because they won’t be able to help themselves. :) )
I shook my head hoping the image would fade away. The headshake didn’t make a difference. Only confirmed my worst nightmare…
Darkness had become corporal and was standing in my purple bedroom. (be careful with these last two paragraphs because statements like these can sometimes come across as cliché. This kind of sounds like a chapter ending, except we’re still in the middle of a scene and at the start of some pretty serious excitement. So I’m not sure this works here. Perhaps take us directly into the confrontation instead? I’m guessing there will be a confrontation, seeing as there’s no clear escape for Serenity. Which is a very good thing. :) )
***
So? What did you all think? I thought this was great. With a little more depth, it could be amazing...
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Winner of the January book giveaway!
I can't believe January is almost over. It's been frigid here in Chicago, and that usually makes the days drag by. Not so this month. Seems like I blinked and it's over.
So, it's time to find out who won the book giveaway for this month.
Through Random.org, that person is...
Bookish In A Box!!!
Congratulations!! I'll get your books out to you as soon as I can.
Come back next saturday to see what I'm giving away next month. HINT: two more ARCs, one of which is being released next month. :)
You also still have a chance to win a copy of Girl, Stolen by April Henry. Go here and leave a URL and you're automatically entered. One entry per URL.
So, it's time to find out who won the book giveaway for this month.
Bookish In A Box!!!
Congratulations!! I'll get your books out to you as soon as I can.
Come back next saturday to see what I'm giving away next month. HINT: two more ARCs, one of which is being released next month. :)
You also still have a chance to win a copy of Girl, Stolen by April Henry. Go here and leave a URL and you're automatically entered. One entry per URL.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Girl, Stolen by April Henry
A blind girl overlooked in the car while it's being stolen? What an awesome premise. I eagerly sat down with this book, and I like how much we learn about blindness in this story. I also liked Cheyenne as a character.
I really liked that there was no trust between Griffin and Cheyenne, on either side. It made sense considering the situation, so that was well done. I thought it was great how Cheyenne took her rescue into her own hands even though we know Griffin's plans. Things did get a bit too over the top toward the end, though.
I think the execution of this story could have been better. The relationship between Cheyenne and Griffin was a bit predictable, and much of the information revealed felt contrived (like the details of Roy's chop shop). I didn't buy it that Griffin would spill so much info after making such a huge mistake stealing the car with Cheyenne in it. He's a smart kid and would know not to make the situation worse by giving her too much info.
I wasn't fond of how some of the blindness info was conveyed. It often interfered with the story and slowed down the pacing. And some of it had too much of an us/them quality. Such as, 'all sighted people do/don't do certain things,' and 'all blind people do/don't do other things.' It's not fair to either party to create such absolutes. It's true that many sighted people ignore their other senses because they can rely on sight, but not everyone. And it's true that many blind people can do something unnoticed by sighted people, but not all. The generalizations were a bit insulting (to both sighted and unsighted people).
I really like the direction the story took, and the resolution with the characters was good. Though I do feel that the very last line was a bit of a cop out...I would have preferred something more. Not necessarily a concrete answer, but more of her line of thinking. Still, I think this is an enjoyable book worth reading.
For a chance to win an ARC of this book, go here and leave a URL.
Monday, January 24, 2011
ALA, The Today Show, and Award Winners
I know I'm a little late to this game, but it's taken me a while to gather my thoughts and put them into words.
For those who don't know what I'm talking about... The week before last, the Newbery and Caldecott award winners were announced. In years past (for the past ten years or so, I think), the winners have been interviewed briefly on The Today Show. Well, this year, that didn't happen. Instead, The Today Show chose to interview Snooki, the star of a reality TV show.
There was much uproar in the kidlit world after this, and rumors spread wide and far that The Today Show bumped the award winners for Snooki due to 'lack of interest.' After some clarification, we learned that this wasn't true. Instead, The Today Show simply said 'no' to interviewing the winners. So, instead of a bump, it was a flat out rejection. I don't know about you, but I find that to be worse... The SCBWI made a formal response, and encouraged others to do the same.
The Today Show is defending itself by saying it promotes books more than any other show on TV. They do have some great promotions, such as Al's Book Club for Kids. But the fact that they're the only person promoting books so much saddens me. And the fact that the winners were just plain turned down for an interview? Well, that depresses me.
But I'm also coming at this from the perspective of a writer for kids and teens, and I can't count how many times people have asked or suggested that I write for kids because I can't 'make it' in the adult world. I'm sorry, but that's a load of crap. I write for kids because I want to, and because it's FAR more challenging than most people think. It's really irritating when people pity me because they think I can't do any better. This inherent lack of respect is perpetuated by rejecting the request to interview award winning children's authors, and then I hear about it again from people who don't know the business. Grrr!!
*deep breath* Moving on...
So, yes, The Today Show does promote books. And, yes, it does so more than any other show out there. But, the real question is this: why? Why aren't there more people talking about all the great books that children's and teen literature has to offer? There are plenty of parents and teachers looking for great books, so why not spotlight the best of the best? Only good can come from that.
If we lived in a perfect world, this is what I would love to see happen. Book trailers right next to movie trailers in the theater (has happened for a few books so far, but I'd love to see a lot more). An amazing segment with interviews and excerpts from award winning authors' books. News coverage on those authors--Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, National Book Award, Man Booker Prize, Pulitzer (this already gets some coverage, but it'd be great to have more), and other national or worldwide awards. Book-of-the-Week spotlights for midlist authors. And more.
I know some of this already happens, and most of it won't happen anytime soon. But, hey, it's good to dream. :)
For those who don't know what I'm talking about... The week before last, the Newbery and Caldecott award winners were announced. In years past (for the past ten years or so, I think), the winners have been interviewed briefly on The Today Show. Well, this year, that didn't happen. Instead, The Today Show chose to interview Snooki, the star of a reality TV show.
There was much uproar in the kidlit world after this, and rumors spread wide and far that The Today Show bumped the award winners for Snooki due to 'lack of interest.' After some clarification, we learned that this wasn't true. Instead, The Today Show simply said 'no' to interviewing the winners. So, instead of a bump, it was a flat out rejection. I don't know about you, but I find that to be worse... The SCBWI made a formal response, and encouraged others to do the same.
The Today Show is defending itself by saying it promotes books more than any other show on TV. They do have some great promotions, such as Al's Book Club for Kids. But the fact that they're the only person promoting books so much saddens me. And the fact that the winners were just plain turned down for an interview? Well, that depresses me.
But I'm also coming at this from the perspective of a writer for kids and teens, and I can't count how many times people have asked or suggested that I write for kids because I can't 'make it' in the adult world. I'm sorry, but that's a load of crap. I write for kids because I want to, and because it's FAR more challenging than most people think. It's really irritating when people pity me because they think I can't do any better. This inherent lack of respect is perpetuated by rejecting the request to interview award winning children's authors, and then I hear about it again from people who don't know the business. Grrr!!
*deep breath* Moving on...
So, yes, The Today Show does promote books. And, yes, it does so more than any other show out there. But, the real question is this: why? Why aren't there more people talking about all the great books that children's and teen literature has to offer? There are plenty of parents and teachers looking for great books, so why not spotlight the best of the best? Only good can come from that.
If we lived in a perfect world, this is what I would love to see happen. Book trailers right next to movie trailers in the theater (has happened for a few books so far, but I'd love to see a lot more). An amazing segment with interviews and excerpts from award winning authors' books. News coverage on those authors--Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, National Book Award, Man Booker Prize, Pulitzer (this already gets some coverage, but it'd be great to have more), and other national or worldwide awards. Book-of-the-Week spotlights for midlist authors. And more.
I know some of this already happens, and most of it won't happen anytime soon. But, hey, it's good to dream. :)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
I liked this story a lot. I thought the characters were interesting, and the plot was compelling. It was clunky in places (like the way Clara's lifelong friends were handled), but I could easily look past that. I was riveted trying to figure out what was going to happen with Clara's purpose, and couldn't wait to see how it was going to unfold--as well as how that was going to affect the rest of her life. I really enjoyed the monkey wrench thing with Tucker, and I loved how Clara chose the down to earth boy over the popular, perfect boy.
The premise was very intriguing. I love the idea of angels on Earth, and that not all of them are fallen. I especially loved the varying shades of gray. So much more interesting and compelling than the black-or-white good vs. evil thing. That was very well done. I also liked how your shade of gray was affected by your choices. That reflects life extremely well.
I am not quite sure about the ending. It didn't feel like a satisfying resolution to me. I would have preferred less relationship development with Tucker and more with Christian and Jeffery. Those two huge elements were introduced (Christian and Jeffery) right before the end, and nothing was resolved. Not even Clara's purpose. So I wasn't thrilled with that. But still, I enjoyed the story enough to want to read more, and I'm looking forward to the next book.
For a chance to win an ARC of this book, go here and fill out the form.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Writing Inside Out
I think that the hardest part of writing is unlearning everything you know and then relearning it with a completely different perspective.
For example, when I first started writing stories, I wrote them exactly the way I would verbally tell them to someone. As a result, my writing was riddled with telling phrases like ‘he felt/saw/heard/knew,’ or ‘she noticed/realized/thought/etc.’ When verbally telling someone a story, the person you’re telling just wants to know the basics of what happened so he can get to the climax as quickly as possible. So, when we verbally tell a story, we tend to focus on what’s happening on the surface.
New writers tend to take this practice and apply it to their writing. I did. It’s what I knew, and, verbally, it worked. But it doesn’t completely work on the page, and it took me several years to figure out why.
When we write with the intent to show the reader what is happening to the main character, we are focusing on what’s happening outside the character. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's good to see what's happening very clearly, otherwise the reader will be confused as to what's going on. But we can't leave it at that. To get a fully rounded experience, we need to know how everything affects our characters. In order to know this, we need to see what goes on inside the character. In other words, we need to write from the inside out.
This is something that *must* be done in first person, because that’s its nature. First person is inside the head of the main character, so everything the reader sees must be from the perceptions, biases, misconceptions, and assumptions of the character. Everything I see gets interpreted through my own experiences and perceptions—as a result, there is an inherent bias, whether I intend it or not, simply because I have to process information based on the things I know. The same is true for characters written in first person.
So, when writing a character in first person, it’s best not to focus on the main character’s exterior, especially facial expressions, when exterior events affect him in big ways. These observations are fine for minor characters because we're not supposed to be in their heads. But, for main characters, this doesn't work well because it takes us out of his head and makes us observers rather than letting us experience her situation for ourselves. Instead, focus on what’s happening inside his head. What emotions are going through him? What thoughts do those emotions trigger? Then, how will he act as a result? In other words, write him from the inside out.
Third person is slightly different because its nature is on the outside looking in. However, limited third still needs some of the closeness that first person gives the reader, but it's often not there. There is a way to get it, though, and the process is exactly the same as first person. As you're writing your story's events, insert some of your character's thoughts here and there. Not necessarily separated out in italics with s/he thought tags, but woven into the narrative itself.
For example:
Uh-oh. Mom was fuming. Cassie had really messed up. Would she be grounded for a month? Or more? If she was, then how was she going to meet up with Jason like she'd promised? If she didn't help him, then he was going to fail his midterms and suffer the beating of a lifetime from his father. She had to think of something.
The above paragraph is written from Cassie's perspective. We are given her particular perceptions, assumptions, and thoughts about the world around her and what might happen to her as a result of her actions. Essentially, we are in her head and the focus is on her from the inside instead of what she's doing on the outside.
If we experience the emotions and thoughts of the character, then we’ll understand his resulting actions and form a close connection to him. This creates a stronger and more enjoyable reading experience, which we all strive for. :)
For example, when I first started writing stories, I wrote them exactly the way I would verbally tell them to someone. As a result, my writing was riddled with telling phrases like ‘he felt/saw/heard/knew,’ or ‘she noticed/realized/thought/etc.’ When verbally telling someone a story, the person you’re telling just wants to know the basics of what happened so he can get to the climax as quickly as possible. So, when we verbally tell a story, we tend to focus on what’s happening on the surface.
New writers tend to take this practice and apply it to their writing. I did. It’s what I knew, and, verbally, it worked. But it doesn’t completely work on the page, and it took me several years to figure out why.
When we write with the intent to show the reader what is happening to the main character, we are focusing on what’s happening outside the character. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's good to see what's happening very clearly, otherwise the reader will be confused as to what's going on. But we can't leave it at that. To get a fully rounded experience, we need to know how everything affects our characters. In order to know this, we need to see what goes on inside the character. In other words, we need to write from the inside out.
This is something that *must* be done in first person, because that’s its nature. First person is inside the head of the main character, so everything the reader sees must be from the perceptions, biases, misconceptions, and assumptions of the character. Everything I see gets interpreted through my own experiences and perceptions—as a result, there is an inherent bias, whether I intend it or not, simply because I have to process information based on the things I know. The same is true for characters written in first person.
So, when writing a character in first person, it’s best not to focus on the main character’s exterior, especially facial expressions, when exterior events affect him in big ways. These observations are fine for minor characters because we're not supposed to be in their heads. But, for main characters, this doesn't work well because it takes us out of his head and makes us observers rather than letting us experience her situation for ourselves. Instead, focus on what’s happening inside his head. What emotions are going through him? What thoughts do those emotions trigger? Then, how will he act as a result? In other words, write him from the inside out.
Third person is slightly different because its nature is on the outside looking in. However, limited third still needs some of the closeness that first person gives the reader, but it's often not there. There is a way to get it, though, and the process is exactly the same as first person. As you're writing your story's events, insert some of your character's thoughts here and there. Not necessarily separated out in italics with s/he thought tags, but woven into the narrative itself.
For example:
Uh-oh. Mom was fuming. Cassie had really messed up. Would she be grounded for a month? Or more? If she was, then how was she going to meet up with Jason like she'd promised? If she didn't help him, then he was going to fail his midterms and suffer the beating of a lifetime from his father. She had to think of something.
The above paragraph is written from Cassie's perspective. We are given her particular perceptions, assumptions, and thoughts about the world around her and what might happen to her as a result of her actions. Essentially, we are in her head and the focus is on her from the inside instead of what she's doing on the outside.
If we experience the emotions and thoughts of the character, then we’ll understand his resulting actions and form a close connection to him. This creates a stronger and more enjoyable reading experience, which we all strive for. :)
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
Incarceron, the living prison, has lost one of its inmates to the outside world: Finn’s escaped, only to find that Outside is not at all what he expected. Used to the technologically advanced, if violently harsh, conditions of the prison, Finn is now forced to obey the rules of Protocol, which require all people to live without technology. To Finn, Outside is just a prison of another kind, especially when Claudia, the daughter of the prison’s warden, declares Finn the lost heir to the throne. When another claimant emerges, both Finn’s and Claudia’s very lives hang on Finn convincing the Court of something that even he doesn’t fully believe.
Meanwhile, Finn’s oathbrother Keiro and his friend Attia are still trapped inside Incarceron. They are searching for a magical glove, which legend says Sapphique used to escape. To find it, they must battle the prison itself, because Incarceron wants the glove too.
I spent much time trying to decide how much I liked this story because there were some key elements that either weren't fully realized or didn't make sense.
First, I want to focus on what I liked. I liked that Incarceron itself became 'infected' with Sapphique's dreams. That is a fantastic concept--a machine experiencing dreams for the first time and how it would change that consciousness. But we never find out why the prison became so cruel. What happened to cause it? Not knowing kept me from understanding Incarceron, and it came off as evil for the sake of evil. The Queen was kind of like that, too, but we could at least see her selfishness driving everything. We never learn what motivates Incarceron.
While we're on the subject of the Queen...she was really irritating, and she's not the kind of character that you love to hate. She had too much knowledge that she should never have had access to, and this knowledge was never explained. So, it felt a bit contrived, and I felt cheated that we never found out.
The ending was okay, I guess. I didn't know how to react because I didn't have the necessary understanding of the prison to fully grasp the potential benefits or consequences. I like how things were resolved, and that Finn and Claudia have their work cut out for them. I wasn't sure what role Attia was supposed to play, though. She didn't seem to be part of any of the resolution.
I would have liked to know more about the connection between Incarceron and the real world. It couldn't have been the glove because things were changing before the glove was in a position to influence anything. I wanted to know more about the eyes in the stars, too. That didn't make any sense to me.
An inconsistency that's bothered me in both Sapphique and Incarceron was the whole Prison vs. Paradise Experiment. A prison is where people are put to be punished, and you certainly don't get punished in paradise. So it didn't make sense that Finn and Claudia were constantly referred to as inmates when society viewed them as living in a perfect world. I was disappointed that we never learn what's what.
I'm not sure if there will be another book. I don't really see where the story can go except for Jared's corruption, which I don't find remotely interesting. So I really hope the story doesn't go there. As it is, I was entertained. And if there is another book, I'll still pick it up to see where it goes.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Getting Unstuck
Last week, Jennifer Matteson and Edward Necarsulmer IV shared signs that you’re ready for an agent. Today, I want to share what Tamra Tuller from Philomel Books had to say about writer’s block.
Tamra’s talk was easily the best I’ve ever heard when it comes to writer’s block. When she was done, the whole room was in awe. I will do my best to do it justice, but her delivery was so heartfelt and honest that I’m not sure I can get all of that across. So any fault on that part is mine alone.
She began by sharing her own experience with writer’s block—she couldn’t get started writing out her notes for this very talk! After much hemming and hawing and puzzling about, she figured out a key piece of information.
The source of all writer’s block is FEAR.
The most common fears are the fear of failure, your work sucks, you feel exposed, you’ll look stupid, you’re unoriginal, etc. Fear then leads to resistance, which manifests itself as pessimism and excuses. THESE ARE ALL LIES. If your inner critic is being mean, then it’s a dirty rotten liar. Don’t listen to it.
Fear actually isn’t a bad thing if you understand it. You don’t need to overcome the fear; you just need to be able to face it. Because when you face it, something else happens. You grow.
If we never did anything scary, if we never challenged ourselves, then we would remain stagnant. So, instead of listening to your inner critic, simple acknowledge it. Then let go of those thoughts. If you don’t, your inner critic will become your censor.
When you write, just write and don’t edit. Instead, write like no one will ever read it, and give yourself permission to suck. Most writers write terrible first drafts. Then, they revise. So, when you write, don’t expect perfection. Just expect to write something that you can revise. This will silence your inner critic.
Some tips and exercises for overcoming writer’s block:
-Get a routine. Keep writing even if you don’t want to, or if it might be too difficult to get back into it. Plus, you can’t improve if you don’t keep doing it!
-Do research. Research is just as important as writing. You might be stuck because you need more information on a particular element in your story.
-Explore the senses. Do some writing exercises that explore all five senses. It can be either in your story’s setting or in the real world.
-Journaling. Write some journal entries from your characters’ points of view. You might be surprised what they have to say.
-Explore the plot. Sit down and brainstorm any possible ‘what if’ scenarios you can think of, even if they’re stupid. You can always cross off the stupid ones later.
-Write a different project. If you’re good and truly stuck on one project, then it may just need time to stew in your head. Try writing something else in the mean time, and then come back to it later.
-Go to a new location. Getting unstuck may be as easy as moving from one room to another. Or to a place with less distractions. Changing your venue can sometimes shift your frame of mind.
She had lots of recommended reading, too:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
For Writers Only by Sophy Burnam
Outwitting Writer’s Block by Jenna Glatzer
Writing From The Inside Out by Dennis Palumbo
The Courage To Write by Ralph Keyes
Write: 10 Days To Overcome Writer’s Block by Karen E. Peterson
Unstuck: A Supportive and Practical Guide to Working Through Writer’s Block by Jane Anne Staw
Tamra’s talk was easily the best I’ve ever heard when it comes to writer’s block. When she was done, the whole room was in awe. I will do my best to do it justice, but her delivery was so heartfelt and honest that I’m not sure I can get all of that across. So any fault on that part is mine alone.
She began by sharing her own experience with writer’s block—she couldn’t get started writing out her notes for this very talk! After much hemming and hawing and puzzling about, she figured out a key piece of information.
The source of all writer’s block is FEAR.
The most common fears are the fear of failure, your work sucks, you feel exposed, you’ll look stupid, you’re unoriginal, etc. Fear then leads to resistance, which manifests itself as pessimism and excuses. THESE ARE ALL LIES. If your inner critic is being mean, then it’s a dirty rotten liar. Don’t listen to it.
Fear actually isn’t a bad thing if you understand it. You don’t need to overcome the fear; you just need to be able to face it. Because when you face it, something else happens. You grow.
If we never did anything scary, if we never challenged ourselves, then we would remain stagnant. So, instead of listening to your inner critic, simple acknowledge it. Then let go of those thoughts. If you don’t, your inner critic will become your censor.
When you write, just write and don’t edit. Instead, write like no one will ever read it, and give yourself permission to suck. Most writers write terrible first drafts. Then, they revise. So, when you write, don’t expect perfection. Just expect to write something that you can revise. This will silence your inner critic.
Some tips and exercises for overcoming writer’s block:
-Get a routine. Keep writing even if you don’t want to, or if it might be too difficult to get back into it. Plus, you can’t improve if you don’t keep doing it!
-Do research. Research is just as important as writing. You might be stuck because you need more information on a particular element in your story.
-Explore the senses. Do some writing exercises that explore all five senses. It can be either in your story’s setting or in the real world.
-Journaling. Write some journal entries from your characters’ points of view. You might be surprised what they have to say.
-Explore the plot. Sit down and brainstorm any possible ‘what if’ scenarios you can think of, even if they’re stupid. You can always cross off the stupid ones later.
-Write a different project. If you’re good and truly stuck on one project, then it may just need time to stew in your head. Try writing something else in the mean time, and then come back to it later.
-Go to a new location. Getting unstuck may be as easy as moving from one room to another. Or to a place with less distractions. Changing your venue can sometimes shift your frame of mind.
She had lots of recommended reading, too:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
For Writers Only by Sophy Burnam
Outwitting Writer’s Block by Jenna Glatzer
Writing From The Inside Out by Dennis Palumbo
The Courage To Write by Ralph Keyes
Write: 10 Days To Overcome Writer’s Block by Karen E. Peterson
Unstuck: A Supportive and Practical Guide to Working Through Writer’s Block by Jane Anne Staw
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen
This was an interesting story. I liked the idea of the reality show and of the ghost debunkers (as opposed to the ghost hunters of today's reality shows). I thought the way Charlotte felt about moving around and her lack of ability to deal with her problems head on was believable. I liked how Charlotte ended up getting what she wanted, but it wasn't what she thought it was going to be. Very typical of life, and something teens (or anyone, really) can definitely relate to.
That said, I wasn't fond of the Avery-Jared subplot, or the reasons behind their friction. The stakes weren't high enough for there to be so much animosity. This made the rest feel like a contrived way to get Avery and Jared where they're supposed to be in the end.
I also got frustrated at all the info Charlotte got in her dreams, but then didn't use it. Because of this, I figured out much of the plot before she did and was waiting for her to catch up. I wish the dreams had been utilized better.
Still, I thought this was a fun story with a unique take on ghosts, and I think it would be appropriate for teens of all ages.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
2011 Debut Author Reading Challenge!
To Read:
- The Rendering by Joel Naftali
- XVI by Julia Karr
- Dogsled Dreams by Terry Lynn Johnson
- Head Games by Keri Mikulski
- The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
- Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
- The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
- Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
- End of the Line by Angela Cerrito
- The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
- Hourglass by Myra McEntire
- Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
- Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. by Medeia Sharif
- Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle by Crickett Rumley
- The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
- Possession by Elana Johnson
Have Read:
- Choker by Elizabeth Woods
- Vixen by Jillian Larken
- Across The Universe by Beth Revis
- Vesper by Jeff Sampson
- Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
- The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver
- Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O’Roark Dowell
- Those That Wake by Jesse Karp
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Wither by Lauren DeStefano
- Entwined by Heather Dixon
- Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
- Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Monday, January 03, 2011
Are You Ready for an Agent?
Hi all! How was your holiday? I had a great vacation, and I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. :)
Last month, I shared Michelle Bayuk’s extensive marketing experience. Today, I want to share what agents Jennifer Matteson and Edward Necarsulmer IV had to say about the signs you’re ready for an agent.
This wasn’t exactly a structured talk. It was more a Q&A, and both agents shared their experiences and knowledge. And they both shared some great nuggets, which I’ll list out below.
Edward Necarsulmer IV:
-Unless you’ve got several sales under your belt that are doing well, don’t pitch an idea or concept with sample chapters in a query. Agents and editors need to see the completed manuscript for fiction.
-In a query, agents don’t want to see the phrase ‘newly completed’ when referring to the novel. Manuscripts need to be revised and made the best they can be, and saying it’s newly completed implies it’s just a first draft. Agents want to see draft ten, not draft one. :)
-Many picture book and educational authors are not agented. Agents mostly work with trade books.
-Most importantly, agents and authors work together as a team. Trust in each other, ask questions, and know that you are not alone.
Jennifer Matteson’s Signs That You Are Ready For An Agent:
-You have written more than one novel. For picture books, have at least three books you feel are publishable.
-You can discuss the strengths and weakness of your work without getting defensive.
-You have a critique group, as well as a revision history of your novel.
-You can name at least three published titles that you think are helpful comparisons (this helps agents get a feel for what kind of story you’ve written).
She also shared some additional advice:
-Having a critique group helps you move beyond your emotions—emotions often cloud judgment and keep us from making our work the best it can be.
-If you happen to land a book contract without an agent, look for a re-negotiation clause in the contract. This will allow you to re-negotiate certain terms in your contract if the industry standard changes.
I don't know about you, but I found all of this very inspiring. :)
Last month, I shared Michelle Bayuk’s extensive marketing experience. Today, I want to share what agents Jennifer Matteson and Edward Necarsulmer IV had to say about the signs you’re ready for an agent.
This wasn’t exactly a structured talk. It was more a Q&A, and both agents shared their experiences and knowledge. And they both shared some great nuggets, which I’ll list out below.
Edward Necarsulmer IV:
-Unless you’ve got several sales under your belt that are doing well, don’t pitch an idea or concept with sample chapters in a query. Agents and editors need to see the completed manuscript for fiction.
-In a query, agents don’t want to see the phrase ‘newly completed’ when referring to the novel. Manuscripts need to be revised and made the best they can be, and saying it’s newly completed implies it’s just a first draft. Agents want to see draft ten, not draft one. :)
-Many picture book and educational authors are not agented. Agents mostly work with trade books.
-Most importantly, agents and authors work together as a team. Trust in each other, ask questions, and know that you are not alone.
Jennifer Matteson’s Signs That You Are Ready For An Agent:
-You have written more than one novel. For picture books, have at least three books you feel are publishable.
-You can discuss the strengths and weakness of your work without getting defensive.
-You have a critique group, as well as a revision history of your novel.
-You can name at least three published titles that you think are helpful comparisons (this helps agents get a feel for what kind of story you’ve written).
She also shared some additional advice:
-Having a critique group helps you move beyond your emotions—emotions often cloud judgment and keep us from making our work the best it can be.
-If you happen to land a book contract without an agent, look for a re-negotiation clause in the contract. This will allow you to re-negotiate certain terms in your contract if the industry standard changes.
I don't know about you, but I found all of this very inspiring. :)
Sunday, January 02, 2011
In My Mailbox...
In My Mailbox is an exploration of what books I brought home this week, and is organized by The Story Siren.
I'm actually in an interesting situation, because I've been on vacation for most of the month. And, I got a whole bunch of books for review this month, but I didn't get them until this week because it's the week I got home. So, this is more like IMM for the month... :)
Drought by Pam Bachorz
Ruby Prosser dreams of escaping the Congregation and the early-nineteenth century lifestyle that’s been practiced since the community was first enslaved.
She plots to escape the vicious Darwin West, his cruel Overseers, and the daily struggle to gather the life-prolonging Water that keeps the Congregants alive and gives Darwin his wealth and power. But if Ruby leaves, the Congregation will die without the secret ingredient that makes the Water special: her blood.
So she stays.
But when Ruby meets Ford, the new Overseer who seems barely older than herself, her desire for freedom is too strong. He’s sympathetic, irresistible, forbidden—and her only access to the modern world. Escape with Ford would be so simple, but can Ruby risk the terrible price, dooming the only world she’s ever known?
The Rendering by Joel Naftali
Thirteen-year-old Doug narrates in a series of blog posts (many interrupted by either his best friend, smart girl Jamie, or the artificial intelligence who mothers him, the avatar) how he came to temporarily save the world and to be branded a terrorist and a murderer. He was innocently playing video games in the employee lounge of the biotechnology center where his aunt was a director when an insane genius ex-employee broke in, stole the equipment to digitize anyone and make his own biodroid army, killed Doug's aunt, and blew up the center (and soon the nearby town). Doug managed to escape, accidentally creating three super-powered creatures, and gaining a electronics-destroying superpower of his own with which to fight the evil Dr. Roach.
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.
A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.
While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.
Cloaked by Alex Flinn
Johnny’s not your average hero. But a little magic changes everything. There isn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. It all starts with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess. And before Johnny knows it, he is on a mission in the Everglades, with only a flock of swans and a talking fox named Joe to help guide him against the forces of an evil witch.
The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver
Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she's already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it's tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated: Simon, the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he's God's gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her ass. One thing's for sure - if she doesn't keep her wits about her there'll be hell to pay...
Choker by Elizabeth Woods
What if the only friend you could trust turned out to be dangerous?
10 Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Janie Gorman wants to be normal. The problem with that: she’s not. She’s smart and creative and a little bit funky. She’s also an unwilling player in her parents’ modern-hippy, let’s-live-on-a-goat-farm experiment (regretfully, instigated by a younger, much more enthusiastic Janie). This, to put it simply, is not helping Janie reach that “normal target.” She has to milk goats every day…and endure her mother’s pseudo celebrity in the homemade-life, crunchy mom blogosphere. Goodbye the days of frozen lasagna and suburban living, hello crazy long bus ride to high school and total isolation—and hovering embarrassments of all kinds. The fresh baked bread is good…the threat of homemade jeans, not so much.
It would be nice to go back to that old suburban life…or some grown up, high school version of it, complete with nice, normal boyfriends who wear crew neck sweaters and like social studies. So, what’s wrong with normal? Well, kind of everything. She knows that, of course, why else would she learn bass and join Jam Band, how else would she know to idolize infamous wild-child and high school senior Emma (her best friend Sarah’s older sister), why else would she get arrested while doing a school project on a local freedom school (jail was not part of the assignment). And, why else would she kind of be falling in "like" with a boy named Monster—yes, that is his real name. Janie was going for normal, but she missed her mark by about ten miles…and we mean that as a compliment.
The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.
Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.
Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued. What books did you bring home this week?
She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.
Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.
All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz
A summer of love, loss, and justice.
Things were complicated enough for Roar, even before her father decided to yank her out of the city and go organic. Suddenly, she’s a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers’ market and developing her photographs in a ramshackle shed. Caught between a troublemaking sidekick named Storm, a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy, and a father on a human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all—even with dirt under her fingernails and her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus.
Vesper by Jeff Sampson
Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.
The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely—something not human?
As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?
Vixen by Jillian Larkin
Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.
Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?
Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .
Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
What books did you bring home this week? Err...or this month? :)
I'm actually in an interesting situation, because I've been on vacation for most of the month. And, I got a whole bunch of books for review this month, but I didn't get them until this week because it's the week I got home. So, this is more like IMM for the month... :)
Ruby Prosser dreams of escaping the Congregation and the early-nineteenth century lifestyle that’s been practiced since the community was first enslaved.
She plots to escape the vicious Darwin West, his cruel Overseers, and the daily struggle to gather the life-prolonging Water that keeps the Congregants alive and gives Darwin his wealth and power. But if Ruby leaves, the Congregation will die without the secret ingredient that makes the Water special: her blood.
So she stays.
But when Ruby meets Ford, the new Overseer who seems barely older than herself, her desire for freedom is too strong. He’s sympathetic, irresistible, forbidden—and her only access to the modern world. Escape with Ford would be so simple, but can Ruby risk the terrible price, dooming the only world she’s ever known?
Thirteen-year-old Doug narrates in a series of blog posts (many interrupted by either his best friend, smart girl Jamie, or the artificial intelligence who mothers him, the avatar) how he came to temporarily save the world and to be branded a terrorist and a murderer. He was innocently playing video games in the employee lounge of the biotechnology center where his aunt was a director when an insane genius ex-employee broke in, stole the equipment to digitize anyone and make his own biodroid army, killed Doug's aunt, and blew up the center (and soon the nearby town). Doug managed to escape, accidentally creating three super-powered creatures, and gaining a electronics-destroying superpower of his own with which to fight the evil Dr. Roach.
When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.
A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.
While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.
Johnny’s not your average hero. But a little magic changes everything. There isn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. It all starts with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess. And before Johnny knows it, he is on a mission in the Everglades, with only a flock of swans and a talking fox named Joe to help guide him against the forces of an evil witch.
The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver
Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she's already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it's tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated: Simon, the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he's God's gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her ass. One thing's for sure - if she doesn't keep her wits about her there'll be hell to pay...
What if the only friend you could trust turned out to be dangerous?
10 Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Janie Gorman wants to be normal. The problem with that: she’s not. She’s smart and creative and a little bit funky. She’s also an unwilling player in her parents’ modern-hippy, let’s-live-on-a-goat-farm experiment (regretfully, instigated by a younger, much more enthusiastic Janie). This, to put it simply, is not helping Janie reach that “normal target.” She has to milk goats every day…and endure her mother’s pseudo celebrity in the homemade-life, crunchy mom blogosphere. Goodbye the days of frozen lasagna and suburban living, hello crazy long bus ride to high school and total isolation—and hovering embarrassments of all kinds. The fresh baked bread is good…the threat of homemade jeans, not so much.
It would be nice to go back to that old suburban life…or some grown up, high school version of it, complete with nice, normal boyfriends who wear crew neck sweaters and like social studies. So, what’s wrong with normal? Well, kind of everything. She knows that, of course, why else would she learn bass and join Jam Band, how else would she know to idolize infamous wild-child and high school senior Emma (her best friend Sarah’s older sister), why else would she get arrested while doing a school project on a local freedom school (jail was not part of the assignment). And, why else would she kind of be falling in "like" with a boy named Monster—yes, that is his real name. Janie was going for normal, but she missed her mark by about ten miles…and we mean that as a compliment.
It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.
Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.
Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued. What books did you bring home this week?
She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.
Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.
A summer of love, loss, and justice.
Things were complicated enough for Roar, even before her father decided to yank her out of the city and go organic. Suddenly, she’s a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers’ market and developing her photographs in a ramshackle shed. Caught between a troublemaking sidekick named Storm, a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy, and a father on a human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all—even with dirt under her fingernails and her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus.
Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.
The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely—something not human?
As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?
Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.
Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?
Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .
Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
What books did you bring home this week? Err...or this month? :)
Saturday, January 01, 2011
January Book Giveaway!
Books, books, and more books! This month, I've got three ARCs to give away:
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Vixen by Jillian Larkin
Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.
Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?
Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .
Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .
For a chance to win, fill out the form below and then come back here on January 29 to see if you've won. Good luck!
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.
Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?
Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .
Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .
For a chance to win, fill out the form below and then come back here on January 29 to see if you've won. Good luck!
2011 Reading Challenge
It's a new year already! 2010 flew by pretty quickly, and I managed to read 109 books. That's one more than what I read in 2009, so I'm happy.
This whole 100 books per year thing is working well for me, so I'm going to set myself thesame challenge this year and just see how it goes. Anyone interested in joining me?
Actually, now that I think about it, I think I'm going to do something different this year. I'm going to do a special giveaway for those who participate. At the beginning of each month, I'll post a place where you can check in withyour progress. You will need to provide some kind of proof that you've read the books, of course. :) Just saying you read them is great, but won't qualify you for the giveaway. So, you'll need to provide a link to some kind of basic review--on your blog, Goodreads, website, etc. At the end of each month, I'll do a random drawing to select a winner.
ETA: You don't have to promise to read 100 books this year to participate. You just have to read. :) You also don't have to do an extensive review. A paragraph of what you liked or didn't like is plenty. I just want to keep people from saying they've read a book when they haven't. :) So, for that matter, you can put that paragraph in the comments section.
For this month, I think I'll give away an ARC of Girl, Stolen by April Henry. Put your links in the comments section of this post, then come back on Jan 31st to see if you've won!
Subsequent Monthly Contest Info (or, where you can sign up throughout the year):
February
March
April
May
Books I've Read So Far:
This whole 100 books per year thing is working well for me, so I'm going to set myself thesame challenge this year and just see how it goes. Anyone interested in joining me?
ETA: You don't have to promise to read 100 books this year to participate. You just have to read. :) You also don't have to do an extensive review. A paragraph of what you liked or didn't like is plenty. I just want to keep people from saying they've read a book when they haven't. :) So, for that matter, you can put that paragraph in the comments section.
Subsequent Monthly Contest Info (or, where you can sign up throughout the year):
February
March
April
May
Books I've Read So Far:
- Choker by Elizabeth Woods
- Vixen by Jillian Larkin
- Drought by Pam Bachorz
- Across The Universe by Beth Revis
- Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter
- Only The Good Spy Young by Ally Carter
- All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz
- Cloaked by Alex Flinn
- Vesper by Jeff Sampson
- The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver
- Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
- Waterfall by Lisa Bergren
- The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
- Those That Wake by Jesse Karp
- Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
- 10 Miles Past Normal by Francis O'Roark Dowell
- Red Glove by Holly Black
- Bumped by Megan McCafferty
- Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
- The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Wither by Lauren DeStefano
- Entwined by Heather Dixon
- Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
- Con and Conjure by Lisa Shearin
- Strings Attached by Judy Blundell
- Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
- Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Winner of the December book giveaway!
Happy New Year, all!! And what better way to start off the new year than with good news?
I have the winner of December's book giveaway right here, and it is...
Logan Turner!!!
Congrats, Logan!! I will get those books out to you asap.
As for the rest of you, I'm going to be posting another contest in just a few hours. More ARCs from more great authors, so stick around!
Logan Turner!!!
Congrats, Logan!! I will get those books out to you asap.
As for the rest of you, I'm going to be posting another contest in just a few hours. More ARCs from more great authors, so stick around!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)