Winner of the March Reading Challenge Giveaway!!

Tomorrow is April 1st, and I'm going to do my best to pull a good April Fool's on my kids. :)

But today is not April 1st, so you can rest assured that the winner of this month's reading challenge is authentic. And that person is...

Bethany Robison!!!

Congrats Bethany! You are now the proud owners of Revolution and Those That Wake. I'll get them out to you asap. For everyone else, I'll be announcing next month's reading challenge giveaway tomorrow, and my regular giveaway on saturday. So be sure to stop by!

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break. PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction. I’m not really sure why, especially since I usually enjoy it once I get into it. But I don’t seek it out, and I usually have lukewarm feelings when I sit down with this kind of book.

I had these same lukewarm feelings when I sat down with Revolution. In fact, I received a galley for this book last fall, and didn’t actually read it until last month. But, once I got started, I was kicking myself for not reading this sooner! I loved it.

Andi is a great character with very real problems. The way she deals with her problems is typically teen, and I love how aware she is of some of it. Alexandrine is also a fantastic character. She’s in a survival-of-the-fittest world where ambition and drive will get you your next meal. Her focus is mostly on herself, which makes sense since she’s trying to survive, but a little boy unexpectedly makes his way into her heart. These two girls make a fantastic pair, even though they never meet.

Each of them has a loved one in pain. Each has given herself a mission to ease that pain. And each has to find a way to ease her own guilt. These two story lines are brilliantly woven together. Even the end, which could be considered quite the stretch, has a reasonable explanation that lends itself credence. Extremely well done.

I picked up this book thinking it was going to be on the boring side, but I was completely wrong. It’s full of action and great characters. Go get yourself a copy. You’ll be glad you did.

For a chance to win an ARC of this book, go here. Contest ends tonight!

Which Is Better: Plot-Driven or Character-Driven?

After the last couple of posts on POV and how that plays into plot-driven vs. character-driven stories, I realized that I’ve never done a post on this. Time to fix that…

What’s a character-driven story? What’s a plot-driven one? Which is more effective?

Plot-Driven:
Outside events are pushing the character into a situation where he must first react, then act.

Character-Driven:
The character’s internal change plays a larger role in his actions than outside influence.

Plot-driven stories usually have great pacing, tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and fantastic plot twists that make you yelp with glee. Character-driven stories tend to be a little quieter, but have rich and fully developed characters that feel like real people we want to hang out with in our own lives.

So, which one is better? Is it personal preference? The story’s execution? The talent of the author? In my opinion, neither one is better—they are just different. Which you choose to implement should depend on your story. It also depends on you, the writer.

When you sit down to start a new story, do you map out events, your character’s goals, or what’s preventing him from getting what he wants? If so, then your focus is probably on plot. Or, do you figure out your character’s hopes, fears, quirks, and opinions? If so, then your focus is probably on character.

That said, this doesn’t mean you’re stuck with that one focus. I’m a plotter, yet my current WIP is character-driven. There are some twisty-plot-things going on, and the story’s catalyst is external, but the focus is mostly on the character and how she deals with everything. So, no one is destined to be one or the other. You can cross over to the dark side if you so desire. :)

In general, I think the most effective story is one that incorporates both character and plot. I’m all about balance in a story, and this is no exception. I love a good plot-driven story that takes me on a roller coaster ride of events, but I like it even better when the characters are vivid and real. I also love a good character-driven story where I connect on such a deep level that I forget this person is fictional. But I also need for interesting things to happen to that character. In other words, I want my cake and eat it too. :)

Where is your natural focus? Have you tried writing outside of that? If so, how did it go? If not, why?

Winner of the March Book Giveaway!

Sorry for not posting this yesterday. I have no excuse except that it's spring break and I've been entertaining two boys for the past week, and I have one more week to go. I was just too tired to get this done yesterday. :)

Anyway, according to Random.org, the winner of this month's book giveaway is...

Sherri Meyer!!!

Congrats!! I'll get those out to you asap.

As for everyone else, there is another contest still going on. You can win an ARC of Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly and an ARC of Those That Wake by Jesse Karp. To enter, go here.

Also, next saturday I will announce next month's contest. I've got two more ARCs to give away, one of which was released this month! So be sure to come back and enter.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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.

A very enjoyable story.

What I particularly liked was how Ellie has this huge amount of power available to her, but it's being limited for reasons she doesn't know. Will, her guardian, is there to protect her even if it means giving up his life, and he's done a great job of keeping Ellie alive even in her weakened state. However, Ellie is no slouch herself. She can kick butt with the best of them, even when it's close to driving her insane.

The romance aspect was very well done. It slowly built up, and Ellie develops feelings for her love interest as she gets to know him--as we get to know him. But I especially liked how Ellie refused to lead another boy on simply because he was interested in her. Very refreshing.

Actually, I liked all the characters, even the ones with questionable behavior. I'm thinking that these strange quirks will have explanations later on. At least, I hope so. Some of it is too extreme not to have an outside influence, and I'm curious to find out what that could be.

The only drawback was the slight predictability at the end. When we find out where they are going and how they are getting there, we all know what's coming. Fortunately, Moulton makes up for it with a surprising reveal after the climax. It adds a whole new level to everything, especially her romance. I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

Challenge: Plot-Driven or Character-Driven?

Last week, I wrote a post on the pros and cons of multiple points of view, as well as effective ways of creating more than one viewpoint. Then Jenn Hubbard came out and said what had been in the back of my mind the whole time:

“I think multiple narrators is a device that has become much more common in recent years. And, to be honest, I'd like to see writers rely on it a little less.”

I wholeheartedly agree. And, Jenn, I always love your comments. :)

I think many writers, particularly those just starting out, tend to rove from character to character because it feels like you’re getting more of your story out there. Which, I guess, you are. But at what expense?

Like Jenn, I’ve seen multiple points of view become more common lately. And, like Jenn, I often wish the story had stayed with one character instead of several. But it’s not necessarily because I think the story didn’t work—I just think it could have been better. Too many points of view can lessen the impact on the reader, and your subtext can get lost along the way. Also, having so many characters share their thoughts and opinions can overwhelm the reader, risking the loss of his interest. A good story has a good balance of everything, and sometimes attaining that balance requires sticking to a single viewpoint.

Staying in one point of view can be difficult, especially if you’ve got a complicated plot. The more complicated the plot, the harder it is to pull off with only one viewpoint. I think many plot-driven books have more than one point of view for this reason, where the character-driven books stay with one person. It’s just easier. But is it going to bring out the best possible aspects of your story?

For any of you interested, here’s a challenge. Make a list of your top ten books with multiple points of view. Just for fun, see if you can determine whether each story is plot-driven or character-driven. Next, try to imagine the story in only one viewpoint. Does it work? If you’re really up for a challenge, then turn this into a writing exercise and create an outline of that story using only one viewpoint. Do you still have a complete story? My guess is that, at least for some of them, you will.

For your own story, is it plot-driven or character-driven? If it’s character-driven, you probably have one point of view. If not, you might have more than one. And, if that’s true, then I have another challenge for you. Try writing your story from one person’s perspective. If that sounds incredibly daunting or impossible, well, all I have to say is this: that’s good. And, no, I’m not evil or masochistic or anything of the sort. :) It’s good because that means taking on this challenge will push you out of your comfort zone, and many many many amazing things can come of that. :)

Who’s up for the challenge?

Waterfall by Lisa Bergren

American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

I wasn't sure about this book when I picked it up. It sounded like it might be a sappy love story with a weepy main character.

Not. Even. Close.

I loved this book. Gabi is a great main character. She's got spunk, fire, and determination. But she's also smart, and can cool her heels when the situation needs it. Her loyalty to her sister, her ability to empathize with strangers, and ability to think on her feet make her my favorite kind of character.

The story itself holds its own in a very good way. Gabi presents herself in a believable way so everyone thinks she's a lady and not a commoner. The only thing that bothered me was her ability to pick up ancient Italian as well as she did. She spoke Italian fluently, but ancient Italian is something else entirely. She did question this, so I'm hoping we'll get an explanation in a later book.

I liked the conflict between Gabi and Lady Rossi. It was full of tension, but wasn't over the top. And there was plenty of motive for that conflict, too.

The romance aspect felt like a good, slow build up, even though it happened rather quickly if you count out the days. But there certainly wasn't any "OMG he's hot, I must throw myself at him" moments going on in this story, which I found very refreshing.

Overall, this was a very compelling and interesting story that grabbed my attention and kept it. I was even still reading at 2am and telling myself over and over that I *had* to go to bed (which I did), and yet I kept reading. I think teens of all ages will enjoy this story, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

For a chance to win an ARC of this book, go here and fill out the form.

How Many Is Too Many?

Two years ago, I wrote a post about multiple points of view in a story. I still hold by what I said—basically, for each main character he’ll need his own path to change—but there are some other things that have been bouncing around in my head lately, starting with this question. Why do you need multiple points of view?
Everything in a story is there for a reason. This character. Those actions. That specific word. So, if a story is told from more than one point of view, there needs to be a good reason for that. As in, if you took one of those viewpoints away, the story would feel incomplete. There has to be something that all viewpoints add to the story that you can’t get if you only had one. It’ll add a layer of depth and richness to your story.

On that same note, though, you have to be careful. Too many viewpoints can make your story feel repetitive. Especially if you’re going to go over similar concepts with each character, getting his/her unique viewpoint on them. Yes, it’s unique and it adds something to the story that a single viewpoint can’t, but it can also feel like going around the room and asking everyone their opinion on X, Y, and Z. Each person is going to have a unique answer, and we’ll have a well-rounded idea of how people see those concepts—which, granted, is far better than asking just one person. But, in the end, you still only have an exploration of X, Y, and Z. A story’s momentum could suffer if you spend so much time exploring the same concepts in different ways.

Along those same lines, exploring similar concepts in various ways can also make your story feel a bit diluted. Zeroing in on one or two aspects of a concept can make a huge impact on your reader. Expressing several aspects can wash it out, making it seem like it doesn’t matter which aspect is presented because they all are. So, even if you have multiple points of view, your story might be more effective if you don’t give everyone’s reactions to every aspect of the story. Instead, focus on what you want your story to convey, and then choose the character that matches that.

Here’s a list of books that I thought used multiple points of view effectively:
The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
Skin Hunger & Sacred Scars by Kathleen Duey
Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Blue Plate Special by Michelle Kwasney
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
Looks by Madeleine George
Sliding on the Edge by C. Lee McKenzie

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?

Bachorz’s first novel, Candor, was one of my favorites last year, and I read over a hundred books so that’s saying something.

This book, well... It kills me to say that it's not a favorite.

Let’s start with what I liked. First and foremost, I love Ruby’s name! It’s so perfect for her character. I liked the mystery surrounding Ruby’s world. The whole time I kept asking myself who Otto was, how Darwin managed to hide his age in the real world, how the outside world viewed Ruby’s congregation, who the Visitor was, where the Water went, and lots more. I had endless questions that kept spurring me on to read, and the tension in the beginning was fabulously thick.

Things slowed down considerably in the middle, and it started to feel a bit repetitive. Since Ruby is 200 years old, I expected her to have pondered the pros and cons of escaping long ago. So it didn’t make sense that she would just now be considering running away. Seems like something she’d have gone through fifty, one hundred, even a hundred and fifty years ago. It didn’t make sense that she’d wait so long to take these considerations seriously, with or without Ford. In addition, the ending wasn’t completely satisfying because, to me, it felt like that’s where the real story began.

As with most of my book discussions, there are SPOILERS below.

After reading the first third of this book, I was really hoping to get answers to the questions running around in my head. Unfortunately, we don’t. I was SO bummed about that. I wish that there had been less focus on Ruby trying to decide whether or not to leave her congregation, and more on how she deals with the outside world once she does leave. Yes, it takes incredible courage to leave the only thing you’ve ever known, but it takes even more to survive in the unknown.

It’s easy to run back to what you know, even if what you know isn’t good for you. It’s really hard to stay and figure out how to create a new and better life. I wanted to see her do this. I wanted to see her struggle with finding Otto, questioning why he left, seeing how Ford was changed after she healed him, whether his mother comes into the story, everything. Most of all, I wanted to know more about the Visitor. Who is he? How does he know who and what Ruby is? For that matter, what is she? There are so many things she would begin to question once she’s out in the real world, and I wanted to see her find the answers. To me, that’s the real story, not the leaving.

I do hope there is another book in the works, because I would still love to find out the answers to all these questions. :)

Blogiversary Number Three!!!

Amazingly enough, another year has come and gone, and my blog had its third birthday last month. Apologies for not posting about this last month, but with my knee surgery last week, I've had my hands full of finding a driver to take my kids to and from school while I'm laid up. I'm still laid up, but healing quickly, so all is well (so far).

Anyway, three years ago, I wrote my first real post on this blog. It was a short and sweet exploration of the characters in Frankenstein and The Lottery. Over 400 posts later, here we are. And I've done kind of a lot. Monthly book giveaways, critiques, and the newest reading challenge book giveaways. Plus, articles on the craft of writing, gems of wisdom from agents and editors, author interviews, reviewing books from a writer's perspective, and more.

I like to do something new on each blog birthday, but I'm drawing a blank. Is there anything you all would like? If so, please do let me know. If not, then I'll just keep on keeping on until there's nothing left to say. :)

March Book Giveaway!

New month, new books!

This month, I've got some fabulous ARCs.

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.

Waterfall (River of Time #1) by Lisa Tawn Bergren
In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in sixteenth-century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the sixteenth-century—and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

To enter, fill out the form below, then come back on March 26th to see if you've won. Good luck!

The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.
But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

This is a fun and interesting story, certainly a unique take on angels and demons. I liked Riley, and found her situation intriguing and compelling. I certainly want to read the next book to find out what happens next.

There were a few inconsistencies that bothered me. Riley is training to be a demon hunter. Her dad was a demon hunter. Why hasn’t she learned some basic self-defense? I’d think that her dad would want to keep her as safe as possible, because there are other dangerous things in the world besides demons. It felt a bit contrived that she wouldn’t know how to defend herself against humans, but she can bring down demons that no one has taught her how to capture. I’d rather see her know how to defend herself, know that she’s out-matched, and then retreat rather than not know and let her fear drive her away. As a result, her character wasn’t completely consistent. One minute she’s all kick-butt badass and the next she’s meekly surrendering. It didn’t fit for me.

The other thing that really bothered me was the dynamic between Riley and Beck. Their animosity felt a bit contrived. If Riley’s father had explained Beck’s actions at a few key moments, then this animosity wouldn’t exist. I’m not a fan of conflict that’s around because someone won’t explain what’s going on.

As a result, there was so much time spent on Riley and Beck that the ending felt a bit rushed. I was really wishing there had been less of the Riley/Beck thing and more of what’s going on with the demons. That was truly interesting, and I’m very curious to see what’s going to happen next.

The last thing I want to comment on is the tone of the book. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this book sounded like both YA and adult fiction. The narrator changes from Riley to Beck—Riley is a teenager and Beck is in his twenties. So, very different voices going on. Plus, there are several references to sex, sex toys, suggestions of sexual violence, soliciting a minor, and other sexual references. So, I wouldn’t recommend this book to teens under, say, sixteen or so.

100 Book Reading Challenge: March

All you readers out there, how's it going? Are you meeting your goals? Ahead? Behind? I've read 14 books so far this year, which I'm pretty happy about.

So, this month, I've got two ARCs to give away.

Those That Wake by Jesse Karp
New York City’s spirit has been crushed. People walk the streets with their heads down, withdrawing from one another and into the cold comfort of technology. Teenagers Mal and Laura have grown up in this reality. They’ve never met. Seemingly, they never will.
But on the same day Mal learns his brother has disappeared, Laura discovers her parents have forgotten her. Both begin a search for their families that leads them to the same truth: someone or something has wiped the teens from the memories of every person they have ever known. Thrown together, Mal and Laura must find common ground as they attempt to reclaim their pasts.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.
PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

To enter, fill out the form below. One URL per entry, but you may enter as many times as you like. You must directly link to your review (otherwise your entry is void), or include a paragraph containing your thoughts on a particular book. I just need some proof that you're actually reading. :)

FYI--to get to a direct link to your Goodreads reviews, click on the title of the book, and then click on the "My Review" heading just above where you type in your review.

Winner of the February Reading Challenge Giveaway!

I'm so sorry this is late. I had knee surgery yesterday morning, and the meds made me too sleepy for blogging (or anything else, really). So, I'll announce the winner this morning, and post the March contest later this morning.

And the winner is...

Kelly Hashway!!!

Congrats, Kelly! I'll get your books out to you as soon as I can.

I'll post the March contest next, and don't forget about my regular monthly giveaway. That contest will be posted this saturday.