Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week, I am waiting on The Elite by Kiera Cass (4/23/13):

Description on GoodReads:

“Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.”

So, I fell in love with The Selection already. It was just such a fun mix of dystopia, fairy tale, and reality tv show. I loved the love triangle. I loved the crazy society that doesn’t seem too far off from other more modern day caste systems. I found the whole book to just be so much fun to read! And the sequel sounds just as promising. I’m dying to know which boy America picks. And I really want to know what happens in regards to the people rebelling. I don’t know how I can wait for April. Also, Loving the pretty dress covers!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

After meeting Stephanie Perkins at Leaky Con, I pushed this book to the top of my TBR piles. She was awesome! I was only a quarter way through this book before I decided to order Lola and the Boy Next Door online. I was hoping it would be here today, but alas, tomorrow is a new day.

This is one of those books where I don’t recall ever hearing a negative thing mentioned. The blogs love Perkins, my friends (who don’t blog) love Perkins, and overall I didn’t want to go into this with too much expectation, but it was inevitable that I would. Thankfully, in this case though, my high expectations were met and I just fell in love with this one completely!

This is sort of one of those classic YA coming of age in boarding school type stories. And while a lot of it is rather formulaic, what seriously makes this book unique and stand-out-able are the characters. That and the fact that the school the main character is shipped to is in Paris, and she doesn’t speak French. Anna’s dad is famous for writing tear-jerking bestsellers that mostly seem to involve cancer, and with the success of his books and his books turned to movies, he decides his family needs a little more culture –hence the shipping of Anna to Paris, France for her senior year of high school.

At first Anna is devastated and terrified. She doesn’t ever venture out of her school because she can’t speak French. She won’t even order food at her school cafeteria because she is too afraid of what the chef will think of her. At home, she has a fantastic best friend, a younger brother to take care of because her busy/divorced parents aren’t always around for him, and a crush/movie theater co-worker who is just turning into something more than a crush. Despite Anna’s father’s growing wealth, he gives her very little money, and Anna works to make more. It’s not too big of a deal until she starts attending a school in Paris with the children of senators and she realizes more and more of her father’s misgivings.

But once Anna makes friends in Paris, and discovers that Paris is actually the home to cinema (her big passion), Paris becomes a lot more bearable. She also has a new crush (who unfortunately is dating someone else). There’s long distance emails and phone calls. There’s first nights out drinking. And every single scene where Anna is alone with Etienne St. Clair is just pure magic. Paris is magic when the two of them are together. There’s tourist sites, and small cinemas, and graveyards, and unbelievable French restaurants that had me drooling in hunger.

This book is about growing up and overcoming your fears. It’s about love and family. It’s about realizing who your true friends and family are. It’s about falling in love for the first time. All those super awkward moments where Anna and Etienne were just lying next to each other and not touching, and all the tension between them at the movie theaters was just so spot-on! Add that to some remarkable phone/email conversations and the romance here was pure YA romance bliss (seriously). There were some tough things in this book too. There was divorce, breakups, lying among friends, forgiveness, cancer, and a lot of family drama. And Anna is not perfect. There were a lot of things I wished she could of realized earlier. But her imperfections just made her all the more believable.

There’s this moment after a phone call with Etienne, when Anna finally starts to feel happy at home again and Perkins writes, “And for the first time since coming home, I’m completely happy. It’s strange. Home. How I could wish for it for so long, only to come back and find it gone. To be here, in my technical house, and discover that home is now someplace different” (250).  There is this feeling I had the first time I came home after being away at college –this feeling or this loss of understanding of what home means. It’s like you expect the whole world to stay on pause while you’re gone and growing up, but actually your family grows and changes too. And this is such a small part of this book, but it is a part that stuck with me.

This is a book compiled of small parts that stick with you. Add these memorable moments to the slow building romance and to the setting of Paris, and frankly, I don’t know how it could have been much better. The other characters were really strong as well. I kind of wish I knew them a little bit better, if only because of how awesome they were. They each had their own stories and their own crazy parents.

The school itself seemed to be a steppingstone to any university around the world and the students seemed to all get into remarkable schools. And the food at the school seemed too good to be true…I was jealous. I wish I could experience this school too. And it’s around the time that Anna really realizes the extent of her school’s amazingness (that it actually represents something for other to be jealous of), that I really feel like she grew up. This so gets a 10/10 from me. And here’s hoping that Perkin’s next book arrives to me tomorrow!

A Good Week in Books (25)

I had another fantastic book week! I received three books for younger readers in the mail for review (I’ll most likely be keeping/reviewing one of them and donating the other two to one of my libraries). I purchased three new books this week (one at the signing I went to, and two at my favorite Chicago bookstore). I also got four October ARC’s from my magical Chicago bookstore that gives them away.

From Harper Collins:

 
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
The Red Pyramid: The Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan and adapted by Orpheus Collar
Let’s Go for a Drive by Mo Willems

Purchased:

 
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

The October ARC’s:

Breathe by Sarah Crossman (10/2/12)
Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson (10/9/12)
Beta by Rachel Cohn (10/16/12)
Dustlands: Rebel Heart by Moira Young (10/30/12) !!!!!

Meeting Libba Bray and Maggie Stiefvater!

So, Libba and Maggie did a signing together last night! Libba Bray is my favorite author. I have read, loved, re-read, and loved some more all of her books. I really like Maggie Stiefvater too (though, I’d met her once before in New Orleans). I’d been so excited for this signing. I cancelled a tutoring job. I also couldn’t eat all day (and I love to eat) because I was so excited for the reading. The books pictured above are the ones I got signed!

It was a bit of a drive to get to the bookstore (The BookMarket, in Glenview), but it was so worth the drive. Also, it’s a fantastic bookstore! It was a nice, small crowd there too which always means more time for the authors to do their thing and more time to spend talking with them during the signing! Plus, I got to meet up with my new friend, Eti, again (who is working on a blog of her own: In the Key of Books), and we had so much fun geeking out YA style. Plus, we were both brave enough to ask questions in the Q&A part of the evening. Go us.

Libba and Maggie together are fantastic! I wasn’t sure if I was at a book signing or a comedy show at points, and frankly this had me questioning the greatness of all other book signings I’ve ever been to. I seriously don’t think I have laughed that much in a long time. And that alone is enough reason to go meet them if you ever have a chance. Then they did these dramatic readings of their new books, and this gave me goose bumps.

There’s nothing quite like hearing an author read out loud their own work. But even better was how when Libba was reading from The Diviners, Maggie would do the voice of the guy/possible love interest, and vice versa Libba did the voice of the guy/possible love interest in The Raven Boys. It just became even more clear than it already was (from YouTube) how much these ladies were more than just writers; they were performers who had complete attention of the whole room (including a little baby who kept laughing –usually at the right moments). 

My wonderful friend, Eti, took these pictures for me. Please note though that it was raining all day and don’t judge the frizzy hair.

This would be me and Libba Bray! She hugged me when I told her she was my favorite author and that I have been reading her books since I was a teen(!):

This is Maggie Stiefvater and me(!):

These are what some of my signed books look like (Notice the crazy flower Libba Bray drew on Beauty Queens after making a mistake and apologizing profusely for it –I just felt lucky to have so much signage!). Also, I love when authors draw things when they sign (also notice, Libba’s martini glass and Maggie’s raven):

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week, I am waiting on Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill (11/13/12):

Description on GoodReads:

“Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.”

The cover is so what first got my attention. It’s unique, yet also familiar. Also, there’s London in the background, and I absolutely love London. The colors just make the cover so gorgeous. And then of course I read the description, and what’s not too like about a wild goose chase around London and the promise of true love? I’ve also already read some good reviews for this one and I don’t have too long to wait (just till November).

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Several people recommended this book to me.  I can only read so many good reviews and be recommended a book by so many people before I know I have to own it, and will most likely love it. Unfortunately, I was rather disappointed with this one.

It’s about Janelle. At the end of a lifeguarding shift, (days before school starts), she gets hit by a truck and dies. Then, she gets brought back to life by Ben (a boy who goes to her school but who she generally has never had anything to do with). Janelle is an AP student. She’s dating the most popular guy in school. She’s an athlete, born to swim. And well, Ben, is sort of known for being an outcast stoner. However, after Janelle is hit by the truck, and Ben comes over to her a little too late, she is able to see herself through Ben’s eyes.

When he saves her, she sees Ben’s life and more importantly she sees how he sees her. The only problem is Janelle can’t seem to get Ben to explain what really happened. Her best friend refuses to believe her when she says she died and came back. Soon, life kind of gets back to normal. Or as normal as it can get for the daughter of an FBI agent and bipolar mom. Janelle has a lot on her shoulders. She’s pretty much the only parent her younger brother has ever known. Their father is always working on a case. And their mother is either manic and crazy, or depressed and alone. Also, Janelle had a bad experience/falling out with an ex-best friend, an experience that ended with her in a stranger’s car and her panties ripped.

The girl is a survivor. She moves past losing friends, and standing in as a mom, and taking care of her mother, and working, and keeping up a grade point average, and still maintaining a social life without a sweat. And she does this all with sass and intelligence. And while this book is so not my favorite (I’ll get to this soon), I have to admit that Janelle is pretty awesome.

Any way, the real story starts when Janelle learns a little too much about a case her father is working on. The case involves a countdown to what she first thinks is just a bomb exploding. But later, she realizes it is counting down till the end of the world. Throw in some disgustingly radiated dead bodies, and well the story thickens. There’s aliens, otherworldly travel, an approaching apocalypse, lots of death, the loss of a family member, and a sizzling romance.

Ben and his friends are somehow involved in everything. This complicates the romance aspect. And Janelle has some seriously tough decisions to make about what and who is most important to her. These decisions need to be made while a clock is ticking and there is seriously, one crazy, amazing ending!

So, how can I not like this story? Janelle is awesome and the story sounds pretty epic. Well, I’ve seen it all before. Except, for the last bits, which were cool. But here is a list of stuff I’ve seen before (in books and tv shows) and then again written out here:

- Girl being brought back to life by romantic interest
-Girl being brought back to life by romantic interest who has been in love with her for a long time without her knowing
-Romantic interest knows a lot of details about her life: like her favorite foods, restaurants, things from her childhood, etc.
-The guy who brings the girl back to life is actually an alien who risks everything to save her.
-Guy has friends who are also aliens, who are pissed at him for bringing her back
-When guy saves the girl’s life, she sees what he sees and feels, and she gets that he has loved her for a long time
-Relationship is hard when the guy seems intent on going home
-Girl is already dating someone she doesn’t really like and decides to break up with him to go after the guy who saved her

I could actually keep going, but I think you get the idea. All of these elements are found in the show (and the books the show is based of), Roswell. I used to watch Roswell like I read Harry Potter: all the time. What I’m saying is, I would have liked to see more of the originality that came in the end of Unraveling, through out the whole book. Too much of the book was just too much like other things I have already read and watched to the limit.

I’m not saying that authors cannot be inspired by other books and tv shows. It’s impossible not to be inspired by others. Actually, I think it’s pretty awesome that authors can like the same things I do. I just like books better when there’s a little bit more uniqueness to them, a little bit of something I haven’t seen before.

That and if there are elements of shows and books that are inspiring, can they not be the instant-love, creepy stalker elements? I hated Janelle’s instant love for Ben. Yeah, she saw herself through his eyes, but she didn’t know him at all. She never really had anything to do with him, yet now all of a sudden she is willing to denounce all she knows about science and physics for him. I get that there was a ticking clock here, but I just felt that for a character as tough as Janelle and for someone who has been through all that she has been through, the romance was way too soon and way too fast.

I did really love Janelle. I was on her side for the whole thing. Her best friend was amazing. I enjoyed reading about her brother and even her absent father. The suspense and action at the end of the book was above and beyond what I had come to expect, and I really loved the ending.  I guess I’m just tired of reading the same YA plot devices repeated again and again. And I’d prefer the repeated devices to at least be the awesome, kick-butt ones, and not the ones that involve Edward-type love interests. This gets a 3/10 from me.

A Good Week in Books (24)

So, good doesn’t even come close to describing my week in books. My book week was pretty epic. It started with a trip to my favorite used bookstore where I found two YA books I’ve been wanting for a dollar each! I then got a giant box of books in the mail that I won by entering my book club in a contest. I won 10 copies of one book along with exclusive copies of short stories by the author and a letter from the author to my book club! Another book I’ve been eying for a while now was free as a Kindle book this week on Amazon. I purchased two brand new books I’ve been dying for. And then I received three books in the mail for review (two from Harper Collins and one to review for RT Book Reviews).

Can you believe I got these both for a dollar each???

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

I won 10 copies of these, along with the copies of an exclusive short story, and a letter addressed to my book club courtesy of Amy Garvey and Harper Collins.

 
Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

As part of Epic Reads/Epic Deals, this book was free for my Kindle (on Amazon):

 
Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

I purchased these two new books this week (even though I told myself I wasn’t allowed to buy new books for a while). But come on, look what they are. I have been anxiously awaiting both of them. And while one technically isn’t YA, I will probably reviewing it here because of the author:

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (!!!!!!!)
Scorch by Gina Damico

The next three books are all finished hard cover copies of books for review. Thank you, Harper Collins. And thank you, Romantic Times! I’m so excited for these books (one of which, I already started):

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
The Turning by Francine Prose
After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling