Fictional Priorities

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Hope you're all having a great week!

I came across this little gem on Facebook a while ago and thought I'd share it with you. "Going to the grocery store just isn't a priority when the fate of a fictional character is hanging in the balance."

So I was wondering, have you ever neglected priorities, obligations, or even just your 'to-do' list for the sake of a fictional character? If you're really enjoying the book your reading, do you have a hard time putting it down until you're finished?

For me, a book that I love that made me neglect my priorities was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I bought the book right after Thanksgiving of 2010, when I was still an undergraduate student. I decided to open it and read a few pages one day, during the middle of semester finals week. Boy, was that a mistake! I had a 16 page paper to write for a class on postcolonial fiction. I'd procrastinated and it was due in two days! But I could NOT put The Hunger Games down! So what did I do? Well...I spent a day reading The Hunger Games and then wrote a 16 page research paper in one day. Surprisingly enough, I got a B+ on the paper. Moral of the story: I don't know, you tell me lol.

Someday, I hope that my books, like SHADOW HUNTER, will be enough of a page-turner that someone can't put it down either.

What's a book that's done this to you? Leave your answer in the comments. Til Friday ;-)

Excerpt from Demon Reincarnate: "look" challenge

 My friend and agency sister, contemporary romance author  Macy Beckett, tagged me in the "look" challenge. According to the rules of the game, I’m supposed to search my current work in progress for the first usage of the word “look,” paste the surrounding paragraph into my blog, and tag as many authors as possible. My current work in progress edits on a YA urban fantasy novel titled Demon Reincarnate. We're preparing Demons Reincarnate for submission right now, but I am glad to share it with you. Enjoy!

Demon Reincarnate

"His gaze narrowed into an intense look. Sweat gathered on my palm. He was too close for kicking range. I thrust the scissors forward with all my might and plunged the blades into his stomach.  I scrambled back, expecting him to drop like a stone and writhe all over the concrete. But he didn’t react. He didn’t scream, yell, or appear to be in any sort of agonizing pain at all. He stood motionless with the scissors stuck in his middle. The weapon pushed inside him, all the way up to the handles. 

  With an exasperated sigh, he reached down with his right hand, slowly unbuttoning the bottom of his shirt before he ripped the steel scissors from his stomach. The utensil dropped onto the cement with a small clack.

"You shouldn't 'ave done that."

Cover Reveal: CONJURE

Happy Monday, everyone! I'm happy to participate in featuring the cover of the first novel in the Hoodoo Apprentice series, CONJURE!!!

Isn't it an awesome cover? Gorgeous blue tones and I love the tag line: "Be careful what you search for..."! Congratulations, Lea! And the intriguing back cover blurb is right below:

"Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever."

Conjure releases on October 16th, but you can pre-order a copy here: Pre-Order Conjure by Lea Nolan

You can also find more information on Lea and her books in the following places:

CONJURE on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13425130-conjure

Lea's website: http://www.leanolan.com/ 

Lea on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lea_Nolan

And as if that all wasn't enough, we have a giveaway to accompany it! Just enter in your information to the widget below in order to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you enjoyed Lea's cover and blurb! I did and I will be pre-ordering my copy of Conjure very soon! Cheers

How a Harlequin Book is Made

Happy Wednesday, to all you book lovers out there!

I stumbled across this video online and thought I would share it with you guys. As a proud Harlequin author, if you ask me how a Harlequin (specifically, an HQN) book is made, I would tell you: I sit my butt down on my couch, turn my laptop on, open a word document, and write.

Though I suppose that wouldn't be very interesting to watch now, would it? ;-)

But since I can't show you a video of how I create a Harlequin novel--well, I could, but it'd be really boring--I thought I'd share with you a video of how the professionals at Harlequin's distribution center do it. Enjoy!

I hope when my Harlequin novel is printed like that, I'll find you guys at the bookstore supporting me and the sexy, badass hunters of the Execution Underground series.

Check out our next post on Friday! Til then

Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

Happy Monday, everyone! Today I’ve posted a review of Ally Condie’s young adult dystopian novel, Crossed, the second novel in the Matched Trilogy. Enjoy!

 

Synopsis: "Rules are different outside the society.

 

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the outer provinces in search of Ky--taken by the Society to his certain death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices everything to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.

 

Narrated from both Cassia and Ky's points of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of the Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever.”

Genre: Young Adult--dystopian

First Sentences: "I'm standing in a river. It's blue. Dark blue. Reflecting the color of the evening sky. I don't move. The river does. It pushes against me and hisses through the grass at the water's edge. 'Get out of there,' the officer says. He shines a flashlight on us from his position on the bank." Crossed begins in Ky's point-of-view. Since the first novel was from Cassia's point-of-view entirely, this was an intriguing opening. Nevertheless, I wasn't hooked as well as I was in the first novel.

Brownie Points: I don't have much to say for brownie points on this novel. I found myself rather disappointed in it. I didn't find any parts particularly compelling. I did think the new information revealed about Xander was interesting and I felt like Cassia's relationship with him took a turn for the better. That aside, I don't have many praises.

Beefs: My main problem with this novel is that it felt like a lot of filler, like I was getting the set up for what is going to be an interesting third novel rather than getting both that AND an enjoyable sequel. Nothing was compelling me to continue reading forward, other than my hope that the story was going to improve. I was particularly disappointed in the romantic aspects of the story. Having Ky's point-of-view was interesting at first, but ultimately it made me dislike his character and revealed a lot of flaws that I simply couldn't look past. Also, Cassia seemed like less of a complex character in this novel. Her obsession with Ky goes to new heights and reminded me too much of Bella's mindless obsession with Edward in the Twilight series. At least for Cassia, unlike Bella, she still has a bit of back bone to her. But personally, I believe the ignorant 'society-girl' angle was played up too much.

Ending: I don't have too much to say about it. I was hoping the novel would improve at the end, but found it to be mediocre.

Recommendation and General Comments: Though I thoroughly enjoyed Matched, I was not a fan of Crossed. While I still remain interested enough to want to read the third novel, ultimately, I'm not as enthusiastic about moving forward in the series as I was before.

For this reason, I give Crossed by Ally Condie a rating of first-quarter moon.

 

 

This book was okay and I neither recommend it nor do I not recommend it. I will read the final novel in the trilogy when it is released with the hopes that Reached will be better than Crossed.

Don't forget to check in on Wednesday! I have another giveaway to announce! See you then ;-)

Review: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Happy Monday, everyone! Today I’ve posted a review of Rebecca Stead’s young adult novel, When You Reach Me. Enjoy!

 
Synopsis: "Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever.

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.”

Genre: Young Adult—contemporary, light sci-fi, time-travel

First Sentences: "So Mom got the postcard today. It says Congratulations in big curly letters, and at the very top is the address of the Studio TV-15 on West 58^th Street. After three years of trying, she has actually made it. She’s going to be a contestant on The $20,000 Pyramid, which is hosted by Dick Clark." I must admit, this book didn’t grab me from the very opening. Once I kept reading for a little while, I slowly got into the book more and more. The voice is what kept me going, even when in the beginning the plot didn’t keep me intrigued. For those who plan to read it, I suggest that you don’t give up and set it down too quickly.

Brownie Points: I love Rebecca Stead’s voice—it was strong from the very beginning and by the end of the book I really felt like I knew the heroine, Miranda. She and her friends were compelling and interesting. Also, despite that the story takes place in 1978, I never once felt as if the time period of the novel was being thrown in my face, which I find can sometimes happen with historical novels. In When You Reach Me, the setting and time period comes second, as it should, to the characters, plot, and overall story. Because of this, the setting only added to the novel; it did not detract.

Beefs: Directly after I finished When You Reach Me, I was so pleased with the ending that I didn’t have any beefs with the book. However, looking back now, I wish the plot in the beginning had been slightly more compelling. This is just a matter of personal taste—though I ultimately adore character driven novels, I like action packed plots, and at the beginning of this novel there wasn’t quite enough action for me.

Ending: The ending of this book was PHENOMENAL!—by far its best part. All the mysteries of the novel became clear in the end in a way that was totally unexpected to me. I could not have predicted the ending, but I also couldn’t have been any more pleased with it. One of the testaments to Rebecca Stead’s abilities is that she’ll keep you guessing throughout your whole reading experience. Though I was sad for the story to end, the ending was my favorite section of the book.

Recommendation and General Comments: This novel is truly like a puzzle. At the beginning, you see all the scattered pieces and you might not be very interested in working to get to the finish line. But if you keep going, the picture starts to slowly come together, and you become more and more intrigued until at the very end you’re on the edge of your seat, waiting to see the whole picture. When You Reach Me may start out on the slower side, but the strong voice of the novel hooks you and will keep you reading until the grand finale.

I loved this novel and I recommend it to all who enjoy the young adult genre, especially those interested in light sci-fi and time-travel. Despite that the novel pays homage to Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, even if you didn’t enjoy L’Engle’s work, you’re sure to love this one.For this reason, I give When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead a rating of full moon.

 

This is the mother of all ratings! Full moon means you HAVE to read this book. I have a feeling you won't regret it =)

Thank you to all of you who entered the FB Fan Page giveaway! Don't forget to check in when I announce the winner of Laura Kaye's paranormal romance novella, In the Service of the King at 11AM today!  See you on Wednesday for our regular post! =D

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Hey, everyone! It's Monday, which means today is book review day! Today I have a review of Ally Condie's young adult dystopian novel, Matched--the first novel in the Matched trilogy. Enjoy!

Synopsis: "Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate...until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. 

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow."

Genre: Young Adult--dystopian

First Sentences: "Now that I've found the way to fly, which direction should I go into the night? My wings aren't white or feathered; they're green, made of green silk, which shudders in the wind and bends when I move--first in a circle, then in a line, finally in a shape of my own invention." While these first few sentences are very beautifully written, they didn't grab my attention. What kept me reading was the synopsis/back-cover blurb which I've listed above. I was hoping that it would soon get down to the good stuff--the action.

Brownie Points: Something about this book kept me reading. Though at the beginning I couldn't pin-point what I liked about it, something was driving me through this book like a compulsion. If you'd asked me if I was enjoying it within the first few chapters, I would've said 'I'm not sure, but I want to keep reading for some reason.' Over time, I found that it was just getting used to Condie's writing style and the more I read, the more I enjoyed it. The style is definitely unique and different than most of the YA I've been reading lately. My hat goes off to the author for her ability to incorporate the values of poetry, art, and creative freedom into a love story.

Beefs: While I gradually grew to care about the characters and their relationships, the book's plot didn't feel centralized to me. The middle of the novel was a little long and dragged on with most of the action happening in the very beginning and very end of the book. I felt like I was watching Cassia (the heroine) on her journey, but I didn't feel like I was along for the ride with her.

Ending: Condie did her job correctly in the fact that I immediately purchased the next novel so I could keep reading. However, the reason I felt this way is because the story finally began to build and blossom at the end, tension began to rise; but right as I was getting really into it, the book ended. I'm almost finished with the second novel now.

Recommendation and General Comments: While I grew to enjoy this book, I do not recommend it for those who like action-packed, high-tension/high-stakes novels. But I recommend it to those who like more relaxing, non-edge-of-your-seat reads with memorable characters. Plot takes a back seat in this series and the internal conflicts and emotions of the characters take the forefront. Personally, I like an equal balance of both internal and external conflict in novels, and found that this weighed just slightly too heavy on the internal emotional side. For this reason, I give Matched by Ally Condie a rating of half moon.

I like this book and despite some of my qualms with it, I recommend it to those who are interested. I enjoyed this novel and will finish reading the rest of the series.

Would I aspire to write like this author? 

I enjoyed this book and the author's writing, but it is just SO extremely different from my own style that it wouldn't make sense for me to aspire to it. 

Don't forget to stop back in on Wednesday! I have some VERY good and EXCITING news to announce! You won't want to miss it! Til then ;-)

Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Hope you're all making it through the week alright. Today we have a review of Laurie Halse Anderson's contemporary, young adult novel, Wintergirls. Let's get right into it.

Synopsis:  “Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia’s mother is busy saving other people’s lives.Her father is away on business. Her stepmother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia’s head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. 

If she keeps on going this way – thin, thinner, thinnest – maybe she’ll disappear altogether.

Genre: Young Adult--contemporary issues--anorexia nervousa

First Sentences: "So she tells me, words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked in her coffee. She tells me in four sentences. No, five. I can't let me hear this, but it's too late. The facts sneak in and stab me. When she gets to the worst part...body found in a motel room, alone..." A grabbing opening, but the rest of the novel's tension level didn't stay up to par.

Brownie Points: I enjoyed the way Laurie Halse-Anderson handled Lia's compulsive habits. Lia constantly relays the amount of calories in the food she is eating and is obviously more food conscious and aware of smells, texture, and taste than the average person. She also did her studies well in finding ways for Lia to force herself into starvation--mutilation to take her focus off her food cravings, convincing herself that the food was sludge that would infect her, and cutting everything into small bits--and also techniques for Lia to hide that she was deviating from her rehabilitation plan--putting quarters in her pockets and drinking loads of water to make herself weigh more during scale checks, scraping her food into her napkin, etc.

Beefs: One thing that I thought wasn't addressed enough was Lia's delusions. Her issues with anorexia were the main focus, but I think her schizophrenic tendencies of seeing things and people who aren't there, her paranoia about Cassie coming back to haunt her, and her self-mutilation was a little more urgent of an issue. I also wasn't a fan of the chapters being titled in correlation with how many pounds Lia had lost. And ultimately, I found the voice forced and overly literary.

Ending: I can't say I was very impressed or found it extremely emotional. It wasn't bad, but it didn't bring out any emotion for me, which is something I hope for in endings.

Recommendation and General Comments: The plot line for this story was pretty much non-existent. The novel was almost entirely internal, yet the internal conflict seemed contrived. The best scenes were between Lia and her mother, when her mother tried to force her to eat. Those were the most poignant in the novel, because they created the most conflict. While Lia's issues with control were compounded upon one another (cutting, anorexia, etc) in a realistic manner because they were all "control issues", many important themes within the novel went unaddressed--almost as if Halse Anderson had created too many issues for one novel. For this reason, I give Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls a rating of quarter moon.

 

 

This book was okay--only so so. I would not recommend it, though I wouldn't adamantly recommend against it either. It just wasn't really my taste. I thoroughly enjoyed and loved Speak, but I didn't fall in love with Wintergirls. The writing isn't even remotely similar to the writing in Speak, so if you choose to read the novel, expect something extremely different from Halse's earlier writing.

Would I aspire to write like this author? 

No--not for this book anyway. I didn't enjoy the writing style. The story was alright, but the writing on the line level was unappealing to me. Halse-Anderson tried to make it too lyrical. Many of the metaphors and similes were overly grandiose and artsy.

Don't forget to stop back by on Friday for our regular post! Til then ;-)

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you had a good week. Before I start the review, I'd like to ask you all to say a little prayer for me. I'm sending off my graduate school application today for my #1 choice school. So please say a little prayer that I can get into my dream school. Now onto the review of Maggie Stiefvater's novel, Shiver, book one of the Wolves of Mercy Falls Series

Synopsis: "For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human... until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. "

Genre: Young Adult--paranormal romance

First Sentence: "I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm going cold, surrounded by wolves." What an awesome first sentence! That is definitely a good way to open a novel. From this, not only do we know that she is in trouble, which sets the tension rolling, but we know the setting and roughly what time of year it is as well. Great opening!

Brownie Points: Stiefvater has a great ability for creating a surreal tone. As a writer of both fiction and screenplays, I can honestly say that it's hard to give a movie a surreal feeling, let alone a novel where you only have words to work with. But Stiefvater manages to do this, and seemingly, with ease. I would describe her writing as entrancing. Kudos to her! On a non-writing related note, I love the covers of this series! Do you see the wolf that blends into the background? Awesome!

Beefs: Once I'd reached around page one hundred, I wanted a bit more conflict and action. The romance between Grace and Sam was sweet, but I wanted something to actually happen. There was lots of internal, emotional conflict, but very very little external conflict. If you like plot driven novels, Shiver is not for you, but it would definitely appeal to those who like character driven stories. However, for me personally, by the end of the novel, I didn't feel connected to either of the characters. I thought their romance was sweet, but I didn't really feel like I knew either one of them as people--or as wolves.

Ending: I'd heard repeatedly how phenomenal this novel was, and for me, the only part of the book that lived up to the expectations was the ending. The ending was fantastic! But considering it only got that way in the last 60 or so pages, in my opinion, it wasn't enough to warrant the insane hype.

Recommendation and General Comments: I had heard many people say that this novel was full of commercial appeal with literary quality writing. I can definitely agree with that. However, the literary and whimsical tone of the novel faded around page seventy. This certainly wasn't a bad thing and the writing was still great, but I did notice the shift. I'm looking forward to reading the next novel, Linger.

For these reasons, I give Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater a rating of half moon!

This novel is recommended to lovers of young adult, paranormal romance, and character driven stories. While I'd have liked more plot, it's a good read. If I had purchased it in paperback version, it would be something I would loan to friends and family. If you're a fan of the aforementioned genres and novel characteristics, you should definitely check this book out.

Would I aspire to write like this author? 
No, not really. It's not that Maggie Stiefvater isn't a good writer, she definitely is a good writer, but her style is so different from what I normally enjoy reading and from what I write, that aspiring to be like her would change my whole style. I'm sure many others aspire to write like her though.

Below we've got our regular blog hops posted. Make sure you stop by some other blogs and say hello! Don't forget to stop back in on Monday! We're having an interview with author Lisa Sanchez, who will be talking about her soon-to-be-released novel, Pleasures Untold, which is book two of the Hanaford Park Series. To see a review of her the first novel in the series, her debut, Eve of Samhain, please click HERE. If you like schmexy, drool worthy male characters and strong kickass heroines, you won't want to miss her interview. Til Monday!

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you've all had a good week. My week started out badly but so far is ending on a good note. As I mentioned on Wednesday, I had received a rejection on my manuscript, Demon Reincarnate. However, the information I received was not the "official" letter, simply a response to my follow up. So when I received the official letter today, which was suppose to explain why they were rejecting the manuscript, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't a rejection at all! Instead, it was a request for me to revise parts of the manuscript and resubmit. Woo hoo! That is good news because that means the publisher is extremely interested--enough so that the editor is willing to reread it.

On a somewhat bittersweet note, I also received another rejection in the mail today on a partial I had out with an agent. While rejections are never fun, this one was personalized and she had a lot of nice things to say about my writing--although she said the story didn't fit her list, according to her (and her colleagues who she passed the manuscript to), I "clearly have talent", and am  "very good at creating tension." She even suggested a children's authors organization for me to join to 'nurture my talent'. As far as rejections go, it was a very good one.

Then to top it all off, I finished this wonderful little book called, Mockingjay. Now onto the review!

Synopsis: "Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss' family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss' willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost."

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

First Sentence: "I stare down at my shoes, watching as a fine layer of ash settles on the worn leather." Not a very invigorating first sentence, but the first few paragraphs and first page as a whole are definitely interesting.

Beefs: I'm absolutely in love with this series, but I wasn't a huge fan of this book's ending. I'll elaborate more on that below. (SPOILERS AHEAD): My main beef with this book is Peeta's brainwashing. She changes his character and taints the rest of his and Katniss' relationship--forever. That kind of ruined the romance for me. I also didn't like the turn she took with Gale's character in making him become a ruthless fighter and severing his and Katniss' friendship. Further, I didn't like how Katniss' mom abandoned her after Prim's death. I was happy that Katniss' killed President Coin, however, I wish she had also killed Snow, rather than him being trampled to death. (SPOILERS FINISHED).

Brownie Points: Perhaps I said this in my review of the second novel, Catching Fire, but Suzanne Collins is a master at what we writers call "black moments." Black moments are good because it puts the characters at their ultimate low, which allows us to identify with them on a very basic, human level--we all suffer at some point in some way. Every time I think that it can't possibly get any worse for Katniss and her friends/family, I'm proven completely wrong. Yet while Collins loads on the pain and torture, she manages to walk that tight line between the perfect amount and overkill with total grace. Not once during the entire series did I think she went overboard with the torture.

Ending: My main beef with the ending was how bleak it was. Katniss had to lose absolutely everything and everyone she loved before she was able to be with Peeta, and even then, her relationship with Peeta was tainted because of the Capitol. Even the epilogue about their future was bleak, thanks to the very last sentence about having to explain the Games. I would have preferred just a slightly more hopeful ending. Not necessarily happy, just hopeful.

Recommendation and General Comments:
I am in LOVE with this series. I'm completely, head over heels, ga-ga in love with it. It is now filed on my bookshelf next to the Harry Potter novels--that is the highest honor a book can have. The Hunger Games is excellently written, perfectly plotted, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole series. As the old saying goes, "I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me". I can't say enough good things about this series. I liked it so much that I'm writing one of my graduate school entrance essays (it has to be about YA literature) on The Hunger Games. Everyone should read this book. Whether or not you are a fan of young adult or dystopian literature, this series is something that everyone should at least try. Though the final book in the series was my least favorite of the three and though I had a few qualms with it, I still give Mockingjay, as well as the whole Hunger Games Trilogy, a rating of full moon!

This is the mother of all recommendations. You NEED to read these books. There is nothing I can say to give them the proper amount of praise.

Would I aspire to write like this author? 
Absolutely. The way Suzanne Collins can create tension and conflict, along with her plotting abilities, is beyond amazing and the thought of someday having abilities like that (psssh, I freaking wish!) is enough to make this YA author salivate. It would be a dream come true to write as well as Suzanne Collins one day.

Hope you guys enjoyed the review! Check back in on Monday for an update on the 250 follower giveaway! You won't want to miss it! And don't forget to check out our usual blog hops posted below. Til Monday ;-)

The question for Crazy-for-Books blog hop this week is: "What book influenced or changed your life and how did it change you?"

The Harry Potter series. This is my all time favorite series and I'll tell you why. I was considered a "non-reader" until I was in the 4th grade and I struggled in school--not for lack of effort, but because I could barely read. It wasn't until my fourth grade teacher, Ms. McCartney, starting reading us Harry Potter during recess that I took an interest in books. She let me borrow the Sorcerer's Stone and take it home over Christmas Break. For Christmas that year, my mom bought me all the books in the series (which at the time was only the first three). After that, I was in love. I reread those books over and over and over and over again until my reading comprehension and abilities sky-rocketed. Eventually, I branched out to other novels, but it all started with Harry Potter. Without that series, I probably would've continued to struggle in school, and chances are I wouldn't have gotten into a good college, or into any college at all, because of my struggles and I certainly would've never been a writer. Harry Potter changed the course of my entire life and I'm forever grateful. I just hope that some day, my books can do the same for another child. That's why I write YA literature.

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Happy Thursday, everyone! As you can see from the title I have finally finished the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire! Yay! And I'm eagerly starting the third novel, Mockingjay. But a little note about the review first. I've adopted this review format from new literary agent Vickie Motter over at her blog, Navigating the Slush Pile. I really enjoy her reviews and love the formatting, so let me know what you think of this new format in the comments, and to Vickie, I hope you don't mind that I used your style =) Now onto the review.

Synopsis: "Sparks are igniting. Flames are spreading. And the Capitol wants revenge. Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mallark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of
rebellion against the Capitol--a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may    have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even  more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn."

Genre: Dystopian--young adult


First Sentence: "I clasp the flask between my hands even though the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air." I have to say, not the most intriguing of first lines, but for anyone who read or will read the first book, that doesn't matter, as I'm sure you will be as eager to dive into number two as quickly as I was.

Beefs: For about the first hundred or so pages of Catching Fire I wasn't quite as intrigued as I had been previously. I can't say it was slow moving, because it wasn't, but I didn't feel the urgency to keep turning the pages as I had throughout the entire first book. But after those hundred or so pages, the novel quickly made up for it's slightly less invigorating beginning.

Brownie Points: Suzanne Collins is an AMAZING author and one thing that I have to hand to her is that every time I think the Capitol can't be any more evil, it is. Every time I think Katniss and Peeta can't be any more gutsy and defiant, they are. She is amazing at torturing her characters, which is a major compliment, because who doesn't love tortured characters? It makes for fantastic conflict, raw and honest characterization, and characters we can ultimately identify with.

Ending: FANTASTIC! There were certain parts that I somewhat expected, but others that totally blew my mind. I don't like endings that come out of nowhere and are completely unexpected, so this ending was perfect to me, both surprising and realistically fit to the story at the same time. I couldn't have asked for a better ending. Collins is a master at great endings.

Recommendation and General Comments: I'm absolutely and completely head over heels in love with this series. When I fall for a series, I fall hard and I have fell so hard I've smashed into the ground with this series. It is definitely in my favorites. It's right up there with the Harry Potter Series and the Southern Vampire Series. Harry Potter is still my favorite hands down, but the Hunger Games is a close rival and definitely an equal favorite to SVS, though for different reasons. Because of this, I bestow Catching Fire with a rating of full moon!

This is the mother of all recommendations. You NEED to read these books. There is nothing I can say to give them the proper amount of praise.

Would I aspire to write like this author? ABSOLUTELY! She is a master of plots, something which I feel I struggle with in my own writing (I'm better with characterization and dialogue), and the tension she creates is amazing. I would give up many many many things to be able to create as page-turning of novels as she does.

I hope you all liked the review. Don't forget to enter in for the 250 Follower Giveaway. All you need to do is be a follower and leave me your name and email address in a comment. But remember, we have to reach 250 followers by January 12th in order for there to be a giveaway. So keep spreading the word. Have a great weekend!

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Happy Monday, everyone! Hope your Monday is going as well as mine. All of my finals and everything for school is done and over, so I'm finally able to enjoy my break. I actually got eight hours of sleep last night! Woo hoo! Now straight into the review.

The Hunger Games = WOW! Absolutely fantastic. I couldn't put this book down. First, for those of you who haven't been fortunate enough to read it yet, here is the back cover blurb:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for here, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

I'll be honest, after reading this blurb, this didn't sound like my type of book. I've never really been into dystopian fiction, or dystopian YA fiction. However, I'd heard so many great reviews of this series that I finally bought the book and just had to see for myself.

I literally COULD NOT put this book down. My fiance had to finally pry it from my hands, so I would finish up studying for my finals and writing my final papers. Word to the wise, if you have something important to do, don't start reading this book because you won't get it done--save it for a nice weekend read.

The Hunger Games is addicting. Not only is the story full of non-stop action and adventure, but the novel is very well written and will keep you on the edge of your seat and in love with the characters from page one. I can't say enough good things about this book. It is definitely being archived on my shelf as one of my new favorites, and I've already bought the two sequel books (Catching Fire and Mockingjay).

This book appeals to any one of any age, whether or not you are usually a sci-fi dystopian reader--this is a book for anyone. Because of this, I present The Hunger Games with a rating of: full moon!

This book is absolutely fantastic, and if you don't like it, there must be something wrong with you. Lol, just kidding about that last part, but seriously, this book is great and you NEED to read it. I give it my highest recommendation.

So for those of you who haven't read the novel, run to your local bookstore this very second and buy this book! You will not regret it.

Make sure you check back on Wednesday day. I'll be announcing a new giveaway! Til then ;-)

Speak Loudly--Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I'm back from my cruise to Mexico! It was the best vacation I've ever been on, but I'm glad to be back home. I missed my dog, my cat, my friends, and of course, writing on my blog (seriously). If you remember, before I left, I made all of you guys a promise that I would have a review for you when I returned. I'm happy to say, I did not fail you! I finished Laurie Halse Anderson's novel, Speak, on Saturday night and wow, I was blown away.

Let me tell you a little about all the hype surrounding this book and why I read it. With the big controversy of some ridiculous professor trying to get the book banned for being "soft porn" (a claim which is some of the biggest, excuse my French, bull shit I've ever heard), everyone seemed to be reading this book. Naturally, being the personality that I am, when I heard that someone was trying to get the book banned, I automatically wanted to read it. I know that sounds stupid, but that's just the type of person I am. It's not that I like the drama, in fact, I hate the drama, but my thought is that if someone's trying to ban it, there must be something interesting in between those pages. Actually, every single one of my favorite YA books has been banned (or someone attempted to ban it). Well, here's my thoughts on this banning idea...

There is nothing wrong with this book and there is no reason it should be banned from schools. In fact, I think it NEEDS to be read in schools. Before I decided to teach college level Creative Writing/English, I wanted to teach high school level English (who knows, I might still end up doing that some day). As someone who is a future educator, I would willingly, gladly, and excitedly assign this to ALL my students. Now, I won't go on too much longer about my opposition to the book being banned. If you're interested in that, then feel free to research it. What I really want to speak about is Speak itself.

This is, by far, one of the BEST books I've read in a long time. I couldn't put Speak down. Not only is Speak emotionally moving, touching, frightening and every other spectrum of emotion you can imagine, but it is one of the best written YA novels I've ever encountered. Laurie Halse Anderson's writing is filled with strong, powerful, and authentic YA voice. The first person narration of her main character, Melinda Sordino, is one of the best and most characteristic fiction voices I've ever read. It's hard to talk about this book without giving away all the details, so I can't say much about the plot without spoiling it for you--but let me tell you, you NEED to read this. Trust me.

One of the things I love about having paperback books is that I can lend them to my friends. I only lend people novels that I absolutely love. I would never hand a friend something that I thought was just okay or mediocre. Well, this book is being passed around to every one of my close friend's starting today, which says a lot. For this reason, I present Laurie Halse Anderson's novel, Speak, with a rating of full moon!

Speak receives the highest recommendation this blog and I have to offer. This novel is simultaneously beautiful and frightening, funny and dark, poignant and gritty. It is FANTASTIC! I give it my highest recommendation. One last thing I'd like to say, which I think really shows how I feel about this book. 

Despite its overwhelming popularity, YA literature is sometimes looked down upon by academics, and even at times by other 'adult' commercial writers. It's not always so easy to be taken seriously when you write YA lit. So the biggest compliment that I can give to Speak, is that it makes me proud to be a YA author. This book brought out very strong emotions in me and there is nothing more that a novel can strive for.