Tag: books

Book Review

Summer Books Loving: Nantucket Blue and This is What Happy Looks Like…

Elodie

During the summer time, when the sun shines (or should be shining), I like to read books that are set at the beach, that take place during that season. Sometimes, I want something sweet and nice, I want to be swept off my feet. Other times, I´m ready for a surprise…But I need to feel the breeze and the sun and taste the ice cream.

I´ve been reading quite a few books that  fit the bill…So here´s my first Summer Books Loving post.

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Publication Date: May 7th, 2013

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams. Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.  When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer. But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on–most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits–that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality. A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue

Book review: Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the e-galley of this book. It´s another one of those summer books that in my view takes you a  bit by surprise. Cricket isn´t your usual type of narrator because she´s not the one the tragedy happens to. At least not directly. And I found that a change from what I read in the past. She´s the best friend. But that comes to show that tragedies affect people in different manners…Cricket can also be selfish and a bit infuriating. But in my view, that also made her a well-rounded character because I didn´t disconnect with her when that happened. And I think here lays the magic of a book, when you know you want to spend the highs and the lows with a character. The romance was sweet, not totally unexpected. I saw it coming but it still made my heart beat faster. I know I´ll be picking up the next book.

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Publication Date: April 2nd, 2013

If fate sent you an email, would you answer? When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O’Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.  Then Graham finds out that Ellie’s Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?

Book review: I absolutely adored The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight and wasn´t disappointed by This Is What Happy Looks Like. While reading, I found myself smiling and rooting for the main characters. That and I´ve been wanting to go to Maine ever since finishing this book.  It has everything I look for when dreaming about the summer: the water, the small town, characters I would love to be friends with, and a story that holds its own, that doesn´t compromise but is still full of sweets and butterflies. Sometimes, in those type of stories, the characters become simply another version of a well versed model. Graham and Ellie feel like people. Graham has a pet pig. Ellie has dreams and quirks and her relationship with her mother just felt “real.”  Everyone around them doesn´t feel “added” to the story but has part of it. Personally, Jennifer E. Smith is a must-buy author for me and one I know to turn to when I want to work on my craft.

Have you read a book that transported you to a new place recently?

Book Review, Giveaway

Blog tour – Hysteria – a review and giveaway…

Elodie

I have a secret.

I love scary books, suspense, psychological thrillers – usually they do need a bit of romance and a touch of hope.

So, when I saw HYSTERIA by Megan Miranda up for grabs on NetGalley I didn´t hesitate. I requested it and grinned when I got approved. I may have done a bit of a happy dance. And when I was selected to be part of the Blog tour I was even happier 🙂

HysteriaSummary from Goodreads.com: Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can’t remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn’t charged. But Mallory still feels Brian’s presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others

Mallory was at times an unreliable narrator. She doesn´t remember details, she feels the presence of the one she killed around her. It makes her insecure, worried, never able to let go. Her parents don´t know how to deal with her. Only her best friend continues to look at her like she still knows her.

But I liked her, I rooted for her, wanted to know more about her.

The entire novel, one wonders exactly what happened that night and what is going on in the boarding school. The setting feels real and the boarding school stories are a nice touch. The love interest is truly adorable and got my heart racing a few times.

I couldn´t stop turning the pages. I had to know what happened next. I found Miranda´s writing really engaging and I remember taking notes on some of the tricks she used, or some of the hints she dropped.

I wish there sometimes could have been more from that night and more on the actual resolution. (I´ll leave at that to not spoil anything).

But I really enjoyed it 🙂

(and I´m now writing a YA romantic suspense, finally trusting myself to take that love of thrillers and suspense to my YA writing)

Oh…and before I forget:

GIVEAWAY 

Open until March 21st

  • You can win a COPY of HYSTERIA (US only as per the guidelines I received)
  • For you all my international readers: you can win a copy of Miranda´s first book FRACTURE.

What do you need to do?

  • Simply tell me the last movie or book that scared you a little 🙂 (and please mention if you´re located in the US or any other countries)
Query, reading, writing, ya

RTW: Quarterly check-ins…

Elodie

So it’s been FOREVER since I’ve done a Road Trip Wednesday….Happy to be back!

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This Week’s Topic:

Quarterly check-ins! We’re already 1/4 of the way through the year–where are you on your reading and writing goals?
In terms of reading I didn’t set myself any specific goals except the Debut Author Challenge. And I need to review the books I’v read because WOW I’ve gotten lost in some amazing stories!
And I’ve been doing a lot of beta-reading and critiquing. Let me tell you: I’m VERY lucky I get to read all those manuscripts and pages! They’re wonderful!!!!
When it comes to my writing?
  • I finished the extensive revision of ONE TWO THREE and it’s back in Query Land (plus, it got two requests via Cupid’s contest, yay! and it’s off to the agents of the Submission mailbox of YAlitchat.org)
  • To get my mind off querying and because my fingers itched to draft again, I started SHINY NEW WIP, i.e. GUILTY…It was supposed to be a YA contemporary romance novel it’s turning into a YA romantic suspense novel. And I’m excited!
One of my goals was to be more appreciative and to find balance. Well…let’s just say I have to work even harder to find this balance I’m longing for. Work has been very very busy, hubby is traveling a lot and let’s just say it can get overwhelming.
But…
I have some coping ways:
  1. The sun is shining again. That ought to help brighten the mood.
  2. We’re moving closer to the train station, which means: YAY project and YAY having some office space and YAY no more waiting for the bus and missing my train because of it.
  3. Writing and reading.
  4. Spending time with my hubby
  5. Enjoying the small things.
  6. Listening to my cat purring (or snoring :-))
Plus, I need to disconnect from times to times, not from Twitter, no but from my blackberry, that should help 🙂
My writing goal is to finish the first draft of GUILTY by the end of April…that gives me about 2 months and I already wrote 10k in the past couple of weeks!
Tell me, how are you doing these days? Did you accomplish some of your goals?
Books

Spreading the word…

Elodie

Warning: I cannot re-blog something directly from blogger so I am basically copying and pasting a blog post from Peggy Eddleman. But her words are so true and brought tears to my eyes. Help spread the word!

*********************************

Here´s what Peggy wrote yesterday:

Two of our very own need us.

I have always been so amazed at how supportive, loyal, encouraging, and helpful the writing community is. Writers rock, big time. Whenever someone’s in need, writers rally the troops, which is why I’m posting this. Guys– we need to rally the troops for two of our own.

First: Chad Morris.

I’ve gotta say, a debut year is extremely busy and stressful. But there are a lot of very rewarding and fun parts of it, too! Chad Morris, a blogger many of you might know, has willingly given up all the fun and rewarding parts of his debut year for something infinitely more important– his 9 year old daughter. Last Tuesday he and his wife Shelly (a writer who many of you might know, too) took her to one of the best neurosurgeons in the nation to get a tumor removed from her brain. Dang! I’m getting teary-eyed just typing this! *deep breath*

Chad is in a hospital, being there for his daughter as she recovers. He can’t promote his book, but we can! We can give him the book launch that he deserves. His book releases tomorrow. If you feel so inclined, think about mentioning his book on Twitter, Facebook, on your blog, on Pinterest, or on whatever other form of social media you enjoy.

Here’s the quick details:

Book: CRAGBRIDGE HALL: THE INVENTOR’S SECRET (Shadow Mountain, 3/5/13)
The blog post where Chad talks about his daughter:http://writingwithshellyandchad.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-more-important-dream.html
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chad.morris.5
Twitter: @ChadCMorris

The longer details:

About THE INVENTOR’S SECRET:

Imagine a school in the year 2074 where students don’t read history, but watch it happen around them; where running in gym class isn’t around a track, but up a virtual mountain; and where learning about animals means becoming one through an avatar.

Welcome to Cragbridge Hall, the most advanced and prestigious school in the world. Twin siblings Abby and Derick Cragbridge are excited as new students to use their famed grandfather’s inventions that make Cragbridge Hall so incredible. But when their grandfather and parents go missing, the twins begin following a trail of clues left by their grandfather. They must find out where their family is, learn who they can trust, and discover what secrets are hidden within Cragbridge Hall.

Abby and Derick soon realize they are caught in a race with a fierce adversary to discover their grandfather’s greatest secret–a dangerous discovery that could alter both history and reality.

About Chad:

Chad Morris grew up wanting to become a professional basketball player or a rock star. (Inspired by Animal from the Muppets, he’s been banging on drums since he was eight years old.) After high school, he wrote and performed sketch comedy while going to college, and eventually he became a teacher and a curriculum writer. He lives in Utah with his wife and five kids. Chad would love to teach at Cragbridge Hall.

Unlike Oscar Cragbridge, however, he hasn’t really invented anything, though his son once sketched out blueprints for a machine that would turn celery into cookies.

Second: Bridget Zinn

Bridget’s debut novel, POISON, releases a week from tomorrow. Sadly, Bridget died from cancer in May of 2011, and never got to hold her book in her hands. Being published was her dream, and her husband and friends would love some help putting the finishing touches on her dream. Her husband has set up a website that talks about all the ways you can help. It’s a pretty awesome thing. You can find his plea for help here: http://bridgetzinn.com/help/index.php

Here’s the quick details:

Book: POISON (Hyperion, 3/12/13)
Twitter Hashtag: #poison

The longer details:

About POISON:

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

About Bridget:

Bridget grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the “summer of love” and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died. Her last tweet was “Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect.”

Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers’ copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads.

I am positive that anything you want to do to get the word out about these two fabulous books— no matter how small— will be greatly appreciated.

I’m honored to be part of the troops with you all.

reading

Debut Author Challenge – My reading list…

Elodie

I mentioned at the beginning of the year that I would take part this year in the Debut Author Challenge hosted by Hobbitsies. There are so many wonderful books coming out in 2013 and lots of them are Debuts…

I love the idea of supporting new authors and I love sharing my views on the books I really enjoyed.

So…The challenge asks for at least 12 books to be reviewed. Here is a list of 18 Debuts I am planning to read this year (by release date) – I might read more…but I´m so very excited about all of those!

Debuts 2013 

  1. Level 2 (January 15) by Lenore Appelhans
  2. The Madman´s Daughter (January 29th) by Megan Shepherd
  3. Nobody bus Us (January 29th) by Kristin Halbrook
  4. The Reece Malcolm List (February 5th) by Amy Spalding
  5. Dualed (February 26th) by Elsie Chapman
  6. Strands of Bronze and Gold (March 12th) by Jane Nickerson
  7. Starstruck (March 12th) by Rachel Shukert
  8. Pretty Girl-13  (March 19th) by Liz Coley
  9. The Art of Wishing (March 21st) by Lindsey Ribar
  10. If you find me (March 26th) by Emily Murdoch
  11. Taken (April 16th) by Erin Bowman
  12. Nantucket Blue (May 7th) by Leila Howland
  13. The rules for disappearing (May 14th) by Ashley Elston
  14. Truth or dare (May 14th) by Jacqueline Green
  15. OCD Love Story (July 23rd) by Corey Ann Haydu
  16. Canary (August 1st) by Rachele Alpine
  17. Through The Bomb´s Breath (September 2013) by Peggy Eddleman
  18. Fault Line (November 12th) by Christa Desir

Do you have any of those on your list for this year? 

Happy Friday, revising, writing

Happy Friday #30 – Getting lost in good books and revising…

Elodie

Yay, it´s time for Happy Friday 😀 Looking forward to know what made you smile this week!

So I’ve been quite the bad blogger lately. I still need to put up my list of Debuts I’m going to read this year for the Debut Author Challenge. I haven’t done any Road Trip Wednesday and I haven’t been responding to recent comments. Though I read them and love them and am very thankful for them! So what have I been doing? Well first work started again which means less time.

But really, I have been doing this *little* think called REVISING…waking up early on weekends to work on ONE TWO THREE, making my characters even more fleshed out, giving them more meaning and also more to struggle with.  I think it’s going in the right direction even though I did have a moment last week where I wondered, where I doubt myself (but that’s for another post :-)). Right now, I am simply excited to get in the train this evening and turn on my laptop, to put my alarm clock early Saturday to revise before my husband gets up.

And I’m also very grateful for Dahlia. She really takes the time to help us, going far beyond to answer our questions and help us make our manuscripts shine for PitchWars. And I cannot wait to read my team’s manuscripts!

And when it comes to reading? This week I got lost into two wonderful books! Both YA contemporary. Both amazing. Both giving me all the feelings. I will review them properly closer to their publication date but just know they both made me SMILE 😀

IF YOU FIND ME

IF YOU FIND ME, by Emily Murdoch

Publication date: March 26th, 2013

THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND …

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen-year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and the girls are found by their father, a stranger, and taken to re-enter the “normal” life of school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must come to terms with the truth of why their mother spirited them away ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go … a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

DARE YOU TO

DARE YOU TO by Katie McGarry

Publication date: June 7th 2013

“I dare you…”

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk’s home life, they’d send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom’s freedom and her own happiness. That’s how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn’t want her and going to a school that doesn’t understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn’t get her, but does….

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can’t tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn’t be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won’t let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all….

So tell me what made you SMILE this week?

Blogging

What happened in 2012…

Elodie

First of all, hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate it, and a great holiday season…

Wow I blogged for an entire year. A full year. Those are a lot of posts, a lot of connections and friendships made ❤

Here´s my a recap of what happened on this blog and in my life in 2012(some stats-even though numbers don´t say how much I smiled thanks to all of you-pictures and past posts).

As of 12/21/2012

  • 168 followers (and 39 on Google reader, maybe they´re the same, maybe not)
  • 14,309 views (wow!)
  • from 108 countries!
  • Around 150 blog posts in 2012 🙂

Top 5 posts most viewed in 2012

What Desperate Housewives taught me about my novel… 649
My January books 😀 519
Happy Friday #8: Giveaway, Books and Thanks! 365
Happy Friday #13 – Jellicoe steals my heart and other stories 361
Query writing (part 2) – Webinar with Sara Megibow 317

Top 5 posts most commented in 2012 (one of them is the post were I reveal my first name, fun!)

First Campaigner Challenge: Look, don´t touch… 94
Pssshhhh…Top secret 🙂 51
Say Hello to Balzac… 48
Dreaming of a writing retreat… 48
My Love List…. 47

And here´s the recap of my year…

January

…. I participated in CHANGEWRITENOW…set up some goals, met some awesome people.

….I stopped smoking!!!!

…I revealed my first name…I used to go only by “commutinggirl” and I used the opportunity of a Road Trip Wednesday to finally say “Hello, my name is Elodie and I´m a writer.” in the post “Pshhhhh top secret”

…I finished the first draft of my manuscript PLAYING WITH FIRE. One that now needs a rewrite and which hasn´t yet been seen fully by anyone but me: The Two Magical Little Words.

Anna and The French Kiss

I read ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS for the first time. It has now become my security blanket. When I feel down, I know I can turn to Anna (and Etienne) to lift me up.

February

…I asked the Writing Community to be my Valentine (well because you guys are just awesome!)

…I took part in the Platform-Building Campaign and even in the first challenge (my first flash fiction on this blog. ever)…and made it to the second round.

March

…Hosted my first Giveaway. It was the “I love reading” giveaway where two books were up for grabs (one for the reader of my blog and one for someone younger than them to spread the love of reading). Jessica Love won! 😀

…As I was going through the process of revising, I went through some self-doubt. Is my English good enough? and thought about it in the post entitled The Beauty of Words or the Pulchritude of Morphemes…

IMAG0316

Hubby and I went to see a Klitschko fight! It was amazing!

April

Popping the question

I took a deep breath, reread my email a thousand times over, adding this subject line…asking Jaime if she would like to try out this CP thing. She said yes, and I not only got a wonderful Critique Partner with an eye for detail (and an amazing manuscript), I also got a new friend!

Jellicoe

It´s the month I plunged into JELLICOE ROAD, and wow…the ride was amazing! I love this book. Really. I think it´s even my favorite read of the year. (Thanks again, Katy for gushing about it!)

HungerGamesPoster

My husband aka The Chemical Engineer made his first appearance on this blog, with his “A Young Engineer´s not so serious review of the Hunger Games movie”

May

…my hubby shared Your Significant Other is a Writer, don´t Panic…

…Some tweets made me LOL…especially these ones…

Tweet

June

…as hubby and I went on our honeymoon in May, there were a lot of post-honeymoon recaps…including those ones:

Jennifer E. Smith talking about her wonderful book!
Jennifer E. Smith talking about her wonderful book!

The Magic of Teen Author Carnival. I met authors. I asked a question. I saw and talked (briefly) to Rebecca. It was simply amazing…

On the road...
On the road…

During our road trip, we experienced so many things. We reconnected with friends, we created new memories, we laughed a lot…We also went back to that little Bed and Breakfast I fell in love with back in 2007…

Other peoples happy news: both Erin and Elsie revealed their beautiful covers….

July

WeekTwitter

Got deep into Jaime´s manuscript and into drafting ONE TWO THREE…

Dessert

Started making yummy desserts 😀 (Thanks to Katy again as she shared some of her favorite websites)

My Life Next Door

I read and loved MY LIFE NEXT DOOR…and the author, Huntley Fitzpatrick, agreed to let me interview her! (reading this post always makes me smile)

Happy Monday contest

Yay! I was one of the lucky three winners of the query contest of Taryn (Queroine extraordinaire as I now like to call her or as she puts on her blog: writer, reader, lit agency intern, and freelance editor).

August

Celebrated my 31st birthday!

Birthday Breakfast
Birthday Breakfast

Celebrated our one-year anniversary…

Anniversary

Hmmm food!
Hmmm food!

Met my baby niece

Met my newborn niece for the first time
Met my newborn niece for the first time

September

Traveled to Russia…

Bolshoi...
Bolshoi…
Discovering Moscow...
Discovering Moscow…
Deep into revisions
Revisions 2
Felt like a rock star
Sara Megibow

I attended a webinar by Sara Megibow…and she tweeted about my overview. Sara is truly amazing and so happy I took that webinar to see how an agent goes through slush…and at the same time, her comments on my query helped me go through yet another round of revision.

October

I started a class on revision by Mandy Hubbard, I learned a lot and met many wonderful writers….

…Got deep into Awkward

Awkward

….Found our cutie patoutie at the shelter

Our new cat - Peter - found at the shelterComing to live with us as of Monday evening.
Our new cat – Peter – found at the shelter

…Went to the Frankfurt Book Fair and hung out with great people from SCBWI

The outside of the Book FairHappy news from others: Rebecca announced her book deal!

November

I started querying…and my motto became You just need that one...November wasn´t an easy month, as I lost my grandmother. I shared some of her wisdom in Love is what matters…

December

Both Katy and Christa had some exciting news to share! I´m so happy for those two lovely ladies. One snagged a wonderful agent, and the other revealed the cover of her book (one I think every teenage boy and girl ought to read) I love other people´s good news!Alternate - PitchWarsI entered PitchWars and made it as an alternate!!!! 😀 And? Have you seen who´s teamed up with the wonderful Dahlia? I´m so happy about this….New Tree OrnamentI received this beautiful ornament from Jessica (perfect for ONE TWO THREE…)Christmas Market with HubbySpent quality time with my hubby at the Christmas market….And…my friend Alex got an SCBWI award and will be going to the conference in NYC!!!! (see her blog for all information :D)Only a few more days until 2013…

I, NobbiP [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
2012 has been full of surprises, of ups and downs, of never-ending revising, of happy moments…for me and for others.I´m thankful for you! For your comments, for our interactions, sometimes for our angst-ridden emails, for the support you give me, and for being there. Really, the internet is great but it´s especially wonderful for having enabled me to connect with all of you!
See you in 2013! (and I´m sure I´ll share many more of YOUR happy news :-))
Random picture of my cat...He looks so cute on that one :D
Random picture of our cat…He looks so cute on that one 😀

 

Books, reading

Class of 2012 – YA Superlatives – Best in Show

Elodie

Class of 2012 Banner

Katy Upperman, Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott and Alison Miller had the great idea to organize the  CLASS OF 2012: YA SUPERLATIVES BLOGFEST! Don´t hesitate to check their blogs for all the links…

The choices were tough (see all the wonderful books I´ve read this year?)…so yep…hmmm sometimes there may be more than one…Today I am proud to present BEST IN SHOW.

YA books released and read in 2012
YA books released and read in 2012

Favorite Cover(s)

The Raven Boys

I’m really wondering about the bird, and the mystery, and the boys, and it’s shiny!

Something Strange and Deadly

So pretty, and dark, and ohhhhh I want to know what’s going to happen.

In Honor

I don’t know why but this one really appealed to me even before I read it. Must be the boots, or the desert…

 Cutest Couple

My Life Next Door

 Samantha and Jase – they are simply adorable!

TFIOS

Augustus and Hazel – they broke my heart, but at the same time their love for one another shone through the pages, and they’re funny, and they’re courageous, and they’re simply real.

Most Likely to Succeed (Or, pick a Printz Winner.)

TFIOS

The Raven Boys

Gorgeous writing, story that pulls you in…Even though the storylines are completely different, they both managed to create a world that felt like the reader was walking beside the characters.

In one of the books, you will mourn and grieve and fall in love with them. While in the other, you will want to know what happens next, and what is it about this place that makes everything so magic, and you will want to go hang out with The Raven Boys and Blue and her family.

Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime (Book you just couldn’t put down!)

Pushing the limits

Even though Noah was sometimes a bit too much, I still got lost in the story and…missed my bedtime for it 🙂

 Best Repeat Performance (Your favorite sequel or follow-up.) 

A million suns

Romance Most Worthy of an Ice bath 

Losing It

Okay. So I know this is NA…but STEAMY!!!!

Breakout Novel (Your favorite book by a debut author.)

My Life Next Door

Loved the story, and on top of that Huntley has been so sweet in helping with my giveaway of her book and by granting me an interview. Definitely getting her next book.

Best Old-Timer (your favorite read of the year, published before 2012)

 Jellicoe

You guys. That book. So. Many. Feelings.

The characters, the story, the setting, the writing, how everything works together, how I fell in love with all of them.

Thanks again Katy for recommending this book! 

Book most likely to make a grown man cry

TFIOS

Most Pleasant Surprise (Best book you didn’t think you’d like, but totally did.)

TFIOS

I know. Weird. But the topic is so heartbreaking. Cancer is a bitch.  And I didn’t know if I would put a wall between me and the book, or if I would think it was written too off-track, or if I would even pick it up afraid it would be too sad. But the characters were so real, their story, their words resonated so loudly, that I fell in love with it. Without Tracey and her book club, I know I probably would have not read it. So thank you!

Most creative use of a Love Triangle

The Raven Boys

The love triangle is there, not there, but there…and wow…can’t wait to know what happens next!

Sleeper Hit (Book you found so awesome you wish it had been hyped more)

Butter

While that book was hyped a bit before its publication, I don’t think it got lots of press afterwards.

Favorite Outlier (Your favorite middle grade or adult 2012 book) 

King

It’s technically an adult book, no?

Reading ON WRITING was really a delight. The voice in that book is just amazing, and Mr. King gives wonderful tips, and digs into his own experience as a writer.

And now, we need to pick our own superlative category.

Favorite Lines

 (not just first line, but any lines, the ones that stayed with you long long loonnnng after you closed the book).

Disclaimer: I have more than one favorite line, and I’m sticking to the books I talked about in this wonderful blogfest (not all the ones I’ve read in 2012)

The Raven Boys

“Gansey had once told Adam that he was afraid most people didn’t know how to handle Ronan. What he meant by this was that he was worried that one day someone would fall on Ronan and cut themselves.”

“He asked for a specific. I gave him a specific. I’m sorry it wasn’t puppies.”

“Maura had decided sometime before Blue’s birth that it was barbaric to order children about, and so Blue had grown up surrounded by imperative question marks.”

 Jellicoe

“We were playing Rock, Paper, Scissors,” she told him once. “I was paper and she was rock so I lived and she died.”

“If you weren’t driving, I’d kiss you senseless,” I tell him.
He swerves to the side of the road and stops the car abruptly.
“Not driving any more.”

 TFIOS

People will say it’s sad that she leaves a lesser scar, that fewer remember her, that she was loved deeply but not widely. But it’s not sad. It’s triumphant. It’s heroic. Isn’t that the real heroism? The real heroes anyway aren’t the people doing things; the real heroes are the people NOTICING things, paying attention.

“Headline?” he asked.
“‘Swing Set Needs Home,'” I said.
“‘Desperately Lonely Swing Set Needs Loving Home,'” he said.
“‘Lonely, Vaguely Pedophilic Swing Set Seeks the Butts of Children,'” I said.”

“You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you.”

 My Life Next Door

 ”His bed´s really comfortable and he never pees in it”

“Why do all the hot girls want the jocks and the good boys? We losers are the ones that need you.”

You have to kiss me,” I find myself saying.
“Yeah.” He leans closer. “I do.” 

Tell me, what is your favorite line from the books you’ve read this year?

Books, reading

Class of 2012 – YA Superlatives – Elements of Fiction

Elodie

Class of 2012 Banner

Katy Upperman, Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott and Alison Miller had the great idea to organize the  CLASS OF 2012: YA SUPERLATIVES BLOGFEST! Don´t hesitate to check their blogs for all the links…

The choices were tough (see all the wonderful books I´ve read this year?)…so yep…hmmm sometimes there may be more than one…Today I am proud to present ELEMENTS OF FICTION.

YA books released and read in 2012
YA books released and read in 2012

Most Envy-Inducing Plot (Or, the plot you wish you’d thought of yourself.)

This is not a test

Really, I’ve read AMAZING books this year, and I’d love to have thought of some plots myself. Like THIS IS NOT A TEST, I’m a big WALKING DEAD fan, and the way Courtney Summers created a mix of honesty, horror, love, hope and everything in between is quite amazing in my view.

And all the books with the wonderful romances (I write a lot of kissing scenes)…My Life Next Door, Meant to Be, Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight….

Then, there are the plots I absolutely LOVE and the prose I found magical and amazing but the books I wouldn’t write. At least not right now. Does that make sense?

Most Formidable World (Or, the setting you definitely would NOT want to visit.)

Insurgent

I mean I’d love to go to see FOUR and see the world for a little while, but then can I just come back home? 😀

Incarnate

Some of the creatures in there are pretty scary.

Wanderlust-Inducing (Or, the setting you’d happily travel to.)

Meant to be

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

I really need to go back to London soon 😀 (dear hubby, if you read this, we should plan a trip there next year…and go see a musical…are you still reading? Come back!)

Loveliest Prose

The Raven Boys

Most Dynamic Main Character

Insurgent

Tris.

Most Jaw-Dropping Ending

A million suns

I need to know what happens next…

Best Performance in a Supporting Role
My Life Next Door

All the Garretts in MY LIFE NEXT DOOR but especially George. I mean, that kid is SO cute and funny 😀

Some of his best lines:

”His bed´s really comfortable and he never pees in it”

George gives me a smile, the same dazzling sweet smile as his big brother, although at this point, with green teeth. “I might marry you,” he allows. “Do you want a big family?” 

I like that. You look like Sailor Supergirl.

Books, reading

Class of 2012 – YA Superlatives – Popularity Contest

Elodie

Class of 2012 Banner

Katy Upperman, Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott and Alison Miller had the great idea to organize the  CLASS OF 2012: YA SUPERLATIVES BLOGFEST! Don´t hesitate to check their blogs for all the links…

The choices were tough (see all the wonderful books I´ve read this year?)…so yep…hmmm sometimes there may be more than one…

Today I am proud to present POPULARITY CONTEST.

YA books released and read in 2012
YA books released and read in 2012

Class Clown

Meant to be

Jason – he’s funny, sweet, endearing and loves the attention he gets by being his clown-self…And he’s also so much more than that.

Most Likely to Become a Rock Star

The Disenchantments

Bev – she might not really become a Rock Star but she´s got the attitude, and the band.

Most likely to start a riot

Pushing the limits

Noah – I think he would do anything for his siblings, including starting a riot.

Insurgent

Tris – she would definitely be the one to start a riot…But at the same time, can you blame her?

Fashion King and/or Queen

A Midsummer´s nightmare

Harrison – He loves fashion, and he’s supportive and funny and smart and encouraging.

Time Between Us

Emma – here again, she knows her fashion, and she seems like a fun/nice/supportive person to have around!

Girl You’d Most Want For Your BFF

If I lie

Quinn – Because she had such a hard time, and still managed to stay true to herself and the ones she loved.

The Raven Boys

Blue – So we can go on adventures together, and talk about the Raven boys, and life, and all those mysteries swirling around. And to be immersed in Maggie’s magical writing.

Biggest Flirt

Stealing Parker

Parker – Flirting is a coping mechanism for her.

GILT

Catherine Howard – she flirts to get ahead, to climb the social ladder, and for the pretty dresses. But she also flirts to feel alive.

Boy You Wish You’d Dated in High School

Can I just tell you that list is ridiculously long and leave it at that?:D

Most Likely to Become President

A million suns

Elder – I mean he’s already a leader. And on a ship. And without the you-know-what-I-won’t spoil-it-for-you. 

Favorite Parental Figure

My Life Next Door

 The Garretts – They’re supportive, loud, funny, and simply there.

TFIOS

Hazel’s parents – they love their daughter, and are there for her. Their suffering and their heartbreak is visible and though they try to also simply be there for Hazel.