Friday, September 28, 2012

Velveteen - Daniel Marks

Synopsis: Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.
The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.
Bonesaw.
Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days.
It’ll be brutal... and awesome.
But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.
Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her. (From Goodreads)

This book is so freaking awesome I can hardly stand it. It makes dark and creepy gorgeous and almost sensual. There are possessions, hauntings, serial killers, shadows, death, poltergeists and mean girls and this is all in one day. Even with all the things that would normally give a person nightmares, the writing just makes this book unbeliveably beautiful.

For example:
"Velvet sprinted the last few yards and threw herself at the nurse, crossing the clammy chasm of air between them and slamming into the skin of her torso, slipping straight through the flesh, and wrapping her fingers around the woman's spinal chord as though she were swinging around a pole in the school yard. She steadied herself, filling into the woman's frame and forming the link" (page 80 - quoted from digital galley).

It literally causes me to arch my back because I could swear that at this moment some noncorporeal being is swinging around my spinal cord so she can hang out in my body for a bit. This book is filled with passages like this. It amazes me how Daniel Marks could make me shiver and smile in the same stroke. The writing is just exceptional. Because even if you don't find this story is for you (I have a feeling that this kind of intense gothic thriller isn't for everyone) you can't deny that the way it's written is wonderful. He made a world that is shaded with blacks and greys into one of the most vivid in my imagination. He has an eye for details and that just makes these pages jump out at you. The world was so real to me at times, Velvet really could have been walking around in my body giving me a tour of Purgatory. It make my skin tingle just to think about it.

There's some really great dark humor in this book and just getting flashes into Velveteen's brain is entertaing enough. Sort of like one of my favorite quotes ever and the moment I knew that my feelings for this book were a deep kind of love: ""He was pirate drunk, which, everyone knows, is the drunkest you can get." (page 77). Even the way Velveteen's murderer is described is some sort of sick joke, that walked the border of being way too heavy and almost too light. Even though Velvet is finding it hard to let go of her murder, she still doesn't dwell on it as often as you'd think she would. She's finding a way to have a new life after death and she's really good at it.

This is the kind of book I could write my own novel about. I'd even say that if the book doesn't seem like your cup of tea or bag of bones or what have you, still give it a shot. This writing is fabulous. And if this kind of story seems right down your alley, you're going to love it. It's one of the darkest things I've read in a long time, it has stuck with me for months after I've read it, and I still get chills when I think about certain parts of this book. Brilliant story, masterful writing, and just all around delightful insanity. I can't recommend this book enough.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: Unfinished

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic is: Top Ten Series I Haven't Finished


Not all of these series are finished, but they're ones I've neglected to continue so far. Some of these, I'm a little ashamed of and some I haven't finished by choice.

1. Angelfire Series by Courtney Allison Moulton
I was DYING to read Wings of the Wicked. Actually, I only picked up Angelfire because everyone was raving about Wings of the Wicked. I even bought it immediately when it came out. But for some reason, I just haven't read it yet.

2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
I jumped on the VA bandwagon a little late. I own the entire series and I've only read the first one. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to keep reading or not.

3. The Body Finder Series by Kimberly Derting
Not a huge fan of murder mysteries, but I LOVED Jay. So I'm still a bit on the fence if I want to go on or not. I might just to see what happens with Violet and Jay.

4. Eve by Anna Carey
Not gonna lie. I didn't like book 1, so I don't think I'll be finishing this series.


5. Matched by Allie Condy
I didn't care for Matched, so I'm not going to keep reading the series. Which is a bummer, because the premise is awesome.

6. House of Night by P.C. & Kristin Cast
I stopped after...I forget which book. The series started to drag on a little long for me. I love the characters, but I sadly lost interest. Maybe I'll finish one day, but it's not a priority.

7. Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickett
I know! Terrible. I read all but the LAST book. Clearly something is wrong with me.

8. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles 
I have a perfectly good explanation for this one - I'm waiting for the paperback.

9. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
I have no excuse. I have the book it just hasn't happened yet.

10. Fallen by Lauren Kate
Ok. So people who have read this series - would I be lost if I skipped book three? Probably a dumb question. But I loved the first two books and I want to keep going with this story so badly, but for some reason I couldn't get into book three. Advice? 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Romeo Redeemed - Stacey Jay

Synopsis: All will be revealed for fans who have breathlessly awaited the sizzling sequel to Juliet Immortal. This time Romeo takes center stage and gets one chance, and one chance only, to redeem himself.
Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart. (From Goodreads)

I'm SO bummed. I loved Juliet Immortal mostly because I've always hated the story of Romeo and Juliet. Two idiot kids who think they're in love can't be together and kill themselves. Yeah, that's dumb. So I was excited when someone came along and reiterpreted it to turn Romeo into a bad guy who basically dooms Juliet on purpose. I love thinking of Romeo as evil. But he's repentant in this book, and he acts like a victim, and he gets a chance to be happy. And now I hate this Romeo.

I have a lot of issues with this book actually. First, it was way weird that Romeo is falling for Ariel - the girl whose body Juliet last inhabited. That gave me the heebie-jeebies. And to be honest, I kind of hated Ariel too. She's almost too full of teen angst and in the beginning it seems like she plays the pity-me card more often than she needs to. More than once I wanted to tell her to get a grip.

And I was so not okay with their relationship. Romeo is all - I've done bad things, I don't deserve this. And Ariel is all - I don't care what you've done, I just want to be with you. UM. You should definitely care what Romeo has been up to the last few centuries. Maybe people deserve second chances, but if someone I had just started seeing told me he had a shady past, I'd defintely want to know what I'm dealing with. Plus, Romeo is sticky sweet - I rolled my eyes so many times a the words coming out of his mouth. I know his life depends on making her fall in love, but come on. Although she does fall for it - which kind of makes me think she loves him just because he's giving her attention.

Ugh, I sound so cynical. Sorry for the rant. There are a few things I liked - the best parts of this book were the moments Juliet got. I very much enjoy her - probably because we're both a little cranky and completely hate Romeo. I think it's really cool how everything ties back to the initial incident in Verona and the Shakespeare cast of characters makes some sort of appearance. It was also interesting when Romeo would talk about his Verona family and his memories before he became a Mercenary.

So yeah. I'm really sad that Romeo Redeemed didn't live up to Juliet Immortal. I really wish she had stopped after Juliet. I kind of want to pretend this book didn't happen and pretend this story ends with the ending of Juliet Immortal, because that makes my cyncical self so much happier.

Monday, September 17, 2012

What's Left of Me - Kat Zhang

Synopsis: Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything. (From Goodreads)

This story is stemmed from such a cool concept and the execution was wonderful. There were a lot of subtle things going on that just served to emphasize the feelings and emotions that come with not being able to control your own life. I've read a couple other books with more than one soul in a body, but they're always narrated by the soul in charge of actually running the body. This did something different and gives us the story of the soul who is only heard by the soul she shares her body with and is thought to no longer exist.

The beginning of the book is very internal, but as Eva gains more control the story becomes more external. It's all about Eva and Addie, and Eva's thoughts, but then it gradually shifts to the state of society and to helping other people. All these things reflect Eva and Addie's progression in such a sophisticated way. You can really feel the power shift without it ever being explicitly explained.

This is also an interesting take on identity. I kind of struggled to wrap my mind around the idea of two different souls with two different personalities living in one body. How do you reconcile that? Eva and Addie have their problems, but it seems like it could be a lot worse. Also, how do you have relationships with other people? What if your other soul doesn't like a person you're falling in love with? And if your other soul falls in love with a soul that's in a different body than the soul you're in love with - then what? I had a lot of questions about how this would all work. They weren't really answered, but it makes sense why - since the characters aren't exactly educated on what happens in these situations. I'm hoping in future books some of the technical aspects of how relationships work will be fleshed out a little bit more.

I read this book while hanging out in airports and flying across the country, and it make the time go faster and my travel time much more enjoyable. It's an easy book to get lost in for a little while. I'm interested to see where Addie and Eva will go next, so I'm pretty excited that this is the first in a series. Also - yeah it's kind of dystopian, but it's not overwhelmingly dystopian - so if you're like me and getting a little tired of that fad - no worries there, definitely give it a shot.

Friday, September 14, 2012

The Peculiar - Stefan Bachmann

Synopsis: Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.
In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings--Peculiars--and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.
One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley--Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.
First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong. 
Part murder mystery, part gothic fantasy, part steampunk adventure, "The Peculiar" is Stefan Bachmann's riveting, inventive, and unforgettable debut novel. (From Goodreads)

I attended the University of Denver Publishing Instiute this summer, and this is the one book that I think all 97 of us were anxiously awaiting to be released. I can't thank Alexa at Alexa Loves Books enough for passing on her copy to me. The Peculiar is the kind of book that just completely draws you into another world, a version of our world that seems it could easily exist.

The beginning of this book is one of my favorite beginnings ever. It begins as a dark and chilling tale, but we are introduced through the history of this world. A world where faerys invade England and war ensues. A world where faerys lose and become secondary citizens, left to live in the slums of Bath. This war sparks an industrial age - because iron wards against faerys - and thus the steampunk element is introduced. Then there is the lady in plum, who performs a horrifying ritual where she thinks no one is watching, but a changeling named Bartholemew sees everything.

This book has it's moments that are completely horrifying, but it's also kind of charming at the same time. Because you have two great underdog characters who step up to save the day. There's Bartholemew who's always been taught not to draw attention. He's young, naive, and all he wants is a friend. Then there's Mr. Jelliby, who is the guy who's always in the wrong place at the wrong time, forcing him to get involved and be an unlikely hero. The (good guy) characters are so adorable and the world is so imaginative, it's hard not to fall in love a little bit.

So if all this isn't amazing, just wait until you hear that Stefan Bachmann started writing this book when he was 16. SIXTEEN! I was almost 100 pages in before I found this out and it completely shocked me. The writing and the story is so sophisticated and refined that this is truly impressive. It's the kind of story that I know I would have loved when I was a child, I love it now that I'm older, and I'm sure I'd love it at any age.  I know a lot of amazing books are coming out on the 18th, but make sure this one is on your list to pick up next week. It's incredible.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

If I Lie - Corrine Jackson

Synopsis: Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.
Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise. (From Goodreads)

Quick personal side note before I jump into the awe I have for this book. I just moved to New York (scary!) and this was the first book I bought here. At The Strand. Which, for me, is kind of monumental. So this book is extra special and definitely one I'm going to hold on to for a long time.

Even better, this book is absolutely....you know what, I don't have the words. I could say it's heartbreaking, it's beautiful, it's real - but that's not really doing it justice. It's the kind of book that lodges itself inside your mind and changes the way you view things.

I think I have an understanding that soldiers go through something wicked and they suffer emotional and physical truamas. Even if it's not something I can know because I haven't gone through it, I'm aware of their pain. And I've always had the family memebers and loved ones of soldiers in my mind, but I guess I never completely considered what it's like on a day to day basis for those left behind.

What Quinn goes through is so painful. Every single day is like recieving a fresh wound. She's holding on to secrets, she's making sacrifices, and she suffers for it.  She's completely alone, but on top of that she's persecuted. She's not allowed to worry about Carey, or miss him even, in public. Even the people who know better have turned away from her. From the beginning you know the secrets she's keeping and I just kind of wanted to scream at everyone, but those secrets get lodged in your throat the same way they are hidden safely away in Quinn.

The way this story weaves from the past to the present was flawless and added a reflective quality to the story. The slow way the past is revealed deepens Quinns pain. There's also this really great circle effect happening with Carey, who's missing, and Georoge, the ailing veteran who's near death. Quinn helps George in collecting veteran's stories and this becomes her way of coping and staying in the world. But between these two characters, the past and the present are always together. Corrine Jackson brilliantly demonstrates how everyone's stories and lives build off of one another, and the past is truly a layered entity.

I cry pretty easily, but by the end I was reduced to painful sobbing. It was hard to read, but it was also difficult to tear myself away. I also want to applaud Corrine Jackson for the way she handles Quinns relationship with Blake. I won't go into specifics there, but the way that relationship turns out was just perfect. This book was just so absolutely stunning, it's one I wish everyone would read.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis: It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore. (From Goodreads)

Maggie Stiefvater never fails to create something completely new and completely magical. She has this talent for transporting you into a hazy place where her worlds can't help but exist. Reading her books is a feeling that's hard to describe, unless you've experienced it. Because reading Maggie Stiefvater really is more of an experience and a feeling than a process or a story. It's so hard to put my finger on what makes it this way, it just is.

Maggie takes folklore that already exists and then completely makes it her own. Which is exactly what she did here. I didn't completely understand everything that was going on with the tale behind Gansey's obsession, but I understood enough of it to be enthralled with the story. Because while Gansey is chasing soemthing magical, it's more about how these characters lives play out and how their relationships form and fluxuate. Which is it's own kind of magic.

I'm in love with this band of misfits. You have the three boys who go to an uppity private school, who seem to have nothing in common, but are best friends. As well as they mysterious Noah, who just sort of seems to be there. And then Blue, who dresses weird, comes from a family of psychics, and has always known that if she ever kisses her true love she will kill him. None of these characters seem to naturally form relationships, yet they all work together so well. It's fascinating to see how their lives play out in relation to one another.

Everything in this book subverts your expectations - which is sometimes a little jarring, in a good way. When it starts out with the message that Blue will kill her true love if she kisses him, you kind of expect the story to go in a certain direction. Every time you think something is going to happen, it doesn't - it often goes places I wouldn't have even thought of. And I can't even explain how much I appreciate and crave that.

First, if you haven't read Maggie Stiefvater yet - get on that. She's an incredible writer and I recommend any of her books. If you're already a Maggie fan, then you're going to adore this book.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Diviners - Libba Bray

Synopsis: Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first. (From Goodreads)

Libba Bray is a storytelling master. She's genius. She's so awesome that I will read her ginormous book and love every single second of it. Because she doesn't seem to be satisfied with just telling a story - she goes beyond and puts you into the lives of the people involved in that story. Even better, this book acts more like a portal directly into 1920's New York where you can put your face to the glass and really feel like you're seeing it all play out first hand.

Evie is such a fun character. Shes kind of crazy, but she just doesn't let other people stop her from doing what she wants to do. As a person who colors within the lines and follows rules, I kind of admire this. Even as a rebellious teen, she's still not like any character I've read before. Evie commands most pages in this book, but a few other characters get some pretty decent face time as well. There's Memphis, the healer, and Theta, the beautiful dancer with a mysterious past. I loved these subplots that added such great dimension and depth.

This book is all fun and games until people start dying in terrifying ways. I actually had nightmares while I was reading this book. I'd fall asleep reading (because it was late, not because the book is a sedative) and then wake up completely terrified. But this book is so worth the nightmares. The villain will make your skin crawl. The settings will make your heart pound and your breath a little quicker.

Libba Bray has long been one of my favorite authors. Her acknowledgements are even incredible written works. I'll forever read anything that she writes and every time I read her books, she again earns her place in my favorites list. She's incredible, and this book is such a powerhouse and exemplary piece of fiction. I'm blown away and completely enamoured.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Embers & Echoes - Karsten Knight

Synopsis: Fan the flames: A teen goddess fires up her search for love and family in this sequel to Wildefire. Ashline Wilde may have needed school to learn that she is actually a reincarnated goddess, but she’s ready to move beyond books. She leaves her California boarding school behind and makes for Miami, where she meets a new group of deities and desperately seeks her sister Rose, the goddess of war. But she’s also looking for love—because even though her romance with Cole had to be snuffed, Ash is a volcano goddess—and she doesn’t get burned.
This sequel to the edgy and action-packed Wildefire continues a fiery drama on an immortal scale. (From Goodreads

Ever since the meanest ending in perhaps all the history of cliffhangers, I've been awaiting the day when I could know if there would be a heroic rescuer who would swoop from the sky in the last minute or if Ash and all of her readers would hit the ravine and that would be that. Some part of me has been suspended in time for a year, and it's kind of a relief to be able to move on. Book two starts of right where book one left off and then Ash is once again full steam ahead.

So without spoiling any of the first or second books, I'm going to tell you the three things that make the second book even better than the first - which is saying a lot because the first was incredible.

1 - Ash! She's always been a strong character, but her strength evolves in this book. She's still impulsive and reckless. But now that she's come into her own power and she has a mission, she's also focused and determined. Where I may have called her crazy, possibly a little psycho, in book one, I now call her fierce - and okay she's still a little crazy, which is part of what makes her awesome.

2 - The narration. I have to say that Karsten Knight is one of the handful of people who can pull off second person narration with out driving me up a wall. He uses this great technique where he switches to second person when Ash is having a vision. This was something that took me awhile to catch on to in Wildefire, but in Embers I knew what was going on and I actually looked forward to those swtiches. Which also brings me to: I loved the flashbacks. These are also things that generally drive me crazy, but learning more about who Ash was in the past was so cool. Plus, he flashes back to the 20's - my favorite.

3 - WES. Holy...wow. I lovED Colt. But he so loses to Wes. Because Wes is FUN. And caring. And wealthy. And still a little tortured. All of the new characters kind of rock, but Wes is amazing. As far as falling for fictional characters go, well, he's the one.

This is a series that started out epic and just keeps getting better. There are tons of other things that I would love to gush about here, but I won't spoil it for you all - because you absolutely MUST read this series. So much awesome.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Burn for Burn - Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Synopsis: BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.
Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.
Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.
Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.
Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste. (From Goodreads)

I think the last words of this book are seared into my brain. I now look at this book and that sentence is all I see. Seriously, epic last words. Half the reason they're so embedded in my memory is because I think I read that last page over and over, thinking, this can't be it. There has to be more. At that point I didn't know this was a series, so I was furious. Then I did some research, found out the story continues, and got over it...a little. I love poetry, I love writing poetry, and my favorite part is the last line - the punch that drives the rest of it home. And this book has that punch.

Back to the beginning - the introduction to this island was delicious. It sounds like such a cozy place. A cozy place, where something sinister has probably been going on and no one knows about it. But still, a place where you'd like to hole up for a week. The initial setting and Mary's mysterious reason for leaving and then returning to the island sets up the mood of this book so well.

I love the way these three girls come together. I love that they each have their own voice and their own story - and that their lives loop around each other, separate, but heading for the same goals. I feel like I got to know Lillia and Kat's story pretty well, but I'm still so curious about Mary. She's told a bit about her past and she had plenty of time on the page - but I know there's so much more to her and I can't wait to see it when she lets that loose.

The other thing I had no idea about going in, was that this isn't just a contmeporary novel. It looks like it and acts like it, but it's something else underneath. There's little snapshots where something supernatural peeks through. Not enough to turn the story into something different, but just enough to up the stakes and give it a little power. The supernatural aspects act like a volcano - you know they're there, you live with them, but you don't know when it's going to errupt. And when it does, it's going to be epic and destructive.

And then of course there's the revenge, the force driving the plot. I get why these girls want revenge. Most of the people they take revenge on, especially Reese, a douche silo if I ever saw one, deserve whatever they have coming. What was interesting was the fact that their acts of revenge were kind of small and petty. There really wasn't anything that could permanently damage someone - mentally or physically. But it an awesome - you are your own downfall - kind of way - everyone's actions (both the revengers and the revengees) all collide and make these small things so much more severe.

This book is crazy. It's filled with sane people who have crazy ideas and the follow through to cause chaos. And it was awesome to watch. I can only imagine where it's going to go from here. I have a feeling things are about to get a lot more intense. I'm so excited to see how Siobhan Vivian and Jenny Han top this book.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Interview with Mary Casanova & Giveaway

I had the amazing opportunity to interview Mary Casanova, which is a bit like my childhood dreams coming true. She's written some wonderful books and her newest young adult novel, Frozen, just came out. It's amazing and you should definitely track down a copy!
I'm delighted to welcome Mary Casanova to the blog today. 


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Can you talk a bit about where your inspiration for this story came from? What drew you to this time in Minnesota history?

The inspiration for FROZEN came to me over 20 years ago while reading about my region’s history in KOOCHICHING by Hiram Drache. In it, I read just a few sentences about how one morning at the turn of the century, a prostitute was found frozen in the snow in a small northern Minnesota town. As a joke, someone took her frozen corpse into the meeting hall and stood it up as a joke at the start of a meeting. Drache wrote that it caused a great stir. I couldn’t let the image or this woman’s life go. Or perhaps, she reached out to me across the centuries and wouldn’t let me forget her. I had to somehow make sense of the times she lived in and vindicate her life and death.

 You have written quite a few middle-grade and children’s books. What was different or surprising about writing for young adults?

As this story took shape, I really didn’t know who my audience was going to be. Was it for young adults, or was the material geared more for adult readers? Many times, I had to put aside that concern and simply write the story that demanded to be written. Once I had a publisher for the novel, there was debate within the publishers’ offices, too, about if it was a YA or adult novel. My hope is that if it’s a good story it will find a wide range of readers as a cross-over novel.

What kind of research did you conduct while writing this novel? Was there anything interesting that you weren’t able to work into the book?

In writing historical fiction, there are worlds of interesting material that I must sift through. I may find a wealth of interesting details, but I must use only those that serve this story. It’s a bit like panning for gold. Along with visits to the archives of the Koochiching Historical Museum, I delved into other books, finding gold in Joe Paddock’s book, Keeper of the Wild, which chronicles the life of Ernest Oberholtzer and his environmental battle with industrialist E.W. Backus.

My hands-on research is living where I live, across from the historic lift bridge in a hundred-plus year old house, and incorporating the oral history and details of living on Rainy Lake. I have spent many summers returning to “Ober’s” Mallard Island, which is historically preserved. I made a point to return to Kettle Falls Hotel, which is also on the Historic Register, and spend a night in one of the upstairs hotel rooms. (I didn’t stay in the allegedly haunted room. Maybe another time for another story!) And I gleaned history from Jim Hanson and his family who own Atisokan Island, and the restored yacht, “Virginia,” which I fashion Trinity’s namesake after in the novel.

I love Minnesota authors and books that take place in Minnesota. I actually grew up reading your books because I related so well to your Minnesotan characters. What is your favorite thing about living in, or writing about, Minnesota?

My writing career now takes me all over the country--sometimes out of the country. But the more I’m away, the more I appreciate the last leg of my trip from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport to International Falls. The bright lights and buildings thin the farther north I head and are replaced by vast stretches of dark green dotted by winding rivers and lakes. As the plane touches down at the tiny runway, I’m glad to return home to a much slower, unhurried pace. A place where I can hear myself think again and be restored by the abundance of nature around me.

Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most challenging?

I loved getting to know my main character, Sadie Rose. She has so much to confront about her past and so many decisions to make about her present, yet the story starts with her being unable to speak--and hasn’t said a word in 11 years. My challenge was to make the reader care about her each step of the way on her journey to wholeness.
And as the author, that means getting out of the way and allowing this character be who she needs to be. It’s a balancing act between being in-control (somebody has to write the story) and being out-of-control (really not knowing what your character is going to do next). Somewhere in the middle is where inspiration comes and art happens!

I love the character of Aasta, partly because I can hear her Minnesotan/Norwegian accent so well. Was it difficult to work dialect into the story?

Dialect is always tricky. When I first wrote Aasta’s dialogue, I tried to make each sentence and phrase sound exactly as she might have said it. The problem is, it becomes cumbersome on the page to read this kind of dialogue. So I pulled back a bit, reminding myself that the reader needs a hint of the accent--but too exactly depicted and it’s almost like too much salt in a dish.

Since you are writing books for teens, what were you like as a teenager?

As a teenager, I was always looking for the “road less traveled.” I wasn’t great at being in team sports or school activities, but I loved anything that took me outdoors. I had an appaloosa named Keema, and he and I put on many miles together on the outskirts of the Twin Cities. I loved water-skiing, down-hill skiing, sailing, and camping. I especially enjoyed heading north to a family cabin near Ely and absorbing the haunting cries of the loons, the crisp pine-scented air, and the quiet of the northern forests.

I discovered the power of words when I was in high-school. I loved the medium of words, sentences, and paragraphs as an art form. That’s when my dream of becoming a full-time writer began. But before getting that degree in English, I found a way to graduate a half-year early and go to Florida with a few girlfriends (I talked them into the loop-hole I’d found, too). I went to Aspen with another girlfriend to become ski-bums for another year. And eventually, I made my way through college and immediately upon graduation, moved together with my husband, Charlie, to northern Minnesota.

I was--and still am--a strong believer in listening to your heart and following your dreams. The trick is to be still enough to listen. . .

 What are you working on now? Can you talk a little bit about any projects you have coming up?

I’m really excited about a novel I have in progress. It’s something different for me. It’s a bit of time-travel, and explores the scars left by war, whether present or past. I would love to tell more about it, but for now, readers will have to wait and wonder!


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University of Minnesota Press has been kind enough to offer a copy of Frozen to one lucky winner. This giveaway will run until September 16. You must be 13 or older to enter. Giveaway is international. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter! 

Frozen - Mary Casanova

Synopsis: Set during the roaring 1920s in the beautiful, wild area on Rainy Lake where Minnesota meets Canada, Frozen tells the remarkable story of Sadie Rose, whose mother died under strange circumstances the same night that Sadie Rose was found, unable to speak, in a snowbank. Sadie Rose doesn’t know her last name and has only fleeting memories of her mother—and the conflicting knowledge that her mother had worked in a brothel. Taken in as a foster child by a corrupt senator, Sadie Rose spends every summer along the shores of Rainy Lake, where her silence is both a prison and a sanctuary.
One day, Sadie Rose stumbles on a half dozen faded, scandalous photographs—pictures, she realizes, of her mother. They release a flood of puzzling memories, and these wisps of the past send her at last into the heart of her own life’s great mystery: who was her mother, and how did she die? Why did her mother work in a brothel—did she have a choice? What really happened that night when a five-year-old girl was found shivering in a snowbank, her voice and identity abruptly shattered?Sadie Rose’s search for her personal truth is laid against a swirling historical drama—a time of prohibition and women winning the right to vote, political corruption, and a fevered fight over the area’s wilderness between a charismatic, unyielding, powerful industrialist and a quiet man battling to save the wide, wild forests and waters of northernmost Minnesota. Frozen is a suspenseful, moving testimonial to the haves and the have-nots, to the power of family and memory, and to the extraordinary strength of a young woman who has lost her voice in nearly every way—but is utterly determined to find it again. (From Goodreads)

I grew up reading Mary Casanova's books. So I was excited when I heard she was coming out with her first young adult novel. This is the Mary Casanova I remember, so it felt a little bit like nostalgia, but it also felt like she was doing something different here. But mostly, this book is going to be different from what you've read before, if only because of the time and location.

1920's Minnesota? Yes, please! I'm fairly familiar with Minnesota history, but I've never considered what was going on around here in the 20's. And I love everything about the 20's. So when someone put those two things together, I was so thrilled. The political state is touched on, but it's more fascinating to see the way the state is in transition during this time. Sadie Rose is also the perfect character to highlight the social changes occurring during this time.

Sadie comes from a bit of a seedy background. All she knows is that her mother was a prostitute. Sadie Rose was found in a snowbank the night her mother died, and the senator and his wife took her in. She finds some pictures of her mother and then sets out to become her own, self-sufficient woman, while finding out the truth about her mother. She unearths some political scandals, exposes the darker side of Northern Minnesota, and in doing so she discovers her own power.

The only thing that had me worried was Sadie's inability to speak. She hasn't spoken since she was found in the snow, but early in the book she finds her voice. I was skeptical about how she would learn to speak again, but that turned out to be a powerful part of the book. She didn't just figure out how to communicate again, but she managed to come to a place where she could speak her opinions and demand to be treated with respect. Women's rights are a subtle, but strong, part of Sadie Rose's story and that her empowerment through her voice is what makes this story still extremely relevant today.

Ladies - you have a voice - if you feel you are mistreated or overlooked, use it! Don't take that power for granted.

So yeah, I'm thrilled with Mary Casanova's new book. If you haven't read any of Casanova's work - I highly recommend her, and Frozen is a great place to start!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

August Top 5

August is gone! August is my favorite month for many reasons - summer, the anticipation of fall, the movement that comes with going to school or starting new things, and reveling in the last days of relaxation. Also, it's my birthday month. So I'm going to miss August, but after August comes my favorite season - autumn. But first, a look back at the best books I read in August. These are some books that immediately went straight to my heart - and kind of make me want to do cartwheels, even though that would be disastrous. 

1. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
It's a humorous gothic tale. It's impossible not to laugh. It's impossible not to fall in love. Read my review here

2. The Diviners by Libba Bray
I'll read anything Libba Bray writes. This book is brilliant and so worth the nightmares it brings. I'll have a review on this one up soon! 

3. Embers & Echoes by Karsten Knight
The second book in the Wildefire series blew me away. SO insane. So awesome. And in case you're worried, this ending is mean, but not as mean as the ending to Wildefire. I'll have a review up soon. 

4. Defiance by C.J. Redwine
Great characters that live in a vibrant and imaginative world. Plus, Rachel and Logan's relationship is so sigh-worthy. Read my review here

5. Every Day by David Levithan
This book feels important AND it's a great story to get lost in. It'll make you ponder the meaning of identity and it will make you cry. Read my review here

What were your top reads this month? 

Friday, September 28, 2012

Velveteen - Daniel Marks

Synopsis: Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.
The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.
Bonesaw.
Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days.
It’ll be brutal... and awesome.
But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.
Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her. (From Goodreads)

This book is so freaking awesome I can hardly stand it. It makes dark and creepy gorgeous and almost sensual. There are possessions, hauntings, serial killers, shadows, death, poltergeists and mean girls and this is all in one day. Even with all the things that would normally give a person nightmares, the writing just makes this book unbeliveably beautiful.

For example:
"Velvet sprinted the last few yards and threw herself at the nurse, crossing the clammy chasm of air between them and slamming into the skin of her torso, slipping straight through the flesh, and wrapping her fingers around the woman's spinal chord as though she were swinging around a pole in the school yard. She steadied herself, filling into the woman's frame and forming the link" (page 80 - quoted from digital galley).

It literally causes me to arch my back because I could swear that at this moment some noncorporeal being is swinging around my spinal cord so she can hang out in my body for a bit. This book is filled with passages like this. It amazes me how Daniel Marks could make me shiver and smile in the same stroke. The writing is just exceptional. Because even if you don't find this story is for you (I have a feeling that this kind of intense gothic thriller isn't for everyone) you can't deny that the way it's written is wonderful. He made a world that is shaded with blacks and greys into one of the most vivid in my imagination. He has an eye for details and that just makes these pages jump out at you. The world was so real to me at times, Velvet really could have been walking around in my body giving me a tour of Purgatory. It make my skin tingle just to think about it.

There's some really great dark humor in this book and just getting flashes into Velveteen's brain is entertaing enough. Sort of like one of my favorite quotes ever and the moment I knew that my feelings for this book were a deep kind of love: ""He was pirate drunk, which, everyone knows, is the drunkest you can get." (page 77). Even the way Velveteen's murderer is described is some sort of sick joke, that walked the border of being way too heavy and almost too light. Even though Velvet is finding it hard to let go of her murder, she still doesn't dwell on it as often as you'd think she would. She's finding a way to have a new life after death and she's really good at it.

This is the kind of book I could write my own novel about. I'd even say that if the book doesn't seem like your cup of tea or bag of bones or what have you, still give it a shot. This writing is fabulous. And if this kind of story seems right down your alley, you're going to love it. It's one of the darkest things I've read in a long time, it has stuck with me for months after I've read it, and I still get chills when I think about certain parts of this book. Brilliant story, masterful writing, and just all around delightful insanity. I can't recommend this book enough.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: Unfinished

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic is: Top Ten Series I Haven't Finished


Not all of these series are finished, but they're ones I've neglected to continue so far. Some of these, I'm a little ashamed of and some I haven't finished by choice.

1. Angelfire Series by Courtney Allison Moulton
I was DYING to read Wings of the Wicked. Actually, I only picked up Angelfire because everyone was raving about Wings of the Wicked. I even bought it immediately when it came out. But for some reason, I just haven't read it yet.

2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
I jumped on the VA bandwagon a little late. I own the entire series and I've only read the first one. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to keep reading or not.

3. The Body Finder Series by Kimberly Derting
Not a huge fan of murder mysteries, but I LOVED Jay. So I'm still a bit on the fence if I want to go on or not. I might just to see what happens with Violet and Jay.

4. Eve by Anna Carey
Not gonna lie. I didn't like book 1, so I don't think I'll be finishing this series.


5. Matched by Allie Condy
I didn't care for Matched, so I'm not going to keep reading the series. Which is a bummer, because the premise is awesome.

6. House of Night by P.C. & Kristin Cast
I stopped after...I forget which book. The series started to drag on a little long for me. I love the characters, but I sadly lost interest. Maybe I'll finish one day, but it's not a priority.

7. Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickett
I know! Terrible. I read all but the LAST book. Clearly something is wrong with me.

8. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles 
I have a perfectly good explanation for this one - I'm waiting for the paperback.

9. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
I have no excuse. I have the book it just hasn't happened yet.

10. Fallen by Lauren Kate
Ok. So people who have read this series - would I be lost if I skipped book three? Probably a dumb question. But I loved the first two books and I want to keep going with this story so badly, but for some reason I couldn't get into book three. Advice? 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Romeo Redeemed - Stacey Jay

Synopsis: All will be revealed for fans who have breathlessly awaited the sizzling sequel to Juliet Immortal. This time Romeo takes center stage and gets one chance, and one chance only, to redeem himself.
Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart. (From Goodreads)

I'm SO bummed. I loved Juliet Immortal mostly because I've always hated the story of Romeo and Juliet. Two idiot kids who think they're in love can't be together and kill themselves. Yeah, that's dumb. So I was excited when someone came along and reiterpreted it to turn Romeo into a bad guy who basically dooms Juliet on purpose. I love thinking of Romeo as evil. But he's repentant in this book, and he acts like a victim, and he gets a chance to be happy. And now I hate this Romeo.

I have a lot of issues with this book actually. First, it was way weird that Romeo is falling for Ariel - the girl whose body Juliet last inhabited. That gave me the heebie-jeebies. And to be honest, I kind of hated Ariel too. She's almost too full of teen angst and in the beginning it seems like she plays the pity-me card more often than she needs to. More than once I wanted to tell her to get a grip.

And I was so not okay with their relationship. Romeo is all - I've done bad things, I don't deserve this. And Ariel is all - I don't care what you've done, I just want to be with you. UM. You should definitely care what Romeo has been up to the last few centuries. Maybe people deserve second chances, but if someone I had just started seeing told me he had a shady past, I'd defintely want to know what I'm dealing with. Plus, Romeo is sticky sweet - I rolled my eyes so many times a the words coming out of his mouth. I know his life depends on making her fall in love, but come on. Although she does fall for it - which kind of makes me think she loves him just because he's giving her attention.

Ugh, I sound so cynical. Sorry for the rant. There are a few things I liked - the best parts of this book were the moments Juliet got. I very much enjoy her - probably because we're both a little cranky and completely hate Romeo. I think it's really cool how everything ties back to the initial incident in Verona and the Shakespeare cast of characters makes some sort of appearance. It was also interesting when Romeo would talk about his Verona family and his memories before he became a Mercenary.

So yeah. I'm really sad that Romeo Redeemed didn't live up to Juliet Immortal. I really wish she had stopped after Juliet. I kind of want to pretend this book didn't happen and pretend this story ends with the ending of Juliet Immortal, because that makes my cyncical self so much happier.

Monday, September 17, 2012

What's Left of Me - Kat Zhang

Synopsis: Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything. (From Goodreads)

This story is stemmed from such a cool concept and the execution was wonderful. There were a lot of subtle things going on that just served to emphasize the feelings and emotions that come with not being able to control your own life. I've read a couple other books with more than one soul in a body, but they're always narrated by the soul in charge of actually running the body. This did something different and gives us the story of the soul who is only heard by the soul she shares her body with and is thought to no longer exist.

The beginning of the book is very internal, but as Eva gains more control the story becomes more external. It's all about Eva and Addie, and Eva's thoughts, but then it gradually shifts to the state of society and to helping other people. All these things reflect Eva and Addie's progression in such a sophisticated way. You can really feel the power shift without it ever being explicitly explained.

This is also an interesting take on identity. I kind of struggled to wrap my mind around the idea of two different souls with two different personalities living in one body. How do you reconcile that? Eva and Addie have their problems, but it seems like it could be a lot worse. Also, how do you have relationships with other people? What if your other soul doesn't like a person you're falling in love with? And if your other soul falls in love with a soul that's in a different body than the soul you're in love with - then what? I had a lot of questions about how this would all work. They weren't really answered, but it makes sense why - since the characters aren't exactly educated on what happens in these situations. I'm hoping in future books some of the technical aspects of how relationships work will be fleshed out a little bit more.

I read this book while hanging out in airports and flying across the country, and it make the time go faster and my travel time much more enjoyable. It's an easy book to get lost in for a little while. I'm interested to see where Addie and Eva will go next, so I'm pretty excited that this is the first in a series. Also - yeah it's kind of dystopian, but it's not overwhelmingly dystopian - so if you're like me and getting a little tired of that fad - no worries there, definitely give it a shot.

Friday, September 14, 2012

The Peculiar - Stefan Bachmann

Synopsis: Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.
In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings--Peculiars--and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.
One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley--Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.
First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong. 
Part murder mystery, part gothic fantasy, part steampunk adventure, "The Peculiar" is Stefan Bachmann's riveting, inventive, and unforgettable debut novel. (From Goodreads)

I attended the University of Denver Publishing Instiute this summer, and this is the one book that I think all 97 of us were anxiously awaiting to be released. I can't thank Alexa at Alexa Loves Books enough for passing on her copy to me. The Peculiar is the kind of book that just completely draws you into another world, a version of our world that seems it could easily exist.

The beginning of this book is one of my favorite beginnings ever. It begins as a dark and chilling tale, but we are introduced through the history of this world. A world where faerys invade England and war ensues. A world where faerys lose and become secondary citizens, left to live in the slums of Bath. This war sparks an industrial age - because iron wards against faerys - and thus the steampunk element is introduced. Then there is the lady in plum, who performs a horrifying ritual where she thinks no one is watching, but a changeling named Bartholemew sees everything.

This book has it's moments that are completely horrifying, but it's also kind of charming at the same time. Because you have two great underdog characters who step up to save the day. There's Bartholemew who's always been taught not to draw attention. He's young, naive, and all he wants is a friend. Then there's Mr. Jelliby, who is the guy who's always in the wrong place at the wrong time, forcing him to get involved and be an unlikely hero. The (good guy) characters are so adorable and the world is so imaginative, it's hard not to fall in love a little bit.

So if all this isn't amazing, just wait until you hear that Stefan Bachmann started writing this book when he was 16. SIXTEEN! I was almost 100 pages in before I found this out and it completely shocked me. The writing and the story is so sophisticated and refined that this is truly impressive. It's the kind of story that I know I would have loved when I was a child, I love it now that I'm older, and I'm sure I'd love it at any age.  I know a lot of amazing books are coming out on the 18th, but make sure this one is on your list to pick up next week. It's incredible.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

If I Lie - Corrine Jackson

Synopsis: Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.
Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise. (From Goodreads)

Quick personal side note before I jump into the awe I have for this book. I just moved to New York (scary!) and this was the first book I bought here. At The Strand. Which, for me, is kind of monumental. So this book is extra special and definitely one I'm going to hold on to for a long time.

Even better, this book is absolutely....you know what, I don't have the words. I could say it's heartbreaking, it's beautiful, it's real - but that's not really doing it justice. It's the kind of book that lodges itself inside your mind and changes the way you view things.

I think I have an understanding that soldiers go through something wicked and they suffer emotional and physical truamas. Even if it's not something I can know because I haven't gone through it, I'm aware of their pain. And I've always had the family memebers and loved ones of soldiers in my mind, but I guess I never completely considered what it's like on a day to day basis for those left behind.

What Quinn goes through is so painful. Every single day is like recieving a fresh wound. She's holding on to secrets, she's making sacrifices, and she suffers for it.  She's completely alone, but on top of that she's persecuted. She's not allowed to worry about Carey, or miss him even, in public. Even the people who know better have turned away from her. From the beginning you know the secrets she's keeping and I just kind of wanted to scream at everyone, but those secrets get lodged in your throat the same way they are hidden safely away in Quinn.

The way this story weaves from the past to the present was flawless and added a reflective quality to the story. The slow way the past is revealed deepens Quinns pain. There's also this really great circle effect happening with Carey, who's missing, and Georoge, the ailing veteran who's near death. Quinn helps George in collecting veteran's stories and this becomes her way of coping and staying in the world. But between these two characters, the past and the present are always together. Corrine Jackson brilliantly demonstrates how everyone's stories and lives build off of one another, and the past is truly a layered entity.

I cry pretty easily, but by the end I was reduced to painful sobbing. It was hard to read, but it was also difficult to tear myself away. I also want to applaud Corrine Jackson for the way she handles Quinns relationship with Blake. I won't go into specifics there, but the way that relationship turns out was just perfect. This book was just so absolutely stunning, it's one I wish everyone would read.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis: It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore. (From Goodreads)

Maggie Stiefvater never fails to create something completely new and completely magical. She has this talent for transporting you into a hazy place where her worlds can't help but exist. Reading her books is a feeling that's hard to describe, unless you've experienced it. Because reading Maggie Stiefvater really is more of an experience and a feeling than a process or a story. It's so hard to put my finger on what makes it this way, it just is.

Maggie takes folklore that already exists and then completely makes it her own. Which is exactly what she did here. I didn't completely understand everything that was going on with the tale behind Gansey's obsession, but I understood enough of it to be enthralled with the story. Because while Gansey is chasing soemthing magical, it's more about how these characters lives play out and how their relationships form and fluxuate. Which is it's own kind of magic.

I'm in love with this band of misfits. You have the three boys who go to an uppity private school, who seem to have nothing in common, but are best friends. As well as they mysterious Noah, who just sort of seems to be there. And then Blue, who dresses weird, comes from a family of psychics, and has always known that if she ever kisses her true love she will kill him. None of these characters seem to naturally form relationships, yet they all work together so well. It's fascinating to see how their lives play out in relation to one another.

Everything in this book subverts your expectations - which is sometimes a little jarring, in a good way. When it starts out with the message that Blue will kill her true love if she kisses him, you kind of expect the story to go in a certain direction. Every time you think something is going to happen, it doesn't - it often goes places I wouldn't have even thought of. And I can't even explain how much I appreciate and crave that.

First, if you haven't read Maggie Stiefvater yet - get on that. She's an incredible writer and I recommend any of her books. If you're already a Maggie fan, then you're going to adore this book.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Diviners - Libba Bray

Synopsis: Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first. (From Goodreads)

Libba Bray is a storytelling master. She's genius. She's so awesome that I will read her ginormous book and love every single second of it. Because she doesn't seem to be satisfied with just telling a story - she goes beyond and puts you into the lives of the people involved in that story. Even better, this book acts more like a portal directly into 1920's New York where you can put your face to the glass and really feel like you're seeing it all play out first hand.

Evie is such a fun character. Shes kind of crazy, but she just doesn't let other people stop her from doing what she wants to do. As a person who colors within the lines and follows rules, I kind of admire this. Even as a rebellious teen, she's still not like any character I've read before. Evie commands most pages in this book, but a few other characters get some pretty decent face time as well. There's Memphis, the healer, and Theta, the beautiful dancer with a mysterious past. I loved these subplots that added such great dimension and depth.

This book is all fun and games until people start dying in terrifying ways. I actually had nightmares while I was reading this book. I'd fall asleep reading (because it was late, not because the book is a sedative) and then wake up completely terrified. But this book is so worth the nightmares. The villain will make your skin crawl. The settings will make your heart pound and your breath a little quicker.

Libba Bray has long been one of my favorite authors. Her acknowledgements are even incredible written works. I'll forever read anything that she writes and every time I read her books, she again earns her place in my favorites list. She's incredible, and this book is such a powerhouse and exemplary piece of fiction. I'm blown away and completely enamoured.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Embers & Echoes - Karsten Knight

Synopsis: Fan the flames: A teen goddess fires up her search for love and family in this sequel to Wildefire. Ashline Wilde may have needed school to learn that she is actually a reincarnated goddess, but she’s ready to move beyond books. She leaves her California boarding school behind and makes for Miami, where she meets a new group of deities and desperately seeks her sister Rose, the goddess of war. But she’s also looking for love—because even though her romance with Cole had to be snuffed, Ash is a volcano goddess—and she doesn’t get burned.
This sequel to the edgy and action-packed Wildefire continues a fiery drama on an immortal scale. (From Goodreads

Ever since the meanest ending in perhaps all the history of cliffhangers, I've been awaiting the day when I could know if there would be a heroic rescuer who would swoop from the sky in the last minute or if Ash and all of her readers would hit the ravine and that would be that. Some part of me has been suspended in time for a year, and it's kind of a relief to be able to move on. Book two starts of right where book one left off and then Ash is once again full steam ahead.

So without spoiling any of the first or second books, I'm going to tell you the three things that make the second book even better than the first - which is saying a lot because the first was incredible.

1 - Ash! She's always been a strong character, but her strength evolves in this book. She's still impulsive and reckless. But now that she's come into her own power and she has a mission, she's also focused and determined. Where I may have called her crazy, possibly a little psycho, in book one, I now call her fierce - and okay she's still a little crazy, which is part of what makes her awesome.

2 - The narration. I have to say that Karsten Knight is one of the handful of people who can pull off second person narration with out driving me up a wall. He uses this great technique where he switches to second person when Ash is having a vision. This was something that took me awhile to catch on to in Wildefire, but in Embers I knew what was going on and I actually looked forward to those swtiches. Which also brings me to: I loved the flashbacks. These are also things that generally drive me crazy, but learning more about who Ash was in the past was so cool. Plus, he flashes back to the 20's - my favorite.

3 - WES. Holy...wow. I lovED Colt. But he so loses to Wes. Because Wes is FUN. And caring. And wealthy. And still a little tortured. All of the new characters kind of rock, but Wes is amazing. As far as falling for fictional characters go, well, he's the one.

This is a series that started out epic and just keeps getting better. There are tons of other things that I would love to gush about here, but I won't spoil it for you all - because you absolutely MUST read this series. So much awesome.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Burn for Burn - Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Synopsis: BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.
Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.
Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.
Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.
Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste. (From Goodreads)

I think the last words of this book are seared into my brain. I now look at this book and that sentence is all I see. Seriously, epic last words. Half the reason they're so embedded in my memory is because I think I read that last page over and over, thinking, this can't be it. There has to be more. At that point I didn't know this was a series, so I was furious. Then I did some research, found out the story continues, and got over it...a little. I love poetry, I love writing poetry, and my favorite part is the last line - the punch that drives the rest of it home. And this book has that punch.

Back to the beginning - the introduction to this island was delicious. It sounds like such a cozy place. A cozy place, where something sinister has probably been going on and no one knows about it. But still, a place where you'd like to hole up for a week. The initial setting and Mary's mysterious reason for leaving and then returning to the island sets up the mood of this book so well.

I love the way these three girls come together. I love that they each have their own voice and their own story - and that their lives loop around each other, separate, but heading for the same goals. I feel like I got to know Lillia and Kat's story pretty well, but I'm still so curious about Mary. She's told a bit about her past and she had plenty of time on the page - but I know there's so much more to her and I can't wait to see it when she lets that loose.

The other thing I had no idea about going in, was that this isn't just a contmeporary novel. It looks like it and acts like it, but it's something else underneath. There's little snapshots where something supernatural peeks through. Not enough to turn the story into something different, but just enough to up the stakes and give it a little power. The supernatural aspects act like a volcano - you know they're there, you live with them, but you don't know when it's going to errupt. And when it does, it's going to be epic and destructive.

And then of course there's the revenge, the force driving the plot. I get why these girls want revenge. Most of the people they take revenge on, especially Reese, a douche silo if I ever saw one, deserve whatever they have coming. What was interesting was the fact that their acts of revenge were kind of small and petty. There really wasn't anything that could permanently damage someone - mentally or physically. But it an awesome - you are your own downfall - kind of way - everyone's actions (both the revengers and the revengees) all collide and make these small things so much more severe.

This book is crazy. It's filled with sane people who have crazy ideas and the follow through to cause chaos. And it was awesome to watch. I can only imagine where it's going to go from here. I have a feeling things are about to get a lot more intense. I'm so excited to see how Siobhan Vivian and Jenny Han top this book.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Interview with Mary Casanova & Giveaway

I had the amazing opportunity to interview Mary Casanova, which is a bit like my childhood dreams coming true. She's written some wonderful books and her newest young adult novel, Frozen, just came out. It's amazing and you should definitely track down a copy!
I'm delighted to welcome Mary Casanova to the blog today. 


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Can you talk a bit about where your inspiration for this story came from? What drew you to this time in Minnesota history?

The inspiration for FROZEN came to me over 20 years ago while reading about my region’s history in KOOCHICHING by Hiram Drache. In it, I read just a few sentences about how one morning at the turn of the century, a prostitute was found frozen in the snow in a small northern Minnesota town. As a joke, someone took her frozen corpse into the meeting hall and stood it up as a joke at the start of a meeting. Drache wrote that it caused a great stir. I couldn’t let the image or this woman’s life go. Or perhaps, she reached out to me across the centuries and wouldn’t let me forget her. I had to somehow make sense of the times she lived in and vindicate her life and death.

 You have written quite a few middle-grade and children’s books. What was different or surprising about writing for young adults?

As this story took shape, I really didn’t know who my audience was going to be. Was it for young adults, or was the material geared more for adult readers? Many times, I had to put aside that concern and simply write the story that demanded to be written. Once I had a publisher for the novel, there was debate within the publishers’ offices, too, about if it was a YA or adult novel. My hope is that if it’s a good story it will find a wide range of readers as a cross-over novel.

What kind of research did you conduct while writing this novel? Was there anything interesting that you weren’t able to work into the book?

In writing historical fiction, there are worlds of interesting material that I must sift through. I may find a wealth of interesting details, but I must use only those that serve this story. It’s a bit like panning for gold. Along with visits to the archives of the Koochiching Historical Museum, I delved into other books, finding gold in Joe Paddock’s book, Keeper of the Wild, which chronicles the life of Ernest Oberholtzer and his environmental battle with industrialist E.W. Backus.

My hands-on research is living where I live, across from the historic lift bridge in a hundred-plus year old house, and incorporating the oral history and details of living on Rainy Lake. I have spent many summers returning to “Ober’s” Mallard Island, which is historically preserved. I made a point to return to Kettle Falls Hotel, which is also on the Historic Register, and spend a night in one of the upstairs hotel rooms. (I didn’t stay in the allegedly haunted room. Maybe another time for another story!) And I gleaned history from Jim Hanson and his family who own Atisokan Island, and the restored yacht, “Virginia,” which I fashion Trinity’s namesake after in the novel.

I love Minnesota authors and books that take place in Minnesota. I actually grew up reading your books because I related so well to your Minnesotan characters. What is your favorite thing about living in, or writing about, Minnesota?

My writing career now takes me all over the country--sometimes out of the country. But the more I’m away, the more I appreciate the last leg of my trip from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport to International Falls. The bright lights and buildings thin the farther north I head and are replaced by vast stretches of dark green dotted by winding rivers and lakes. As the plane touches down at the tiny runway, I’m glad to return home to a much slower, unhurried pace. A place where I can hear myself think again and be restored by the abundance of nature around me.

Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most challenging?

I loved getting to know my main character, Sadie Rose. She has so much to confront about her past and so many decisions to make about her present, yet the story starts with her being unable to speak--and hasn’t said a word in 11 years. My challenge was to make the reader care about her each step of the way on her journey to wholeness.
And as the author, that means getting out of the way and allowing this character be who she needs to be. It’s a balancing act between being in-control (somebody has to write the story) and being out-of-control (really not knowing what your character is going to do next). Somewhere in the middle is where inspiration comes and art happens!

I love the character of Aasta, partly because I can hear her Minnesotan/Norwegian accent so well. Was it difficult to work dialect into the story?

Dialect is always tricky. When I first wrote Aasta’s dialogue, I tried to make each sentence and phrase sound exactly as she might have said it. The problem is, it becomes cumbersome on the page to read this kind of dialogue. So I pulled back a bit, reminding myself that the reader needs a hint of the accent--but too exactly depicted and it’s almost like too much salt in a dish.

Since you are writing books for teens, what were you like as a teenager?

As a teenager, I was always looking for the “road less traveled.” I wasn’t great at being in team sports or school activities, but I loved anything that took me outdoors. I had an appaloosa named Keema, and he and I put on many miles together on the outskirts of the Twin Cities. I loved water-skiing, down-hill skiing, sailing, and camping. I especially enjoyed heading north to a family cabin near Ely and absorbing the haunting cries of the loons, the crisp pine-scented air, and the quiet of the northern forests.

I discovered the power of words when I was in high-school. I loved the medium of words, sentences, and paragraphs as an art form. That’s when my dream of becoming a full-time writer began. But before getting that degree in English, I found a way to graduate a half-year early and go to Florida with a few girlfriends (I talked them into the loop-hole I’d found, too). I went to Aspen with another girlfriend to become ski-bums for another year. And eventually, I made my way through college and immediately upon graduation, moved together with my husband, Charlie, to northern Minnesota.

I was--and still am--a strong believer in listening to your heart and following your dreams. The trick is to be still enough to listen. . .

 What are you working on now? Can you talk a little bit about any projects you have coming up?

I’m really excited about a novel I have in progress. It’s something different for me. It’s a bit of time-travel, and explores the scars left by war, whether present or past. I would love to tell more about it, but for now, readers will have to wait and wonder!


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University of Minnesota Press has been kind enough to offer a copy of Frozen to one lucky winner. This giveaway will run until September 16. You must be 13 or older to enter. Giveaway is international. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter! 

Frozen - Mary Casanova

Synopsis: Set during the roaring 1920s in the beautiful, wild area on Rainy Lake where Minnesota meets Canada, Frozen tells the remarkable story of Sadie Rose, whose mother died under strange circumstances the same night that Sadie Rose was found, unable to speak, in a snowbank. Sadie Rose doesn’t know her last name and has only fleeting memories of her mother—and the conflicting knowledge that her mother had worked in a brothel. Taken in as a foster child by a corrupt senator, Sadie Rose spends every summer along the shores of Rainy Lake, where her silence is both a prison and a sanctuary.
One day, Sadie Rose stumbles on a half dozen faded, scandalous photographs—pictures, she realizes, of her mother. They release a flood of puzzling memories, and these wisps of the past send her at last into the heart of her own life’s great mystery: who was her mother, and how did she die? Why did her mother work in a brothel—did she have a choice? What really happened that night when a five-year-old girl was found shivering in a snowbank, her voice and identity abruptly shattered?Sadie Rose’s search for her personal truth is laid against a swirling historical drama—a time of prohibition and women winning the right to vote, political corruption, and a fevered fight over the area’s wilderness between a charismatic, unyielding, powerful industrialist and a quiet man battling to save the wide, wild forests and waters of northernmost Minnesota. Frozen is a suspenseful, moving testimonial to the haves and the have-nots, to the power of family and memory, and to the extraordinary strength of a young woman who has lost her voice in nearly every way—but is utterly determined to find it again. (From Goodreads)

I grew up reading Mary Casanova's books. So I was excited when I heard she was coming out with her first young adult novel. This is the Mary Casanova I remember, so it felt a little bit like nostalgia, but it also felt like she was doing something different here. But mostly, this book is going to be different from what you've read before, if only because of the time and location.

1920's Minnesota? Yes, please! I'm fairly familiar with Minnesota history, but I've never considered what was going on around here in the 20's. And I love everything about the 20's. So when someone put those two things together, I was so thrilled. The political state is touched on, but it's more fascinating to see the way the state is in transition during this time. Sadie Rose is also the perfect character to highlight the social changes occurring during this time.

Sadie comes from a bit of a seedy background. All she knows is that her mother was a prostitute. Sadie Rose was found in a snowbank the night her mother died, and the senator and his wife took her in. She finds some pictures of her mother and then sets out to become her own, self-sufficient woman, while finding out the truth about her mother. She unearths some political scandals, exposes the darker side of Northern Minnesota, and in doing so she discovers her own power.

The only thing that had me worried was Sadie's inability to speak. She hasn't spoken since she was found in the snow, but early in the book she finds her voice. I was skeptical about how she would learn to speak again, but that turned out to be a powerful part of the book. She didn't just figure out how to communicate again, but she managed to come to a place where she could speak her opinions and demand to be treated with respect. Women's rights are a subtle, but strong, part of Sadie Rose's story and that her empowerment through her voice is what makes this story still extremely relevant today.

Ladies - you have a voice - if you feel you are mistreated or overlooked, use it! Don't take that power for granted.

So yeah, I'm thrilled with Mary Casanova's new book. If you haven't read any of Casanova's work - I highly recommend her, and Frozen is a great place to start!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

August Top 5

August is gone! August is my favorite month for many reasons - summer, the anticipation of fall, the movement that comes with going to school or starting new things, and reveling in the last days of relaxation. Also, it's my birthday month. So I'm going to miss August, but after August comes my favorite season - autumn. But first, a look back at the best books I read in August. These are some books that immediately went straight to my heart - and kind of make me want to do cartwheels, even though that would be disastrous. 

1. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
It's a humorous gothic tale. It's impossible not to laugh. It's impossible not to fall in love. Read my review here

2. The Diviners by Libba Bray
I'll read anything Libba Bray writes. This book is brilliant and so worth the nightmares it brings. I'll have a review on this one up soon! 

3. Embers & Echoes by Karsten Knight
The second book in the Wildefire series blew me away. SO insane. So awesome. And in case you're worried, this ending is mean, but not as mean as the ending to Wildefire. I'll have a review up soon. 

4. Defiance by C.J. Redwine
Great characters that live in a vibrant and imaginative world. Plus, Rachel and Logan's relationship is so sigh-worthy. Read my review here

5. Every Day by David Levithan
This book feels important AND it's a great story to get lost in. It'll make you ponder the meaning of identity and it will make you cry. Read my review here

What were your top reads this month?