Author Interview: Zoraida Cordova

Today I am thrilled to have author Zorida Cordova on the blog for an interview!  Zoraida is the debut author of the fabulous novel, The Vicious Deep, which I recently read and rather adored. I really hadn't read many mermaid novels until this year, but I LOVE what Zoraida has done - she's really put a lot of heart and soul into The Vicious Deep, into developing the mythos and the fascinating characters.  If you don't believe me, you can check out my review here, then dive on into my interview with her! 

Zoraida Córdova was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where she learned to speak English by watching Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker on repeat. Her favorite things are sparkly like merdudes, Christmas, and New York City at night.


For more on Zoraida, visit her here: Website | Twitter | Facebook


Then go on over to Goodreads to add The Vicious Deep to YOUR TBR!

Author Interview: Zoraida Cordova

OUAP:  What did you learn about writing that you didn't know before you wrote The Vicious Deep?

ZC: Killing your darlings. I've seen other writers say this, but I always thought "NO WAY NOT ME." But in the end, to get a leaner, stronger novel, you have to do just that. Self-editing is important. 

OUAP: What made you want to write from a male's POV?

ZC: I've always wanted to write about a guy who goes through all the changes. It's pretty fun. 

OUAP:  Why mermaids, instead of other mythical creatures?

ZC: I've had a love of mermaids since I was little. There's so much left to explore and I want to make my discoveries known. 

OUAP: What is the main reason you write YA?

ZC: I don't want to grow up.   (Molli's note:  I LOVE this answer!!!)

OUAP: Do you read for pleasure? If so, what are a few books that have come to mean a lot to you?

ZC: I have less time to read for pleasure lately. But my favorite books are A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray and Tithe by Holly Black. 

OUAP: Was there ever a moment you KNEW you were a writer, or was it something you always knew?

ZC: We were given an assignment in junior high to write a three page short story. I ended up writing 21 pages. Once I started it just kept GOING. I KNEW it wasn't done. So I kept writing.


Thanks to Zoraida for doing the interview and to the amazing folks at Source Books for letting me be part of the Bloggers of the Deep Tour!  

Review + Giveaway: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Expected publication:  June 5, 2012 (Henry Holt and Co)

Pages: 368

Series or stand-alone: The Grisha (1)

Source: ARC from the publisher
Rating: Swoon-worthy
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website 



Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

My Review

Shadow and Bone is one of those incredibly special, very rare books: the kind that, from the moment you read the first sentences, just grips you so tightly that you don't even want to be let go of - you just want to keep reading.   I was so torn with this book... I wanted to finish it in one sitting, but I also could not bear the thought of being done SO soon, because Leigh Bardugo's debut novel - a tale of magic, loyalty, deception, and power - had already become so meaningful to me.  I read it over the course of a few days and even that was too quickly.  Some books deserve to be savored, and Shadow and Bone is one of those books.  I've been reading sci-fi and fantasy books for going on about 12 years now and yet recently, I hadn't read an amazing YA fantasy.  Within the first few chapters of Shadow and Bone, I literally let out a contented sigh, because I had come home to my favorite genre, in a big way.  And as I ventured further into the story, that feeling persisted, coupled with an intense admiration for Alina Starkov, the main character.

In the opening pages of Shadow and Bone, we get a short glimpse at Alina and Malyen "Mal" Otsev, orphans who have been taken in by the Duke of Keramsiv.  Mal and Alina grow up together and eventually both become soldiers, after being tested and found lacking in any magic that would mean them receiving Grisha training. The Grisha are a society within Ravka, with various factions and hierarchies, yet Alina and Mal forge a different life as adult soldiers - until the day Mal is injured and witnesses claim to have seen Alina emitting a light bright enough to drive away the vulcra - flesh-eating monsters that live in the Fold.  At that point, Bardugo's story takes on a whole other level, as Alina begins training and trying to adapt to a life as a Grisha...which means leaving behind everything she's ever known...including Mal.  

Alina's new life is made up of magic, glamor, riches - and loneliness.  Alina is a strong, loyal and independent girl, but she's never fit in anywhere, except with Mal.  Alone with few allies in the Little Palace (the home of the Grisha, on the King's grounds), my heart went out to brave, sympathetic Alina.  Leigh Barduguo does an amazing job of creating a character that readers will immediately connect with, in Alina.  I cheered for Alina when she stood up to someone, and I cried with her when she missed Mal, her best friend, her confidante...and so much more.  I laughed with she got the best of someone and I feared for her safety when she did.  I was right there in the story with Alina, taking every step of her journey with her.  The world of the Grisha - their factions and levels, and politics - was so well fleshed out that it was impossible for it all not to come alive, lifting off the pages of Shadow and Bone.  

I absolutely adored the explanations behind who the Grisha were, and what they did.  I even found myself wondering: if I was in this world, where would I fit in?  (Of course, I couldn't decide.)  It took me a bit of time to get used to the terms and characters, but I did, and even found a few favorites, like Genya, David, Botkin and Baghra.  Leigh Bardugo really took the time to develop her characters, especially beautiful, wounded Genya.  One or two characters fell a bit flat, but that's probably because we just didn't get to see much of them.  I enjoyed what we did see of the large cast of supporting characters, and Alina's various interactions with them were just stunning.  

The plot of Shadow and Bone moves along really nicely; in fact, I'd call the pacing just about perfect.  The story covers several months in actuality, yet the story never felt rushed, or as if it were dragging along.  It all fell into place, just as so much else did.  I loved reading about Alina's transition from orphan to fledgling Grisha, seeing her embrace her power and find her place in her new life.  She grew as a character, yet retained the core values that made her so awesome and admirable.  

Of course my review wouldn't be complete without a mention of two of the most important characters other than Alina - the Darkling, and Mal.  The Darkling is high in the ranking of the King's court.  "Darkling" is actually the title given to his position and to say he is an enigma wrapped in a riddle is an understatement.  The Darkling was a lusciously developed villain, with a sensual tinge, who drew me in right along with Alina.  Leigh Bardugo did an amazing job bringing the Darkling to life, and making me wonder about his motivations: was he good, or bad, or somewhere in between?  He's my FAVORITE type of villain - the one you don't "get," the one who makes you wonder what makes him tick.  I loved his moments with Alina.

And finally...Mal and Alina.  The reason I spent so many parts of this book crying my eyes out, and in my opinion, where the real heart of Shadow and Bone lies - wrapped up with these two.  The pain of unrequited love is an especially brutal one, and I cried with Alina more than once over Mal.  It was clear to me she had long since fallen in love with her best friend, just as it was painfully clear that he didn't see that she had.  I wanted to hug her and shake him at times, then at other times, I just wanted to hug them both and sob with them.  My happiness depended on theirs, and they certainly frustrated and scared me, but it was also well worth it, to get to experience their story.  There's a great deal of pain, gratitude, happiness, nostalgia, and friendship in between Alina and Mal, and it all comes into play during Leigh Bardugo's magnificent book. Truly, they were beautiful, and probably the biggest draw for me, and the part that kept luring me back in to read a few more pages, even though as I said above, I didn't want to finish too soon.  

Overall if you're looking for a debut that will keep you up late, and keep you guessing as to who is a villain and who isn't, not to mention a breath-taking love story and a finely developed, lavish world, Shadow and Bone is for you.  I loved it so much I'm offering my ARC for a giveaway!

Book Trailer 

Giveaway!

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Waiting On Wednesday - #25: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

{ ++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine. You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat. We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.

I'm Waiting On...

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
Expected publication: August 7, 2012 (Bloomsbury)
Add it on Goodreads!

Why it's worth waiting on:  Okay, seriously?  Where to start?  Gorgeous cover, heart-pounding synopsis... I mean, really, a female assassin who has to serve as a champion to the Prince?   Plus it sounds like there's a lovely mystery going on, too.  I.  Can't.  WAIT.  


What are y'all waiting on this week?  

Top Ten Tuesday - #18: May 8: Top Ten Favorite Quotes From Books

{ ++ } Hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, this meme features a different theme every week, and hey, it's Tuesday - we've got the rest of the week ahead of us.  We all need a little fun, and who doesn't love the challenge of ranking their top 10 anything...especially when it comes to books?!  I know I do, hence why I thought it'd be fun to participate, and spice things up a little!

May 8, 2012:

Top Ten Favorite Quotes From Books

{ 1 }  “Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around it, let it slide like coins through you fingers. So much time you can waste it.  But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know.” - Sam |  Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

{ 2 } “When the day shall come that we do part," he said softly, and turned to look at me, "if my last words are not 'I love you'-ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.”- Jamie Frasier | The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

{ 3 } “It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”- Dumbledore | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

{ 4 } “The stars could have burned out around us, the moon could have fallen from the sky, and I wouldn't have known it. Not when he leaned indecently close and pressed his cheek against mine to murmur, "Tell me a secret."

I wanted him to tell me how he stopped time like that. How he read my mind. I wanted to admit I wondered if thoughts of me troubled him when he lay awake at night. But I could make none of that come to my lips....

Instead... I whispered back, "I've seen the future."

He didn't laugh. He didn't mock, not like he had done at Privalovna's performance. In the middle of our waltz, he stopped, nose to nose with me. He uncovered me with a look that somehow bared him, too.

And his question told me everything - that he stopped time because he needed me, that he read my mind because we were one. That I troubled his nights, indeed, because what he asked revealed it all.

"Am I with you there?”  - Amelia van den Broek | The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

{ 5 } “Love is the most dangerous craving of all, if you ask me. It turns us into people we aren't. It makes us feel like hell, and makes us walk on water. It ruins us for anything else.” - Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

{ 6 } “And I realize ... it’s okay. It’s okay if St. Clair and I never become more than friends. His friendship alone has strengthened me in a way that no one else’s ever has. He swept me from my room and showed me independence. In other words, he was exactly what I needed. I won’t forget it. And I certainly don’t want to lose it.” - Anna Oliphant | Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

{ 7 } “Aren't I supposed to be brave, fearless? Isn't that what the world expects?"

"Screw what the world expects. Think about all the things you've faced. You cracked, but you didn't break. You're still standing. I'd call that fearless. You've already conquered so much.” - Michael | Hourglass by Myra McEntire

{ 8 } “There is only one page left to write on. I will fill it with words of only one syllable. I love. I have loved. I will love.” - Henry de Tamble | The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 

{ 9 } “My parents danced together, her head on his chest. Both had their eyes closed. They seemed so perfectly content. If you can find someone like that, someone who you can hold and close your eyes to the world with, then you're lucky. Even if it only lasts for a minute or a day. The image of them gently swaying to the music is how I picture love in my mind even after all these years.”- Kvothe | The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

{ 10 } “Is that why you've been pushing me away? Because of how you look? [...] I waited for you my whole life. Yearned for you my whole life. After Tersa told me you were coming, I spent seven hundred years searching for you[....] I never gave a damn what you looked like--tall, short, fat, thin, plain, beautiful, ugly. Why would I care about what you looked like? The flesh was the shell that housed the glory[....] Even if I couldn't be your physical lover, there are other ways to be a lover and I know them all. So don't stand there and tell me how you feel depends on how you look!”- Daemon Sadi | Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

(Yes, I ended on a quote from my forever book boyfriend.  Daemon Sadi will knock the socks off on any other dreamy, swoon-worthy guy out there.  I promise.  ;) )
 

Review: Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Pages: 398
Expected publication: May 15, 2012 (Viking Juvenile)
Source: ARC from the publisher via DAC Tours
Rating: Beam-worthy
Series or stand-alone: The Royal Circle (1)
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Website | Blog | Twitter

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

My Review

When I received Gilt, I was excited to start it, and within the first few chapters, I knew I was in for a dazzling tale of court intrigue, scandal, and romance.  Katherine Longshore's debut young adult historical novel is all that, and much more, bringing to life in a new way the story of Catherine Howard, the girl who becomes one of Henry VIII's infamous wives.  Only in Katherine's story, we meet Catherine Howard long before she catches Henry's eye - Catherine: manipulative, popular, spoiled, loving, stubborn.  Catherine is a fascinating character, though truly, Gilt is the story of her best friend, Katherine "Kitty" Tylney, who becomes her right-hand lady-in-waiting; Kitty, who is fiercely loyal to and protective of Catherine - even when her friend doesn't deserve either of those things.

As much as I adored Kitty, I also wanted to shake her to her senses. Kitty spends the entirety of Gilt lost in Catherine's shadow, and as frustrated as I was with Catherine as a character, I was MORE frustrated and put out with Kitty.  Catherine is THAT girl, that mean girl who is somehow also popular, the girl all the other girls flocked to in high school because there's just something about her, the girl who oddly repulsed me, and who I had no desire to befriend.  I never understood THAT girl and usually feel sorry for that type, but I wanted to throw Cat out a window for most of Gilt.  If Katherine Longshore wanted readers to dislike Catherine, then with me, she succeeded.  I loathed Catherine to the point that I didn't enjoy Gilt as much as I thought I would. 

That said, make no mistake: Gilt is still a good novel, maybe even a great novel.  Watching Cat's meteoric rise to Queen from poor maid-servant was interesting, but I kept looking past her, waiting for Kitty to shine.  To me, Kitty was the far more deep, kind, and likable character, and it was her growth over the course of Gilt that kept me reading.  I really liked Katherine Longshore's writing style - I found it really easy to immerse myself in that aspect of Gilt!

To me, I think my biggest problem with Gilt was all the unfulfilled potential in several of the secondary characters and in one of Kitty's romances.  By the end of the book, all I wanted was for Kitty to be happy, and Gilt didn't really go in the direction I was hoping it would.  With some books, I'm okay with and even will yearn for an open ending.  With Gilt, I wanted to know, absolutely know, what happened at the end; instead, it was left a little bit to the imagination, and for some reason, that just rubbed me wrong.  There were enough dazzling dresses, scandal, rumors, and intrigue to satisfy even my imagination, but this one just left me feeling kind of oddly unsatisfied.

Overall Gilt is not a bad book; make no mistake, Katherine Longshore has talent, and Gilt will absolutely pull you in - I definitely read it quickly, wanting to know what happened next.  It's the first book in a series that I'm not overly sure I'll continue, but don't let me decide for you.  Read the fascinating Gilt for yourself, and hopefully you will love it!

Once Upon a Book Haul - #1 (So Long, In My Mailbox; Hello To a New Chapter)

A New Chapter at Once Upon a Prologue

With all the recent drama in the book blogging community - which I want to briefly address, and then move on from - I have decided NOT to participate in The Story Siren's meme, In My Mailbox.  This is a personal choice that I struggled with, and eventually made, after examining the situation and the facts, as well as my own strong feelings in the matter.  Many of you have talked about this, some with me, some with other blogging friends, and some have merely sat back and felt as I have - ashamed and disheartened by her actions.  (If you do not know what I am talking about, in short: The Story Siren was accused of plagiarism and after looking at the evidence, many bloggers, myself included, have decided to stop supporting her site in any way.) 

My heart absolutely goes out to the bloggers (Beautifully Invisible and Grit & Glamour) whose content was stolen.  I cannot even begin to imagine how that would feel.  As bloggers, one of the main things that we have to hold tightest to is our integrity - it's our reputation and it's so crucial to our standing in the community and with ourselves.

I purposefully waited awhile before doing any new In My Mailbox-type meme.  I wanted to give myself time to decide what to do, and ultimately, this feels right.  I have seen several other bloggers creating their own meme, while a few are linking to other, established "book haul" type memes and posts.  All those choices are awesome!

For my purposes, I created Once Upon a Book Haul.  It is obviously inspired by In My Mailbox, and I will of course give credit where credit is due.  I hope y'all will enjoy and support my new meme, as well as link back to your posts.  I want to see what you've gotten, whether it's an impulse buy or a library book, whether you're doing your own meme or an established one.  Please link me to your book haul in the comments!

Introducing: Once Upon a Book Haul!

 

 

Books Mentioned

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard { Add it on Goodreads }

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson { Add it on Goodreads }

Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg { Add it on Goodreads }

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti { Add it on Goodreads }

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace { Add it on Goodreads } 

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle {Add it on Goodreads }

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf { Add it on Goodreads } 

Thank you to Harper Collins and Bloomsbury Children's books!

 

Be sure to leave me a link in the comments to your own book round-up meme!  Also let me know what you think about Once Upon a Book Haul.  So long as I have books to show, it will be a weekly meme now, or, as often as I have books I've borrowed, won, bought, etc.  Hopefully everyone has a GREAT day and a fantastic week!

 

Review: When The Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen
Pages: 296
Published: February 28, 2012 (Farrar, Straus, and Giraux)
Source: ARC from the publisher via DAC Tours
Rating: Squee-worthy
Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website



After seventeen-year-old Felicita’s dearest friend, Ilven, kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. 

Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.  

 My Review

 Debut author Cat Hellisen spins a magical, seductive web around readers with her offering, When the Sea is Rising Red.  The story of strong, unsatisfied Felicita, who leaves behind everything she knows in order to escape the life her family - including her controlling, cold brother - has planned in advance for her, When the Sea is Rising Red grips you from the opening pages, and refuses to let go.  I devoured this book in one sitting, because I was so fascinated both by Felicita, and by the unusual, astounding caste system and hierarchy Cat Hellisen introduces to the reader.  I was fascinated with the notion of the various families specializing in one type of magic or another, as well as the differences between the families that ruled Pelimburg through their magic, and the poor that served them.  

As well-developed as the world-building was in Cat Hellisen's novel, the characters were just as richly fleshed out, from Felicita, and her yearning for more, to the pleasant, stifled Jannik, to Felicita's cool, cowed mother, to the charming, vivacious Dash, who I fell for immediately upon meeting him.  Dash is manic and friendly, full of life and energy and a bit crazed, and I wanted to hug him forever, although by the end of When the Sea is Rising Red, I also wanted to shake him.  Dash is infuriating, but such a vividly painted character that he just brings an added depth to this book.  I've rarely taken to another character so quickly, flailed happily over one more, and been angrier at his storyline.  I was with him up until the end, on board with his daring plans to tear apart the city's caste system, and then Cat Hellisen lost me somewhere in the last thirty or forty pages.  That didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book, but it did sour me a little bit. 

When the Sea is Rising Red stands out amongst all the other debut books I've read this year because it's...unique.  Different.  Felicita is a strong heroine, who, while she may not know what she wants, knows what she - doesn't - want and isn't afraid to take a chance, a risk, to avoid unhappiness.  I deeply admired Felicita for that.  She walked out into the unknown, not knowing what to expect, but determined that what she was chasing after would be better than what she left behind.  And in the end, I think she found something like what she was looking for.  It was a different ending than I expected, but not a bad or unhappy ending; it left Felicita in what, I think, would become a good place, and definitely out of the clutches of her ass of a brother.  I have to applaud Cat Hellisen for taking chances.  

I also have to touch on the magic aspect of When the Sea is Rising Red.  I REALLY enjoyed how it was all explained, and how just when you thought you knew what was happening, and what was possible, Hellisen snuck in a twist to the story that had me going, "whoa!"  This was a different sort of magic than I've read about before, a little darker and wilder, and I loved that about it: it wasn't safe, it wasn't all for-the-good-of-others, and nothing about this story was your run-of-the-mill fantasy.   So bravo, Cat Hellisen, for a tremendously satisfying debut novel!

Discussion Post - #4: Review Requests

Review Requests: The Do's and Don'ts

As a book blogger, review requests are possibly the most flattering email I can get - yes, even in some cases, more awesome and squee-inducing than a publicist being kind enough to work with me, because getting that email means someone noticed me.  Someone took the time to consider letting me read something they've worked hard on, something they're protective of and proud of...their book.  Someone trusts MY opinion enough to want it, and to understand that I may or may not enjoy their novel.  Someone believes in me enough to offer me the chance to spread the word about their novel/s.  Someone wants to take a chance on....me.  I never imagined I would get ANY review requests when I started my blog, but I received several amazing opportunities right away. 

I've built some fantastic relationships with authors who have approached me via review request, including authors who even now RT my review tweets even when it has nothing to do with them, authors who approach me to read/review a second book of theirs, and so forth. 

I don't have a huge, fantastic following of these such authors and events, but I greatly cherish the ones whose support I've gained through supporting them.  But it's more than that. 

Review requests are a bit of give and take.  As a blogger, I give admiration to those authors who send me a well-thought out and serious review request, and I take away from the book and the experience, hopefully, a new relationship with a talented author.  If an author reads my review policy and sends me a polite review request, and the book is a genre I review, I will strongly consider reading it.  But that's where the give and take comes into play again.  The author has to give me a small slice of their time and respect by addressing me by my name, talking about their book and letting me ease into it, and I have to give them the same respect by, if I'm not going to read the book, letting them know in a tasteful way.  

With that said, here are some my own person "do's"and "don'ts" when it comes to review requests.  (Let me know in the comments where we agree, disagree, etc.  Add your own thoughts to the mix!) 

Authors

• DO: Spend enough time at my blog so that you learn my name, read and follow my review policy (ie. make sure you are querying me for a book I might actually read.  Why waste your and my time with one I won't?)
• DON'T: Address me as "Dear Blogger," "Hi there," or "here'swhyyou'lllikemybookpleasereaditnow" with no introduction.  Nowhere in your spiel have you convinced me at all that you know or care a) who I am, b) what I want to read, c) about me or my blog.
• DO: Send me, per my review request, an introduction to who you are an an author and a short synopsis of your book.  Also include why you want me to read your book.  Do you think I'm a good blogger with a valid opinion?  Do we have things in common?
• DON'T: Send a generic, form letter with a copy of your book attached.  You know what they say about assuming things...
• DO: Talk back and forth with me a bit, allow us both to spend some time getting to know one another.  
• DON'T: Use my contact form to send me your review request. My review policy clearly states to send me an email. 
• DON'T: Add me on Twitter or Goodreads ONLY to pitch me your book.  I have literally received @'s on Twitter with a "Here's where you can read my book!" Tweet.  I will not respond to those. 

Bloggers

• DO: Take the time to read every review request you get.  Even if it turns out to be something you don't want to read, someone took a few minutes of their time to send it to you.  You don't HAVE to read the book but you should read their email.  
• DON'T: Reject an author's review request in a careless way.  Put yourself in the author's shoes.  Whether they're self-published or represented by a prestigious publishing house, they are offering for you to read their baby, their work.   That has to be nerve wracking.  If you don't have the time to read their book, or don't want to, at least send them a short, polite response.  
• DO: Get to know the author whose work you are reading.  Offer to host them for a guest post, interview, or giveaway.  Authors are people just like you and me; they're human and they have good days and bad days.  Sometimes a review, or a post to help them gain exposure can make their day.  
• DON'T: Think all review requests are the same.  You won't be dazzled by every review request you get.  Sometimes you'll accept one from the synopsis and then it's just a good read.  Other times you aren't sure about the book when you start it, and then it turns out to be rather amazing. 
• DO: Let the author know where they can find your review by sending them a link.  Also keep in mind that there are places other than your blog where you can post your reviews: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and even Goodreads and Smashwords.com.  Exposure is what most authors are looking for, and if you like their book, the kindest thing you can do for them is to spread the word about their work.  Trust me: they won't forget it.  
• DON'T: Be afraid of self-published writers.  There may be a few out there who have given the rest a bad name but there are many others who are awesome, and who are putting out high-quality novels that are both emotional and amazing.  
• DO: Thank the author for his/her time!  
 

Working with authors is a partnership that should not be taken lightly.  

Both authors AND bloggers have to be willing to work together.  Think of it like working in a retail store (which I do) where the highest compliment you can get is a repeat customer.  As a blogger, you want the authors you support to be repeat customers, whether it's coming back to you for another review, telling another author about you and your willingness to work with them, or re-tweeting you on Twitter.  Sure, the one-time customer that tells you you've helped them is a nice ego boost, but how great does it feel to have someone come back and ask to work with you by name?  (IT FEELS AWESOME!)  Work toward that with your authors. 

There's a fine balance, being a book blogger.  We spend a LOT of time on our blogs: the layout, the tags, the format of our reviews.  But what you cannot spend enough time on is perception.  How do you want to be perceived in the book blogging community?  How do you want to be perceived by authors?   Perception is drilled into me where I work, so I've brought that notion here with me.  A bad image will get you passed up, but if your authors have your back, you will discover a support system that is just as awesome as that in the book blogging community. 

These are only my opinions, and  I respect and admire that everyone is different.  Your review policy may be entirely different from mine.  Maybe you don't even take review requests.  But if you do...what do you look for in review requests?  How do you feel about working with authors?  Hit the comments and let's discuss!

Top Ten Tuesday - #17: Books to Screen

{ ++ } Hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, this meme features a different theme every week, and hey, it's Tuesday - we've got the rest of the week ahead of us.  We all need a little fun, and who doesn't love the challenge of ranking their top 10 anything...especially when it comes to books?!  I know I do, hence why I thought it'd be fun to participate, and spice things up a little!

May 1st, 2012: 

Top Ten Books I'd Like To See Made Into Movies

{ 1 } The Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop.  If you know me outside the blog, or maybe even a few people who have been coming here for awhile, you know this trilogy is my obsession.  It changed the way I read.  It changed the way I write.  It changed the way I think about dark fantasy.  It changed ME.  Daemon Sadi is one of my all time favorite male characters EVER.  And while this series is incredibly sensual and intense and I'm not sure a film version would be allowed to capture all the swoon-worthy moments between the various characters, I'd sure like to see someone try.  Providing Ian Somerhalder is cast as Daemon! 


{ 2 } Mercy by Jodi Picoult.  This is my favorite Picoult book.  It's polarizing and damn hard to read; it made me fighting mad and made me cry and feel hopeless and hopeful and drained and full.  I truly think if given the right treatment by a good director/producer and if they stayed true to the book that this could be an AWESOME film.  Providing they let me cast the main characters.  :D


{ 3 } Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.  Technically I think the film rights to this one have been purchased, so that's exciting, but in no way does it mean that we will get a movie.  But with all the deserved attention bullying has gotten in the last couple years, I think this story could be just as poignant, heart-breaking, and beautiful on the silver screen as it was on the pages of the book.


{ 4 } Tempest by Julie Cross.  Really?  Do I NEED to say anything about this book that I haven't already said?  We've seen a few time travel movies (Jumper, The Time Traveler's Wife, Somewhere in Time,) but nothing quite like Tempest.  I think Hollywood is in a bad need of new, original ideas and Tempest might just be that!  Sure, the notion of time travel isn't new but the mythos Julie Cross has built in Tempest is pretty darned fabulous.  Plus...I want to see Jackson on my screen!


{ 5 } Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock.  As much as I love me some Jacob Black, this werewolf story would blow Twilight right out of the water.  Hemlock is a GORGEOUS book, full of mystery and romance, I would be as excited as kid on a sugar high if this was ever made into a film! 

{ 6 } The Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong.  Kelley has a WAY of writing these incredibly vivid and life-like characters, and this trilogy is just stunningly awesome.  If the right crew was involved in it, I think it would make a wonderful movie, or well, probably it could be done in two movies.  There's so much action, breath-taking moments, magic, mystery, and even some swoon-y romance! 


{ 7 } Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews.  Okay, we are SO NOT talking about the original version here guys.  As creepily fantastic as Louise Fletcher was as Olivia Foxworth, I want an updated, grittier, by-the-book morbid and creepifying version that pays homage to the amazing book V.C. Andrews wrote.  The ghostwriter who has been writing "her" books for years is not allowed to touch this one.  In fact, just let me cast, write, and direct it.  :D :D


{ 8 } The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.  Okay so I know this one will likely never even have a chance at making it to the big screen.  But there is room in Hollywood for epic fantasy...look at the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Peter Jackson owned that project and did such a great job.  If someone, the right someone, were to bring Rothfuss's book/s to life, it would be my wildest, geekiest dream come true.  But casting Kvothe?  Oh my, could you even imagine! 

{ 9 } Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.  Obviously anyone who's read this book knows how swoon-worthy and utterly fantastic it is.  Between the character growth, the beautiful setting, and the romance, it is the PERFECT mixture for a cute, funny, and gorgeous film.  The only problem?  EVER attempting to cast the beautiful, romantic, crave-able, shake-able Etienne St Clair!


{10 } The Talisman/Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub.  Okay, so.  I ADORED both of these books.  The sequel seems to have split the SK fandom down the middle between those who loved it and those who hate it.  I'm okay with that because I loved it.  There was something so magical, so...pure about both books, and I will even go so far as to say that with Black House, it felt like the REAL Stephen King wrote it, unlike with some of his later books (*coughs* the last few dark tower books *coughs*).  I adored Jack Sawyer in both books, and all the supporting characters.  It's been almost ten years since Black House was published, and I've moved on from reading SK books but if he and Peter Straub ever DID write a third one?  I'd be FIRST IN LINE.  That said, I'd be terrified if they ever made either of these into a movie, which there have been rumors that that might happen, but also oddly over-the-moon excited in a totally fangirl way. 

Honorable mentions: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer | Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella | The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Review: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
Pages: 400
Expected publication: May 8, 2012 (HarperCollins)
Source: ARC from the publisher
Series or Stand-alone: Hemlock (1)
Rating: Swoon-worthy
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website



Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but blood lust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

My Review

For some time now, I've held off on reading werewolf novels, but within a few chapters of Hemlock, the debut from Kathleen Peacock, I knew not only that I couldn't hold out  any longer, but also that this novel was truly something astoundingly special.  Poignant, electrifying, and enchanting, Hemlock is a spectacular start for Peacock.  Picking up shortly after Mackenzie's best friend is murdered by a werewolf, Hemlock races headlong into the action as a still-grieving Mac decides to take matters into her own hands and investigate Amy's death.  Along for the thrill-ride are a wonderfully written cast of supporting characters, ranging from the tragically broken Jason (Amy's boyfriend), the protective Kyle (Mac's best friend), and Tess (Mac's cousin and parental figure.)  Between the stunning cast of characters, their intricate relationships, and the mystery aspect, I absolutely couldn't put down Hemlock or tear myself loose from the gorgeous web the story wove around me.  

Mac is a refreshing protagonist - self-aware without being TOO much so, spirited, honest, and brave.  She's also a tremendously strong female, with a huge heart.  Mac cares a great deal about her friends and family, and isn't afraid to show it in various ways, whether it's reaching out to try to save Jason, who's fallen apart after Amy's death, or looking out for Tess.  I want to applaud Kathleen Peacock for writing such an amazingly sympathetic and likable character in Mackenzie.  This story, compelling as it was, wouldn't have made such a huge impact on me where it not for Mac.  

Hemlock did make an impression on me, from start to finish.  I enjoyed trying to figure out who Amy's killer was, and it was delightfully frustrating in so many ways.  Kathleen Peacock has written a nicely-developed mystery that stumped me and will likely continue to do so with readers.  When the mystery finally was solved, I think I may have gasped.  Between that aspect, and the Trackers, an above-the-law fanatical group of werewolf hunters, Hemlock definitely had a darker feel than I expected, but one that I adored.  I definitely want to know more about the Trackers, and about the werewolf camps, as well as about the secondary group that came into play during the story, battling for rights for werewolves.  

I didn't want to finish Kathleen Peacock's debut novel for many reasons, yet another one being how haunting and brilliant all the characters and their interactions were.  I felt for so many of them, and yet I have to say, I think - and this may seem odd - that one of the strongest characters in the novel was Amy.  Although she was never anything but a memory, she was very much a presence: in Mac's nightmares, in between Mac and Jason, and Mac and Kyle, in the town, in the mystery of her death.  Amy was compelling, and added yet another layer, another enigma to Hemlock, because as the story goes on, we see that there was much more to Amy than anyone knew.  I also really loved Mackenzie's relationship with Tess.  Despite Mac's family history, it was clear how much she and Tess cared for one another.  

Further complicating Hemlock in an elegantly heart-pounding manner is the thread of romance Kathleen has woven throughout her novel.  I didn't expect to fall in love with any characters, but I fell, hard, for Kyle.  It's been a few weeks now since I finished Hemlock and I'm still swooning over him.  I really enjoyed watching Mac and Kyle puzzle through their feelings for one another, and I thought their relationship was intense, sweet, and perfect, in some ways.  I could see how badly Mac wanted to rescue and fix Jason, but I think by the time Hemlock ended both she and he were starting to realize he would have to save himself for it to mean anything.  I was slightly disappointed in the emerging love triangle between Kyle, Mackenzie, and Jason, but I will say it was all well-written, emotional, and an impossible decision for Mac to make.  I'm glad Peacock didn't rush her toward either boy rather, the steps Mac did take felt natural and organic.  I am definitely a Kyle/Mac girl, but I cannot wait to see where the second book takes all of these characters I've come to love.

Yes, I said love.  It may seem improbable, but I already feel like I know these characters, this town.  Hemlock was such a bewitching and compelling debut that I know I won't forget it anytime soon.  Some books just have IT, that spark, that combination of events, characters, writing, and themes as to make them unforgettable.  There's a certain kind of magic in a well-written, striking book, where all the ingredients meshed perfectly.  And with plenty of action, mystery, romance, darkness, heart, and soul, Hemlock is one of those books.