Help Literary Exploration celebrate 1500 followers!

Today, one of the most awesome bloggers around, Anna, is celebrating 1, 500 followers on her AMAZING blog, Literary Exploration.  She's throwing a heck of a party, with not one but FOUR signed ARCs of these 2012 debuts:

• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
• Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
• Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
• Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

I've personally read and can vouch for SHADOW AND BONE and STRUCK and can say that they are both great reads; in fact, SHADOW AND BONE is tied with HEMLOCK for my favorite debut this year.  And I'm insanely excited over the other two.  So if you have a free minute, head on over and show Anna some love!

Armchair BEA - #4: The Future of Book Blogging

 

Armchair BEA

Day 5 - The Future of Book Blogging

Before I jump in to today's topic, I just wanted to send a heartfelt, huge THANK YOU to the creators of ARMCHAIR BEA, and to everyone who hosted the Twitter parties.  I had such an amazing time this week chatting with new blogging friends and just getting to generally be as big of a geek as I wanted to be.  So, again, thank you!

Part of today's topic is "Ask the Experts."  By no means do I consider myself an expert, but I DO want to throw a few tips out there for new or even established bloggers.  I feel like I've learned a great deal in the last year or so, but am still learning every day.  

The second part of the topic ("The Future of Book Blogging") is how to keep blogging fresh and exciting, so I'm going to do a few tips on that, too!  

Blogging Tips

• BE YOU.  This is SO SO SO important, y'all.  Why would you ever want to be anyone else, especially here?  This is YOUR internet as much as it is mine.  This community is for anyone who loves books and wants to express that. The most awesome person you can be is, well, YOU.  Bring YOUR quirks, your passions, and YOUR thoughts to YOUR blog.  Don't, in any way, feel like you have to be like another, established blogger.  Be you, and people will respect that. 
• Take time to think on what you want your blog to be about before you jump in.  When I started, I wanted to review ALL THE BOOKS, then I realized, I was stretching myself too thin.  I also placed too much emphasis on memes and not enough on getting to know my followers.  I worried more about numbers than about readers.  So think about this: what genres do you want to review?  How do you want to interact with your followers?  What memes - if any - do you REALLY want to do?  
• Be creative with your blog - add a widget with where else you can be found - ie Twitter, Goodreads, etc - so your new blogger friends know where to chat with you.  But don't weigh down your blog with all sorts of count down widgets, banners, and such.  Make your blog a friendly, eye-catching, but CLEAN place to visit.  People want to see your posts and your thoughts, not wait 10 minutes for your blog to load.  It's awesome to be excited about 20 upcoming books - but do that in a post, on Twitter, or on Goodreads - not on your sidebar.  
• Be outgoing.  Even if you're normally a little shy, don't hesitate to say what you think in your reviews or discussion posts.  Absolutely have an opinion.
• Don't be jealous of other bloggers!  If they're receiving 5 ARCs a week, chances are they've blogged consistently for a quite awhile to get those ARCs.  And besides...there's SO MUCH MORE to blogging than just ARCs.  Trust me.  : ) 
• Be friendly to other bloggers.  Follow a few blogs, or however many you can handle.  Then go back and visit them again and again until they get to know you.  Reach out to the bloggers on Twitter.  Start making yourself known as a fellow book lover.  Don't get upset if it takes a little while for them to return the favor - but most people WILL come to your blog to visit.  As they get to know you, they'll talk with you, befriend you, RT your Tweets, chat with you about real life, books, or whatnot.  You want your fellow book bloggers in your corner, but you have to make the effort! 

Keeping Blogging Fresh

• Put down that book you're struggling through.  If you notice you're hesitant to go back to the book you're working on, then don't.  Put it down for a day or two to gain perspective.  Maybe it's not the book you need to be reading now.  Even if it's a review book, it can wait one or two days while you take a breather.  Maybe you want to read something different. Maybe you want to go a whole day without reading.  That's okay.  
• Take a break from time to time.  Book blogging is like my second job.  Granted, I LOVE it.  I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world.  But there are times when it gets overwhelming - when I have too many ARCs to read, or I accepted a few too many review requests, or I've read seven YA sci-fi/fantasies in a row and I'm exhausted.  There ARE times when you need a breather.   And you  know what?  That's okay.  You're human.  

Give yourself permission to take a few days off from blogging.  

• If you do need a break, let your readers know.  Do a short post stating when you'll be "back."  And then don't think about blogging until it's time to come back (or the day before if you want to schedule posts in advance.)  Get outside in the sun.  Go to a movie.  Spend time with a friend.  
• Do something different on the blog.  Start a discussion post - encourage your readers to participate!  Maybe you want to debate why Twilight rankles your feminist side.  (Or is that just me?)  Maybe you want to tackle female vs male POV in literature.  Or do a meme you haven't done before.  
• Ask for suggestion from your readers.  I did a survey last year - and will do another one this year - to see what my readers wanted to see at my blog.  I got some of the nicest encouragement I could ever have asked for.  And thanks to people's feedback, I made some big changes here, for the better, that helped me NOT fall into a slump.  
• Read a book from a genre you haven't visited in awhile.  As much as I love both YA and Paranormal Romance, sometimes I want to read Sophie Kinsella's newest book.  Or Jennifer Fallon's.  Or reread a favorite from Pat Rothfuss.  (Chick lit, sci-fi, fantasy, respectively.)  It's okay to "cheat on" your primary genres for awhile.  And if you normally read all genres?  Try a book from that one genre you've always shied away from - you never know how much you might like it.  

 Hopefully some of these tips helped you.  Let me know if they did, please!  And be sure to link me to your post.  I'll be making the rounds to tomorrow night.  

Review: Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker
Published: May 22, 2012 (Bloomsbury USA)
Pages: 240
Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone
Source: E-ARC from the publisher
Rating: Squee-worthy
Further Info/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life.

Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?

Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.


 

My Review 

Have you ever read a book that stuns you in such a fantastic way that, as you struggle to start the review, you begin to wonder if you will ever find the words to sum up in any kind of a non-fangirlish, succinct way, just how much and why you adored it so?  That's the case with Unbreak My Heart.  I dove headfirst into Melissa C. Walker's heartfelt coming-of-age story and floated happily among her words, letting them wash over me like the cool waves of the ocean in which Clementine and her family traveled throughout the summer.  

For me, the characters were the "wow" factor, and what really made Unbreak My Heart stand out so beautifully in my mind.  The story - a girl falling for the boy she can't have - isn't a new one, and Walker had to stride a thin line between keeping Clem sympathetic and her becoming a villainous character.  I thought that the story of what actually happened between Clem and Ethan was told in such a way that you grew and cried and FELT along with Clem, in an undeniably gorgeous and poignant manner.   Ethan, though not around in the present was a strong character, albeit one I came to dislike (which sucked because he had a LOT of potential) as were Amanda, and Clem's other friends.   I was disappointed in the way Amanda abandoned Clem - yes, Clem made a mistake, but so did Ethan, and it felt like there was a HUGE double standard that I wish had been dealt with rather than brushed aside.  The end of Unbreak My Heart left several loose ends, and that was really my only big complaint. 

Walker did a thorough and believable job of fleshing out these fascinating, flawed teenagers, and she really nailed the "voice" of the characters.  Even when I wanted to shake Clementine, I still liked her, and felt for her, and that really endeared her to me.  I also adored Clem's family - the depth to which they all cared for each other and for Clem absolutely made me tear up a few times, not to mention the times I laughed at their antics.  Clem's parents and little sister, Olive, were a fabulous supporting cast.  I loved the notion of the family boating together, and how they brought Clem out of her shell slowly, and helped bring her back to life. 

And of course there was James.  Oh, James - or "Red," as Clem refers to him for part of Unbreak My Heart.  Sunny, friendly, balanced and amazing James.  He made me swoon, laugh, and even sniffle so many times throughout the story.   He was AMAZING to AND for Clementine - so patient with her, understanding, yet truly encouraging and supportive.  He kept her going when she wanted to wither away, and I admire him so much.  Before he was ever a love interest for Clem, he was her friend, and I really fell, hard for him.  

Unbreak My Heart is a story with layers, and I enjoyed delving deeper than the rippling surface.  It's a story about first crushes, and first love, heart-break, and new beginnings.  It's a story about family and loyalty.  It's a story about being broken, and healing.  It's a story about how one summer can change your life.  

Armchair BEA - #3: Beyond the Blog

Armchair BEA 

Day 4: Beyond the Blog 

Those of you who have been around for awhile know that I'm a writer.  I started scribbling "stories" when I was in 7th grade, and when I was in 9th grade I got REALLY brave and wrote "a book."  It went a lot like this.  Then I wrote another one, and another one.  Now granted, these were just my attempts, but they were still that: me trying, and somewhere in all that trying, I grew up, I started reading more and more, and I found a love of words, and the magic they create when they go together. 

I learned new words, and discovered new worlds, thanks to Elizabeth Haydon, Barbara Hambly, Terry Brooks, and Stephen King.  I opened the covers of books I never knew existed, and met characters that became like friends, and got me through some terrible times, including Being A Teenager, and my parents almost divorcing, and That Boy Breaking My Heart, and a lot of other Teenage Things.  I learned that it's okay to dream big, because these writers had and because they dared, they were published.  People - like me - devoured their stories.  

I kept trying.  

I joined several online roleplays, and then in 2005, along with two friends, I left behind fan fiction and roleplays, and moved into writing for my own, original characters.  With my best friends, I opened doors and continually challenged myself to keep growing as a writer, and to keep dreaming.  I wrote for male characters for the first time.  I learned about alpha males and swooned - a lot. 

More and more, I find time speeding right past me, to the point that I wonder if I'll ever get caught up on the laundry, much less publish a book.  But it's still a dream of mine, especially when I look at friends I've met through blogging who have self-published.  I think about it and know that someday... I just might take that plunge.  

I've written YA contemporary for years.  I recently made the painful decision to put away my current characters for awhile, and to put on hold the storylines I was working on with a friend.  Life is creeping in around the cracks for the both of us, and we each needed a break - to come back, refreshed and renewed, or to start again with new characters when the time is right.  That was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but by no means are those characters gone.  They'll never be gone - they're just not my primary focus right now.  Jonah, Isabella, Mia, Luke, Marcail - they're all up in this crazy brain of mine, somewhere.  

Do I want to take them - or new characters - further?  Do I want to go "beyond the blog?"  Perhaps, someday.  When I find the right story, that begs to be told and doesn't take no for an answer.  I'd love to either self publish or actually pitch something of mine to a publisher. And when I do?  I hope y'all will go along for the ride with me. 

Review: Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill

Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
Expected Publication: June 5, 2012 (Bloomsbury USA)
Pages: 336
Rating: Beam-worthy
Source: E-ARC from the publisher 
Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone
Further Info/Purchase: Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Find the author online: Website | Twitter



Jett is a girl disguised as a boy, living as a gambler in the old West as she searches for her long-lost brother. Honoria Gibbons is a smart, self-sufficient young woman who also happens to be a fabulous inventor. Both young women travel the prairie alone – until they are brought together by a zombie invasion! 


As Jett and Honoria investigate, they soon learn that these zombies aren’t rising from the dead of their own accord … but who would want an undead army? And why? This gunslinging, hair-raising, zombie western mashup is perfect for fans of Cowboys vs. Aliens and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.

My Review 

When I started Dead Reckoning, I was at once captivated by the premise: a formerly proper young woman, disguised as a nomadic male drifter.  Jett - once Phillipa - is searching for her missing twin brother when she enters a small, Western town.  She expects a fight with the local trouble makers; instead, they're set upon by zombies in a spine-tingling beginning that catapults the reader into a rather eccentric novel of the Wild West and the walking dead.  

Mercedes Lackey and contributor Rosemary Edghill present readers with several intriguing characters, starting with Jett, and continuing into the supporting cast.  There's Honoria Gibbons (or Gibbons, as she prefers to be called), an inventor's daughter, sent out West by her father to explore the more outlandish claims he receives, in order to prove them fact or faked.  Joining them is White Fox, a scout and tracker who in investigating the numerous disappearances in towns - and in this case, OF towns.  This motley band of comrades was unexpected, yet rather enjoyable.  They each added their own spark to Dead Reckoning and I loved their interactions.  

However, that's where Lackey's novel went awry for me.   Despite the creepily fascinating premise and the great cast of characters, something just felt off.  There were several big revelations, but the pacing crept along like, well, a zombie.  To me, far too much time drifted by before the characters came to any decisions or really DID anything.  They just sort of drug their feet.  There was very little character development to go along with the lack of action - if Lackey and Edghill had pumped some life into Dead Reckoning in any way, this would have been a far more rewarding story.  Instead, the characters sort of meandered toward the end and somehow it all felt rather...flat to me.  I think I wanted MORE, period.  

Overall, Dead Reckoning was not a satisfying read.  That's not to say it didn't have moments of hilarity or interest.  I think there was a lot of potential that - for me - felt like the authors just didn't follow through on it.   I finished it feeling rather nonplussed, largely because of one key plot point that was never resolved.  There's room for a sequel, though I don't think I would read it.  Though as always...please read and decide for yourself!  

Discussion Post - #5: Authors Who Changed Me

Books That Changed You

I've been wanting to do a huge, fangirlish (but also serious) post on this subject for awhile.  I've alluded to some of these books and authors before, be it in guest posts, Top Ten Tuesdays, or just in book-ish discussions with blogging friends and "IRL" friends.  But the truth of the matter is, for those incredibly rare, special books that changed the way I read books (as Suz would say), introduced me to a new genre, strengthened a friendship, or just plain changed ME....there is never enough that can be said.  I can't think a few authors enough for putting their books out into the world.  Without them, I wouldn't have had the courage to write, to reach out with my words, and to become the (rather awesome) person that I am.  So...here's to you!  

After I gush about a few authors and books that had a big impact on me, hit the comments and let me know what ones did that for you.  What books moved you?  What books made you cry and mourn?  What authors or books have YOU never been able to forget?  What authors would YOU say "thank you" to?

{Note: At the top of my blog on my navigation bar is now a link...for YOU to send in a suggestion of any topic you'd like to see a future discussion post here cover!  It's super easy and I'd LOVE to know what my readers would like to discuss, or see what questions - literature or blog-related - you'd like me to answer!}

V.C. Andrews

Y'all can't see me right now, but I'm smiling.  Because of V.C. Andrews, I discovered: keyhole covers, family secrets, modern day Gothic novels, ancestral mansions with hidden secrets, swoon-worthy boys, guilty pleasure books, evil grandmothers, and females who NEVER GAVE UP.  Because of V.C. Andrews, I joined my first ever online roleplay and tried my hand at writing for the first time in a few years.  Because of V.C. Andrews, I stepped outside my comfort zone, made amazing memories with great people, and met my best friend, Julie.  Because of V.C. Andrews books...I learned to dream.

It's been many years since I read many VCA books.  The original ones - the ones written by her before she died - as well as a few of the ones that her ghostwriter wrote still have a place on my bookshelf together.  The ghostwriter has gone WAY downhill in the last ten years or so...it's been that long since I read anything new he published under her name.  But I have LOTS of memories of debating the classic VCA novels, writing, laughing, and falling for these books.  If you're looking to EVER read anything by VCA, please start with FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC. Go in with an open heart and I think you'll fall for the characters, too.  Her books are still so polarizing and lasting.  

Suggested read: Flowers in the Attic. 

Anne Bishop

Oh, what to say about Anne Bishop that I haven't said here several times already?  My AP English teacher in my senior year of high school recced her books to me, and yet it wasn't until about three years later that I picked up the first one, because one of my best friends was just finishing the trilogy.  I met her and another amazing online friend (see the paragraph on Robert Jordan for more about them) that year and all it took was Julie's recommendation that I try this series - a trilogy at that point.  

I did.  And I was amazed.  Here was a dark fantasy unlike ANYTHING I'd ever read.  These books are intense, to the point that I constantly felt breathless and on the edge of my seat.  The characters are so REAL.  You can't help but adore them - and hate the ones you're supposed to hate.  Characters like Daemon, Lucivar, Saetan, and Janelle are STILL somewhere in the back of my mind; along the way of reading the trilogy, I laughed with them and at them, sobbed for them, feared for them, and ultimately, fell in love with all of them in some ways.  

Recently, Bishop published the ninth book in her series - maybe the final book in her series - and I only read part of it.  She took the story in a direction that, while I knew it HAD to happen, did not want to see or experience.  And that's her choice; she is, after all, the author.  But I want to keep the memory of my beloved characters intact, so I'm holding off on continuing with the series for now.

But, oh.  Daemon.  Daemon Sadi.  The first alpha male I ever read about, and a DIFFERENT sort of alpha male.  Quietly dangerous, sensual to the point of being overwhelmingly so, loyal, fierce, caring, and all around amazing.  The love he shares with Janelle and with his family is truly inspiring.  To this day I can open to any point at random in the trilogy and end up laughing or crying. 

Suggested read: Daughter of the Blood.  

Jodi Picoult.

I honestly don't know how to describe my love for Jodi's books.  Jodi Picoult has the rare, amazing ability to write characters that feel so REAL, characters that linger with you long after you turn the final page of whichever book of hers you happen to be reading.   Her characters get inside your head, and don't leave you alone - not while you're reading their story, and not after.  It's been years since I read a few of her books that I consider favorites and from time to time, I STILL think about this book or that one, or certain amazing characters.  

Jodi Picoult takes you on a journey with each book of hers.  And what I like best is that she makes you THINK.  She isn't afraid to tackle tough, ugly, hard subjects and make you wonder: how do I feel about this?  She pulls at your heart and leaves you trying to put yourself back together.  And I adore her for that.  

Suggested read: Mercy.  

Suzanne Collins.   

I could tell you about my experience reading - laughing, crying, weeping - The Hunger Games.  I could tell you about Gale - male, snarly, Gale.  I could tell you about Finnick - tortured, beautiful Finnick.  I could tell you about Gale/Katniss.  About stalking these books until I had all three.  About finishing Mockingjay and being ripped apart, turned inside out, and wondering if I would ever heal.  I could tell you about writing for these characters.  

But I think I'll let this post that I wrote last year speak for itself.  

Suggsted read: Seriously?  The entire trilogy!

Terry Brooks

I was 15 years old when I read my first Brooks book.  To be honest, Terry Brooks was one of the VERY FIRST sci-fi/fantasy authors I ever read.  I was at Wal-Mart and wandered over to that section, where I'd never really been before.  I was fresh out of young adult - Sweet Valley University and such - and wanting something different.  Wal-Mart had First King of Shannara on the shelf; the word "Druids" jumped out and me and I bought it.  I ended up writing a paper on it for English later that year, and from then on, I spent about a year reading everything by Brooks I could get my hands on.

In recent years I've fallen quite a few series behind, but I still have a soft spot for Brooks.  I spent many a lunch hour with my nose buried in one of his books. 

Suggested read:  The Sword of Shannara.

Robert Jordan.

Two of my closest friends and I read this series together; for Jamilla and I, it was a first read, and for Julie, it was a re-read.  We had many long discussions about what this prophecy meant, how much we loved that character (MAT CAUTHON, yo!), and where we thought the next book would take the series.  The Wheel of Time series was my, to date, biggest and most heart-wrenching venture into epic fantasy.  It brought me closer to two friends.  It provided hours of escape, thought, and imagining.  Jordan's words brought smiles to my lips and tears to my eyes.  I felt like I KNEW his characters through and through.  I met Aviendha, one of my all time favorite female characters.

When Robert Jordan died after a long illness, I cried for quite some time.  He is the only author whose death I've truly mourned.   I haven't read a WOT book since he passed.  A ghostwriter is finishing the series in Jordan's memory, and I am very excited to one day return to the books and the world I love. 

Suggested read: The Eye of the World.  

Stephen King.  

In the summer of my sophomore year of  high school, one of my then-best friends moved away, but not before adamantly telling me to read Stephen King's Dark Tower series.  I'd read a few of King's books and even loved several - IT, The Eyes of the Dragon, and so forth.  But for some reason, I put off reading the Dark Tower series until around my senior year.  My friend and I lost touch, but every once in awhile I'd see a SK book and think of him.  During one library visit, I finally checked out the first Tower book, The Gunslinger...and I fell HARD.  It was so different from anything else I'd read by King.  I fell for gritty and hard Roland, brave Jake, and the AMAZING Eddie Dean.

I followed the series for a few years, catching up on the books, then waiting impatiently for the final three to be released.  I have a LOT of mixed feelings about the series, and I tell people now to only read the first four books, because the last three just hurt TOO much.  I have a great deal of issues with the series but I've had to accept that it's the author's story to write, and not mine.  But I am SO glad I read these books, because after I finished the Tower series, I started reading more books outside of my comfort zone, and I found other authors and worlds to visit and love. 

Suggested reads: The Talisman | The Gunslinger | It



That's it for me this week.  Your turn!  What books have changed YOU?  Made you laugh until your stomach hurt, or cry until you had no tears left?  Let me know in the comments!  And if you've read and loved any books by these authors...let me know!  

And don't forget to click the "Submit A Discussion Question" link at the top of my navigation bar! 

Armchair BEA - #2: Best of 2012

Day Two:

My Swoon-Worthy Books of 2012

As some of you know, a "swoon-worthy" rating is the highest one that a book can receive here on my blog.  I moved away from traditional starred reviews several months back, and I have to say, (and I really hope this doesn't sound narcissitic), that I'm a bit in love with my rating system.  For me to deem a book "swoon-worthy," it has to make QUITE the impression - I end up laughing, crying, squee'ing...and all often more than once.  The book gets under my skin.  It CHANGES me - sometimes in a small way, sometimes in a huge way.


Today's top is the "best of" books we've read so far in 2012 and/or books we're looking forward to.  I'm going to spotlight the books I've marked as "swoon-worthy," and why.

All links go to my reviews of the books, so check those out if you have a minute and are curious as to what, in greater detail, I thought of each book!


{ 1 } Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry.  I've gotten to know Marie over the past year and she is - consistently - an amazingly supportive and talented woman.  Her debut novel broke me down several times, made me smile, laugh, clap, worry, and celebrate, all with or for the main character, Emma.  Blue Sky Days is a beautiful novel that I STILL think of from time to time. 

{ 2 } Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi.  I was swooning over this one before I even read it!  Between the synopsis and beautiful cover, I KNEW I was going to love this book.  And I did!  I devoured it eagerly...and didn't want it to end.  The characters are so real and you ache for them throughout V's book.  (And she is a friendly and amazing person!)

{ 3 } Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.  THE MOST PERFECT YA BOOK EVER.  Seriously, you guys.  Set in Paris, this book is about romance, films, friendship...and one girl discovering who she really is and can be.  I laughed a lot and cried a LOT reading this one.

{ 4 } The Catastrophic History of You & Me by Jess Rothenberg.  One of the few "swoon-worthy" books so far this year that has gotten me to splurge on a finished copy.  I was lucky enough to read this one via an ARC Tour, and oh my goodness, did it make an impression.  I sat down, opened it, and literally didn't move until I finished it.  I had SUCH a great time reading this book - about love and life...after death.

{ 5 } Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock.  AHHHH.  What to say about this book, or its awesome author?!  Hemlock fascinated me from the very moment I stared at the cover and read the synopsis.  Then I received an ARC, and stared and stared some more.  Then I dove into the book...and my love for werewolves was not only reborn - it jumped up a few hundred notches.  Mac, the narrarator is so lovable, as are most of the rest of the characters.  To say I'm twitching for Book 2 is...an understatement!

{ 6 } Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.  SHADOW AND BONE.  Umm.  You know what, I've said it several times on the blog but THIS is my favorite book, so far, of 2012.  Fantasy.  World-building done RIGHT.  Romance.  Darkness (literally.)  Danger.  A female character you can relate to, even while wanting to BE here.  It all CLICKED INTO PLACE with Shadow and Bone, for me.  I cried so much while reading this book because I was THAT connected to Alina. 

{ 7 } Illuminate by Aimee Agresti.  AHHH.  Another book that I lusted after for a long time before I was lucky enough to get to read an ARC.  Before Illuminate, I hadn't read many "angel" books but this one certainly stood out amongst its peers.  I fell, really hard, for the characters, their interactions, and Aimee's mythos.  I cannot WAIT for the sequel!

{ 8 } A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young.  Oh, wow.  It's been a few weeks since I read this one and I'm still VERY tear-y when I think about it.  Suzanne is such a talented, friendly author, and that shows in this book.  The story she began in A Need So Beautiful continues in A Want So Wicked...in a poignant, heart-pounding, thrilling, dangerous, and hopeful way.  I loved this book SO much.  

{ 9 } Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers.  When I think of this book, one word comes to mind: perfection. The setting, world-building, action, political intrigue, romance, and characters were perfect.  I am DYING for the sequel.  LaFevers spins a story that just doesn't let go of you, and I already want to re-read it.

What about y'all?  What are your "best of's" so far this year?  Or, what books are you most anticipating?

Armchair BEA 2012 - #1: Introduction

design credit to Nina Reads

One of my biggest dreams is to one day attend BEA; however, that didn't happen this year due to, well, life getting in the way.  Luckily for those of us who aren't in NYC, there's an amazing site called Armchair BEA, which lets bloggers who aren't AT BEA still participate via discussion posts, giveaways, and the like.  This year, I thought I'd participate! 

Each day there is a different topic for bloggers to talk about, and today's post is an introductory one - both for new bloggers we might meet, and for existing followers to learn a bit more about me!


1) Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you?  How long have you been blogging?  Why did you get into blogging?

Oh, this one is super fun and easy.  My name is Molli, and I am an unapologetic book worm.  I have been known to literally squee over new books when buying them. 

I've been blogging for a little over a year, and I have to say, I ADORE it.  I started my blog because, other than Goodreads, I didn't really have a place to share my nerd-ish love of good books.  I'm not lucky enough to have very many friends who read as avidly as I do; the majority of people I know tend NOT to read any more than they absolutely have to, which is a bummer and something I Just Don't Get.  But, their loss! 

Hence...the blog was born!  Suz at A Soul Unsung had just started hers and was loving blogging, and I had the feeling that if I joined, I would meet wonderful fellow book lovers...and I did!  I haven't ever looked back.

2) What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

Another easy one; my favorite book so far of 2012 is Leigh Bardugo's debut fantasy, SHADOW AND BONE.  It's absolutely everything I could ever want in a book: a well-developed mythos, a sweeping history, a heart-wrenching romance, a headstrong and self-aware, but sympathetic main female characters.  It's just perfection.  Don't believe me?  Read my review here. 

3) Tell us one non-book related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

Non-book related?  What's that all about?  Hmmm.  This IS book-ish, but well.  Outside of my blog, family, friends, and work, my biggest passion is my writing.  I've recently put away several characters from the past in a tear-filled move, but in order to focus on new characters, and breathe fresh life into my writing.  I write YA contemporary, just for fun for now, though one day I might want to be published!  If I'm not writing, I'm usually thinking about my characters, what to put them through, how they will triumph.  I live and breathe writing. 


4) What is your favorite feature on your blog?

Hmm.  That's tough, since I like everything I post here.  I would have to say either my reviews (in which I get to be as fangirlish as I want to be), or my original feature, If I Could Write a Letter to Me. 

5) Where do you see your blog in five years?

Hopefully still successful - and by that I mean, while I would love to continue gaining followers, I also want to continue to gain READERS, loyal fellow bloggers who come back to my blog to check out my new posts and such.  I would love to keep working with publishers, both ones I'm currently in touch with, and new ones, as well as continue to prove myself as an enthusiastic, intelligent blogger. 

6) Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

HARD QUESTION.  Wow.  To date, probably my 2011 "year in review" post.  2012 is my first FULL year in the blogging community but in the 2011 wrap up post, I got to highlight my "best of" 2011 and that meant a lot to me. 

7) If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

V.C. Andrews.  I'd need a time machine since she's deceased, but she inspired me...to read, to write, to speak up, to have an opinion, and to never give up and I'd love to thank her for that. 


8) What literary location would you most like to visit?  Why?

Another hard question!  I think I'd love to see where Jane Austen lived and wrote.

9) What is your favorite part about the book blogging community?  Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

My favorite part is the sense of family that there is to this community.  What I'd like to change is for there to be more places for brand-new book bloggers to gather, maybe a site that compiles features like Rachel's Book Blogging 101 and other types along with a forum where more experienced bloggers can reach out to the new ones, new bloggers can introduce themselves and ask questions and such. 

10) Have you reading tastes changed since you started blogging?  How?

I'm definitely reading much, much more YA than I ever did before.  I think it's fascinating how in some ways, the lines between "YA" and "adult" literature are blurring!  But I still have my other loves, like paranormal romance, and sci-fi/fantasy!

Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Pages: 354
Published: April 24, 2012 (Walker Children's)
Source: Finished copy from the publisher for review
Rating: Squee-worthy
Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone 
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Find the author online: Twitter | Website




Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

 

My Review

When Walker Children's sent me a finished copy of Breaking Beautiful for review, I opened it reverently, remembering how long and how fervently I anticipated this one.  I've noticed that I tend to adore contemporary novels in that deeply emotional way that the books that REALLY affect you strike a person, and I just...had a feeling I was going to have quite an experience reading Jennifer Shaw Wolf's debut novel.  She and I emailed back and forth a bit and I got to know her there and via Twitter, and within about the first 50 pages or so of Breaking Beautiful, I knew I was reading something truly special.  Allie's story continued to touch my heart in a profound way the more I read, and slowly, I felt that Breaking Beautiful was pulling me in, so that I was seeing through Allie's eyes, suffering her broken heart, learning with her, and growing with her.  

To me what stood out the most about Wolf's haunting novel were the characters.  Of course Allie was an amazing main character - at once sympathetic and frustrating in the best way - and seemed very genuine and real to me.  I also am a BIG fan of Blake, one of the secondary characters, and Allie's former best friend.  I thought their bond was fabulously explored in a tender, mature way.  I am a  big sucker for romances where the two characters have a shared history, so Blake/Allie played on that and endeared themselves to me immediately.  They'd never truly taken that step past friendship, but watching their relationship blossom was amazing.  And then there's Allie's brother, Andrew, who was so well-developed and heart-achingly real.  My heart absolutely broke for Andrew, and I really enjoyed all of his and Allie's scenes together.   Between Allie's interactions with the men in her life I never knew whether to cry or hug someone.  


That was especially true when Trip was involved, although I knew what I wanted to do to Trip.  He was a selfish, cowardly asshole who I wanted to murder, in the slowest, most painful way possible.  If Jennifer Shaw Wolf wanted to create a hate-inducing villain with Trip, she definitely succeeded.  There was nothing redeemable about him, no point where I ever felt sorry for him.  He was weak and horrible in how he treated Allie, which is show in increasingly vivid and painful flashbacks as Allie's memories of the night Trip died slowly resurface.  I was so mad over the fact that no one knew how Trip really was - he was the darling of the entire town - and they all assumed that Allie's relationship with him was perfect, and that of course, even months and months later, she was wrong to think of moving on with Blake, who was able to come back into her life with Trip gone.  

One thing I really disliked about Breaking Beautiful was the way Allie was treated, and not just by Trip.  Wolf's handling of the abusive relationship between Trip and Allie was devastatingly real.  No, my issue was with how Trip's friends stood by and let Trip hurt Allie and didn't do anything.  And I HATED how distant and detached Allie's mother was.   She had no idea what her daughter was going through, or who Trip really was.  One of my pet peeves is bad parenting in literature - I know it goes on, but I feel like it's EVERYWHERE.  Allie's dad wasn't a bad guy, but he just wasn't in the picture a lot, and I felt so bad for Allie, having only really her brother and Blake as a support system.  I was really really happy to see her making friends and growing as a person, branching out and taking chances. 


Breaking Beautiful is equal parts mystery and character study.  I cried with Allie, and I cheered her on as she found her footing and her courage.  Watching Allie - who'd been literally beaten down for so long - find the strength to chase after her own happiness regardless of what anyone else thought was rewarding and heartening.  And along with all her character growth taking place, there is the mystery of Trip's death to solve, which played out VERY differently than I thought it would, in an ultimately startling but understandable manner.  I didn't figure out what was going on, and I don't think many readers will.  Jennifer Shaw Wolf did a great job with the whodunnit aspect of her novel.  


In closing, if you don't have a copy of this book, other than a few flaws I found with it, I would advise you to read it.  I have seen a few other bloggers who thought it was too slow, but myself, I enjoyed the pacing and the build-up.  It doesn't matter to me HOW you read it - as a library book or if you buy a copy...but please don't pass on this one.  Breaking Beautiful definitely deserves to be read by everyone! 

Book Trailer

Once Upon A Book Haul - #4

Inspired by all the book-haul memes I've seen floating around (and mostly accredited to Stacking the Shelves) Once Upon A Book Haul is my own version of a book haul/round-up here at Once Upon A Prologue.  It's a fun way for me to show off the books I've begged, borrowed, or stolen - and in a rare case, actually bought!  I love showing off my pretty new books, be they ARCS I'll pass on or books I'll keep just as much as I do seeing what y'all have added to YOUR collection, so be sure to leave me a link to YOUR haul in the comments so we can squee together over our new books!  (It's totally not embarrassing if we're squee'ing together in case y'all didn't know...)

Books Mentioned

Switched by Amanda Hocking { Add it on Goodreads } 

Torn by Amanda Hocking { Add it on Goodreads } 

Ascend by Amanda Hocking { Add it on Goodreads } 

(Confession: I already owned TORN, but I just bought SWITCHED and ASCEND and I wanted to show the entire trilogy together!)

For Review

 

Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London { Add it on Goodreads } 

Defiance by C.J. Redwine { Add it on Goodreads } 

* Thank you VERY much to HarperTeen for these two titles.  I'm especially jazzed over Darkness Before Dawn.  I requested an ARC but they were out, so imagine my stunned excitement when I received a finished copy!  And the REALLY cool thing?  On the packing label, they included my blog name along with my mailing information.  SQUEE!!

That's it for this week - I'll hopefully be back with a new vlog next week.  Be sure to leave me your links, and in the mean time...happy reading!