ALA

Is anyone going to be @ the ALA exhibits from July 11th-14th in Chicago? I think I am. Decently sure. So, if you are, leave me a comment or email me. Would love to meet you! And if you're an author that will be at an exhibition booth (or bookstore event!), I'd love to stop by and say hi - and get a book or two signed. So let me know. :)

Any other bloggers going, too?

I'm excited.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

I love dark, wicked tales. I'm totally into Tim Burton, horror stories with lots of fear, and ghost hunting - things like that make me excited. Yeah, I'm weird. So Wicked Lovely, following the dark, twisted vein, was great. If you don't know the basic story, it's about a girl named Aislinn who can see fairies while everyone else gets a dose of invisibility. But the most important rule, says her grandmother (who can also see them), is that she not let them know. In the past, people known to have the Sight would get their eyes gouged out by the fey, or something equally grotesque. But now that she's being chased by the fairy Court, the rules might have to change a bit.

I want the sequel to this, like, now. And the companion(s). Everything that has to do with this story? I want. I loved the way the faeries were described - another thing I'm really into is folklore and myth, so to combine these two interests really had me interested. The fey were all different - there were summer, winter, and dark fey. Water fey, living in streams and wishing wells. Lupine fey, snarling at your heels when you run. Seriously, this world Melissa Marr created was sick. I loved it.

I guess you could label Wicked Lovely as paranormal romance, but with a bit of a kick. I'll admit, it's one of my favorite genres, but only if the author manages to nail it. Seth, Aislinn's love interested, was pretty yummable for the first half of the book; he has tattoos (oh, mia, Boondock Saints), reads (!), makes tea, and is sweet in a quiet, subtle way. He almost had me crushing bad, but there was something lacking - I think it was the believability factor. I could have been totally drooling after him if it would have just gone a bit further. We weren't really immersed in them, but then the focus would probably just be romance, so maybe Marr made the right decision. But that's why I want to read the sequels so bad.

Plus, freaking #$T&*@%$. What I wanted to happen didn't happen until the very end, so I need more. More, more, more.

If you've read Wicked Lovely (which I assume you have - I think I'm the very last person to pick it up), you can come to our online book club chat tomorrow (June 30th) @ 8 pm eastern, where we'll discuss it in detail. Here's the link. Everyone's welcome! And if you'd like to check out future ones, you can always join the club at yabookclub.forumer.com. Just register w/ your email and I'll send you updates, etc. :)

Phone Interviews

I did two half-hour phone interviews with two lovely, bookish people. One is with James of Book Chic, where we talk a lot about books, cats, and more. Head here to listen.

The second is with author Sarah Darer Littman, whose most recent book is Purge. We talk a lot about her books, hobbies, and book banning/censoring. Go ahead and listen to it here.

Megan from Posey Sessions is the other host of the second interview, and she'll be hosting along with me for all (or most) of my other phone interviews.

You can find all past and future phone convos on my main show page, here, but I'll link to them on my blog, too.

So if any other authors, bloggers, publicists, editors (anyone bookish!) are interested, please email (thepageflipper@yahoo.com) and I'll schedule something. The interview can be shorter, too, like 15 minutes or something. :) It'll be real casual and fun.

Also - random Q for everyone. Who's going to see My Sister's Keeper? I loved the book, and can't wait to see the movie. Let me know how it is, and how it compares to the book, if any of you see it.

The New Kid by Temple Matthews

The New Kid is about, well, a new kid. Will Hunter, to be exact, who spends most of his time killing demons. He moves from infected town to infected town, always on the hunt for the Big Bad, Lucifer. But in this new town, he does something different - he makes friends. And tells them the truth about who he is and what he's hunting. Reminds me a bit of Supernatural, but way different. I contradict myself/things a lot, don't I?

Anyway, there were a lot of predictable things about this book, but that doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable. I like to watch (&read) romantic comedies and Disney movies, after all, which always have a predictability factor. The big "twist" in the end I saw coming for a while before the "climax", although when I did figure it out it was a decent shock. I almost want to use "cliche" as a description for this - it wasn't very original. I've read demon-hunter books before (The Mortal Instruments series, for instance), that make everything very, very unique. They create a separate world for you, as in most fantasy or supernatural worlds. The New Kid didn't really do this - it wasn't entirely believable. But that could be a good thing, because I know some readers who don't like reading fantasy, etc, because they think the whole new worlds, etc, are too complicated and detailed to read. They like some grounding in reality, which this has.

What this also has is a pretty good horror effect. It was actually pretty creepy - some of the descriptions were really gruesome (like living, breathing coffins and bloody veins entangling you). It creates a disturbing picture, and that gripped me - I'm a Tim Burton fan, after all.

While this wasn't one that held my interest from beginning to end, I think it's a book you can give to a guy, or even a less voracious reader, and not have them complain about being bored. Being a big reader myself, I found more faults than a reluctant reader would, and for this I think it's a great book to have read - solely for recommendation. I feel weird recommending a book that didn't grip me, but like readers who've only read Twilight (I'm a fan, too, so don't attack!), reluctant readers are looking more for the entertainment factor and less for good plotting and writing.

Oh, and the guy on the front? Total eye-candy.

:(

The Ohio governor has proposed to cut library funding by $227.3 million. That's half of it's budget. I don't think I need to tell all of you how important libraries are, but this effects me greatly - as it would if it were any other state. That it's my state doubles the drama for me.

Aside from jobs, libraries provide education and entertainment. This will only push more people to watch more tv (which isn't bad itself, but as the only form of entertainment?)- this is only one state, but will others follow? Can you think of how much this is going to deter literacy for our state? Libraries will close, more people will lose jobs, and book sales will go even further down the drain. People won't have the easy convenience of books anymore. All of this is completely devastating to me, so I wrote an e-letter to our governor.

I'd love if you would do the same. It'll only take a few minutes, electronically, but it would mean the world to me.

You can go here and to check out the article, and scroll down to contact the governor, etc. Just click "contact online".

We have until June 30th for them to decide - so, please, help this change.

One Lonely Degree by C.K. Kelly Martin

I read & raved about I Know It's Over by C.K. a few months back. It was a great, unique novel about a teen pregnancy told from the guy's POV. I loved it, and highly recommend it to anyone reading this post. So when I got One Lonely Degree and read the premise, I was jumping for glee.

I hate to say it, but it didn't fully live up to my expectations. I liked it. But I didn't love it.

The story is about a girl, Finn, who has a semi-bland life but a stellar best friend. Her and Audrey do everything together, and trust each other to an extremely heightened extent. When Finn's childhood best friend, Jersy, comes back to school, Finn gets the hots for him. But he starts dating Audrey. Ouch.

I thought, with C.K.'s excellent writing and character skills, this would be way better than the summary. And she didn't fail me on the writing - she writes with a style that's subtle, yet it stands out exceedingly for me. She didn't even fail me with the characters - I loved Finn, Jersy, Audrey, and others. I want to say the fault is in the plot, but that's not even it -this book lacked a lot of predictability. There were several moments where I thought I knew what was happening, and nope. She surprised me.

What dissapointed me was mainly in the ending. It was just really, really unsatisfying, and I didn't get any closure. I didn't want things to end perfectly, but I did want them to end with an idea of what would happen to the characters. I assume readers will be able to make their own conclusions, but for me it was just lacking the finality to make it a great book.

I still say to read it for the pluses. I know a lot of other teens will be able to relate to it more than I did, and I know there will be others who love it. The writing and characters are too great for it to be disliked - I just personally expected more wow-factor after reading I Know It's Over. I honestly hope, however, that C.K. publishes another couple books in the next few years. I would really love to read more from her. That may seem like a weird statement after a neutral review, but she's a fabulous writer.

Haiku - do you?

I had no idea haiku's were fun! We were in a chat the other day, and Khy - a fellow, yet possibly wittier blogger - asked a couple authors attending to write a summary of their books in haiku form. After they replied, this is what I responded with:

I suck at haikus/ But guess I'll give it a try / Hey, dude, look! I'm done!

It's not that hard, yet really really fun. If you don't know what a haiku is, it's a short poem of 5 syllables (not words!), 7 syllables, and then 5 syllables again.

If you try in the comments, I'll reply in a haiku of my own to every commenter! Tell me something interesting in haiku form!

Religion & Afterlife in Lit

I don't talk about religion a lot here. I think it's a heavy topic, and a very personal one for each individual - and because I don't really have one.* I'm open-eyed to all religions and beliefs, and I think I mix and combine them to create my own system of ideas. But that's why I'm so interested in books about the afterlife. I think religion and our thoughts concerning it connect us all - no one knows for certain what's going to happen after we die. And I can guarantee you it's something we all think about every now and then.

So when I catch books about different religions and ideas, I'm so there.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin is one I absolutely adore. The basic principle is that when you die, you end up in a world where you age backwards. So if you die at the ripe old age of 84, you have exactly 84 years on this earth, getting younger and younger, until you reach 0 and you're (I assumed) reborn. That's clever.

Then there's The Lovely Bones, which I reviewed recently. I was iffy about the book in general, but the idea is great. That you kind of create your own heaven - each one is perfectly tailored to each individuals likes and needs. Would have liked to see that developed more.

I found out about Godless a couple weeks ago, which is about a boy named Jason who creates a religion based around water - they even have their "church" meetings atop the watertower. I'm really itching to read this one.

Even books like A Certain Slant of Light and Ghostgirl could fall in this vein.

I think these are all interesting things to read about, if you keep an open mind. What are your thoughts - do you like to read these types of books? Can you think of any others?

-----
*I really hope I don't get pelted by Jehovah's Witnesses...

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Birdie Darlington has always worked on her father's orchard harvesting peaches, but since her mom left, she has to put in double the effort. Enter Leeda and Murphy, two girls who, for separate reasons, show up to work at the orchard for the summer. While Leeda comes from a wealthy family, and Murphy comes from a trailer park, they both do their best to avoid as much work as possible.

Eventually, though, the peaches grow on them. And they all grow on each other. From beginning to end, their friendship is rocky but strong. Of course, boys come into play, but Peaches is very heavy in focusing on strong female friendships, which is sometimes hard to find in YA.*

Each character has a completely distinct personality, and Jodi Lynn Anderson mastered them all. I can't, after much deliberation, name a favorite out of the three. They're all so different, but they work completely perfect together. Their personalities honestly even each other out - Murphy's daringness partners with Leeda's structured persona and Birdie's kind, shy demeanor.**

Any fans of contemporary fiction will love this one. It's an older book, but there are newly released sequels, which is what led me to pick this up in the first place. It's a great summer read, full of dips in the lake and summer memories. And it made me crave peaches hella bad. The plot isn't incredibly involved, but the heart of this book lies within the characters. And for that, I loved it.

-----

*This is seriously distressing me. I was trying to find examples to contradict myself on this point: YA doesn't have much girl bonding. There were a few exceptions, like Sisters in Sanity, but while I was looking through Goodreads, I just made myself more and more accepted with this fact. So, dear readers, if you'd be so kind as to comment and praise a book with strong female friendships, I'd be obliged. I think I might make a post out of it, if I get enough book recs.

**If you've read Peaches, did you have a favorite character?

Titles

What do titles mean to you? Do they play any role in your reading at all? Do they impact the story, or just give you a slight glimpse into it? Do you have any that particularly stick out to you? If you're an author, why did you choose yours, and was it a hard decision? Here are a few I've made note of recently.

Because I Am Furniture by Talia Chaltas. To me, this title is as catching as the cover. It grabs me, intrigues me, and makes me think. Before I even open the freaking book!

In the Serpent's Coils by Tiffany Trent. I can guarantee you Mrs. Trent is the most gifted titler on this side of the universe. I dare you to find one better. By Venom's Sweet Sting? Between Golden Jaws? Seriously? They make me swoon.

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King. This one's mainly just mysterious. And it has an aura, doesn't it?

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce. Doesn't this one just roll off your tongue? Go ahead. Say it. Out loud.*

How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt. Misleading, yet subtly perfect. It almost seems bland, at second glance, but the first one is what counts. Compelling, to say the least.

Share yours!

*vampire

The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman

Island 365 is Honor's new home. After The Flood, there are few habitable islands left that are "safe", and # 365 is one of them. Apparently, where they were living before wasn't, because they were "reassigned". Honor, our lovely main character, was born under the year H - everyone born in that year is required to have a name beginning with, obviously, H. But "Honor", although it was on the accepted list when she was born, isn't a suitable name. Because it sounds like year O. Tsk, tsk. Mother Earth won't be happy.

And that's just one tiny detail that's part of a much bigger list of misdemeanors, all being controlled by The Corporation and Mother Earth. From the beginning, you can tell things are a little funky, but with each page you're given a tiny bit more info.

Why are people losing their memory? Why do all the text books lie? What happens to the people who "disappear"? Is New Weather really working? This is just a small sample of the questions you'll be asking once you get past, oh, page 10?

This book is much more fun if you're figuring things out along with Honor, but you get the gist from the summary I gave you. It's freaking fantastic. You can tell a whole lot of plotting went into this book. And there are so many different places it could have gone - I read this with my friend Megan, and we both agreed it would be great for fan fic. It's a completely great story, with it's own little world, but the entire time I was wondering what was going on in other areas and Islands. This story is completely larger than the book.

The only thing that irked me were the parents. If I described them to you, they would seem completely admirable and lovable, but for some reason they just bugged me in print. Even though I didn't agree with Honor's actions a lot, she seemed more realistic and likable than anyone else. Except maybe Helix. But definitely more than the 'rents.

Anyway, I don't know what Allegra Goodman's other books are about, or whether they're as good as this one, but I know for a fact, just from reading The Other Side of the Island, that she's gifted.

And I think she left room for a sequel. She better be writing it now. Or I'll throw a fit.

Contest Winners

I have winners! Yay! Please email me as soon as you see this.

The winners of Airhead, are --

Diana Dang
Learningtoread
Jemscout425
jwx4
Megan

The winners of Drive Me Crazy are --

Mitzy
Stephani

I'll have the books sent to you as soon as I can, but I'll need your addresses ASAP. If you didn't win, don't worry! There will be more contests. :)

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Today is the release of Twenty Boy Summer, a great debut by the fabulous Sarah Ockler. Since June is, at least for most attendees of high school, the start of summer, it's a good fit for TBS's release. Summer has day after day of hot sun for you to soak up, and whether you're at a beach or hanging on a hammock, it's time to sit back and relax. And Twenty Boy Summer is, honestly, a perfect read to flip through while you're doing that relaxing.

Equal parts deep and enjoyable, which I've said before is a very hard feat to accomplish, it's just the right mix to completely consume your day. From the beginning, you're introduced to Anna and Frankie. They're going on vacation in Zanzibar Bay and have devised a plan to woo twenty boys over the course of their summer - and they've got the bikinis to make that plan succeed. But what sounds (from the summary and title) like a light read is completely the opposite. Anna has a dark secret she's keeping from Frankie, and they both hold a lot of pain in their little hearts.

I have to start out with a mention of Sarah's writing. Uh, it's good. I can't really describe why it appealed to me so much - while I'm a lover of detail, I think it goes further than that. Sarah has the capability to make you feel like you've actually experienced what Anna goes through. It may just be me, but it was almost creepy how connected I felt. The whole thing seems like another summer recollection I can pull out of my own vacation stories.

I actually saw a jar of red sea glass up at World Market the other day and came this close to buying it just because of Twenty Boy Summer. When a book makes you want to buy something completely worthless (yet pretty!) because it has some sort of resemblance to it's contents, you know you've got a good 'un. If I had artistic impulses, I would have tried to make a necklace out of them, but I'd probably end up drilling through my finger or something.

I think I'd recommend this book to any fans of Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. For some reason, they both have something unnameable about them that just gives me the same kind of feeling. Like I'm catching fireflies at two in the morning, and time has completely stopped. An extremely grin-worthy and tear-inducing read, alive with emotion from page one.