2009: A Year of Reading!

Books read this year: 163
This is quite a bit down from my 2008 total which was 238. Yikes. Goal in 2010: Read at least 200 books.

Well I've been meaning to do a best of the best books read in 2009. And so, here it is. I've split it up in two parts. My favorite YA reads and my favorite romance reads of the year. (Though they haven't necessarily been published in 2009, just books I read this year.)

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

This is my absolute favorite book of 2009, hands down. It's beautiful, it's moving, it's exquisitely written. It has everything and it makes me cry and smile when I read it. Best book hands down for me.

Other YA favorites:

Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen

Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

(Sequel is planned, I'm excited.)

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford

(And there is going to be a sequel!! I can't wait.)

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Diary of a Witness by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

(If you haven't read it yet, do it. I love Parker. Her voice is vibrant, unique and pain-filled. Another amazing YA book this year.)

Favorite Romance Books of 2009:

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Amazing love story. Kleypas is one of the best romance writers on the market. I love everything she writes, but Jack Travis was pretty darn hot.

 

 

Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy

Ty and Imogene have one of the best romances of the year. Sexy and sweet.

Wicked All Day by Liz Carlyle.
(My favorite historical romance of the year.)

Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl

One of the best contemporary romances of the year.

Wicked Burn by Beth Kery

(Actually a December 2008 release but I didn't read it until January. It's beyond sexy and smoldering. Very erotic.)

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

I love this series. It's one of the few paranormal romance books I still read.

And that's it for 2009! I read so many great books but even a year later, these still stand out as some of my favorites because the writing is great and the characters stand out.

I already bought a few 2010 releases today while out shopping and I can't wait to sit down to read them.

How about you? Did any of these titles make your favorite reads of 2009? What are you looking forward to in 2010?

Reviews: mini and fast

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers is the wise-cracking story of a girl in so much pain it fairly vibrates off the page. Parker used to be perfect. Now, she is far, far from perfect and trying to get farther away with every decision she makes. You'll want to read this book because you will want to find out just what decision or choice put Parker on the path she is on, from perfection to anger and self-loathing. This is a story with a very memorable voice. Parker is mean, she is rude, she is bitchy, but behind that there are peeks of vulnerability and an ache for help, much as she will never admit it. This is a story of a girl who fell hard from popularity but by her own decision. What made her do this, well you'll just have to read to find out. While I was excited for Courtney Summers' upcoming book, Some Girls Are, I have to admit my excitement grew once I finished this story. Painful and aching, Cracked Up To Be is a different type of YA story.

Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison is the story of Michael and Leesie. Michael has just lost his mother and father to the very thing he loves: diving. Leesie is a Mormon girl desperately trying to get into BYU and avoid temptations. She lives her life as good as possible but she is not perfect and she has yearnings. Basically, she is human. When Michael starts up at her school, a friendship is struck but it is a rocky on filled with longing on both sides. Now, I love romances. I'm a devout romance reader aside from my YA reading, but I was just bored in this story. I'm not sure why but the characters really didn't do much for me, and Michael's struggles after his parents' death, while poignant, just didn't work for me. This is a story that just fell flat for me. It's not bad, and in fact, Angela Morrison plays with her narrative by using chat transcripts and Michael's dive logs as the main narrative of the story, but in the end, it just didn't ring true for me. However, this would be a good story for teens who like cleaner romances, though it does deal with some hard issues. And despite being Mormon, I wouldn't classify this book as a religious/inspirational type story. It's just a nice old-fashioned YA story, even if it didn't work for this reader.

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine is the story of Rowan and her younger sister, Stroma. Rowan is basically taking care of Stroma in the aftermath of their older brother Jack's death because their mother has checked out and well, their dad is around only sporadically. Rowan's life is changed forever when Harper, a boy traveling around the country, hands her a photo negative. It starts her on a journey of discovering who her brother truly was, what secrets he held, and how she can finally attempt to put his death behind her and move forward. This is a British story which I love. The text reads like a British story so there is some dry humor as well as a strong emotional context for this story. Rowan has a lot on her shoulders but she is about to handle even more. Rowan is a great character and her interactions with her family, particularly Stroma, were lovely and sad. This is the kind of story you'd hand to someone looking for a depressing topic but that has plenty of shades of hope in it.

So that's what I've been reading lately. I'm heading home for the holidays so I don't know how many more reviews I'll get up, but I hope to do a best of 2009 reads, from my own perspective.

Happy Holidays!

Review: Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

Gentlemen by Michael Northrop is the story of four friends with trouble in their lives.

Synopsis: Micheal, Tommy, Mixer, and Bones aren't just from the wrong side of the tracks--they're from the wrong side of everything. Except for Mr. Haberman, their remedial English teacher, no one at their high school takes them seriously. Haberman calls them "gentlemen," but everyone else ignores them--or, in Bones's case, is dead afraid of them. When one of their close-knit group goes missing, the clues all seem to point in one direction: to Mr. Haberman. 

Gritty, fast-paced, and brutally real, this debut takes an unflinching look at what binds friends together--and what can tear them apart. 

Micheal (deliberately misspelled) is the main narrator in this tale. And it's a dark story about the disappearance of their friend Tommy. Micheal and his three friends are not stellar students, they aren't big fans of school, and well they are the kind of kids who sometimes don't end up with the best lives. They are kind of hoodlums in some way, the kind of guys I would have crossed the street to avoid in high school.


When Tommy disappears, the guys have to figure out what happens and well, all the clues seem to be leading back to their despised English teacher, Mr. Haberman. But he couldn't have murdered their friend, right? Micheal may not be the strongest student but he's not stupid and he knows something is up.

This book is about changing friendships and the things that can tear apart friends. Tommy's disappearance is not the worst part of this story, the hardest detail to take in. There is a scene that was to me, a rape, and well, it was to Micheal too though he didn't voice that thought. Then there is Bones, Micheal's brutish friend who has a few secrets of his own.

This was an odd little book. I was compelled to keep reading because I did want to figure out what was going on with Mr. Haberman, Bones, and Tommy, but yet, I was repulsed also. Publisher's Weekly mentioned a sense of dread that permeates this novel and I'd have to agree. I just knew things were going to keep getting worse for these boys.

This is an intense look at changing friendships and well, brutality. I think boys will find this book particularly appealing, or really, any teen who likes a gritty story that will not end well. I wouldn't call this a horror story but at the same time, it was gothic in its narration and content, gothic and twisty. Michael Northrop had me hooked. This is not the best book I've read this year by far but it's also an unusual story that I can see hooking teens in very easy. The cover itself makes you take a double-take because of its body bag image. The back of the cover features a body bag tag too. It fits so well with the story. This is one of the few times when cover and story merge together very well.

I can see this kind of story being a good recommended read for teens who like street lit. It's kind of street lit lite in fact. I will end by saying this is a compelling read. You're going to want to read to the end, that's for sure.

(This book was provided by the publisher for the Cybils.)

Teen Movie Contest

This is the winning video from the teen movie contest I held at my library this fall. It's adorable and awesome.

Review: The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance

The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance is a likable and spirited story. It's not going to stretch your reading mind too far but not every book has to. This book is just a charming high school tale of stretching one's limits and maybe finding a bit of romance.

Synopsis: When Bethany -- self-proclaimed geek girl -- makes the varsity cheerleading squad, she realizes that there's one thing worse than blending in with the lockers: getting noticed. She always felt comfortable as part of the nerd herd, but being a member of the most scrutinized group in her school is weighing her down like a ton of textbooks. Even her Varsity Cheerleading Guide can't answer the really tough questions, like: How do you maintain some semblance of dignity while wearing an insanely short skirt? What do you do when the head cheerleader spills her beer on you at your first in-crowd party? And how do you know if your crush likes you for your mind...or your pom-poms?

One thing's for sure: It's going to take more than brains for this girl genius to cheer her way to the top of the pyramid.

When Moni convinces Bethany to try out for cheerleading, Bethany is kind of convinced Moni is insane but she does it anyway since Moni is going through a rough time at home with her parents' divorce. Lo and behold, Bethany and Moni make it onto the team and they go from somewhat invisible geeks to... well, a bit more visible geeks. The cheerleaders are not happy to have Bethany and Moni on the team and try everything possible to make their experience uncomfortable and humiliating. Fortunately, these two persevere and win over a few fans of their own: the boys wrestling team and for Bethany, she catches the eye of her school crush, basketball god, Jack Paulson.

This is a nice light, breezy and fun read. It was the perfect complement to more of the heavy, issue-based books I have been reading for the Cybils. I really liked Bethany. She tried her best at cheerleading, despite not thinking for a majority of the book that she was cut out for cheerleading. I also really liked the fact that it didn't make her instantly popular. She was still Bethany: a newspaper nerd, an English whiz, and someone who enjoyed her Friday night Geek Nights. She made some new friends but worked hard to keep her other friends too. The normalcy of this book was just really nice.

And a big plus for this reader: Pride and Prejudice was a nice little part of the plot. It's my favorite book so I'm always happy to see it turn up in other things I read. Another thing I liked: it was set in Minnesota, my home state. And yeah, perhaps the Minnesota things were a bit stereotypical, but it was nice to hear about a teen going to Minneapolis for the weekend, and not LA or NYC. The Twin Cities doesn't get enough credit for all the fun things it has to offer.

This is a book you'll breeze right through in a short amount of time, but you'll have fun doing it. I love the combination of geeky and popular merging and Bethany coming out stronger for it. For teen readers who like a light romance in their stories, this provides just that. Nothing explicit or overtly sexual, just a clean read altogether.

(I checked out this book from my library.)

Waiting on Wednesday

Insatiable by Meg Cabot.
Publication date: June 8, 2010

Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them.

Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die (not that you’re going to believe her. No one ever does).

But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side…a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, Lucien’s already dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future….

If she even has one.

Cabot has me at the first line of the synopsis. I am sick of hearing about vampires, I will totally admit it. However, Meg Cabot is one of my go-to authors for fun books that I will enjoy, even if it is yet another paranormal book. This is actually an adult fiction title, not YA, but I don't care, I'm excited for it anyway.

(Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.)

Review: Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney

Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney is a the multi-generational story of three individual girls whose lives converge in unexpected (sort of, for me anyway) ways.

Synopsis:

Doomed loves, failed families, nixed dreams—someone else's leftovers are heaped on our plates the day we come into this world.
 
Big Macs and pop tunes mask the emptiness as Madeline watches her mom drink away their welfare checks. Until the day Tad, a quirky McDonald's counter boy, asks Madeline out for a date, and she gets her first taste of normal. But with a life that’s anything but, how long can normal really last?
Hanging with Jeremy, avoiding Mam, sticking Do Not Disturb Post-its on her heart, Desiree's mission is simple: party hard, graduate (well, maybe), get out of town. But after Desiree accepts half a meatball grinder, a cold drink, and a ride from her mother's boyfriend one rainy afternoon, nothing is ever simple again. 

Too many AP classes. Workaholic mom. Dad in prison. Still, Ariel's sultry new boyfriend, Shane, manages to make even the worst days delicious. But when an unexpected phone call forces a trip to visit a sick grandmother she's never met, revealing her family's dark past, Ariel struggles to find the courage to make the right choice for her own future. 

As three girls from three different decades lives converge, they discover they are connected ways they could never imagine. Each of them finds strength that brings her closer to healing a painful past, and faith that there is a happier future.


Madeline is living in New York in 1977 and she hates her life. She hates her body, she hates her mom, and she hungers for a life that is not her own. She lacks love and affection but finds it surprisingly in a sweet boy named Tad. But he is not the answer to her hopes and dreams as she finds out.

Desiree is living in New York in 1993 and her life is far from perfect. Her mom seems to hate her, her mom's boyfriend is paying her too much attention, and Desiree cannot imagine ever escaping from her life. She wants something different, something better, she just does not know how to get it.

Ariel is living in 2009 with her mom who loves her, with a best friend, and with someone new in her life: her boyfriend Shane. Then her mom gets a phone call that changes absolutely everything in their lives. Ariel doesn't know if it will be for better or for worse.

Each character has a distinctive voice in this story and the time periods are distinguished subtly enough that you get the flavor of the decade that each girl is living in, without being inundated by reminders of that decade. Michelle D. Kwasney also distinguishes each character by a somewhat different writing style. And for Desiree, her pieces of the story are all written in verse which conveys so well what she is going through.

Any astute reader is going to figure out very easily how these three individuals connect, particularly given the years between. However, that does not make the story any less emotional or captivating. After all, it's about the journey more than the end result and this book certainly stands by that old adage. Kwasney does a great job in conveying the cyclical pattern these women are falling into, both with jobs, men, and issues. However, she also shows how these characters fight those patterns to try to make a better life for themselves and their loved ones. The lives these characters face are not easy by any means, but they have meaning and purpose, even when that purpose seems to be in a not so great direction.

This could perhaps be considered an "issues" type book but the writing is so fluid and insightful while also being gritty and realistic about the situation these girls are facing that the issues don't seem so immediately obvious or typical.

History is one of my favorite subjects and it's wonderful to see it being used in such an interesting way in Blue Plate Special. The little things add up and mean a lot in a person's life and Michelle D. Kwasney conveys that well. This is an enjoyable, if sometimes predictable, story but I think teens will find the struggles of these characters still relevant and vital to the lives they are living now.

(Book received from Amazon Vine.)

Author Interview: Jennifer R Hubbard

Today I have the great pleasure of publishing my first ever author interview here at my blog. I'm ecstatic to be talking with debut YA author, Jennifer R. Hubbard. Her first book, The Secret Year is being published from Viking on January 7, 2010, so not too far away. I know I'm dying to read it. It's on my Christmas wishlist and I highly recommend adding it to yours! So on that note, lets get to the interview.

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Are you anything like the characters in your new book, The Secret Year? Were you a journal keeper growing up?
Each of them has a little piece of me: Syd’s shyness but also her ambition; Colt’s love of nature (not that he would use the word “love,” but that’s why he spends so much time outdoors!); Julia’s desire to control her own destiny, and her interest in writing; Michael’s introversion and fondness for books.  I’ve kept journals occasionally, but never stuck with them for long. I prefer writing fiction.

If you could only use three words to describe The Secret Year to sell it to a teen, what words would you use?
Secrecy, loss, obsession.

What writing advice would you give to your seventeen year old self?
Sometimes I think I would advise my younger self to focus on YA lit sooner, because YA novels are what I always wanted to do but for some reason put off trying.  On the other hand, I think the writing I did in the meantime—mostly literary short stories—did help me grow as a writer, and perhaps brings something to my stories that wouldn’t be there otherwise.

How would you describe the relationship between Colt and Julia?
It took me 200 pages to describe it! No, seriously, I would love to hear what readers think about this.  Would they call the relationship “love?”  Why do they think secrecy was so appealing to these characters?  Would Colt and Julia have stayed together if she had lived?  (That last question isn’t a spoiler; Julia dies in the first sentence of the book.)

Chocolate: dark or milk?
I only choose milk when dark isn’t available.

Why YA stories?
Adolescence is such an exciting, interesting time of life, with so many story possibilities.  And YA novels are so well-written; it’s an honor to have a book among them.

What is one recent YA read that has you excited?
I know it’s been around for a while, but I just read it: Parrotfish, by Ellen Wittlinger.

The holiday season is upon us. Do you have a favorite song or story that represents the holiday season to you?
There are many.  For me, December is a time for old favorites, tradition, music from my childhood.  Here’s my holiday soundtrack: John Denver’s Christmas album; the Nutcracker Suite; the music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas;” and assorted carols, especially “O Holy Night” and “Carol of the Bells.”

---

Thank you so much Jennifer for your thoughtful answers! And if you haven't heard about Jennifer's new book yet, well, what are you waiting for??

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

Remember, The Secret Year is out in stores on January 7, 2010. To find out more about the author and her book, you can check out her blog, WriterJenn, or her Twitter. Thank you so much for your time Jennifer!

In My Mailbox (is fun!)

This week in In My Mailbox:

In the mail:

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph (Cybils nominee)
How It Ends by Laura Wiess (Cybils nominee)
Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney (yay!!) (From the Amazon Vine program)

Bought:
Nothing this week. Money is going to Christmas gifts, not me.

And that's about it. A slower week, I didn't even receive much for review but oh well, I can concentrate on what I do have to read, which is still a lot.

And coming up Monday, I have a very special and exciting post that I cannot wait to share. (Well, it's exciting for me anyway, and I think others will like it.)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of the Story Siren.

Review: How It Ends by Laura Wiess

How It Ends by Laura Wiess is a book that will stick with me. It combines several of my favorite writing tropes: flashbacks, multiple narrators, and a sense of history (I don't want to say it's historical because it isn't, but history and the importance of the past play such a huge role in this story.)

Synopsis: All Hanna's wanted since sophomore year is Seth. She's gone out with other guys, even gained a rep for being a flirt, all the while hoping cool, guitar-playing Seth will choose her. Then she gets him -- but their relationship is hurtful, stormy and critical, not at all what Hanna thinks a perfect love should be. Bewildered by Seth's treatment of her and in need of understanding, Hanna decides to fulfill her school's community service requirement by spending time with Helen, her terminally ill neighbor, who she's turned to for comfort and wisdom throughout her life. But illness has changed Helen into someone Hanna hardly knows, and her home is not the refuge it once was. Feeling more alone than ever, Hanna gets drawn into an audiobook the older woman is listening to, a fierce, unsettling love story of passion, sacrifice, and devotion. Hanna's fascinated by the idea that such all-encompassing love can truly exist, and without her even realizing it, the story begins to change her.

Until the day when the story becomes all too real...and Hanna's world is spun off its axis by its shattering, irrevocable conclusion.

Hanna is a very typical high school girl. She has a crush on a guy who is a jerk (and he's a definite jerk!), she wants to have a fun social life, and she isn't spending as much time with her family as she used to. This hurts her neighbor and honorary Grandma, Helen. But Helen understands the needs of a teenager and makes excuses for Hanna. Then, everything changes and not for the better. Helen needs Hanna and Hanna steps up to the challenge. I don't want to give too much away, but their relationship is strengthened when Hanna makes the decision, initially for school reasons to be honest, to help her grandmother. What comes out of this closeness is amazing.

What this book does so well is use the power of the past in a way that fluid and natural with the main narrative. I also thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Helen and Hanna, and the other character, Lon. I think more than anything what I enjoyed was the power of silence in communication. As the story continues, Helen cannot physically speak any longer so she has to communicate with Hanna in other ways, and one way is through an audiobook, but in another way is just through shared, silent companionship. Nature is also a major part of this story and fits the main narrative so well and so fluidly that it just shows what an amazing writer Laura Wiess is.

I did have a few problems with this book too. I couldn't always root for Hanna, and that is in large part because of her obsession with Seth who is a total jackass, no ifs ands or buts about it. Even Hanna's friends saw it but she kept making excuses for him and I just couldn't handle it. Even keeping in mind that she is a teenager, her reluctance to give up on Seth, to try to reason with herself that he would show his good side, was just frustrating for me. And in light of what she learns about Helen, well it was a hard pill to swallow.

I'm a patient reader and I'm willing to give books more time to hook me in then most readers would, sometimes to the detriment of my reading sanity. Now, I'm really glad I kept reading, believe me, because there was so much I did enjoy about this book, but when I look at this from a teen perspective, particularly from a teen non-reader or occasional reader perspective, I wonder if they will have the patience to stick with this story. It's a conundrum that is of course left up to the individual reader but it was something on my mind while reading.

I may be making it seem like I had more problems with this book then I actually do. I enjoyed reading it and would be willing to recommend it. The writing is amazing! Laura Wiess has a way with words that is subtle but so powerful, conveying a message or a sound, a scent, with complexity and honesty. There is also a fresh look at what makes up identity and truth in How It Ends. Do lies change your identity, forcing you into a role and life you didn't expect or want?

A few passages that struck me as amazing:

"I would not willingly peel back the scar tissue protecting the deepest chambers of my heart and reveal the bruised hollows pooled with the blood of old wounds--the terror comes just thinking about it--but now, facing darkness I am left with no choice. I love you, and because of that I am going to try and raise the dead." --Louise Bell Closson

And this one:

I will write it. I will tell her all I've been ashamed of and all I've lied about but I have to do it in a way that she will listen to without prejudice. I couldn't stand seeing her get up and walk out before I finished explaining.

So I make myself begin and write every day I am able, shaking, weeping, raging, and missing Hanna, but at the same time glad she isn't visiting as often or staying as long because the stress of confessing has accelerated my illness.

I am disintegrating, losing control, and there is no hiding anymore.

Hanna doesn't know I am dying, but that, I think will be the least of the revelations.

There is a passage I really want to share, but I can't because it's so spoiler heavy. But it was just... well, the kind of passage that will stick in your head for a long time to come. The power of words is an amazing thing and Laura Wiess uses those gifts accordingly.

If you'd like to see another review of How It Ends, head on over to Sarah's Random's Musings.

And on an end note, I want to point out a post that has me thinking about YA covers in general: Where Have All the Fat Girls Gone?

If you read How It Ends, I'd love to know what you think.

Review: Willow by Julia Hoban

Willow by Julia Hoban is not an easy read. It's gritty, painful, depressing at times, but ultimately and most delicately, it tells a compelling story.

Synopsis: Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow's parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy —one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow's secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the "safe" world Willow has created for herself upside down.

This isn't a book I could easily categorize into something as mundane as "like" and "dislike." I will say that it took me quite a few chapters to really get into the voice of this story. I felt distant from Willow and her situation for a long time, despite how scary that situation was. However, as I began to understand Willow better, to get inside her head more, I felt more connected to her.


The thing that I most enjoyed about this story, that stood out the most to me in terms of storytelling is the relationships. Each relationship in this book is complex and filled with both pain and hope. Connecting for each of these characters is a huge, painful process that resonates with their whole being. I know that sounds kind of corny, but to me, it is the truth. Willow has disconnected with life in so many ways. It's as if Willow died just as her parents did. So, when Guy comes into her life, then discovers her huge, huge secret, well that is a shock of life right in the face.

Willow is a cutter and Julia Hoban does not shy away from describing both the relief, pain, and pleasure Willow feels while cutting. It is a catharsis for her, even as to Guy, it is something scary and perhaps disgusting. However, Guy now feels a responsibility towards Willow that he does not want or need in his life. It is an awkward beginning for what turns into a beautiful and complex friendship and ultimately, something more.

I also was equally engrossed in Willow's relationship with her older brother, David. She has so much guilt associated with David. Her mind is a twisty place when it comes to David. There are passages in the book where Willow sits and listens to her brother cry and it was some of the hardest scenes in the book to read. She took that guilt onto herself like a martyr in some ways, but a very sad and sympathetic martyr. I won't spoil how their relationship worked out but I was very glad to see it wasn't as one-sided and harsh as Willow imagined.

I usually don't think too much about names in books but I felt like Willow was such an appropriate name for this character. I think of the huge weeping willow trees in my uncle's yard growing up. Those trees could weather so many storms, snow, sleet, whatever it may be, and still remain standing and proud. That's how I felt about Willow, particularly as the book reached its low-key climax. Willow took all this pain onto herself and kept going even as she felt distanced from life. But yet, she remained strong in her own way, even with the cutting. Willow wanted to be strong for her brother. She wanted to be a port in the storm for him, even as he couldn't necessarily see that need from her. It was touching and fantastically written.

Even as I end this review I'm left with complex emotions about this book. It was slow going for me I will readily admit, but I'm glad I stuck it out. I have to say, out of all the painful and tragic books I've read this year (and I've read a lot of them) this is the one book that did not make me cry at all. I'm not sure why, but I think it was the distance I felt throughout the story. I did feel so proud of Willow at the end, but I wasn't in tears for her. Maybe that's a good thing. But I just found it odd because I am a crier. I cried so hard during Marley and Me (movie), I cried quite a bit in North of Beautiful (one of my favorite books of this year) but this book, this strong and tough book, didn't make me cry.

I recommend reading this book. It's going to affect you, one way or another. Books that don't fit into easy categories are perhaps some of my favorites, and this book may just fit that criteria for me. Read it yourself though and see what you think.

In My Mailbox

It was a good week for books for me. Though I guess, any week involving books is a good one.

Bought:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate
Hidden Fire by Jo Davis

ILL:
The Sweet Life of Stella Madison by Lara M. Zeises
It's a Wonderful Lie: 26 Truths About Life in Your Twenties by Emily Franklin (with stories by various authors)

Mail:
None received this week.

Have you read any of these? I'm really excited for Beautiful Creatures!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Review: The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander starts with a fervent desire to get off the sidelines and into the thick of things.

Synopsis:

Almost-15-year-old Austin Gray is tired of standing at the curb and watching the parade pass her by. Literally. She decides this is the year she’ll ride on the hood of a shiny pickup truck in the annual parade, waving to the crowd and finally showing the town bully that she’s got what it takes to be the Sweetheart of Prosper County.

But far from simply being a beauty contest, becoming Sweetheart involves participation in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), raising an animal, and hunting or fishing. Austin will do almost anything to become Sweetheart, and has the support of her oldest friend, Maribel, her new FFA friends (including the reigning Sweetheart, and a quiet, cute cowboy), an evangelical Elvis impersonator, a mysterious Cajun outcast, and a rooster named Charles Dickens. If only her momma would stop overprotecting her, and start letting Austin live her own life. But Austin can’t move on until Momma moves on, too—and lets the grief of losing Austin’s daddy several years before out into the open.

Here is a bighearted story that will leave readers agreeing with Austin that sometimes, it’s not what you ride, it’s how you roll.

This is a sweet and down home story from start to finish. Austin wants to ride in the No Jesus Parade. She is tired of being on the sidelines, of being made fun of by the local bully (and he is a bully, make no mistake. It actually seemed more like harassment to me than just mean teasing.) But in order to be the FFA Sweetheart, she has to raise an animal and she chooses a chicken with character: Charles Dickens. He is a Black Rosecomb Bantam and I have to say, the cover does a beautiful job of showing him off. I'm not sure how many teens will want to check out a book with a chicken on it, so I may have to talk it up a bit, but the story is worth it. Personally, I like the cover.

Austin works hard to raise her chicken and along the way, she meets some new friends in the FFA. She also starts to question her relationship with her mother. Things are not easy for mother and daughter because Austin's father died in a car crash and since then, her mother has been in a type of living mourning, but she won't talk about her father to Austin, who wants to remember her dad. Austin's struggle to help her mother but to also remember her father is a very important part of the story.

This book just has a really warm, folksy feel to it. Austin is a sweetheart, there is no doubt about that. Jill S. Alexander really adds a lot of Southern charm to this story and you truly feel like you are in Texas, or that you are a part of the FFA. It's just truly sweet and kind.

On the other hand, this doesn't seem like a story that will stick with you long after you've read it. I enjoyed it while reading it, and I really liked the relationships in the story, both between Austin and her mother, between Austin and her FFA friends, and her best friend, Maribel. The characters truly are enjoyable, with the big exception of Dean who I just absolutely hated. But, for all of that, I'm not sure if it's one I'll be re-reading any time soon. I do however recommend reading it. You'll kind of feel all warm and happy after you're done, which is never a bad thing.

You didn't hear it here first!

The release date for the third, as of yet untitled, Hunger Games book has been announced!

August 24, 2010!

Kind of far away but yet, it's not even a year away so I take solace in that fact. I'm very excited to see how Katniss's story plays out.