Books read in 2010

1. The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg (1/2/10)
2. Hot and Irresistible by Dianne Castell (1/4/10)
3. The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins (1/5/10)
4. Moon Craving by Lucy Monroe (1/8/10)
5. The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard (1/9/10)
6. Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga (1/10/10)
7. What a Demon Wants by Kathy Love (1/14/10)
8. This World We Live in by Susan Beth Pfeffer (1/16/10)
9. Scott's Satin Sheets by Lacey Alexander (1/17/10)
10. Candor by Pam Bachorz (1/18/10)
11. Knock Me For a Loop by Heidi Betts (1/18/10)
12. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (1/23/10)
13. Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh (1/24/10)
14. To Die For by Linda Howard (1/27/10)**
15. Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston (1/30/10)
16. Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen (1/31/10)
17. Drop Dead Gorgeous by Linda Howard (2/3/10)**
18. Open Season by Linda Howard (2/4/10)**
19. Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe (2/5/10)
20. Numbers by Rachel Ward (2/6/10)
21. After the Night by Linda Howard (2/6/10)**
22. Still Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Smith, Teen Vampire by Kimberly Pauley (2/13/10)
23. Healing Seduction by Jory Strong (2/14/10)
24. Instant Temptation by Jill Shalvis (2/17/10)
25. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab (2/18/10)
26. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young (2/20/10)
27. Something About You by Julie James (2/22/10)
28. Back in Black by Lori Foster (2/25/10)
29. The Espressologist by Kristina Springer (2/27/10)
30. Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas (2/27/10)
31. My Cup Runneth Over: The Life of Angelica Cookson Potts by Cherry Whytock (3/3/10)
32. Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (3/3/10)
33. Fire by Kristin Cashore (3/9/10)
34. Pure Princess, Bartered Bride by Caitlin Crews (3/10/10)
35. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (3/12/10)
36. Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (3/15/10)
37. Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn (3/16/10)
38. Boys, Bears, & A Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald (3/17/10)
39. Tangled by Carolyn Mackler (3/21/10)
40. Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson (3/22/10)
41. The Summer of You by Kate Noble (3/27/10)
42. Gone by Lisa McMann (3/28/10)
43. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine (3/30/10)
44. A Black Tie Affair by Sherrill Bodine (4/3/10)
45. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (4/4/10)
46. Sweet Temptation by Maya Banks (4/5/10)
47. Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu (4/10/10)
48. It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han (4/12/10)
49. A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior by Suzanne Enoch (4/14/10)
50. Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery (4/16/10)
51. Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma
52. Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson (4/25/10)
53. The Everafter by Amy Huntley (4/25/10)
54. An Honorable Man by Darlene Gardner (4/26/10)
55. Runaway by Meg Cabot (4/29/10)
56. The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor (4/30/10)
57. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (4/30/10)
58. Crazy for Love by Victoria Dahl (5/1/10)
59. Lover Mine by JR Ward (5/3/10)
60. Forget You by Jennifer Echols (5/7/10)
61. The Mark by Jen Nadol (5/8/10)
62. You Wish by Mandy Hubbard (5/9/10)
63. His at Night by Sherry Thomas (5/13/10)
64. The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell (5/14/10)

65. Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols (5/16/10)

66. Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone (5/18/10)

67. The Karma Club by Jessica Brody (5/19/10)
68. Insatiable by Meg Cabot (5/24/10)
69. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (5/28/10)
70. Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas (5/29/10)
71. Girl, Stolen by April Henry (5/29/10)
72. The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (5/31/10)
73. Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy (6/5/10)
74. One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare (6/6/10)
75. The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (6/7/10)
76. Flat-Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy (6/9/10)**
77. Countdown by Deborah Wiles (6/11/10)
78. Kiss It by Erin Downing (6/15/10)
79. This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas (6/17/10)
80. The Gift of Love by Lori Foster, et al (6/19/10)
81. Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh (6/20/10)
82. The Line by Terri Hall (6/20/10)
83. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh (6/23/10)
84. One Night that Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt (6/24/10)
85. Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt (6/26/10)
86. The Duff by Kody Keplinger (6/27/10)
87. Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh (6/28/10)**
88. Mackenzie Blue: Friends Forever? by Tina Wells (7/1/10)
89. All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins (7/4/10)
90. The Space Between Trees by Katie Williams (7/5/10)
91. Grace by Elizabeth Scott (7/7/10)
92. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh (7/7/10)**
93. Do you take this Cop? by Beth Andrews (7/10/10)
94. Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt (7/14/10)
95. Shadows at Midnight by Elizabeth Jennings (7/16/10)
96. Matched by Ally Condie (7/18/10)
97. Stork by Wendy Delsol (7/19/10)
98. Veil of Night by Linda Howard (7/22/10)
99. Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler (7/23/10)
100. Liberating Lacey by Anne Calhoun (7/23/10)
101. The Bikini Car Wash by Pamela Morsi (7/24/10)
102. Rules to Rock By by Josh Farrar (7/24/10)
103. Divine Redemption by Jory Strong (7/25/10)
104. The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June by Robin Benway (7/27/10)
105. The Shy Bride by Lucy Monroe (7/30/10)
106. Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala (7/30/10)
107. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (7/31/10)
108. Sarah's Child by Linda Howard (8/1/10)**
109. The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride (8/4/10)
110. Tweet Heart by Liz Rudnick (8/6/10)
111. Burning Up by Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, et al (8/9/10)
112. The Ivy by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (8/12/10)
113. Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti (8/13/10)
114. A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries (8/16/10)
115. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann (8/17/10)
116. Delirium by Lauren Oliver (8/21/10)
117. Healer's Choice by Jory Strong (8/20/10)
118. The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball by Risa Green (8/22/10)
119. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (8/24/10)
120. Relatively Famous by Jessica Park (8/26/10)
121. Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford (8/28/10)
122. Burning Up by Susan Andersen (8/29/10)
123. Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler (9/2/10)
124. One Night... Nine Month Scandal by Sarah Morgan (9/3/10)
125. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (9/5/10)
126. Indigo Blues by Danielle Joseph (9/6/10)
127. Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian (9/9/10)
128. When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer (9/11/10)
129. Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz (9/16/10)
130. That Runaway Summer by Darlene Gardner (9/16/10)
131. For Keeps by Natasha Friend (9/18/10)
132. Reckless by Anne Stuart (9/18/10)
133. Ruthless by Anne Stuart (9/20/10)
134. Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin (9/23/10)
135. Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (9/26/10)
136. Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas (9/28/10)
137. The Sweetness of Salt by Cecelia Galante (10/2/10)
138. Nothing Like You by Laura Strasnick (10/2/10)
139. The Year of Living Scandalously by Julia London (10/3/10)
140. Jane by April Lindner (10/5/10)
141. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (10/7/10)
142. Plain Kate by Erin Bow (10/8/10)
143. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (10/9/10)
144. Play of Passion by Nalini Singh (10/12/10)
145. Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (10/15/10)
146. My Invented Life by Lauren Bjokrman (10/17/10)
147. The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook (10/23/10)
148. A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler (10/29/10)
149. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (10/31/10)
150. Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry (11/2/10)
151. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard (11/4/10)
152. Ride the Fire by Jo Davis (11/6/10)
153. Three Nights with a Scoundrel by Tessa Dare (11/11/10)
154. Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley (11/11/10)
155. Whisper Falls by Toni Blake (11/11/10)
156. The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (11/12/10)
157. Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg (11/12/10)
158. Hothouse by Chris Lynch (11/14/10)
159. Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean (11/14/10)
160. And One Other Thing... by Molly Harper (11/15/10)
161. The Dangerous Viscount by Miranda Neville (11/19/10)
162. Songs for a Teenage Nomad by Kim Culbertson (11/21/10)
163. Inside Out by Lauren Dane (11/22/10)
164. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (11/26/10)
165. You Are Not Here y Samantha Schutz (11/27/10)
166. Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith (11/29/10)
167. The Snow Ball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter (12/4/10)
168. Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick (12/5/10)
169. XVI by Julia Karr (12/10/10)
170. Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (12/11/10)
171. Good to Great by Jim Collins (12/12/10)
172. The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald (12/12/10)
173. Wither by Lauren Destefano (12/16/10)
174. Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers (12/18/10)
175. Room by Emma Donoghue (12/19/10)
176. Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John (12/20/10)
177. Prelude to Scandal by Delilah Marvelle (12/20/10)

178. Where She Went by Gayle Forman (12/23/10)

179. Icebreaker by Deirdre Martin (12/29/10)

180. Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (12/31/10)**

**denotes a re-read.

10 Best Titles for 2010

I read many, many excellent books in 2010. I cannot believe it is coming to an end in fact. I feel pretty fortunate to have had the chance to read all the books I did. Here are some titles that stood out to me when I look at my list of books read in 2010. They are in no particular order, just books that for me, represented some of the best books I read in 2010. You've probably heard me talk about these books at some point or another because I've pretty much raved about them constantly.

Also, these books are a mix of YA and romance books because romance was my first reading passion and I still read tons of romance books. And well, you'll notice even in my YA choices, romance plays a part.

(Sorry for the lack of pictures folks. I'm working on my mom's computer and it's just awkward for me. If you want to see my reviews for some of these, let me know. I meant to link to them directly but I got lazy on vacation.)

In the world of YA...


Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. I've pretty much said all I can about this book. It was one of my favorite debut titles of 2010 and it is a book I have enjoyed immensely. Seriously, if you still haven't read this one after hearing me rave about it, I don't know what more I can do or say to convince you.

Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian. An amazing story of the stereotypes that are created in high school and how one girl tries to break them, while simultaneously finding herself lost and alone. She is not perfect, she is not that kind of girl, but she is discovering what kind of girl she is.

When The Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer. Amazing and beautiful story. I loved how visual this book was, despite you know, not having any pictures. It was a book that the images of the story leaped off the pages and made me imagine the mad world the characters were living in.

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler. A darker story of a girl's love for her mother and the lengths she is willing to go to to help her mother. It is both hopeless and uplifting. A fast-paced story and a very emotional one too.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Another debut I really loved. Great characters and I thought Anna was incredibly realistic, as was her developing friendship with St. Clair. It is a prime example of quality romance and contemporary stories in YA.

In the world of romance...


All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins. One of my favorite Higgins books to date, after her amazing Catch of the Day. I loved the taciturn hero, the dog, the heroine, and the setting. Pretty much excellent storytelling as usual from Higgins.

Ruthless by Anne Stuart. The first in her Rohan series, this is a dark romance with a cruel hero who I admit, I tend to like in some ways. But the heroine is no wallflower and does not take his crap at all. Very scintillating and filled with excellent chemistry. The first in the series, the second, Reckless, is also excellent, though the third was disappointing.

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. Haven't you heard me rave enough about this book?? It was excellent! One of the best steampunk romances I have read and just totally phenomenal. LOVE Mina and of course, I adore Rhys, but I felt like Mina was the star, and rightly so. Cannot wait to revisit this world.

Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry. It's a category romance but one of the best I have read this year. The realities of trying to have a baby come to a head for this very unlikely couple. It is tender, sweet, and again, very realistic. Sarah Mayberry is pretty much a must-buy for me and this book proves yet again why.

Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis. The first book in her new series, it is excellent. A great romance, a good family bonding (and I mean that in the lamest way possible) story, and of course, another give and take relationship builder. Jill Shalvis is one of the best contemporary romance writers out there. Read her and be amazed.

So, those were some of my favorite books by far. There are lots of others that were excellent, along with several that were disappointing (Before I Fall, I'm totally looking at you!). I cannot wait to see what 2011 brings for my reading tastes.

Review: XVI by Julia Karr

XVI by Julia Karr is a 2011 debut author book, a dystopian, and a story I was looking forward to reading. It proved to be not quite the story I was looking for.

Synopsis: Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world even the most predatory of men that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

This is hard for me to write because this truly is a difficult topic and I do admire the author for tackling it. Female exploitation is as old as the Bible, if not older. It also discusses the topic of the sexualization of children and teens. From the time girls are young in this world, they are brought up to be model "sex-teen" behavior. To learn to flaunt their bodies, to wear tight clothes, to not be fat. All because when they are sixteen they are branded on their wrists' with XVI, which announces to the world (or men mostly) that they are ready for sex. Girls look forward to this day immensely and my main problem with this book is that I absolutely could not understand why they would look forward to this. At all. There was very little in this story to convince me that becoming sixteen was anything wonderful at all.

The main protagonist, Nina, wants to remain fifteen. She has no desire to be a sex-teen, unlike her best friend Sandy who is personifying all the things the "verts" have to say about being sixteen: sexy, beautiful, in charge. Nina has seen many, many bad men, most importantly her mom's married "boyfriend" Ed, who beats her mom. When her mom is murdered, Nina fears Ed has something to do with it but she has to protect her younger sister, Dee, one of her mom's last requests. Her mom has also bequeathed her a secret book that holds answers to many things that are wrong about their society. Nina's dad was a radical, a NonCon, who was speaking out against the Governing Council. He died but Nina's mom tells her that in fact her dad is still alive and in Chicago. Nina's world is thrown into chaos.

Add to the fact that she has met a boy named Sal. He is cute, sweet, nice to her, and well, she is developing feelings for him. But Nina is very scared of sex, of relationships in fact, because she does not have many healthy relationships to look up to and imitate. All she has is worries about protecting her sister, protecting her friend, staying out of FeLS (Female Liaison Specialists, which yeah, you will know immediately that they are not all the government is making them out to be), and staying away from Ed. Nina has a lot of worries on her mind for a girl not even sixteen.

And despite all this going on, I just wasn't all that engaged in this book. As I said, one of the main problems I had with it was the fact that becoming sixteen, well to me as a reader, there did not seem to be anything good about so I could not understand why a whole society was basing their existence on the excitement of turning sixteen (ironic, I realize considering just how much emphasis is placed on turning sixteen even now). Here is what Nina observes about turning sixteen, on page 23 of my ARC edition:

Everyone knows what's expected of a girl when she turns sixteen. They don't call it "sex-teen" for nothing. We're all supposed to be so excited about sex and willing to do whatever with practically any guy who asks.

Which means society has been set back quite a bit because men are getting away with rape, with molestation, with female abuse, on a huge, huge scale. I mean, it's not good even now, in 2010, but the law is basically siding with the male in this case. If you're sixteen (and up I guess) that means you are open for sex. It doesn't seem to matter if you are willing or not. So what I just could not believe in, the fundamental idea of this book, was why turning sixteen was a big deal for so many girls. Sandy, Nina's best friend, was obsessed with turning sixteen. By joining FeLS, she would supposedly get a better tier in life, she would have new opportunities. But I could never buy into the idea that FeLS would make her life better, probably because I realized from the first that this was a front for something much, much worse.

In a modern world that is filled with female exploitation at all ages, not just sixteen, I felt even more depressed at reading this book. It somehow made male perversions legal, it somehow gave males even more rights against women. It was disturbing and I'm sure that was what the author was going for, I just don't think she was trying to be disturbing in the way I read it. I could not engage in Nina's romance with Sal because it just seemed like there was not much hope for her, for Sandy, for another female character, Wei, who was portrayed as stronger and more advanced than her sixteen years.

There is lots of jargon, slang, and acronyms in this book that also took a lot for me to get used to. I had to remind myself what everything meant and that drew me out of the story. So basically this story as a whole did not work for me. I wanted it to. I had been excited to read it, but somehow it just fell very, very flat. It seemed like one of the most hopeless dystopians I have read in a long time and that is because even at the end, even after Nina solves many of her problems, there is still the GC ruling and marking girls with their XVIs. The author's website does list that there is a sequel planned so I guess more will be tackled in the next book.

I know there is an audience for this book, as there is for every book. For me, it just didn't work. Not the end of the world because this will click with other readers.

ARC received from Around the World Tours

FIVE Challenge: 5 Great YA Bloggers

This year has been a year of amazing blogger interaction, much of it courtesy of Twitter (if you're a YA blogger and NOT on Twitter, what are you waiting for??). That is how I discovered new blogs, new bloggers, new features, new re-reads, and so much more. Fortunately the YA blogging community is a very welcoming one and just about anyone will fit in. After all, if you like books, well, that's about all you need. Here are five great YA bloggers I had the pleasure of talking to this year and whose blogs I greatly admire.

1. Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie. I really like Alea's blog and the features she has. It's not a strictly YA blog but there is no doubt Alea enjoys YA reading. She is also a recent convert to romance books too so she basically makes me like her even more. I love the hardcover versus paperback feature she does, and I really enjoy seeing all the neat things she is busy knitting in her free time.

2. Michelle @ Galleysmith. I love Michelle's reviews so much. She is a fabulous and eloquent review writer I think. Even if I didn't want to read a book before, often her reviews will convince me otherwise. And she talks TV which if you know me, well you know I love TV as much as reading. She also has a feature called "Michelle is from Mars this book is from Venus" which cracks me up. Good quality reviewing!

3. Sarah and company @ Forever Young Adult. This is a site that makes me laugh constantly with its quite unique look at all things YA. From Sweet Valley, to Edward Cullen, to the Hunger Games, these ladies have something hilarious to say. They used Siobhan Vivian's Not That Kind of Girl as one of their book club pics this year so if anything, that should confirm just how cool these bloggers are.

4. Another more group orientated blog, Stacked tackles all kinds of interesting things about the world of YA. Not only are the reviews very high quality but they have many interesting discussion posts to read about. And they are all librarians which for me is awesome cause you know, I'm a librarian too. I like to see that perspective represented in blogs. I have no idea how I even came across this blog but somehow I did and I'm very glad because it is a good one.

5. And for the #5 spot, I have two blogs I enjoy because I just could not decide. All About N which has a bookcase feature I love! I adore seeing book cases from other people so I always look forward to those posts. And then, Ticket to Anywhere. I love the very honest reviews on this blog. I always feel like I am getting just why a book worked or didn't work for this blogger. Pretty darn impressive I have to say!

Honorable mentions:
Melanie @ Reclusive Bibliophile. We have similar taste in books so I enjoy seeing what she is reading!
Nicole @ WORD for Teens. You can just tell by her posts how much she loves YA!
Anna @ Anna Reads. Her blog just makes me happy. Great reviews, fun posts. Good things are happening here!

Other FIVE Challenges:
5 Great Debuts
5 Great Covers
5 Great Re-Reads
5 Most Anticipated 2011 Titles

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John is a book I was very excited to read and fortunately it ended up being a mostly excellent reading experience and that's because I really liked Piper, the book's protagonist.

Synopsis (from B&N.com):
The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.
The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.
The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?
Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.

Piper is an older sister, a skilled chess player, a good student, on the ropes with her father, and oh yeah, she is also deaf. Piper is feeling like an outsider in her own family after her baby sister, Grace, also deaf, gets cochlear implants to let her hear. Suddenly, Piper is the true outcast in her family and it doesn't help that her parents used her college fund to pay for the implants. Piper just wants something for her own and she gets that when she becomes the new manager for Dumb, Seattle's recent Teen Battle of the Band winner. She cannot help but think it was a foolish decision when she is forced to work with a band that resembles anything but a united and in-sync band. Josh, the ego. Will, the silent rocker, and Tash, the band's edgy female member. They may be battle of the band winners but they are not making much progress in getting Dumb's name out on the music scene. Enter Piper, who is determined to make Dumb a success.

This book is great because it has very realistic teenagers I thought. Piper was at times whiny, sometimes selfish, at times emo, at times very hardworking and motivated. She had problems with her parents and really couldn't understand why they treated her the way they did. She was concerned with herself for a good portion of the book. What makes the story interesting is that she grows enough to acknowledge there are other issues, outside her own woes, to consider.

Even the secondary characters were fleshed out enough to the point where I felt like I better understood why they acted the way they did. Antony John in particular did a fabulous job with Piper's freshmen brother, Finn, who comes into his own during the story, and the two female members of Dumb, Tash and Kallie, who are anything but what they first appear to be.

It also succeeds because what teen isn't interested in music in some form or another? It just has high teen appeal I think because of course what teen band does not dream about making it big?

I did have a few issues with the book, including how cruel Piper's parents were, and then the about-face they performed midway through the book. I felt like it was all a bit too abrupt and unrealistic. It just felt out of step with the time frame of the book itself. Piper's dad in particular suddenly starts showing an interest in music and I feel like Piper would have had some inkling of her father's love for classic rock growing up with him all her life, but instead, she is totally surprised. I know teens are self-absorbed but I truly feel like that is something she would have had some clue about.

The ending was a lot of fun to me but it had edges of being a tad unrealistic and more over the top for fictional purposes. That's not a bad thing because the book went out with a bang but I had a hard time believing in the ending fully. I do not want to spoil anything so I won't say more.

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this music inspired story. Piper came into her own in a lot of ways, her deafness was not made to be a huge issue in the book. She was just a girl going through some growing pains, who happened to be deaf. I think the author did a fabulous job with her characterization and bringing her to life on the pages. Five Flavors of Dumb is going to be a great read for just about any teen I think, though those who are especially musically-inclined may find other layers of meaning in the book.

Other reviews:
Abby the Librarian reviews Five Flavors of Dumb
Pure Imagination reviews Five Flavors of Dumb
Katie's Book Blog reviews Five Flavors of Dumb
The Book Smugglers review Five Flavors of Dumb

Reviewed from public library book.

FIVE Challenge: 5 Most Anticipated 2011 Titles

There are many, many books coming out in 2011 as we are all aware of. I don't have too many I'm heavily, heavily anticipating because frankly, I am always anticipating books. Every month, every day there is a new book out there waiting to be discovered. But here are five in 2011 that I know I will be reading and hopefully enjoying!

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han (May 3, 2011). The final book in Jenny Han's Summer series, I want to know what happens to Belly. I hope it doesn't end up being all about the guys but yeah, that is an angle I want to know more about too. Also, I am totally all over Conrad, even though I know I shouldn't be.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (June 14, 2011). I really enjoyed this author's other book, Dani Noir, so I am very excited to read what new story. It is geared more towards upper YA rather than middle grade readers. It looks to be an engrossing story.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty (April 26, 2011). The author of the Jessica Darling series brings something new to the table in this book. Sounds rather Dystopian so I hope I like it.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman (April 5, 2011). The follow-up to If I Stay, I am very excited to see what happened with Mia and Adam. I'm still not sure if this book needed a sequel but I still want to read it. I enjoyed If I Stay and I know I am looking forward to this book immensely.

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard (March 8, 2011). This book just seems interesting and it's a debut writer so I'll be excited to see if the synopsis lives up to the what it sounds like. Sounds like a friendship gone horribly awry.

Top 5 Challenges:

5 Great Debuts

5 Great Covers

5 Great Re-Reads

FIVE Challenge: 5 Great Re-Reads

I love reading but there is no doubt that I love re-visiting characters again. Not in a sequel sense but I just love re-reading books that were really great, that left an impression on me. I can usually find something even better to like about the book after the second, third, or heck, tenth time re-reading something. I didn't have a lot of time to re-read books in 2010 but when I do, these are the books I reach for.

(Don't know if this fits the challenge but these books are not all necessarily published in 2010. These are just books I enjoy re-reading, always, not always YA books either.)

 

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. I read this book in one day and then I wanted to re-read it instantly and I did in fact re-read it. I love the characters. Mina and Rhys stand out as individuals and I love the world the author created. It is fresh and intriguing and still filled with mystery. (And wow, this is one steamy story.)

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. This is one of my favorite debuts of the year and it is a story I devoured and then immediately had to re-read. Amy and Roger's separate anguish, their growing up, and their tour of the good ol' USA was intriguing and heartfelt. It is a story that resonates with me and makes me crave summer, even in the dead of winter. And the fact is, I don't even like summer all that much but this book made me enjoy summer.

 

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. I really enjoyed this holiday story and it was a book I re-read not once but twice this holiday season. Puts me in the Christmas spirit and made me feel like I was in NYC. Good stuff!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This is my favorite book of all time and I cannot get through the year without re-reading it. No one does romance quite like Jane Austen, that is for certain. Not a 2010 pubbed book but a book that is still incredibly popular in 2010.

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. This is another book I cannot go without re-reading at least once a year. It is one of my all time favorite romance books and it is amazing. Sara and Derek come together against the greatest odds and it is a remarkable love story. If you enjoy romance books, this is one you have to read!

Other FIVE Challenges:
5 Great Debuts
5 Great Covers

Life Behind the Reference Desk featuring Liz of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

I am absolutely thrilled to bring you another edition of Life Behind the Reference Desk. This feature has been an amazing learning experience for me because every librarian I have talked to has such different advice and thoughts to offer. These people are the reason why librarians rock and can make a difference for their customers. I feel privileged just speaking with them.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Liz B of probably one of the most famous YA blogs on the internet, A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy. She is also on Twitter under @LizB. She always has a wealth of information to share with her readers and let me just say, this time is no different. Liz works at a library for the blind and disabled and just reading this, I am inspired to want to make services for the disabled at my library much better. Like I said, every librarian featured here has been a high caliber, amazing librarian, and Liz definitely lives up to my definition of an amazing librarian. So enough of me babbling with excitement, here is Liz!

1. What makes you passionate about your job?

Making a difference in people's lives through books.

2. How did you become involved with a library for the blind and handicapped? Do you serve a wide range of audiences? What types of resources do you offer besides books?

I just want to explain a bit about the nationwide system of library services for the blind and physically handicapped in the United States because I don't think many people understand it. I know I didn't when I was a public librarian!

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (www.loc.gov/nls) provides reading materials for those who cannot read a traditional print book for a physical reason. That includes: blind, low vision (where even with corrective glasses, a person cannot read regular print), physical handicap where they cannot hold a book or turn the pages of a book (say, arthritis in the hands), or a reading disability if the reading disability is physically based. NLS produces books in Braille and audiobooks, as well as recorded magazines. NLS also produces machines to listen to the audiobooks. NLS -- which is located in Washington DC -- doesn't provide these materials or services directly to the public; rather, they use a network of cooperating libraries. All of these services are at no cost to the patron.

I am at one of those regional libraries. I am the librarian for children and teens.
Our library has materials for people of all ages. Our service area is the entire state, so most of what we do is by mail, by telephone, by email, and by Internet. We mail out Braille books, audiobooks, and machines; we do readers advisory over the phone and email; and our audiobooks can be downloaded.

One misconception about our program is that our audiobooks are the same ones that are available in public libraries or bookstores. People think “oh I don’t need those books” because their library has audiobooks or they buy their own audiobooks.  Our audiobooks are all professionally done with professional narrators, but (with a handful of exceptions) they are not commercial audiobooks. Yes, there is some overlap of titles (Hunger Games!) but there are other books on audio we have that, quite simply, are not available in a library or bookstore. Midlist titles that aren't made into audiobooks, older titles that are unavailable at public libraries, nonfiction books -- these are all examples of what we have that public libraries do not.

I was working at a public library in my state and was looking for an opportunity that would be both career advancement and also within the childrens/teen area. I was also looking for something that appealed to some of my favorite things about being a librarian: books, outreach, technology, making a difference. I was familiar with the job because a friend of mine had it, and was leaving because she got a better opportunity but she spoke very highly of the job. So I applied for it and have been here about three years now.

Because we have one physical location but serve an entire state, I don't have programs the way a public library has programs. Our summer reading program, for example, is all done through the mail. We offer support and assistance for public libraries who want to have inclusive programming and events; for example, we can send Braille books, Braille ABC cards and tactile sheets to libraries for specific programs. My story hour isn't held at this library, but instead I work with public libraries throughout the state and partner with them. These story hours is closer for some patrons, plus is also an interesting educational opportunity for other people to learn that there is more than one way to read a book.

3. What has been your path to librarianship? Have you always wanted to be a librarian?

In high school, I was a page at the local library. Then I went to college, got a Bachelor’s in Computer Science, went to Villanova Law School for my J.D., practiced corporate law for just under ten years, went to Rutgers for my MLIS and started working in public libraries.

My career path has not been straight. I’m always a bit intrigued by those people who work at only one place, at only one job, for their entire lives or careers. I cannot imagine working at the same place, the same job, for ten years. And I’m also a bit amused by the pressure put on students in high school and university to Pick A Major and Your Life’s Work.

Life changes, interests change, and it’s good to be open to possibilities. Plus, I can honestly say that every bit of my life and career experience has helped make me a better professional and better librarian.

The big question I usually get is “why did you leave the law.” Non lawyers tend to ask it. Honestly? I had stopped having fun and didn’t want a life of seventy hour work weeks. I looked to see what I could do based on those aspects of the law I loved – research, the ability to help people. I got my MLIS intending to go into law librarianship, viewing my interest in and love of children’s and teen books as something that was fun and not a career. Luckily, professors in my program convinced me otherwise and I went into children’s and teen services for a public library. So while it’s true that I make less now than what I made when I left the law over ten years ago, and I no longer buy Prada shoes, on a personal level my quality of life is better, on a professional level my commitment and dedication to what I do is much higher and more rewarding, and most importantly, what I do matters in a way that contract negotiations do not.

4. Can you briefly describe what a typical work day would be like for you?

Rarely do I get real, live, patrons in the library – it’s all on the phone and email. So the day starts with checking voicemail and email and returning calls and messages. Applications are processed to ensure that people are qualified for our services; a lot of readers advisory is done; and I have Facebook and Twitter accounts and an online Newsletter that need to be updated with information about the library or that our library patrons may be interested in knowing.

Outreach is incredibly important, so I look for opportunities and schedule events: transition fairs, school visits, library conferences or anything else that may connect me with people who could use our library. Because of the nature of our services, I usually am looking at ways to target the “gatekeepers” – parents, teachers, librarians – who know of children and teens who could use our services. So I am researching these events or preparing for them! Some outreach can be virtual – so I write articles and library updates for newsletters and associations.

I also keep up to date with other avenues for our patrons to get books – Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), Bookshare, what is happening with eReaders, how accessible eReaders are, that type of thing.

5. How did you become so involved in the world of YA lit, YALSA, and the YA blogging community?

Part of it was, I was used to working 70 hour weeks, was now working much less, and was looking to see what I could do with my time. No matter how much I like to think I’m lazy…. I always need a project, a to do list, an activity.

Part of it was, I was looking for an outlet to talk about books and TV and other things.
So, I started A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy. I had the dumb luck to begin book blogging back in 2005, when a small enough group of us had begun blogging about kids & YA that it was rather easy to know everyone and read everyone’s blogs almost daily. That would be impossible now.

At roughly the same time, I had begun to get involved with YALSA. My employer and my boss both encouraged me, and offered support for my involvement. So, like many people, I began with a process committee. I sometimes wonder, if they had put me on a selection committee right away and I had had that ability to talk to people about YA books, would I have started and kept on blogging?

I view professional development like blogging and YALSA as something that, well, it’s nice to have employer support but it’s something a person also does for their own career, regardless of what their current employer wants or supports. So, for the blog – it’s always been on my time and my personal resources. I like to think that it reflects well on my employer and that they benefit from the connections and knowledge I’ve gained from blogging.

What is great is how these three areas overlap and feed each other. I know people from blogging that I then meet at an ALA conference because of YALSA committees, and vice versa. Blogging about YA lit pushes me to read more and more, including reading professional resources, so that strengthens my knowledge and familiarity with YA lit. YALSA is an incredible resource for librarians and bloggers – you don’t have to be a librarian to join – and I hope to see more bloggers take advantage of what YALSA offers. YALSA values YA literature; YA bloggers value YA literature, what’s not to love?

6. What do you find so compelling about YA literature?

YA literature gets to the heart of the story. It doesn’t waste any words. I adore character growth in a story, and nine times out of ten, YA gives me that. I also like that YA is often about decisions made and not made.

YA, in a way, is like some of my favorite TV shows – because it gets ignored by the mainstream, authors can do more experimentation, take more chances, with style and story. See, in TV, Battlestar Galactica and Supernatural give a closer look at politics and religion and belief than mainstream TV but because they aren’t “serious” shows they never get the credit. Which also means they have done things which network television cannot.

Look at Melina Marchetta and what she expects from the reader. It’s brilliant but it’s also taking a huge chance because she doesn’t hand feed the reader.

M.T. Anderson is just flat out a genius and golden god of writing because he can write anything. He could write the phone book and make it literary.

Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief series is stunning. I am the Chief Guesser of Endings of Books and never, ever, ever, do I guess her endings (unless I cheat and read the end of the book) (which I sometimes do) (but never with her books). It's also a terrific examination of politics

And then there is Jaclyn Moriarty and her very non-linear way of telling stories from multiple viewpoints using a variety of untraditional forms: emails, chats, essays.

7. What do you find to be a challenge for librarians, in today's very busy, information readily available world?

There are so many amazing possibilities, and so much potential, for libraries but not enough time or resources to do it all. Saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to something else, and that happens more and more as staff and hours are reduced.

Also, sometimes we may deliver the same services but need to have a different skill set to do it. Figuring that out is not easy, developing the skills to do it doesn’t happen overnight. For example, Readers Advisory online. Using your website for Readers Advisory is different than one-on-one conversations with library patrons, and it’s also more than putting a booklist on a webpage. Whether or virtual or real life, it’s still about connecting a reader to a book.

8. Do you have any words of advice for librarians interested in starting a blog?

When people say they want to write a book, authors always says, “read in that genre.” So first, I’d say start reading blogs – not only what blogs post right now, but also go back to look at what they were like when they started. Personally, while some parts of my blog remain the same (how I structure book reviews), others have changed – I think my writing is stronger and tighter.

Next, I’d suggest knowing why you are blogging. There can be many overlapping reasons – to participate in the conversation, to review books, to discuss books.  It’s nice to have a focus – and then to realize not to be too tied to it. If a person wants to blog “to get free books and talk to authors,” think twice. Getting books to review and meeting authors comes after taking the time to establish an online presence. It’s probably cheaper to use those blogging hours to get a part time job, save your money, and go to a book conference such as BEA, ALA, or NCTE for free books and author meets.

I also suggest figuring out a way to balance your time. Blogging takes up time, but not any more time than other outside interests people have, such as sports, or knitting, or scrapbooking, or (fill in the blank with things other people do.) Figure out how much or how little time you want to invest and aim for a balance.

Finally, blogging and continuing to blog is about having fun so have fun with it! Don’t put pressure on yourself.

9. What is a challenge you face in your job in the pursuit of helping your library users?

Making people aware of what our library does! People are so sure of what are library is and isn’t. They think it’s only for people with full vision loss, that it’s the same audiobooks as in the public library. Getting around those misconceptions can be tough. It’s why I appreciate every opportunity, like this one, to chat up what my library does.

10. And of course, what are you reading?

Can you believe that out of the ten books on the Morris and Excellence in Young Adult Non Fiction Award shortlists, that I only read one? One! So I am busy reading those books. I just finished “The Freak Observer” and was so blown away by the book, the setting, the characters, that I am having a difficult time putting it all down on paper. Er, on computer screen. I just began “Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing” and am enjoying learning more about a singer I love.

Huge, immense thanks to Liz for explaining all the way she serves this population, and just why she is dedicated to YA lit. And if you haven't visited her blog yet, go do so now!

(Life Behind the Reference Desk is a feature about librarians who blog. If YOU are a librarian who blogs, and I don't care if you have a hugely popular blog or are just starting out, I would love to interview you. Please email me at riddikulus.sarahATgmailETC.)

FIVE Challenge: 5 Great Covers

There are quite a few great covers out there and publishers seem to be getting better and better at creating covers. Granted, there is still quite a few similar ones floating out there too but there are plenty which are very distinct too. And I'll be honest with this, covers aren't something I totally pay attention to. Yes, I can appreciate a nice cover, but I've read plenty of books where the content itself is amazing but the cover is blargh. Nevertheless, here are my top five covers of 2010.

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

This has shown up on several of my FIVE challenges but I just love the cover. It evokes the holiday atmosphere of the book, the snow, and the city itself. 

The View from the Top by Hillary Frank

I actually haven't read this book yet but it was the cover that caught my attention for once. I find this book absolutely lovely. To me, it reminds me of all the fun I would have at local fairs and the big Minnesota State Fair. It's got a nostalgic appeal to me. No idea if that matches the contents of the book but that's what I feel looking at this cover.

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

I think this cover is so very evocative of the book itself. I love the use of blues in this cover and to me, you want to find out why this girl is drowning, what is causing her that much pain. It is a cover that speaks to me as a reader, makes me curious about the story itself.

Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber

Another book I still need to read but I like the desolation of the cover and given what I know about the time period of this book, it seems to fit. I like the wide-open nature of the cover too, like anything can happen in this book. Hopefully something good but you just never know.

And that's all I can think of! Seriously, covers are not the thing I most pay attention to in books. I do have a couple I was really disappointed in though:

Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales: it's ugly! I thought it was actually a paranormal book for a long, long time actually. I haven't read it yet though I've heard excellent things about it so I am excited nonetheless.

Carter's Big Break by Brent Crawford. I love the Carter series and think he is a good suggestion for some tweens moving on from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, but seriously, the second cover is just flat out boring. I'm not saying the first one is great, but the second one does nothing for me. 

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler. I really enjoyed this book but I find the cover to not be very modern or inspiring for teen readers. It is just rather flat and it fades into nothing, whereas the story itself is really good. I'm not sure what would be the ideal cover here but the paper dolls are not it.

And that's it from me regarding covers! Here's hoping 2011 will bring other interesting choices in book covers.

Fall For Anything Contest Winner!

The winner of my ARC edition of Fall For Anything is...

Alexis from Texas!

Your book will be in the mail today. Thank you so much to all who entered!  

Review: Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers is a book I am not going to be totally coherent about reviewing. I'll just put it out there because it's a book with messy emotions that messed with my emotions on a major level and that does not make for easy explanations. So, take my review with a grain of salt in some ways.

Synopsis: When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Cullen seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

Where to even begin? Emotionally this is a book that will put you through the proverbial wringer. Everyone is suffering in this story, for various reasons, but the emotions of that suffering, the responses to the death of Seth Reeves, take many forms of pain. The hardest hitting is Eddie Reeves, his daughter, who just needs to know why. Why did he kill himself? Why couldn't he have left more of a clue? WHY? Seriously you will want to know right along with Eddie.

The hands, my goodness the hands. This was one of the most powerful symbols in the book for me. I hate to get all English major in this review but seriously, the hands. It jumped out at me every time the power of hands, the delicacy of hands, the resiliency and the sorrow of hands. And of course, hands are pretty darn important to photography so it just seemed so powerful.

Eddie and Milo. Honestly, I don't even know where to begin. Those two are suffering and it's very hard because they both want something from each other that they cannot articulate for various reasons. Milo wants to be there for Eddie while she is pulling away and alternatively pulling him closer. How do you react to the person, your best friend, who becomes entwined in one of the most difficult moments of your life?

Culler. I cannot go into this character too much without spoiling the book but suffice it to say that while I loved his name (there's just something about it!), I had other opinions as the book went on.

What makes this book so powerful for me is that grief, that truly intangible emotion, is explored without going into cliches. Courtney Summers just has a way of working the pain, the solitude, the anger, and the loss of death into every page of this story. Even bitchy Beth, the friend of the family who came in to help Eddie's mom, had a role to play in the grief. Frankly, she gave Eddie someone to be mad at, to let some of her anger at father go, even if it was directed towards someone else.

This book is one of the best books I have read that explores the subject of teen grief so well. Courtney Summers truly has a gift because frankly, this story is going to make you depressed, sad, angry, and so much more. Teens will identify very well with the emotions that Eddie is experiencing. And unfortunately, suicide is a trend that only grows for teens, whether it is a parent, another teen, or someone else.

What I came away with was the hopelessness of the situation. I know that sounds negative but I assure you, it isn't. Some situations are never going to be resolved and this is one of them. Eddie is doomed to failure in her quest for answers. What she has to learn to live with is just living without answers and that is where the book excels because even if she is not at all yet there by the story's end, I feel like she will get there.

This is a book that shows the human side of parents in very compelling and moving ways. There is a line where Eddie states:

Hearing your mother cry never gets easier to take. It's a sound that goes through you each time. I'd never seen her cry before he died. I'd never made her cry. I have made her cry. (104)

This is exactly how I feel seeing my mom cry. Seriously, dead-on. It doesn't matter that I am almost 30, there is a painful uncomfortableness about it that never goes away. Not only is her mother torn up with grief, but Eddie's father was "imperfect" enough to commit suicide. He could not handle life. He was not a teenager but he just gave up. Some lessons, no matter how well preached by parents, well, they don't always ring true. This is a book about grief but it's also about unrealized expectations, unrealized hopes, and the truth that no one, regardless of age and experience, is going to behave in the way we think they will.

I came away from this book exhausted because despite its rather slim size, it is a book where I re-read pages over and over, gripped by how well Summers seemed to understand how I felt in a similar situation, even if it wasn't exactly the same. She gets into my head with her storytelling and leaves me on the edge of anticipation and inadequacy that there is nothing more I can do, nothing to make this situation better.

He just left, killed himself, and he ruined everything. So why should I care? Why?

The disconnect is incredibly and lonely. (133).

Fall For Anything is NOT disconnected from its readers. It is full frontal, in your face emotions that sneak in with stealth and then basically punch you in the face until you know more pain than you can handle. Teens are going to love it.


Check out my author interview with Courtney Summers!

Other reviews:
Ticket to Anywhere reviews Fall for Anything
The Hiding Spot reviews Fall for Anything
Stacked reviews Fall for Anything

Book received from publisher.

FIVE Challenge: 5 Great Debuts

I was lucky to read several great debuts this year, some that stuck with me and some that really did not but I want to highlight the five debut titles that had the most impact on me in 2010.

Here is the list of all the YA/MG debut authors I read this year.

And now for my FIVE, in no real order because I enjoyed them all.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

This book did my romance loving heart proud. A great friends turned into something deeper love story anchored by a girl who was smart, awkward, and just trying to adjust to life in a foreign country. And of course I kind of fell for Etienne myself. This book has France, romance, accents, and just a great storyline. This debut knocked me off my feet.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

If you've been on my blog at all this year you know how much I adore this book. I'd say it is my favorite book of the year. There is just so much I loved about it but mostly it revolved around the characters and their adventures. I liked how Amy and Roger both had some important issues to work through as the book went on and I absolutely loved the road trip aspect of this book. It had such a summer and fun vibe but also a serious note to give the story heft. Wonderful book!

Jane by April Lindner

I am a sucker for Jane Eyre and this book is no different. I liked the updated version and how to me, it captured much of what made Jane Eyre a fabulous character, ahead of her time. This book may also have introduced some teens to this great story so that's a bonus in my eyes too. I liked the rock star angle and I liked the relationship that Jane and Nico slowly created (have you noticed I'm definitely a relationship reader?). Great for fans of Jane Eyre. Not a perfect adaptation but a fun update.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

This is the first book I finished in 2010 and I really enjoyed it. Just a fun read, nothing too serious but a good girly read I think. I know there are some negative comments about it out floating in blog land but I enjoyed it. I also love the cover. Not quite as much to say about it but it's a good fluff read I think.

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

I liked this one for how different it is from so many of the other books I read this year. Yes, I just finished it recently but it's still sticking with me in my head. I found it to be a refreshing story of the survival many teens are facing daily. Food, money, jobs, and whether or not to stay with the same guy you've been with for a long time. Is this all life has to offer? It's a very realistic and somewhat of a downer book but I think books like this are necessary because there are too many teens facing this situation.

Sadly, there are not many boy-centric books on this debut list so I really need to focus on that in 2011 much more I think. But nonetheless, I am pleased with these debuts. These are stories that strike a resonance with today's teens I think and definitely struck something for me as a reader.

Did any of these titles show up in your FIVE debut books?

Author Interview: Courtney Summers

I'm really, really, REALLY excited today to bring you an interview with an author I greatly admire. Courtney Summers is the author of the very fabulous books Cracked Up To Be, Some Girls Are, and Fall For Anything, which releases Tuesday, December 21, 2010 (tomorrow!!). She is a fabulous writer, funny, poignant, and really captures the toughest moments of being a teenager. Seriously, if you haven't read her yet, I don't know what you are waiting for!

Tomorrow I'll be posting my review for Fall For Anything, but in the meantime, Courtney has been kind enough to agree to a small interview for my blog so here she is, in her own words.

1. Photography plays an incredibly important role in Fall for Anything. When did you start developing your talents in photography?

I'm verrrrry amateur.  But I was around 14-15 when I started to get interested in photography.  My parents had this digital point-and-shoot with like 1 or 2 megapixels and when I tried it for the first time, I saw a new way for me to tell stories.  Eventually, I realized I wanted to take my interest in photography to that next step, read up on it, and got my first digital SLR--a Nikon D70 (Nikon FTW!).  It was so exciting to be able to have more control over the images I was creating.  I loved it and I still do.

2. If you could be any type of dinosaur, what would you be?

Velociraptor!  Totally!  I would want to strike fear in the hearts of all those who encountered me.  Plus, if Jurassic Park has taught me anything, it's that I would eventually learn how to open doors so nothing would get in my way!  (At least not doors.)

3. You are not afraid at all to tackle some very tough topics in your books. Has there been a moment in your life, for better or worse, that has helped you write to these topics?

There have certainly been moments in my life that have shaped the way I approach the topics I write about, but if I hadn't lived through those moments, I think I would still write about that tough stuff--just in a different way.


4. So, I'm originally from Minnesota and I have to know if you've ever been there! I have been to Thunder Bay, Ontario, several times growing up and I love my Canadian neighbors.

I haven't, I'm sad to say!  But maybe one day.  :)


5. Every single time I read Culler's name in Fall For Anything, I at first read it as "cruller" which is probably more complimentary than the character deserves. Does food play an inspirational role in your writing process?

Hee!  Crullers >>>> Culler.  Food doesn't play a huge part of my writing, but it does play a huge part in my day-to-day life.  Food is awesome!  Wait, I suppose drinks count?  I couldn't imagine writing a book without a cup of coffee somewhere nearby.

6. Can I ask, why hands? They play an important role in your new book and I was fascinated by the evolution of Eddie's hands.

I really wanted to have a physical manifestation of Eddie's grief in this book.  That it would be her hands failing her at whim just came to me when I sat down and wrote.

7. Any fabulous holiday traditions you have that you'd like to share?

Riding around and looking at the lights all over town on Christmas Eve.  I love it.


8. What YA writer is on your radar right now as being pretty damn amazing?

Oooh!  So hard to pick just one.  CK Kelly Martin, I think, is one of the most important YA authors out there right now and EVERYONE should be reading her books--I Know It's Over, One Lonely Degree, The Lighter Side of Life and Death.  Daisy Whitney, whose debut, The Mockingbirds, came out this year, is one to watch out for.  I fell in love with Lucy Christopher's work this year (Stolen, Flyaway) and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.  Carol Lynch Williams--everything she does is wonderful.

9. Will there ever be a Zombies vs Volcanoes book in your writing future?

I hope so!  ;)

10. Can you give readers any clues about what to expect from Eddie Reeves?

I'm going to let them find out about her all by themselves.  :) 

Thank you so very, very much Courtney for spending some of your precious writing time on my interview. I'm sure that all of you out there in internet world are now even MORE enticed to read her new book, am I right?

And don't forget, you can still enter to win an ARC copy of Fall For Anything through midnight tonight, MST. I'll be mailing out the book on Tuesday morning so hopefully the winner will get it relatively quickly. It's open to US residents only, sorry Canadian Courtney Fan girls. 

FIVE Challenge for 2010

Persnickety Snark has a great challenge idea for the end of December that I am going to take part in. Here is what it is all about in Adele's words:

From December 21st to 31st I posted daily on different elements of YA. I chose my top five titles/series/moments for each day. It was purely subjective / opinion based but I thought it would be fun to share my thoughts on YA for the year.  I am doing the same for 2010. 

I am not going to participate in every day since there are a few categories I just do not have much to say on the topic, but I have bolded the FIVE challenges I am going to accept. So starting December 21st, you can look for some top FIVE titles/books/covers/authors, everything and anything to do with YA. For me, this will be purely subjective like Adele also states but I'd love to hear you weigh in on the comments.

December 21 - 5 Great Debuts
December 22 - 5 Great Covers
December 23 - 5 Great Series
December 24 - 5 Great Re-Reads (books you've LOVED so much you went back for more)
December 25 - 5 Most Anticipated (2011 titles)
December 26 - 5 Hopes for YA in 2011
December 27 - 5 Great YA Movie Deals
December 28 - 5 Great Author (in the flesh) Moments
December 29 - 5 Great YA Bloggers
December 30 - 5 Great Miracles that Occurred to Get Me Reading More ______ (choose your genre)
December 31 - 5 Best Titles for 2010 (which I double because 5 was too hard).

Romance Roundup!

I forgot to do my romance roundup in November so I am bringing you books I reviewed in November and December now. Some good, some bad and some that are just so-so.

Ride the Fire by Jo Davis (so-so)
And One Last Thing by Molly Harper (quite good!)
Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean (quite good!)
Three Nights with a Scoundrel by Tessa Dare
Riding the Night by Jaci Burton (eh)
Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts
Inside Out by Lauren Dane (eh)
Rules of An Engagement by Suzanne Enoch
Play of Passion by Nalini Singh (excellent as usual!)
Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook (AMAZING!)
Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (VERY good.)

Sorry if I posted these reviews last time. I can't remember what I posted last time I did the roundup.

If you have a review to a romance book you've read and enjoyed, link me to it in the comments!

Teen Programs: A One Person Game

You plan for weeks, buy supplies, and get the big event all ready. Your teen program, which you know is going to be a total blast, ends up being a total bummer because only one teen showed up! Has this happened to you? I've been fortunate that it hasn't happened too much to me, but last night, it struck. My teen program was a bust. Or was it?

Yes, it's great when teens get to interact with other teens at programs. That is truly more important than the event itself. That's where the fun comes in. But, is a program a loss if you only have one teen show up? Does that teen not deserve a program just because no one else decided to come? Of course not. If even one teen makes an effort, in my eyes that is worth making the program successful for him or her. Yes, it may not be the high numbers your library is looking for when it comes to programs, but sometimes that just does not work out.

The teen I had at my program last night had a great time creating fuse bead art and we got to talk the whole time. He basically had someone listening to him, uninterrupted, for a full hour. Chit chat, music, things going on in town, what he was going to do over break, it was just a nice little break for him I think. At the end he said he had a great time and was really impressed with his creation (shown below.)

Was I a bit sad that my program didn't have higher attendance? Yes of course, but given the time of year and how busy teens already are, I knew I wasn't going to get a huge turn out at this event. So, I'm pretty pleased as punch that this teen had this program scheduled into his cell phone, to show up. That constitutes very successful programming for me.

I know if more teens had decided to take part, they would have been very impressed with the Mario Mushroom that my teen created. It was a really easy craft and lots of fun too. But you know what, I consider this program successful because I got to spend some time with a teen, and really, isn't that the point of my job?

What do you do when you have low program attendance? Only one or two teens show up? Does the show go on anyway?

Review: Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick

I recently reviewed Lauren Strasnick's first book, Nothing Like You and I found it to be a satisfying reading experience. I was very excited to read her second effort, Her and Me and You. Sadly, the thing I enjoyed most about this book is probably the cover, a scene that is nowhere near in the book.

Synopsis: First love, broken friendships, and heartache all play a part in this evocative, voice-driven novel about Alex, a girl whose world is ripped apart when her father’s affair splits her family in two.

Alex moves with her mess of a mother to a new town, where she is befriended by hot, enigmatic Fred—and alternately flirted with and cold-shouldered by Fred’s twin sister, Adina. Others warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, whose sibling relationship is considered abnormal at best, but there’s just something about Fred—and something about Adina—that draws Alex to them and makes her want to be part of their crazy world…no matter the consequences.

After her parents separate due to her father's infidelity, Alex moves with her mother to a different town and starts going to a new school, leaving behind all she has known before. It is not an easy transition for her and she becomes somewhat entranced (in an almost Edward Cullen like entrancement) by a student named Fred. She is less enamored with his twin sister, Adina, however who is pretty much a cow. That is, she is rude and cruel to Alex.

Adina seems to have some kind of fixation on Fred too only it's very weird cause you know, that is his sister. I did not understand this fixation with Fred, coming from Alex or Adina, because Fred was not all that appealing with his constant excuses for his sister's drunkenness and meanness. Seriously, he dresses like an old man as Alex says several times yet he is hot but yet he will not stand up for Alex or really declare any type of feeling for her whatsoever.


In the meantime, at home, Alex is struggling with a mom who is depressed and in bed all day, while her dad continues his life, with his new girlfriend. It is a very odd position to be put into and I did feel bad for Alex. Also, Alex's best friend, Evie, has a new boyfriend, leaving Alex out in the cold. She is confused, hurt, angry and just a mess. But yet nothing seems to happen with these feelings. The characters just go about feeling this way. And then there is Fred and Adina, who are their own single mess. They drink like it's always five o'clock somewhere, their only parent, their father, is absent until the ending of the book, and Adina is clearly suffering from an eating disorder.


These characters had all these different odd situations going for them but none of the situations were connecting and nothing was happening with them really. Even by book's end, Adina was still mean, Fred was still rather diffident (in my opinion) and Alex was still confused. I know every book has a reader but I was definitely not the reader for this book. I found it to be an awful mess honestly. Strasnick's first story had a very honest and realistic appeal about it, even as it was also centering on the life of a girl who was feeling a bit messed up. Here, the messed up characters seemed to make this book messy.


My favorite thing about this book is something I read in the School Library Journal review for it: 

The book contains frequent references to alcohol; Fred and Adina, who have plenty of money, no mother, and an absentee father, share a casual, almost Mad Men-esque attitude toward drinking (not without consequences).

Love the Mad Men reference cause honestly, that's what it felt like. Adina and Fred were throwing back alcohol like it was going out of existence.


I'm not sure if I articulated why this book didn't work for me as well as I had hoped. But it was just messy, with the plot getting short shrift in comparison to characters who I think the author was trying to explore but instead ended up also being messy with their motivations never truly explained in a fashion I needed.


Other reviews:
Reading Nook reviews Her and Me and You
The Compulsive Reader reviews Her and Me and You
Reading or Breathing reviews Her and Me and You


ARC received from Around the World Tours