Review: A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

A Long, Long Sleep is a strong debut from author Anna Sheehan. Not only was she blessed with a gorgeous book cover but she was also blessed with wonderful storytelling abilities.

Synopsis: Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose— hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire— is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes— or be left without any future at all. (Goodreads.com)


This is a adaptation of Sleeping Beauty, which is one of my favorite fairy tales of all time. I love the Disney animated movie and can sing Once Upon a Dream word for word. Sleeping Beauty has always held a special place in my heart and I really like how Anna Sheehan twisted it and made it something new and exciting.


Rose is very confused when she comes out of stasis after 62 years. That is a long, long time to be sixteen. The world is changed and she has no idea what is going on. Everyone she loved is now dead and she is alone. But she is also the head of a company that has control over so many things: people, places, and technology.


This book uses flashbacks very well. It helped to see Rose as she was, when she was "growing" up with Xavier, to understand her parents, and how they used stasis to control her. Rose's reliance on that state, of being able to be free from her problems and worries, causes anger and misunderstanding with those who do not understand why she wants to be in stass.


I also really liked Rose. She is a fairly meek character in many ways, though she does have personality, dreams, and goals of her own, which the flashbacks help to articulate. This is a girl who has never had the power to choose for herself, to be in control of her own destiny, but suddenly, when that opportunity arises, she is scared and tentative. How do you move forward when everyone you know and love, everything in the world you understand, is gone? It was a very interesting dichotomy to see played out on the pages.


There were several key aspects of the plot that I figured out very early on in the story. I think most readers will also figure those aspects out too. However, that didn't lessen my interest in the book at all. Sheehan does a good job of showing how stasis has become a form of abuse, something Rose does not quite understand at first. The horrors of it kind of hit you in the face, at least they did for me. It is all too easy to use stass as a punishment, to keep your children under your control.


Much of what kept me engaged in this story is Rose herself and how, at the heart of it, she is a normal teenager. She has a crush and it's not reciprocated. She makes a fool of herself. She sees heartbreak as the end of her world. She is fighting rejection. She does not do well in school, she loses herself in her artwork. This is so many teens I have met! This is what teenage years are supposed to be about. So even though she is facing a very uncertain future, having been trapped at sixteen for a hundred years now, there is no doubt she is a teenager.


I'm very interested to see how Rose's relationship with Otto, an alien/human boy, will go. Not that I think it should be romantic, though she had way more chemistry with him than Bren, but because she technically owns him, I will be eager to see how the author tackles this issue.


All in all, this proved to be a compelling story for me. I think it will work for fans of fairy tale stories with major twists and updates. It's not a princess story anymore, though I suppose Rose is "the princess" of her company since she is heir apparent. It's just a story of a girl who got trapped in time and now has to deal with those ramifications.


Other reviews:
The Book Smugglers review A Long, Long Sleep
Stacked reviews A Long, Long Sleep
Karin's Book Nook reviews A Long, Long Sleep


Copy from my local public library.

Sweet Venom 2 Title Hunt!

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs is not even released yet (it's coming out on September 6, 2011) but Tera Lynn Childs is already getting readers eager for the second book in the Medusa Girls trilogy with a fun contest.

And just what is that contest you're wondering? Well, it's a hunt for the second title of the book! And I'm here today to offer you a clue in that hunt. Are you ready?? That clue is the letter....

O

Did you get that?

To learn how to enter this contest, head to Tera Lynn Childs' Blog where she has all the details and the form to enter the contest. By the way, it's open to international readers too!

What can you win?? I'm so glad you asked because Tera Lynn Childs' is giving away FIVE SIGNED COPIES of Sweet Venom and a $50.00 bookstore gift certificate! Talk about fun book prizes. So head on over to Tera Lynn Childs' Blog to find out what you have to do to win.

And remember, the hunt clue is the letter...

O

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins was one of the books I was aching to get my hands on when I attended ALA this summer. I stood in line with many others, eager to get an advanced copy. I guess I hyped it up too much in my head because, after reading it, I realized I wasn't quite as enamored with Lola and the Boy Next Door as I was with Stephanie Perkins' first book, Anna and the French Kiss.

Synopsis: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. (Goodreads.com)


There were several things I really enjoyed about this book. First, the setting. I have a soft spot for San Francisco because of my love for Full House (so I'm a dork, I know it). This setting is used to great advantage as Lola explores the city and goes to events around the city. I felt like I was getting a personal tour of SF through Lola's narration. It wasn't a boring, awkward tour either, but one filled with verve and life and the vibrancy that I associate with this city. Setting is really important to me as a reader so when an author can make it come alive, I am extremely happy. Stephanie Perkins, you definitely wowed me here.

Also, I thoroughly enjoyed Lola's parents, Nathan and Andy. They were so cute but also, they were totally parents. Unhappy with Lola's current boyfriend, older guy Max. They disciplined her but also gave her free reign to live and be herself. They read like so many other parents I see in the few YA titles that make parents active participants in the story. They love Lola and it shows. I liked her relationship with them too. She clearly resents them at some points, just like most teens, but she also respects them and their rules. It was a very good relationship.

And I loved Lola. I really did. I liked her crazy costumes, I liked her independence, her love/hate relationship with her birth mother. It was all very authentic and I thought, this could be a teen I know at my library.


And... I hate to say this, but up to a certain point in the story, I really liked Max. I like bad boys, guys who are jerks. Yes, I realize this is totally an unhealthy infatuation, but I liked that Max was trying for Lola. Of course, then he went all crazy and said some really, really hurtful stuff and I was reminded that yeah, he was a jerk and this is why I have to give up crushing on bad boys.


Basically, this story worked for me. Or it would have, if it hadn't had Cricket Bell who I totally did not like at all. He bothered me on all levels of this story and I cannot properly articulate why except to say that sometimes in romance stories (which I realize this isn't a romance genre story), I never warm up to the "hero" guy. This is the case here. I just never warmed up to Cricket. I thought he made a great friend to Lola but I never saw anything for them beyond friendship. Nothing, at all. He bored me and I couldn't really sympathize with Lola's angsting about him because I didn't think he was good enough for her.


Also, there were way, way too many cameos of Etienne and Anna. Don't get me wrong, I ADORED them in their book. Anna and the French Kiss was one of my favorite books of 2010. However, like in my romance genre books, I don't like when past characters make repeat intrusions in the story that really serve no purpose. That is what Anna and Etienne were doing. They had all these moments in the spotlight but really didn't enhance the plot at all. They were just there, almost to pander to fans which yeah, not a big fan of that either. I realize Stephanie Perkins didn't write it with that thought in mind at all, but that's what I tend to think. For me, there was too much pointless Anna/Etienne scenes.


So, I enjoyed this book. I did. I cannot say I fell absolutely in love with it like I've seen all over Twitter. It won't make my favorites of 2011 list. When it all comes down to it, it's a fun story but for me, not a stand out. However, I do still fangirl crush on Stephanie Perkins, so if she ever comes to Minnesota (hint, hint!) I promise to be first in line. So, mostly good, with a few bad mixed in. It is a good story just not one that worked for me on every level.


Lola and the Boy Next Door comes out in September 2011.


Other reviews:
Write Meg! reviews Lola and the Boy Next Door (and articulates so much better her feelings about why this book didn't quite work then I did. Read the review!)
Good Books and Good Wine reviews Lola and the Boy Next Door
Youth Services Corner reviews Lola and the Boy Next Door


ARC picked up at ALA 2011.

Fairs and festivals in YA land?

So today I am headed off to the Great Minnesota Get Together (aka the Minnesota State Fair, one of the best fairs in the United States.)

I love going to the fair so much! Crowd watching, food, awesome crafts, it's all there. (Though I don't do rides, no thank you.)

However, in preparing for this, I wanted to read some teen books set at a fair, state, county, country, whatever. I've been trying to come up with some titles and mostly I'm blanking. Here's what I've come up with so far:

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander (I know the main character was raising a chicken for 4H which I associate with fairs, so close enough.)
The View from the Top by Hillary Frank (I haven't read this but with the Ferris wheel on the cover, I associate it with carnivals and fairs.)

And... that's it. I'm totally blanking because I'm sure there are more titles out there, maybe in Middle Grade land in particular. So, if you know of any books set at a fair or carnival (NOT Charlotte's Web please), let me know in the comments!

A Day in the Life of a Youth Librarian...

So back in May, I posted a day in the life of a teen librarian. Since my job has since changed since then, I thought I'd post a little updated look at what I've been doing at my new job.

If you have questions about anything, please ask! (Also, A Day in the Life of a Librarian is totally credited to Abby the Librarian, where I first saw these posts.)

8:30 AM: Arrive at work. Turn on the OPACs in the children's area, turn on the games computers, and the reference desk computer.

8:45 AM: Read email, respond to anything urgent.

9:00 AM: Catalog DVDs. I like to do this when the library is quiet because I can fly through them. My library doesn't open to the public until 10 AM.

10:00 AM: The YMCA kids are here! It means chaos and I am at the reference desk for an hour or so, answering questions like, "where are the Thirty-Nine Clues books?" Simultaneously, continue to discard the VHS in the children's area. That's my big project I'm determined to finish this week. No more VHS at my library.

11:00 AM: Mail time! Two big boxes of books from Baker and Taylor have arrived along with about eight boxes of Legos that I ordered.

11:45 AM: Check the catalog to see if any of the new book arrivals are already in the system.

12:30 PM: Lunch time!

1:30 PM: Back from lunch. Start to look at library furniture catalogs like DEMCO, Gaylord, and High Smith, to put together a wish list for the local Friends group who is giving me some money to revamp the youth area.

2:30 PM: Somehow I find myself discarding more VHS for awhile.

3:00 PM: Book ordering. Finishing up the Publisher's Weekly children's fall preview issue so I can make sure I'm caught up on a lot of the paperback series that are coming out this fall.

3:45 PM: Headstart teacher from a neighboring community stops in and we plan visits for November.

4:30 PM: My brain is fried so I continue to discard VHS just because it doesn't take much brain power at this point.

5:00 PM: The day has flown by, believe me. It's time to go home.

That's not a typical day but it's a Wednesday I suppose. A good day, lots accomplished. :) Definitely different from my previous job where I didn't catalog anything, purchase materials at all, or work directly with my Friends of the Library group.

Storytime ahoy!

I'm a story teller. It's sometimes hard for me to believe that because I think of storytelling as a performance art and I definitely do not consider myself a performer. However, in my new job, I do all the storytimes, unlike my previous job where I just did a storytime every other week or so. There were numerous storytellers at my previous position, but in my new library, I do it all. Babies, preschoolers, first graders.

It's both good and bad. Good because I'm having a lot of fun and learning which stories work and which do not work at all. Bad because I had never taken any childhood literacy or storytelling classes while in graduate school as I never envisioned myself being a children's librarian. Well, that kind of bit me in the butt as I am now a youth librarian, helping kids from 0-18. It's great and I really like the fact that I am working with such a wide range of audiences but it also means I've had to really up my storytelling skills. Fortunately, there are so many great blogs out there that talk about story time that I have a plethora of resources to draw from.

Here are some of the sites where I draw my storytime inspiration from (themes, crafts, songs, book choices, you name it.) It's been helpful because it has given me a place to start. If I want to do puppies one week, I can see what other storytime staff have used and tweak it to fit my own collection and what books about puppies I may have.

Frankly, I don't have time to reinvent the wheel every week so I love that I can borrow craft ideas online. That has been a huge, huge help.

So, if you're ever in need of some storytime inspiration, I cannot recommend these sites highly enough:
Storytime Katie (GREAT flannel ideas.)
Abby the Librarian (Lots of unusual themes to work with, rather than just your typical frogs/dogs/cats, etc)
ALSC Blog (This has been helpful for mostly other things related to being a children's librarian. Lots of great posts)
Mel's Desk (Oh this site, it is a god send for my baby storytimes. I also had the pleasure of doing some extra training with Mel when I was working in Colorado and I'm excited to say she is as amazing in person as she is on her website. Truly excited and happy to be working with children.)
Awesome Storytime (The title for this blog truly lives up to its content! I've gotten several great craft ideas here that I have been able to use or modify for whatever supplies I have on hand.)
SurLaLune Storytime has given me great ideas of books to try out for my stories, ranging from toddler to preschool.
Sunflower Storytime (Lots of fun and different things to try for stories. Haven't used anything directly yet but the possibilities are there.)
What Happens in Story Time (Fun blog and again, just a great place for me to see new ideas and hopefully implement them in my own library.)

So, what's YOUR favorite storytime resource? Have a favorite blog or even a favorite song/finger play book that has proven particularly inspirational? Let me know please!

(And tomorrow, back to my regularly scheduled YA program.)

Review: Popular by Alissa Grosso

Popular by Alissa Grosso is one of those books I didn't quite expect to think about so much, long after the story was over. I've had to really process this book before I could sit down and write the review since it definitely left me with some very complex feelings.

Synopsis: Meet the clique that rules Fidelity High: Olivia, Zelda, Nordica, and Shelly, each one handpicked by über-popular Hamilton Best. You know you're "in" when you make the guest list for one of Hamilton's parties. And in the thralls of senior year, everyone wants to get noticed by Hamilton.

But Hamilton's elite entourage is coming apart at the seams. Olivia fantasizes about finally having a boyfriend, Zelda dreams of ditching high school, Nordica wants to be alone with her photography, and Shelly's plotting to dethrone Hamilton. Lies and secrets are ripping away the careful ties that have kept them together for years. But Hamilton has the biggest secret of all, one that only her boyfriend Alex knows. If the truth got out, it would shock everyone and destroy Hamilton's fragile world—and she'll do anything to protect her secret and keep her clique together. (Goodreads.com)


Coming into this book, I knew, from talking with several people that it was not what it first appeared to be. I did figure out the twist relatively early on in the story but I was still hooked because of the complexities of the character, particularly Hamilton's boyfriend, Alex. I honestly cannot write too much without spoiling this book, but how he deals with the clique is both repulsive and honest. Was his treatment of the girls better than the treatment from other people in their lives? Hamilton's mom, their classmates? To see them, to interact with the clique, is that just egging them on? 


The characters definitely felt unique enough to me so that, even without the chapter headings, I knew who the current narrator was. Their voices stood out even as that fact helped me decipher what was truly going on easier.


I heard a lot of hype surrounding this book, many different comments and discussions and that is what got me motivated to read it. It was a very engaging story and even after figuring everything out, the plot didn't lose traction for me because I needed to see how it was resolved. Perhaps this was my biggest issue because everything at the end was tied up fairly neatly. I can't say more without ruining it but is how I felt.


Popular is definitely an interesting story. It may make an interesting companion to Choker by Elizabeth Woods.


Other reviews:
Musings from a Library Lady reviews Popular
My Reading Room reviews Popular


Reviewed from copy checked out at my library.

Review: Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

I think I'm suffering from Pride and Prejudice teen adaptation burnout because Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik did nothing for me at all, and this is from the girl who considers Pride and Prejudice her favorite book.

Synopsis: Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?
At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:
As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.
When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long. 

Set in a Hollywood backdrop, this story pits new girl Elise against school hottie, Derek, the son of two very well known celebrities. All the expected P&P moments are included in the story, with their own teen twists but they just did not do much for me.

Both Elise and Derek, for representing two such well known literary characters, were rather bland and lacked the chemistry that made Elizabeth and Darcy so fun to see fall in love. There just wasn't enough heartwrenching, gut moving heartbreak. Part of that of course could be that this is a teen story but I've read Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg and Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman (which I LOVED!) and had more of a reaction to the story. So, again, I am attributing part of this to burn out on this particular storyline but honestly, it just wasn't a very vibrant story. There wasn't enough new in this book to make it much more than a passable read to me.

Also, Elise's mother, Dr. Gardiner, annoyed the crud out of me. Yes, we all know Mrs. Bennet was annoying as all get out, but I couldn't understand why Dr. Gardiner, the principal of Elise and Derek's school, was so obsessed with her daughter getting together with Derek. There just wasn't enough explanation for me to believe in her obsession with celebrities. Not even something as simple as saying she had followed the career of Melinda Anton all her life or something. It came off as ridiculous and rather stalkery, for a principal-student relationship.

All in all, Epic Fail just didn't deliver for me, particularly as a fan of the Pride and Prejudice storyline. Maybe I have become too critical of the books I have been reading lately but there was a severe disconnect between me and this story. To quote from the awesome Galleysmith, this book is from Mars and Sarah is from Venus.

Epic Fail is available now.

Other reviews:
GReads! reviews Epic Fail
Hobbitsies reviews Epic Fail 

Copy borrowed from my local public library.

The Great ALA 2011 YA Giveaway winners!

 

Thanks to everyone who entered my ALA 2011 YA Giveaway contest! There could only be two winners however and those winners are...

Christi A.

Crystal G.

Congratulations to you both!

And remember, even if you didn't win this contest, you can still enter to win a copy of Dark Souls by Paula Morris!

2011: Favorite romance stories thus far...

So last week, I posted a roundup of my favorite YA stories of 2011 thus far. This week, because I got a few requests via Twitter, I'm posting my favorite romance titles of 2011 thus far, in no particular order. So behold the wonder of the romance cover!

And hey, if you haven't read a romance novel this year (or ever before) this may be a good time to start.

Perfect Play by Jaci Burton

If you like your romances on the very steamy side, this is the book for you. It's got one of my very favorite romance themes, the sports hero. In real life, I basically care nothing for sports, but in my romance novels, I love watching athlete heroes fall hard. This book is hot and erotic, so you're forewarned. But it's also very well done.

Icebreaker by Deirdre Martin
It's another sports themed book, this time it is my number one favorite sport, hockey. Deirdre Martin does hockey heroes really well and this book is no exception. It is a genuinely realistic romance, filled with real life romance difficulties. Like real life, Sinead and Adam carry a lot of baggage and its wonders to their romance. This is a nice layered story that will definitely make you appreciate how great romance writers are.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
This is not strictly a romance story but it has a great romance thread woven throughout it. Alea recommended it to me and I was not let down at all. It's got a genuinely nice guy in the lead role and he's a bit nerdy, a definite sweetheart but mostly just a nice guy. Very good story! No sex at all so if you need to start with a lighter romance, this may be the way to go.

A Lot Like Love by Julie James
This isn't her strongest book ever but in terms of my favorites of 2011, it is definitely on the list. Likeable heroine who works hard. A very sexy and macho hero and chemistry that is off the charts. There is a little bit of a mystery too though the romance is the ultimate focus. Julie James is one of the best contemporary romance writers right now.

Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh
I hate this cover, it's awful unfortunately which is sad as this is her hardcover debut. But the contents of the book are utterly fabulous and answer several questions that have been building in the Psy/Changeling world. However, don't jump right into this book without reading the rest of the Psy/Changeling books first. This is definitely a series that needs to be read in order (though it's not hard work, the series is fabulous). But by the time you get to Kiss of Snow you'll be salivating for Hawke and Sienna to finally come together.

Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
THIS is the book I talked up hardcore to the Grand Central publicists at BEA and ALA and you know what, it paid off because they sent me an advance copy. Let me tell you, waiting until November for this book would have killed me. It's a wonderful historical romance with a greedy privateer as the hero who craves only one person, Silence, the heroine. I blathered on and on about how amazing Elizabet Hoyt is at BEA and yep, it worked and I'm so grateful. Cannot wait to buy a finished copy though for the beautiful stepback. This is the third book in the Maiden Lane series but it reads very well as a standalone. Mick is scorching hot, just FYI.

Bad Boys Do by Victoria Dahl
This is on Netgalley right now! It doesn't come out until October. It's the fabulous story of a woman who has just gotten divorced and is starting over by being a bit more bold and brash. And the story of a man who has always been seen as immature and is looking to grow up and show his family just what he can do. It made me cry, laugh and smile. Victoria Dahl is a fabulous contemporary writer and I am so, so glad to have so many books by her in 2011.

So those are the books! They all have something unique. The most erotic is definitely The Perfect Play but Bad Boys Do definitely doesn't shy away from intimacy. Each of these books really stands out in a publishing field that sees new romances daily. 

If you decide to read of these, please let me know! Perhaps you'd be interested in doing a guest review on my blog, letting other readers know your impressions.

But mostly, I'd just love to see you give one of these titles a try!

Fall TV is almost upon us!

As you may or may not know, I love TV just about as much as I love books. Fall TV premiere season is one of my favorite times of the year because I love seeing what new shows I may get hooked into and revisiting favorite TV shows from last season. Here's a rundown of what I'm looking forward to:

Returning TV shows:

It's pretty fair to say that The Vampire Diaries is probably my favorite show on TV right now. I'm definitely looking forward to what is going to happen now that Klaus has Stefan in his grasp, now that Elena has shown some feelings for Damon, and my hottie Jeremy (yeah, yeah, he's too young, I know it), well, he's seeing dead people so I really need to know what's up with that.

Other shows I'm looking forward to seeing on my screen again include How I Met Your Mother (particularly since one of the most terrible characters in TV is no longer on the show--talking about Zoey. Ugh.). I want to see Lily and Marshall's pregnancy progress and I've heard this will be a very Robin-centric season which is good because she deserves some good episodes. I'm also majorly excited for the return of Parks & Recreation. Did you hear about Tammy #1?? I cannot wait to see her make her appearance on the show. And Leslie, well, now that her dream may be in the palm of her hand, I hope she can make it work. That show always makes me laugh, as does Modern Family.

Another show I adore is Cougar Town. It doesn't get much love but it totally should because it has a great cast who really, really work together and play-off each other so well, creating all kinds of laughs. Yeah, the early part of season one is terrible but once they finally found their groove and moved away from the cougar aspect of the show, this quickly moved up my list of favorite shows. Penny can! Watch it. :) Of course, it's unfortunate you really won't be able to watch it this fall as ABC has pushed it back to premiering in winter which just KILLS me, you have no idea. But it does give you time to catch up and see what makes the cul-de-sac crew so fun to watch on TV.

And then, there is America's Next Top Model. It's the only "reality" show I watch. I don't watch American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Project Runway, etc, any of those shows. But Tyra, god help me, I love her crazy show. And this season, it's the all star cast, the season I have been dreaming of. Mostly they brought back the troublemakers and drama queens, but that is to be expected. There are a few girls I'm excited are backing, including Allison of the big eyes, and Laura of the sweet accent. Yes, I look forward to this show every year. It's my one big guilty pleasure TV show.

I'm also excited about the return of Community and I'm going to give The Office a few episodes this season to try to wow me again. I do like James Spader so maybe he'll convince me to keep watching. I think that's about it when it comes to returning TV shows. I totally and forever gave up on Glee last season after how horrible it was and I have no regrets about that. Now I just need to fit some of the new shows in to my schedule.

New shows:
I happen to LOVE LOVE LOVE the CW network (formerly the WB which I also loved) and it's hosting two shows I'm very excited about. First off, the return of Sarah Michelle Gellar to my TV screen! So thrilled to have her back in Ringer. She's playing twins so I'm really getting double SMG time. I think she's best in TV shows, rather than movies, so I'm hoping she'll shine in Ringer.

I'm also really excited about Hart of Dixie starring Rachel Bilson. While part of me has a hard time imagining her as a doctor, from the small previews I've seen, it seems like the show has potential. It also has Scott Porter from Friday Night Lights fame so you know, double yay! It takes place in Alabama which seems an unusual setting for a TV show. I'm going to give it a go anyway.

I'm also looking forward to two new ABC shows. Once Upon a Time which has a fairytale bent, as the title suggests. It has Ginnifer Goodwin in it as Snow White and since I love that actress, I'm excited to see the show. I'm also excited for Pan Am. I think the previews seem a little cheesy but I do love me some Mad Men and that time period in general, so I'm hoping Pan Am will be something similar but different I guess.

Phew. That's going to be one full TV schedule. This is why I love and hate fall TV, lol.

So, what new or returning TV shows are you excited to see this fall? Do you have your fall premiere dates all lined up like me?

Review: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger is her second book, following last year's debut, The Duff. Unfortunately, Shut Out was a dud for me.

Synopsis: Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality. (Goodreads.com)


Part of the problem for me was the main character, Lissa. She was what in romance land is known as the too stupid to live heroine. Despite all the obvious clues that a guy was into her, she almost purposefully (so it seemed to me) came to all the wrong conclusions about him and his actions (though I guess that is somewhat justified by their first encounter together). Nonetheless, it was like she was deliberately misinterpreting everything he said to her.


Also, she is crazy neurotic and controlling and yet, it seemed artificial to me. Like the author made her neurotic but her actions didn't quite suit her words. She was very free about talking about her neuroses and that also just bugged me. (All in all, the main character bothered me). I much, much preferred just about every other female character in this book, particularly Lissa's best friend, Chloe. However, that being said, Chloe sometimes read like a thirty-year old woman who's seen it all in life and nothing impresses her. She is all for sex for sex's sake but it didn't feel like a true teenage reaction to sex. Seriously, I'm almost thirty myself and I still have some hang-ups. Not Chloe, she was free and clear to enjoy sex and no commitments and liked it that way.


Also, Lissa works at a library. That's all great because she seems to enjoy it. I just don't think the author had quite the correct impression of how a library is run. Nor the fact that librarians no longer use the term card catalog (page 199 of the ARC edition). Or at least, they shouldn't be. Now, she didn't have it quite as badly described as Sarah Dessen did in The Truth About Forever but it wasn't quite accurate either.


Sex is a part of this novel, as it was in The Duff, but it felt more contrived in this book. There were moments in the story where I felt like Lissa, the other girls, and even the guys had finally gotten some sense of what sex can truly entail in every aspect of their lives, but mostly it was a plot device that was not used to the best advantage, at least for me.


However, Kody Keplinger made one very, very excellent point that I have to quote because it really resonated with me and does showcase the value that talking about sex has with teens. It's a quote from Kelsey, a secondary character who admits that she does not like sex. "I want to be normal, but no one talks about sex, so how should I know what normal is?" (pg. 154 of the ARC). Granted, normal IS different for everyone but the value here is that it's true, no one does talk about sex, at least not in a manner that teens don't find embarrassing. Sex is still so very taboo in American culture so how can the girls in this story (and the guys) have any kind of understanding when the most they hear is from their friends, Cosmo, and that one sex ed class they had to take at some point in their lives? The value in this book, particularly the first half before it becomes more about Lissa's revenge against Cash, is that these girls are talking about sex in healthy ways. They are using each other as a sounding board and this felt very genuine to me in the book. This is where Kody Keplinger succeeds.


I'm sure the praise for Shut Out is going to be sky high in the YA blogosphere and while there certainly is something to praise in this book, for me, it just wasn't all it was cracked up to be. The battle of the sexes played out in a field that was rather uneven and bumpy for this reader.


Shut Out comes out in September 2011 from Little Brown Poppy.


Other reviews:
Girls in the Stacks vlogs a review of Shut Out
GReads reviews Shut Out
Parenthetical reviews Shut Out


ARC picked up from BEA.

Review + Contest! Dark Souls by Paula Morris

Paula Morris's Dark Souls is a chilling and atmospheric young adult novel. And, it's a stand-alone, so huzzah! For me, this was a quick and compelling read and it definitely helped that the evening I was reading it, it was rainy and stormy.

Synopsis: Welcome to York, England.
Mist lingers in the streets.
Narrow buildings cast long shadows.
This is the most haunted city in the world. . . .
Miranda Tennant arrives in York with a terrible, tragic secret. She is eager to lose herself amid the quaint cobblestones, hoping she won’t run into the countless ghosts who supposedly roam the city. . . .
Then she meets Nick, an intense, dark-eyed boy who knows all of York’s hidden places and histories. Miranda wonders if Nick is falling for her, but she is distracted by another boy — one even more handsome and mysterious than Nick. He lives in the house across from Miranda and seems desperate to send her some sort of message. Could this boy be one of York’s haunted souls?
Soon, Miranda realizes that something dangerous — and deadly — is being planned. And she may have to face the darkest part of herself in order to unravel the mystery — and find redemption. (Goodreads.com)

Rob and Miranda have gone through something horrible. The entire family has in fact so they head to York with that on their shoulders. Their parents want to be able to have a good time and they want the kids to enjoy themselves too. Miranda and Rob, despite the accident and despite Rob's fears of tight and confined spaces, are still pretty typical teenagers. They whine and complain and anything their parents want to do is immediately deemed uncool. But, there's just something about York.

For Miranda, it means seeing more ghosts. For Rob, it's meeting a local girl his age who he crushes on, hard. Not exactly the same experiences but it provides some amusing conversations between the brother and sister. Part of what I enjoyed so much about this book was their relationship. Even with the great wound between them, they still argued like brother and sister and they still conspired like brother and sister. They had a real relationship that felt authentic to me.

Also, speaking of relationships, I felt the familial relationship was really well written. It was obvious the kids cared for their parents and vice versa. There was a real warmth in their family that I think can sometimes be lacking in young adult novels. The parents were an obvious presence in Rob and Miranda's lives, even as they managed to hide things from them (like most teens are wont to do).

I also really responded to how Paula Morris describes York. It is a cold place, a chilling place, and yep, kind of spooky, but it has some great locals and plenty of amazing history that I thought was woven into the story in a way that avoided too much info dumping. Paula Morris was able to work in local history by using Miranda and the mysterious Nick as the carriers of her message. It worked for me but I think it could be easy to get bogged down in just how much local lore there is, because there is a lot.

The descriptions of York worked for me and yeah, they totally reminded me of Diagon Alley, as is mentioned in the book. I love the word snickleways, just FYI and wish I could find a way to use it in my everyday vocabulary.

As for the plot, I found it believable up until the near finish when the ghost became a tad too malevolent for what had been set up throughout much of the story. I also all too easily figured out the big twists but that didn't bother this reader because I liked seeing it happen through Rob and Miranda's eyes.

For me, this proved to be a satisfyingly spooky story. It wasn't over the top scary, which for me, I'm thankful for because I don't like to be scared. I can handle a little spookiness but I don't do blood gore and scare together.

Dark Souls is a great story for those middle grade readers who are moving past Alvin Schwartz books but still want something spooky to read. It's a clean read, with no swearing or sex beyond a kiss. I think older teen readers will still enjoy it though they may figure out all the twists early on, like I did. However, I think Paula Morris has a clear gift for setting up atmosphere and building it into every aspect of her story.

About the author:
Paula Morris is the author of Ruined, and has published several novels for adults in her native New Zealand. She has lived in a number of cities around the world, including York, England. She now lives in Glasgow, Scotland, and teaches creative writing at the University of Stirling. Visit her online at www.paula-morris.com. You can also find Paula on Scholastic's This is Teen Facebook site so check it out!

Now, here's the fun part! I have TWO COPIES of Dark Souls to give away. The contest runs through Wednesday, August 31. All you have to do to enter is fill out the form below:

Enter to win a copy of Paula Morris's new book, Dark Souls!

Review: Past Perfect by Leila Sales

As a history buff and a person with a BA in history, I was very excited to get my hands on Past Perfect by Leila Sales. While the American Revolution isn't my favorite portion of history, it definitely has some very interesting facets going for it. And well, who doesn't love a good reenactment? My dream vacation is to tour Civil War sights and see the battles and skirmishes be reenacted so yeah, I really dug this book.

Synopsis: All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.
Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it…. (Goodreads.com)

Things I loved about this book: the moderners, the farbs, the War, and Chelsea's parents. They all provided a great dose of comic relief and aided and abetted in Chelsea's various teenager conundrums. I think the synopsis makes this book seem more... woe is Chelsea and her lovelorn sighing for Ezra than it really is. Honestly, Chelsea didn't pine for Ezra all that much. She was much more into the new guy, Dan, and trying to live up to her responsibilities as part of War.

What really resonated with me though, in regards to Chelsea, is how she liked to cling to the past and tended to look at it with rose colored glasses because... that's so me. While I don't dwell on the past over and over, I do tend to think about certain moments in time and remember how happy I was then and how I'd love to go back to that moment. Or, also in Chelsea's case, not wanting to change because you don't know what the future could bring. If you change, will the change bring something better or worse into your life, a life which could be considered, in Chelsea's case, good enough? She obviously goes through a lot of reflection!

There are some fun decisions made in this book and some very poor and hurtful decisions but they felt true to the characters. I think this book also showcases how easily it is to be popular within certain circles that would normally be very uncool and then wham, there are real life, in this case, school classmates, reminders that hey, just cause I'm a milliner girl, I'm not all that.

I enjoyed the pranks, the conversations Chelsea had with her parents, her solid friendship with her best friend, Fiona, and the emerging relationship with Dan. However, this book isn't really focused on the romantic angles. It's focused on how Chelsea can move forward, even when much of her life is stuck in the past.

Leila Sales has another winner on her hands. Past Perfect comes out October 2011.

Other reviews:
Jessica at Cover to Cover reviews Past Perfect
Abby the Librarian reviews Past Perfect
The Sparkle Project reviews Past Perfect 

ARC picked up from ALA.

2011: Favorite YA stories thus far...

It's hard to believe that 2011 is half over. We're in the middle of August already. Summer reading is ending at most libraries. School supplies are out at stores and I know I'm really looking forward to the cooler weather of fall. I basically hate summer weather.

This week I took a look at my books read in 2011 post, pulling out titles that have really stood out for me. I wanted to share them here on the blog, just in case you need more reasons to read another new book.

 

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

It's one of the few YA fantasy titles I have read this year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a world I could understand but was imaginative enough to take me away from the real world. I also really liked the characters.

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

It made me laugh, a lot. It was a clean and fun read that I've been able to hand sell to numerous readers. It has a poignant quality to it that I think teens can relate to but it also has many of the awkward social situations teens haphazardly get themselves into.

Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell

This book just made me really happy while reading it and I finished with a smile on my face. That has stayed with me throughout the year and I've gone back to this story when I just need a nice YA pick-me-up. Plus, I met the author at ALA and she was really nice which just reinforced how much I enjoyed this book.

Clarity by Kim Harrington

One of my favorite paranormal YA stories this year. Short but packs a big punch of mystery and fun. Clare is a very memorable narrator.

The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisner

This is the quiet little novel that could in my eyes. It is thoughtful, genuine, and real. I read it very quickly and was completely engrossed. It is a story that will remain with you a long time after the book ends.

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Talk about a story that packs a punch. This is probably one of those YA books you NEED to read this year. It is a story that will prompt much discussion and hopefully more awareness on how to protect everyone on the internet.

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

WOW. That's really all I can say. Read this book because it is utterly fabulous and engrossing. It's a sci-fi book for teens and adults and has mass appeal I think.

So there you have it! Out of the 114 books I've read this year (many of which are romance novels), these are the seven YA titles that still stick with me. Obviously these are just my opinions but I'd love to know if you've read any of these books or have had good luck getting your teens to read them.

Review: Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Bunheads by debut author Sophie Flack has one of my favorite YA covers of the year. It just looks utterly gorgeous to me. Fortunately, the contents of the book proved to be mostly strong enough to fit the beautiful cover.

Synopsis: As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other "bunheads" in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life? (Goodreads.com)


Hannah is dedicated and devoted to dance. That much is beyond obvious and it is a theme that is present throughout the entire book. Hannah wants her chance in the ballet world, her chance to move up. However, she is also a girl who feels that there are parts of life she is missing out on. She lives in New York City, one of the most fabulous cities in the world, yet she barely has the time to explore it. When she isn't sleeping, she is dancing, practicing, dancing and performing. Then she meets Jacob, a guy who makes her take a hard look at her own life and what she wants from it.


This book isn't mind blowing by any means but I enjoyed it for the look into the world of ballet it provided. Sophie Flack danced with the New York City Ballet from 2000-2009 according to the ARC and you know what, that real life experience shows in the book. At first, I felt that some of the book's descriptions were not quite natural, were more explanatory than natural but as the story moved forward, and as the terms of Hannah's ballets moves had been finally explored, the prose of the story became more natural and fitting with the grace and strength one associates with ballet.


The author also captures the competitive nature of ballet so very well. There is a bloody gruesomeness in how dedicated Hannah is, on what she is willing to give up, one what she will do to move forward with her career. It's not enough to be good or great or even amazing. There are so many people that Hannah had to impress, to win over, that even when she wasn't practicing, she was playing up to those people who had her career in the palm of their hands. And even her friends were just as much her enemy and competitors as being confidants. I came away from this book that ballet is in many ways truly a solo endeavor because there are so many people willing to step over you if you aren't willing to put yourself first.


I enjoyed Hannah's dilemma when it came to Jacob but also felt that it was in her character to hurt him just because of her dedication, and I was proved right. Hannah is conflicted but this has also been her life since she was young, how do you break those habits?


Bunheads was an interesting look into the world of ballet. It didn't have that crazy/psycho aspect that Black Swan had, instead, it just felt like an honest look into what a woman has to go through to be part of something you have to love with every fiber of your being. Hannah is nineteen in this book, almost out of her teens, but yet at times she reads younger and I think that was rather natural, given her lack of experiences in some of the more fun and free moments of life.


Overall, I enjoyed this book and I think it will have great appeal for most teen girls. Even if they aren't dancers right now, how many teens do we know who took some dance classes as little girls and had to suffer through bad recitals? So many. This is a good choice for most libraries. Also, I met the author at BEA this year and she was really sweet. Not that that should matter in your decision to read this book but I had a fun time talking about her dancing experiences with her.


Bunheads comes out in October 2011 Little Brown's Poppy line.


Other reviews:
Abby the Librarian reviews Bunheads

ARC picked up at BEA 2011.

Follow me to the Hub...

I'm talking about my highly anticipated fall reading over at YALSA's Hub today! Head on over and let me know in the comments which fall books you are looking forward to reading!

Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally features a girl quarterback named Jordan who comes from a very football-orientated family. Her dream is to play college ball for Alabama but as one would expect in such a male dominated field, that is easier said than done.

Synopsis: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate. (Goodreads.com)


Unfortunately, I don't have a whole lot of good to say about this book. Most of the characters irritated me from start to finish and Jordan in particular didn't thrill me. Though the author clearly sets up that Jordan is a talented football player, I never got the sense that Jordan was as dedicated to the sport as she would have everyone around her believe. Actions speak louder than words and Jordan seemed to have no problem whatsoever missing practice when she was feeling confused about the boys in her life. Those actions more than anything showed me that she just was not as determined as she wanted me to believe. I felt that she let down her teammates and her coach all too easily, while wanting to prove to her father, a pro football player, that she had what it takes to make it in college football.


Likewise, I just couldn't get behind the romance aspects of this story and for me, a diehard romance reader, that does not bode well. Numerous times Jordan speaks to how she thinks Henry, her best friend, is like another brother to her, but yet, the moment she finds out that he likes her, that everyone in her family, her classmates and teammates, all know that Henry loves her, well, she suddenly is conflicted. I don't believe in sudden emotional changes in adult romance books and yet again, I could not get behind this sudden switch in her romantic entanglements. Ty Green, the new boy at school, was the first guy to make her tingle and feel like a girl but as soon as she finds out Henry loves her, she treat Ty rather shabbily. Jordan just wasn't that likeable.


The football element seemed strong in the story but I know next to nothing about football so believe me when I say everything could have been totally wrong and I would have not have known. I like stories and movies that feature football as a story arc. I love Remember the Titans and Friday Night Lights because it uses football as a way for me to get to know the characters, why they are so dedicated to this sport that in real life, for me is boring as heck. Kenneally kind of got me caring about the characters, but more so the supporting characters of Jordan's teammates, JJ and Carter, even Henry, rather than her own problems and her own family. This is a girl who was raised in a household supported by a NFL player. She basically has it all and while she acknowledges this without being snobby about it, there is also the thread, that for me, she assumed because of her background, she would get her dream chance at Alabama.


One other aspect of this story that played out somewhat okay for me was Jordan's relationship with her father. Theirs was definitely a rocky relationship but they found a way to make it work because Jordan finally, finally told him why she was so angry with him. She was honest and in that moment, I liked her.


So, as you can tell, Catching Jordan was not exactly a touchdown for this reader. It's not as well done as say, Catherine Gilbert Murdock's Dairy Queen which really sets the standard for girl athletes in books. But I think there is still some appeal in this book for teens, particularly those who can more easily overlook Jordan's wishy-washy lovelorn behavior.


Catching Jordan comes out in December 2011 from Sourcebooks.


Other reviews:
Wordbird reviews Catching Jordan

ARC provided by Around the World Tours.

Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (the first in her new Sky Chasers series) is by far one of the best books I have read this year. It has appeal to both teens and adults I believe. It is a very well done sci-fi story and it was such a nice change of pace from even the contemporary titles I've been reading. And ditto on the YA dystopian books. I'll be totally honest here, this review is going to be more incoherent gushing than anything else.

Synopsis: What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside. (Goodreads.com)


There is so much awesome storytelling going on in this book. I don't want to spoil anything because this is definitely a book you will want to read cover to cover to get the full impact but suffice it to say that religion, women's choice, the idea of power and dominance, and so much more is covered in Glow. But it's not a hit you over the head lesson book. These themes are very smoothly articulated into the overall plot. There are surprises, twists and turns aplenty, but perhaps it is the characters that hooked me most of all. Brave and courageous Waverly who is devastated after being kidnapped from her home, who is injured but finds the strength to go on and try to hurt her captors. Confused and well meaning Kieran, who believes he has a direct connection to God and can lead the ship to safety in the face of no adults and no girls.


The characters are multifaceted and as the reader, you will feel both loathing, hope, and hatred for what these characters must go through. There are no clear answers for the dilemmas of what these characters are facing. They are teens, kids really when it comes down to it, who have lived a peaceful life (on the surface anyway). The attack changes everything and it forces decisions that should never had to have been made.


I was a history major in college (and an English major. They went well together) so I loved the sense of history that went into this book. These teens are living on ships bound for a new earth. They are the pioneers of their generation, the puritans if you will. It was very, very interesting how Amy Kathleen Ryan worked history, science, and so much more into Glow.


Anyway, if you can't tell, I am a big fan of this book. I am hungering for the second book already. I need it now. I hope I've done somewhat of a good job of convincing you to read this book. I don't consider myself a sci-fi reader but I do like science fiction that focuses on people's dilemmas. Battlestar Galactica (the latest tv incarnation), Firefly, Ender's Game, those are sci-fi related entertainment that have most worked for me. I think if you've enjoyed any of these shows or books, you should definitely give Glow a try. It is a book that will work very well with both male and female readers, teens or adults I think. It has some great universal themes that are examined and there are plenty of unanswered questions. I have not read Across the Universe by Beth Revis so I don't know how comparable the two books are but all I know is that I really enjoyed Glow.

Glow comes out in September 2011 and it is a story you do not want to miss out on.

Other reviews:
WhatchYAreading reviews Glow
Irresistible Reads reviews Glow
One Book at a Time reviews Glow

Author guest post! Jessica Brody talks My Life Undecided

I'm very happy today to bring you a guest post with author Jessica Brody, author of The Karma Club, and the more recently released book, My Life Undecided which I reviewed back in June. I'm so excited that Jessica is here at YA Librarian Tales today to talk about some of her own undecided moments. So without further ado, here's Jessica!

I don’t believe in regret. Much of life is not what happens to you but how you react to it. You can choose to dwell on your mistakes, or you can choose to learn from them. And I’d like to think I choose the latter 95% of the time. Or at least I try!

That being said, there are a few decisions in my life that I can say I wish I had done differently. And I say “wish” in the most hypothetical sense because I also believe that everything happens for a reason. Everything you do leads you to where you are today. And I’m pretty happy with where I am today, so I guess in a weird way, I don’t wish I could go back and do anything differently because then who knows where I’d be!

But, for the sake of this guest post, and to stop myself from rambling and just get to the point, I’m going to tell you about a decision that went awry in my life and why I “wish” I had done it differently.

When I was a junior in college, I was presented with the most incredible opportunity to study abroad in Paris for the year. It was organized through my school and as a French major and an overall Francophile, I jumped at the chance. Sign me up!

There was only one problem. I had a boyfriend back in the states whom I would have to leave behind. Now, let me preface the rest of this story by saying that this boyfriend and I did not have what you might call a “dream relationship.” In fact, we had just the opposite. A rather “nightmarish relationship.”

We were from very different backgrounds, had very different opinions about…well, everything, and we fought constantly. To sum it all up, let’s just say we were a horrible match. Why we’d stayed together for two years prior to me leaving for Paris, is beyond me. I guess it was one of those relationships that I was just too afraid to leave. And by afraid I mean, I was afraid of being alone. Being in a crappy relationship, at the time, seemed better than being in no relationship at all. (But that’s a WHOLE other blog post!)

So anyway, the end the summer was growing near and the boyfriend and I had a big decision to make. Do we stay together for this grueling year apart and try to make long distance work? Or do we split up and go our separate ways?

I have a feeling, to this day, that he really wanted to split up (yet another reason why we should have!) but I desperately wanted to stay together. And so that was the decision I made. And he went along with it.

Well, I must say, it was probably one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made in my life. The year ended up being a total disaster. What was supposed to be a fun, adventurous year in the beautiful city of Paris turned out to be an excruciating, dark and lonely twelve months filled with sad nights crying on the phone, crazy bouts of paranoia and jealousy, and a monthly phone bill that rivaled the national debt.

I should have been having fun! Seeing the sites! Dating cute French boys. But instead I found myself night after night waiting for a phone call or an email and then crying my eyes out when it was over. We fought nearly every night, which should have come as no surprise since we fought every night before I left too. Did I honestly think that a 5,000 mile gap would improve the relationship? And I was almost entirely convinced he was cheating on me…multiple times. In fact, to this day, I’m still pretty certain he was. Although he never admitted it.

We ended up breaking up shortly after I returned to the states. So in some ways it felt like a huge waste. A waste of tears. A waste of pain. A waste of phone bill money that could have gone to much more useful things…like those yummy French macaroons!

If I were to do it all over again (i.e. if this were one of those “go back and relive an important night of your life” movies that we all love), then I would have said, “No.” No, we shouldn’t stay together. No, we shouldn’t try to make long distance work. No, I want to be single and carefree this next year in Paris. If I had, I think my junior year abroad would have been a much different experience.

But this story doesn’t have an entirely unhappy ending. I did return to Paris about six years ago. I decided to go back and live there for a month on my own. It was right after I quit my job to become a full-time writer and I wanted to live the “Hemingway” lifestyle. And this time, I had learned my lesson. Before I left, I broke it off with the guy I was dating at the time and returned to Paris a single gal. And instead of staying in, waiting for the phone to ring night after night, I went out! I had a blast! I got to have all the fun and crazy adventures I missed out in college. So I guess, in some way, in the end, I did get to do it over.

Roll credits and cue the sappy French music. :)

##

Jessica Brody is the bestselling author of THE KARMA CLUB and the recently released MY LIFE UNDECIDED is about a fifteen-year-old girl, notorious for making terrible decisions, who enlists blog readers to vote on how she should live her life. Jessica’s books have been translated and published in over 11 foreign countries and two of her books were recently optioned for film. Visit her online and watch her movie-style book trailers at: JessicaBrody.com. And be sure to check out the new interactive website for the book, MyLifeUndecided.com, where teen readers can poll their peers for help making the tough decisions in their life. 

Thank you so much for your time Jessica! And be sure to check out Jessica's upcoming tour schedule! She'll be traveling with Alyson Noel, Mary Pearson, Gabrielle Zevin, and Alexandra Adornetto as part of the Pen Fatale Tour. Check out the Tour Schedule to see if she is coming your way!

Romance Roundup: August 2011

Here are some of the romance titles I reviewed for August 2011:
Only Mine by Susan Mallery
Darkness at Dawn by Elizabeth Jennings
A Midnight Dance by Lila DiPasqua
Bad Girl by Night by Lacey Alexander

Have you read any good romance novels lately?