Bookanista Rec :: WORST CASE OF PASKETTI-ITIS

June 27, 2013June 26, 201310 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
Worst Case of Pasketti-Itis, written by Kristine Carlson Asselin and illustrated by Lousia Gioffre-Suzuki…

From Goodreads – Pasta is the perfect food with so many different varieties. Why should Petunia eat anything else? Her mother, her teacher, and even the lunch-lady warn that she might turn into pasta if she doesn’t try something new. Could she really turn into pasta? Would it be farfalle? Or maybe fettuccini? Petunia finds out, to her dismay, that “you are what you eat.”

This book is cute, cute, cute!

Pasketti-itis is a fast-paced picture book full of fun imagery. It reminded me a bit of one of my childhood favorites, The Chocolate Touch, in that it instills a lesson for picky eaters in a way that’s playful and entertaining. It’s a great book for reading aloud (my daughter and I read it together); all of the different pasta names (farfalle, spaghetti, rigatoni, fettucini) are something like a tongue twister when read quickly, which my girlie thought was all kinds of fun. Pasketti-itis‘s illustrations match the story’s merry tone. They’re bright and cartoon-ish and rather silly. They totally held my kiddo’s attention.

If you’ve got kids at home, especially kids with crazy food demands, or kids that love to giggle their way through a story, Worst Case of Pesketti-itis is definitely worth checking out.

{Big congratulations on your picture book debut, Kris! ♡}

Check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to today!

Lenore Appelhans is bewitched by CHARM AND STRANGE by Stephanie Kuehn

Shelli Johannes-Wells gives cover love to FAKING NORMAL

Stasia Ward Kehoe delves into
DANCER, DAUGHTER, TRAITOR, SPY by Elizabeth Kiem

Elana Johnson and Nikki Katz adore THIS IS W.A.R. by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Gretchen McNeil is wowed by THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher

Tell me: What’s your favorite picture book?

What’s Up Wednesday

June 26, 2013June 25, 201360 Comments

“What’s Up Wednesday” is a fun weekly meme started by my friends Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. From Jaime: It’s similar in some respects to the Currently… post, but it’s been whittled down to only four headings to make it quicker and more manageable on a weekly basis. You’re invited to join us if you’re looking for something to blog about, a way to let your blog friends know what’s been going on with you.

{Please make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, other participants can visit your blog and check out what you’ve been up to. In that same spirit, I urge you to visit as many new blogs as you can every Wednesday. The most awesome aspect of What’s Up Wednesday and Ready. Set. Write is that they include a built-in support system. Let’s make sure we’re rooting each other on and offering as much encouragement as we can. Who knows… You might make an awesome new writing buddy, or a find a fantastic beta reader, or hook up with an amazing critique partner!}

And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…

What I’m Reading: I finished The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and felt sort of eh about it. I didn’t hate it, but I was unsatisfied with the ending. Still, the writing is beautiful, so it’s worth checking if you like literary fiction. I also finished Where the Stars Still Shine, which I absolutely LOVED. I’ll tell you more about it in a future Bookanista post, but I will say that I adored main character Callie, and I’m head-over-heels for Alex. *swoon* Now, I’m reading Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood. I’ve yet to find a witch (or caster) story I really like, but so far I’m very much enjoying this one. Jessica’s writing is gorgeous, the alternate history is fascinating, and I’m digging spunky main character Cate. Can’t wait till I get to those steamy kisses I keep hearing about.

What I’m Writing: Still plugging away on my WiP! I’ve managed to keep up my 500-ish words-a-day average with a total of 3,084 words this week, just barely meeting my goal. I’ve surpassed the 16K word mark, which is exciting, and I’m starting to find a real groove with my characters. Knowing what they’d do and how they’d feel in a given situation is becoming more instinctual, and now that I’ve nailed down their backstories and motivations, their interactions are flowing quicker, and much more smoothly. I’m an edit-as-I-go first drafter and that’s slowing me down a bit, but I think that by the time I finish this sucker, it’ll be something I can work with. That’s about all we can ask of our first drafts, right?

I’m going to adjust my word count goal for this week. Instead of 3000 words, I’m going to shoot for a slightly more manageable 2000. We have family visiting and a busy weekend ahead, so my writing time is going to be limited. Still, I vow to hold on to the momentum I’ve found since starting Ready. Set. Write!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: As usual, things have been crazy around here…

I’ve been baking — surprise, surprise. I bought a package of Snickerdoodles for my daughter and her friend the other day. Of course I had to taste one, and it was so unsatisfying I decided to try my hand at baking some from scratch. I found a recipe at my favorite baking blog and whipped up a double batch. Oh my goodness… So yummy. And so much better than the store-bought variety!

Over the weekend, I took my cutie for a hair cut. When I asked her if she wanted her usual trim, she said, “Nope. I want my hair cut like Kit Kittredge‘s.” So that’s what we went for. While I think my girlie looks absolutely adorable, the mama in me is kind of freaking out. She also looks so much older. *sniffle*

On Sunday we went hiking deep in The Los Padres National Forest, which is so scenic. After our hike and a picnic, we searched for some hot springs we’d heard about and, after a treacherous sixty-minute drive down an isolated one-lane dirt road, we came across the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a Buddhist monastery that has turned the hot springs into Japanese baths and welcomes both practicing Buddhists and paying guests. Rather than strip down and hop into the baths with a bunch of very rustic-looking strangers, we skipped the hot springs and toured the grounds instead. The monastery is beautiful, and so peaceful. I wouldn’t mind spending a few days there with my manuscript and my yoga mat.

We have family visiting! My husband’s sister, her husband, and their three kiddos drove all the way from Washington to Central California to see us, and we’re so happy! We’ve been having lots of fun checking out the sights (the other day we went to the Winchester Mystery House — totally bizarre), and just hanging out. My girlie is thrilled to spend so much time with her cousins!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Lots. My fellow Ready. Set. Write! participants and their stellar progress. The Twitter writing parties I’ve been participating in. The gorgeous summer scenery in our part of the country. I’m also feeling incredibly inspired by my recent read, Where the Stars Still Shine. It’s just the sort of book I long to write. Reading it made me want to work harder so one day, hopefully I can.

What’s up with you today?

DAC :: STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD

June 24, 2013June 24, 201310 Comments

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge)

From Goodreads – When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi. Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her over-generous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world. Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

First, I love this book’s cover. I think it’s gorgeous, and it totally draws me in. Its muted color palette and elegant font very much convey the tone of the story. It’s the reason I purchased a copy even though historical fiction (which Stands of Bronze and Gold is, sort of) is not normally my thing. Book Cover = Win

Strands of Bronze and Gold is a hard book to review. It is exactly what it claims to be: a fairy tale retelling set against a historical backdrop, and it does almost everything right. Its characters are engaging. Its prose is lovely, and boasts some of the most delectable food descriptions I’ve read. And its plot, while a bit slow in the beginning, moves along at reasonable pace and includes some interesting twists and turns. All in all, Strands of Bronze and Gold is very well done.

But… I’m not sure it’s the book for me. It’s just not the type of tale that moves me. And that’s what I’m looking for when I read — a story that gives me an emotional walloping, rips my heart out and makes me feel, and then, just when I think I can’t stand another moment of anguish, slowly restores my sense of hopefulness. I found myself wanting more from Strands of Bronze and Gold, particularly in the way of the Underground Railroad thread, and in the hinted-at romance with Mr. Stone. I thought these elements were the most compelling of the story, and I would’ve loved to have seen them expanded on.

For me, knowing that Strands of Bronze and Gold is a Bluebeard retelling stole a bit of its magic. Early on, I had a basic idea of what was going on with Monsieur Bernard de Cressac and his previous wives. And while I liked Sophie and wanted her to solve the story’s mystery and escape Wyndriven Abbey, I pretty much knew she would, somehow. That kept me from becoming truly invested in her plight. But, as I mentioned, there are a few surprises in the story and they, along with Jane Nickerson’s enchanting prose, kept me reading through to the end.

Strands of Bronze and Gold is everything it’s supposed to be — though it’s simply not the right story for me. That said, if you enjoy historical fiction and fairy tale retellings, I suspect you’ll love this one, and I hope you’ll check it out.

Have you read Strands of Bronze and Gold? Thoughts?
Do you have a favorite fairy tale retelling?

(Learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.)

Bookanistas Rec :: THE GIRL GUIDE

June 20, 2013June 19, 20139 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is The Girl Guide: Finding Your Place in a Mixed-Up World by Christine Fonseca…

From Goodreads: Finding your unique voice in a noisy world can be hard—very hard. But not if you have a great guide! The Girl Guide: Finding Your Place in a Mixed-Up World is a must-read for girls in grades 6–8 as they enter the tumultuous world of adolescence. Packed with fun worksheets and quizzes, as well as stories from older girls and women, The Girl Guide covers everything a teenage girl needs to know on the journey toward her own identity. Proven strategies for dealing with stress management, confronting relational aggression, being safe online, navigating the changing mother-daughter relationship, and more make this the ultimate guide for any girl to get through the teen years and discover her unique point of view in the world.

This book is too cool — I totally wish I’d had a copy when I was growing up. The Girl Guide is chock full of advice and anecdotes and quizzes and worksheets meant to help girls find their “own unique voices.”

When I was a teenager, I loved books and magazines that had specific places blocked off for me to write down my thoughts and reflections. The Girl Guide has tons blank charts and empty bubbles and open lines for lists — it made me want to grab a pink feathery pen and get to work! As if that’s not enough, this book includes all sorts of strategies for coping, living confidently, finding and giving social acceptance, and leading a healthy lifestyle, all discussed in clear, well-organized chapters. But my very favorite parts of The Girl Guide are the quotes from real teenagers, and the bits of advice offered by mothers, pastors, youth leaders, and writers like Gretchen McNeil, Jessi Kirby, and Stasia Ward Kehoe.

I’m going to make sure I have a copy of The Girl Guide: Finding Your Place in a Mixed Up World on hand to give my daughter when she’s in middle school. Not only is this book all kinds of fun, but it educates girls without coming across as preachy or stiff. It reads more like a conversation with a friend than the self-help manual you might expect. If there’s a teenage girl in your life, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Girl Guide to give to her.

Check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to today!

Shari Arnold marvels at THE MOON AND MORE by Saran Dessen

Tracy Banghart is thrilled by 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Christine Fonseca shivers over SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi

Carrie Harris and Elana Johnson reveal the cover of
SALLY SLICK & THE STEEL SYNDICATE by Carrie Harris

Corrine Jackson is nuts for
AU REVOIR, CRAZY EUROPEAN CHICK by Joe Schreiber

Jessica Love joins the BY BLOOD by Tracy Banghart book blitz – with giveaway!

Shannon Messenger raves about JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta

Tracey Neithercott adores THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab

Kimberly Sabatini is touched by OUT OF REACH by Carrie Arcos

What’s Up Wednesday

June 19, 2013June 18, 201366 Comments

Before I tell you about my week, an important note for those taking part in Ready. Set. Write!: Please make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, other participants can visit your blog and check out what you’ve been up to. In that same spirit, I urge you to visit as many new blogs as you can every Wednesday. The most awesome aspect of Ready. Set. Write! is its built-in support system. Let’s make sure we’re rooting each other on and offering as much encouragement as we can. Who knows… You might make an awesome new writing buddy, or a find a fantastic beta reader, or hook up with an amazing critique partner. I’ve met my best writing friends through my blog and theirs, and I am grateful for them every day!

And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…

What I’m Reading: I finished Strands of Bronze and Gold the other day. It was a beautifully written story, though not so much my cup of tea. I do think people who enjoy historical fiction will like it; the descriptions of life in the 1850s are fascinating. Now, thanks to Tracey Neithercott, I’m reading an ARC of Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller and I am LOVING it. It’s exactly my type of book, just as Tracey suspected it would be. Callie is an incredibly compelling protagonist, and I’m already smitten with Alex. I can’t wait to see how the story plays out. Because I’m borrowing Tracey’s ARC and can’t crack its spine so I can read it on the elliptical (I know some of you are shuddering at the thought of a cracked spine — sorry!), I also started The Particular Sweetness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. It’s an already-worn novel I checked out from the library, so I have something to read at the gym on the mornings I don’t run outdoors. So far, it’s a lovely story with a very unique concept.

What I’m Writing: I’m making forward progress on my WiP, and I give most of the credit to Ready.Set.Write! I’ve had so much fun writing with my buddies via Twitter. I met my weekly goal of 3K words on Sunday, then surpassed it, closing out the week with 4,390 words. I’ve knocked out a few scenes and, for the most part, I’m excited about how my story is coming along. Now that the manuscript has passed 13K words, though, I’m starting to suffer from occasional yet terrifying bouts of doubt. Is this story boring? Is it stupid? Will people hate it? Am I doing the concept justice? I’m doing my best to push those pesky uncertainties away, but you know how it is. Bleh…

What Else I’ve Been Up To: It’s been a busy summer already!

Last Friday I got to help my cutie prepare for a Father~Daughter Dance. She was so excited to get all dressed up and dance the night away with her daddy. I know I’m biased, but I think she looked pretty darn adorable, and she had a BLAST.

I’ve been doing lots of baking, as per usual. Last week I made an Almond Sheet Cake with Butter Frosting for a dinner party with friends and it was very well received. If you like desserts that are sweet and rich, you will love this relatively easy cake. Also, I bought a new cookie cooling rack. It slides together for easy storage and it is aWeSoMe. Thank you, Bed Bath & Beyond!

And I’ve been doing lots of this: Playing and laughing with my favorite girl. ♥

What’s Inspiring Me Now: I’ve mentioned a few times that my WiP’s plot is inspired by a Tim McGraw song. Well, that song is not Highway Don’t Care — it hadn’t yet debuted when I started working on my project — but I’m still loving this collaboration. The desperation and longing in the lyrics align perfectly with the tone I’m going for in my story, so I’ve been listening to it on loop. Let’s all take a moment to appreciate Tim McGraw’s perfection, shall we?

Tell me: What’s up with you today?

Bookanista Rec :: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY

June 13, 2013June 12, 201337 Comments

Today in amazing books (and non-traditional reviews), I give you
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay…

From Goodreads: Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay. Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space. Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to. The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

T ranscendental – A contemporary story that manages to be beautifully surreal.
H opeful – There’re ugly, ugly moments in this book, yet it is filled with promise.
E vocative – I felt these characters: their agony, their regret, their joy, their loss.

S woonworthy – Josh. Drew. Even Asher. I fell fast and hard for the boys.
E motional – All the feels… All. The. Feels.
A uthenitc – These teens — their speech, behavior, style, and pain — so, so real.

O pulent – In prose, in characters, in emotionality, in detail.
F lirtateous – A serious story, but there’s still some fantastically frisky banter.

T empestuous – Unpredictable and mysterious, I couldn’t put this book down.
R aw – This story shocked me. It hurt my heart deeply. But it left me content.
A rresting – A writing style that’s bold and unapologetic — utterly affecting.
N ames – Because they’re important, and so are their meanings.
Q uiet – In the best way. No explosions or magic. People, surviving and growing.
U nforgettable – It’s been days since I finished reading, yet I’m still spellbound.
I ntense – Every chapter, every scene, every page. Josh and Nastya… So intense.
L ove – Slow to build, aching, full of sacrifice and eventual acceptance. Genuine.
I maginative – Like no other book I’ve read, but a new favorite.
T ingles – Shivers and goosebumps repeatedly, but especially at the end.
Y ummy – The boys, and Nastya’s treats.

If that’s not enough:

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck.
Nastya – The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

I don’t know how to say it – after all this time, I’m not even sure that I can – but I have to break her last rule, because if she knows nothing else, I need her to know this one thing. “I love you, Sunshine,” I tell her, before I lose my nerve. “And I don’t give a shit whether you want me to or not.”
Josh – The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

I loved this book so much I want to share it. I’ll buy a paperback copy for one randomly chosen commenter. If you’d like to be considered eligible, please include your email address with your comment so I can get in touch with you if you win. The winner will be drawn tomorrow, Friday June 14th, at 6:00 pm PST. Good luck!

(A big thank you to Jessica Love and Sara McClung for recommending The Sea of Tranquility. You two suspected I’d love this book, and you were totally right!)

HUGE congratulations go out to Kim Aleman and Chandler Baker, winners of The Bookanista Relaunch Giveaway of Awesome! Lucky, lucky! And don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

Lenore Appelhans wonders at ALL YOU NEVER WANTED by Adele Griffin

Shari Arnold loves SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL by Trish Doller

Tracy Banghart embraces IMPOSTOR by Susanne Winnacker

Shelli Johannes-Wells delights in Cory Doctorow’s
LITTLE BROTHER and HOMELAND

Nikki Katz gets the shivers for 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Stasia Ward Kehoe, Carolina Valdez Miller & Debra Driza
sing out for the cover of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO

Jessica Love raves about ROAD TO TATER HILL by Edith M. Hemingway

Tell me: What’s the last contemporary YA novel you read and loved?

What’s Up Wednesday

June 12, 2013June 11, 201359 Comments

Awesome, right? Here’s what’s up with me this week…

What I’m Reading: I finished The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay over the weekend, and it was indescribably amazing. This story and these characters tore me apart, then slowly — slowly — put me back together again. My full review is coming tomorrow, but *spoiler alert* The Sea of Tranquility is a definite new favorite. Last night I finished Jessi Kirby’s latest, Golden, another lovely contemporary. Jessi is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors, and look how pretty her book is beneath its jacket…

Now I’m diving into Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson, a retelling of the Bluebeard fairytale. It’s interesting, different from what I usually read, but the writing is gorgeous and the concept is intriguing. We’ll see how it pans out.

What I’m Writing: I’m slowly immersing myself in my contemporary YA WiP again, the draft I’ll be focusing on for Ready. Set. Write! and hope to finish by the end of August. When I pitched this project to my agent, I shared the lyrics of the song that inspired it (still a secret!) and added this: …the story is basically the YA version of the song, with a lot of backstory and angst and tragedy, and it jumps back and forth from this night that’s inspired by the song, to all the events that build up to it. I’m aiming for something along the lines of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone and Nobody But Us. To which my agent said: Proceed. Yay! My goal is to write at least 3,000 words a week. I know my limits when my girlie is at home, and I want to set goals that are reasonable and attainable, and leave lots of time for summer fun. That said, I’m hoping that once I hit my 3,000 word mark each week, I’ll have found so much momentum I’ll just want to keep going. 🙂

What Else I’ve Been Up To:

Need I say more? This girl is now officially a first grader!

I also met a HUGE running goal yesterday. I’ve been striving to get my five-mile pace down to 8 minutes per mile for months. That’s five miles in forty minutes for the math impaired (me). It’s also the Army Ranger Standard that my husband has told me all about. Well… YESTERDAY I DID IT. I very nearly threw up when I finished and I had to walk a half-mile before jogging the rest of the way home, but I totally rocked five eight-minute miles. So happy!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Ready. Set. Write! is inspiring me, because it’s the perfect motivation for getting my booty to the couch and my fingers to the keyboard. And we had such an awesome response yesterday! Have you signed up yet? You can do so HERE. Trust me — it’s not too late to set your summer writing goals and show your WiP whose boss. As far as my WiP goes, the I’m finding the following images and words to be incredibly inspiring:

I can’t wait to get back to writing. 🙂

Tell me: What’s up with you today?

Ready. Set. Write! {Sign-Ups}

June 11, 2013June 10, 201338 Comments

By now you may have heard… Alison Miller, Elodie Nowodazkij, Erin Funk, Jaime Morrow, and I are hosting a summer writing intensive called Ready. Set. WRITE! (detailed explanation HERE), and we’d LOVE for you to join us. We’re kicking off our summer of writing today, and we’ll write, write, write for two full months. We’ll update about what we’ve been writing and how we’re progressing, and we’ll share our goals for the coming days, all in weekly What’s Up Wednesday posts. Ready. Set. Write! is meant to be flexible and customizable — set goals that work for YOU, and we’ll be here to cheer you on!

The fun starts today, but the goal-setting officially starts tomorrow. Join us for What’s Up Wednesday and tell us what you plan to work on this summer (in the What I’m Writing section). Set your weekly goal (or monthly or overall goals — again, whatever works for you!), and we’ll keep the awesomeness going every Wednesday until August 28th. We’re SO excited to find out what everyone’s planning to work on!

Some Other Really Cool Stuff…

We’re going to try to host weekly Twitter writing/revising parties in which we “meet up” at a predetermined time to write, and then pop back in to Twitter later to recap our progress using the hashtag #ReadySetWrite. But to do all of that, we need to be twitter-connected. I’ve listed my Twitter handle below, as well as the handles of my fellow Ready. Set. Write! hosts. You’re invited to leave your Twitter handle in the comments so I can make sure I’m following you as well. 🙂

@katyupperman
@commutinggirl
@alisonmiller20
@MorrowJaime
@ErinLFunk

#ReadySetWrite

AND… Since Alison, Jaime, Erin, Elodie, and I LOVE giveaways, we’re including one as extra motivation! Mid-way through Ready. Set. Write! (halfway through July), one lucky writer will win a Writer´s Care Package. The package will include all kinds of fantastic writerly treats that will help you meet your word count goals. Want to be eligible for the giveaway? Keep track of your progress and be prepared to update on the Rafflecopter we post July. You’ll get points for setting goals and achieving them, following us on Twitter, and spreading the word about Ready. Set. WRITE!

Are you ready to commit to a summer of writing? Sign up for Ready. Set. Write! on the linky list below…

Don’t forget tomorrow’s What’s Up Wednesday post — share your goals and tell us about what you’ll be working on this summer. In the meantime, write a little. Or a lot. And don’t forget to grab our button and encourage others to join in!

TAG! A moment in time…

June 10, 2013June 10, 201338 Comments

My friend (and Ready. Set. Write! participant) Juliana Haygert tagged me for a fun WiP post. (Hers is HERE and it’s fantastic.) The parameters are as follows:

Search for the words “moment,” “forever,” or “time,” in your work-in-progress, pick your favorite excerpt, post on your blog, and tag others!

Easy, right? Here’s a bit from the contemporary young adult WiP I started a few months ago. I’ll be working on it this summer for Ready. Set. Write!, and I hope to finish the first draft by the end of August…

******

Though eye contact seemed to pain her, the girl managed a sympathetic smile. “Ms. Parnell is a hard ass when it comes to schedule switches after the start of the semester,” she said, her voice soft, wispy. “But I hear flattery goes a long way.”

“Yeah? Thanks for the tip.” Tyler thought about introducing himself with a handshake, but the girl was staring down at her feet again, nudging a rip in the carpet with the toe of her shoe. Were they done already?

“I’m Tyler,” he said in an attempt to recapture her attention. He kept his hands to himself. “New to Clayton City by way of Cleveland.”

She glanced up. Her cheeks were stained pink, and Tyler had the distinct impression that she was thrown by his continued attempts at conversation.

“Oh,” she said. “Well, welcome to Small Town, USA, I guess.” She hesitated, then, like an afterthought, added, “I’m Jenna.”

Jenna. A sweet name. An innocent name. After his time with Kendra, Tyler was starting to think sweet and innocent were the way to go. And it didn’t hurt that this Jenna was a surreal sort of hot. She made him think of the nymphs he’d read about last year in English, shapely and elemental and sort of hypnotic. He liked her hair, its color and its length; he could imagine her thick ponytail wrapped around his hand. He liked her eyes, too, the way she looked at him through her lashes like she was playing at demure. Or, maybe she actually was demure—an intriguing notion. She was wearing a long dress with little flowers scattered about the fabric, and a denim jacket that covered her from collarbone to wrist. She wasn’t baring an inch of inappropriate skin.

Tyler was equal parts fascinated and frustrated.

******

And… I’ll tag Temre Beltz, Tracey Neithercott, and Katharine Owens. I hope you girls play along too!

Bookanista Rec :: NANTUCKET BLUE

June 6, 2013June 5, 201319 Comments

I’m so excited to share one of my most anticipated 2013 novels:
Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas )

From Goodreads: For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams. Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t. When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer. But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on–most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits–that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality. A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

Nantucket Blue turned out to be just what I was expecting: beachy and romantic, a fresh take on mature contemporary YA. It’s similar in tone to the stories I write, and very much the type of book I enjoy reading. I adore its lovely, washed-out cover, and the fact that Jenny Han blurbed it, well… that says a lot.

It took some time for protagonist Cricket to grow on me. She’s got a lot going on with her parents and her best friend, and at the beginning of the novel, she struck me as needy and rather dense. I never disliked her — her flaws made her feel like a fully drawn character — but at times they also made her a bit difficult to connect with. While Cricket always has the best of intentions, I think she comes into her own when she starts working at the Cranberry Inn. The friends she makes there (Liz and George in particular) help Cricket find confidence, at which point she becomes a protagonist who is easy to relate to, and a joy to root for.

Cricket’s voice is definitely worth mentioning. It’s authentically teen without ever feeling like author Leila Howland is trying too hard. There are times when Cricket makes some truly excellent life observations, and times when she is genuinely funny. I love when a novel makes me laugh in public, and Nantucket Blue did on several occasions.

I have two favorite things about Nantucket Blue. First, the setting. I have never visited Nantucket (or any of the surrounding areas) but obviously I need to. I adore small oceanside towns, and Leila Howland makes Nantucket feel positively magical. The sandy beaches, the specialty shops, and the quaint inns. The tasty food, the Fourth of July celebrations, the warmth and the water and the phosphorescence… Who wants to plan a writers’ retreat in Nantucket?

And my second favorite thing about Nantucket Blue? The romance, of course! I won’t tell you who Cricket’s off-limits love interest turns out to be, but I will say that the relationship is very well done. The boy is adorable and respectful and honest, and the romance is an innocent, tingly, delightful kind of romance. It’s one that makes both characters better, fuller people, and it makes this book a total page-turner. Too cute! Also, I love how it all wrapped up. ♥

Pick up Nantucket Blue if you’re looking for sweet, summer read with just the right amount of depth, and don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

Carolina Valdez Miller celebrates 17 & GONE by Nova Ren Suma

Carrie Harris awakens you to INSOMNIA by Jenn Johansson…with giveaway

Christine Fonseca praises THE PLEDGE by Kimberly Derting

Corrine Jackson is wild for WHEN IT HAPPENS by Susane Colasanti

Elana Johson invites you to her ABANDON release par-tay!

Lenore Appelhans swoons for STAR CURSED by Jessica Spotswood…
With an annotated snippet

Stasia Ward Kehoe is wild for THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
by Stephen Chbosky

Tracey Neithercott highlights WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE
by Trish Doller

Tracy Banghart raves over JUMP WHEN READY by David Pandolfe

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.