Author: Katy Upperman

Fall Book Club…

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*SAD FACE*

I was so incredibly excited about today’s discussion of The Scorpio Races, a novel by Maggie Stiefvater and the third book selected for Fall Book Club, brainchild of the lovely Tracey Neithercott. But, unfortunately I’ve committed a big ol’ Book Club FAIL and neglected to actually FINISH the The Scorpio Races. You have no idea how sad and ashamed I am to admit this, especially since I’ve started the book and am loving it so far. But in my (pitiful) defense, my parents have been in town all week and I’ve been pretty busy.

*Cue dramatic violin music.*

That said, I am half way through The Scorpio Races and, as I mentioned, I’m absolutely smitten. I’ll be recommending the novel for my Bookanistas post this Thursday. If you’re so inclined, please check back then to read all about why I’m head over heels for this book.

If you’re interested in checking out my take on previous Book Club selections, you can find my thoughts on Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children HERE, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone HERE. Also, please do take a moment to check out the posts from more contentious Book Clubbers who’ve finished The Scorpio Races and posted links to their thoughts HERE.

In an effort to make up for my Book Club fail and prove that I really was a busy girl over the last several days, a few gratuitous pictures of my cutie pie and me. 🙂

Decorating the tree on Thanksgiving…

Getting our Coug on for Apple Cup 2011…

Settling in to watch Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella at the Fifth Avenue Theater in Seattle… Highly recommend!

How was your Thanksgiving (assuming you celebrated)? Do anything fun over the long weekend?

Winner!

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Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the Apple Cup Book Giveaway Sarah Enni and I hosted last week! We had so much fun talking college football with all of you!

While I’m disappointed that my beloved WSU Cougars lost to the UW Huskies, I’m thrilled to announce that Kathy Bradey guessed closest (at 60 points) to the actual final combined score of the two teams, which was 59 points (Huskies 38, Cougs 21). Fantastic guess, Kathy, and congratulations! You win copies of Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins! Please email me your mailing address (at katy(dot)upperman(at)live(dot)com) and I will get your books in the mail right away.

In case you’re wondering, Joanna Farrow was the grand prize winner, since her guess (at 58 points) was closest AND was made on Sarah’s blog. Joanna wins copies of Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me and Laini Taylor’s The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Congratulations to Joanna!

Thanks again to all who participated. This giveaway was so much fun! Hopefully it (like Busch Light) will become an Apple Cup tradition. 🙂

Thankful…

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Pinned Image

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

One year ago I was full of dread concerning 2011. I knew my husband would be spending the year in a war zone halfway around the world, I was frustrated with the seemingly stand-still status of my writing, and overwhelmed by family stuff that seemed too big to ever improve. In my mind, 2011 was nothing to get excited about. And, looking back, 2011 has had some incredibly trying moments. This deployment has, in fact, sucked. My writing still has its challenges. A few members of my family have gone through some very scary health scares. But, 2011 has had some amazing moments as well, and in hindsight, the good far outweighs the bad.

This last year has given my so much to be thankful for:

1) My husband, who’s brave, selfless, loving, and forever supportive of me and my writing. He’s also the world’s best daddy. And my daughter, who makes me smile every day–no matter what!–and is the sweetest, funniest, smartest little girl around.

2) My family, the people who love me no matter what and endlessly remind me that things will be okay–good even! On a daily basis, my family members reassure me that I’m capable of getting through anything, but without them, I’m not sure I would be!

3) My friends, those I’ve known for years and those who’ve come into my life more recently. You (if you’re reading this, you know who you are!) make the days go by quicker and add great heaps of fun to the most mundane activities: Project Runway, dinners at Red Robin and Los Pinos, long bike rides, shopping trips, and so much more! Thanks for being there through thick and thin!

4) My agent, who believes in my work  like I do, envisions it on bookshelves in stores everywhere, and works her tail off to get it there. She also has excellent taste in books and food and accessories. 🙂

5) My generous and gracious CPs and betas, who’ve slaved over my writing with their metaphorical red pens, gracing it with their genius. I’m a better writer (and a better reader!) because of you. Thank you for your time and support and brilliance!

6) Books, because they’re equal parts professional development and escapism, and I can’t go a day without spending at least a few minutes lost in a good one.

7) My writing friends, the lovelies I’ve come to know through blogging and Twitter. I love talking books and social media and writing and healthy food and hot boys with you. You make this wild ride so much more fun, and you make me feel just a *little* less crazy. 🙂

8 ) My wonderful blog readers, who take a moment from their days to drop by, read my ramblings, and leave thoughtful comments. To echo the eloquent words of Alison Miller, I HEART you!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I anticipate a little blogging break over the long weekend, but before I go, here’s a friendly reminder to check out the football-inspired book giveaway Sarah Enni and I are having this week! Sarah’s prize pack includes copies of The Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Shatter Me, and I have copies of Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door up for grabs. All you have to do is guess the TOTAL POINTS SCORED for Saturday’s Apple Cup football game (the combined score for both the Washington State University Cougars and the University of Washington Huskies). Sarah and I will pick a winner from our respective comments–whoever came closest to the actual final total score. (This means you don’t have to know anything about these teams or football to have a great chance to win!). Enter to win HERE!

A very COUGAR giveaway!

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We’re coming up on rivalry weekend in college football, and this year I’m even more excited to watch my Washington State University Cougars play our across-the-mountain rivals, the University of Washington Huskies, because one of my very lovely and sports-literate writing friends, Sarah Enni, is a Husky herself! So to bring a little college football love to the blogs, we’ve decided to host an Apple Cup Contest!

The contest will be hosted on both our blogs, and we’re both offering prizes! Sarah’s prize pack includes copies of The Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Shatter Me, and I have copies of Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door up for grabs.

Here’s how the contest works. On either my blog or Sarah’s blog, leave a comment with what you think the TOTAL POINTS SCORED (the combined score for both teams!) for the Apple Cup will be. Both Sarah and I will pick a winner from our respective comments–whoever came closest to the actual final total score. (This means you don’t have to know anything about these teams or football to have a great chance to win!)

If the Cougs win, my prize pack will go to the first place winner, and Sarah’s prize will go to the runner-up. If the Huskies win, prizes will be awarded vice versa.

This means you can enter the contest twice if you leave a comment with a total score estimate on both our blogs!*

You have until Apple Cup kick-off (Saturday, November 26, 7:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. PT) to make your guesses! There are no extra points for Tweeting/blogging about this giveaway (because the rules are a little different and we don’t want to add any confusion) but we’d love it if you spread the word.

*Tie breaker will go to the first person to guess (according to comment time-stamp), so make your guesses early!

Best of luck!

(My hubby and I made the five-hour trek to Pullman, Washington for the game last year. The experience was just about this blurry, and tons of fun too!)

Five on a Friday…

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Happy Friday!

1. Guys. I’m in over my head. May I present you with… my To-Read piles:

So intimidating, I don’t even know where to start! I’m working on The Piper’s Son now (LOVE) and up next is The Scorpio Races for Fall Book Club, but then what? How do even begin to tackle all of these books?! (Oh, and in case you’re tempted to plan an intervention, I’m not, like, a compulsive shopper or anything. Many of the books pictured above are on loan from wonderfully generous friends, and I’ve won quite a few in online giveaways.)

2. Speaking of online giveaways… I’ve been on a bit of a lucky streak lately. In the last few months, I’ve won A LOT of books. Probably around fifteen. This week alone I’ve won three books, plus a t-shirt! Though my good fortune has become a bit of a joke (How have I managed to rig random.org?!), I am nothing but grateful for my incredibly charitable blogging/writing/tweeting friends. If I haven’t said it enough, THANK YOU to everyone who’s hosted one of the giveaways I’ve been fortunate enough to win. 🙂 And, since we’re on the topic of giveaways, I’ve got one coming up RIGHT HERE very soon! Feel free to sign up for an email subscription to this blog if you haven’t already. The button is there in my right sidebar. —> Go ahead… give it a click. I wouldn’t want YOU to miss out on free books!

3. My husband recently told me that his soldiers agree: I send the BEST care packages. How cool is that? A definite point of pride for any good military wife. The key to a better-than-average care package? Theme! I’ve been focused on autumn for a while, but now I’ve moved on to Christmas. I’ve already got one big box full of Christmas-y treats ready to go, and I’ve got this in the works:

A countdown to Christmas! My husband is horrible with patience and gift-receiving and waiting out surprises (when deployed, he opens ALL packages IMMEDIATELY), so I thought this would be a fun way prolong the holiday spirit and inject a little extra cheer into his December. Each of these ten bags has a little treat with a cute coordinating card and a Why I love you… message inside. Notice: I had to write dates on the cards to indicate when he’s allowed to open each one, and I tied everything closed… he BETTER not peek! (Here’s the LINK to the printable tags if you want to do this for your loved one. So fun!)

4. Two awesome opportunities to give:

  • My fellow Bookanista and agent sister Carolina Valdez Miller is going on a medical mission trip to Haiti this January and needs your help. Please consider donating to this very worthy cause!

Support a good cause!

  • My longtime friend and aspiring literary agent Kari Bradley is spreading the word about a Barnes & Noble Bookfair, raising funds to benefit Curtis Junior High School’s library. If you’re planning to do any book shopping this weekend (in-store or online), please consider using Book Fair ID #10511327.


5. And, no Friday is complete without a funny…

What are you up to this weekend? Prepping for Turkey Day? NaNo-ing? Reading? Early holiday shopping? Watching Breaking Dawn Part I (eek!)? Tell me in the comments!

Bookanista Recommendation: THE PLEDGE

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Today’s Bookanista Recommendation: Kimberly Derting’s The Pledge…

Love this cover!

From Goodreads: In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she’s spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It’s there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she’s never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed. Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country’s only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

As a fan of both The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead, I’ve come to trust Kimberly Derting to not only tell a compelling, exciting, beautifully written story, but to throw in a few surprises as well. The Pledge did not disappoint!

Here’s what I loved:

~ The World Building – The Pledge‘s language-based class system is fascinating and well thought out. As each layer of Charlie’s society was unveiled, I found myself more and more impressed with uniqueness of the overall concept and the details Kimberly Derting infused into her book’s world and back story.

~ Chemistry(!) – Charlie is highly likable, and love interest Max is an obvious hottie. While their attraction is fairly immediate (something that often bothers me in YA lit), I bought into it here. Their interactions are highly charged and often dangerous, yet there’s a tenderness between them that helped me feel their connection and, in turn, love the scenes they shared.

~ The Fairy Tale Factor – While The Pledge is a clear dystopian, it has many fairy tale elements. The battle between good and evil, a truly heinous villain, royalty, magic (yes, magic!), and the exploration of universal truths and themes. I loved the fairy-tale-esque spin on the tried and true dystopian backdrop, and thought it lent an air of individuality to the story.

~ Girl Power – As far as royalty in The Pledge, males are the lowlier, weaker gender, a spin on the norm I found to be refreshing. The word “queendom” is used instead of “kingdom.” 🙂

~ The Regal Voice – I found Kimberly Derting’s authorial voice in this book to be slightly different from that of The Body Finder series. There’s a certain sophistication here that works, especially since royalty and class are such an important aspect of The Pledge.

~ Angelina – Charlie’s little sister is an enigma. At only four, she exudes an air of wisdom and grace I thought was intriguing. She doesn’t speak (which is huge in a society where languages are defining), yet she was one of the most interesting characters in the book.

~ Closure – According to Goodreads, The Pledge is the first in a trilogy. While there’s some set-up for future books, I felt a sense of closure upon reading the final pages. No frustrating cliffhanger, no “To Be Continued…” The Pledge stands alone as an exciting, twisty, unique story. That said, I’m definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!

Don’t forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are up to today:

Oh, and one more super important note: My fellow Bookanista and agent sister Carolina Valdez Miller is going on a medical mission trip to Haiti this January and needs your help. Please consider donating to this very worthy cause!

Support a good cause!

RTW: If I were head of curriculum…

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Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where the ladies at YA Highway post a weekly writing- or reading-related question for participants to respond to on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

Today’s Topic: In high school, teens are made to read the classics – Shakespeare, Hawthorne, Bronte, Dickens – but there are a lot of books out there never taught in schools. So if you had the power to change school curriculums, which books would you be sure high school students were required to read?

First, there are several classics I’d most definitely keep on the list: Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey, 1984, The Grapes of Wrath, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Diary of Anne Frank, A Separate Peace, Fahrenheit 451… These are all amazing books that (in my opinion) will always be relevant.

More contemporary books I’d add to the list if I were head of curriculum (blurbs from Goodreads):

Looking for Alaska by John Green – Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult – Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens–until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state’s best witness, but she can’t remember what happened before her very own eyes–or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show–destroying the closest of friendships and families. Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – With his first foray into teen literature, acclaimed author Sherman Alexie packs a punch in this absorbing novel about a Native American boy searching for a brighter future. At once humorous and stirring, Alexie’s novel follows Junior, a resident of the Spokane reservation who transfers out of the reservation’s school — and into a nearby rich, all-white farm school — in order to nurture his desire to become a cartoonist. Junior encounters resistance there, a backlash at home, and numerous family problems — all the while relaying his thoughts and feelings via amusing descriptions and drawings. Having already garnered a National Book Award for Young Adult Literature, this moving look at race and growing up is definitely one to pick up.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – Set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years, from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding, that puts the violence, fear, hope and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. This is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives, the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness, are inextricable from the history playing out around them. At once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship, it is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love, a stunning accomplishment.

These four books among my favorites. Not only are they highly entertaining, but they’re packed with emotional punch, history, memorable characters, and countless teachable themes. Sure, each and every one would probably end up challenged (they’re all incredibly intense and deal with mature issues), but  that’s even more reason to highlight them and expose teenagers to them. The books on MY reading list are sure to open the doors to some important and weighty dialogue.

If you had the power to change high school curriculum, what books would be on YOUR reading list?

It’s here!

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I don’t consider myself to be a particularly emotional person, but the just-released official The Hunger Games trailer nearly had me teary…

Honestly. It’s everything I’d hoped for and then some. Based on its trailer, I have 100% confidence that this movie is going to be amazing. March 23, 2012 cannot get here quick enough!

So, what do you think of The Hunger Games trailer? 

Happy Veterans Day + Five on a Friday

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Happy Veterans Day!

As a proud Army wife, I encourage you to take a moment today to show your appreciation and gratitude to our nation’s Veterans, both past and present. My husband has served in the Army for nearly nine years and is currently rounding out his fourth deployment. Both of my brothers and my father-in-law are Veterans as well. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that they have all faced plenty of adversity and frustration during their deployments. Yet they never complain and each has accomplished amazing things while overseas. I am so very proud of and thankful for all who serve, but especially my incredibly selfless husband, my two courageous brothers, and my wise father-in-law. Thank you, Veterans!

With that said… I can’t believe another week has come and gone. How is it already mid-November? How is Thanksgiving only two weeks away? And Christmas… Must. Finish. Shopping! Regardless of my pre-holiday panic, I’ve got a good old-fashioned Friday Five for you today–all kinds of random about what’s going on in my life…

ONE – Though I’ve schooled my husband repeatedly on the realities of the book submission process, the statistics of a person actually selling a book, reasonable debut advance amounts and how they’re doled out, he continues to ask me this annoying yet slightly endearing question: When you sell a book, are you going to buy me a boat?

I honestly think he pictures our lives turning into a scene from Captain Ron, only insert an image of little ol’ me sitting on the boat’s bow, toiling away on my laptop, writing Best Sellers and earning bazillions of dollars. Don’t get me wrong–I’m obviously all for sailing the seven seas without a care in the world except for writing, but I can’t help but think his expectations might be the *tiniest* bit high. Please tell me I’m not the only aspiring author with a husband full of visions of grandeur!

TWO – Somehow a catalog for My Twinn dolls found its way into my mailbox, and then promptly into the hands of my daughter. She. Is. Smitten. Anytime someone asks her what she wants for Christmas, she mentions the Twinn dolls. I, however, am slightly less than horrified. Long story short, you can customize these things to look exactly like your child (down to hair texture and freckle placement) and they are NOT cheap (like, $140 for the BASIC doll!). And… they’re weird. I mean, feast your eyes on the creepy:

See! Weird, right?! Do I really need another doll taking up space in my house? One that has the EXACT same features as my daughter? One who is poseable in freakishly human ways? One whose eyes follow me around the room? Um. No, thank you, I do not.

THREE – Speaking of my daughter… We went to the most adorable Mad Hatter Tea Party last weekend! It was hosted by our local bakery (which always carries a full selection of to-die-for-amazing yummies), and we took my husband’s mom along with us. Such fun, and so well-themed! The little bottles of juice had stickers that said Drink Me! and there were cute little cookies (among MANY other treats) that said Eat Me! The bakery plans to host themed tea parties once a month. I can already proclaim with confidence that we’ll be attending all of them!

Love our local bakery!

Such an adorable theme…

Cheshire Smile Cupcakes!

Cutest girl ever! 🙂

FOUR – It’s official: Bravo has seduced me with yet another show. Work of Art, The Next Great Artist is a reality competition that’s right up my alley. Eccentric, highly emotional contestants? Check. Heaping doses of creativity? Check. Over-the-top challenges with nearly impossible deadlines? Check. Much like Top Chef, another of my favorites, Work of Art is the perfect combination of drama, talent, and completely unapologetic kookiness. There’s actually a participant who has graced himself with the moniker SUCKLORD. Like, for real. Wednesday nights, 9:00pm, Bravo. You simply must tune in!

FIVE – Pinterest. Oh, Pinterest. How I love you. I really, really do. Thanks to you, I’ve scored tons of tasty recipes and craft ideas that I’ve tried and loved and recommended to others. And, I’m getting ready to make a board full of images specific to the WIP I’m mentally preparing to rewrite. Yay for visual inspiration! But lately, Pinterest, I’ve found myself pinning pictures and links to items I adore, but don’t exactly need. I feel a little like my daughter with her Toys R Us Christmas catalog and black crayon. For example:

Herb Sheers… So cool, but a necessity? Maybe not.

A ring, which I LOVE, but probably can’t afford–not that I’d ever buy myself a diamond. That’s what husbands are for. 🙂

Boot socks! How cozy do these look? And the tops, made pretty to peek out from tall boots. I know it’s nearly winter and all, but can I honestly claim that I can’t live without these? Not really.

Smart Phone Gloves… These are genius, but can’t I just wait until I get inside to use my phone?

Aqua Notes = Coolness. Now this one… I *might* be able to justify this one.

Anywho… I’m certainly happy to see the weekend! I’ll be spending mine with my girlie and an eGalley of Kimberly Derting’s new dystopian The Pledge. As a self-proclaimed super-fan of The Body Finder series, I’m pretty excited about reading this book. Look for my Bookanista review next week!

So, what are you reading this weekend?

Bookanistas Recommendation: BEFORE I FALL

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Yay! Today is my very first book recommendation since joining The Bookanistas. So excited to share my thoughts on Lauren Oliver’s debut novel Before I Fall with you…

From Lauren Oliver‘s website: What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Okay, so I know I’m a little late boarding the Before I Fall boat (this book was published March, 2010, FYI), but I did have my reasons:

1) The Buzz – Everyone and their brother read Before I Fall and loved it. I’m weirdly hesitant to jump into books that everyone raves about. More often than not, I end up disappointed.
2) The Premise – While intriguing, it initially struck me as a tad… boring. I mean, the same day seven times? Eh.
3) The Length – This book is a monster. Heavy and long and hardcover. A little daunting.

But… a few months ago I came across a copy of Before I Fall at my local new-and-used bookstore and decided to buy it, mostly because it seemed like one of those books every aspiring YA author should own. Well. Let’s just say I’m SO glad I did, and do! Those three reasons I listed above, the ones that so eloquently explain why I was holding off on Before I Fall? So, so stupid because…

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

Like, really, truly, added-it-to-my-all-time-favorites-bookshelf loved it. If you’re slacking on reading Before I Fall like I did, I highly recommend you remedy that. Here’s why:

1) Voice – So flawlessly teen, and it reads as effortless. Sam says what needs to be said. She doesn’t mince words, and she sounds like a real, cool teen. Not once did I find myself pulled out of the narrative because the voice fell flat or didn’t feel realistic. If you’re looking for a study in authentic teen voice, this is it.

2) The High School Experience – While I obviously adore YA literature, I don’t normally fall for stories set IN high school (unless it’s a boarding school–different story). The whole homework/teacher/switching classes thing usually isn’t for me. But Lauren Oliver’s depiction of Thomas Jefferson High School was fascinating, and so true to life. The dynamic of the “haves” and “have-nots” was never cliché and–alarmingly enough–reminded me very much of my own high school, right down to the Valentine’s Day flower exchange.

3) Pace – Remember how I thought the same-day-seven-times idea might read as boring? It doesn’t. Not at all. Before I Fall never rehashes the same incidents. Sam makes different choices from day to day, changing the course of events each time, thus keeping me completely engaged (turning pages frantically!) through seven relatively long chapters.

4) Friendship – Sam and her three best friends are popular. Boys want to date them; girls want to be them. They can do whatever they please at Thomas Jefferson (and they pretty much do), but that power doesn’t make these girls totally unlikable. Their redeeming quality, for me at least, is the strength of their bond. Their undying loyalty to their foursome, right or wrong, through each girl’s flaws and personal struggles, was captivating and endearing.

5) Kent – A quirky, unique, absolutely charming love interest. He helped me see the real Sam, the girl he so obviously adored. I was rooting for Kent from the moment I was introduced to him, and not just because he wore checkered shoes.

6) Character Arc – Before I Fall has one of the clearest, steepest character arcs I’ve read. Sam and her friends don’t start out sympathetic. In fact, they’re selfish and petty and mean, complete bitches, really. And Sam falls pretty darn far before she begins her slow, pothole-filled climb toward decency. But she does grow, and her growth is believable and enviable and absorbing. Even though the book didn’t end the way I thought it would, I felt satisfied and fulfilled and proud of Sam upon reading the last page.

So, in case I haven’t been clear enough about my love of Before I Fall, I recommend it up and down and all around, and I look forward to reading more of Lauren Oliver’s work.

Don’t forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are up to today:

Elana Johnson gushes about THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS
LiLa Roecker sings for VIRTUOSITY
Shelli Johannes-Wells praises books by Addison Moore
Rosemary Clement-Moore gets all wrapped up in WRAPPED
Jessi Kirby buzzes about VIRTUOSITY
Nikki Katz screams for LEGEND