Category: Great Books

Friday Five – Summertime Edition

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1 – First, I have to rave about Jenny Han’s Summer series, of which the first two books I devoured in about 48 hours total. Amazing, amazing, amazing… and an extra amazing because I got to read them under the sun with my feet in my daughter’s kiddie pool!

 

Seriously, they’re the kind of books you read that make you want to quit writing because they are so beautiful and emotional, but simple and without airs, too. You want to BE the main character, because she’s adorable and has two awesome boys who love her. But at the same time, you’re glad you aren’t her, because she’s flawed and has impossible decisions to make. I can’t stop thinking about the characters and their love triangle that has no good outcome; I have a feeling that at least one of those characters I love is going to be left heartbroken.

2 – I’ve been listening to Kenny Chesney A LOT lately. He’s just so fabulous and has the very best summertime mood music… here’s my favorite:   

3 – Summer means a new season of one of my very favorite shows, Project Runway! I think Heidi Klum is so darn fabulous, I love the eccentric cast of designers they always seem to find, and Tim Gunn is my hero! Plus, the challenges are always so imaginative and fun. If you’ve never watched, I highly recommend giving it a shot. Lifetime, 9pm, Thursdays.

4 – Not a huge Zac Efron fan, but I’m dying to see the movie Charlie St. Cloud. From what I’ve seen, this movie looks like the perfect mix of romance, action, and emotion, all mixed up with a bit of a ghost story. Plus, when Zac Efron cries in the trailer, those big blue eyes all filled with tears, my heart just about breaks. Something about a guy torn up by the death of a family member really pulls at my heartstrings.  

5 – I think I’m ready for a new WIP! I need something to take my mind of the querying process, and what better than to dive head first into a new project? I think of it sort of like a rebound boyfriend after a bad break-up… I need something new to distract me and keep me busy while I work on distancing myself from the project that previously consumed me. So… my new WIP’s going to be set in the summer time, at a place sort of like this:

And I’m trying to weasel my husband into taking a trip (strictly for research 🙂 ) here:

And while we’re at it, I’ve been inspired by this too:

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer! 🙂

Odds and Ends

Here’s my To-Read pile:

Here’s what I picked up today:

Seriously. I think I have a problem. Surely there must be a 12 Step program for people like me: people who buy books compulsively even though they have plenty to read. But really, I couldn’t pass these up. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a contemporary YA romance, probably because I’ve been heavily immersed in writing my own, but now that I’m in the final edits stage, I feel my favorite genre calling me back. Still, I’m going to start with Faithful by Janet Fox, a historical YA romance. Honestly, I totally judge a book by its cover and this one is gorgeous.    

In other news, last night I stayed up super late finishing Catching Fire. Oh my gosh, that book is amazing. I had a hard time falling asleep after. I was on total emotional overload thanks to the insane cliffhanger ending. Thank goodness I don’t have to wait long for Mockingjay because I can’t stop thinking about Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. And speaking of my new favorite love triangle, how talented is Suzanne Collins? To create these two possible love interests for Katniss, both of who are completely wonderful in their own very distinct ways, and to give her a logical and compelling reason NOT to pick one or the other… Really. These books blow my mind. How will Katniss ever choose?

And finally, I sent queries to three highly respected agents last week, my first round of queries for WIP! Two agents I’ve yet to hear from, but one requested a partial! I’m thrilled! First, because it would be nothing short of amazing to work with this particular agent and her agency, and second, because I have some confidence in my query now! Who knows how things will pan out, but I’m definitely praying she’ll love it and ask to see more. Stay tuned… 🙂       

Hooks & The Hunger Games

**There are mild spoilers in this post. If you haven’t read The Hunger Games and don’t wish to have the book spoiled, you might want to stop reading here.**

This morning I started reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I don’t read much dystopian, but I’ve heard the hype about this almost-trilogy and had to see what it’s all about. I’m currently about halfway through and completely blown away. Ms. Collins has created a world that’s unique—brutal, disturbing, vivid, frightening, and totally fascinating. Her imagery (setting, food, clothing, etc…) is colorfully stunning. Her descriptions of fear, betrayal, pride, and love are spot-on and pull at all the right strings. Her weaving of back story throughout the novel is seamless.

What I love most, though—what’s stuck out among all of Ms. Collin’s literary talents—are her end-of-chapter hooks.

Three different times today I’ve been reading along and thought I’ll stop at the end of this chapter and get something productive done. On all three of those occasions, I’ve reached the end of the chapter, gasped with surprise, and flipped the page filled with anticipation and (usually) dread. The first time it happened: the end of Chapter One, at the reaping when Primrose Everdeen is called forward to participate in the Hunger Games. The second: the end of Chapter Nine when Peeta declares his love for Katniss at the pre-Game interviews. The third: the end of Chapter Eleven when Katniss realizes that Peeta has joined up with the Career tributes. Each time I’ve read on, gripped with anxiety, dying to find out what happens next, all the while shaking my head in awe at how successful Ms. Collin has been at writing a literal page turner.

Now, I’m inspired to go through WIP and ensure that I’ve got amazing end-of-chapter hooks of my own. Isn’t it incredible how with each book you read (good, bad, or otherwise) you absorb something new?

Friday Five

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 Five Up and Coming YA Books I Can’t Wait to Read! (And look – three are debuts!)

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer (June 5, 2010 – Tomorrow!)… Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Okay, I’m definitely not the world’s biggest Twihard, but I’ve read the series and seen the movies and think the whole phenomenon is pretty cool. I find this book, a snap shot of one of Eclipse’s minor characters, especially intriguing. I’m interested to see what Stephenie will do without the romance aspect to fall back on.

 Linger by Maggie Stiefvater (July 20, 2010)… In Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love — the light and the dark, the warm and the cold — in a way you will never forget.

When I read Shiver last fall, I was totally and completely sucked in. Sure, I’ve read a million variants on Sam and Grace in YA romance, but there was something about their connection that I was totally able to buy into. Plus, the werewolf mythology is unique and actually sort of believable. I can’t wait to see where Maggie takes her series.

The DUFF: (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger (September 7, 2010)… Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “Duffy,” she throws her Coke in his face. But things aren’t so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

I have to admit, the second I saw this cover—before I even knew what a DUFF was—I totally wanted to read this book. The bubble gum, the green eyeshadow, and the super bold title—jthey all caught my eye in a way that said READ ME. Now that I’ve learned the basic plot and read about Kody Keplinger’s enviable published-teen back story, I’m more than sold.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (September 21, 2010)… Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours. But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal.

I like this new spin on paranormal. Plus, the cover is beautiful and Kiersten writes a kick-ass blog that I follow faithfully. She’s so likeable (not to mention honest and thoughtful and helpful), I can’t help but be convinced that Evie will be equally awesome.  

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (November 2, 2010)… Some schools have honor codes. Others have handbooks. Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds. Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way–the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds–a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers. In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl’s struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone–especially yourself–you fight for it.

I love books set in boarding schools (Prep, Harry Potter (duh!) and Looking for Alaska are some of my favorites), so The Mockingbirds immediately earned points there. This book sounds dark and serious and hard to put down. I love Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (from which this book seems to draw some inspiration). If The Mockingbirds is half as good, I’ll be a very satisfied reader.  

**All book blurbs were taken from Amazon.com.

Friday Five: What’s hot today…

ONE ~ I’m going to see Tim McGraw perform tonight! I can’t express how excited I am about this concert; I’ve wanted to see him perform for years. The icing on the cake: Lady Antebellum is opening! I’ve already gushed about how much I love them HERE. The cherry on top of the icing on the cake: My husband and I are spending a childless night together in Seattle. Hoping to relive my college days. 🙂

TWO ~ I started reading Ken Follett’s World Without End this morning. It’s been awhile since I read an “adult” book, but I’m a big fan of the epically fascinating Pillars of the Earth, and World Without End is a follow-up of sorts. It takes place in the 1300s and even though I’m only on page seven, I’ve already read about a thieving eight-year-old girl and her father, whose hand was chopped off because of his own stealing. What’s not to like?

THREE ~ I have a new nephew! Gabriel was born May 19th and weighed in at 8 pounds, 5 ounces. My husband, daughter and I are making the ten-hour drive to Mountain Home, Idaho (you’re jealous, I know!) next weekend to visit the little munchkin. Look at those chubby cheeks!

FOUR ~ I’m obsessed with Savvy Authors. If you haven’t checked it out, you need to. Right now. There are too many features to name here, but I’ll try to list a few: workshops, word count/page number trackers, pitch fests, forums, chat rooms, expert resources, critique groups, agent listings, an auto critter… seriously. It’s an amazing resource with supportive and generous people. There’s a $30 a year membership fee to access all the good stuff, but I assure you, it’s well worth the money!

FIVE ~ One of my all time favorite TV shows is Sex and the City. I’ve seen every episode at least once and the movie more times than I care to admit. If you’ve never watched it (and aren’t easily offended), I definitely recommend it. Rent season one at Blockbuster or from Netflix and I promise you’ll be hooked. The movie’s sequel comes out May 27th and I’ll be there (with my mom, SATC’s second biggest fan!) to see it. Can’t wait to be reunited with Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda! **Plus, did you hear Aidan’s back?!

Can’t Wait For…

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Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver follow up: Linger! I adore Sam and Grace and I’m dying to know what happens next in their story, plus, it seems that there are new narrators in Linger and that makes me very curious. I’ll be hibernating the day this book comes out… don’t call me! Maggie created a beautiful stop-motion trailer for Linger… View it below! 

Friday Five

So, I’m planning to make my Friday Five a regular feature. Today… five things that are making me very happy this week! 

Number One: My husband and I, after years of hemming and hawing, finally signed up for Netflix! Full of excitment, I packed our queue full of new releases and TV series we’ve never seen. Since I’m a newbie, said queue was a complete cluster with zero organization, though I didn’t know any better. When we got our first DVD delivery on Saturday I was all kinds of excited, until I saw that we’d received Six Feet Under SEASON TWO, discs one and two. Yeah, seeing as how neither my husband nor I have seen Season One, we didn’t want to start with Season Two. So, feeling like a bit of an idiot, I sealed those discs right back into their convenient little envelops and tucked them into the mailbox on Monday, then immediately organized our queue. Imagine my surprise and delight when on Wednesday (a mere two days later!) Six Feet Under Season One, discs one and two arrived! Talk about quick turnaround! So, I’m a satisfied and happy customer and an official Netflix convert.
**In case you’re wondering, Six Feet Under is kind of awesome… I highly recommend it if you haven’t see it! 

How has it take me so long to jump on this bandwagon?!

 Number Two: I’ve read two amazing and completely different books this week – 

 

And 

 

Click on the covers to visit the authors’ websites to learn more. Next on my reading list? An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. 

Number Three: The new season of Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey starts Monday! I’m a total Bravo junkie and will watch pretty much whatever they air, but RHONJ happens to be one of my all time favorites. If you didn’t see Teresa’s table flipping fiasco last season, you must YouTube it immediately. Seriously, these women are so completely over the top, but there’s something about them (with the exception of Danielle, I think) that’s genuine and intriguing and oddly endearing. If Dina, Caroline, Teresa, and Jacqueline lived in my neck of the woods, I’d totally want them as friends!   

 

  Number Four: Tomorrow night I get to go see him: 

 

 

Jason Aldean

Sing about:

 

Big Green Tractors

And them: 

 

Brooks and Dunn

  Sing about:

 

Red Dirt Roads

 I’m just a little excited!

 Number Five: Last, but certainly not least, my precious girl who makes me happy every day of the week. After receiving a form rejection email yesterday, I told her I was feeling a little sad. She replied, “That’s okay, Princess Mommy. I still ‘lub’ you.” How could I possibly stay in my I’m-the-world’s-biggest-failure funk after something like that?  

 
 

Isn't she the cutest?!

 

 

 

 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I read If I Stay months ago and fell completely in love with it. It’s a simple and beautifully told story about first love, family, and profound choices.It’s also one of the few books that have made me cry, and I’m not talking about a few pretty tears; by the end I was fully and embarrassingly sobbing. Here’s the publisher’s blurb, incase you’re unfamiliar:

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces – to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, Mia’s story will stay with you for a long, long time. 

Here’s an interview: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3859-Hartford-Books-Examiner~y2010m4d22-If-I-Stay with Gayle Forman in which she discusses If I Stay, the movie adaptation, comparisons to Twilight and The Lovely Bones and the role of music in the book. Definitely worth checking out if you’re already a fan, or if your curious to learn more!