What’s Up Wednesday

September 18, 2013September 18, 201344 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. If you’re participating, make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, others can visit your post and check out what you’ve been up to.And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…

What I’m Reading: Over the weekend I read The Truth About You & Me by Amanda Grace (Mandy Hubbard) and I thought it was excellent. I’ll post more about my thoughts in tomorrow’s Bookanista recommendation. Yesterday I finished Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, which I loved more than I can adequately express. This book is everything I enjoy about contemporary YA/NA, with even more unfathomable amazingness heaped on top. These characters… they are my people. I adore them — Cath and Levi especially, but Reagan and Wren and Cath’s dad too. I’ll try to speak more coherently about this incredible novel in next week’s Bookanista recommendation. I just started reading My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi, and I’m already hooked. Can’t wait to see how it pans out!

What I’m Writing: Ugh… I’ve been a total writing loser this week. I turned in my revision, and then I slack-slack-slacked. I’ve been thinking about my WiP, and I’ve been reading some truly inspiring contemporary YA (see above), but I haven’t made actual word count progress. I promise to do better next week!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Well… Last week I tried to double a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies and, like a jackass, I accidentally quadrupled the sugar. Rather than starting over, I just went ahead and quadrupled the whole recipe. After hours of baking, I had, like, eleven dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies. My neighbors benefitted. (My waistline did not.)

Is there such a thing as too many cookies?

This girl had a busy week. An American Pride assembly, and a soccer game. Plus…

Nana is visiting!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: This fantastic post from Chuck Wendig: 25 Steps to Edit the Unmerciful Suck Out of Your Manuscript, which I’ve read, and bookmarked to read again once I’m ready to begin revising. Also, the beautiful views I’ve encountered during my morning runs over the last few days.

Tell me: What’s up with you today?

Debut Author Challenge :: CANARY

September 16, 2013September 16, 20139 Comments

Today’s 2013 Debut Author Challenge review is Canary by Rachele Alpine…

From Goodreads: Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone. Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete. But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. Although she knows she should speak out, her dad’s vehemently against it and so, like a canary sent into a mine to test toxicity levels and protect miners, Kate alone breathes the poisonous secrets to protect her dad and the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes. Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse, and has earned tons of fantastic author endorsements and complimentary reviews.

Such a beautiful cover, right? I like the story beneath it too. Canary is an issue book that deals with a lot of issues: death of a parent (Kate’s mom), athlete elitism (something I don’t see addressed often in YA), academic integrity at an upper-class private school, sexual assault, and anxiety over a military family member’s well-being (a topic that strikes particularly close to home for me).

Kate’s a great narrator. She’s a “normal girl” (for lack of a better term), and I had no trouble relating to her as a high schooler who’s trying to find her niche at a new school and in a new life. My favorite part of Canary are the blog posts — penned by Kate, and mostly in verse — sprinkled throughout the narrative. Kate’s online words are confessions, thoughtful and profound, and sometimes cheeky and clever. Check out a bit of this obviously sardonic “post,” about proper care and handling of a Beacon basketball player boyfriend…

“Maintain a happy attitude, even if you feel sad. Smile and laugh often. Let him know life is perfect for you when he’s around. Agree to what he wants to do, be where he wants to be, watch what he wants to watch, and become interested in the things that interest him. Remember constantly how lucky you are to have acquired a Beacon basketball player boyfriend.”

Another aspect of Canary I appreciate is Kate’s connection with her big brother, Brett. The push-and-pull of their authentic sibling relationship is incredibly well done, and I love the protective role he plays in Kate’s life, especially when it comes to her boyfriend Jack (who I’m still a little torn about). Brett is mature, and he’s often the voice of reason Kate herself sometimes lacks. He’s my favorite of all Canary‘s characters.

I recommend Canary for fans of serious, issue-based contemporary YA, books like Daisy Whitney’s Mockingbirds, and Chelsea Pitcher’s The S-Word.

Learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

Also, hop on over to YA Confidential to check out today’s From the Vault post. We want to know what you’d like to see more of in YA.

What’s the last debut novel you read?

What’s Up Wednesday

September 11, 2013September 11, 201336 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini, which was less like a novel, and more like a series of short stories about several loosely related people. It’s a beautifully written story about family and friendship, identity and loyalty, and while it was excellent, I didn’t love it *quite* as much as A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I’m currently reading Canary by Rachel Alpine, which I’ll review next week for Bookanistas and The Debut Author Challenge. Also, I’m in the middle of reading my CP Temre Beltz‘s middle grade manuscript (the one she wrote during Ready. Set. Write!), a tragic sort of story that’s so surreal and darkly funny and gorgeously written, it’s hard to put its awesomeness into words. I am a lucky CP!

What I’m Writing: I finished my “light” revision, and was reminded, yet again, that no revision is ever actually light. Funny how tweaking one tiny thread can wreak havoc on an entire story! But, it’s done, and it’s better, and I’m excited! Also, the story scored a cool new title — thank you for helping me brainstorm, Temre and Alison! So… want to read a bit of what I’ve been working on?

He stretches out next to me and I reach for him, trailing my hand up and down his forearm. He’s watching me, and his expression… It’s awed and disarming and adoring. No one’s ever looked at me the way he’s looking at me now, and for a moment I’m overwhelmed by the intense physicality of my feelings for him. I’ve heard love talked about a million times, in a million different ways, but I’ve never imagined it like this, a raw, all-consuming need.

“Thank you for today,” I say to him. “For everything.”

He smiles, his hand wandering over to rest on my stomach. His fingertips drift under my shirt and trace circles over my skin, slowly, higher and higher. His touch makes me shiver.

Like the gentleman he was raised to be, he stops. “I won’t push you.”

“You’re not.”

“Not yet,” he says with a wink.

Aww… I kind of love these characters. ♡

Now that my revised manuscript is in my agent’s hands, I get to dive back into the WiP I started working on during Ready. Set. Write! I’ve had some time to think it through, and I’m pretty sure I know where it needs to go. Back to drafting!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Getting ready for my parents to visit. My mom is coming on Saturday, and my dad is joining her later in the week. We haven’t seen them since April, and we’re looking forward to a great visit. Also, we’re gearing up for my girlie’s first soccer game. Should be fun!

Over the weekend, my husband and I had a rare date night. We went to The Inn at Spanish Bay (part of Pebble Beach) for drinks and to watch their famous bagpiper play during sunset. It was glorious! If you’re ever in the Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur area, check it out. We also had a leisurely dinner at a new restaurant, thanks to our awesome friends who offered to to let our kiddo play at their house for the evening. Such a treat!

We’ve been taking “family runs” lately, which basically consist of my husband and me trying to keep up with our daughter (on foot) while she flies down the waterfront trail on her bike for six miles. It’s quite a workout, and we often reward ourselves with donuts after. 🙂

What’s Inspiring Me Now: This quote from Alan Bennet (most recently shared by illustrator Simini Blocker in her review of Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl):

The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.”

Because, yes, I have had several such moments while reading, and they never fail to give me chills. As a writer, I long to have a similar impact on readers.

Tell me: What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

September 4, 2013September 3, 201330 Comments

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Exciting news! It’s time for Alison, Elodie, Erin, Jaime, and I to announce the winners of our “Fresh Perspective” Giveaway!

Five Ready. Set. Write! participants have been chosen at random to send the first ten (double-spaced) pages of their manuscript to my email address.
— katy(.)upperman(@)live(.)com [remove parentheses!] —
Alison, Elodie, Erin, Jaime, and I will divvy up the manuscripts, and each winner will receive a fresh perspective critique from one of us. Congratulations to…

Carrie-Anne Brownian
Prerna Pickett
Robin Moran
Liz Parker
Dawn Allen

Winners, please email your ten pages to the above email address by October 31.

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

What I’m Reading: I finished The Dream Thieves. Once again, Maggie Stiefvater has made me care about her characters in ways I never thought possible. I loved this book, and I am so excited to see where the series goes. Honestly, I cannot even imagine, but I trust Maggie to rock it. Book 3, please! Now, I’m reading And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. I’m only about seventy pages in, but I have high hopes. A Thousand Splendid Suns is one of my all-time favorite books, and I think Afghani culture and history are fascinating. So far, Mountain‘s characters are terribly damaged and flawed, and yet, I’m sympathetic. I love when an author makes that happen.

What I’m Writing: I wrote 4,295 words in my WiP over the last week, and crossed the 60K mark — yay! I also got through a challenging scene (all the feelings) and did some mental reassessing of where this thing’s going. Daunting, to say the least. I need a little time to really think on this manuscript, so I’m going to take a tiny break from it (like, a week) and work on the light revision I recently mentioned. So far, it’s been fun to revisit an “old” manuscript, one that’s all polished and pretty. Plus, the characters of this particular story are some of my favorites. So… hopefully the revision goes smoothly, and then this manuscript will be back in the hands of my awesome agent.

A less verbose writer would be done.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Same old! Spending time with my girlie, watching Breaking Bad with my husband, hanging out with neighborhood friends, running, cleaning, cooking, laundry. All kinds of glamorous stuff!

I baked two super yummy treats this week. First, Blueberry Almond Sugar Cookies, which were exceptionally easy (no need to chill the dough!) and incredibly tasty. My husband ate ten in one night — no joke! And second, Paula Deen’s Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, which was rich and dangerously delicious. Peanut butter and chocolate are pretty much the best combo ever.

This kiddo joined the Run Club at school. Running is one my favorite things to do, and it makes me really happy to know that my daughter is interested in it as well. The other day we ran a full mile together, and I was so proud of her!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Mapping Your Book to Ensure it Works, a post from Martina Boone at Adventures in YA Publishing that details a very cool revision technique that involves finding the “core” of your novel and relating each scene back to it. Also, a post from ExPress-O called Best Moments in Peoples’ Lives, in which she shares photographs prompted by a tweet from writer Richard Deitsch that asked: How many of you have a photograph of the single best moment of your life? If so, what a gift! Some of the resulting images made me a little teary! And finally, the string of beautiful weather we’ve been experiencing inspires me. In our part of the world, summer doesn’t really begin until September. The gorgeous days we’ve been having are well worth the wait.

What’s up with you this week?

August Reading Wrap-Up

September 1, 2013September 1, 201310 Comments

August: A busy month full of fantastic books. Here’s what I read…
(Book covers link to Goodreads pages!)

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson – I adored this story. It’s dark and magical and gorgeous, a fresh take on Neverland and Peter Pan. Though this is Tiger Lily’s tale, Tinkerbell narrates, which I thought was a brilliant choice on Jody Lynn Anderson’s part. I loved observing Tiger Lily’s relationships with Peter and Tick Tok and Pine Sap through Tink’s filter, and I loved how enamored Tink was with Tiger Lily’s fierceness and devotion. Lots of messy, complicated relationships, lots of swoon, and an ending that was so bittersweet I’m still thinking about it nearly a month later. *content sigh*

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – Amazing world-building and a totally unique concept, I liked Shadow and Bone even more than I’d anticipated. The Darkling is a complex and fascinating character, Alina grew to be a girl who was likable and strong, and Mal… well, he was just adorable. A big recommend if you’re a fantasy fan, or if you like books that have super high stakes and are full of surprises. I can’t wait to read Siege and Storm!

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley – Where I Belong is a cute (though slightly predictable) contemporary story about Corrinne, a rich city girl who, thanks to the recession and her laid-off daddy, is forced to leave NYC and move in with her grandparents, who live in a small Texas town. She meets people different from herself and has to reprioritize and decide who she really wants to be. Shenanigans and profound personal growth ensue.

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves – What I knew of On the Island‘s concept (Anna, thirty-year-old teacher, and T.J, sixteen-year-old cancer survivor, engage in a romantic relationship on a deserted island) worried me at first. But never fear — Anna and T.J. spend a long time on the island (years) and there’s a lot of maturing and growing and bonding that takes place before they ever consider each other anything more than survival buddies. Hard to believe, perhaps, but their eventual romance (which is legal and tasteful and pretty darn hot) is totally believeable. I was genuinely rooting for Anna and T.J. until the very last pages of their story. On the Island reminded me a bit of The Blue Lagoon, and the writing is excellent — sparse but emotional. Recommend!

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway – This one came with marvelous recommendations from some of my most trusted bookish friends. Everyone who loved it claimed it was super funny but, as a rule, I steer clear of “funny” books. I usually don’t end up finding them all that funny. But Audrey, Wait! is actually incredibly funny, and in a natural, subtle, awesome way. Plus, it’s got one of the best contemporary YA voices I’ve read. I totally want to be friends with Audrey, Victoria, James, and Jonah — they’re the coolest! My Bookanista Rec is HERE.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell – An enviably clever, amusing, and sensitive adult novel. I adored Lincoln, and I thought the dynamic between Jennifer and Beth was fantastically done, even though their relationship unfolds in nothing but a series of email conversations. This book only furthered my Rainbow Rowell fangirl status, and I can’t wait for her next release, Fangirl. I spoke more about Attachments and its stellar dialogue in this post.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson – We’re discussing this one for YA Book Club Tuesday, September 3rd, so I’m going to hold off on sharing my thoughts until then. For now, all I’ll say is… wow.

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater – This second book in The Raven Cycle cemented my love for this unique series and its characters. Gansey’s determination and loyalty make me smile, Ronan’s drifter’s soul breaks my heart, and Blue’s spunk and pluckiness are delightful. The intricate dynamic between characters (especially Gansey/Blue/Adam) awes me. I love, too, Maggie Stiefvater’s prose. It’s unmatchable in its loveliness, and made this story a true experience — I never thought I’d care about a dead Welsh king or illegal street racing. Also, there’s a scene toward the end of the novel that takes place at night, overlooking Henrietta, and it is glorious… You’ll know it when you read it. 🙂

Tell me… What’s the best book you read in August?

What’s Up Wednesday

August 28, 2013August 27, 201359 Comments

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Can you believe Ready. Set. Write! is over?! *sob* Not that I’m going to stop goal-setting and writing and participating in What’s Up Wednesday, but still… Our fantastic summer writing intensive is all said and done!

My fabulous co-hosts and I would like to thank you for participating and celebrate your success by offering critiques. Of course, we don’t presume to be experts, but we do know how helpful it can be to get a fresh perspective on our writing. So… Erin, Jaime, Elodie, Alison, and I are offering feedback on the first ten pages of five Ready. Set. Write! participants’ stories. That’s FIVE critique giveaways! All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below…
(Giveaway is international. Open to those who participated in Ready. Set. Write!)

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Best of luck!

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

What I’m Reading: I finished Morgan Matson’s Second Chance Summer. While the writing was lovely and the characters were well-drawn and likeable, this was a tough story to get through. The inevitableness of a tragic event is made clear early on, and the entire book is a journey to a heartbreaking conclusion. Yet, there’s a sense of hopefulness that keeps it from from becoming unbearably sad. More next week for YA Book Club. Now, I’m reading The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater, which is predictably awesome and packed with beautiful prose. Big thanks to Krispy, who generously loaned me her ARC!

What I’m Writing: Guys, I’m busting through my WiP. I wrote 6,831 words this week, and I think most of them are good words — yay! Since Ready. Set. Write! began a few months ago, I’ve written just short of 50K words, a number I’m thrilled with. The other day I completed what I’m pretty sure is the strongest, most emotionally charged scene I’ve ever written. We’ll see what my CPs have to say down the line, but for now I’m feeling encouraged and successful and really excited about my writing. I’m rolling with it.

Daisy is excited too.

In addition to working on my WiP, I started revising another project I’ve been working on off-and-on for the last couple of years. There are a few issues with the conflict and, with the help of my super savvy agent, I’m going to solve them. In an effort to assess the story’s pacing and reacquaint myself with its structure, I put the Plot Dot Test to use. I love visual aides (and graph paper!).

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Other than reading and writing, I’ve mostly been spending time with my girl, which is sort of funny since she’s in school almost all day now. Quality over quantity, I suppose. We’ve been making the most of our afternoons and weekends, reading books, doing art projects, having special breakfasts, and going on girls-only shopping trips. It’s been fantastic!

Perfect morning beach walk with my favorite girlie. We love California!

The start of a new soccer season. Coordinating practice uniforms are important.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: I recently rediscovered Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb while watching my boy Leo in The Departed (love that movie!). Even though this song isn’t country, its tone and lyrics fit my WiP extraordinarily well. Plus, it’s really chill writing music. I’ve been listening to it on loop.

Also, from blogger/mama/Aussie/super creative person Chantelle (AKA FatMumSlim), a very cool compilation of “what to blog about” ideas. A great list to check out next time you’re in a bit of a blogging rut.

So, tell me… What’s up with you this week?

Bookanista Rec :: OCD Love Story

August 8, 2013August 7, 20133 Comments

I’m thrilled to recommend one of my favorite 2013 debuts:
OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas )

From Goodreads: When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he’s her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again. But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can’t stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic… and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a lot about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she’s obsessed. Bea tells herself she’s got it all under control. But this isn’t a choice, it’s a compulsion. The truth is, she’s breaking down…and she might end up breaking her own heart.

OCD Love Story is one of those rare “issue books” that doesn’t make you feel like you’re reading an issue book. It’s got so much personality and style, so many unique and interesting characters, it reads like an incredibly thoughtful and entertaining contemporary YA story — which is exactly what it is.

One of OCD Love Story‘s greatest strengths is its voice. The story feels authentically teen without ever trying too hard. Bea’s narration is spunky and seamless, so frank it made me squeamish at times (she admits she’s got no filter when it comes to saying what’s on her mind–it’s one of the things she works on in therapy). Mental illness is an uncomfortable, complex, messy topic, and Bea does some truly scary things, but she speaks about her disorder (and her life) with such disarming honesty, she’s an easy character to empathize with. While I didn’t necessarily like all of Bea’s choices, I always liked her, and I was rooting for her to come to terms with her OCD every step of the way.

Bea’s love interest, Beck, is as absorbing as Bea herself. At first, his OCD seems less severe than Bea’s, but as the story progresses, Beck’s obsessions and compulsions became clear and alarming. His reason for behaving the way he does is sincerely heartbreaking, and mostly I just wanted to give him a big hug. That said, I often found myself wondering if he was really a good match for Bea, or if they were set on a path of mutual destruction. The way Corey Ann Haydu handles their developing romance is clever and compelling, and I was incredibly impressed with how the story wrapped up.

Don’t let OCD Love Story‘s cheery yellow-and-pink cover mislead you; it is a heavy book about teens dealing with a sometimes debilitating mental illness, and there are some truly cringeworthy moments within its pages. But there are also moments of humor and friendship and a sweet, sweet romance, making OCD Love Story one of my favorite debuts of 2013.

Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

Lenore Appelhans adores IN THE AFTER by Demitria Lunetta

Jessica Love raves about GOLDEN by Jessi Kirby

Tracey Neithercott is wowed by A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES by Rachel Harris

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

July Reading Wrap-Up

August 1, 2013July 31, 201314 Comments

I feel like it’s been ages since I read some of these…
July was a loooong month!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood – Paranormal romance is not normally my thing and witch stories, especially, don’t usually hold my interest. That said, I absolutely adore Born Wicked. Jessica Spotswood writes beautifully and even though her story has a historical setting, her protagonist, Cate, is no delicate flower. She’s smart and strong and determined — I love her. Also, I’d heard a lot about the steamy kisses in this book. They do NOT disappoint. Born Wicked‘s ending was a heartbreaker. I can’t wait to read its follow-up, Star Cursed.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo – My heart broke a thousand times while reading this gorgeous middle grade story, and the final pages gave me chills. Edward Tulane‘s themes of giving and accepting love are relayed with such nuance, and main character Edward, a ceramic rabbit who likes fine clothing (YES), is incredibly compelling. This book’s chapters are short and its language is unembellished, but the story is so profound. If you’ve got kiddos, I highly recommend reading Edward Tulane with them.

Dare You To by Katie McGarry – Pretty much what I expected. Entertaining, sexy, and full of drama. I like a dual narration in romance novels, and Katie McGarry pulls of both Beth’s and Ryan’s voices fantastically. If you’re a fan of Pushing the Limits, you’ll like Dare You To. Noah and Echo even make a few appearances!

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin – The Westing Game was an entertaining middle grade read. The characters were interesting and the mystery was cool, but the story didn’t have the emotional impact necessary for me to fall truly in love with it. My full YA Book Club post is HERE.

The House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods by Matt Bell – This is a strange novel. It’s very literary — beautifully written, but unconventional. The story centers around a husband and wife who live in seclusion and struggle through some intense (and graphically described) fertility issues. Their marriage is a trip — I was never quite sure what was real and what was conjured by the damaged imaginations of the characters. If you like a book that’s different and dark and surreal, The House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods might be the story for you.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken – Yowza… This book was a wild ride. It’s a dark dystopian thriller with tons of twists and turns, and a core group of four characters who I came to truly adore. Chubs, especially, won my love, and Liam is a total heartthrob. The Darkest Minds is a complex book with heavy themes and heavy moments. It left me with plenty of questions, most of which will hopefully be answered in the next installment of this trilogy, Never Fade.

All I Need by Susane Colasanti – This book came at just the right time — I was looking for something airy and beachy and romantic, and All I Need is those things and more. It’s a fast read, dual narration, and very sweet. It reminded me a bit of Judy Blume’s Forever… in its earnestness and portrayal of two real teens just trying to make their love work. Check it out of you’re looking for a contemporary YA to set the tone for your summer.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys – I love this book so, so much. Main character Josie’s life is brutal, but she experiences moments of such sincere beauty. Out of the Easy is layered with a cast of fantastically riveting characters, and its setting (gritty 1950 New Orleans) is enchanting. I urge you to pick this one up if you’re looking for a historical novel that’s equal parts mesmerizing and affecting.

OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu – More on this book next week in a pending Bookanista/Debut Author Challenge post, but for now I’ll just say that OCD Love Story is outstanding — one of my favorite debuts of the year. The voice is contemporary YA perfection. Main character Bea’s struggle with OCD is gripping and distressing, yet she possesses an irresistible quirkiness that makes her a narrator you’ll want to befriend. A big ol’ recommend!

Tell me: What’s the best book you read in July?

What’s Up Wednesday

July 31, 2013July 30, 201350 Comments

{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: Over the weekend I read OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu. Don’t let the cheery yellow-and-pink cover mislead you; OCD Love Story is a heavy book about teens dealing with sometimes debilitating mental illness, and there are some cringeworthy moments. But there are also moments of humor and a sweet, sweet romance, making this an issue book that doesn’t feel like an issue book. Now, I’m reading Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, which is dark and magical and gorgeous, and I am loving every minute of it.

What I’m Writing: Bleh. I’m mad at my WiP. It’s being uncooperative and troublesome. My goal for last week was to read through the first 35K and revise it according to some changes I’m making to backstory/character motivations. I got a good chunk of it done, but I didn’t finish completely. Boo. The sections I have revised are much improved, though, and I am making progress, but it’s slooooow progress. My goal for this week is to keep plugging away. I WILL finish my read-through/pre-revision, and I’d like to write at least one new scene. That said, my daughter’s birthday party is Friday, her official birthday is Saturday(!), and we’ve got a date with friends at the water park on Sunday. It’s going to be a busy weekend, but I’m going to do my very best to make time for my WiP.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Mostly, I’ve been gearing up for my girl’s sixth birthday. She wants a rocker-girl theme, a guitar cake, a piñata, and lots of music. So, that’s what we’re doing. I’ll share pictures next week. 🙂

Last week’s Kenny Chesney concert was AMAZING. He’s such a dynamic performer, and he played all of my favorite songs — I was so happy! John Mayer made a surprise appearance and spent some time jamming with Kenny on stage. So cool! The party bus was also predictably awesome, and we had a fantastic time with our friends. I was beside myself with glee the whole night. 🙂

I also tried a new cookie recipe… Total win. Peanut butter and chocolate are pretty much the best combination ever, and when paired with a frosty bottle of Well’s Banana Bread Beer (YES), well, that’s pretty much culinary nirvana. (I used this cookie recipe, but instead of peanuts, I used peanut butter chips. Yum.)

What’s Inspiring Me Now: My daughter, who met her summer reading goal a few weeks before school started. I’m so proud of what an excellent reader she’s become. Her love of books thrills me.

Tell me… What’s up with you?

Bookanista Rec :: WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE

July 11, 2013July 10, 20138 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller (Sept. 24, 2013)

From Goodreads – Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She’s never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love–even with someone who seems an improbable choice–is more than just a possibility. Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

So… This book is a challenge to critically evaluate because, for me, it read as pretty much perfect. A total Katy Book. I only have raving, fangirl-ish things to say about it — I loved Where the Stars Still Shine SO MUCH. It saddens me that I read it in the form of a graciously-loaned ARC because when I was done, I had to return it. I can’t admire its pretty spine on my shelf, and I can’t flip back through the novel to revisit my favorite parts (mostly involving Alex).

I cannot wait to own a copy of Where the Stars Still Shine come September.

Callie is my favorite sort of main character. She’s scarred and angry and confused — fate has dealt her an awful hand — yet she’s got a relatively mature perspective on life. She isn’t hateful to people who try to help, and she doesn’t let bitterness drag her down. Even though she makes mistakes, it’s exhilarating and gratifying to watch her grow into her new way of life. I was rooting for her every step of the way. I want to be Callie’s friend.

The cast of characters Callie finds in Tarpon Springs (a fantastic Florida setting I want to visit) give this story depth and vibrancy. Think My Big, Fat Greek Wedding, but with far less kitsch. Callie’s father, Greg, is incredible — understanding and kind and patient. Her cousin/new BFF, Kat, lightens the mood and keeps Callie honest. And Alex… Oh, Alex. How I adore him. As far as 2013 books go, he is far and away my favorite book boy (man? he’s nearly twenty-two…). In fact, Alex ranks right up there with Jonah and Cricket and Perry on my Swoonworthy YA Guys list. I totally understand why Callie took risks to be with him.

Trish Doller writes so beautifully, so naturally. Her weaving of Callie’s current challenges with (often troubling) anecdotes from the past felt seamless. The highs and the lows, the happy and the sad, the loving and the loathing — the novel was a complete emotional journey. It left me with a sense of hope that, at times, I wasn’t sure would come. I think Something Like Normal is an amazing story, but Where the Stars Still Shine is my new favorite Trish Doller novel.

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