Category: What I'm Reading

On the elusive “perfect” novel…

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I’m not sure there’s really such a thing as a “perfect” novel (all books can all be improved upon somehow, right?), but this weekend I read a story that was, in my opinion, about as close to perfection as one can get:


Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins was just SO FREAKING FABULOUS. I mean really… I found myself grinning like an idiot as I read, blown away by the awesomeness printed on every. Single. Page. I’m not going to go into a full review today (though one will surely come later!) because more than anything, Lola got me thinking about what makes a novel stand out as truly amazing.

Now, if you’re anything like me, you read several books in a month. The bulk of those might hover somewhere around GOOD (like, three or four stars on Goodreads). There are probably a few that STINK, or, just weren’t for you (the one or two star books). And, if you’re lucky, there might be one that separates itself from the pack. It’s that elusive five-star book that makes you laugh and cry and gasp and clench your fists in indignation and cheer for the characters as if you know them. It’s the book that makes you feel.

I think we can all agree that the perfect book is a careful combination and precarious balance of crucial literary elements, melded together in a seamless, harmonious way. A way that makes us care totally and completely about the future of the book’s characters. It’s those crucial elements, though, that are different for all of us. Some people are all about character development. Others, pacing. Some are looking for adventure, or gorgeous writing, or steamy romance, or a setting that sings. It’s the importance of each of these elements, and the way they’re merged, that makes some people swoon over Edward and Bella’s undying love, and others cringe in disgust.

It’s a very subjective thing.

For me, the crucial Big Five elements that play into MY perfect book are:

  • Relatable, likable main characters. These people need to sPaRkLe.
  • A believable, naturally progressing (read: HOT) romance.
  • Flawless, distinctly-styled writing with engaging, authentic dialogue.
  • A unique setting, so richly and beautifully described I want to go there. Or, so crazily terrifying it gives me nightmares.
  • The unexpected. Twists and turns that leave me reeling. My jaw needs to drop at least once.
If those Big Five are all there, skillfully blended, I’ve found a favorite. In fact, if my Big Five are strong enough, I can overlook other weaknesses. A slow pace, for example. Or a somewhat flat supporting character. Or a slightly unresolved ending. If my Big Five are present and accounted for, I’m going to care. I’m going to feel. I’m going to have an emotional experience, one I’ll always remember. I’m going to recommend that book up and down and all around. And I’m going to be a very happy reader. 

Books that are on my Favorites List because they so perfectly unify my Big Five: Gayle Forman’s If I Stay and Where She Went, Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Melina Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road, Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns, Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Franny Billingsley’s Chime, The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, The American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield, and Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. 

What are your must-have elements for an ideal reading experience? What books are on your personal “Perfect” List?

A few random-ish things…

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Ahh, the start of a new week… I’ve got a few random things to share on this lovely Monday morning:

Last night I watched Disney’s Prom. I’ve wanted to see it since I caught the trailer ages ago, but I don’t make it to a lot of movies and when I have “free” time at home, I’m usually writing or cleaning or reading. So…


I finally got to spend a full ninety minutes lost in high school melodrama. It was glorious. Honestly, I’m partial to any movie set in a high school (The Breakfast Club, Clueless, The Girl Next Door, Grease, and Ten Things I Hate About You are a few of my favorites), and Prom was fairly average high school fare. A little slow, a little fluffy, but still cute enough to hold my attention and leave me with a tiny crush on Jesse, the movie’s bad-boy-heartthrob and, in my opinion, a baby Johnny Depp.


Tracey Neithercott’s Fall Book Club has officially begun! Click HERE for the official stuff (don’t worry, it’s all easy). Wondering what we’re reading?


Ransom Rigg’s Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children. I started this weekend and yeah… absolutely loving it so far. I highly recommend you jump into the fun and join the Fall Book Club.

I’m revising again, this time with a heavy focus on pacing. I recently read James Scott Bell’s Plot and Structure (thanks for the recommendation, Jessi Kirby and Vickie Motter!) and it has been immensely helpful. Here’s what my copy looks like:


Sheesh. You’d think I’d never read a craft book! But there’s just something about James Scott Bell’s approach, his simple way of explaining what’s already trapped in the mind of any avid reader, that spoke to me. So, I highlighted the heck out of Plot and Structure, then drafted a revision plan that’s working miracles. Yippee!

Over the  last month I’ve become obsessed with this:


Best workout DVD ever. Seriously. I happily hop out of bed a half-hour early each morning to do it. I love Jillian Michaels’ no-nonsense approach. I love how I feel when I’m done. I love that my daughter now knows what “Down Dog” is. And the results! I’m seeing them! It’s so motivating!

And, finally, these photographs beg to be shared:


That’s my husband there on the left–you know, the deliciously handsome one :)–and that’s the Washington State University flag he and his buddy are raising in Afghanistan. Yep, our beloved Cougs are representing half-way around the world. Crazy to think about, right?

And one final, incredibly important thing: Happy birthday, Dad! Love you!

So, how was your weekend?

A Virtual Fall Book Club

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Guys! Friend, writer, and blogger Tracey Neithercott has come up with a brilliant idea: A virtual  fall book club! From today’s blog post:

 So here’s what I’m proposing. A three-month book club. Here’s how it’ll work: We’ll read one book a month for three months. You’ll have about a month to read each so no one feels rushed. At the end of the month, I’ll host a discussion of the book here, complete with comments like OMG THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I’VE EVER READ and SORRY, I FELL ASLEEP AT PAGE FIVE. Each of you can write about the book on your blogs, leaving a link on my post so readers can jump from blog to blog and see everyone’s different take on the book.

Awesome, right? She’s taking suggestions for the first book we’ll read, and we’ll vote to make the final selection in the near future. So, if you’re interested in participating, hop on over to Tracey’s blog and check out her Fall Book Club post!

(Can you tell from the abundance of exclamation points in the this post that I’m super excited about this idea?!)

Friday Fun: WIP Inspiration, What I’m Reading, and a (Twilight) Would you rather?

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Paper Hangover is a fantastic group blog offering writing tips and advice, book reviews, weekly blog topics, and teen interviews. I recommend you spend some time exploring the site–they have so much to offer!

Here’s today’s Friday Five prompt:


I’ve been talking about my story Where Poppies Bloom a lot lately (that might have something to do with the fact that I’ve been working on revising and editing it all summer), so I’m going to share five inspiring pictures from Cross My Heart, the manuscript I’ll hopefully be rewriting come fall. Cross My Heart is a contemporary YA romance with lots of friends-and-family drama, a main character I adore, and a love interest who’s obsessed with Classic Country music (also, he’s  hot-hot-hot!)…






How do images inspire your WIPs?

And my Friday Read: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer… I’m only about 50 pages in, but I’m already super engrossed and totally intrigued. This one’s not like anything I’ve read before and the back cover blurb (on my ARC, at least) doesn’t give much away.


Speaking of giving something away (!!!) I plan to give away my ARC of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer here on my blog in the coming days. Please do check back and enter to win!

What are you reading this weekend?

And, finally, an Edward-and-Alice-Cullen-inspired Would you rather? question to ponder as your weekend begins…


Would you rather be able to read everyone’s mind all the time or always know their future?

Tomorrow is my daughter’s Tangled birthday party, so think of me as I’m wrangling four-year-olds and flinging birthday cake. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 🙂

Ahh… Summer

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So, we’re most definitely in the throes of summer around here. Back in May I was kind of dreading this season, thinking it would drag on forever, what with the preschool break, my husband’s deployment, and the long daylight hours. In fact, so far it’s flown by, and I’ve been very busy.


There’s been lots of work–both revising (Where Poppies Bloom) and rewriting (Cross My Heart–you know you love my color-coding). I’m starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel in the revision department. The rewriting… not so much.


There’s also been lots of time spent with this little cutie pie. Holy cow does she keep me busy! (I’m currently staring at this picture and wondering when I started looking so OLD… Eek. Time to up the SPF, I think.)


My kiddo and I have spent lots of time exploring our lovely Puget Sound “beaches.” We’ve found crabs and broken seashells and pennies and bits of jelly fish. Sadly, there’s been no swimming.


Don’t worry though–when it gets too hot, we risk our lives on backyard toys like this.


In quieter times, I’m been prepping for a very Tangled 4th birthday bash. So far I’ve got the kingdom flags, hair flowers, invitations, and a costume fit for a Princess (there’s a tutu too!). If only I could wrap my head around food, activities, balloons and party favors.


I’m also trying to put a dent in this insanity. (Don’t judge. You know your To-Read pile is out of control.) It’s hard to make the piles shrink when I just keep buying books, but hey, I suppose as far as vices go, this one isn’t too terrible. Any recommendations on what I should read next?

There’s also been running, cleaning, library trips, play dates, baking (Death by Triple Chocolate Brownies–yum!), yard work, a local Peter Pan play, pedicures, and time with family… whew!

On Wednesday my kiddo and I are headed to Phoenix to visit my parents and bake ourselves to perfection at 110 degrees. Should be lots of fun! Unfortunately, my blogging will probably slow (or stop) during the next week, but I look forward to returning refreshed and rested. 🙂

How’s your summer shaping up? Any fun activities you want to tell me about?

Friday Five… CHIME

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I don’t usually do book “reviews” until my end of the month wrap-up, but I’m afraid Franny Billingsley’s Chime is just to amazing to hold off on. I’d heard bits and pieces about Chime on Twitter and a few book blogs, but I didn’t know a lot about it. Then I wandered into my local New & Used and the owner (who has excellent taste) recommended it. I wasn’t sure it was for me, but I took a leap of faith, bought it, read it, and LOVED it. So for today’s Friday Five, I present you with five reasons Chime is an exceptional novel.


1) Briony Larkin, main character extraordinaire. Briony is as imperfect as they come. She avoids creating emotional bonds with anyone and everyone who inhabits her strange little town of Swampsea. She freely admits to being angry, jealous, and prideful, and she makes no apologies for her behavior. It’s because of this that I totally and completely fell for her. She’s smart (or as she would say, clever), very quick-witted, and her inner monologue is introspective and at times utterly hilarious.

2) Eldric, romantic interest you’ll definitely fall for. Briony refers to him as a boy-man (he’s twenty-two!) and often compares him to a lion (tawny hair, “curling” smile). Eldric is a self-proclaimed bad-boy, but really he’s just a free spirit, creative and at times a little childish. But he’s so adorable with Briony, loyal and sweet and eager to please. Despite his somewhat questionable affections for another supporting character, you’ll be rooting for him and Briony until that first steamy kiss–and well after.

3) Rose, peculiar twin sister. I loved Rose. She has all sorts of odd little habits and her social interactions are certainly abnormal (I’m no doctor, but she seems to exhibit Asperger’s-like behavior), yet she’s steady, predictable, and totally likeable. There’s more to Rose than meets the eye. The further I read, the more fascinating I found her.

4) The language… Oooh, the language. Warning: Do Not Read Chime While Drafting. Or Revising. Or Even Editing. Read only on a writing mini-break or you will feel dreadfully inadequate.  Seriously… Franny Billingsley is a genius. She spins some of the most beautiful phrases, strings the simplest words into gorgeous sentences, paints vivid images that get in your head and stay there. Her descriptions are full and unique and perfect. The swamp, the characters, the magic, it all comes to life on the page.

5) The experience, one to be savored. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Chime isn’t for everyone. It’s a genre-blender (a little bit romantic, a little bit historical, a little bit fantastical, and a lot of just plain strange) and as a commercial kind of girl, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. Still I recommend you give it a go. Chime isn’t  a book you will breeze through, flipping pages quickly just to see what happens next. No, you will want to read Chime slowly, sinking into its swamps, soaking up its narrative. You will want to delight in its language, relish in its metaphors, and absorb its brilliance. For me, Chime wasn’t just a story; it was an experience, and I sort of want to read it again. Already.

Happy Friday! What are you reading this weekend?

Must read NOW…

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There are several new releases in the coming weeks that have me VERY excited. Hopefully this dreary Washington weather turns summery soon because I want to be outside under the sun with my beach towel and an icy drink, devouring these books*…


June 21, 2011 Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger. But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend’s arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become–her mark on this earth, her very existence–is in jeopardy of disappearing completely. Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny–no matter how dark the consequences. A gorgeous cover, an interesting spin on angels, and apparently ethereal and intensely romantic… yes, please!

July 19, 2011 For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions–it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment? Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true. Jennifer Echol’s Forget You is one of my favorite YA contemporaries. Fingers crossed that Love Story is just as fabulous!

July 12, 2011 In Maggie Stiefvater’s SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in. While I loved Shiver, I was slightly underwhelmed by Linger. Still, I’m super curious to see how this trilogy concludes.


July 12, 2011 Someone’s been a very bad zombie. Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe–not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She’s got to find an antidote–before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human. I am seriously in LOVE with this cover, and the story sounds like a fun, cheeky take on the zombie phenom… very cool.

July 21, 2011 Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren – a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi’s curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make: the life she’s always longed for – or the love she can’t live without? I’ve yet to read a really great mermaid book, but I’m hoping Ripple will change that. Love the dark, brooding cover and the sort of tragic feel of the blurb. 


August 1, 2011 Abby and Luke chat online. They’ve never met. But they are going to. Soon. Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn’t she care? Everyone tells her to “make an effort,” but why can’t she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she’s losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she’s his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn’t who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don’t, they’ll never see Abby again. Eek. Talk about a parent’s worst nightmare. Still, there’s nothing quite like a creepy disappearance story.

*All blurbs and publication dates courtesy of GoodReads.

I’m dying to know… what are the summer releases you can’t wait to read?

June: Contemporary YA Month

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The Contemps is one of my favorite YA group blogs. If you’ve never visited, please do. The published authors who post there are all about highlighting contemporary young adult literature, and they feature some fantastic books!

In an effort to give contemporary books the focus they deserve, The Contemps have declared June Contemporary YA Month! I, for one, LOVE this idea. My general To-Read pile is out-of-control, but my nightstand is especially packed with contemporary titles. To celebrate Contemporary YA Month, this June I’ve decided to read only… Contemporary YA!

Here’s what I’ve got:

The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti
Fall for Anything and Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
Caleb and Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (Finished this one yesterday. It was lovely.)
Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
After by Amy Efaw
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (Half-way through this now… not sure what genre it technically is, to be honest, but for lack of a better classification, I’m calling it Contemporary with a Wink.)
Teach Me by RA Nelson
The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal (Technically not young adult, but Jessica, Elizabeth and their and crazy Californian shenanigans? I’m pretty sure it’ll be reminiscent of YA.)


In more awesome book news: One of my other favorite group blogs, YA Highway, is celebrating two years in existence with a Huge ARC Giveaway! The girls are offering some much sought after titles–definitely worth checking out. Contest closes June 10th, midnight EST.

So, what are some of your favorite contemporary titles?And what contemporaries will you read for Contemporary YA Month?

Thankful Thursday – I Heart Goodreads

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Oasis for YA knows that the surest way to get good things in life is to be thankful for what you have.  So why not encourage a group thankful-fest once a week in which we all send out good energy and hope to get some back in return? Plus, participating in Thankful Thursday is a great way to connect with other writers.

Here are the rules:
1.  Do your own blog post on what you’re thankful for today.  It doesn’t have to be book or publishing related (but it can be!).
2.  Be sure to grab our badge and include it in your post.
3.  Post a link to your blog in the comments here so that others can find you.
4.  Go forth and share your gratitude!  (And when friending new blogs, be sure to let them know you found them because of their participation in the meme.)

This week I’m taking a moment to sing the praises of one of my very favorite social networking sites…

My sister-in-law introduced me to Goodreads about a year ago. I started an account, listed some books, and promptly forgot about the whole thing. Then, a few months ago, I discovered that there was a Goodreads app. I downloaded it and have checked in literally every day since then. I’ve organized my shelves and listed as many books as I can recall reading. While I don’t post reviews (I do write book recommendations here though!), I star books and my Read list has become a journal of sorts. My To-Read list has grown by leaps and bounds and is now a book shopping list that I carry with me and consult every time I set foot in a Borders. I check out my friends’ updates daily and often add their new additions to my To-Read list.

When I hit a bout of insomnia (which lately has happened more often than I care to admit) I often turn to Goodreads reviews. When I dislike a book, I quietly commiserate with the people who wrote unfavorable reviews, and when I really love a book, I have an inward celebration with those who left glowing reviews. I also sort of love reading (thoughtful) negative reviews of books I’ve enjoyed. I’ve found that I learn a lot from fresh, differing perspectives.

Yep, Goodreads makes me very happy. You can find my profile HERE. I’m always happy to make new book-loving friends. 🙂


So, what are you thankful for today?

Off the Shelf Update

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I’m making progress on my To-Read pile, thanks to this year’s Off the Shelf reading challenge. I started back in January, and while I’ve read several other books that aren’t on my Off the Shelf list, I’ve made some pretty good progress. Here’s where I am so far:

1. Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss
2. Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
3. Transgression by James W. Nichol
4. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
5. The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer
6. Teach Me by R.A. Nelson
7. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
8. The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond
9. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
10. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
11. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
12. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
13. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
14. Waiting for You by Susan Colasanti
15. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

So, are you surprised  the first to go were mostly YA books? I wonder why that is? 🙂