Friday Five - 8.3.12

Fridays are always a good day to ease back into blogging. Here's my five:

• I watched a recording of The Daily Show this morning and got giddy excited when I saw a clip of Jackson Pearce's vlog made it onto the show (look for her around a minute into the clip). Yay book nerds!
• I can officially say that I've lose all remnants of Olympic fever. This can be attributed to the billions of spoilers I've encountered on every media outlet. I already stopped going on twitter, but it's almost impossible to avoid it. Ugh.
• I only finished 3 books in July. The good news is that they were all pretty good!
• Those books were: Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, Insurgent by Veronica Roth and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.
• In case you missed it, there was a Doctor Who trailer released yesterday. What are you waiting for? Go watch it! In the event you don't watch Doctor Who, you should really remedy that. The entire series reboot is available via netflix.

BONUS: You can watch the full Jackson Pearce video by clicking here.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Book Review: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

You know, I'm really starting to enjoy Sarah Dessen. So much so, that I think I'm going to go back and read her entire collection. My favorite thing about her books is how she takes one person's crisis and and shows how everyone around that person is experiencing something similar. This is exactly the case in Just Listen. For those of you who haven't read it yet, here is a short summary that I got from goodreads:

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything"—at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Here are three things I loved about the book:

1. Annabel wasn't perfect. While I was reading about how Sophia and Annabel became friends, I questioned some of the things Annabel did to win her good graces. Even though these things weren't necessarily "right", it made sense. Like a lot of teens, Annabel just wants to fit in, be popular, and not be left in the dust. Sometimes those ambitions can really cloud your judgement.
2. Even though she did these bad things, I felt terrible during Annabel's shunning. Deep down, I knew Annabel meant well. By the end I was rooting for her so hard.
3. The secondary plots. The relationship between Annabel and her sisters was interesting to explore. On the one hand you have bubbly Kirsten, and in miserable, brooding Whitney, the complete opposite.

Overall, this was an excellent story that I could see myself re-reading. If you've read other Sarah Dessen books and liked them, this one will not disappoint.

Have you read this book? Tell me what you thought!

RELATED LINKS

• Read what Sarah has to say about Just Listen on her website.
• Buy the book: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | IndieBound

Ultraviolet - R.J. Anderson

Sixteen-year-old Alison wakes up in a mental institution. As she pieces her memory back together, she realizes she’s confessed to murdering Tori Beaugrand, the most perfect girl at school. But the case is a mystery. Tori's body has not been found, and Alison can't explain what happened. One minute she was fighting with Tori. The next moment Tori disintegrated—into nothing. But that's impossible. No one is capable of making someone vanish. Right? Alison must be losing her mind—like her mother always feared she would.

The tagline alone is what interested me in the book: "Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story. Unless you count the part where I killed her." I mean, how can you resist with a line like that?

Thankfully, the rest of the book did not disappoint. Alison was an interesting character and meets some even more dynamic characters during her stay at the mental hospital. My favorite of those being Micheline because there is way more to her than meets the eye.

As far as plot goes, the story moved along at a pretty nice pace. The ending completely threw me for a loop. Just when I thought one thing, early plot elements that I thought were throwaway details came into play. I never in a million years expected the book to end the way it did. Bravo, R.J. Anderson, for completely throwing me off track.

If you like books set in the real world with paranormal twists, you will enjoy Ultraviolet.

RELATED LINKS

• Buy the book: Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble
  
• Get in touch with R.J. Anderson: Twitter | website
  
• Add Ultraviolet to your goodreads shelf.
  

Operation: Clear my Currently Reading Shelf

Last night I finished Possession by Elana Johnson. It was only 9:30 when I read the final page, so I thought, "Oh, I'll start another book." Then I realized something. I am currently in the middle of reading five other books.

So I decided I'm not starting any new books until I finish the other ones. What's on the list, you ask?

• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
  
• I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak
  
• Bossypants by Tina Fey
  
• The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
  
• Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Brown and Dave King

My plan is to tackle the ones I've been "reading" for a few months. First up will be Maze of Bones and Self Editing for Fiction Writers. I started both of those in January (eek!). Next will be Bossypants and The Name of the Wind. Then I am The Messenger. Hopefully I can get this all done before my vacation so I can start Operation: Clear my To Be Read Shelf. That's a whole issue in itself.

What's coming up on the reading front for you? Do you have a problem like me?

Friday Reads - Mini Reviews!

Since I haven't finished a book in quite a long time, I thought I'd at least pop in and give an update on what I'm trying to finish.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
I adored Suite Scarlett when I read it last year, and this one is quickly becoming another favorite. I can't wait to finish so I can pick up The Last Little Blue Envelope. Maybe I will even make the hour drive out to Fairless Hills for her signing on June 11.

• Author Info: Website | Blog | Twitter
  
• Buy it: Amazon, Free Kindle Version (limited time) , Borders, IndieBound
  
• Add it to Goodreads

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss This one comes highly recommended from my online book club. I'm enjoying it, but slogging through. I have the paperback and it's rather large, so I only read it before bed. I'm getting a mystical, magical Harry Potter vibe from it, even though it's more serious.

• Author info: Website | Blog | Twitter
  
• Buy the book: Amazon | Borders | Indiebound
  
• Add it to Goodreads
  

I'll also be starting Clarity sometime soon so I can mail it to the next person waiting for it. Very excited for this one! What are you reading this weekend?

Upcoming Releases: Quarter 2 2011

I can't believe it! We're already into the second quarter of 2011. With such an awesome first quarter release, is it possible to follow that up? You bet!



Here are some of the books I'm looking forward to in the next three months:

This Girl is Different by JJ Johnson.
Release Date: April 1, 2011
Summary: This girl is different… That’s what Evie has always told herself—and it’s true. Home-schooled by her counter culture mom, she’s decided to see what high school is like for the first time—for her senior year. And what a year it is.
Goodreads | Amazon| Author Website

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder.
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Summary: At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her. For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity. But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?
Goodreads | Amazon| Author Website

Red Glove by Holly Black.
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Summary: Not posted because it will spoil White Cat.
Goodreads | Amazon| Author Website

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter.
Release Date: April 18, 2011
Summary: It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall. When Henry (aka Hades, god of the underworld) offers Kate the chace to keep her mother alive, she's sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.
Goodreads | Amazon| Author Website

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird.
Release Date: April 18, 2011
Summary: In seventeenth-century Scotland, saying the wrong thing can lead to banishment—or worse. Accused of being a witch, sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair is sentenced to be hanged. She escapes, but instead of finding shelter with her principled, patriotic uncle, she brings disaster to his door. Betrayed by one of her own accusers, Maggie must try to save her uncle and his family from the king’s men, even if she has to risk her own life in the process.
Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website

Bumped by Megan McCafferty.
Release Date: May 1, 2011
Summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.
Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website

Divergent by Veronica Roth.
Release Date: May 1, 2011
Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen.
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Summary: Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean's become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean's ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?
Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website

Possession by Elana Johnson.
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Summary: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.
Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website

Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma.
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Summary: Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby. When Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.
Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website

What are you looking forward to in April, May and June??

When is a Kiss More Than a Kiss?

Sometimes when I'm reading, I find myself getting caught up in the same emotions the character experiences. When they feel anger, I feel anger. When they feel frustrated and desperate, I have the same feeling in the pit of my stomach. My favorite thing to experience though, is the pure emotion they feel when they have that first kiss.

There's really nothing like a good kissing scene. So how do I know when I've just read a good kissing scene? A few things happen to me:

• My heart is beating faster when I'm done with the scene.
  
• I find myself racing through the beginning so I can get to the kiss (if I know it's coming).
  
• I can't help but smile afterwards.
  
• When I'm done reading, I realize I've been holding my breath the entire time.
  
• I want to re-read it.
  

I was going to cite examples of books that got this reaction from me, but in the interest of not spoiling the books, I'll list the titles so you can check them out for yourself.

• Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
  
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
  
• Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
  
• Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
  
• Dash and Lily's Books of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
  

What are your favorite scenes to read and why? Which books are good examples of it?

REMINDER: Tomorrow I will be reviewing Episode 6 of My So Called Life: "The Substitute", so come back and join in the discussion!