In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme devoted to sharing the new books we've received, borrowed, or bought. For more information, visit IMM's fantastic host, The Story Siren. You can visit other blogs that are participating in this week's IMM here.

Today I'm attempting my first ever vlog! Be gentle...



Received for I Read Banned Books blog tour:

Wonderland by Joanna Nadin

Won from Recovering Potter Addict:

13 to Life by Shannon Delany
Wildwing by Emily Whitman

Won from Writer Musings:

Matched by Ally Condie
Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

Won from Badass Bookie:

XVI by Julia Karr (autographed)

Silly Sunday (4) - Charlie the Unicorn

It's time for another Silly Sunday, kids, and this week I've got something really silly. I regret that I cannot be with you to watch it, as this is one of those clips that sometimes is only funny when you can laugh with others. It may annoy you, it may make you snort, it may confuse you, or it may make you so angry you'll want to scoop out my eyes with melon ballers. If it's the latter, I truly apologize.

But my sister showed me this, so if you don't like it, blame her.



"The liopleurodon has spoken! It has shown us the way!"

"We're on a bridge, Charlie!"

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop (4)

It's Follow Friday! Hosted by the always amazing Parajunkee's View, this is a chance to meet new blogger friends and grow our networks.

This week's question is "What is/was your favorite subject in school?"

Is it a cop-out to say English? I had a phenomenal English teacher my senior year of high school, and she inspired me in so many ways. I learned everything I needed to know about college writing from her, which helped me breeze through my required English 100 course freshman year. Her entire room was decorated with aluminum foil on the walls, which she then covered with words in permanent marker. Line by line, they marched alphabetically around the room, over and over, mixed in with William Wordsworth quotes. She lit candles and waved wands and made us laugh, but more than anything she passed along her passion for words and showed us what to do with them.

Did you have any teachers who inspired you?

Be sure to check out this week's featured blogger Mission to Read and the rest of the participants.

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Hosted by Crazy For Books, this blog hop is all about connecting with our fellow bloggers. Each week we discuss a book-related question and hop around to other blogs to see their answers.

This week's question is What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?

I'm a sucker for a dystopian thriller, and the synopsis of this book sounds like it will contain everything I love about the genre. Veronica Roth also happens to live in Chicago and write a super cool and entertaining blog, so she gets bonus points. I am really looking forward to this book, but it doesn't release until May 3rd!!! :(

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All you new followers: I have a giveaway for a copy of XVI by Julia Karr to celebrate reaching 100+ followers last week! You have until Sunday at 11:59PM to enter!

Review: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Book: Linger
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release date: July 13, 2010
Source: Borrowed on Kindle

Summary: (from Goodreads) 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 Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

First impressions: If there's one thing Maggie Stiefvater can do, it's write a good intro. I liked the tone of the prologue, setting us up for a not-so-happy ending. When the actual story begins, we pick up soon after the first book left off, and I thought things got going right away.

Lasting impressions: Even though I could see where the story was going, I really didn't want it to happen. This book suffered from "middle book syndrome," where there's enough of a story arc to get us through, but no real conclusion. Instead, we're left to decide whether we care enough to find out the end of the saga in the third book.

Negative impressions: Though I liked the introduction of the new character, Cole, I found the four narrators to be a bit much. I often found myself uncertain who was "speaking" and would read several paragraphs before realizing I was in Cole's head and not Sam's. Everything in these books reads exactly the same way, in exactly the same voice, which does not lend itself to two narrators, let alone four.

Overall impressions: In some ways, I actually liked this book better than Shiver. Grace was less annoying, but perhaps only because with four narrators I spent less time in her head. Sam became much less interesting in this book, but Cole was exciting and fresh, and his dark attitude brought something different.

The story changes a bit in this one, with the wolves less able to control their shifting, which leads to Sam, Grace, Cole and Isabel trying to figure out what's going on. When the book ends, they still haven't found a solution, and instead the ante is upped even farther, setting up the need to solve the problem in the last book, out this summer. I have to admit that curiosity is convincing me to give Forever a try, though the fact that I find these books only mildly interesting may change my mind. Stiefvater is great at thinking up interesting plots, there's just something missing in the execution.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Want a different perspective? Check out this five star review by Annette's Book Spot or this four star review by Book Couture.

Writing Wednesday (4) - Q1 goals

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Welcome to Writing Wednesday, my weekly feature where I discuss my works in progress, project ideas, editing struggles, or anything else related to the world of writing. Feel free to grab my button and post your own thoughts on writing! Leave a link to your post in the comments and I'll stop by.

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After seeing nothing but reading challenges, I finally stumbled across a writing challenge! Hosted by ShadowKissed, it was designed for folks who can't fit NaNoWriMo in their busy schedules. Instead the goal is to write 10,000 words per month, every month in 2011, for a final manuscript of 120,000 words. Here's their official blurb:

Ever heard of NaNoWriMo? Did you sign up, get really enthusiastic about it, then fall flat on your face half way through realising there was no way you could cough up 50,000 words in a month? I know I have.

I still really love the idea behind that though, but know it is really hard for me to juggle with my real life commitments. So Mandy and I came up with the awesome year to spread it out over a year… and make it 120,000 words, rather than 50,000. The goal is to clock in at 10,000 words written per month.

Now, we are starting a little late on this, so if you want to join up, you’ve got until the 20th of Jan 2011 to let us know you’re going to join us on our quest to complete a 120,000 manuscript in 12 months. It can be any genre, any writing style – just let your imagination run wild. It’s more about getting a finished story, because that is the hardest part of writing.

To officially sign up, just email me (Katie) — admin@shadowkissed.net before the 20th of Jan to let us know you’re participating. We’re starting up a thread on the forum where you will be able to find support and suggestions and other cool stuff.

I look forward to you joining us on our 2011 writing adventure, and good luck!

I need challenges like this to keep me motivated. If I don't have a deadline looming, I will never complete anything. So I think it's time I set some concrete goals for this year.

The official NaNoEdMo starts in March, so I think I will do a warm-up and set a goal to log 20 hours of editing in February. NaNoEdMo requires 50 hours in March, which seems like more hours than I will have time for, but I will give it the old college try. I need to quit ignoring my manuscript and do something with it.

To recap:

January 2011 - Write 10,000 words.
February 2011 - Write 10,000 words. Edit manuscript for at least 20 hours.
March 2011 - Write 10,000 words. Complete NaNoEdMo.

I'll evaluate my progress and set some new goals for the second quarter of 2011 later on. Until then, I'd best get writing!

Review: The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

Book: The Vespertine
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Release date: March 7, 2011
Source: NetGalley ARC
Website: http://www.thevespertine.com (Trailers, interviews, period information, and more!)

Summary: (from Goodreads) It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

First impressions: The opening chapter takes place in the fall of 1889, which we soon find out is after the events that span the rest of the book. On first read it is captivating enough, with Amelia being imprisoned in her brother's attic, revealed to us as our "ruined" heroine. The brilliance of this first chapter is that as I progressed through the story, I could turn back and read it again, gathering more insights into the action. Just like the prologue to Romeo and Juliet, this opening chapter tells us of doomed love, and definitely got me interested in what events led to that outcome.

Lasting impressions: L'amour, l'amour! The relationship that gradually unfolds with Nathaniel is touching and mysterious and dangerous and...grand. Amelia knows she is not supposed to take an interest in this (by their standards) pauper, but she is intrigued by her strong attraction to him. After all, aren't we always drawn like magnets to those we shouldn't love? There is more to him than just his profession, however, and the more Amelia learns about Nathaniel, the more we understand why she doomed her reputation for him. These two left me aching for them.

Negative impressions: Every time I try to think of something negative to say, I talk myself out of it. I could say that I wish Amelia's visions had appeared sooner or taken a more prominent role earlier on, but then I like that the reader discovers them at the same time as she does. This novel is perfection, and I can't really think of anything I didn't like.

Overall impressions: For me, this is that book. The one that you know you will read over and over again. The one you will put at the top of your favorites list. The one that means something to you, even if you can't quite put your finger on what that something is.

Amelia is an everywoman...with a gift. She is eager and curious and shy and impulsive. She has this ability that she doesn't understand, and just when she starts to learn how powerful it can be, it's too late. She is rushed into the bustle of Baltimore, thrown into a whirlwind friendship with a bright star named Zora, and before she even has time to get her bearings, falls in love. Yet the story doesn't run away from her as you might expect. No, this story grabs her and won't let go, and I went right along with them.

Saundra Mitchell carried me through this novel with delicacy and ease. It swelled with period details, yet didn't get weighed down by them. The dialogue rang true, and told us everything we needed to know about the characters. Zora's mother is entirely revealed to us through her interactions with the girls, and she became one of my favorite characters because of that. Mitchell takes her time, revealing the details to us piece by piece, and I savored every moment. Each scene was like a sweet treat I wanted to take under the covers and unwrap where no one else could get at it.

For all of its lush setting and budding romance, this book really takes the cake with its ominous tone. Just as Amelia's first few visions come true, she begins to foresee more horrifying events. You would think, given that we know how Amelia's summer ends, that the story would lose its suspense, but it didn't. Instead, my heart raced with anticipation, desperate to find out what would truly come to pass.

If you like historical fiction, even in the slightest, you should read this book. Amazing, vibrant, and touching, this is what great books are made of.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Interested in another point of view? Check out Small Review's take on The Vespertine. There's another review and giveaway at Fire and Ice.

FF Thank You and Giveaway!

Wow. Just...wow. A few weeks ago I decided that once I hit 100 followers I would host my first giveaway. Little did I know that would happen over one whirlwind Follow Friday! I am so grateful to Parajunkee's View for featuring me this past Friday, because it gave me an unprecedented number of commenters and followers. For someone trying to expand my readership, this was tremendously helpful.

In honor of crossing that magical 100 mark, I am hosting a giveaway for my followers! I have a brand new copy of XVI by Julia Karr for my U.S. readers, and since I'm feeling extra celebratory, I will also gift a copy of the book internationally via The Book Depository. Though I still haven't had the chance to sit down and read this one yet, it's one that I've looked forward to for a very long time.

To keep things simple, we'll do this via comments. This contest is open to all readers ages 13 and up, with a shipping address in the United States or anywhere The Book Depository ships. You must also be a follower or email subscriber to win (since, you know, it's to celebrate all of my awesome followers).

To enter, leave a comment with your email address, name you would like used for the winner announcement, GFC follower name or email you use to subscribe, and whether you are entering the U.S. or international giveaway. I will select the winners using random.org and contact them via the supplied email address. Winners will have 48 hours to send me their shipping address or the win is forfeited.

The deadline to enter is Sunday, January 30th at 11:59PM.

Thank you so much and GOOD LUCK!

Silly Sunday (3) - Jane Austen's Fight Club

Last month, I mentioned my love for Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, and the Ang Lee movie in particular. Last week, during a #steampunkchat on Twitter, someone mentioned a video called "Jane Austen's Fight Club." Of course, I immediately went to YouTube and looked it up.



Um. How awesome is that? It takes the Austenian theme of women's societal struggles and turns it on its head with the brilliant Fight Club mashup. I love how you can almost believe that these stuffy women would go out back and start brawling. I wish that this movie really existed.

I mean, there are so many crappy spoof movies that come out every year. Can we please just have one that has some actual intelligence behind it? I get that I'm probably overthinking this funny little video about "proper" women who secretly beat each other up for fun, but I think the Austen reference is what makes this video work. It's funny not just because women in Austen's time wouldn't have a fight club, but because Austenian characters are strong enough and impulsive enough to pull it off, if only the concept of a fight club had occurred to them. Throw a modern sense of women's liberation at Marianne Dashwood and I'd bet you a hundred dollars she'd punch Fanny in the nose. Wouldn't you just love to see her do that?

Fun fact: My husband went to high school with one of the girls in the cast! When I showed him the video, he told me he had already seen it since he knew one of the girls. Well then why hadn't I seen it yet?!?

What do you guys think of this video? What are your favorite parts or lines? Does the mashup work for you?

Bloggiesta

Bloggiesta is here! Run by Maw Books Blog, this is a three day marathon of blog prep work. If you'd like to join up, follow the linked image and you can sign up anytime this weekend. There are lots of fun challenges and there will be motivating posts up to help you get organized!

Here's my to-do list so far:

• Create review template
• Create IMM, FF/BBH, WW, and SS templates
• Update challenge reviews with link to challenge index page
• Link on review pages to other blogs’ reviews
• Write reviews for books read
• Create Feature/Meme Index page
• Update Twitter background image
• Put together first giveaway post/rules
• Create spreadsheet to organize books for review
• Create Google doc with frequently used links and HTML codes (cheat sheet)
• Get social networking buttons for site, then figure out how to install them
• Create YouTube account/channel
• Make a Goodreads icon to match my other new icons (don't know if I can do this myself though)
- This is so not happening. I'll have to do without or pay someone to do it.
• Create a Silly Sunday button
• Backup blog
• Figure out how to set up polls
- Will be done in the future. Not pressing.

I'll be updating this post throughout the weekend as I cross things off my list. I don't know if I'll get through all of it, but hopefully I'll make some good headway.

**UPDATE**

I made really great progress. I got a lot done to clean up my theme, get a better title font, get social media icons and get templates ready to go in Google Docs. It helped me tremendously to get organized and feel like I can maintain this blog without completely losing my sanity or failing out of school. Thanks to everyone who posted informative helpful tips and had patience with my commenting absence while trying to sort through all of this stuff. :)

**UPDATE WITH QUESTION**

So I have this new font for my blog title, which showed up exactly as I coded it in CSS in my Safari browser at home, but in Chrome it only shows "Lo" and in Internet Explorer it doesn't show any of the shadowing. Is there something I need to put in the HTML/CSS to fix this or is it something I have to live with?

It seems cross-browser shadowing is an issue in CSS. Too bad. I took out the shadow effect and it opens fine now, but it really looked nice with a shadow. :(

Follow Friday Feature! (4)

It's Follow Friday! Hosted by the always amazing Parajunkee's View, this is a chance to meet new blogger friends and grow our networks.

You guys! This week I'm the featured participant! I'm so very excited about this, because I just adore Parajunkee and this meme has already led me to some amazing blogs and friends. I will happily follow everyone back, and I hope you newcomers enjoy your time on my site!

If you are so inclined, you can also find me on Twitter and Goodreads.

This week's question is "Who do you cheer for?" My answer is in my bio, which I'm copying from what I submitted to Parajunkee.

Hello lovelies! My name is Logan (really? I know, quelle surprise!) and I started my book blog in December 2010. I'm working on a YA manuscript, but haven't read nearly enough YA books. I love challenges and starting a blog gave me a great excuse to join tons of reading challenges and expand my horizons a bit. I blog to share part of myself and connect with the rest of you awesome book bloggers, writers and authors. So far, I have not been disappointed. In the short time I've been blogging, I have met some truly amazing people, and I'm astonished by the amount of kindness and support shown to me on a near daily basis. I am so thankful to be featured this week and owe a huge debt of gratitude to Parajunkee, who runs one of the best blogs around.

But enough sappy stuff. Who am I? Why should you care about my blog? I'm married and work as a legal assistant for a non-profit organization. I grew up in Nebraska and now live in Chicago, which means that I'm a huge football fan (Go Huskers! Go Bears!). When I'm not watching football, I'm rooting for the Cubs. It's a lost cause, but someone's got to do it. I love the color purple, movies, and Shakespeare. I hate ketchup, bad manners, and most children. As for my blog, I mostly review YA paranormal novels, but some steamy romance, urban fantasy and steampunk books will slip in there from time to time. I post every day except Saturday, and I have two features each week: Writing Wednesday, where I post about, well, writing; and Silly Sunday, which usually involves a goofy YouTube clip. I hope you will stop by and say hello!

Be sure to check out the rest of the participants in Follow Friday!

Review: The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia

Book: The Alchemy of Stone
Author: Ekaterina Sedia
Publisher: Prime Books
Release date: July 4, 2008
Source: Local library

Summary: (from Goodreads) Mattie, an intelligent automaton skilled in the use of alchemy, finds herself caught in the middle of a conflict between gargoyles, the Mechanics, and the Alchemists. With the old order quickly giving way to the new, Mattie discovers powerful and dangerous secrets - secrets that can completely alter the balance of power in the city of Ayona. However, this doesn't sit well with Loharri, the Mechanic who created Mattie and still has the key to her heart - literally!

First impressions: I read the first half of this book without stopping. This world is so rich and different and mysterious that I had to keep reading to figure out what was going to happen next. If you like sci-fi or steampunk even in the slightest, you will be hooked from the get-go.

Lasting impressions: The gargoyles were fascinating. Mattie is the heart of the book, but the gargoyles are the soul. I didn't quite understand them, but their presence was always lingering at the back of my mind. The characters and the story are dark, dirty, and complex, but definitely compelling.

Negative impressions: There were a few missteps. I wasn't a fan of the love interest for Mattie, and the "sex" scene between them was awkward at best. I just couldn't get into a man and machine hookup. I also had a hard time following the action at times. I don't know if it was because I am new to the genre or if some scenes were intentionally vague, but I didn't always grasp everything that was happening.

Overall impressions: The best way for me to describe this book is strangely beautiful. Mattie is an automaton, considered a lesser class, despite her emancipated status from her creator. She works as an alchemist and is quite good at what she does, which is what earns her a special benefactor who employs her for complex tasks. It is through this relationship that Mattie is drawn into the political upheaval happening between the alchemists, mechanics, and gargoyles in this world.

Mattie is also recruited for a task by the gargoyles, and maintains a relationship with her creator and mechanic friend, so is necessarily involved with all of these rival factions vying for control of the city. The more she's drawn into the politics, the more involved her assignments, and eventually she has to make difficult choices about who she truly serves. The story unfolds quickly, and I finished this book in two sittings.

I thought Mattie was sweet and different, and tried to suspend my disbelief and avoid asking too many questions about how she was able to think and speak and remember (particularly when her memory becomes an important plot point later in the book). Instead, I just accepted the world as I was reading about it, and it became a really fascinating story.

This was my first exposure to steampunk, and I loved it. This tale was dark, dealing with issues of slavery, class struggles, independence, and abuse. Yet it also had touching moments between friends, and showed the value of sacrifice. Mattie has to endure cruelty and hardship, but she is self-assured and never gives up on herself. Though this certainly isn't a book for everyone, if you're looking for something different you should give it a try.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Writing Wednesday (3)

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Welcome to Writing Wednesday, my weekly feature where I discuss my works in progress, project ideas, editing struggles, or anything else related to the world of writing. Feel free to grab my button and post your own thoughts on writing! Leave a link to your post in the comments and I'll stop by.

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On Monday, Rachel at Awkward Girl posted an amazing story about her great-grandfather in a feature she called Awesome Ancestor. Today I'd like to share a story about my paternal grandparents, whom I never had the pleasure of meeting, and use this feature to challenge myself to write some nonfiction.

We only ever heard the story on Christmas Eve. After the tree was decorated, and the presents piled just so, my father would turn off the lights in the house. My sister and stepmother and I would sit in front of the tree, gazing at the reflections in the bulbs and ornaments lit only by the white lights nestled among the pine needles. Dad would put on "Greensleeves," then come and sit next to us, and for the duration of that song, we did nothing but listen. When the song ended, Dad would wipe the tears from his eyes, and tell us how much Grandma Mildred loved that particular carol. I don't remember what year it started, but at some point the memory of his mother pushed him to share a funny story from his childhood, and every year after that we made him tell it again.

He was just a boy, certainly no older than 10. It was dark, and they were in the middle of a long road trip. He was asleep across the wide backseat, a blanket draped over him. When they stopped for gas, Grandma Mildred decided not to wake him, but after both of his parents had gotten out of the car, he woke up anyway. He decided to go to the bathroom, so he slipped out from under his blanket and walked into the station. When he got back, the car and his parents were gone.

At that same moment, his parents were back on the road, completely unaware that their little boy was no longer asleep under the crumpled blanket in the backseat. It took them another 50 miles before they noticed that he was gone. Mildred panicked, horrified that her son had vanished. They turned the car around, and began to piece together where the little boy could have gone.

When they arrived back at the gas station, Dad was happily drinking a Coke with the attendant. He wasn't even that scared. He knew they would have figured it out eventually, so it was only a matter of time before they came back. Mildred was mortified that she hadn't noticed sooner, and angry with her son for not telling them where he had gone after they had stopped. Still, no real harm had been done, so Dad jumped back in the car and the family drove off again - together - into the night.

It is such a simple story, and I still wonder why that story became a Christmas tradition. Dad loved to tell it, and I suppose we loved to hear it because we knew so little about his parents. They both died from cancer around the time my dad turned eighteen. He lived his entire adult life without parents, and I suppose that small story of childhood abandonment touched upon the pain he felt from losing them so young.

For my sister and me, it was a story that made us feel closer to him, as if these glimpses into his childhood would provide us with answers to questions we didn't know we had asked. When he told it, I would picture him with sleep-ruffled hair, his lanky legs dangling from a stool, Coke in hand. I could hear the laughter in his voice at the memory of his mother's embarrassed face, his mirth directly contrasting his sorrow from moments before as he had listened to her favorite song.

In the dark, huddled under blankets, basking in the glow from the Christmas tree, that shared memory became an experience that has stayed with me over the years. Now that my father has also passed, it is a memory that not only allows his mother to live on, but him as well. I still think of them both every time I hear "Greensleeves."

Review: Cinderella: Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan

Book: Cinderella: Ninja Warrior
Author: Maureen McGowan
Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books
Release date: April 1, 2011
Source: NetGalley ARC

Summary: (from Goodreads) In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

First impressions: This is not your average Cinderella story. From the beginning it's a little bit darker, with more magic and more action. McGowan wastes no time immersing us in this world, so I found it easy to adjust to this atypical Cinderella character.

Lasting impressions: So much fun! The more I think about this book, the more I smile. If you were ever a fan of Choose Your Own Adventure books, you will love this one. McGowan has another title in this Twisted Tales series called Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer which should be really enjoyable if this one is any indication.

Negative impressions: The story took a little too long to wrap up for my liking. This is probably more due to familiarity with the Cinderella story than any plodding plot problems, but I felt like there were three different times the book could have ended before the story finally resolved.

Overall impressions: This is just plain enjoyable entertainment. Familiar story? Check. Cool new setting? Check. Fully developed characters with a ninja twist? Check! It all adds up to a sweet, exciting and fabulous retelling of Cinderella. This Cinderella competes in magic competitions, does high-flying acrobatics, battles her stepmother and meets the man of her dreams in a variety of disguises.

There are eight different pathways through the novel, and I skimmed through the sections I didn't choose for my primary path. They all show similar character developments through different plot situations, and begin and end in the same place for continuity. It's nice because you don't feel overwhelmed by page flipping because the sections are long. At the same time, with eight different combinations, you can craft slightly different stories several times and have an enjoyable read.

With very little violence and lots of action, this is a great pick for younger readers. I also highly recommend it to adults looking for a fun and quick read.

Rating: 4/5 stars

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme devoted to sharing the new books we've received, borrowed, or bought. For more information, visit IMM's fantastic host, The Story Siren. You can visit other blogs that are participating in this week's IMM here.

Click the book covers to see the summary and book information at Goodreads.com.

Borrowed on Kindle:

I know, I know. Why am I reading a sequel of a book I wasn't crazy about to begin with? Because it was free. When I saw it was available via the new Kindle lending feature, I decided to give it a shot.

Borrowed from my local library:

I'm reading this with a few others in the Nothing But Reading Challenges group at Goodreads. I loved the first steampunk book from last week (The Alchemy of Stone) so I was excited to read another. I may have to up my participation level in the Steampunk challenge!



These two are for the YA Series Challenge. I keep reading too much about The Mortal Instruments series, so I figured I should get cracking on catching up, especially with City of Fallen Angels coming out soon. I've been eyeing the Uglies series for awhile now, so when I saw it was available I thought it would be a nice contrast to the other stuff I'm reading right now.


These three are for the YA Historical Fiction Challenge. It had been so long since I last read a historical fiction novel that when I read The Vespertine last week I realized how much I had been depriving myself. These should keep me occupied the next few weeks, and hopefully sate my hunger for a good, old-fashioned love story.

Bought:



These two I bought because they were available for under $3 on Amazon.com for my Kindle. I've been meaning to read them anyway, and I'm a sucker for a good deal. :)

Silly Sunday (2) - Hand Dancing

Hello friends! Welcome to this week's installment of silliness. Today we're discussing a video I discovered (thanks to a forward from my mom) that has garnered over 5 million views on Youtube.



Surprisingly, the funniest part of this video is not the video itself. Don't get me wrong, the video is funny. Awkward blank stares and a choreographed dance routine, done entirely with their hands, to strange music, with weird decor...I don't think it could get any more weird. And in my mind, weird is funny.

What's really funny, however, is the comments section. This video has earned over 5 million views, and when a totally random video goes that viral, people start drinking the Haterade. Most hilarious of all are the comments from all of the Irish dancers who complain that they do this all of the time to practice their steps. They're very upset that it made these people "famous."

I could go into a long diatribe about whether a viral video truly earns the qualifier "famous" but let's not go there. Instead, let's just collectively agree that taking a niche activity and putting together a quirky video displaying said activity will earn you a bunch of viewers. To me, it seemed fairly obvious that their hands are doing Riverdance. I like that they didn't just call their video "Irish dancing with hands set to funny music." It's much easier to just call it "hand dancing."

I think their video is awesome, and saying that any Irish dancer can do the hand dancing doesn't automatically negate their originality in this video. That's like saying that anyone can write a book and then getting upset when Stephen King gets a lot of press. The duo in this video, Cleary and Harding, didn't earn 5 million hits for shoddy footage of them practicing before a competition. They earned those hits for elevating their practice of Irish dancing to a fun, creative level.

Well done!

Every viral video gets satirized at some point, and this one is no exception. Here is my favorite, but only partially because it has Napoleon Dynamite. I mean, Jon Heder.



Want to hear more about how the original video came to be? Check out this interview with Cleary and Harding where they discuss the making of the video.

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop (3)

It's Follow Friday! Hosted by the always amazing Parajunkee's View, this is a chance to meet new blogger friends and grow our networks.

This week's question is "What makes up your non-human family?"

I've always been a huge fan of pets. Starting with my first cat at age 3, I think I've only gone a few months without having a pet. Growing up we had anywhere from 1-4 cats, and starting in junior high we had 1-4 dogs (all Boston Terriers). Currently I have the world's cutest Boston Terrier, named Carey. You can see her picture on my About Me page. She turns 6 years old this month!

Be sure to check out this week's featured blogger The More You Read, The More You Will Know and the rest of the participants.

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Hosted by Crazy For Books, this blog hop is all about connecting with our fellow bloggers. Each week we discuss a book-related question and hop around to other blogs to see their answers.

This week's question is "Why do you read the genre that you do? What draws you to it?"

The thing I love the most about YA fiction is the coming-of-age angle that seems so typical. I'm most drawn in to stories that have conflict around responsibility versus desire. I guess you could say I'm a sucker for teen angst. When characters have to choose between duty and love, I melt. I think one of life's hardest lessons is true selflessness, and this is something young adults face with particular difficulty as we move out of our self-involved childhoods and into relationships where we put others first. This isn't necessarily true for all YA books, but it is in a lot of them and is a big reason I was attracted to the genre.

Keep hopping and following and I hope to see you soon!

Stylish Blogger Award

I'm pleased to say that two of my favorite bloggy friends have given me the Stylish Blogger Award! Thank you so much to Jessica of The Simple Pleasure of Reading and Steph of Steph: Short & Sweet! I feel honored and blessed to count you both among my loyal readers. I'm so excited to get this fun award so early in my blogging life!

Now down to the brass tacks. As a Stylish Blogger Award recipient, it's now my duty to pass along the award to other deserving blogs. Here are the rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 10 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

Seven things you never knew you needed to know about me:

1. My favorite beverage is Diet Pepsi.
2. I'm a member of Mensa. (Nerd alert!)
3. I graduated college with a BFA in Theatre Arts.
4. I've kept an online diary for almost 9 years.
5. This year I'll celebrate my 30th birthday.
6. In high school I lettered in synchronized swimming.
7. I collect and color anatomy coloring books. I find them fascinating.

Time to pass the torch! There are two versions of this award floating around with differing numbers of new awards to pass out. I'm going with ten. It's a good, solid number.

Please visit these fantastic bloggers! If you recipients are unable to pass along the award, no worries! It's all about having fun and getting to know some new bloggers.

1. The Lovely Getaway
2. Paranormal Indulgence
3. Poetry to Prose
4. Republic of Lions
5. girl loves books
6. For the Love of YA
7. Books Devoured
8. Carrie Keeps Typing
9. Awkward Girl
10. Two Bibliomaniacs

I tried to pick people I hadn't seen named before, and who don't have explicit notes that they don't accept awards. I highly recommend all of these blogs - they are great bloggers and commenters that I think you will enjoy.

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Book: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Release date: August 1, 2009
Source: Local library

Summary: (from Goodreads) the cold. Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat. Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver. For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

First impressions: I read the first few chapters of this book in a writing class, so that experience definitely influenced my impressions when I picked up the book this time around. Stiefvater sets up the story really well, introducing us to the dual perspectives of Grace and Sam that will carry us through the rest of the book. Her writing style is staccatoed and almost poetic at times, and she lets us know immediately that Sam's yellow eyes and the temperature will be important elements of the story.

Lasting impressions: There are some gruesome moments in this book. The encounter with the dogs, Sam's parents, people getting shot - not for the faint of heart. I was caught off guard by the amount of violence and it certainly stuck with me long after I put down the book. I'm not usually so affected by that kind of thing, but for some reason this story had me squirming at the level of brutality present at times.

Negative impressions: The story didn't really kick in gear for me until the last quarter of the book. I loved the beginning, thought the ending was solid, but the middle really dragged. I wasn't a big fan of the back-and-forth narration switches. I thought Grace was a little too quick to accept Sam's wolfiness (for lack of a better word). It also irked me that Grace's parents were basically written out of the book so Grace had a good excuse to spend all of this time with Sam. There didn't seem to be much conflict in the relationship with her parents, and the fact that they were never around bothered Grace, but not in any way that really affected the plot. It read like a device necessary to get them out of the house instead of a symptom of some larger issue.

Overall impressions: I loved the concept of temperature being responsible for Sam's shifting. Sam was by far the more interesting character to me. His backstory really drew me into the world, from how he was turned to how he came into his current pack. He had this long, complicated, tortured history that I connected with, and it made me understand his choices. I'm not sure I can say the same thing for Grace.

Grace annoyed me more than anything. She basically falls in love with a wolf, with the added bonus that he turns human sometimes. She never notices Sam as Sam, only Sam as wolf. Her relationships with her parents and friends are all strained, and none of her interactions with them make her the least bit likable. She was too self-absorbed for my taste.

Once I got through the slogging middle, the plot really picked up and I got really caught up in the race against time and temperature. I loved the way it ended, and it worked well as a stand alone novel, so I'm curious what the sequels will be about. Stiefvater has an interesting writing style, and the short chapters make it easy to flip pages, so I will probably read Linger.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Writing Wednesday (2)

Grab the button and join in:
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Welcome to Writing Wednesday, my new weekly feature where I discuss my works in progress, project ideas, editing struggles, or anything else related to the world of writing. Feel free to grab my button and post your own thoughts on writing! Leave a link to your post in the comments and I'll stop by.

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Let's talk about censorship, baby. Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably heard about the new, sanitized versions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn being released without the n-word. Critics on both sides of the issue have spoken out, with some arguing this makes the books easier to teach and others arguing that this is just plain censorship.

No matter which side of this argument you fall on, I think everyone agrees that the n-word is a nasty word that shouldn't be used. Ever. Would I prefer not to read a book that uses it 219 times? Yes. I also would prefer it if the word hadn't been a prevalent part of speech patterns at the time the book was set. The fact is that it was, and so Twain put it in the book, as the New York Times rightly points out.

The part of this whole mess that makes me cringe is that somebody felt the need to "correct" the book to make it more palatable. I have two words for you, my friends: slippery slope. Removing slurs from our vocabulary is commendable, but altering classic works of fiction is definitely not. I understand that most school districts and parents do not want to introduce this word as acceptable, even in the context of a historical work. Yet changing the n-word to "slave" just sweeps the issue under the rug.

For me, forcing myself to read language that I'm not comfortable with is a valuable component of the lesson. Why is this word not acceptable to me? What is the cultural history and significance of this word and how does that influence my reaction to it? How has the world changed since 1840? If Twain put in the effort to capture a moment in time linguistically, what right do we have to change it?

I should probably 'fess up to the fact that I'm a pretty big advocate for free speech anyway. I don't allow my personal objections to interfere with someone else's right to speak their mind in whatever manner they choose. If I am uncomfortable, it is my right to not listen. This situation is no different. If you have a problem with the language in these books, and can't look at the lesson it teaches, then don't read the books. If we can't trust high schoolers to treat the material like adults, then don't teach it. But the answer cannot be to censor the books in order to make them readable and/or teachable.

To me, this just opens the door to censoring all offensive works of art. I'm equally appalled when nude sculptures are re-worked with clothing. Art is not something that can be modified according to taste by the consumer. I don't go to rock concerts and unplug the lead guitarist's amp and hand him a violin. I don't see The Nutcracker and ask the men to put on gym shorts. In this case, I certainly am not going to alter a piece of fiction so I can pretend the n-word didn't exist in our lexicon. I refuse to accept that erasing and sanitizing parts of our history is the appropriate response to our discomfort.

What do you think? Is this censorship? Is this appropriate?

Review: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Book: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books
Release date: February 15, 2011
Source: NetGalley ARC

Summary (from Goodreads): When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

First impressions: This book engaged me from the first few pages. We meet Ellie in a normal high school classroom, then are soon introduced to a mysterious boy, followed by a death. Needless to say, I was eager to keep reading.

Lasting impressions: The fight scenes are really stellar in this book. Moulton has an ease with which she communicates what's happening without miring you in details or slowing the pace. These scenes were the high point of the book for me.

Negative impressions: I felt like the subplot with Ellie's friend Landon was underdeveloped. He has a crush on Ellie, but it never really goes anywhere, and then he sort of ends up with someone else. There wasn't a lot of emotion tying me to Landon and I felt like he could have been erased from the story and it wouldn't have mattered.

Overall impressions: Although I'm not sure that I'm as crazy about the angel/demon genre as your average YA reader, I did enjoy this book a lot. I thought the mix of the contemporary high school setting with the mythology and mystery of the Grim setting was really exciting. I loved that Moulton chose an average high school girl and then built up this mysterious backstory that made her timeless as well. The flashbacks were nice glimpses into the Preliator's (as Ellie is known) past, and I didn't find them distracting at all.

One of the things that really keeps you turning pages is the need to know more about Ellie's past. Since much of the novel hinges on her gaining back her memories, you really feel her anxiety and impatience to remember so that you, as a reader, can find out the answers as well. Moulton does a nice job at the end of giving us a huge payoff for all of that pent-up frustration, and I am eager to see where the next book goes.

Ellie's relationship with Will is simply wonderful. Will is a great character - darn near perfect in my mind. He does have some of that brooding male mystery, not because he's written to be sexy and mysterious, but because he doesn't know any other way to act after 500 years with only one purpose to his life. Moulton smartly chooses to have Ellie frequently call him out on this, with tongue firmly wedged in cheek, so that we laugh at his stiff, quiet, and evasive manner right along with her. It's a nice reminder that sometimes we don't have to take our men, or our books, so darn seriously.

This is a solid debut for Moulton that perfectly blends the fantasy of reaper slaying and the heaven vs. hell fight with contemporary realism. Ellie is a normal girl struggling to come to terms with a past she can't remember, a world she can't quite make sense of, and the responsibilities of remaining a popular high school student. Her strained relationship with her father and the wealth of knowledge she gains at the end of the story provide more than enough plot for her tale to continue, and I look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.

Rating: 4/5 stars

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme devoted to sharing the new books we've received, borrowed, or bought. For more information, visit IMM's fantastic host, The Story Siren. You can visit other blogs that are participating in this week's IMM here.

Clicking on the book covers will take you to Amazon.com to pre-order or order these titles.

E-galleys for review:

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan

Part of the Twisted Tales series, this book is a choose-your-own-adventure retelling of the Cinderella story, with a magical ninja twist. My review will be up within the next few weeks.

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

Summary (from Amazon.com): It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

Bought:

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

The Kindle version of this title is on sale right now for $2.39. Of course it is, since I already bought my copy for $9.99. Sigh.

Summary (from Amazon.com): Would you risk everything for someone you just met? What if he had a secret worth killing for?

Welcome to a future where water is more precious than oil or gold...

Hundreds of millions of people have already died, and millions more will soon fall—victims of disease, hunger, and dehydration. It is a time of drought and war. The rivers have dried up, the polar caps have melted, and drinkable water is now in the hands of the powerful few. There are fines for wasting it and prison sentences for exceeding the quotas.

But Kai didn’t seem to care about any of this. He stood in the open road drinking water from a plastic cup, then spilled the remaining drops into the dirt. He didn’t go to school, and he traveled with armed guards. Kai claimed he knew a secret—something the government is keeping from us...

And then he was gone. Vanished in the middle of the night. Was he kidnapped? Did he flee? Is he alive or dead? There are no clues, only questions. And no one can guess the lengths to which they will go to keep him silent. We have to find him—and the truth—before it is too late for all of us.

Won:

XVI by Julia Karr

Summary (from Amazon.com): Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world - even the most predatory of men - that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past - one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

From the library:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary (from Goodreads): the cold. Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia

Summary (from Amazon.com): Mattie, an intelligent automaton skilled in the use of alchemy, finds herself caught in the middle of a conflict between gargoyles, the Mechanics, and the Alchemists. With the old order quickly giving way to the new, Mattie discovers powerful and dangerous secrets - secrets that can completely alter the balance of power in the city of Ayona. This doesn't sit well with Loharri, the Mechanic who created Mattie and still has the key to her heart - literally.