Feature and Follow (21)

Just one more day, and it's the weekend-- I'm so glad. But I have to say tonight was pretty terrific-- I got to see Antony John, Fiona Paul, and Heather Brewster at Schafly Library as they talked about their newest books!

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Here are the rules to the blog hop!
To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Q: Activity! Who is your to-die-for book crush? What do you think they look like? Add an image to make us all happy.

Sigh... Tom Imura, from Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. Tune in at the end of December to read my interview with him.

Closest I can come up with would be half Asian actor Daniel Henney

Who's your crush?

Current Giveaways
1. Interview and Giveaway prize pack of Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy (US only), 11/12
Afterglow Trilogy Giveaway

 2. Interview and Giveaway with Tracy Rozzlynn, author of the Fast-Tracked and Verita trilogies, Two Sets of Fast-tracked (first two books), Two sets of Verita Trilogies (first two books) OR $25 Amazon GC
Verita and Fast Tracked Giveaway

3. US giveaway of 5 Elemental Bookmarks signed by Antony John
Elemental Bookmark Giveaway

4. Interview with Eric Gale and giveaway of signed ARC of The Bully Book (INT)
Bully Book Giveaway

Curmudgeon's Corner: My 2012 Top Ten Reads

Hello, everyone! Since the bottom 5 reads was so popular, I have to do my ten top reads of the year (there were too many to limit it to five!). My sister, blogger CB, will also be ranking her top and least favorite reads of 2012 too in December!

10. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
This was a surprising find for me-- I wasn't sure what to expect, but I absolutely fell in love with the characters, the world, and the non-preachy spirituality I found in the pages.

Goodreads Book Description:  
Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

9. Black City by Elizabeth Richards
I just recently finished reading this book after Fiona Paul highly recommended it to me. I love how Elizabeth Richards takes a stereotypical set up and completely turns it on its head. This is a must read with a beautiful love story.

Goodreads Book Description: A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

8. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
I read this book quite some time ago, but it still resonates with me even now. I loved the imagery of the world building, and the characters are terrific. Cole is devastatingly sexy in his evil way, and Jack is the boy next door that every girl wants to eventually marry. I can't wait for the follow up.

 Goodreads Book Description: Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

7. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
I was completely impressed by this book. Shawn Keenan recommended this one to me, and I was blown away by how realistic this post-apocalyptic world was described. It's an intense ride with some amazing characters, and I was in tears by the end. 

 Goodreads Book Description: Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.

6. If I Lie by Corrine Jackson
Talk about another intense read. Every move in this novel was deliberate and thought provoking. One of the most emotionally gripping novels I've ever read-- and out of my comfort zone. I don't typically read contemporaries, but this one was well worth the exception.


 Goodreads Book Description: A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

5. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Another earlier read that I can't quite get out of my head. I felt this novel was so unique and terrifically modern while still having a goth/horror vibe. I was on my toes from beginning to end, and Anna remains one of my favorite YA characters of all time.

 Goodreads Book Description: Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

4. Elemental by Antony John
Yes, Antony John is a good friend of mine, but that has nothing to do with how I felt about this book. I was blown away by the pacing, the characters, and the plot reveals. This book just came out, but I had the privilege of getting to read an ARC quite some time ago. One of my favorite dystopians of the year-- plus it manages to have an element of fantasy!

 Goodreads Book Description: A lost colony is reborn in this heart-pounding fantasy adventure set in the near future . . .

Sixteen-year-old Thomas has always been an outsider. The first child born without the power of an Element—earth, water, wind or fire—he has little to offer his tiny, remote Outer Banks colony. Or so the Guardians would have him believe.

In the wake of an unforeseen storm, desperate pirates kidnap the Guardians, intent on claiming the island as their own. Caught between the plague-ridden mainland and the advancing pirates, Thomas and his friends fight for survival in the battered remains of a mysterious abandoned settlement. But the secrets they unearth will turn Thomas’ world upside-down, and bring to light not only a treacherous past but also a future more dangerous than he can possibly imagine.

3. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
For someone who lived through the eighties and played some old timey video games when they were still pixelated, this was a must read. I'm not sure that people who don't get as many of the references will love it quite as much as I did, but still without those references, this is a pulse pounding thriller with wonderful twists and terrific characters.

 Goodreads Book Description: It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. 

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. 

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. 

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. 

A world at stake. 
A quest for the ultimate prize. 
Are you ready?

2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
I loved this book. The world building was incredibly unique and the whole novel was different than anything I had ever read before. The prose was beautiful, and I loved the quirky three dimensionality to all of the characters. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment, which just came out. Close to my favorite book of the year.

 Goodreads Book Description: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?


1. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
This was my favorite book that I've read this year. I was so impressed with how thoughtful the text was-- it is literally a tome of a possible culture that would be created in a zombie apocalypse. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was wrong. I compare this book to an onion-- I kept peeling back layer after layer, getting more and more involved with the wonderful characters. Not only that, many ethical issues were presented in this book, and handled elegantly. Lastly, Tom Imura was my biggest book crush of the year.

 Goodreads Book Description: In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

Don't forget to enter some great giveaways!
Current Giveaways
1. Interview and Giveaway prize pack of Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy (US only), 11/12
Afterglow Trilogy Giveaway

 2. Interview and Giveaway with Tracy Rozzlynn, author of the Fast-Tracked and Verita trilogies, Two Sets of Fast-tracked (first two books), Two sets of Verita Trilogies (first two books) OR $25 Amazon GC
Verita and Fast Tracked Giveaway

3. US giveaway of 5 Elemental Bookmarks signed by Antony John
Elemental Bookmark Giveaway

4. Interview with Eric Gale and giveaway of signed ARC of The Bully Book (INT)
Bully Book Giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Phoenix (Black City #2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

I just fell in love with Black City by Elizabeth Richards, and now can't wait to see the next installment!

Goodreads Book Description: Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed.

The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

Why I'm Excited: The first book was really compelling, and I loved the characters. There were some wonderful twists that I want to follow up on.

Why I'm Worried: I'm actually not at all-- I think that Richards can only get better at this point. I hope the second book will be as good as the first! 

Current Giveaways
1. Interview and Giveaway prize pack of Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy (US only), 11/12
Afterglow Trilogy Giveaway

 2. Interview and Giveaway with Tracy Rozzlynn, author of the Fast-Tracked and Verita trilogies, Two Sets of Fast-tracked (first two books), Two sets of Verita Trilogies (first two books) OR $25 Amazon GC
Verita and Fast Tracked Giveaway

3. US giveaway of 5 Elemental Bookmarks signed by Antony John
Elemental Bookmark Giveaway

4. Interview with Eric Gale and giveaway of signed ARC of The Bully Book (INT)
Bully Book Giveaway
 

Review of What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

I just finished this terrific book this week and have to share my thoughts with everyone else!

Goodreads Book Description: I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

My Review: Several of my author friends were gushing about this book, and I just knew I had to move it up on my to read list. Boy, am I glad I did.

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang is about Hybrids-- specifically Eva and Addie. There is typically a dominant and recessive soul in each body and Eva is the recessive soul. She is supposed to disappear by their 5th birthday, but she hangs on, determined to live. But because of this, they are different from the rest of the population, and hide their secret from even their loved ones. Then they meet Hally, someone just like them-- and their world changes forever.

I can't even imagine the complexity of writing this book. To clarify what I mean is-- you have two souls inhabiting one body. There are references to Addie saying something, but then when she does something, it is talked about in the collective plural "we." The connotation was always clear and I never saw a misstep, but what a difficult way to write-- very impressive. Eva is a terrific character, as is Addie, and Zhang does a wonderful job of keeping a balance between the two. The pace of the novel is lightning quick, and I kept turning the pages faster and faster to see what would happen. I loved how three dimensional all of the characters were-- and what a feat to keep each half so distinct and separate.

I am curious about the world building because it is not clear what happened before-- why there are Hybrids, etc. But the ending of this first entry in what is likely to be a trilogy hints there is much more up Zhang's sleeve.

A terrific first book for Zhang-- and I'm eager to pick up the next book in this series!   

Don't forget to enter some great giveaways!

Current Giveaways
1. Interview and Giveaway prize pack of Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy (US only), 11/12
Afterglow Trilogy Giveaway

 2. Interview and Giveaway with Tracy Rozzlynn, author of the Fast-Tracked and Verita trilogies, Two Sets of Fast-tracked (first two books), Two sets of Verita Trilogies (first two books) OR $25 Amazon GC
Verita and Fast Tracked Giveaway

3. US giveaway of 5 Elemental Bookmarks signed by Antony John
Elemental Bookmark Giveaway

4. Interview with Eric Gale and giveaway of signed ARC of The Bully Book (INT)
Bully Book Giveaway

Part II Interview with Eric Gale, author of the Bully Book, and International Giveaway

Author Blurb: Eric grew up in Metro-Detroit, attended the University of Michigan with almost everyone he currently has contact with. He now lives in Chicago where he's working on his second book, and the script of a new musical.

Book description: 

There is a book that teaches you how to be the coolest kid in school and it’s ruining Eric Haskins' life. Right from the beginning of 6th grade, three boys turn the entire class against him. But Eric hears a conspiracy theory about “The Bully Book, a manual for ruling the school that's been past down through the years. The lynchpin of the system is selection of the Grunt, the kid that will be lowest of the low. Eric becomes a detective of the book, following a paper trail, seeking out previous year's Grunts, hoping he can find out why he's been chosen. If he can discover why he’s the Grunt, maybe he can change himself and his fate. 

The story of The Bully Book is told in Eric's journals and actual pages from the mysterious Bully Book.

Part II Author Interview.

1. I really enjoyed your characters. Who was your favorite to write? Did any of them surprise you?

My favorite to write was Eric, because he’s really just an 11-year old me. Colin was enjoyable too because he’s based a real kid I knew (who was also named Colin, oops!) and was this kind of gross guy who was my only friend. 

2. It seems like you have a rather unusual road to publication. Can you tell us a little about that adventure? What was the hardest and most rewarding parts of that journey?

We sent the manuscript off to eight publishers in our first round of submissions and, over the course of three months, every one of them rejected it. They all pretty much said they felt the story was too dark for kids. 

I figured I needed to do something to change the perception of the book before we sent it on the second round. My good friends have a very popular youtube channel called Team Starkid that I’d done work with in the past. I released The Bully Book as an ebook and they promoted it to their fanbase. The book reached #7 on Amazon’s children’s list. 

Then when we sent it back out, it was a different story. Two publishers ended up wanting it and it was HarperCollins that won out. 

That started a grueling 6 month revision process where the book was rewritten about three times. I’m really proud of the book’s final shape, so I’m thankful for those six months, though they were painful at the time. 

3. What do you have on the horizon? Are we going to see Eric again?

I wrote up an outline for a sequel to The Bully Book, but I’m not sure if I’ll go through with it. Sometimes sequels have the unfortunate effect of diminishing the original work, or they twist the characters too hard to keep the drama going. I would like to do another mystery with Eric, but I’m going to keep him on the shelf until I’ve got something I’m really happy with. 

I’m currently at the 80% completion stage of a fantasy novel I’ve been working on for a few years that features talking animals. So, I’m coming out of left field a little with the next one. 

4. Lastly, could you talk a little about bullying in schools today? I feel that your book sends a powerful message that this needs to be addressed. How has your book has made an impact in schools around the country? How can my readers help make a difference?

I can’t say that the book has made an impact in schools yet, because it hasn’t come out in a format kids have access to (hardcover) But I’m doing a tour of schools this January and hope to speak at a lot of events about the book and bullying as a whole. 

I think the number one thing your readers can do it talk to the kids in their lives. I go into this further in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSJsp4phvE8

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Part I Interview with Eric Gale, author of The Bully Book and International Giveaway

Welcome back, everyone! I'm excited to introduce this next author, Eric Kahn Gale, who has written an enjoyable book with a really important message.

Book description: 

There is a book that teaches you how to be the coolest kid in school and it’s ruining Eric Haskins' life. Right from the beginning of 6th grade, three boys turn the entire class against him. But Eric hears a conspiracy theory about “The Bully Book, a manual for ruling the school that's been past down through the years. The lynchpin of the system is selection of the Grunt, the kid that will be lowest of the low. Eric becomes a detective of the book, following a paper trail, seeking out previous year's Grunts, hoping he can find out why he's been chosen. If he can discover why he’s the Grunt, maybe he can change himself and his fate. 

The story of The Bully Book is told in Eric's journals and actual pages from the mysterious Bully Book.


My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My review: I was sent this book by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

I had never heard of The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale before I received it in the mail. Maybe you haven't either. But you should. This book stars another Eric, aptly named, since it is based on some of the author's own experiences. Anyone who has ever been bullied by their peers and anyone who has ever been a bully should read this book. Eric has been picked as The Grunt, and he quickly realizes that three other boys (one of which used to be his best friend) have some knowledge hidden away in a Bully Book that he must find to put an end to his torment. The book is set up in alternating chapters between the author of the Bully Book (the first bully) and Eric as he tries to figure out what is going on.

I thought the way the book was set up really worked and gives the reader a new perspective that hasn't been done before. The story has such an important message. As a pediatrician, I make it a standard of practice to always ask children if they are being bullied. Many times, I am completely surprised by their answers. I myself was bullied as a child, and it's not something I would wish on anyone. Sometimes, as we've seen in the news, it leads to tragic consequences.

Overall, I feel that the book was well-written in an engaging way, with a very important message that should be repeated until it is heard.  

Author Blurb: Eric grew up in Metro-Detroit, attended the University of Michigan with almost everyone he currently has contact with. He now lives in Chicago where he's working on his second book, and the script of a new musical.

1. Tell us a little about how you got the idea for The Bully Book and how your own personal experiences shaped certain events in the book.

When I was in elementary school, I was badly bullied. I was called all sorts of names, and it felt like my every move was mocked. My 5th grade teacher took every Monday off for two months to visit her sick father. On Mondays, we went around the class using vocabulary words in sentences. On the first week my teacher was out, one of my tormentors had the word "yonder." He used it in a sentence: "I can see Eric Gale's big head over yonder field." Everyone laughed, and the substitute did nothing about it. Soon everyone in the class was using their vocabulary words to make fun of me, and it went on like this for months.

It felt like there was some conspiracy amongst the class to make me miserable. I realize now that wasn't true, but it's how I felt at the time.

My family move districts between the 5th and 6th grade, and in my new school, I was a normal kid. The difference always struck me as strange. If there was something wrong with me, it would have traveled to the new school, and I would have been bullied there as well. But it was as though someone just needed to be the scapegoat at my old school, and for some reason, they chose me.

Years later, I heard a story on This American Life where a 1st grader imagined his bully had a book that taught you how to be mean to people. The idea stuck with me, and I felt this could be the narrative hook I needed to write this book. 

2. What most struck me about this book was how honest and raw the message is. What was the reception in general to this portrayal of bullying?

Most of the people who have read the book so far have been in high school and college, and they've written to me about the powerful emotions that the book draws out of them. Pain during the formative years really affects how a person sees the world and interacts with people. It still affects me, which is why I tried to include several adult characters who had bullying experiences in the novel.

A librarian who read the book took issue with my use of the word "gay." I address this concern in one of my blog posts:

http://erickahngale.com/post/31814539973/can-someone-tell-me-what-a-gaywad-is

3. I love how you alternate between the eyes of the bully and the bullied. Did you start off with this in mind, or was this something that developed over time?

I came up with the idea for the book in an afternoon, went home to talk it out with my roommate and sometimes writing partner. By that night, we had settled on the alternating format, which is one of my favorite aspects of the book.

Tune in tomorrow for the rest of this awesome interview! Until then, enter to win a signed ARC of this terrific book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of Reached by Ally Condie

November seems to be the season for ending trilogies. We finally get the last chapter of the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie. I thought it was a nice ending the trilogy, but I could easily put it down and not feel a huge need to finish it.

Goodreads Book Description: After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times-bestselling Matched Trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Review: An end to another trilogy. As I've said before, the last book in the trilogy may be the hardest because you now have a following that has certain expectations built up that may or may not be satisfied. I agree with another reviewer who said that this is a nice ending to the story but at the same time, wasn't earth shattering.

Reached by Ally Condie is the last book in the Matched trilogy, and we now see the perspectives of all three main characters: Ky, Cassie, and my favorite of the bunch, Xander. This book left off where the second one ended-- the characters are involved in the Rising to overthrow the Society, and each of them takes a path to find a cure for the deadly Plague that has been released into the population. Cassie is a sorter, Xander plays a doctor sort of role, and Ky is a pilot. A bit of a love triangle remains as well as expanded this triangle into a more complicated web. Will they find a cure before it is too late?

There were wonderful things about this book-- Condie has a way with words, and her love of literature and poetry once again shines through. Xander, who was already my favorite character in the first two books, now by far outshines everyone else. He grows into a man before our eyes and continuously puts the good of other people before his own. There are some nice twists that I wasn't expecting, and I really appreciated the effort Condie took to make her medical details more accurate.

This said, I had some issues with this book. First, the perspectives tended to run together for me-- the voices and prose didn't really change from character to character so sometimes I had to go to the beginning of the chapter to remember who was speaking. Second, the middle dragged a lot. I sometimes had to push myself to finish the book. And lastly, the many romantic entanglements just got tiresome and the fact that it all worked out so "perfectly," was a little unbelieveable.

That said, overall, the Matched trilogy is a huge success. Ally Condie is only going to get better, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what she writes next now this trilogy is over.

What did you guys think about the book?
  
Enter some great giveaways!

Current Giveaways
1. Interview and Giveaway prize pack of Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy (US only), 11/12
Afterglow Trilogy Giveaway

 2. Interview and Giveaway with Tracy Rozzlynn, author of the Fast-Tracked and Verita trilogies, Two Sets of Fast-tracked (first two books), Two sets of Verita Trilogies (first two books) OR $25 Amazon GC
Verita and Fast Tracked Giveaway

3. US giveaway of 5 Elemental Bookmarks signed by Antony John
Elemental Bookmark Giveaway
 

The Curmudgeon Gives Thanks

Welcome back, everyone! I think that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to complain on Thanksgiving, so instead I'm going to give thanks instead.

First, I'd like to thank my sister, CB, who has been so positive and encouraging about my passion for YA novels, and has been a wonderful co-blogger for the Curmudgeon's Corner Rants section.

Thank you to Jessi from Reading in the Corner, who gave me the tools to make my blogging dream a reality.

A huge thank you to two spectacular St. Louis author friends of mine, who unfailingly leave comments on my blog on a regular basis: Antony John who wrote the amazing Five Flavors of Dumb and who just came out with another wonderful book this week, Elemental and Fiona Paul, who wrote the fabulous Venom.

Thank you to Shawn Keenan, author of the amazing The Intern's Tale, who has been my writing partner and who encouraged me to enter the Writer's Cramp competition , which became quite an obsession AND its own section on my blog, and who has also contributed to the Rant section to my glee. Here's to your next book and here's hopefully to mine!

Thank you to Vicky Savage, author of the terrific Transcender: First Timer who has been so enthusiatic from the start about my blog and was the first author to spotlight my blog on her book. Can't wait to read your next books!

Thanks to Sara Zaske, author of the fabulous The First, who encouraged me to start this blog in the first place.

Thank you to all of the terrific authors who have donated their time, money, and books (and postage!) to this blog, including: Kendare Blake, Lisa Burstein, Andrew Cotto, Scott Cramer, C.S. Einfeld, Amanda Gerry and Christy Hall, Krista Holle, Alyssa Rose Ivy, Corrine Jackson, Antony John, Shawn Keenan, Jodi Meadows, Caragh O'Brien, Fiona Paul, Ingrid Ricks, Tracy Rozzlynn, Vicky Savage and Sara Zaske. These names only include authors that have interviews already posted. There will be many more to thank next year!

Thank you to bloggers and readers who stop by on a regular basis and comment!

Thanks to some great bloggers who have terrific blogs and memes, including Breaking the Spine, I Am a Reader, Not A Writer, Parajunkee, and Alison Can Read.

Thank you to all my friends and family who support me every day (and my blog).

Thank you to my husband, B, who supports me unfailingly even though some other people think my hobby might be silly... he doesn't! 

Sorry if I forgot to include you, it doesn't mean anything, it just means I have a bad memory!  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Happy Birthday, Elemental and US Giveaway

I just got back from a terrific event featuring Antony John, the author of Five Flavors of Dumb, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, Busted, and now the dystopian, Elemental.

Just to remind everyone-- Here is a description of the book, my review, and a blurb about Antony, who is the nicest guy you'll ever meet (and probably the funniest!). He signed several bookmarks for me so I could give them away to all of you guys!

Goodreads description: A mysterious and powerful fantasy adventure from a Schneider Award winner

In the near future, most of the population of the United States has been destroyed by the plague. The few remaining survivors live in colonies on the barrier islands off the East Coast. In one colony near Cape Hatteras, almost all the members have elemental powers and can control wind, water, earth, and fire. All but sixteen-year-old Thomas. When the Guardians, the powerful adult leaders, are kidnapped by pirates seeking to take over their colony, it is up to Thomas and a small group of teens to save them and preserve the mysteries of the island.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Abbreviated Goodreads review

Elemental is a dark, brooding book that opens up with secrets upon secrets. The protagonist, Thomas, is apparently the only one in the Colony that doesn't have any powers to call upon the elements. This makes him an outcast-- to the point where no one can even bear to touch him. He has two friends that are as different as night and day and hint to a bit of a love triangle-- Rose and Alice. When a storm comes and their parents and the Guardians of the Colony disappear, Thomas and his friends need to discover the secrets that have remained hidden for years in order to save themselves and their loved ones.

I spent the first several chapters confused. But the tone and the interesting backstory of the characters kept me going until the secrets started revealing themselves. I think all of this was completely deliberate by the author. This book is written in first person, so all that we know is what Thom knows, which isn't very much. So he is as confused as we are. When he learns of information, it is the first time both of us know this information. I think this set up worked extremely well for the plotting of the book. And the secrets-- what bombshells. I almost thought there couldn't be any more and they kept coming, most in the last half of the book. While the last secret was something that had crossed my mind, it brought up so many questions that this didn't matter. I was hooked. As for the characters, I continue to enjoy Antony John's female characters who are strong, brave, resourceful and many times much more so than his male characters. I'm okay with this because Thomas is a likeable character and has three books to grow and change in (which I am sure he will), but Alice blows me away. She is daring and fearless. She reminds me of Tris in Divergent and I want to see more of her. Rose is less fascinating but what she lacks in intrigue she makes up for in aching sweetness. 

Needless to say, I want to know more about what is going on, what has happened before and what is going to happen next. This is the perfect first book to a trilogy; we have a sense of completeness and yet, there are many places where the next two books can go-- and we want to follow for as long as we can. The characters are terrific; well developed but there is room for even more development. And there are characters that still remain mysterious, and I am sure we will learn more about. I highly recommend Elemental and can only believe that this trilogy can only get better. Antony John has written a completely different novel than his first two, which is in itself a triumph; but the fact that he has made it immensely compelling is the greater victory. 

Blurb about Antony: Antony John was born in England and raised on a balanced diet of fish and chips, obscure British comedies, and ABBA's Greatest Hits. In a fit of teenage rebellion, he decided to pursue a career in classical music, culminating in a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Duke University. Along the way, he worked as an ice cream seller on a freezing English beach, a tour guide in the Netherlands, a chauffeur in Switzerland, a barista in Seattle, and a university professor. Writing by night, he spends his days as a stay-at-home dad—the only job that allows him to wear his favorite pair of sweatpants all the time. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

Visit Antony's Blog: www.antonyjohn.net

Enter to win an Elemental Bookmark signed by Antony!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writer's Cramp: The Vacation

Welcome back to another Cramp entry! I love people checking out my Writer's Cramp entries, so I'm going to make it a regular part of my blog! Again, I highly recommend for people interested in writing to check out www.writing.com. It's free, you get to meet a lot of people, and it's tons of fun. The Writer's Cramp is a contest held every 24 hours, and you get immediate feedback from the judges. Plus, other people comment as well! Just keep your entry under 1000 words!

Prompt: Write about going on vacation.

Tanya rolled over and turned off the alarm. She flung back her tousled blond curls and stretched long, lithe arms. She heard shower sounds in the bathroom. Hank must already be up for work. The fuzzy warmth of the blankets made it hard for her to want to place her feet on the chilly hardwood floor. But Tommy had to get to the school bus on time, and the day had to start. She rubbed her eyes. Hard to believe it was her anniversary today.

She winced as her perfectly manicured toe grazed the dark wood surface of the floor. Grabbing a fluffy, blue bathrobe, she wrapped it around herself. Glancing back at the gorgeous master bedroom, she remembered why she picked this particular layout. Large, coffered ceilings, huge windows with white, wooden blinds, and a mahogany bedset. The headboard gleamed, with golden striations flickering in the morning sunlight. She smiled, hugging the bathrobe tighter to her body and made her way to her son’s room.

She opened the door gently. He was turning eight soon, but still had his rosy, plump cheeks that just begged to be pinched. Dark curls framed his face, and he was breathing gently with sleep. She hated to wake him. Tommy’s eyes popped open suddenly. “Boo!” he cried out, jumping out of the bed.

She shrieked and then ran after him giggling. “Shower, now!” she cried, and he trudged sheepishly to the hallway bathroom.

When she made her way back to the master, Hank was drying off with a monogrammed white towel. She admired his chiseled body and darkly handsome face with intense icy blue eyes and suppressed burgeoning desire. She still couldn’t believe she was with this man. But he was everything she had wanted and more. Hank turned and saw her, a slow, burning smile growing on his face.

“You are one sexy woman,” he growled and grabbed her and dipped her in a kiss, trailing his lips against her neck.

She pushed him away, smiling. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” she said. He cocked an eyebrow. “Later,” he promised her, making her shiver.

She stepped into the shower, hot water raining down her back. As she picked up the shampoo, she admired the marble work on the walls and the glass doors to the shower. It was hard to believe she was here.

She would wait to dry her hair, she decided, and rushed downstairs to start breakfast. “Eggs and toast?” she asked Tommy, as she wiped down the shining, granite countertop.

“Blueberry pancakes!” he exclaimed.

She put on a fake frown. “You know that’s just a treat for your birthday.” She came around the breakfast bar and started tickling him.

He laughed, a perfect sound to her ears. Hank made his way into the kitchen, gave her a kiss on her still wet hair and a quick hug.  “We have dinner reservations for tonight, sweetheart. At your favorite restaurant.” He could still make her heart flutter.

“What about me?” Tommy said, around a mouthful of eggs.

“You get to spend the night at your best friend’s house.” Tanya said, knowing what his response would be.

“Really?” His brown eyes were wide. “Yes!”

Hank laughed. “I guess we have permission then!”

Tanya couldn’t wait for the evening to start. But first, a massage and haircut at her favorite salon. She deserved to be pampered once in a while.

She was wearing a dazzling dark blue dress with a slit showing her perfectly tanned skin. Her curls had been done up in a messy updo, with a couple of tendrils framing her face. She preferred the natural look, and so did Hank, and her cheeks glowed with a hint of blush and lips rosy and full. She trembled inside knowing what was to come.

She could tell Hank couldn’t keep his eyes off of her from the moment he saw her. She loved this restaurant, but she was more interested in the feast that awaited them afterwards. She wondered if maybe they could just take dessert home with them.

The courses flew by, and the rich flavors of the cabarnet tingled in her mouth. Hank kept touching her hand, fingers grazing her thigh, his intense blue gaze of appreciation on every part of her body.

The ride home was a little rushed, and Tanya was grateful they didn’t get a ticket. Her dress lay forgotten in a glimmering blue pool at the bottom of the stairs, and they were devouring each other by the time she had kicked off her heels and made it to the bedroom. As he caressed her, Tanya couldn’t remember a more perfect day.

***

“Time’s up,” said the man.

Tanya had the unpleasant sensation of metal on her face, and she reached up with pudgy fingers to take visor off.

“How was your vacation?” he asked, broken front teeth making his smile more of a sneer.

“Not long enough,” Tanya muttered as she tried to move her ponderous body, but waves of excessive skin were wedged into the chair that was a little too tight for comfort. She panted as she struggled upwards.

“Here’s your motor chair, miss,” he said. She puffed and heaved as she plopped herself into her chair. “I included the tip,” she said as she waved her credit chip in front of the machine.

It was odd to think this used to be everyday life, Tanya thought to herself as she puttered to the elevator. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

__
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

Don't forget to enter these great giveaways!
Current Giveaways
1. Interview and Giveaway prize pack of Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy (US only), 11/12
Afterglow Trilogy Giveaway

 2. Interview and Giveaway with Tracy Rozzlynn, author of the Fast-Tracked and Verita trilogies, Two Sets of Fast-tracked (first two books), Two sets of Verita Trilogies (first two books) OR $25 Amazon GC
Verita and Fast Tracked Giveaway